New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-20
ATTACKS K|NOUNG TRUST
Complaint Says Standard Wood
Co. Violates Sherman Law.
CHIEFLY AFFECTS THE POOR
Suit Indicates Campaign to Pre-
vent Initiation Of Prices
of Necessities.

An equity suit for the dissolution ~ thu
Kindng Wood Trust. composed Of the
Standard Wood Company and a large num-
Der Of subsidiaries was filed I'm the United
States Circuit Court yesterday by Henry
A. Wise. United States Attorney.
The filing Of this complaint was taken
as an indication that the government ~.
fcisls we're determined 70 pursue tho
policy Indicated when the suit against tho
Lumber Trust Wss brought on May 70. n
was said then that Attorney General Wick
ershsm had planned A legal campaign
against the arbitrary increase in the cost
~ living. and The Tribune told Of impcnd
ing actions nv the Department n Justice
to break NJ agreements among wholesale
dealers in the necessities Of life who had
combined to maintain high prices or 70
force them still higher.
Particular stress was laid on this feat
IRE of the alleged monopoly IN the COM
plant prepared by John " II. Grim. As
sistant United states Attorney. In descrio-
inc tho trade and commerce I'm kindime
wood the complaint said that the principal
markets for this article were the large
cities. and there in turn substantially an
bundled kindling wood was sold 10 and
consumed by the poorer classes, particu-
Iarlv those living i'm tenement houses and
fats whore they were dependent upon wood
and coal for cooking and heating
The defendants named I'm this suit were
the STANDARD Wood Company. a New Jer-
soy corporation, with Offices az no. - West
street. in this city: the Snrader WOOD
Conpany. the Conway Wood COMPANY
the Long Island Wood Company the En-
pfre Wood Company. the Keystone Wood
COMPANY, the Pennsylvania Wood Com
Dany the Greene Manufacturing Company
which produces and sells presses used IN
the bundling Of kndling wood, and the
following individual defendants: Joseph W
RIaisdeu. president Of the Standard Wood
ronpanv: Philo &. Blaisdell. Walter +.
RIaisdeU. Charles .. Blaisdell, Joseph !.
BIaisdelI. Andrew j. Whyte George ].
WHITE. lillian p. Page, Joseph Fischer
Paul II. Rnowlton, W. T.. Barclay Darwin
4 Greene and David j. Greene.
The government complained that these
defendants since 1898 had been and we're
now engaged in an unlawful combination
and conspiracy unduly, unreasonably and
directly To restrain the trade and com
I
tiou Of the sherman antitrust law.
For many years a large portion ~ me
kindIing wood consumed I'm the Jnite'
States has been manufactured INTO anu
sold in bundles. the complaint said ana
tho nrocoss of manufacturing such bundles
and selling them has become an Important
industry. and many persons were Dependent
unon such bundle wood as daily neces'
si,v Tho machines used for pressing and
,,,irg the wood into bundles, known a.
rresses were inexpensive. the government
alleged and well equipped plant ana
factory for the manufacture Of oundle'
ljndIiuz wood could be established AZ
cost Of 5000.
Prior TO 1898. the government chaIsoo'
,,ost NJ tho kindlng wood was manutact'
ured by seven firms. in that year the
standard Wood Company was incorporated
in New Jersey, with a capital stock Oh
a 5joo0 for the purpose Of un'a|iulS
oIir,ipatiry competition by acquiring me
companies then engaged I'm the manuiact'
IRE of kindling wood. The complaint ''''
that the Standard Wood Company has been
selling more than half OF the knd!i"s "0''
used.
\ further charge was HlaUS N'NN
Greene Manufacturing Company sntseu
into a contract with the STANDARD WON
Company under which it agreed io' ''
pavment Of 5000 a year 70 make ths
standard Wood Company its exclusive
agent in the Eastern States and not 10 So,
any wood presses without the consent ~
the Standard. - 49,, ,ba
As competitors began 10 sprins up, W.
Standard Wood Company, the soEtlh!tt'..t
alleged entered into contracts WIN l nV,'
70 eliminate competition, and IN TINS nSn'
W rra cticalv monopolized the nafhe1
The government asked for for t'e d'sso'O'
ton of the so-called trust