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Meeting of Box Manufacturers 



The National Association of Box Manufacturers met in the 

 fourteenth annual convention at the Hotel La Salle, Chicago, 

 February 19 to 21 inclusive. There was an attendance of approxi- 

 mately one hundred box manufacturers. Unusually close attention 

 was paid to the addresses and discussions occurring in each session 

 and all the sessions were marked by a large attendance. 



The opening session of the first day was introduced by F. M. 

 West, president. Mr. West gave a short talk and then introduced 

 L. E. McGann, commissioner of public works of Chicago, who 

 delivered an address of welcome representing Mayor Harrison. 



Following a short talk by B. F. Masters, President West delivered 

 his annual address, in which he gave a general resume of the 

 year's work. He spoke encouragingly of what had transpired 

 -during the last twelve months and of future prospects. 



Following the report of the treasurer, which showed the finances 

 of the association to be in good condition, Secretary E. H. 

 Defebaugh gave his annual report. He further reviewed the work 

 of the past year and told of the possible benefits from attendance 

 at the conventions, pointing out particularly the good that can 

 come from co-operative action on the part of the members, which 

 can be secured only by getting together. One of the most perti- 

 nent proofs of the efiiciency of association work, according to the 

 secretary, is the satisfactory prices being realized for boxes. 

 Without the knowledge of general conditions which every membei 

 secures from association attendance, such uniformity of prices 

 could not be maintained. In speaking of the matter of substitu- 

 tion of fibre boxes for wooden boxes, Secretary Defebaugh said that 

 the number of claims in the railroad claim offices is incontro- 

 vertible evidence that for long hauls the fibre container is inade- 

 quate. According to the speaker, it is necessary to convince the 

 wholesale consumer that he reaps an advantage from goods shipped 

 in wooden containers as against goods shipped in fibre containers 

 and that with this advantage he can afford to charge additionally 

 for the goods received packed in wooden boxes. The secretary 

 stated that this persuasion is a matter of salesmanship and that 

 salesmen should be instructed to make every effort possible to 

 convince the wholesale consumer that he is getting better value 

 for goods received in sound condition and that he should be 

 willing to pay a slightly increased price. 



H. B. Maxwell, association manager, reported on the accomplish- 

 ments of the association during his term of office. He spoke 

 particularly of proceedings in the E. W. Pridham case. This case, 

 it will be remembered, was with the idea of securing the same 

 classification on goods packed in fibre packages shipped to the 

 East as at present prevails on similar goods shipped to the West. 



The nominating committee submitted the following names as 

 its recommendations for officers for the coming year: 



President: W. D. Sexton, Cincinnati, O. 

 First Vice-President : W. F. Brown. Jersey City, N. J. 

 Second Vice-President: F. S. Blodgett, St. Paul, Minn. 

 Third Vice-President: J. W. Jarboe, St. Louis, Mo. 

 Secretary : E. H. Defebaugh, Chicago, III. 



Directors : Bert Hanna. G. L. Crosman, John A. Cook, W. L. Russell, 

 T. H. EUenberger, H. E. Montgomery, E. E. Fair. 



The committee on uniform cost system reported through its 

 chairman, B. F. Masters. The report was followed by consid- 

 erable discussion and it was finally moved that discussions be 

 continued at the next meeting of the association. This would give 

 the members ample opportunity to digest the contents of the com- 

 mittee 's report and to form their opinions. 



At the Thursday session R. S. Kellogg, secretary of the Northern 

 Hard%vood and Hemlock Manufacturers' Association, gave a talk 

 showing the connection between the hardwood lumber industry 

 and the manufacture of boxes. Mr. Kellogg assured the members 

 that there is no immediate prospect of there being any immediate 

 break in the price of box lumber. His statement in this particular 

 was received philosophically by the members of the association and 

 a discussion of the question established the fact that the con- 



sensus of opinion of tho members is that an increase in the price 

 of boxes is the only solution of the problem. In fact, there was 

 considerable evidence in the discussions which would indicate 

 that box manufacturers are now getting considerable increase in 

 price for their product. Several members expressed themselves 

 as believing that even with the increased price of box lumber 

 their plants will return a satisfactory profit during the coming 

 year. Other men prominently connected with the lumber business 

 whq gave their views on this same question were F. E. Parker, 

 president of the National Wholesale Lumber Dealers' Association, 

 J. E. Ehodes, secretary of the National Lumber Manufacturers' 

 Association, and J. M. Goodwillie, prominent box manufacturer of 

 Chicago. 



The committee on uniform' classification then reported through 

 its chairman, J. E. Williams. In conjunction with this report was 

 a report of the committee on standardization of the wooden box. 

 The reports and following discussions treated fully of the question 

 of the superiority of the wooden box as a shipping container. A 

 most important phase of the discussion was that having to do 

 with the possibilities of the railroads and the box interests 

 working out a standard for boxes which would result in the 

 continued acceptance of the wooden container as the superior of 

 all shipping containers. 



Harry A. Wheeler of Chicago, president of the Chamber of 

 Commerce of the United States, spoke enthusiastically to the 

 attendance of the possibilities of the association he represented. 

 Mr. Wheeler outlined what has been done by the National Cham- 

 ber of Commerce, told what it is now trying to do and of the 

 future possibilities. He spoke of the increased benefit which 

 would result from increased and continued support on the part 

 of the business men throughout the country through increased 

 membership. 



C. W. Price, representing the Industrial Commission of Wis- 

 consin, gave an interesting and instructive talk on the prevention 

 of industrial accidents. He analyzed the causes for the usual 

 class of accidents occurring in industrial plants and pointed out 

 practical methods of preventing such catastrophes. Mr. Price 

 had arranged with the visiting delegates at the convention to 

 visit the headquarters of the Lumbermen's Club of Chicago, where 

 there is on exhibition a complete line of accident preventing 

 appliances. The exhibit contains photographs of every known 

 practical device for the prevention of accidents which can be 

 applied to woodworking machinery of any kind. These photo- 

 graphs were taken from appliances now in successful operation and 

 represent practical ideas rather than merely the theory of accident 

 prevention. The photographs are supplemented by working models 

 of the devices wherever it was possible to exhibit them. 



The session Friday, February 21, was mainly executive in char- 

 acter. Following the executive discussions the committee on 

 officers' reports reported. These reports were adopted. The 

 committee on resolutions submitted resolutions on the deaths of 

 the following: Frank Halleck of the W. S. Doig Estate, Brooklyn, 

 N. Y.; Mrs. Henry Stevens, wife of Henry Stevens, formerly 

 manager of the box association; R. B. Dyer, president of the 

 Northwestern Association of Box Manufacturers; W. F. Goessling, 

 St. Louis, Mo.; Edward Germain of Saginaw, Mich. The com- 

 mittee also recommended that votes of thanks be extended to the 

 hotel, to the members of the Chicago trade entertaining the 

 visiting delegates, to the speakers, the officers and the Wisconsin 

 Industrial Commission. 



The election of officers followed, the recommendations of the 

 nominating committee being adopted. 



The entertainment included luncheon for the ladies at the South 

 Shore Country Club Thursday noon. The ladies also attended a 

 dinner and theatre party Thursday evening. At the same time 

 the men were enjoying a banquet and entertainment in the roof 

 garden of the La Salle hotel. 



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