The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-02-28
The Great Lumber Trust.

UltlucI Il lIuS1, blIOUS ii 10 10 f.'i0O -
to say that 80 men out OF 100 would
enter trust if thereby wealth would
come to their Golfers. AS the Pacific
Pine Lumber Company is at present
the target at which the poor marks,
men in the legislature shoot, it VIII
not be out of place to speak even
word in its favor, for the good it has
and is still doing, and tell somewhat
of its enterprises. In the first place
outside of the railways it is the richest
corporation perhaps in the Northwest
and like the railways it is close
mouthed corporation. The informa-
ton obtained from its officers is chief
ly valuable from a standpoint of ..
It's members if not sworn to secrecy
might as we'll be for all of importance
they divulge. This feature of silence
however, is one to be commended.
This company controls the output OF
the three mills of the Puget Mill
Company, at Port Gamble, Port Lud-
low and Utsalady. The Port Blakely
Mill, Tacoma Mill, Pacific Mill, Wash
ington Mill, Port Discovery Mill, Port
Madison Mill, Stetson & Post Mill and
the Oregon Improvement Mill. All
these are located on Puget Sound. In
addition it controls the Grays Harbor
Mill at Cosmopolis; Marshfeld Mills,
Marshfield, Oregon, Southern Oregon
Mill, Empire City; Oregon, California
Lumber Company. Porter, Oregon,
and West Shore Mills, Astoria, Oregon.
A grand total of sixteen mills with a
daily capacity of about 100000 feet.
In addition to this certain other mills
are supposed to be idle, subject to the
order of this company. 1t is safe to
say that at least 100000 Is wrapped
up in these mill plants and used in
the running OF them. This amount
does not however include the immense
bodies of timber lands, the large lum-
Der yards in San Francisco, the log
ging railroads, the sailing vessels, tugs
and other investments that are, if not
a part of the corporation, owned by
its members. One can add many
millions more and be within the limit
of the great wealth of the Pacific
Pine Lumber Company and its incor-
porators.
The active visible head to this COM
pany is Mr. E. NJ Herrick, It's presi-
dent. It may have been nepotism
that placed him there, as he is near
relative Of one of the large mill owners {;
but ii was good selection. He is a
college bred man who establishes the
fact that book learning do get into the
same head. He is the kind of talkcr
that would make an ordinary nearer
believe that it "just happened So" that
all the mills in the trust concluded
that twelve days in the month would
be the right time to run, and that the
Pacific Pine Lumber Company had
nothing to do with it. The other Of
ficers are W. J. Adams of the Wash
ington Mill Company, Vicc-President
w. III. Talbot OF the Puget Mill Com
pany, Treasurer, E. F Bent, Secretary.
All the mills have representative who
meet regularly and vote on all propos
itions and questions that come up.
Chas. Hansen of the Tacoma Mil is
one of the most influential members
in the body. The Pacific Pine Lum-
Der Company does control the output
of these mills. Its members own
them and have pooled their issues to
the extent of limiting the product
and maintaining prices.
While these men are united in this
way they still act as though they felt
that the union might any time be bro
ken. In all their shipments to for
eign ports they maintain secrecy to-.
ward each other that savors of bust
ness Jealousy. The trust exercises no
control over the sales of lnmber, each
mill company being free to ship to
any port where market can be found,
but prices must be maintained. The
Pacific Pine Lumber Company uses
its best endeavors to sell all the lum-
Der it can without reducing the price.
Such in general way is the scope and
aim OF the trust. What are the re-
suits? San Francisco pays a good
round price for all lumber used in
building and other purposes, but in re-
turn the greater portion of the wealth
made by these mill men goes there !;
he heads Of the mills live there. they
invest there, are taxed there and are
active factors in the business life Of
that city. Lumber is sold as cheap,
perhaps, in the markets of the north
west as it would be if the trust did
not exist, for it is a well known fact
III all lines of trade that large corpor-
ations maintain prices better than the
smaller firms. Washington and Ore
gon are loosers by not having these
large owners as resident citizens. One
has but to be acquainted with the St.
Paul d Tacoma Lumber Company to
see how beneficial it is to place to
have the owners also residents. The
owners of this mill reside in Tacoma
and are part and parcel of its life ac-
tivity and interests. If the legislature
would Issue bill of accommodation.
Cor something of that sor) against the
non residents it would be more in the
line OF helpfulness than ranting around
over antitrust bills. AS long as this
trust retains its present relations to-
ward the trade it is valuable adjunct
to the prosperity of all the mills out
side 1t. What a competitor would
the Port Blakely mill make in the Sc
attic trade if it should turn it's i'm
mense product of 100000 feet each
DAY into that city. How long could
the output of the Tacoma and Pacific