Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-04
INTERVIEWS ON SITUATION,
George F. Felt Accuses Railroad
Of Discriminating Against
Salt Lake on Freight.
samuel Lester Contractor, Predicts
Wages viii FAN Before Build
ing Operations Resume.

Another break in the local market
has occurred Again It comes in the
field Of the cost OF materials but this
time 1t is in lumber and not the coal
that . first trimming Is made, to sug-
gest that the day Of upward tenden-
cics In price has been passed.
George F. Felt announced in n
News" interview last week that he
felt that lumber should join others In
coming down from the high points
which have prevailed through the past
summer: he suggested a 10 per cent
drop Today he announces that all
lumber bills from his concern are be-
ing sold at 10 per cent less than tho
regular listed price.
From Il prominent contractor 1t is
learned that lumber fell, wholesale, 10
per cent some time ago, and that re-
tailers have not vet allowed this drop
to the trade, with the exception OF 4
few companies. Inquiry among sew
eraI dealers develops the fact that
in some cases when forced to bi1
down, the o per cent drop is being
allowed without public announcement,
while among others. the drop IS ALLOW
| ed TO the trade in general, on pubic
| announcement
GRIEVANCE AGAINST ROAD.
| In giving out the news of the 10 per
! cent drop in lumber Mr.. Felt called
! attention TO peculiar grievance he mas
| against the salt Lake Route. The r'ul-
| road he claims is absolutely shutuls
| out Salt Lake from competition Tor Ne
vada trade by prohlbitivc rates
Il received an order tor carload 81
lumber from Caliente,' he said it
! was to go into the construction of an
| ice house What do you think the Shll
! Lake Route wanted for freight on nut
| lumber for this short haul? just ~
| cents per 100 pounds Now all We pay
| to bring a car all the way down FROM
Portland is 20 cents per hundred Just
| | cent more chan the Salt Lake Route
wanted for this little distance
II thought there must be some mis-
take" continued Mr.. Felt Il couldnt
believe the figures so | read them PACK
10 the company. and they said they
were right. This would have made 1t
cost sll7 to send a car Of lumber down
To that point and building ice houses
at figure like that. you could guess,
wouldn't be a paying business asked
what on earth their rate would be for
lumber in less than carload lots, and
they said 81 cents per hundred.
INDICATION OF DROP.
samuel Lester. a contractor and
builder. said today Things are not
vet low enough TO get anyone 10 60
ahead in building Lime Is higher lhan
ever, and viii have To come down De
| fore building is resumed. ! know Ok
many accepted plans that are being
| held M because the owners VIII not
build at present prices. Brick Is 100
high too, and the brick men am
sure will Just have to whistle Tor Or
ders till they drop the prices Lumber
has been too high, and am giaa 70
see the lumber men taking notice OF
new conditions ana beginning 10 crop
When asked as to labor Mr.. Lester
said that the unions are making
strong stand TO hold their men toseth-
err They have not yet announced any
reductions. but come around for an IN
tervIe,v in three OF four weeks. | nave
vel 10 see a union that can holu us
mon when it's case OF letting ones
family go without necessities, or Wotk
AT a lower figure. The fact that build
ing will not resume until they do come
down. makes II very probable that you
can expect a drop Of labor along win
other things The unions can't s'is-
pend the law of supply and demand
you know
COAL SITUATION.
The coal situation continues To no
the most discussed subject In local COM
mercial circles. The statement of ;. v
perrah Of the Rio Grandc that dfop
I'm the l'tah freight rate would shut
out Wyoming coal is laughed AZ ny
local Dealers one OF whom showed ti!e
"Nows" reporter today circular let-
Ter from the t. r. Coal company uitcf-
ing coal, In Oregon, where the maui
is twice the distance of SAT- Lake, Tar
Less figure than ~ rs offered hei 2
: | I'VE nope the new rate, conclndes il'e
circular, viii be so favorable thal w
can ship You IA FEW cans ON ms baslH
Z | ,tarxr 1pnn The ratio from luNiNlllt ~