The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-01-08
II HAS GONE 70 PIECES
Pacific Coast Lumber Trust
a Thing Of the Past.
DIFFICULTIES FROM THE START
Increased Supply of Lumber and Ina
bility to Keep Up Prices Were
the Rocks ON Which 1t Split.


the Rocks ON Which 1t Split.
Seattle, Jan. 6.-The Post-Intelli-
gencer says: The Central Lumber
Company, of California, the most stu
pendous trust ever organized on the Pa
cific coast, is thing of the past. No
such combine was ever before effected
for the control of a market in this end
of the world, and inability to maintain
its organization is'What nonsympathiz-
ers predicted at the time of its concep-
ton. The conditions of its agreement
were the stiffest ever promulgated, and
were practical mortgage, bill of sale,
and all-around cinch on the operations
of the mills and the members of the
trust.
1t had a hard row to hoe from the
start, but its plan was the best ever
gotten up ON the Pacific coast, mas.
much as it controlled every cargo mill
on the-scoast except three, and at one
time the outlook was rosy indeed. But.
like any business proposition, supply
and demand, keeness of competition,
mans cupidity, and necessities, and
natural opposition had to be considered.
and the rocks upon which the Central
Lumber Company broke were sharp.
In the first place, the projectors con.
fidently believed that the demand il
1896 would exceed that of 1895.
That being the belief, they were con
fident that price-cutting would be i'm
possible. But the demand did MOI
come up to expectations, the proportion
OF supply and demand being 4 to 1, in
stead of to 1, as compared with eight.
cen months ago. The anticipation o:
enhanced values prior to the formation
OF the company, furthermore caused
the pll1ng up of great stocks of lumber
IN San Francisco, and other California
distributing points, at lower prices, Sc
that when the new list became opera.
tive the inevitable resulted
No one purchased lumber from the
mills, but everyone scrambled for the
small trade. in sight in the endeavor te
get rid of the stock in the yards. Their
came clash between the retailers ano
the members of the. Central Lumber
Company came out second-best. To.
day lumber is selling at barely cost in
San Francisco.
However, during this period the
in Washington, Oregon and
British Columbia were simply specta-
,ors. They could not understand why
'rders were not coming in, and why
heir dividends were SO small. At the
anne time, one mill in. British Column
'ia, four in Washington and four in
oregon, not members of the company,
lad started into the cargo trade, and
we're cutting the price from fifty cents
o 50 per 900, and were running over
ime, while the Central Lumber Com
any's mills were idle or running only
art of the time. This caused hard
ceilings toward the company, especially
nong the smaller millmen, who were
to operate their plants il or
er to meet obligations. On top of
his came accusations that the larger
rms were securing all the trade for
themselves. Finally one mill broke its
greeinent with the company, and
theirs followed suit in short order.
stetson's Mausoleum.
New York, Jan. 6.-'When die
m going to have one of ; the finest
in the country, and will
lake those now in Woodland cemetery
,ok cheap in. comparison, /" was the re-
lark the friends of the late John Stet-
IN used to hear from him frequently.
he idosyncrasies of the famous the
trical manager and fnancier were SO
that this announcement never
eeasioned any special comment.
His project now seems in fair way
} be carried out, and that very soon,
5 the plans for the mausoleum are now
eing considered by the executors of
1e Stetson estate. It is to be of
ranite, and will have ponderous bronze
oors. On the panels of these doors
ill be scenes from the play from
1hich he made large part of his for
Inc, and in which his wife captivated
lie public heart, and showed she was I
charming actress as well as one OF
le most daring bareback riders that
yer entered a circus ring.
ALI the. most effective scenes from
The Crust of Society,"" in which the
lte Mrs. Stetson, as Mrs. Eastlakese
hapel, took the role of the leading
!dy, will be faithfully represented.
But the most curious thing of all
ill be huge bronze horse sitting on
S launches over the entrance to the |. )
,mb. 1t will be a reproduction of {
[rs. Kate Stokes Stetson's favorite '
.ick horse.
Tacoma Single Mill Burned.
Tacoma, Jan. 6.-The big shingle
ill of the Puget Sound Shingle Com {
any, at Old Tacoma, burned late to- t
light, causing loss of over $4,000, 6
hich is partly covered by insurance.
he mill has been. under repairs fol- {
,veral days, preparatory to its opera. 6