The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-04-01
CEMENT MAKERS
ARE UNDER FIRE
NEW YORK GRAND JURY BRINGS
IN BILLS AGAINST "a
CORPORATIONS
Alleges portland Cement Trust
Violates Sherman Antitrust Law;
Three Forks Portland Cement Co.,
With Plants in Gallatin and Fer.
gus Counties, Affected.

Last WCCh Au ANCW VI u Clty y kOue
eral grand jury brought indictments
against "A big cement corporations in
the United States composing what
government officials describe as the
Portland Cement Trust, and 40 in
dividuals, officers of the corpora
tons. for alleged violation of the
Sherman Antitrust law.
The government alleges that the
Rocky Mountain states, including
Montana. is dominated y q monopoly
created by the Cement Securities
Company. Denver corporation. One
OF the corporations indicted is the
Three Forks Portland Cement Co., Of
Denver, Colorado, which has cement
plants at Trident. Montana, in Gala
tin county; anu at Hanover, Montana,
in Fergus county.
Besides the Three Forks Portland
Cement Company. which has the two
Montana plants, the other northwest
ern cement corporations that are al
legged to be members of the Portland
cement trust are: the Colorado Port
land Cement Company OF Denver, the
Nebraska Cement Company Of Dem
YER, the International Portland Co.
ment Company of Spokane, the Og-
den Portland Cement Company of o.
den. Utah; the Olympic Portland Ce-
ment Company Of Seattle. the Super
Tor Portland Cement Company Of
Seattle. the Oregon Portland Cement
Company of Portland, the Portland
Cement Company of Utah at Salt
Lake.
There are two counts in the indict-
ment-one alleging restraint of trade
and the other monpolies and attempts
to monopolize. The government con-
tends that the combination, which is
nationwide. was brought about
through the activities Of six domin-
ant cement companies in the country,
whose financial strength is so great,
whose plants are so strategically sit
uated. and whose influence in the
trade is so strong as to make 1t an
easy task to either persuade or coerce
the other cement companies to fol-
low their lead.
Absolute Control Charged
It is charged that the alleged com.
bination representing $600.O00,00
has so effectually maintained uni
formity Of price. divided territories
limited output, and has SO regulated
the class and character Of customers
who might buy cement and the pur.
pose to which cement might be ap-
piled as in effect to exclude cement
from the ordinary channels of trade
and commerce. In fact, the govern.
ment alleges, cement, as the term is
used under ordinary competitive con.
ditions. is no longer an item of barter
and sale, sold freely in the market
but instead is controlled by the man.
ufacturers up to the moment it is act
ually employed in construction work
The government officials in charge
of the inquiry said after the indict.
ment was returned that cement fol.
lowed only iron and lumber in its
extent of use in construction work
| 1T can be reasonably expected" one
official asserted. that a successful
prosecution of the cement combina
ton will materially contribute to the
bringing about of a wholesome con
ditton in the construction industry
The alleged methods of the "com
bination" are described in great de
tail in the indictment.
| It is charged that they have form
ed associations and bureaus through
out the country. ostensibly for tn
purpose of quoting prices as to com
pleted transactions. and for the fur
Their purpose of Recommending" uni
form trade practices. The evidence
according to government officials. in
dicates that the ostensible purpose
Of these associations are merely
sham," and that the so-called quota
lions on past transactions are use,
as q means Of fixing q common price
and the so-called Recommendation
Of trade practices really amount to
fiat from the large companies. /
fact, 1t is charged, all Of the so-calle
trade practices are used as a mean
Of maintaining price, limiting outpu
nd interfering with the purchaser
free use of the cement which he ha
bought.
Some of the more reprehensible q
these trade practices. the indictmeu
sets forth, are what are known q
delivery prices" arbitrary trad
base," specific job contract" an
Warehouse deliveries" Governmeu
officials briefly describe these mett
DDS.
All cement manufacturers, they q,
sert. insist ON quoting at the point Z
delivery, irrespective Of the proxin
; lily Of the delivery point to the mi
or the quantity purchased. The cu'
1T &C. ~ a ~