Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-12-29
N E E DED LAWS
LEGISLATION DESIRED By THE
LUMBER MANUFACTURERS.
Resolution Adopted Asking for Legislation
Requiring Railroads to Supply Cars I'm.
partiaiIy Creating the Office Of Fire
Warden. and Permitting Mutual Fire In.
surance.

At a meeting of the lumber manufac-
turers of Washington, held recently, a
resolution was presented and adopted
that asks for three pieces of legislation
OF particular interest to the lumber
manufacturers of this state. The lumber
interests OF Washington constitute the
leading industry of the state. The west
ern part of the state, in particular, has
sent to IT, legislature considerable
number of lumbermen, and anything
desired by the lumber industry will have
strong support, especially if it has merit.
Hence the lumbermen feel that in ask
ing for reasonable legislation they are in
fair way to have their desires granted.
The first request embodied in the reso.
luton is for a law that will compel the
railroads OF the state to distribute cars
impartially to the various industries,
and to provide penalty in case the law
is violated. The history OF the trade
during the past year has been sucn as to
render some such law not only especially
desirable to the lumberlnen, but almost
an absolute necessity. They feel that
not only have the roads been partial in
the distribution of favors to the lumber
trade, but that the whole trade has been
Disseminated against OF course the
roads can set up the defense that many
other kinds OF freight must be moved to
prevent absolute loss, while lumber will
keep, but the lumbermen have core to
the conclusion that this idea has been
carried to the extreme, and that they
have not been given fair proportion OF
the rolling stock, even after giving this
argument full consideration.
The second request is for law fer the
creation OF the Office of fire warden and
giving him such powers a. will enable
successful work in the prevention of for
est fires. There ought to be no opposi
ton to this. The forests of the state are
its NEST valuable heritage. The record
OF destruction by fire in the past La,
proven that something OF this character
should be done at once. The law should
provide penalties for carelessness on the
part Of anyone who operates in the tim
Der. 1t should demand the utmost care
in the disposal of the refuse left from
logging operations, and should give the
fire warden power enough and money
enough to make his work effective.
The third request is for such changes
in the fire insurance laws OF the state as
will admit OF the organization of mutual
companies. saw mills are not the best
OF risks. and fires, especially among the
smaller mills OF the state, have been
numerous, but the manufacturers do not
believe that the hazard is so great as to
warrant the excessive rates now ssked
b. the old line companies. Tne rates
are SO high in many instances as to
nearly, if rot cutie annul the margins in
business that ought to be profitable.
The lumbermen believe that they can
save money for themselves if they are
permitted to organize Mutual companies.
This effect will be brought about partly
by the saving in rates that will be paid
to the mutual companies, and partly in
the reduction in rates that will surely
follow the enactment of law that will
indirectly compel reduction of the
rates asked by the old line concerns
doing business in the state.