The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-29
Federal Trade Commission
er Murdoch Conducts the
Investigation
LOOK INTO RENDERING
MONOPOLIES FIRST
Francis ]. Heney, Counsel,
CLANS a "Gentlemen's
Agreement"

Boston. Dec. 29.--The investigation
into the packing house industry, begun
by the federal trade commission a.
Washington last week, was resumed herr
yesterday.
Frank B. Whiteomb of the Eastern Oi
and Rendering company was the first
witness. He said the company was now
controlled by the American Agricultural
Chemical company and had moved from
Portsmouth, n. H., in 1912 to Boston
When the company began to collect
waste in Boston prices rose rapidly and
the competition became so keen the
Eastern Oil and Rendering company lost
money for Is months.
The examination of the witness was
interrupted at this point to read into
record copies of indictments returned
in September, 1912, against officials of
various rendering companies for alleged
unfair practice.
II was brought out that various rem
dering companies in this vicinity were
controlled by the large packing compa
mics. The various consultations, the
witness said, were brought about to stop
witness said, had not worked out so
well as hoped for as "breaches of faith
were always occurring
Examiner Francis J. Heney brought
out that the combination of rendering
companies engineered by the packers
made it difficult for new rendering com
panies to enter the field. The same con-
ditions prevailed throughout the coun
try, Mr.. Heney asserted, with gentle
mems agreements to divide territory and
tie UP customers for life. In Boston, f
J. Mccartney & Co of Pawtucket, r. l.,
We're at present trying to fight the com
bination. 1t was developed by the ties
timony that other firms trying from time
TO time to enter the field had been driv
Ell out of business and it was testified |
that McCaffreys company had been driv
en- out of Providence by the trust" An
offer from an alleged agent of the Swifts I
for the McCatfrey business was refused I
with some indignation.
The control by the big Chicago pack
ers of the rendering business throughout
the country was emphasized. Mr.. Heney
said 1T had been made exceedingly diff
cult for independent firms to do business,
Mr.. Mccartney asserted that officials
of the Consolidating Rendering company,
controlled by the packing firm of Swift
& Co., had told him when he first en-
tered the Boston field that the rendering
business here was very unhealthy"
He was not frightened by the state
ment and was next informed that the
rendering combination had become
wealthy and could afford to raise prices,
with the intimation that they did not
believe he would be able to meet the COM
petition for waste products. He was in
vited, he said, to come into the combna
lion or get out of business but he added :
that he intended to do business just as !
he had been doing it right along,
Asked by Mr.. Heney if he could com
pete with the trust" on fair grounds. ,
he answered.
Il certainly could; their overhead ex. 5
Denses are too heavy" q
Mr. McCatfrey testified he became in +
crested in one lawsuit after another, in /
'tituted by the packing companies for r
aking away their business He was told
~ his competitors that they would keep
Tim so tied up for life by lawsuits he
,ould not move.
John Glennie, whose business extend S
ID to Manchester, n H., told how he had n
,een hampered and charged that the q
packers We're establishing stores to drive
etailers out of business n