28 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



collusion of the railroads and the trust and although the Denver plant 

 was one of the finest, it was sold out to DuPont at his own figures. 1 



Some interesting light is shed on this matter by the testimony of the 

 general freight agent of the Union Pacific Railroad. This agent, Mr. 

 Shelby, stated that his company had had nothing to do with the destruc- 

 tion of the powder-mill. His railroad wanted to go out of the business 

 of transporting high explosives and desired to foster their manufacture 

 in Colorado. To this other roads having terminals in Colorado objected 

 and believed that their interests lay in the transportation of powder to 

 Colorado. The Union Pacific went out of the business of transporting 

 powder for a time and the other roads charged a high tariff for carrying 

 it. Mr. Shelby did not think the rate was lowered for the purpose of 

 destroying the powder factory in Denver. He thought the case was 

 more like the case of the soap factory mentioned above. Kirk wanted 

 to monopolize the manufacture of soap and did so. So with the DuPont 

 powder company; they would give away powder in Colorado rather than 

 let the factory produce it in the state. 2 



Glass 



The glass industry encountered similar opposition to that which 

 confronted the others already described. It is an industry that tends 

 to establish itself as near as may be to the localities where it is consumed 

 in large quantities as the commodity is one that is liable to loss from 

 breakage resulting from shipment. Thus with the growth of Denver 

 and the cities of Colorado, there was an impetus given to the establish- 

 ment of glass industries. According to statements by the Denver dealers, 

 during the ten months ending November i, 1881, $281,000 worth of 

 glass was sold in Denver. Mr. Burdsall came to the conclusion that 

 this manufacture might be carried on profitably there as all the materials 

 needed in making it were to be found in Colorado and not distant from 

 the city. He intended to utilize the soda lakes near Morrison from which 

 an abundance of soda could be easily brought to Denver. He discussed 

 the matter with the Union Pacific officials and found that the freight on 

 the incoming glass was a considerable item in the income of that railroad, 



* Evidence, Special Railroad Committee, p. 64. ' Ibid., p. 243. 



