The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-17
IN A BIG COMBINE.
Lumber Mills of the Coast
Formed Into a Trust.
FORTY-FlVE MILLIONS UNITED.
Central Lumber Company Attafns Its
Object-Prices to Go Up on Janu-
airy IA Corner on Logs.

Lumber prices seem certain 10 go up with
the opening of the new year. for on Janu-
airy / the largest combine ever made viii
begin TO control the trade of the Pacific
coast. II is the Central Lumber Company.
OF san Francisco. the successor to the Old
Pacific Pine Lumber Company, and II rep
resents capital OF at least $i5,o0,no. Il
includes every mill of Importance in the
region west OF the Cascade mountains
from san Francisco on the south 20 VAN
couver, Is. G. on the north.
To perfect the organization or this
gigantic trust has required nearly a year
of hard work, and every step has been
made as secretly as possible. The first IN
timation given 10 the public that such a
move was being made was through the
Incorporation at San Francisco of the Cen
ira! Lumber Company. including some or
the largest firms of that place. This was
followed up by a canvass Of the mills Of
the Coast by ID. H. BIB. of the Golden
Gate Lumber Company. and +. j. Holt,
of the Simpson Lumber Company, both or
San Francisco, those representatives or
the trust coming northward and bringing
into line the mills of California and ore
gon. About October 70 they reached the
Gray's harbor country. thence taking the
mills Of Puget sound outside of Seattle.
and then visiting British Columbia. The
last named territory was worked with the
greatest care. and considerable lime ccn-'
sumed in showing the foreign mills he adj
vantage to be gained from united acton.
Seattle was left to the last, Ii being feared
that many of the firms in this city " uld
stand out and materially affect ire pur-
pose Of the union.
But during the present week Messrs.
Bibb and Holt returned to this city, hav-
ing included in their LIST a formidable ar
ray of mills. They went about quietly
sizing up" the concerns here, ami one
day they would be seen along the locks
inspecting carg0es. and the next tack IN
the yards In this manner they obtained
a fair estimate of what a particular mill
was doing. The next day they would APP
proach the manager and place before him
the details Of their scheme, relying on his
business honor not to disclose what was
said If firm stood out they made II an
lnducement for him 20 come in, usually
offering a subsidy. 1t is said that the sub
sides alone will reach 100000 year.
While this organiza,i ion has been per-
fecteI a corner has been made on logs in
the Puget sound region, and many or the
mills have secured an unusually large sup
ply. The reason is easily seen. With lum-
Der forced upward. logs viii go up. and
the endeayor to get fun stocks has been
In anticipation of rise. The great Port
Blakeley mill is said TO have lad in a sLp-
ply Of from 20.0Oooo0 TO 3o.oo0o 900 feet while
the Puget Mill Company is reported TO
have spent in the past thirty days 100000
for logs alone.
In order TO be as secret as possible Mr..
Bib went TO the expedent Of taking an
assumed name, and ne registered at the
Rainier-Grand in this city as James john
son. OF Tacoma. But his identity was
known from the first day OF his arrival
Indeed. the announcement that he was in
the city appeared in the Post-Intelligencer
the very day he came, and although his
pseudonym was not given out 10 the
world, all the milmen in the city were
smiling at the organizers Intellectual ef-
forts to conceal himself.