The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-09-12
THE cnIMp QuEsrIov.
The Portland Chamber Of Commerce
discussed II at Meeting
Yesterday

At a meeting Of the Chamber Of Com
merce in Portland yesterday morning.
says the Telegram. the following com
pnunicatlon from Balfour. Guthrie &
Co.. Of that city regarding the extor-
tionate prices charged by the boarding
house combination for sailors. was
read.
president Chamber Of Commerce,
clty-Dcar Sir: We beg TO call your
attention TO the extortionate rates now
Being charged for supplying seamen at
this port. all the way from 500 to
$40 per man, and the harassments
generally being practiced on ships. We
are IN receipt Of cablegram from the
sblpowners' Association Of England.
with whom we have previously been
in conference on the subject. calling
our attention to the matter and urging
that something be done 10 enforce the
laws as regards crlmps and deser-
ters.
we need not point out 10 you the
great damage that Is being done by
this state Of affairs. and we would urge
that YOU do everything in your power
10 remedy matters.
'Ths laws In effect. as you are no
doubt aware, are quite adequate for
the purpose. II they wsre only enforced
rigidly and proper protection given to
shipping generally.
Your line Of action. we would there
fore suggest. should be towards calling
upon the proper officials to leave no
stone uniurned TO check the operations
rof the boarding house gang. and let
ting the officials understand that they
win be held responsible At the bar Of
public opinion II they fall to effect a
remedy.
The worst feature Of the matter Is
that nc sucn state Of affairs exists at
any other port on the coast. and al
ready the effect Of 1t is being found in
the Increased unwillingness Of ships to
come here. II this should go on much
longer. Portland may find herself SER
iously damaged in her position as a
shipping port. Yours faithfully.
"BALFoUR. GUTHRIE & CO."
The communication was discussed at
some length. and It was agreed that the
main difficulty Is with the sailor. The
least bad treatment that is shown him
is the ground for a desertion on his
part. and he Immediately enters under
the banner Of the boarding house gang.
a sailor does not eare II ne has 81
or 800 coming TO him. he will desert
Just the same. The ships are gamers
by these desertions. and this. in GER
tain way. offsets the excessive charges
Of the boardlng-house gang.
The Chamber Of Commerce has had
this "crimp" trouble to contend with
before. and at one time succeeded in
making amlcable arrangements be-
tween the crimps and the shipowners.
This arrangement did not stand long,
however. The rate agreed upon was
not TO be more than s55 per man.
Competition turned up. however. in the
shape Of the Astoria boarding house
keepers. and the Portland and Astoria
"crimps" formed a combination.
One condition which makes the mat
ter doubly hard TO contend with is that
sailors are very scarce at present. 1t
was suggested that the shipowners
could bring men from Tacoma. where
the rates are moderate. but Tacoma
has no men TO spare at present. An
other unfortunate feature of the situa-
tion is that the producer has TO pay
the added freight rate.