The Lumber Price-Fixing Scandal
A Tacoma lumber mill combine has been caught artificially inflating the price of city contracts.
A lumber mill combine, whereby the price of planking has been kept 40 to 60 cents per thousand above the normal value on all sales to the city, came to light tonight. One mill contracted to sell 2,000,000 feet to the city, the profits of which were to be divided among all mills in the combine. The city council will investigate the case.
“A lumber mill combine whereby the price of planking has been kept 40 to 60 cents per thousand above the normal value on all sales to the city came to light tonight.”
Public corruption through contract manipulation remains a persistent theme in Washington civic life. This 1891 exposure reflects the same tension between municipal procurement and private industry interests that modern city governments still grapple with today.
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