Lumber WarThe following appeared in the Rock County Herald on April 7, 1905: FIERCE LUMBER WAR ENDSJ.W. TUTHILL CO. SURRENDERSStock and Yards of the Tuthill Lumber Co. in this Place Purchased by J.C. Johnston & Co. and the Porter Lumber Co. — Stock of the Tuthill Co. Divided Between the Two Purchasers. The conclusion of one of the biggest and fiercest lumber wars ever waged in this state is in progress this week in the closing up of the Tuthill — Lumber company’s yards in this city and the division of the stock between J.C. Johnston & Co., and the Porter Lumber company.The settlement between the three concerns by which the Tuthill company agreed to remove from this city was reached at the recent lumbermen’s convention in Minneapolis and the deal was completed on the 28th ult., when the heads of the companies met in this city to invoice the Tuthill stock preparatory to its sale and division between the two purchasers. The exact terms of the agreement will probably never be known, beyond the understanding that the Porter company agrees to leave the Sioux Falls market, so far as they are concerned, to the Tuthill company and that both the purchasers will discontinue the ruinous prices they have been giving in the surrounding towns where the Tuthill company has yards. The war began last May when the Tuthill company opened a branch yard in this city. For a few months the war was conducted under cover, but last fall all disguise was thrown aside and an open fight was waged. Prices were cut to below cost and the war was carried by either the J.C. Johnston company or the Porter company into every locality where the Tuthill company was transacting business. It was a ruinous fight for all concerned, but it was war to the death, and no quarter was given until the final surrender by the Tuthill company.The old adage, "It’s an ill wind that blows good to no one," was peculiarly true in this instance, as a large number of people in the territory in which the fight was waged reaped a rich harvest by buying their building material for prospective improvements while the war was on. Many in anticipation that the fight would end before building operations opened in the spring, purchased their material during the winter and stored it. In some instances people borrowed money to buy their lumber in advance and in so doing saved big money. The disposition to be made of the sheds and buildings of the Tuthill yards is as yet undecided, except that the coal sheds on the Omaha line have been taken over by Porter company, who will now carry a complete line of coal. The lumber sheds and office are now built and substantial and will probably be moved and used by the purchasing firms. Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.Man welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
