Boston Sugar Refinery

The Boston Sugar Refinery was started in 1834 and is credited as the first refinery to create granulated sugar. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=A1USAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA75&dq=%22Boston+Sugar+Refinery%22&lr= Abstract of the Proceedings of the the Society of the Arts (1879-1880) Oppenheimer & Feckters 1890] ] It was the first manufacturing business to set up shop in East Boston. Since sugar refining was a specialized process and required special machinery and knowledge John Brown traveled to London and procured plans for the building and Machinery there. The eight story brick building was built on Lewis Street from Sumner to Marginal street on two hundred and twenty square foot location purchased from the East Boston Wharf Company. Starting in 1834 it took two years to construct. The main operation was initially run by a twenty five horse power steam engine and they employed eighty employees refining twenty five thousand boxes annually [ [http://www.helloboston.com/BookFiles/Chap18_Industrial_operations1.pdf History of East Boston, William Sumner, Chap. 18] ] . In 1846 Fisher's National Magazine and Industrial Record listed the refinery as employing one hundred persons refining eight million pounds of sugar a year and using three thousand tons of coal to do so [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=50ZKAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA47&dq=%22Boston+Sugar+Refinery%22 Fisher's National Magazine and Industrial Record, Redwood Fisher , pg 47] ] . Sugar refining required a great amount of coal and water – coal was shipped in but water was a consistent issue. The refinery dug many wells throughout East Boston to keep up the supply that they need to continue production. By 1852 they were refining seven million pounds annually and an upgrade to the machinery in 1852 allowed them to increased to twenty five million pounds and employ two hundred persons by 1854. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=tK0TAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA91&dq=%22Boston+Sugar+Refinery%22 The Memorial History of Boston: Including Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Justin Winsor and Clarence F, Jewett, James R. Osgood 1881] ]

Sugar Trust

The Boston Sugar Refinery became a part of the Sugar Trust in 1887 [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=L9EsAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA480&dq=%22Boston+Sugar+Refinery%22+%22SUgar+Trust%22&lr=#PPA480,M1 The Course of Empire: An Official Record, Richard Franklin Pettigrew, pg 481 Boni & Liveright 1920] ] . The sugar refiners seized on the benefits of Tariffs levied on foreign competition as they had seen done in the oil industry. Through this trust 98 percent of the US sugar market was controlled. The trust was brought to court.

"The government decided to sue in Pennsylvania federal court, alleging that the combinations were designed to restrain trade and create a monopoly in the sale and manufacturing of sugar. But the lower court didn't agree and the government appealed up to the Supreme Court [http://www.buyandhold.com/bh/en/education/history/2000/sugar3.html BuyandHold Web Site, Brian Trumbore] ] ".

This was the first prosecution brought in front of the Supreme court under the Sherman Antitrust Act

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