The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-10
NAVAL STORES CONVENTION.
OPERATORS GATHERING AT JACK
soNyILLE FROM EVERY QUARTER.

Convention Convenes To-day-Ex-
pected 1t Will Play an Important
Part in the Future of the Industry.
Delegates Present VIII Represent
Five States-Eight Hundred of the
Thousand Stills in Operation win
Have Owners Thereto Limit
Naval stores Production. :.
Jacksonville. Fla, Sept. 9.-Within a
score of miles of the spot where the
first turpentine farmer in America cut
his boxes and began an industry which
had had such a vast development in
the past quarter of century the nav
al stores operators. and factors will
meet tomorrow to complete their plans
for an organization which, it is ex-
pected, will have an important effect
on the future welfare of turpentine in
terests.
1t is pointed out as significant fact
that while the turpentine men are
gathering here the Ethelbyrtha, the
largest steamship that ever crossed the
st Johns bar, is now loading with
crossties and naval stores at the
wharves of the Atlantic, Valdosta and
Western Railway, at Talleyrand. jack
sonville as shipping port for naval
stores is now only second in import
ance to Savannah, and is in the heart
of the virgin turpentine territory.
Already large number of operators
have arrived, and the letters received
by the secretary of the temporary
organization indicate an attendance
representing a, majority of these hand
ling turpentine in the states of Geor-
1tes- anl
sippi. The delegates will convene in
the temporary building erected for re-
ligious services by Trinity M. E.
Church. The delegates will be well
coined by Mayor Fletcher, who will de-
liver an address.
The Committee on Constitution and
bylaws spent this afternoon in wrest-
ling over the report which they will
present to the convention for ratifi-
cation in the morning. 1t will be very
comprehensive, covering every phase
of the situation which the naval
stores men are trying to meet.
The fact that at the present rate of
production fifteen years is the limit al
lowed for the complete exhaustion of
virgin timber in the turpentine belt,
coupled with the further fact that OPP
orators have gone so heavily into the
business of producing that prices have
steadily fallen, has made the necessity
of organizing for self-protection imper-
alive. 1t has been conceded however,
that unless from seventy-five to ninety
per cent. of the operators are induced
to join the association and abide by the
action of the convention, but little
could be hoped for. 1t now looks as if
the desired proportion would be OBJ
tanned and the oroginators of the move
ment are jubilant over the prospect of
controlling the situation. OF the one
thousand or more stills in operation it
is expected that at least 800 will be rep
resented either personally or by proxy.
Another thing which has put the tur-
pentine men in good humor is the re-
port that a new process of treating
rosin has been discovered, which will
enable it to take the places of Zanzi-
bar, Court and Damar gums in the
manufacture of varnishes which are
fast becoming scarce and costly. These
facts will be presented to the opera
tors, both in the report of the COM
mittee and in the addresses to be de-
livered by well posted men on the SUBJ
ject. Among those who will attend
and take a speaking part in the con-
vention will be Prof. Charles H. Her
ty of the University of Georgia, the
well known forestry expert. Prof.
Herty is now on the ground and his
remarks on the subject of the present
and future of the pine lands of the
South will be listened to with much in
terest.
A. D. Covington is temporary presi-
dent and A. Pridgen secretary of the
organization. Mr.. Cov1ngton took part
to-day in the deliberations of the COM
nnittee on rules and bylaws.
The factors here are taking great
interest in the formation of the or
ganization and are doing all in their
power to aid the operators and render
the meeting a success.