The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-26
THE SAW MILLS.
Will They Shut Down i'm September
What an Argus Reporter Learned
Yesterday.

shut down on September 15th?" Deter
mining to find out what was going to be
done, the ARGUS scribe sharpened his
Faber, shouldered his note book and
struck out on tour of investigation. A
number of lumbermen were interviewed
on this all important subject-important,
we say, not Only to the thousand laboring
men, but 10 every resident in the city.
At the lower end saw mill the folks were
very reticent. That is to say if they
knew anything they did not wish to make
it public. In reply to the question will
you shut down the 15th?" the answer was
in all probability yes. Getting more
communicative, one of the lumbermen
said: 1--WE had meeting in Clinton.
Iowa, the other day, and there were pres
ent at that meeting goodly number of
lumbermen. The question that came up
before that meeting was the ques-
just asked me, All present were
agreed on one thing. and that was
that the production of lumber this year
was in large excess of the demand. Many
of the lumbermen stated that it would be
better fer them if their mills were stopped
now, for they were not making money
out Of them. know as well as you know
as well as every sensible man knows that
when we close down our mill it will throw
a large number of men out of employ
ment. While regret this cannot help
it. am engaged in the manufacture of
lumber for the money there is in it, and
and when there ceases to be any money
to be made in this business, l will leave
it and invest my capital in other business
that will pay dividend. This is my right
as well as any other mans right"
But, why not continue to run, even
if on half timer" asked the reporter.
Young maa, you have great head on
you for business. l admire your sagacity,
l told you that we were running the mill
and making nothing now, didn't? Now
you want US to run on half time, as if we
wouldn't lose even by that operation.
No, we couldn't do that The
best way to cure an evil is to strike at its
core. This we intend to do by stopping
all the machinery. However let me say
that there is proviso. The lumber mer
will have another meeting in Chicago
next week, but what will be done | car
not say. 1t may be possible that we may
not shut down the fifteenth of September
am of the opin ion however, that thu
meeting next week will only be in con
formity with what was done at the meet
ing held in Clinton this week
Leaving this mill the reporter took VI
his journey to the upper end mills aud
there found that they. too, were of th'
opinion that the wills will all shut dowr
on September fifteenth. They regretted
that matters were so that it necessitateC
the shutting down of the mills, but Will
it was so, they could not do otherwis
than do as the other mills did-shu
down.
Things look bad for the workingmel
who are engaged in the mills. The
might as we'll be prepared for the worse
Their only hope is that the meeting il
Chicago next week will devise som
means of continuing the men in employ
ment In speaking Of this matter the st
Paul Pioneer Press says:
Originated in Fan Claire, and the mil
owners participating in the meeting whicl
first sent out the proposition were al
members of the Chippewa Logging ant
laundering company. This organization
entrances nearly all the lumber manufac
turing firms between Winona and st
Louis, in addition to those in Eau Clair
and the corporation has virtually col
trolled the lumber interest of the Chip
pewa valley, pooling their log operation
and purchasing many logs not cut direct
ly under the direction of the company
The company as company is chiefly in
teresting in the log market. For two ar
three years more logs have been cut thai
the sawmills along the Mississippi coult
saw into lumber, and each year has addet
to the accumulated stocks. 1t is under
stood to be the judgment of the prim,
movers in the proposition to shut dowl
that a check can be put to the overcu
ting of standing pine more effectually b.
carrying over stock of logs nearly suf
ficient for another years saving than b.
any compact not to go into the woods
next winter. This action is believed will
give added value to logs on hand and t.
be carried over. and stiffen the lumbe
marks as well. 1t is possible for the lum
Der and logging company to carry owe
their logs safely in the Chippewa. Thu
action is not calculated to disturb Thu
pretty well established fact that the saw
mills in Minneapolis will not shu
down at the date proposed. There is
very decided sentiment in that city op
posed to the proposition, because tn
excess of logs which would remain il
the Mississippi at the close of the pre-
maturely-ended season cannot be safel,
cared for. Minneapolis is, however
more lumber than log market, anC
the trade in sawed lumber there has beef
exceptionally good in volume, evel
though the prices realized have no
shown large margin of profit. Tn
action is calculated to effect NOR
seriously Saltwater, which In any ordi
nary season finds market for he
surplus of logs out of the Beef Sloug
sorting gap. But for the same reason
as govern the Chippewa loggers the lead
ing spirits at Saltwater are favorable t
the proposition to shut down early, AM
the sufferers will be the mill hands throw
out of employment and the small 10
owners who will be forced to carry owe
even more logs than they would be com
PEELED to do under ordinary circumstanc
or sell at the ruling prices, which ar
below cost, stumpage and cost of cutin
considered.