The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-12
SHINGLES MAY GO UP.
Manufacturers Think Present
Prices Are Too Low.
THE TRUST WILL TALK IT OVER
Recent Cut In Rates Was Made to
Strengthen the Tfust-Reasons That
Warrant . 3O-Cent Advance.


will very likely take jump at Tuesdays
meeting of the Washington and Oregon
shingle trust at Seattle. At the last meet
ing of the shinglemen their product was
cut 20 cents per thousand, from $1.75 to
81. 55 at the mills. This cut was made for
apurpose-rather for two purposes, viz:
First-To discourage the building of
more shingle mills.
Second-To drive owners of mills already
in existence into the association.
No end of discussion, for and against,
has resulted from the 20-cent cut. Some
argue that the cut was fully warranted on
the basis of the purposes cited above, for
which it was made Others declare such
a cut nonsense and entirely unnecessary.
in the face of the fact that Washington
shingles are admitted by dealers every
where to be the best shingles in the world.
and therefore manufacturers may as we'll
have 81. S. to So per thousand for them as
ST. per thousand.
Several other questions enter into the
discussion. George Clark, of the firm of
Clark Il Horner. of Little Rock, who is in
the city en- route to attend Tuesdays meet
ing at Seattle, said this afternoon:
We must have higher prices for our shingles.
they say We are fools out here for not putting up
prices l believe we would sell just many
shingles at $LS5, or $l.95 even, per thousand as
we can at $L55 per thousand. There is no doubt
OF one thing, and that is, that our shingles are
in demand in the East If we get in now and
put up prices there will be a big demand for
shingles, Eastern sellers will stock up and our
mills can be kept open most of the winter. If
We raise our prices gradually there will be q
rush to stock up before prices get too high.
Of the quality and relative value of
Washington shingles, Mr.. Clark said:
Our shingles sell readily everywhere in the
East with the cypress single OF the south. As
q rule our shingles are considered the best, even
better than the heart cypress shingle. which is
cut from the heart of the tree and is usually in
set widths. say three, four. five or six inches.
These are called dimension shingles. The outer
part Of the cypress tree is of inferior quality,
and is full of little soft spots, like worm holes
filed up. Shingles made from such wood are
called ''pecky" cypress shingles. They are in.
ferior to ours.
Regarding the matter of freight charges
on cypress and cedar shingles, he said:
Freight rates regulate prices in many in
stances. On the matter OF the length of haul
the Southern shingle people have an advantage
But we Guido them in the lightness of our
goods Cypress shingles weigh 80 pounds per
dried down to 40 pounds with the new groove
dryers. 1t takes about four punches to make
thousand shingles, and when green our cedar
shingles weigh about 100 pounds to the bunch.
have seen them SO heavy a man could hardly
lift bunch. With the old-fashiouet dry kim
our shingles could not be dried down as nicely
as with the new grooved kiln. 1t used to take
from ten to fifteen days to dry them. Now the
work is done in from four to six days. What
the cypress people gain over US in distance we
partially make up in the iightness of our shin
giles.
Mr.. Clark holds that there is no money
in shingles at S1.55 per thousand. Besides,
he believes many shingle men who claim
to have been making money have not
stated the case correctly. He said:
There has been too much talk about money in
shingles. This has resulted in every man who
has 40 cents" starting mi II your mill Is
favorably located you can make little money
out Of shingles at 31.75 or slS5 per thousand.
At our mill we can get bolts at 81 per cord. We
never pay over $2-75 per cord, and sometimes
We get them at $l50 and $l.75 per cord. Others
on the Sound and along the railroad lines pay
s. to $3.50 per cord for cedar bolts. With
shingles at $l.55 per thousand you will lose
money when paying So and $S.5 so for bolts.
Out of nice, straight, knotless cord of
bolts, Mr.. Clark says 5000 shingles can
usually be secured. If bolts are trimmed
square, of course more shingles can be
gotten out of them than if they are cut in
small Or irregular pieces. If bolts have to
be hauled three or four miles, Mr.. Clark
is positive there is no money in shingles
at prevailing prices.
Another shingle man said:
OF course, the cypress shingle men want to
keep up the price OF cedar shingles They are
now more anxious about this than before, be-
cause the cedar shingles are driving the cypress
shingles out of the market to some extent II
the cypress shingie manufacturers can keep up
the price of cedar shingles, of course they can
also keep up the price on cypress shingles The
move OF the shingle trust has resulted in some
of the mills heretofore outside of the associa-
ton joining the majority for mutual benefit
aud protection. l do not know but that the cut
III prices may have discouraged the building of
new mills. still / fail 10 recall a single In
stance OF this kind There nearly 100 shin
g.e mills in Washingtou-say $50. OF these over
leo are in the sbingle trust