The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-06-19
MILLS SHUTTING DOWN.
Gray's Harbor Points Sriously Affected
BY Seamen's Strike.


The following. taken from Saturdays
Aberdeen Bulletin. indicate. that the
sailors strike at San Francisco, is SER
iously erippling the milling industries
Of Gray's Harbor. So far no such con-
ditions have threatened the plants Of
the lower Columbia, owing to the fact
that only sailing vessels are engaged in
the transportation OF lumber out Of
here:
"The strike Of the seamen Of the Pa
cihc Coast. which has been on for
week, shows no sign Of being settled, and
the situation. from the commercial view
point. is more serious today than at any
other time since the precipitation OF
the difficulty. Representatives of the
union have declared in sanguine man.
ner that their strike was won, and that
the association Of ship owners would be
forced to give in, because so many indie
pendent vessels were paying union
wages.
"This confidence, it would appear, is
not justified by the situation presented
at the end OF the week, for it can be
stated reliably that the association Of
ship owners means to fight out its con-
I troversy with the men. The association
is compelled to wage dual fight, the
action OF the independents being calcu-
lated to assist the unions The indie
pendents are hoping that the association
will win ont, that they may benefit
thereby. but meantime they wish to
keep their vessels plying in the coast
wise trade, paying the increased wages
demanded. But the association was pre-
pared for this struggle, and it, campaign
is in such good shape that the independ-
ents will either be forced into line or
else will be deprived of business.
at now transpires that several mills
on Gray's Harbor will be affected by the
strike. and some OF them are now pre-.
pairing to suspend work pending settle
ment of the strike. The Dryden &
Teitch mill will be shut down this even
ing. At this plant the Grace Dollar
has been tied up. and the inability to
load her has prompted the company to
not ask for any other vessels to carry
away its lumber output. The night
force at the American mill will be let
out this evening, and it is not improb-
able that the day force will be released
on Tuesday of next week. The Aber'
deem Lumber & Shingle Company will be
able to run about week longer, and
then will no doubt be shut down, The
Union mill will be closed down in few
days, and. As additions are to be made
to the plant, the shutdown may be of
indefinite duration. The Slade mill prob.
ably will he run not later than Wednes-
day of next week.
This means that large number of
men will be thrown out of employment,
for the logging camps will be closed
down in consequence.
"Several lumber manufacturers stated
today that they were afraid to order
vessels, because they knew they would
be unable to load them. They have no
assurance that they will be able to load
cargoes upo the arrival of vessels, and
most of them are in such position that
they are able to accept only association
steamers. The mill menn have thus
been wedged in between the contending
forces, with the result that they will
suffer and be compelled to lay off their
crews. They can not operate unless
their product is taken away"