The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-01-31
BIC PROFIT
IN LUMBER
BUSINESS
ACCORDING TO EVIDENCE
BEFORE CORPORATION
COM mission
WHO GETS BENEFIT OF
REDUCED FREIGHT RATE?
Contention Made That Con-
Sumer Gets Il Where Nellie
Wore the Beads

The probe into the lumber business
In Oklahoma with a view Of deternin'
ing why the consumers have not besh
benefited by the reduced tariff on
that commodity Is now on In earnest
before the corporation commission
The Texas and Louisiana lumber IN
terests, which claim that the Oklaho'
ma lumber manufacturers are pocket
ing the rate difference at the expense
OF the consumer, are here IN full force
to prove their allegations before the
commission.
They allege that they are unable to
compete with the Oklahoma lumber
mills under the corporation commits
slon's reduced rate and ask that mas
much as the consumer in Oklahoma
does not get the benefit of the reduced
rate that the old rate be put back IN
effect.
Oklahoma Lumbermens' Claims
The Oklahoma mmbermen are also
| here to lay their case before the com
mission and claim that the reason the
4 Oklahoma rate difference Is absorbed
i by them as against shipments from
4 Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas mills
is because the cost OF laying ship.
/ ments down ON the mill track, or
point where It Is placed aboard cars.
/ practically offsets the rate difference.
This they give as reason why OK
/ lahomh lumber when shipped from
their mills Is not sold for less than
lumber from outside the state.
j. e. Maris and r. j. stewart. two
/ Oklahoma City lumber dealers, and u.
ID. Walton, OF this city. Of the Z. T.
Walton Lumber company, which or.
crates a large number Of retail yards
BESIDES operating one of the largest
lumber mills In the state at Hugo,
were on the Witness stand this morn
ing.
Shows UP Lumber Profits.
Il. s. Latshaw, OF Kansas CITY rep
fesenting the Long.Bell lumber com
pany, which has lumber yards In OK
ahoma and mills In Louisiana and Ar
kansas, Is taking an active part II
the hearing to prove the outside lum
/, Der interests contentious that the OK
lahoma lumber manufacturers art
pocketlng the reduced freight rate q
, the expense of the Oklahoma consuln
er and they made epormous profits
/ even when the old freight rates were
| in effect.
| He secured admission from r, d
Walton, who claimed that the yea
!. 1907 was bad year In lumber busl
ness, that his company made SIG
t 500 on a $4,000 investment at IN
= Hugo mill during that year.
Lack OF Competition
| He also showed in cross examlna
i. lion of Witnesses that rIere is practlt
ally no competition among the mi
operators in Oklahoma for the reaso
that the bulk OF their output Is sol
10 their own retail yards at the ma
ket price and that practically non
VI their lumber Is on the market 70
sale.
Mr.. Latshaw declared that the on
side interests Is about all the con
petition there Is In the lumber bus
ness In Oklahoma.
Mr.. Walton testified that his con
pany hauled logs twelve miles to
! railroad point aud then shipped the
j twenty-five miles TO a saw mill. Il
admitted, however, that the cost
production should not be any moi
II. his timber fields than In the sta
OF Arkansas, a few miles distant. /
was unable to explain why It was th
Arkansas lumber which Is haul'
much further to market Is sold at u
same price as the Oklahoma lumbe
Lively Hearing Promised
Scores OF Oklahoma mill operate
from the Southeastern part of q
!. state are here TO testify In their oV
s- behalf and large number of the O
y lahoma agents OF the Jlon6-Beu Iul
n Der company are also here to test
for the outside lumber interests.
The railroad attorneys promised
mi enllyengthe hearing by doing sor
)naislrenuois oross-examinatioD, "
hi aosses on both sides Of the conti
al versy and will try to find out whe
0, this big profit on lumber goes? w
of fixes the lumber market price. ct
n with view of unearthlng a combi
ed among not only the Oklahoma man
at facturers but the outside companies
IA well.
jp -------------- -
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te- Furrow and A. +. Johnson comprls
of party OF hunters that left on
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