Miil RocoM 



Published In the Interest of HaLrdwood Lumber, America.n HsLrdwood Forests, Wood Veneer Industry, HaLrdwood Flooring. 



Ha.rdwood Interior Finish, Wood CKecT\lca.is. Sa.w Mill a^nd Woodworking MsLcMnery. t-IBRi 



, NEW } 



_ BOTAN 



CHICAGO. JUNE 25. 1908. 



Garu 



Published on the 10th and 25th of each month by 



THE HARDWOOD COMPANY 



HENRY H. GIBSON, EJiior. EDGAR H. DEFEBAUGH. M.-jtr. 



7th Floor. Ellsworth BIdg.. 355 Dearborn St.. Chicago, III.. U.S.A. 



Telephone Harrison 4960 

 REPRESENTATIVES 



public&tlon da.\e. Advertising ra..tes on a.ppllcaLtlon. 



General Market Conditions. 



There is a slow and steady development in hardwood trading, 

 with every promise of increasing demand as the season advances. 

 Business still lacks vim and the larger holders are perforce 

 obliged to stand very nearly to list on prices, or suffer substantial 

 loss. There is a belief that lumber is going to move with a good 

 deal of freedom within the next few weeks at a substantial 

 advance over the minimum prices at which some stock is now 

 being sold. 



The volume of business of the furniture trade, which ordinarily 

 is a very large buyer of hardwoods throughout the Middle West, 

 is still pretty slack, but building operations throughout the chief 

 commercial centers of the country are showing remarkable strength 

 for a dull period. Most of these buildings require hardwood 

 finish and flooring, and in the aggregate a large quantity of 

 hardwoods is being consumed in this line. The flooring trade is 

 holding up very well, but prices on both oak and maple have 

 suffered somewhat in common with lumber values. 



There seems to be a slight renaissance of demand for walnut 

 abroad, but still the trade is far from satisfactory. The local 

 •demand for mahogany and other high-class imported woods in 

 this country is fair, and stocks are comparatively light. 



On the whole the hardwood situation is the most promising it 

 ias been since last year and undeniably the fall will develop an 

 excellent volume of business at fair prices, and the year will 



A Favorable Decision. 



■^ The famous case of George D. Burgess et al. versus the Trauscon- 

 t. 'inental Freight Bureau et al. has at last been considered by the 

 'nterstate Commerce Commission, and on June 16 Commissioner 



Charles A. Prouty handed down a decision which means a decisive 

 victory for lumbermen in a reduction of the eighty-five cents on 

 hardwood lumber between eastern points and the Pacific coast. 



Although lumbermen contend that the rate from eastern points to 

 the coast should not be any greater than that from the coast to the 

 East, they are nevertheless extremely gratified over the attitude of 

 the commission in deciding that the railroads must return to their 

 former seventy-five-eent schedule. 



The commissioner in his findings held that the roads are entitled 

 to charge a higher rate from East to West than from West to East, 

 because principally high grades of hardwood move to the coast, and 

 such lumber is worth more than certain other grades which might 

 be shipped, or which come this way; therefore the shipper can afford 

 to pay more for its transportation, as this fact differentiates the 

 westbound from eastbound movement, and perhaps somewhat justifies 

 a higher rate upon the former. Also the defendants urge that cer- 

 tain competition exists under which the eastbound rate is made, and 

 suggest that for this reason it should not be taken as a standard by 

 which to fix a westbound charge. 



In handing down the decision the commissioner also states that 

 where shippers have paid an excessive rate they may recover the 

 difference between the rate paid and what would then have been a 

 reasonable charge — whether or not shippers have been damaged by 

 payment of the excessive rate; however, reparation will be allowed 

 only from the date of filing complaint. 



Of course the decisions of the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 are subject to litigation, and this makes it possible for the defendants 

 to pursue their usual course and exhaust every means to have the 

 matter delayed, and if possible the decision set aside. 



As is well known, roads have been transporting lumber east and 

 hauling empty cars back to the coast, which seems decidedly strange 

 when by charging a reasonable rate they might have returned them 

 loaded at a profit. Also this course has prevented lumbermen from 

 building up anything like a good trade in hardwoods on the coast. 

 The roads allege that their hauling cars back there empty is a reason 

 for an advance on the rate of lumber moving east, while the com- 

 plainants ai-gue that it is an equally good reason for reducing rates 

 on hardwood Itimber moving west. 



Nearly all of the prominent hardwood concerns of Memphis and 

 Nashville, together with others from Cincinnati, Chicago and Wis- 

 consin points, are mentioned as complainants in the case. George 

 D. Burgess of Memphis antl E. P. Arpin of Grand Eapids, Wis., were 

 two of the hardest workers in behalf of the lumbermen. The Hard- 

 wood Manufacturers' Association and the National Hardwood Lum- 

 ber Association stood behind all individual efforts, and played no 

 small part in the presentation of a strong case, and the securing of 

 a favorable decision. 



New President National Association. 



The new president of the National Hardwood Lumber Associa- 

 tion comes to his otfice under the most favorable auspices, and 

 beyond that the office takes over a man who will honor the posi- 

 tion in a very marked degree. 



Oliver O. Agler, the incumbent, is primarily a self-made man. 



