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Annual of Wisconsin Manufacturers 





The fourth aunual meeting of the Northern 

 Hemlock and Hardwood Manufacturers' As- 

 -sociation was called to order the morning of 

 Wednesday, January 29, at the Hotel Pfister. 

 Milwaukee, Wis., by President E. A. Hamar. 



After the roll call and reading of the 

 minutes of the previous meeting, President 

 Hamar delivered his address. 



The president told of the change in the 

 inspection department whereby the head- 

 -quarters of the chief inspector were moved to 

 the Wausau office, while the number of in- 

 spectors was reduced from three to two. By 

 making these changes the association finished 

 the year 1912 with an excellent balance on 

 hand. 



President Hamar thanked the members of 

 the various committees for their assistance 

 during the past year. In outlining the work 

 done by the various committees, he said that 

 the grading rules committee had recom- 

 mended a new set of rules for the grading of 

 hemlock. He stated that the old rules were 

 obsolete and needed revision, and that he 

 endorsed the committee's efforts and recom- 

 mended that the rules it submits be favorably 

 acted upon. 



He reviewed the work of the advertising campaign on hemlock 

 and birch, and said that it has already been demonstrated that it is 

 a work that should be continued and followed up. According to the 

 speaker, the secretary's office is daily receiving inquiries from archi- 

 tects and builders, which inquiries are the direct result of the adver- 

 tising. 



The speaker recommended that in the future members of the com- 

 mittee should be allowed expenses incurred in gathering for com- 

 mittee meetings. While this question was covered in a provision of 

 the by-laws the committeemen have never taken advantage of it. 



In speaking of the proposed Porest Products Exposition, President 

 Hamar stated that he would like to see action taken on any method 

 by which lumbermen could give further assistance in getting the 

 exposition started. He stated that it is poor business policy for 

 lumber manufacturers to remain inert while cement, brick and patent 

 roofing manufacturers hold their exposition and gain the resulting 

 advertising. 



President Hamar said that 1912 had been a fairly satisfactory 

 year and that the indications are that 1913 will be a year of 

 prosperity. 



The report of the treasurer followed the address of President 

 Hamar. It showed a balance on hand January 29, 1913, $169.11 ; 

 received from secretary during the year, $22,587.10, making a total 

 of $22,756.21; vouchers paid aggregated $19,469.50, leaving a balance 

 on hand January 27, 1913, $3,286.71. 



Secretary Kellogg, in his report, reviewed the past year's work 

 of the association and of the members of the various committees, 

 stating that it was one of prosperity for the association. He thanked 

 the committee members very heartily for their co-operation. 



In speaking of statistics for the year, the secretary said that at 

 this time in 1912 reports indicated an increase of 10 per cent of 

 stock on hand in comparison with January 1, 1911. On the other 



E. A. HAMAK; CIIASSELL. MICH.. PUKSIDEXT 

 OV THE XOKTHEKX HEMLOCK AXD 

 HARDWOOD MAXUFACTUKERS' 

 ASSOCIATIOX. 



Shipments of hemlock and hardwoods by 

 association members during 1912 were over 

 200,000,000 feet in excess of 1911. This in- 

 crease in shipment and decrease in production 

 is what brought about the general scarcity of 

 northern stocks on hand today. 



The secretary said further that as the win- 

 ter advances it becomes increasingly evident 

 that there is little possibility of the log- 

 input this year being as great as the log-input 

 of last year, so that whatever takes place it 

 is hard to figure ont any chance of lumber 

 stocks getting back to normal within the next 

 year. 



In looking ahead for the coming year, the 

 secretary said that many contracts already 

 made will result in a profit if it is possible 

 to get logs, and other contracts just as good 

 are being made every day. Consequently the 

 trouble for the lumbermen this year is of an 

 entirely different character than all their 

 troubles were in 1908, 1909, 1910 and 1911. 

 Chairman W. G. Collar of the railroad com- 

 mittee then submitted his report. The report 

 touched upon the complaint of the paper men 

 to the railroad commissioner, of the unjust 

 discrimination in freight rates on logs des- 

 tined to be manufactured into lumber and logs to be manufactured 

 into paper. When notice of complaint was served on the railroad 

 they asked the railroad commission to have the association made a 

 party to the hearing, and the railroad commission accordingly notified 

 Secretary Kellogg that association representatives would be expected 

 to appear at Madison on a specified da^te to discuss the rates on logs 

 from the woods to the mill. 



Preceding the hearing log shippers of Wisconsin met in conference 

 with the railroad men at Chicago and were assured by the railroad 

 representatives that they were willing to let the log rates stand, but 

 that if the commission decided the rates showed unjust discrimina- 

 tion it would be necessary to raise the log rate to the rate on cord- 

 wood and bolts and pulpwood. This, of course, would have worked 

 a considerable hardship on the sawmill men and seriously militate 

 against their profits. The report stated that the commission still had 

 the matter under consideration, but that a favorable opinion was 

 anticipated. 



Another matter discussed in the report was the question of milling- 

 in-transit and the amending of rule 76A as promulgated by the Inter- 

 state Commerce Commission. Mr. Collar said that he was present at 

 the hearing at Washington, December 30. Mr. Collar said he tried to 

 convince the commission that it was impossible to move sawlogs from 

 the woods to the mills, manufacture them into lumber and ship the 

 product in less than eighteen months, and that sawmill men shonW 

 have two years in which to do the work. 



Chairman Collar said that from the arguments the general impres- 

 sion was that the commission would take favorable action, but stated 

 that the association should keep closely in touch with the conditions 

 and that when an opinion is handed down the railroad committee, 

 together with a traffic man, confer with the traffic committee of the 

 AvTsconsin roads and see that a new tariff is so made as to protect the 

 lumber interests. 



Mr. Collar told of a conference while in Washington with Mr. 



hand, there has been approximately 35 per cent decrease in stocks 



during the past year, while in the stock on hand unsold the decrease Belknap, the safety appliance expert of the Interstate Commerce 



is even greater. 



In hardwoods, decreases in stock on hand unsold were 78 per cent 

 for ash, 37 per cent basswood, 30 per cent birch. 63 per cent rock elm, 

 60 per cent soft elm, 28 per cent hard maple, 67 per cent soft maple 

 and 22 per cent oak, an average of 38 per cent decrease in hardwood 

 stocks on hand unsold during the year 1912. 



Commission, in which the matter of hand brakes on log cars was 

 brought up. Mr. Belknap informed Mr. Collar that Senator Stephen- 

 son of Wisconsin has introduced a bill to amend the law known as 

 S-507 which new bill will provide that hand brakes are not essential 

 on flat cars used for logging purposes. 



Chairman Collar reported that the State Railroad Commission had 



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