947. Illuminating Companies.—Of the ten illuminating companies of Brooklyn, not one last year paid a less dividend than five per cent., and one paid ten per cent.
948. Trust Companies.—Of the eight trust companies in the same borough, only one paid less than eight per cent., and that paid six. The highest paid sixteen per cent.
949. Banks.—Of the twenty-three banks of Brooklyn, State and National, one paid its stockholders sixteen per cent.; one fourteen; two, twelve; one, ten; and four, eight; only one paid less than five per cent.
950. Insurance Companies.—Of the four local insurance companies, one paid its stockholders twenty per cent., and the others twelve, ten and five.
951. Tin Plate Company.—All the tin manufacturers of the country are about to be associated in one great company, to be known as the American Tin Plate Company. The stockholders expect to double their profits.
952. Pottery Combination.—Under the laws of New Jersey, the pottery trust has just been organized with a capital of $20,000,000. The price of the stock is rapidly advancing.
953. Consolidated Ice.—An ice company, to be called the Consolidated Ice, will soon control all the trade of New York City. Prices are to go up, and profits, instead of a meager four or five per cent., as at present, will, it is expected, be eight or ten per cent.
954. Flour Trust.—British and American stockholders have combined to form one of the biggest trusts in the world. The capital of the new company will be about $150,000,000, and the output 95,000 barrels of flour daily. Should the profits be only twenty-five cents a barrel, the net earnings will be nearly $25,000 a day; but it is expected that with the increased price, the profits will be at least double that figure.
955. Furniture Combine.—This is a new trust which is soon to be floated, and which proposes to control the manufacture of all the school furniture in the United States. The capital is to be $17,000,000. Some idea of the enormous profits awaiting the stockholders may be formed when it is stated that the present output is more than $15,000,000. The combination means decreased expenses in operation, higher prices for customers, and, of course, greater incomes for stockholders.
956. Telephone Monopoly.—One of the greatest monopolies of the country is that of the Bell Telephone. The company has increased its capital stock in eighteen years from $110,000 to $30,000,000. In that time it has earned $42,903,680. It pays dividends of eighteen per cent., and could pay more, if allowed to do so by its charter. The surplus is used to increase the capital stock, so that in addition to its enormous dividends, every little while it presents its stockholders with new blocks of this exceedingly profitable stock. The present price of shares is about $280.