The Glenwood post., 1912-07-27
LLNBER TRUST SUIT
OF WIDE IMPORTANCE


fifth promises to be one OF state wide
Importance because it includes near Y
every lumber company in the state. II
the charges as made by Mr.. Griffith
are true everyone will agree it is hlgh
time something was being done to
curb the trusts. The first statement in
the complaint sets up the fact that the
defendants named are corporations
doing business in Colorado. Among the
charges are, that for more than five
years last past, the said defendants
some of them voluntarily, and others
only because forced to such action by
the threats of their competitors have
conspired and agreed together and with
others, at this time unknown to plain
tiff, to abolish competition and to reg
uate and fix the price of the commoi-
tiles above mentioned throughout the
state of Colorado. That, while osten
sibly doing business under separate
names and through separate yards o.
places of business, these defendants
have in reality. by virtue of such agree
ment, combination and conspiracy, op-
Grated and maintained what is in eff
feet but single business for VIII en-
prices and profits were fixed and do
termined in the manner hereinafter de-
scribed, and the territory in which the
parties to such agreements might oper-
ate their respective business was lin
tied and defined.
The charge is made that such com
bination and conspiracy extends
| throughout the state of Colorado, and
controls practically all of the business
| of buying and selling lumber and the
other commodities above enumerated
| throughout the state greatly to the in
| jury of the people of the state and OF
the various localities in which such
| combination is operated; that said de
| PENDANTS and all of them have contract
ed, conspired and agreed betwcca
| themselves, and with Others at this
| time to plaintiff unknown, TO prevent
| the sale by wholesale lumber dealers
| of materials to the consumer or to
retail lumber yards, except to those
who will agree to abide by the rules,
| regulations and prices fixed and deter
mined by said combination. That said
contracts, combinations and agre =
ments destroy competition, enhance
prices, are in restraint Of trade and uu-
awful and void.
Plaintiff further alleges, upon in
forma ton and belief, that the said de
PENDANTS herein named, by unlawfully
conspiring among themselves and with
others as aforesaid, have controlled
and still control practically all of the
| supply of lumber, building mater ais
and the commodities above named
available for the use of the people OF
| the state of Colorado, and have con
| trollcd and fixed, and still control and
| fix, and will continue, unless a court
of equity interferes, 10 cUnuol and fix
| the price of said commodities to the
consumers, the people of the state OF
| Colorado, at figure largely in excess
Of the prices which would prevail
could the public purchase in fair
open and competitive market.
1t is further charged that the mem
bers of said association in the respect
i've cities and towns above named,
and others. have secret and unlawful
| agreements, by virtue of which there
is no actual competition, the territory
in which the respective members shall
do business is limited and defined, and
prices are fixed and determined at
tive cities and towns with full knowl-
| edge of the prices fixed and determined
in like manner by the lumber dealers
of other cities and towns in said see
profit derived from the total business
tion, and the percentage of the total
in each town which shall be allowed II
each dealer is agreed upon.
That the said members of said the
| Northern Colorado Lumber Dealers
association for many y Tars prior 20
January 1912, employed an individual
whose duty it was to check and exam
inc the books, records and invoices of
| the yarIpuS members of said aSSOcia-
| ton, determine the amount of business
| done by each of said lumber dealers
ard the percentage of profit to which
| such dealer was entitled under the
agreement, IN the respective cities and
towns: and whose further duty it was
to be present at the meetings at whicn
prices We're fixed, and to report the
| prices and conditions agreed upon bv