The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-12-23
Rumored Tongue Point Lumber
Co. Contemplate Change.
WILL OPEN LUMBER YARD
Wharf Privileges Said TO Have Been
Secured fer a Lumber Yard in
the Business Portion Of
the City.

II was rumored on the streets yester-
day that the Tongue Point Lumber
Company. the Hume mill. will open a
lumber yard In the business portion OF
the city for the purpose OF securing a
share of the local business. and that
ARRANGEMENTS have been made 10 Sc
cure a large wharf for handling the
products cf the min. Heretofore nearly
all the lumber used for local building
purposes and street work has been
furnished by the other mills. and as
the Tongue Point Co. has added In
creased facilities is is In position not
only TO supply their foreign and coast
wise urade. but the local trade as
well. In this connection. II Is report
ed that there will be material re-
duction in the price OF lumber.
Complaint has been made by MEM
bers of the common council that the
city Of Astoria has been paying more
for street lumber than is charged any
other city on the coast and at least 20
per cent more than Is charged In Port
land. Up river mills have been con-
suited and agreed to furnish lumber
for nearly one-third less than the price
now charged. Although the matter was
brought to the attention of the COM
mon council on several occasion. no ac-
ton was taken. Contractors claim
they are compelled to pay high price
for lumber. necessitating an increase
in the prices charged for street work.
As the property owners were COM
PEELED to pay the increased charges
the council evidently thought II was a
matter that did not concern IT,
A prominent gentleman stated to an
Astorian representative yesterday that
the prices charged local contractors
was considerable less than that charged
private individuals. and that the con-
tractors made big profit or the lum-
ber as well as on the contracts He
cited several instances where this was
done He further stated that all street
work could be done considerably
cheaper than II In now. II the city pur-
chased the lumber and awarded the
contract for doing the work On an i'm
provement that cost ss75 block the
material could be bought and the work
done for less than $500 All Of this ex-
ira expense is assessed against the lots
benefited by the improvement, and the
charges are considered exorbitant
In this connection II is reported that
an effort will be made TO have the COM
mon council ask for bids for sup
plying lumber for street work. and that
hereafter all street contracts will be
based upon the prices charged by the
lowest bidder. II is believed that this
Is the inducement that actuates the
Tongue Point Lumber Company in Sc
curing .wharfing privileges and start.
Ing a lumber yard down town so as to |
be in position to compete with other
mills. That the property owners are
entitled to some consideration in the
matter is apparent from reports made
10 the common council.
II the Tongue Point Lumber Com
Dany concluded to open up yards in
he business portion Of the city, 1t no
loubt means a big reduction In the
,rice OF lumber, both for building pur-
,oses and street work as the company
s financially able to meet prices with
my mill on the Columbia river.
An effort was made yesterday to In
erview Mr.. Hume. but he was not to
'e found In order to confirm the rumor