The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-05
WESTERN LUMBERMEN HERE.
THEY ARE LOOKING OVER THE
SOUTHERN LUMBER TERRITORY.

They spent the Day in Conference
and Dining at ThumderbOlt-In
Charge of Dir. Hugh BeIIas, AN
English PF0mOter-The Objects OF
Their Trip Not Stated-aIr. BeIlas
says They Are On Trip ana
That's All There Is to It-u,hey Left
the City at Midnight to Go over
the g. and 4. Railroad.
a party of about eighteen prominent
lumber merchants from the west and
northwest arrived in the city yesterday
morning in charge Of Mr. Hugh Bellas Of
London, England, a prominent English
promoter who is taking them through the
south, particularly through the lumber
sections for some object which has not
been made known to the public.
1t has been variously stated that these
gentlemen came south for the purpose of
holding meeting, the object of which
WAS to form a combination to control the
output of yellow pine lumber; that they
were seeking a new field for operations,
because Of the diminished lumber supply
in the north. and that they were merely
lumbermen for the purpose of advancing
the interests of the trade. Whether it is
one or all of these Objects however, SUP
sequent developments must demonstrate.
The party was met in Atlanta Thursday
by Hon. j. j. McDonOugh OF the Southern
Pine Company VINO came to Savannah
with it, arriving yesterday morning.
Among those in the party were Mr..
Bellas, London promoter, who organized
it; President. f. Weyerhauser of
the Missouri Logging Company of ST.
Louis. and his son. Mr. Charles Weyer-
hauser; Mr.. o. H. Ingram of Eau Claire,
Wis, president of the Empire Lumber
Company, and his son, Mr. Charles Ingram;
Mr.. j. T. Barber of Eau Claire Wis, vice
president of the Northwestern Lumber
Company; Mr.. H. H. Hayden, a prominent
attorney of Eau Claire; Mr. w. j. Young of
Clinton. Ia; Mr.. J. B. White of Granden,
Mo, president of the Missouri Lumber and
Milling Company and Mr.. w. H. Laird
Of Winona, Mimi, president of the Laird
Norton Lumber Company of Winona, and
Mr.. l.. G. Moon of Eau Claire, Wis.
The party was taken in charge
by the local Iumbermen, especially
those connected with the Southern Pine
Company and in the morning a confer
ence was held at the Commercial Club.
In the afternoon, until shortly after
o'clock, they were in meeting at the De
Soto hotel, after which they took car
riages and went out to Thunderbolt, where
they were entertained.
The party left in it's special car last
night, at Il O'Clock, over the Georgia and
Alabama railway, for the purpose of talk
ing a look at the pine forests of that sec
ton of the state. 1t will stop at Helena
and several other points along the route,
and will, no doubt, also go into South
Georgia before concluding its trip.
A representative of the Morning News
was referred to Mr.. Bellas as the leader of
of the party, for information with regard
to its trip. After spending several hours
in endeavoring to see MIR. Bellas, the in
formation secured was as follows;
I'VE are just down here on a trip, and
that's all there is to it,
Mr. Bellas characterized the reports
with regard to the party's trip that APP
peare1 in some of the papers in places
where they have been as unfounded and
nousensicaI, but when asked for the facts
in the case, he had nothing to say with
regard to it.
1t is safe to say, however, that a party
of wealthy lumbermen. who represent
large and active interests are not going
around over the country for the benefit
of their health, and it is probable at least
that some big combination or interesting
deal may be looked for as the result of
this tour.