The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-17
FoRMINe a LuaRER TRUST.
Virginia and Maryland Companies tc
Enter the Combine.


BALTIMORE. Nov. I7-As result Of
a conference which has been in progress
for a week past in New York city be-
tween the manufacturers of North Caro-
lima pine kiln-dried Lumbar, the forma-
ton of a $25. 60G. 600 trust Will be an
nouneed shortly.
This gigsutic corporation proposes to
control the output and sale of that class
Of lumber which is utilized for flooring,
ceilings, partitions, weatherboariing,
holdings, cornices. scantling, and, Ia
fact, for all purposes for which this class
Of materials is in demand.
The scheme Of combining the principal
lumber companies Of Norfolk, Suffolk, and
Baltimore. at which ports the principal
business is done, has long been cherished
by many of the operators, and repeated
efforts have been directed toward forming
satisfactory combination Failures of
the past were due to the fact that it re-
quired An enormous capital to centTaliZe
this business.
This obstacle has been overcome and the
money necessary to launch this corpora
tiOn has been furnished by New York zap
italists. The companies which have already
agreed to enter the combination are said
TO be the Tanis Lumber Company, OF Bal
timore city and with mills at Norfolk;
the Surrey Lumber Company, CT Balti-
more with which Gov. Walter Smith is
eonnec. ed; George F. sloan & Bro, CT TAI
timore; the SUFFOLK Sawmiu Company of
SuIoik, Va: the Roper Lumber Company
Of Norfolk the Roanoke Railroad sId
Lumber Company of Norfolk; the Gay
Manufacturing Company OF Suffolk. Va:
the Greenleaf Johnson Company, OF Nor
folk; E. z. jackson & Co, of which ex-
Governor Jackson Is member; the Vir-
ginia Sawmili Company, OF Norfolk; W
W Tunis Brcs- Lumber Company, of Nor
folk Wiley, HarkeF & CO.. Of New York
city
This list embraces nearly all the larg-
est dealers in kiln-dFied lumber, and, by
combining they viii practically control the
output in the markets OF this country.
in addition to the large amount of bust
ness done by these firms with builders and
contractors there is another consumer Of
this class Of material which is playing d
most important part in The business of the
country. The Standard Oil Company uses
millions of feet OF pine per annum in the
manufacture OF oil cases. The contract for
this work alone fOots up 10 several hun
dred thousand dollars per anDum.
The Surrey Lumber Company and the z.
E Jackson Lumber Company have had this
contract with the Standard Oil Company for
a number Of years. The output from these
mills. which are to be operated under one
head. viii run up into the bi4lionS OF feet-
The trust is to be incorporated under
the New Jersey law and the main Office of
the concern Is to be located in New York
city.
The announcement OF the completion of
the plans for this trust was generally dis
cussed ia business circles yesterday. Al
though considerable secrecy has been
thrown around the meeting, IL leaked out
yesterday that Governor Smith and other
prominent lumber dealers had beeu in New
York during the week
The name Of John Walter Smith was sug-
gested In business circles yesterday as the
possible president Of this corporation. It
is stated. however. by some OF hig friends
that he would hardly be able to a., ept the
position owing TO his present offite
Speculation is rife as 10 what position
the GUNNER Lumber Company, Of Norfolk;
the Camp & Roland Lumber Company, also
OF Norfolk, as well as e ". HoTstmeyer &
Co. and J. H TheimyeF & Co. would take
toward this proposed combine. The Cum
mer Lumber Company is very large deal
er IN this class OF material, and it is sug
gested that II is highly probable. that this
concern may start an independent corpor-
alton 10 fight the new combine BY taking
in the smaller mills which have been left
out BY this new syndicate.