The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-12
NOT A COM BINE YET.
LUMBERMEN DISCUSSING THE
SOUTHERN CONSOLIDATION.

What the Southern Pine Company is
to Be When it ia Organized-A Com
bination to Prevent Ruinous Compe-
tition and to Regulate Prioes-The
Gulf States Likely to Come Into It
An Annual Cut OF 4oO, 100000 Feet
OF Lumber Already Represented.
The Southern Pine Company did not sue
coed in organizing yesterday. President
Joseph II. Hilton, Of the Southern Pine Ex-
change. who is one of the movers in the new
organization, and quite number of other
lumber men who were expected to be here,
had not arrived up to last night
An informal meeting was held yesterday
forenoon in the parlors Of the Screven
house. J. j. McDonough, Of McDonough &
3. Stillwell, of Stillwell, Millen & Co., was
mill men were well represented
in the meeting. aud there
were also representatives from Jacksonville
and Fernandina. The forenoon was de-
voted to an interchange of opinions, and an
adjournment was then had until 4 o'clock in
tie afternoon.
At the afternoon session, which lasted
night there was general discus
eminent of The company. and the classitica-
ton Of schedules for lumber and timber
lengths, ETC., which are to be fixed by the
Southern Pine Exchange. The meeting,
when it adjourned last night, adjourned to
meet this morning at 10 o'clock, at which
time it is expected that there will be
fuller representation. Only the states of
Georgia and Florida were represented yes
terday.
WHAT THE COMPANY IS.
Mr.. McDonough was asked last night If
the company is trust to put up the price
of lumber and timber. He replied that it
is not syndicate, or pool or trust, but 1t
is an organization Of the manufacturers OF
southern pine lumber and timber to prevent
ruinous competition among themselves.
Heretofore they have been at the mercy of
buyers who have been able to fix their own
terms-in other words, just what prices they
would pay. While the organization is not per
Sc intended to put up the price of lumber,
Mr. McDonough says that the mills have. by
reason Of the irregularity OF things under
the present competition, been running at
loose ends, and the demand for lumber
now justifies an advance Of So per thousand
feet. By organization and uniformity of
prices the buyers will have to come to the
seller and not the seller to the buyer; and
to exemplify this, Mr.. McDonough assum-
ing patroniZing air, and bowling low with
hat in hand explained that is the way the
mill man has to go to the buyer now. and
maybe stand in the corner of the buyers
office until the buyer gets ready to either
talk to him or to kick him out"
TO BRING THE BUYER TO TERMS.
1t is to make the buyer come to the manu-
| facturer, according to Mr.. McDonough's
| version, that the Southern Pine Company
| is organized. The plan is that all coastwise
| lumber shall be sold through the Southern
| Pine Exchange at standard measurements,
| and not below the prices that may be deter
mined upon by it. While the members of the
| Southern Pine Company may sell above the
| prices fixed, they will not be allowed to sell
below those prices. 1t will not, however,
Mr.. McDonough says, affect the local or
western sales, where the lumber goes by
rail, but only the coastwise lumber and
timber
Mr. McDonough said that thus far the
organization controls an annual cut of
400, 100000 feet of southern pine, and while
it embraces only the South Atlantic coast
it contemplates taking in the Gulf coast
mills if they want to come in. He says
that all the mills in this section will join the
| organization.
Mr.. Southland, secretary of the Southern
| Pine Exchange, was seen last night, but he
| said that he had nothing new to communi-
cate beyond the fact that the meeting
| yesterday was informal, had adjourned
| until 10 o'clock this morning, and it was
| expected that there would be fuller
| representation at to-day's meeting, when
an organization will be effected and officers
will be elected,