The Great Loggers' Strike: How Seattle's Timber Barons Tried to Fix Prices by Cutting Supply
In June 1903, the Puget Sound Logger’s Association voted to slash timber output by one-third to prop up falling prices, revealing the fragile power of early labor and industry cartels in the Pacific Northwest.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
At the regular monthly meeting of the Puget Sound Logger's Association last evening, it was unanimously decided to curtail one-third the output of logs for the balance of the year, commencing June 1. The matter was fully discussed, but there was no opposition to the measure, as it was the general opinion that too many logs were being put into the water to keep prices at firing rates.
The opinion was generally expressed that if the heavy reduction made was not sufficient, a still farther reduction would be made or the camps shut down entirely October 1st, or before. The Logger's Association represents three-fifths of the logging interest on the Sound. The association has assurances from several loggers who are not members that they will also curtail their output.
The action will make a difference of 80,000,000 feet in the output of the members of the association alone, for the balance of the year. Members were present yesterday from the upper Skagit, from the Stillaguamish and the Snohomish, as well as all other sections of the Sound country.
Regarding the action of the association, a business man said: "I think the loggers pursued a very wise course in deciding to curtail their output, instead of shutting down entirely for a while. It will be much better for the business interests and for all concerned."
This 1903 attempt by timber barons to artificially inflate prices by restricting supply mirrors modern debates over housing affordability and land use restrictions. Just as these loggers tried to control the market by limiting the 'inventory' of logs, today's housing advocates argue that zoning laws and NIMBYism function similarly to restrict the supply of homes, keeping rents high for everyone.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.