The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-02
THE SINGLE TRUST.
Meeting of Washington and
Oregon Manufacturers.
THE FIFTEEN CAR RATE RULE,
It IL Abolished and Reduction Made
sion No Remedy Suggested.

The Single Manufacturer and Dealers
Association Of Oregon and Washington
held q meeting yesterday at the Chamber
OF Commerce. About ffty.6ve members
OF the association were present. and nearly
$50 mills were represented The meeting
was protracted one, there being q morn
ing and an afternoon session. President
c. D. Stimson presided and n. E. Duni-
way was secretary of the meeting.
The object Of the meeting was to con.
slider how the business should be managed
this winter, whether q uniform reduction
in the output should be ordered. or
whether prices should be reduced and
oil the mills allowed to hunt for business
wherever they could find it, and there
by stimulate the demand. There was con-
siderable difference OF opinion on the sub
tect and the matter was discussed in all its
bearings. 1t was first decided not to Or
der shut down or curtailment of the
output. and then the question arose as to
how much of q reduction in price should
be made. It was hard nut to crack. and
many members were very much opposed
to any reduction at all. It was finally de-
cded to abolish the fifteen car rate rule,
by which commission men and large
lowed q reduction of 10 cents per thousand
from the regular wholesale prices. In
stead of this it was agreed to let the men,
bers make this reduction to everybody for
the purpose of thereby stimulating winter
business. This new price will not 60 into
effect before the 10th inst.
The question of overproduction came
up, and while there was no action taken,
Il n1 . Aox H. h~1
gone into the business during the last six
twelve months.
An officer of the association said:
II ali the mills had had cars for their output
during the last sixty days the shingle market of
the whole country would have been glutted to
such an extent that prices could not have been
maintained az profit to the mills. A certain
class OF men have got the idea that there 10 big
money In the shingle business. and that the sup
ply could not exceed the growing demand. Now,
the TACT 10 that the demand will have to increase
next year in the same proportion as this year to
furnish business for oil the mills II there are cars
supplied so they can ship their product The
prospects for holding the association prices a.
good now ~ Al any time heretofore, but If new
mills keep coming in ii 10 certain that prices can
not be maintained. and many Of those now
barely making profit viii be obliged to shut
down.
Nothing was said about securing better
lumber rates to the East, but Mr.. Duniway
said:
We are relying on the general promise made
by Jim Hill to give Us 45-cent rate to Chicago.
If he keeps his word, this rate will greatly
stimulate the lumber business. OF course,
there are some kinds OF lumber in short lengths
on which we could not compete even at this
rate, but on clean lumber. heavy sticks and
long timbers we could do good business - far
East a. the Mississippi river, and on this side
our business would Do enormously stimulated.