The San Francisco call., 1906-06-12
Agreement May Be Made
in Labor Dispute on
Water Front.
Too Few Shipowners
Attend Conference
Held Yesterday.

Although the owners of steam
schooners and other vessels conferred
for more than three nours with the
committee from the Water Front Fed
Grafton yesterday, nothing of impor-
tance came of the meeting.
The committee from the federation in
a very amiahle manner discussed the
present difficulty with the men who
own the ships. So few of the latter
were present. however, that no definite
action could have been taken had mat
terS reached a focus.
When the leaders of both sides saw
that the meeting would not result in
any definite understanding, an adjourn
ment was taken till 10 O'Clock this
morning. All parties concerned look
forward with hope to this session,
to say that the trouble will be settled
then, though it is the general feeiing g
along the front that it will
Referring to the statement made on
Saturday afternoon by the executive
committee of the owners, Andrew
Furuseth said yesterday:
Replying to the statement that the
association has experienced no diff
Guilty in securing. seamen. / will say
it is an absolute fact that the Revcille
and the Arctic had no sailors on board
when they left here. How many the
Olnef three mentioned naQ can only be
known when they arrive at their des-
tinations.
The Nevarre had four Japs on board
as crew. and whe9 she arrived At
their passage to this city on the Kill
hourn. AS to the ships that signed the
agreement at San Pedro, / will say the
agreement had been published and the
crews were discharged as soon as they
arrived here. The captain of the Leg
gett is excused by the members of the
association because he had to take this
! action. We will leave this to the pub
lie TO decide.
The members of the association say
that notwithstanding the calamity that
has befallen the city they have no in
tention to reduce wages. If they near
to employ the men on the front we
freely admit that they have not tried
TO reduce wages. The fact is they are
paying premium each man and
cannot secure competent men.
Regarding the freight rates and the
price of lumber. il is the interest OF
the average steam schooner owner to
keep freight rates down when he raises
the price of lumber. Added freight in
come must be divided with the othe1
shareholders of the boats. while If the
price of lumber is raised he shares the
profits himself.
The. following wire from Seattle, re,
ceived today, shows how the prices OF
logs has advanced: April Is logs were
quoted at 81, today s12; No. 2, April
10, Sc, today 81.
thousand has been increased 81. while
lumber has gone up 81 thousand. The
difference in cost per day in which they
are tying UP the city and increasing
the lumber famine is 81 day, or S3e
for each Puget Sound trip.
1t was stated yesterday that mem
hers of the Cooks and Ffremen's unior
had been offered permanent employ
ment by the Pacific Coast Steamship
Company if they would surrender theil
union cards. This is incorrect, says
General Manager Pearce- His version
is that he simply told these men that
he would allow them to remain on the
boats as long as they wished to live
there provided they would comply with
his renunSt.