Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-01-11
START SUIT To
SMASH ALLEGED
CEMENT COMBINE
Manufacturing COMPANIES
Are Conspiring to Violate
the Sherman Antitrust
Law, II Is Charged.

Denver, Jan 10.-Charging that
Charles Boettcher, Claude X Boett-
cher of Denver, and M. D. Thatch-
er of Pueblo, and 12 other manu-
facturers of Montana, Utah and
Nebraska, are in a conspiracy to
violate the Sherman antitrust
law, the United states government
today filed a dissolution and in
junction suit in the federal dis
trict court Of Denver. citing the
Cement Securities company and
six other cement manufacturing
companies as being in the alleged
combination in restraint of compe-
tition and trade.
The complaint was filed by
United States District Attorney j.
Foster Symes at the direction of
Attorney General Daugherty. The
complaint is signed by the United
States attorney general and sew
eral of his assistants.
The cement corporations alleged
to be in the combination with the
Cement Securities company are;
The Colorado Portland Cement
company, the Three Forks Port
land Cement company; the United
States Portland Cement company,
the oklahoma Portland Cement
company; the Nebraska Cement
company, and the Union Portland
Cement company.
The first four companies are
said to have their executive Of
fices in Denver, while the Union
has headquarters at Ogden, Utah.
Five million barrels of cement
are manufactured annually by the
companies named in the suit, ac-
cording to the allegation in the
complaint. Charles Boettcher, it
is cited, is president and director
of all the companies named while
Claude X. Boettcher is vice presi-
dent or director, or both, of all of
the companies. The other defend
ants named in the complaint are
alleged to be directors or officers
The Cement Securities company
the complaint alleges. was formed
in Denver in 1908. Shortly after,
it is charged. it began to acquire
and absorb the other corporations
and to direct their manufacturing,
sales and distribution policy. Abb
solute control of the cement indus
try in Colorado. Nevada, Idaho.
Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico
Arizona, Oregon, Washington the
Dakotas, Nebraska. Kansas. Okla
homa and Texas is charged in the
complaints.
1.-THE real object" says the COM
plant, "of the organization of the
Cement Securities company was to
eliminate competition between ce-
ment manufacturing corporations
in the territories affected and to
acquire and absorb Independent
concerns.
1t adds the result has been the
elimination of every semblance of
competition between them"
Representatives of the corpora
tions 1t 10 alleged, frequently meet
or otherwise communicate with
each other for the discussion of
prices, production, trade practices,
and other matters relating to the
regulation of manufacturing ami
distribution. Only dealers meeting
certain definite arbitrary re-
quirements, are recognized" the
complaint continues.
The petition prays that the de-
fenda } be enjoined from receiv-
ing any dividends from the earn.
ings of the separate plants pend :.
ing dissolution"
In addition to Charles and
Claude X. Boettcher and M. d.
Thatcher, the following are among
those named defendants:
Carl Leonardo. Los Angeles;
James Pingree. Ogden, Utah; ].
D. Slemons. Butte, Mont: MuurelI
o. Matthews. Oklahoma City.
Okla; f. T.. Bruce, Omaha; c. F.
Seiboldt, Danbury, Iowa; John IT.
Porter, Harry G. James. p. j.
Morse, J. r.. Zahn. A. W. Kirkpat-
rick and F. r. Schmidt, all of Den-
yer.