14 



E. E. Kelley, sec. Texas and Louisiana Lumber Manufacturers' Association, Beaumont, Tex. : 



Thp members of this association are taking a deep interest in the tests of American timbers now beiii;; made under 

 the, supervision of the Department over which you so ably preside, and trust to see them prosecuted to an early com- 

 pletion. They feel that great advancement has been made in recent years in determining the relative value of tim- 

 bers, but they are also cognizant of the fact that much remains to be done, and they hope for advantageous results 

 fiom tlie investigations now being made by the Forestry Division of your Department. If you will indicate how this 

 association may be of service in promoting the investigations it will readily extend you all the assistance in its power. 

 Coleman Sellers, Am. Inst. C. E., consulting engineer, Philadelphia, Pa. : 



I apprehend that Congress has not fully appreciated the importance of this work, which bears upon so mauy 

 industries in the United States and is of such vital importance. I have had occasion to seek for information in this 

 direction lately, and have met with so much difficulty in finding what I wanted that I sincerely hope that the work 

 will go on, and that publications will be made from time to time by you that will give users of wood the fullest in- 

 formation in regard to the resources of our country in this direction. 



W. W. Coe, chief engineer Norfolk and Western Eailroad Company, Eoanoke, Va. : 



I note with great pleasure that this work has been commenced, and believe that an investigation of this matter 

 will be very useful and instructive. Personally I shall be glad to aid in any way in my power in furtherance of such 

 investicatiou, and will take pleasure in recommending to our company that they aflord means for obtaining and trans- 

 porting specimens, should it be desired by the Department. 



M. G. Howe, receiver Houston, Bast and West Texas Eailway Company, Houston, Tex.: 

 ;Having had many years' experience in the use of timber in the construction and operation of railroads, I fully 

 appreciate the importance of the proposed work, both to the railroad interests and to the general public, and feel that 

 I can not urge too strongly the necessity of continuing this work in a practical way. 



L. M. Haupt, A. M., C. E., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. : 

 The work will be of inestimable value to the country in furnishing correct data to engineers and architects, and 

 I trust that Congress will exercise a wise liberality in this matter of so great utility by making a liberal appropria- 

 tion for its contiuuance. 



C. Palmer, engineer Chicago and Northwestern Eailway Co., Am. Soc. C. E., Escambia, Mich. : 

 In view of the extensive use of timber in important Btructures, no reasonable expense should be spared to make 

 the tests exhaustive and reliable. 



fTJ Such a work must be carried on by the Government, because it is too difficult and expensive to 

 be undertalcen by private parties. 



Eobert Moore, chief engineer St. Louis Merchants' Bridge Terminal Eailway, St. Louis, Mo. : 



Allow me to express my sense of the great value to engineers and all users of timber of the investigation now in 

 progress under your direction, and my strong wish that nothing may interrupt it until fully completed. It is a work 

 of a kind which can not be done by any private individual or corporation, and when once done in the manner in which 

 it has now been begun will be done for all time. 



Theo. Cooper, C. B., mechanical engineer, 35 Broadway, New York, N. Y. : 



The study and investigation of the characteristics, properties, and capabilities of the great variety of timber of 

 our country is a most desirable work. It would not be possible to have such investigations, requiring many years of 

 careful observations, work, and record, undertaken by private means or through the personal action of isolated inves- 

 tigators. The benefits of such rese-arches would be immediately felt by the whole people, equally by the laborer and 

 the capitalist. As the benefit would be for no one class, but for the whole people, it is, in my opinion, a proper field 

 for governmental action. 



George S. Lacey, vice-president and general manager Keystone Lumber and Improvement 

 Company, Bogue Chitto, Miss. : 



I can not too highly recommend to your favorable consideration this scheme, believing that it is a step in the right 

 direction. The Southern Lumberman's Association (of which I have the honor of being vice-president) have contrib- 

 uted $500 to aid in furthering the same object, but this whole matter is one that can be reached only by such action 

 and expenditure of money as the General Government could afford. The diversity of our forest products is so 

 immense that no one jiarty or persons engaged in but bne line can attempt to intelligently enter on this field with 

 any idea of its investigations being comparatively of any good. 



J. P. Frizell, chief engineer board of public works, Austin, Tex.: 



Wliile much legislation has lately been enacted and great expenditures have been authorized for objects the pro- 

 priety of which is the subject of fierce and bitter contention, there Ciin be no question in any well-informed mind as 

 to the propriety of liberal expenditures for such objects as this; to procure information for the people which, from 

 the nature of the case, they can not procui'e for themselves. 



