The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-10-02

The following article from the Tacoma
Ledger will no doubt throw some light
on the disadvantages under which the
lumbermen, not only of southwestern
but every other section Of
the northwest continually labors in their
effort to place the output of their mills
on the market:
Cars, cars, and again cars is waat
every mmberman in the state of Wash
ington is in need of, and what he is
begging and at times demanding, said
Harry Mccormick of Mccormick, Lewis
county, president of the Southwestern
Lumber Manufacturers as
sociation, last night at the Donnelly. The
II. Mccormick Lumber company employs
moue than 200 men in its mills and
logging camps, and Mr.. Mccormick is
in a position to speak with authority
as to lumber conditions in southwest
ern Washington.
I'VE have not had enough cars for
weeks" continued Mr.. Mccormick, 'and
there are carloads and carloads of lum-
Der cut to particular orders waiting for
means of transportation. The market
is strong and firm, at good prices, but
what good does that do. us il we cannot
get our goods to market! The North
ern Pacific people say they are doing
all for. Us that they can, and perhaps
they are, but they must do lot more
if they have any intention of relieving
the present congestion of the lumber
trade in this state. 1t is pleaded as an
excuse that the need Of cars to naul
wheat and crops generally is the cause
of the stringency, but that cause alone
would not be sufficient. Never before in
the history of the lumber trade in this
state has the car shortage been 30 great
or so serious to the lumberman.
"You see, it is not only that the yards
and docks of the mills are crowded to
their utmost, but a great majority OF
the lumber has been cut to order and
is of a particular size or kind that does
not run in the ordinary course of trade.
As result the dealer odering it from
this state finds this work delayed be-
cause we cannot ship him his lumber ;
he cannot wait, and cancels hk order
so we lose not only the order, but the
work on the material, which must be
cut all over again to ordinary market
sizes. / am satisfied that much of the
delay is the result of the telegraphers
strike a short while ago. That delayed
orders, and the railroads have not faciii'
ties to catch up with the work, and
at the same time handle the larger
amount of freight constantly piling NJ
on them in this state"
No" continued Mr.. Mccormick, 1--WE
have not stopped the mills or the cut
ting yet. and will not so long as we car
find a hole to store the lumber in, but il
we do not get some cars mighty soon We
will be forced to-at least slow down
At present we are more than 80 carloads
behind, and it is all in the piles waiting
for the cars.
As to shingles, we stopped cutting
them four months ago. and shall cut no
more until the present surplus is used
up, although the price is fair. | think
that is the stand Of all the big mills
In my opinion the brokers, and prin.
cipally those in Seattle are the cause
Of the weakness in the shingle market
They advance money TO the little mills
that need it in their business, so the lit
tie fellows keep on cutting shingles, and
the surplus has no chance to lessen. The
big mills have, think, about concluded
to keep their shingles in the logs unit
matters are Strengthened out"