The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-06-08
IS. ELMORE RETURNS
TO ASTORIA
VISITS PASADENA, Los ANGELES
AND SAN FRANCISCO, AND GIVES
A DIScouRAGING ACCOUNT OF
THE LATTER CITY.

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Elmore have re-.
turned from their trip to the South,
both much benefited, MIR, Elmcre went
south "a fecnperate from a series Of in.
termittent attacks of the grip and
colds. He visited Pasadena and Los An.
geles and spent seven days in San Fran.
cisco, In the two former cities Mr., FL
mores party enjoyed excellent weather,
with the exception OF occasional high
mists in the mornings, but these al.
ways cleared by noon and the remainder
Of the day was consistently beautiful
OF the two most southern cities MIR.
Elmore says that the real estate market
is exceptionally quiet, and as that is
the one thing on which they depend, II
has thrown everything else back, A.
together business was very duh during
his stay The building trade Is At a
standstill The prevailing high prices OF
lumber having retarded any forward
movements in this industry. The yards
are full TO repletion with lumber which
is being held till prices take turn
There are many vessels lying in the
harbor waiting their turn to be dis,
charged and ii is literally all they can
do to get them unloadei. of San Fran.
ciescc Mr.. Elmore gives q most dis
couraging account, At the time he WAS
there the car strike. the laundry work
ers' strike, and the iron workers.
strike and perhaps two or three others,
were all in full swing and the city was
crippled. The only one settled was the
iron workers and In that the only gain
to the unions was Is minutes year
till the eight.hour day was reached.
The general appearance Of the city is
bad and business is bad; building is at
q standstill, many having lett new
buildings in an unfinished and incom
plete state. The banks are all holling
their money. The banks say they have
lent too much already and that ad
vances have been made which the actual
value OF the property does not justify.
Another reason given for the cessation
of building operations Is the high price
OF labor Contractors will wait until
wages are on par with the wages paid
in other cities OF like size and stand
ing with San Francisco. At present Ia.
Dor is higher priced in the latter city
than in any other city or town in the
United States. Although the car strike
is now practically broken, the car sery-
ice Is hopelessly deficient. There are
numbers OF men willing and ready to go
to work but at present there Is not pro-
lection enough to encourage them. Mr..
Calhoun will not deal with the unions.
in fact, he does not recognize them in
any way. This does not mend matters.
Mr. Elmore himself has the greatest
sympathy with all unions provided they
stop at coercive action and recognize the
open shop. He also wishes il clearly un.
derstood that employers as a rule rath
er prefer to run their own business then
to have il run for them. In the present
state OF affairs many men in many
trades do not get paid according to
their ability. Some efficient and able
men get less at present than those who
are by no means their equal as workers
either in initiative or execution. So far
as the merchants Of Los Angeles are
concerned they have learned their les.
son and they now hold the lines with a
firm hand TO return with Mr.. Elmorc
to Astoria: He finds the fishing business
very slack Here and states uneauiyo-
cally that the pack, up TO now, Is not |
equal to the pack at this time last
year, and this refers to both picked ami
canned fish. On the Sacramento river
only 600 tierces have been put IN this
season. The company's steamer Sue