The San Francisco call., 1905-02-24
Capitalists All Over the
Pacific Coast Unite to
Raise the Prices on the
Producers and Dealers
LOCAL FIRMS WILL
BE HEAVY LOSERS
When the New Schedule of
Rates Is Fixed Combine
Will Profit to the Ex-
tent of S1,OOO,OOO a Year

Lumber mills and box manufacturers
Of the Pacific Coast, from California to
British Columbia, have reached an
agreement which will soon result in an
increase in the cost of boxes to packers
of dried fruits. raisins, salmon, canned
fruits and vegetables and deciduous
fruits, oranges and lemons. The pro-
ceedlngs have been kept as secret as
possible. Parties prominent in the pro-
ceedings deny that any agreement has
been reached concerning the percentage
Of advance in prices to be made, but
admit an increase is in view.
Canning companies have been in
formed that the advance will be 10 per
cent on this basis. The various pack
ing and shipping industries of the
coast will soon have to pay $1,00G,0 900
heretofore.
Great excitement exists among the
Gamers because of this move. One
concern in this city estimates that it
alone will have to pay from $4,000 to
$4,000 more this year than expected.
simultaneously it is announced that
the lumber mills and box manufacture
ers, during their recent deliberations
caused an estimate to be submitted to
them concerning the amount of box
material that can be considered sur
plus above the home demand, the rea-
son being that the Southern. Pacific
Company has made a rate of forty
cents on box shocks from Pacific Coast
points to the Missouri River, as against
former rate of fifty cents. This new
rate was effective February IL. The
packing industries at Omaha and in
that vicinity make a large demand for
boxes. Lumber is becoming scarcer
in the East. Besides that consideration
is the fact that in making a rate for
shocks the transportation company
paveS the way for new business over
its own lines entirely. 1t appears to
the canning companies that this move
also contains a threat. Gamers can
pay the price asked or not If they
decline the surplus that is shipped to
the Missouri River will be all the
larger, for there is a ready market for
boxes at the river.
While many box makers and lumber
companies are concerned, the leaders
in the movement to put up the price
of boxes are the California Pine Box
and Lumber Company and the North
ern Box Manufacturers Agency. OF
the last named corporation C. F. White
is the president. He has recently been
in this city and worked hard for the
formation of an agreement. The head
quarters of his corporation are at Port
land, where White has gone. Connect
ed with the Northern interests of lum-
Der mills and box makers are s. B.
Cobb, H. F. Padgham, S. E. Wrenn,
H. F. Prael, William F. McGregor, H.
l. Bennett, ]. c. Barline, George H.
Emerson and A. A. Courtenay. The
last named is the secretary and man
ager of the Northern Box Manufac-
turers' Agency, combination of manu-
facturers and lumber interests.
One estimate of the boxes annually
consumed on the Pacific Coast is $780,
600. The output of San Francisco alone
The value of the shocks is about $40
1000 feet. Ten per cent advance implies
81 more per 1000 feet to be collected
from the Gamers and assessed. either
to the Gamers or to the men who pro-
duce the raisins. deciduous fruits, vege-
tables, oranges, ETC., for market. 1t is
probable that the announcement of an
increase in prices of 10 per cent will
be made in few days
In another direction the lumbermen
have moved to increase prices At
meeting of the Pacific Coast Lumber
Manufacturers Association it was de-
cided to make general advance in
prices averaging about fifty cents all
along the line. With the exception of
lath, which were advanced twenty-fv
cents per 1000 pieces, the changes were
for an advance of from fifty cents to
81 per 1000 feet.