William Pritchett and Brother, H. E. Pritchett
of Lothair, Georgia
[Subject]: William Pritchett of Lothair in “To Be Their Own Factors: Naval Stores Producers Dissatisfied with Middlemen,” /The Morning News/(Savannah, Chatham, Georgia), 1887-1900, Thursday, 16 May 1895, page 3.
Another subhead: “They Do Not Think the Best Results Possible Ae Obtained Under the Present System, and Propose to Become Factors on Their Own Account—An Organization Perfected.”
Meeting of Naval Stores Operators
Organizers:
1) Mr. Albert Pridgen, Chairman
---of Pitts [Wilcox, Georgia]
---“a prominent naval stores man”
2) Mr. G. W. Varn, Secretary
---of Luraville, [Suwannee], Florida
Meeting Place: Masonic Hall, [Savannah, Chatham, Georgia]
Date: “yesterday” (est. Wed., 15 May 1895)
Result: new organization formed, “the Turpentine Operators’ Protective Association”
---Capital Subscribed: $10,000
---Membership: (of those present) “several did not unite” with the new organization, but “about a dozen operators who were unable to come to the city have taken stock in the association”
---par value of share: $100
Attendance: lower than expected; about 25-30 present
---Present: “D. T. Doughtry of Cordele; J. P. Coffee, Coffee; E. L. Vickers, Arabi; E. H. Vickers, Hybert; A. Pridgen, Pitts; E. S. Gaulden, Oldtown, Fla.; E. W. Bullock, Seville; J. K. Young, Valdosta; D. C. Newton, Pooler; P. H. Carter, Offerman; F. B. Collins, Cairo; F. E. Breen, Doctortown; G. W. Varn, Luraville, Fla.; William Pritchett and H. E. Pritchett, Lothair; W. C. Alford, Daisy; E. P. Rentz, Covena; H. E. Pritchett, Willingham; H. C. Carr, Claxton; W. H. Page, Lyons. Mr. Gignilliat of Gignilliat & Stubbs, was present as legal advisor.”
Chairman’s concerns: “unsatisfactory condition of the naval stores business from the operators’ standpoint” ; low prices (past 2-3 years); poor market ; needs, to obtain better results; need “some concerted action by the producers….” ; need cooperation, protection of business interests; made reference to previous meetings at Cordele, [Crisp, Georgia] where a charter had been formed (submitted here for consideration of adoption; to be explained by Gignilliat.
Speakers: “Messrs. Doughtry, Carter, Vickers and other operators” (“Some were not as mild as the chairman.” They were dissatisfied with the perceived manipulation of the Savannah market (low prices). “One operator ventured the suggestion that the factors were speculating in spirits.” Other concerns: methods of product disposal (complaints of factors in error, non-specific facts); suggestion of having an agent to handle “their stuff” in the market, to protect their interest with “the factors.” [Quote by a Member]: “It’s the middlemen we believe are considerably to blame for the present low prices,” said one of the operators to a Morning News reporter. [End Quote].
[Editorial Quote]: “There is hardly any doubt, judging from the statements made to the News reporter by a number of the operators, that the real intention of the association is to establish another cooperative factorage house in Savannah, modeled somewhat after the Savannah Naval Stores Company.
“Some of the operators who came up for the May week festivities and who did not take part in the meeting expressed the opinion that nothing would come of the new movement and that no efforts to bring the great body of operators together in a cooperative scheme such as this association contemplates would ever succeed.” (Promotors disagree, feeling it will succeed).
Result: Charter unanimously adopted (about 20 voting; some had left); by-laws adopted; elections made.
Elections:
President, D. T. Doughtry; First Vice President, K. M. Patterson; Second Vice President, J. W. West.
Directors: R. L. Bush, J. W. Callahan, P. Rentz, H. E. Pritchett (doesn’t say which one; probably the one from Willingham); P. H. Carter, J. K. Young, D. C. Newton, and E. L. Vickers.
---Remarks: “Directors have large powers, and will lay out the line of action for the association.” Also, “directors were chosen from widely separated points in order that each might have a considerable field to work on for new members.”
Final Remark: “The Savannah factors, while declining to discuss the movement, do not appear to be at all disturbed by the prospects of having their business diminished through its agency.”
[Source Citation]: H. E. Pritchett of Lothair (and brother, William) in “To Be Their Own Factors: Naval Stores Producers Dissatisfied with Middlemen,” /The Morning News/ (Savannah, Chatham, Georgia) 1887-1900, Thursday, 16 May 1895, page 3 (digital image 3), Georgia Historic Newspapers, Digital Library of Georgia (GALILEO). https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn86063034/1895-05-16/ed-1/seq-3/print/image_642x817_from_1567,598_to_5053,5028/ (clipping; full page accessed 12 December 2020 by D.K. Pritchett).
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