The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-15
THE SHING e TRUST.
Devises Means to Keep the Mar
ket in Proper Condition.
THE CROP OUTLOOK EXCELLENT
Drowning Accident 1T Portland-A South
Wsstminster Hotel Burned
Flood ut Missoula.

TACOMA, June f4-[Special.l IA largely
attended monthly meeting Of the shingle
manufacturers of Washington and Oregon
was held this evening in the reading-room
of the Commercial Club. Mills represented
were:
Clifford Single Company. Boutwell,: J. T.
Weber, Snohomish; Snyder d Frost, Chehaiis;
Fears Il Co., Aberdeen: H. K. Duuning Lumber
Company, Portland; PARK d Lacey. Portland G.
W. Thorn pson Sawmill Company, Tacoma; Slim
son Mill Company, Seattle; American LUMBER
Company, Seattle; West Coast Investment d
Manufacturing Company. Ballard; James Cory,
Edmonds; l. l. Fox. Burlington: l. Ashman,
Rainier, Or; Little Rock Single Company,
Little Rock: Puget Sound Single Company,
Tacoma: Foster Hastings, Tacoma; West
Coast Mills Gales Agency, Tacoma; w. IL. Box
Lumber Company, Tacoma
The meeting was of the star chamber
sort, but it oozed out through the cracks
that the vital question for consideration
was ways and means of preventing East
ern commission men from demoraiiZing
the shingle trade by inducing the manu-
facturer of limited means, who is pressed
for ready cash, to cut prices during the
dull months Of July and August. So far
the association has met with signal sue
cess in keeping the small dealers in line.
This is, in measure due to the stiff de-
mand for shingles for the past few months.
Indeed, this demand has overrun many of
the mills, keeping them behind on orders.
A couple of weeks ago, however, the first
indication of the summer let up
in business was felt by firms
in the association, which handle
the output of half dozen
or more mills. The usual decline In the
demand. coupled with the fact that nearly
100 new shingie mills, mostly of the
smaller type, have been established al
ready this year, will of course have
tendency, SO the observing manufacturer
says, to leave some at least of these new
firms without means to meet bills on their
plants which will fall due about this time.
Realizing the situation fully and having
an eye for fat commissions Eastern mid
dlemen have for three weeks or so been
flooding Washington and Oregon shingle
men with propositions to handle their
output. To cut prices and dispose of
shingles in order to obtain ready cash
is, therefore, considered great tempta-
ton. Besides new shingle mills are con-
stantly popping up here and there, where
there is cedar timber, all over this state,
ihOiS % III OIcpOii hiHy Vi TIC
shingie men feel that the current price
of superior Washington shingles is too
low. Inferior white pine shingles still
hold up prices over the much more desira-
BILE product of Puget sound and Oregon.
Still with so many new mills, and the
usual summer decline in orders, there
seems TO be no remedy at present, at least.
1t was decided to continue all the mills
in the association at full time for another
month. thus working off the output and
giving the small mills no occasion to re-
sort to cutting rates. This decision Is con-
sidered encouraging for the shingle trade
Beside. it was the sense of the meeting
that If there is no marked decrease in de-
mand during the month trade during the
entire summer will be normal and suffi-
cient to keep all or nearly all the mills
running. 1t is expected that the setback
given Eastern yards by the floods will now
be felt In working off the stuff on hand
and further new orders.