The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-07-19
saw MILL COMBINE
IN ASTORIA
THE PRICES ON LUMBER ARE
MUCH HIGHER IN ASTORIA THAN
IN ANY OTHER cITIES--A Posi-.
TIVE eINcH.

A prominent street contractor favored
this office with u visit yesterday and in
the course of conversation called our
attention to an article published in the
Astorian some time ago in which~it was
stated that combination existed be-
tween the bidders on street work and
that In consequence the prices Of street
work were run up to prohibitiye figure
and that tho Chamber OF Commerce had
invited outside bidders.
"You do the contractors an injustice" !"
said he, lin such a statement"
When assured that the Astorian would
do no one an injustice, knowingly, he
continued.
"i'hen why do you not call attention
TO the lumber trust OF Astoria' The
street contractors are as honest as the
general run OF men, but they are human.
They want living figures for their work
and do not demand extortionate ones.
We have troubles OF our own. Our
names appearing in the competition We
&c. the blame for the actions OF others
and for conditions over which we have
no control"
Then this contractor called our atten-
tion to the principal causes OF the high
bids on street work. In most Of our street
improvements and in the maintenance
Of our principal streets lumber enters
largely and the contractor must take
the prices on this commodity, made by
combination OF the mills Of this city.
The three mills Of this city have
combination under the title OF
'The City Lumber 4 Box Company
and the business done by them pooled.
Prices he said we're high here. very much
more 20 than in other cities.
New price lists are continually being
made and in every case the change is
an advance in prices, it not being on
record where reduction has been made
Through the pooling OF issues of our
local mills, who have no competition in
this and neighboring markets, prices fol-
lumber have been and are, at the present
time higher than in any other market
Lumber for street work that was sol,
in Aberdeen Wash, some time ago al
IS per thousand feet could not be pur.
chased in this city at that time for les
than 50 per thousand. Prices generally
rule higher in Astoria than othei
places by from 20 per cent to 30 PEI
cent. Yet the contractor must pay thes,
prices though conditions for production
are little different than at other points
in many cases more favorable. Should
the contractors refuse to pay thes'
prices it is useless for them to figure OIL
work. Through arrangements know
only to the manipulators they canno
get satisfactory service. The lumhe
business in THIS city amounts to bet
tween 100000 and l.O0O,OOO ieet MONTH,
and when it is considered that this out
put is sold at prices ranging at least 3
per cent higher than the ruling price
at other places the amount of additiona
profits can be estimated.
we cannot help ourselt," continues
he, I'VE must take what we get, or qui
business, Is it rightl'
Astoria stands for this without com
plaint except against the contractors
Why not look into this?"
In Portland the lumber trust wa!
broken up in about one week, In As
toria 1t still thrives. In Portland the
furniture trust was soon relegated tC
the past and an ordinance has beer
introduced in the city council of that
city against all combinations to restrict
productions or maintain scale of ad-
vanced prices. This ordinance is framed
on the basis OF the Sherman act whiel
being a government measure applies
only to interstate business, and tn,
people of that city are in aims against
those Illegal combinations that are main.
tanning prices regardless OF conditions
Why should not Astoria take som,
steps in this matterS Whyi