The Shingle Men Try to Tame the Market

The West Coast Lumberman gives some of the details of the plans adopted by the shingle men at their meeting in Seattle, which we reprint below. They have undertaken a difficult task in attempting to secure the co-operation of every manufacturer in the state. In conversation last Monday with A. C. Young, a large Tacoma dealer, he stated that the purpose was to control and limit the production to correspond with the demand, and at the same time increase the demand in the East as fast as possible. If Mr. Duniway did not succeed in getting all to sign, then other manufacturers in the vicinity of the one refusing would assist in persuading him to do so. The following is a summary of the proceedings.

Mr. Duniway's plan has for its main objects the organization of two associations—a dealers' and manufacturers'—and the curtailment and control of the output of shingles from the two states. The two associations will work in harmony, with the same objects in view, although the organizations will be separate. Manufacturers will be eligible to membership in the dealers association provided they sell direct to buyers in the East, but no dealer will be eligible to membership in the manufacturers association unless he owns a mill.

The manufacturers are to put up in the hands of the treasurer five cents for each 1,000 shingles sold as a forfeit for the observance of the agreement, the expenses of the organization to be paid out of this fund, the surplus to be divided periodically. The executive committee is to have power to order a general reduction by all mills alike. There is to be an arbitration committee of five members from each association to settle disputes between them. No contracts are to be made for next year's output until the association establishes prices.

The plan of organization was taken up and all present signed a pledge agreeing to sign the articles of agreement adopted by the convention when all the mills in the state had likewise pledged themselves. Mr. Duniway was instructed to canvass the mills and secure their signatures to the pledge. A subscription of $5 per block was taken up to defray preliminary expenses. On the question of prices for 1894, a resolution was adopted favoring $1.40 for A and $1.00 for Clears; weight 180 and 200 pounds. The following motion was then carried without a dissenting vote: 'Every signer of these articles pledges himself and the firm or company he represents to attend a meeting in person or by proxy, to be called by the president as soon as all the manufacturers sign these articles; and further that he or his firm or company will at that meeting sell to the executive committee shingles to the value of $100 per block, to be paid for by the committee when such manufacturer has begun shipping and paid in enough per 1,000 to amount to $50 per block or, if they cannot pay the money they will put up collateral or its equivalent.'

The dealers' association met on the same days in Seattle and practically agreed to everything embodied in the new plan for reorganization.