Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-02-20
IT 'T'HESRINGLEMARkET
EASTERN DEALERS INACCURATE
| Z BEAR MOVEMENT.
Early Starting of Mills is Viewed with
Alarm IN Some Quarters. a Warm
ing is Sounded of the Danger OF
Overcrowdirg the Market so Early
in the Season.

t1...-( .,tiI .s..'i .1 2
SEATTLE, Feb. 1S.-pespite the
fact that letters and telegrams have
been received from Eastern mill own
ers and shingle dealers warning man
ufacturers in this state that a bear
campaign is being waged and the
market is slthreatened with demoral-
ization, rs per cent of the plants are
now declared to be running Shin
gle manufacturers agreed in Novem-
per to remain closed from December
l to March 1 to protect the shingle
market, but the owners began resum-
ing operations early in February and
now most of the plants are in opera
tion again. In the meantime the
shingle market has fallen off to the
basis OF s1.75 for stars and 50 for
lclea rs and it is predicted in letters
and telearams from the Middle West
that the price will be. forced down
to $1.5Jband $1.T5 soonJ ,,.,ll4,YI
" y he present quotations; are specu-
lhtive, for if the lumbermen, and
shingle manufacturers lose their suit
TO prevent the collection of the ad-
van ced railroad rates } on timber
prp ducts the shingle hahufactdrefs
will BE c6n,pellef to pay an addition
all Is cents per 1900 ON Stairs and
rs cents bnt clears. ti)st ~ /
b Warningllias been sent out to shin
gle manufacturers that market con-
dlttons this year do not warrant op-
erations for more than 1251 days. II
thf industry does mot force the OUT
put beyond that Limit it is estimated
that the shingle men will make a
profit running between $1,5OO,0OO
and $2.OO0,OO0 for the year, all of
winch money will be turned, into
the channels of trade west of the
Cascades. The demoralization of the
shingle market threatened by the
bear campaign in the Middle West
and the resumption of cutting at
present may mean an actual loss to
manufacturers; before the years, end.
|, Although not all the mills are in
operation the rumor is current in, the
Middle West that all shingle manu-
facturers are at work and the market
will soon be gfutted with shingles.
The transit stocks are reported tn
be increasing, misleading of decreas-
Ing as market conditions demand. It
is estimated now that there are fully
$4,000 cars of transit shingle stocks.
|. X. w. Douglas, secretary of the
sShlngle Mills Bureau, is making a
thorough canvass of the shingle sit
uation in the Middle West. He has
reported conditions to be precarious
everywhere and advises against a re-
sumption of work. > '.'}
In telegram from Chicago, Doug
las says: > 3 I'D
Bear reports persistently circu-
lating here. Retailers delay buying,
knowing many mills running and be-
lieving balance will run March /.
with heavy overproduction then.
Enormous stocks are on hand at the
Minnesota transfer now. Retailers
are awaiting bargain counter prices"
In telegram from a Kansas City
brokerage. house, to Seattle buyers it
is stated: ,.i
I Don't buy transits at any price.
No demand. Unless mills close until
April !, general opinion is shingles
will sell here on mill basis of $3.50
for stars, s1.75 for clears, buying
coast 10 to 20, cents less"
/ Another letter from a Kansas City
shinele, dealer who owns two mills
in this state declares that the shingle
manufacturers cannot run more than
l25 days this year if any profit IS to
be made from the industry. The
patent roofing materials are declared
to be making threads On the shingle
trade and the threat of a demoraliza-
ton OF the market is holding off the
buyers of the Middle West. l..i.l
IT is possible that mass meeting
'of shingle manufacturers will be
called to consider market conditions
The annual stockholders meeting OF
the Single Mills Bureau will be
held February ~, and market condi-
tions wifi be discussed at that time.
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