The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-02-06
NTERLocKNG DIRECTORS
Claim They are Responsible for the
Local Grocery Trust

weeks ago about Crystal Falls mer-
chants has caused more comment
than anything we have written OF I'm
a long time. II is matter that touches
every persons pocket book In this
city and therefore IL is OF general i'm
terest. Since il appeared we have been
stopped on the street. called up on the
telephone and written to through the
mails, we have been congratulated for
our stand in starting a movement to
emancipate Crystal Falls poor peo-
pie from the chain which IL is claim
one man keeps locked about their
necks in the form of grocery trust
We knew that there was a combina-
ton to keep up prices and that a
great amount of business was going
out OF town but we didn't realize the
extent Of the business that IS escap-
ing us or the extremetles to which
many poor people who are not able
TO send away are put TO 10 make both
ends meet
AS a sample; a gentleman in dis
cussing the situation-and he is close.
ly associated with and familiar with
the tactics of the powers that be in
the grocery business in this city
said TO us. Take meats. Our local
butchers don't want to buy this lo-
cal beef SO as to help out the farmers
of the community and give the poor
people the advantage of cheap meat
They argue that refrigerated beef
sells just as readily and it saves them
the trouble Of killing the meat Some
local beef is bought, TO be sure. but
it it in sparing amounts SO that It can
be worked off at high prices, the same
as beef out Of the car. So, instead of
giving the people the advantage OF
local beef at IL or 12 cts. per pound
the prices on meats are held to from
20 TO 80 cents per pound Thirty
cent beef is all right for those that
can afford Il but IL cent beef Is better
for those that can't afford high priced
stuff"
We learn that a club has been form
ed at the Carpenter mine in which is
banded a lot of the employees who
send out monthly ana get enough
provisions TO do for two OF three
weeks at time By sending coll
lectively as they do, they can make
st an object and one OF the members
claim that they can save 30 per cent
One gentleman at the Dunn, in
talking this matter over with us stat
ed to the writer that he attempted
to buy @ ham In Crystal Falls and the
best that he could do was 30-cents.
He sent out and got the same ham at
17-cents 1--WE are onto these Crystal
Falls combinations" said he, and
are not going to be robbed"
That seems to be the sentiment all
over town, especially among the bet
ter class OF the working men on the
locations.
Another gentleman in talking
over this situation stated to us that
he Is pretty well convinced that an
understanding exists between the
stores whereby no one of them dares
cut prices on groceries. However.
said he. These same grocery men
don't hesitate TO send out for any
thing their customers may want In
lines they don't handle | have known
farm machinery and other things
and sell that merchandise TO their
customers at cost thus saving them
the legitimate profit that they would
have to pay at the hardware store.
drug store or any other place Of busi-
ness don't believe i'm the grocery
men cutting In on other business and
i'm our sitting still and letting them
drive the best portion Of our trade
out OF town by robblng the remain
ing portion / know that the motto of
the leader IN this alleged combina-
ton Is Keep The prices up; people
got to eat" II YOU viii take time 70
consider this matter YOU will discov-
er that the manager Of the John
Tufts store Is a director In the Fin-
nish & Swedish store and the prcsi-
dent Of the Finnish & Swedish store,
Is a director IN the Crystal Falls Co
Operative store and through this in
tcrlocking directors and managers
the prices are negotiated
In order that the merchants
might havc fair play anl an oppor
muliy to present their cases The fol-
lowing was cont carh merchant dur
ing the week
Feb 3. 1915
Gentlemen Tile Diamond Drill