The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-17
LUMBER PRICES
ARE TOO HIGH
Western Dealers Protest
Against Manufacturers
Schedules.
ARE NOW BEYOND REASON
OFFICERS REELECTED AND BAN.
QUIET CLOSES CONVENTION.

men, in the closing session of their an
nual convention at Armory hall yester-
day afternoon. declared that 1.-THE pres
ent lumber prices throughout the coun-
try are too high for the proper develop
ment of extensive building operations;
thar the prices should be lowered by the
manufacturers of lumber and that there
IS no sufficient reason for prevailing
quotations.
A resolution dealing at length with
the subject was adopted by the dele
gates This resolution condemned the
lumber prices of the day, declared the
manufacturers responsible. and asked
that even in the event of prices nos
being lowered. they shall not be raised
higher than they are at present. The
secretary Of the association was in
structed to notify the manufacturers
of lumber on the Pacific coast of the
stand taken in yesterdays convention.
With the matter of lumber prices off
their minds, the dealers proceeded TO
take action against the Portland Ce-
ment' company for selling cement di
rect to consumers throughout the
west. A resolution was adopted con-
demning the practice, and ordering Sec
rotary Porter to confer with the COM
pany on the question. and to notify all
western lumber dealers that every eff
fort must be made TO force the Port
land people to sell 10 dealers only, in
stead of to consumers direct
old Officers Reelected.
George f. Merrill of Salt Lake was
reelected president of the association.
II. d. Andrews of Caldwell, Ida. was
elected vice president. The following
were elected directors for two years:
F. z. Robbins, Ritzville, Wash; w. p.
MOnsOn. Preston. Ida: D. r. Beebe, /
Provo, Utah. The following were made
directors for three years; J. NJ. Flint, /
Bozeman, Mont. and F. B. Bartlett,
Lewiston. Ida. A. l.. Porter, Spokane,
Wash, vii! act as secretary for the
coming year. The next annual conven-
ton will be held at Tacoma. Wash. !
Portland. Ore, asked for the meeting.
but lost il on a standing vote of the del
egetes.
The convention adopted a resolution
favoring the enactment by congress of
a recipOral demurrage law. so framed
that under its provisions dealers must
more rapidly load and unload freight
cars given chem by railroads for theii
use. The delegates declared in favor OF
giving the interstate commerce commas
sion power to more adequately handle
the matter of freight congestion, insult
ficient equipment and Door manage
ment of freight service on railroads.
The convention declared unanimously
against the establishment of parcel
post, declaring that if this institution
is established the mail order lumber
business of catalogue houses will Sc
riously injure legitimate retail lumber
men of the west.
other resolutions were adopted thank |
ing the Salt Lake lumbermen for the
manner in which they have entertained
the present convention delegates, and
thanking the Commercial club and
other organizations to whom the deal |
ers are Indebted for much of the sue |
cess of the convention just closed.
Adopt secretary's Suggestions.
The suggestions embodied in Secre-
tary Porter's report we're all adopted. I
The most important of these provides !
for the appointment by the lumbermeH
of three executive committees or three
members each to consider matters of
Importance arising in their respective
territories One committee will be APP |
poirtod for Montana. one for Utah and |
one for southern Idaho. IT was voted
to organize r traffic department of the
association for the purpose of giving |
the lumbernen better and more prompt |
freight service and to examine and pass
on all claims of lumber dealers against
the roads before they go TO the latter. |
The DELEGATES also adopted Secretary |
=
of $40 annually 10 the member writ
ing the best article on "A Modern Re-
tail Yard
]. A. Reeves. general freight agent of
the Oregon Short Line, addressed the
convention yesterday afternoon on
.eThe Railroads." illustrating the diff |
culties under which the western roads |
are handling freight this year, and ex-
planning the causes of prevalent con-
raetioret August Won BOecklin. repre- |
senting the Pacific Coast Lumber Man |
ufacturers' association. talked on Fir |
and Other Western Woods Yester- |
dav morning the delegates were taken
to SaItair in a special train, returning |
at lunch time.
Annual Banquet Held.
Tho. annual banquet of the lumber |
men at the Knutsford hotel last even
ing. which closed their convention, was
one of the most elaborate affairs of its |
kind Salt Lake has known in months. !
Two hundred and fifty guests sat down
to the splendidly appointed tables <t Z
O'clock. The menu was of the most
elaborate nature.
President Merrill opened the program i
of toasts. music and vaudeville enter
tainment with an excellent address.
Rev. p. A. Simpkin of Salt Lake spoke
in n humorous and entertaining vein
or the lumber industry and the lum-
bermen. His address was greatly en- |
loved. and he received an ovation at its
close. ] C. Mccain. president of the
Rlnto Coal & Lumber company, de-
iiVered a short address that was Wen
received THE Better Side OF the Com |
mercial Spirit was the subject taken
by the Rev. W. J.. Hindley of Spokane. /
Wash. for his address. and II proved
-, ont. CnaaphaG