H A R DWQOD R£C O R D 



17 



was 53,230 cars; December 31, 1912, 50,650 cars; January 17, 

 1912, 102,479 ears. The total shortage for the same respective 

 dates was 24,791, 33,601, and 12,194. From these figures it can be 

 readily seen that the ear situation was somewhat improved. The 

 difficulties of securing cars during the last few months are also 

 very graphically shown by the comparative figures. 



Compared with the preceding period, it is shown that from 

 October 11, 1911, to January 15, 1913, there was an increase in the 

 total surplus of 2,571 cars. There was also a decrease in the 

 surplus of coal cars amounting to 4,672. 



In total shortage, the period denoted shows a decrease over the 

 preceding period of 8,810 cars, while January 15, 1913, showed 

 decrease of total surplus as compared with the same date for 

 1912 of 49,249. 



Expert Advice on Journal Advertising 



On any specific question bearing on any phase of modern busi- 

 ness, the up-to-date business man concedes the value of expert 

 opinion. He employs lawyers to give expert advice in legal mat- 

 ters; he has traffic men to handle his traffic matters in an expert 

 manner and in various other departments of his business he 

 counts on the advice of the 

 coterie of experts whose serv- 

 ices are available. It is to be 

 hoped that eventually the aver- 

 age lumberman will realize the 

 possibilities of strengthening 

 his sales system through a well 

 thought-out and not too re- 

 stricted campaign of tradt- 

 paper advertising. But it is 

 evident that in order to arrive 

 at any satisfactory method of 

 procedure in this matter the 

 lumberman of today must neces- 

 sarily have expert advice on 

 this question. After employ 

 ing such advice, the first thing 

 he wishes to learn is something 

 about the character of the me- 

 diums he should employ for ex- 

 ploiting his goods through the 

 trade press. On (his score the 

 reflections of the editor of a 

 paper devoted to advertising 

 and selling covering Questions 

 and answers which have par- 

 ticular bearing on trade paper 

 advertising should be of value. 



The questions were propounded at a recent meeting of the 

 Technical Publicity Association and the answers as compiled 

 showed the consensus of opinion of the members in attendance. 

 One of the questions was as to whether an advertiser with a 

 limited appropriation should carry a small space in several publi- 

 cations or pick out one or two particularly adapted to his line 

 and concentrate on them. To this twenty answered that they 

 preferred to concentrate on one or two publications. 



A second question raised the issue as to whether the weekly or 

 monthly journal is the more effective in the same field. Twelve 

 of those in attendance stated that they would prefer carrying 

 advertising in the monthly publication, while only five showed 

 that they preferred the weekly. 



One of the members suggested that in some fields there are 

 certain papers whose circulation is restricted to a single phase 

 of work in that field. It is therefore limited in quantity but 

 select in character. Seven of the members in attendance pre- 

 ferred advertising in such a publication rather than in the general 

 publication which was endorsed by only two. 



By vote of twenty to one, the convention expressed its non- 

 belief in the value of anniversary, convention, souvenir and other 



The Hardwood 



Manufacturers'' Association of 



the United States 



cordially invites everyone interested in the 

 production, merchandizing and con- 

 sumption of hardwood lumber 



to he present at its 



Tenth Annua) Convention 



to be held at 



Hotel Sinton^ Cincinnati^ 0. 



Tuesday and Wednesday, February Four and Five 



Sinetfei: Hundred and Thirteen 



W. E. DeLaney 



PRESIDEST 



special issues, preferring to spend their appropriations in regular 

 issues of the same periodical. It was found to be the expressed 

 belief of these experts in advertising and trade journal work that 

 advertisers should have personal acquaintance with the editors of 

 technical and trade publications. 



Lumber Trade in Great Britain 



United States Commercial Agent K. P. Sei;ker has made a report 

 covering various phases of the lumber trade in Great Britain. It 

 is shown that a shipper in the United States usually contracts to 

 deliver to a merchant in that country, within a specified time, 

 certain lumber of a particular grade and specification at a given 

 price at particular port or ports. The transaction is conducted 

 through an agent, but there are some variations from this course. 

 Some shippers have direct dealings with consumers; s*me mer- 

 chants eliminate the agent and deal with the shipper; while agents 

 have attempted to do business direct with the consumers. There 

 are certain limitations to direct dealings between producer and 

 consumer, and they are perhaps more evident in the lumber busi- 

 ness than in most other lines. 



Lumber merchants in Great Britain frequently have cause for 



complaint against shippers in 

 the matter of nonfulfillment of 

 contracts. Some shippers ig- 

 nore their obligations when 

 market prices rise during the 

 currency of contracts, and when 

 prices fall make shipment in 

 excess of those called for. An- 

 other cause of complaint is de- 

 lay and irregularity in ship- 

 ments. The question of con- 

 signments is of paramount 

 importance. Consignments al- 

 ways make for lower prices 

 more than the keenness and 

 business sagacity of buyers and 

 all other forces combined. To 

 illustrate, let it be supposed 

 that contracts have been made, 

 say, at $40. In due time thej 

 lumber arrives and in the same 

 steamer there are consignment 

 parcels of similar grade. Ob- 

 viously the market price is $40, 

 but the quantity arriving in ad- 

 dition to the contract goods is 

 more than the market can ab- 

 sorb. The result is that lower 

 prices must be accepted in order to clear the surplus. ■ Merchants 

 who have to face the prospect of loss on their contract goods are 

 in an unenviable position. They, of course, can buy the con- 

 signment parcels, but even working on an average cost this puts 

 them at a distinct disadvantage as compared with competitors who 

 deal mainly in consignments. It frequently happens that, should 

 merchants decide to absorb the arrivals of consignments for a time 

 at prices which look cheap, they find further quantities arriving 

 and prices go down again. 



Hardwood lumber, especially the better qualities, is used more 

 freely in London than in any other port. Quarter-sawn oak meets 

 with severe competition from wainscot, Odessa, and other kinds. 

 Ash, too, meets Hungarian competition to some extent. There is a 

 good market for No. 1 and No. 2 common lumber for cheap furni- 

 ture, and the demand is capable of expansion if properly catered 

 for. Generally speaking, log timber is not much sought by buyers, 

 consequently wood in this form is not sold to advantage apart 

 from the limited demand that exists. Storage of lumber at the 

 docks is somewhat expensive, and on this account regular shipments 

 are desirable. 

 Liverpool is undoubtedly the best port for local business and 



Lewis Doster 



SECRETARY 



