The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-14

He De~sn's Care what American Mill
men Thfnk of free Lumber.

m~n Tnfnk of Free Lamber.
Tacoxs, Oct IL Special This little
item, which appears In the current issue
Of the Prcss soand LsmbeTmaa, Is ssgnif-
cant:
"Fayetse C. Lamb, formerly bookkeeper
for the Tscosa2 L1nber and Aanufactur-
ing Company is IN San Francisco opening
an Office for tue saysard NIL Company.
Of virtoris. b. C.. in which 2. e. Paalson
and Henry Drum. Of Tacoma. are hearty
interested.
Mr.. Drum and Mr.. Pauison we're the
principal owners Of the Tacoma Lunber
and Manufacturing Company. Nr. Drum
Is chairman Of the state Democratic COM
mittee. His party pat lumber on the free
iiss, and Mr.. Drum profits By the injury
thus done his country. for IL booEas his
foreign mill
L. " Herrick, Of San Francisco, Is pres
itent OF the Pacific Lumber Company,
which controls the output of sixteen iun-
Der mills on this Coast and represents an
invested capital OF 100000 Mr.. Her.
rick has written the LuasberHtaR IS follows
on free lumber:
Three British Columbia mills have al
ready established agencies or representa-
tlyes in this market. a fourth being pre-
yionsiy represented here, and such repre-
sentatsves are soliciting trade in this sec
ton and the southern part of the state rs
we'll The injury 10 the coastglse trade,
previously enjoyed by American mills.
will be to the extent OF the trade done by
the British Columbia mills. Every foot
sold by them displaces the equivalent from
the American mills, who have neither at
this time or In prospect market enough For
their own product. Domestic cargo prices
are still low, with q natural downward
tendency rs the result Of an attempt at
division OF this market by British Column
bia mills. Prospects in export ..afkets
are dependent entirely upon local condi-
lions. aud except where Improvement Of
local conditions exists. no increase in trade
can consistently be expected"
Az the same time the Lum5erBoa an
nounces that word comes from Eastern
firms. stating that, owing to the placing
OF lumber on the free list. Canadians are
going TO cripple the red cedar shingie
trade in the Eastern states by sending
over their shingles, thus striking another
blow at the producers OF red cedar shingles
ia the Northwest. Commenting editor
tally on the Grst effects OF free lumber, the
LRmbermaa adds:
''rhe California market Is the most i'm
Oregon cater 10. II took from the state OF
Washington in 1888 1913, STA 060 feet of lum-
Der, or IA. i0l. 622 iret more than were
shipped by raii and to foreign points
combined. What makes ii desirable
Is the fact that il takes many
OF the common grades of lumber
which cannot be shipped East or to for
eign points and which would he unstable
but for the California demand. Hence II
the British Columbia mill men are able 20
sell their lumber in California the mill
men of Washington and Oregon will lose
just that much business. This will lead TO
a reduction in the wages of the mill work
ers on this side of the line in order that
the mills may unccrsell the British CO.
lumbians. and this is the most deplorable
phase of the situation.
''But the British Columbia mill men are
not the only ones that look tor an increase
in trade. thanks to the free lumber set.
III. Ill. Cook. of the Ontario Lumber Conn
pany. Eastern Canada, is quoted by the
Canada Lumbermon as follows:
The changes IN the United states tariff are
likely 10 give an impetus 10 the lumber trade,
the like OF which has not been witnessed for
msny year, and the Parry sound and other
districts VIII hum this season. Many United
States firms Will commence operations on
extensive scale A year or two ago the Midland
and North shore properties could not be given
away. N0w the Peters 1rm of Michigan nave
purchased these for rs 600 aud win commence
operations forthwith. Mr.. MiscampbeI viii. In
the early spsinx. start up the old British-Cana-
dian mills al Midland. anf mills will DC started
all through the d!stricts, excepting in small
limits, where IL does not pay 10 erect mills,
owing TO the fact that 10 per cent. OF the lumber
is either lost or stolen before II can be marketed.
''0f course the activity in Eastern Cam
ada has nothing TO do with the California
market. but at the same time it will In lure
the rail trade now enjoyed by the mill
men OF Washington and Oregon to some
extent. as Canada pine will displace lnm-
Der Manufactured on this side of the line
And rs the Canadian Pacific mas lust IS
sued tariffs 10 the middle states IL is but
natural that the Washington and Oregon
mill men will have to comps.e with British
Columbia lumber in the East. Truly the
mill men OF this section are between the
devil and the deep sea-. But there is a
prospect that the duty will be restored be-
fore long. and this fact is keeping Ameri-
cans from building saw mills on the other
side of the line"