Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-09
SOUTH COMPETING
FOR SHOOK TRADE
NOW GIVEN Maine

The arrival Of the Italian bark San
ia Maria at Stockton Tuesday to load
cargo Of shocks for Italy to make
up nearly 500 900 fruit boxes, through
Charles NJ. Stewart Of Bangor. agent,
calls attention to a new condition of
affairs that has arisen in the shook
trade as result Of the European war.
When the first shipments Of shocks
from Austria last winter were needed
that country promptly declared an en-
barge on all sorts Of lumber, with
the result that Italian fruit shippers
had to turn to another source of sup
ply.
They called ON the State Of Maine,
but the first shipments could not be
made from here until summer. They
then tried the southern states, for the
first time in history, and have sue
ceeded in getting cheaper shocks than
| they have previously obtained, with
the result that expectation Of shocks
from Maine is threatened unless this
State can make a lower price, which
MI. stewart says is impossible at the
present rate of stumpage
| When the fruit shook business es
tablished by the late T. j. Stewart of
Bangor was at it's height, and hum
dreds Of cargoes left Bangor for ItaIv
each year. and for many wears after.
| wards Maine has been without COM
petition on this side Of the Atlantic in
this trade. No other state shipped
this material to Italy.
| Austria has been getting the major
portion Of the trade in recent years.
and the stoppage Of imports of shocks
from that country to Italy was So
rious matter last January. For time.
the rrult growers used up second hand
lumber, and anything they could get
They appealed to Mr.. Stewart. in Ban
eor' the only shook exporter in Maine.
out ne could not send shocks at that
time OF the year as the lumber was
being cut in the woods then.
The Italians, thereupon. turned 70
the southern states. North Caroline
South Carolina, Georgia and Florida
"here mills have for years been turn
ing out shocks used in boxing the
Florida oranges and other fruit. Pre-
vlouslY the Italians have not consid-
ered these shocks good enough for
their Use. and certainly not equal to
those obtained from Maine. Neces
slty, however, required them to take
the southern shocks. and on trial.
they found them satisfactory and
| cheaper than the Maine variety.
| lheV now. declare that unless Maine
| meets southern prices on shocks. they
VIII SEND no more orders here and Mr..
stewart AYERS that at the price Maine
exporters must pay for their S1unDaoa
reducuon III price is impossible.
/ Inc southern shook makers can pro-
duce more cheapiy than Maine MANN
facturers. In the south. lumber can
be cut every day in the year. with
small crews, and can be shipped
abroad within 60. days of receipt Of
order Maine manufacturers have to
tie up their capisal an hiring stumn-
age and compaasi .Nely large crews
from September Until the next spring.
and ship in the spring and summer
/ Under conditions that have prevailed
/ during the past Few years, the policy
with regard to cutting lumber for
| shocks has been not TO cut foot of
timber unless an order had first been
received from Italy.
! one other Italian bark besides the
Santa Maria is due at Stockton this
summer TO take a cargo Of shocks
Ihese We're ordered nearly year ago
mus far no orders have been received
for shocks for 1916 delivery, and with
southern competition, there is fear
that none may be received, unless the
market changes considerably.