The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-31

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by this mail to Hon. A. J.. Rose. com
missioner, Austin. Texas. and would ask
you very kindly to kive it space in Your
columns. and greatly oblige. yours very
| truly,
The Lutcher & Moore Lumber Co.,
II. J. Lutcher. President.
Hon. A. ]. Rose, Commissioner, Austin.
Texas:
Orange. Texas, December 30. 1896 Dear
Sir: Our attention has been called to the
ninth annual agricultural report in The
Houston Post of 2Sth instant, especially
that part pertaining to truss in when YOU
say: Notably among those enforcing COM
bination methods is the lumber trust, now
actively operating in this State" From this
assertion in your report, we are led to be-
lleve you have knowledge that there is
combination of interests-a trust among the
lumbermen of Texas, and without evidence
of that fact you would not have given the
greater part of your report to that subject
Perhaps we are one of the largest manu.
faoturers Of lumber in Texas, AMI since 1893
it has been the compulsory duty Of every
lumber manufacturer. ei.der in this or any
other State, to find ways and means to
make both ends meet, and keep operating,
nnd even with the greatest vigilance some
have been forced to the wall.
Now, IL there is a rust, If there is an
inscriptions combination among the
lumbermen. which you affirm, that makes
the consumer pay more :han cost FOR his
lumber. we would certainly like to have IL
formation that would provite for our out
put on the same conditions. You further
state in your report this local dealer OBJ
tains it at trust prices from the mills: these
trust prices. the added cost of transporta-
tion and of the local dealers profits. are
accumulated burdens which the consumer
has 10 bear. II occurs to me that this Is
not b. any means the correct thing TO
bear.
We do not know what you call trust
prices. unless prices such as they have been
the past three years. when every mill man
has been tumbling one over the other, to
see who could reach the bottom first and
call his creditors together. 1t Is true some
mills have been conservative, because they
could; they had financial help t,Iat was not
crowding them, therefore would not always
accept such prices Us might be fferad, but
we fail TO see in this refusal TO part with
lumber at a price less than the cost OF
production any trust features, or any |
might and vicionsncss."
Again, your so-called trust prices, added |
to the cost OF transportation. are accImu
lated burdens that is not by any means the
correct thing TO bear" Probably you can |
induce the railroad commission to abrogate |
III railroad rates ana freghts, and make |
free. We assure you the |
poor consumer would be very grateful to |
you and the commission, could you accom-
piish such blessing. and then we do not
DC II, We even the s'vicous" lumberIuop |
would attempt to rob the consumer by add |
I'M, the cost of TRANSFORMATION,
We are only one concern in a great many |
employing q large number of men in lum-
boring in Texas. We have access to the |
Of the world for our product. The |
consumers in Texas probably take less than
one-thrd Of our output. principally because
the foreign market offers better pr. ICES
Our stock oil hand piled is all suitable for
Texas trade. AS we never nave had before
Il knowledge of trust until :eading your
report, and presuming a trust means a
OF interests to -ase prices and
cause the consumer to pay profit to the
we have concluded we / ave
not been as vigilant OF our interests as
we should have been to derive this trusts"
private capacity, the following offer Qor
cash or its equvalenO
We will sell you all the lumber we now
have on hand at cost prices in piles as 1t
now stands on cur yard The cost shall
be arrived at by our books and daily re-
your representatives. and will be classed
under the following heads:
Cost Of logs delivered at mill.
Cost Of manufacturing into lumber and
stacking lumber.
Cost OF klr drying and dressing lumber.
Cost OF insurance and taxes
Six per cent interest on the money in
vested in the lumber from the time of its
manufacture. We will not ask for inter-
EST en- The original investment. mill, trans,
or In
would want us to load the lumber on car,
We should charge the extra cost for this.
This proposition is open to YOU but II
you do not care to enter into II on recount
IF your official position, If you know of any
or can form any combination of
consumers, or syndicates that would ac-
,ept this II Is open to them for a period
IF thirty days from date and we will allow
you $1,000 as a commission for your trouble
md interest in the matter. The only con-
iltlon we make is that the sale shall be .
ash or security that we are perfectly sat
SIZED with. II seems to us that this Is
good offer, particularly for the consumer II
ne Is forced to pay trust prices, and GER
AMY there are enough consumers who
nave read your report that collectively tley
would be willing to combine and accept
his offer thereby cutting the "gordlan
inot OF the lumber trust. Thinking, per-
laps you may be too busily engaged to
give this immediate attention, and that the
consumers themselves may desire to take
advantage OF 1t within the time the offer Is
'pen. VIC will request The Houston Post to
give 1t space in It's columns.
We trust you may see Your way clear TO
lccept this and also trust you may be sue
essful in compelling the railroad COM
lany 10 transport II to the CONSUMER free,
We remain, yours very respectfully,
The Lutcher G. Moore Lumber Co.,
II. j, Lutcher. President
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beaumont budget.