Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-04-25
SAND monopoly
A COMPLETE ONE
AGREEMENT WITH STATE WORTH
100000 IN PROCURING CHAR
TER FROM STATE.
CONTRACT IS A 'BLINCER"
All Suits for Back Grab FILED at Okla.
homa CIty--Iicvcnucs for Indi-
Niduals viii BE Large.

Mayor l.. j. Martin and other Tul-
sans who attended the hearing granted
10 the sand men OF Eastern Oklahoma
before the school land commissioners
In Oklahoma City on last Monday.
returned home more than ever con-
Ninced that the greatest injustice ever
perpelrated on any community has
been saddled on the rapidly growing
towns and cities lying along the Ar
kansas and Grand river. That the
contract which the state entered into
with the Builders Sand and Gravel
company, comprised chiefly of Attor-
neys Ledbetter, Stuart, Cruce and
Gilbert of Oklahoma City, is more Of
complete monopoly than was at
first anticipated, is their belief
To show how the company started
business. Its capitalization of $50, 900
was realized through the bare contract
entered into with the state, the con-
tract having been valued at that fig
ure by the monopolists and taken at
that value when charter was issued.
In other words the state turned loose
of $4,000 contract for nothing.
Runs for Years.
The contract is to run for five years
At the end of that time, the proper
ties of the company are TO be apprais-
ed by three men, one appointed by the
builders company, one by the state,
and another by the first two appointed.
Of atA ha
Builders company. and virtually means
that 1t will appoint all three apprais-
ers, taking into consideration its close
ness to the state. After bids are re-
ceived, the Builders company has the
right, without submitting any bid, to
step in after all the bidding is done,
and by paying dollar more than the
highest bidder procure the whole
concern for another five years.
SAND MONOPOLY-GAL r w o
In cutting loose of what the state
claims is its sand. the state is parting
with something for two and one-half
cents yard for which the Builders
company will receive ten cents. 1t is
figured by conservative calculators
lHdl we buslHtSS plOl4NS lol lHc llNc
years contracted win amount to ap-
proXimately million dollars. The
builders company may sell sand for
any price it takes notion, there hav-
ing been no maximum or minimum
price fixed in the contract.
Pay Price or Ship In.
Cities lying on the banks of these
rivers must either pay the price asked
by the Builders company. or ship sand
in or else do without sand, as the
right to take sand from the rivers
banks or beds Is wholly within con-
troll of the firm procuring the lease.
Not alone are sand companies affect
ed, but members of the Builders COM
pany openly boasted last Monday at
the hearing that they could preclude
any individual from hauling a load
of sand from the rivers beds and
that either in Tulsa or Muskogee such
privilege should at this time aggre-
gate the Builders company at least
ten dollars day.
As to collecting back royalties from
companies which have been operating
since statehood, the attorneys of the
Builders company were authorized to
prosecute all such cases on basis OF
% per cent for the firm and 10 per