The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-28
NOT YET SETTLED.
Some Of the Lnmbermen Called Back
TO Atlanta. Last Night.

@AO-~
to Atlantf. Last Night.
Messrs. T. L. Kinsey, ]. J. McDonough,
George w. Haslann and w. B. Stillwell, of
the delegation of lumbermen who went to
Atlanta to cooperate With other lumber
men Of the state before the railroad COM
mission to geta revocation of the freight
tariff increaseyoh lumber fixed by the com
mission, to go, into effect next Monday, re-
turned homg yesterday, but Messrs Nc
Donough and StillweIl were called back
again to Atlanta last night by telegram.
Mi. McDonough informed the MORNING
NEWS before returning to Atlanta, that
fully 80 pr cent. of the lumber interests
are represented at the meeting, and that up
to the frae he left the Savannah, Florida
and Western railway was not represented
before the commission, while the East
Tennessee. Virginia and Georgia was repre-
sented, and Messrs. Whitehead and Shell
map, of the Central, with their counsel, A.
X. Lawton, Jr., were there. making a Wig
orous effort to prevent any change in the
order complained Of Mr.. McDonough
thinks tho commission will hear further
from the lumber men to-day. He cannot
account for the failure of the Savannah,
Florida and Western railway to be repre-
sented. The commission may reach con-
clusion to-day, and possibly not until to-
expected home tomorrow morning.
An idea of the depression in the lumber mar
ket may best be gathered from an epitome Of
the statement Of Mr.. Merritt w. Dixon be-
fore the commission. He said the proposed
increase would affect his Interests to the
extent of about $22 day; that the lumber
men have lately been selling lumber nearly
81 less per LOCO feet than they got for it
in 1888 "Since 1888 the price has been
going down, and was never lower than at
present, The lumber business is not profit
able. The only way my firm manages to
get along at all is by doing al! the business
ourselves, avoiding the mi5demen, and not
insuring, and trusting in Providence" The
witness gave an account of about doZea
failures, and said there had been more fail
ures in this business than in any other.
Are the railways amply compensated
under the present freight TARIFF asked Mr..
S. B. Adams.
~ can say from facts known to me that
the lumber men are at the mercy of the rail-
roads. In the watermelon season the rail-
roads have no cars for us. LII the cotton
season they cannot accommodate, in the
orange season, which comes little later, it
is the same way, and then in the truck sea-
son, little later, they make the same cry.
We may beg and plead and pray, but they
will not heed our cries. In the meantime,
we lose sales and our business suffers. Then
we get desperate and threaten to come be-
fore the commissioners. They then give us
some relief"
Mr.. Dixon insisted that the rates now in
existence could not be increased without
causing the ruin of the men in the lumber
business; that even at the present rates the
lumbermen are losing money.
Before closing his statement Mr.. Dixon
said he would willingly go out of the buS-
ness; that he would sell out to any of the
railway companies at % per cent less than
the valne Of his property.