The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-14
TRUST IS STILL
ON THE GRIDDLE.
1t Is Admitted That the Lumber
Association Had Custom
ers'" List.
G0RSUCH AND KEITH
ARE ON THE STAND
Witnesses Deny That Offend
ing Wholesalers We're Put
on Black List.

KANSAS CITY, June l3.-In an at.
tempt to show that the Southwestern
Lumberman S association had So
called "customers - list which it sent
TO all the members for the purpose of
placklisting wholesalers and manufac-
tu-ers who sold lumber direct TO con
sumers, the state called Harry A, Cor
such, secretary Of the Southwestern as
sociation, to the stand today in its suit
to oust the so-called lumber trust from
Missouri
Mr.. Gorsuch admitted there was such
list, but said it was merely a sort of
business guide for members He said
he did not recall ever sending ouu lists
blacklisting wholesalers.
Charles Z. Keith, president of the
Central Coal & Coke company of this
city, was the only o.ker witness exam.
ined today. He startled his hearers
with the statement that the cost of
producing yellow pine had increased SIS
per cent from 1898 to 1908. He said it
was the supply and demand and not
the price list issued by the yellow pine
manufacturers association that coz
trolled prices. He said the only cur
tailment of output by the association
y
by R. A. Long OF the Long Bell Lum'
Der company.
Mr.. Keith explained that there were
business reasons for company curtail-
ing its output, citing failure TO get suf
fclent transportation facilities.
Mr.. Keith denied there was any
agreement to fix or control the price OF
yellow pine, or to limit competition In
the state OF Missouri
Important Admission.
Replying TO q question by the state 5
attorney. Mr.. Gorsuch admitted that the
Southwestern association had So
called customers list, and contln-
ued:
''It contained information of value
to the retailers. 1t kept them advised
as to the business methods of the whole
salers and manufacturers. If a whole
saler persistently shipped lumber Of in
ferior quality, or had the habit of pass
ing up old orders and filling new ones
after there was an advance IN the prlce
OF lumber that information was dis
pensed. These were some of the many
purposes. OF the customers list.
"Did you ever send out blackllsting
names of wholesalers who sold directly
to retailers?"
81 recall doing nothing of the kind. -
Mr. Gorsuch testified that the whole
salers and the manufacturers of lum
Der were members Of the Southwestern
Lumbermen s association until 1907.
when the membership was restricted TO
retailers. He said the wholesalers we're
permitted to attend and participate IN
their annual meetings but had no votes
Keith Is Recalled.
Mr. Keith was recalled to be e1-
amined by the attorneys for the de-
PENDANTS. He said his company some
times arbitrarily curtails its produc-
tion of lumber without consulting rep
resentatives of other lumber interests
because of business policy or the ply
sical conditions under which the lum-
Der is produced.
"Did you know of any agreement of
members of the Yellow Pine Manufac-
turers' association not to sell their
lumber to farmers cooperation asso-
Citations OF any other would-be pur"
chasers7' asked Attorney W. C.. Scar
rist.
81 knew of no such agreement -
"Was there any agreement, tacit,
expressed or implied, to regulate, fix
or control the prices Of yellow pine?'
"There never was an agreement to
limit competition and never an agree
ment to curfail production except in
1904 Government statistics, however,
show that the total amount OF yellow
pine produced in 1904 was greater than
that of 1908 In 1906 the trapsporta-
tion facilities were bad because we
could secure only 60 per cent of the
normal number of freight cars. Ac-
cordingly we cut down our production
to so per cent
As to the increase in the cost of the
production Of lumber during recent
years. Mr.. Keith said:
"In 1908 the cost of producing vel
low pine was IS per cent greater thar
IN 1898. The price of stumpage oil
raw timber increased 1000 per cent
Labor's cost increased 81 per cent
Taxation. carrying charges and the
price of mules. which are used ex
tensively in our business, have also in
creased -