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l^orthwestern Lumbermen TS/leet 



The Northwestern Hardwood Lumbermen 's Association met for its 

 twenty-fourth annual convention at the Commercial Club rooms in 

 Minneapolis on December 3. Social features were provided to follow 

 the business session. 



President W. H. Sill called tlie meeting to order at 4 P. M. Fol- 

 lowing the address of Secretary J. P. Hayden, the president presented 

 his annual talk. He expressed liiniself as particularly grateful for 

 the fact that the membership roll was complete for its second 

 successive year. This was considered rather remarkable in that there 

 has been a larger than normal percentage of failures in the commer- 

 cial world the past year. The president reviewed the comments on 

 the situation at last year's meeting, at which time it was reported 

 that plain birch w-as slow, red birch moving very 'poorly and no sale 

 for curly birch. Basswood was also slow, ash and soft maple far 

 below normal, rock elm dead, and the grades of number two and 

 three com'mon in all woods extremely slow. However, during the 

 past few weeks particularly a decided change for the better has been 

 noted. Plain birch is now moving with more ease than ever before, 

 with red in better demand. Common bass- 

 wood now drags considerably, but low grades 

 of both birch and basswood have advanced 

 materially, w-hile ash and soft elm have made 

 corresponding gains. Even rock elm is show- 

 ing some life, due to non-production. The 

 advanced price of southern oak and the very 

 low price to which the elm had sunk show 

 that it only takes time to level prices and 

 that one wood cannot long maintain a very 

 great lead over another of a like nature. 



The president accounted for the present 

 situation by the fact that last year's output 

 of logs in tlie North was about twenty-five per 

 cent less than the previous year's supply, and 

 that excessive rains and water in the South 

 curtailed the output there to a large extent, 

 and further that rather active borrowing on 

 the part of the consuming trade led to the 

 investn.ent of considerable money in the ex- 

 pansion of business. 



In speaking of the national political situa- 

 tion, President Sill stated that the national 

 administration has had its effect on business. 

 He stated that we cannot avert and must not 

 discount political influence on business, but 

 that the manufacturer, dealer and consumer 



can do a great deal to so regulate the supply and demand that the 

 fat and lean periods will give way to a more even and regular trade, 

 eliminating excessive fluctuation such as we have experienced in the 

 last few years, which has been mostly to the detriment of all con- 

 cerned. He expressed himself as hopeful that the manufacturer of 

 lumber will be wise enough to produce only in moderation and on the 

 basis of the normal demand, and that the consumer in turn will 

 manufacture only for ready sale. 



increased ease of adjusting ditferences with outside concerns has 

 been noted from year to year, owing to the marvelous growth of 

 association work. 



Letters were read from Frank P. Fish, secretary of the National 

 Hardwood Lumber Association, and from C. H. Barnaby of ludian- 

 apolis, president of that body; also from O. 0. Agler of Chicago, 

 former president of the National Association. 



Secretary Hayden said in his report that the record of the last 

 year does not show so much the things that have been accomplished, 

 but that this did not indicate any stagnation in the association's 

 work. Four meetings were held during the year and at each meeting 

 the market conditions were discussed. The secretary stated that at 

 one time a government official had endeavored to pump him for in- 

 fcvmatiou as to the character of subjects talked over at the meetings. 



W. H. SILL, MINNEAPOLIS. MINN.. RETIR- 

 ING PRESIDENT NORTHWESTERN HARD- 

 WOOD LUMBERMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



Secretary llaydcn said that at last year's meeting he volunteered 

 to get the credit standing of all prospective customers and that he 

 would investigate at anyone's request the practice of such customers 

 in dealing with the rest. He said, however, that judging from the 

 inquiries he had received, members of the association had had very 

 little difficulty with customers. 



Treasurer C. F. Osborne reported a balance a year ago of $30.54 

 receipts during the year of $104.50, disbursements of $99.40— leaving 

 a balance on hand of $39.64. 



The board of arbitration then reported through its chairman, P. R 

 Hamilton, who stated that that board had received but one complaint 

 — namely, that of a buyer of hardwood lumber in Minneapolis who 

 desired national inspection on some lumber which he had purchased 

 from a concern not a member of the Northwestern association. The 

 request was referred to the secretary of the National Hardwood 

 Lumber Association. 



The addition of five new members was reported by Chairman A. 

 H. Barnard of the membership committee. D. F. Clark, reporting for 

 the forestry committee, told of progress 

 which has been made toward creating a new 

 state forestry organization for Minnesota. 



The report of A. S. Bliss, chairman of the 

 railroad committee, showed no business dur- 

 ing the year. . Mr. Bliss suggested that the 

 association notify the Civic and Commercial 

 Association of Minneapolis that the railway 

 committee stood ready to co-operate with it 

 at any time. 



Upon motion of P. E. Hamilton, it was de- 

 cided to send a letter to the National Hard- 

 wood Lumber Association declaring that the 

 present rules of that organization are satis- 

 factory. The motion, however, it was under- 

 stood, is not to oppose changes which might 

 be effected by the rules committee. 



A. H. Barnard, E. H. Broughton and F. H. 

 Lewis were appointed as nominating commit- 

 tee and recommended the following officers: 

 President, F. A. Nolan, St. Paul; vice-presi- 

 dent, A. S. Bliss, Minneapolis; secretary, J. 

 P. Hayden, Minneapolis; treasurer, 0. F. Os- 

 borne, Minneapolis; board of arbitration, P. 

 E. Hamilton, E. H. Broughton, N. C. Bennett, 

 P. M. Parker and D. E. Stanton. Following 

 an informal talk by A. S. Bliss in the absence 

 of the new president, the meeting adjourned to the banquet hall, 

 whore dinner was served, preceding a theatre party. 



Poplar in France 



Cottonwood for a long time was considered almost worthless, but 

 the demand for box material brought it into extensive use. ' In fact, 

 it is no longer an inexpensive wood, and the trade is looking for 

 cheaper substitutes. Owing to the large dimensions it attains, the 

 c-leaiuess and uniformity of the wood, combined with lightness and 

 toughness, it is peculiarly fitted for many important purposes. Cotton- 

 wood is one of the most rapid growers of our forests and reaches 

 merchantable proportion in twenty-five years, or even less. In France, 

 poplar which corresponds to our eottonwood, ranks second only to oak 

 in importance of native timbers. The annual wood product of poplar 

 is valued at six milion dollars. Paris alone consumes about seven 

 million cubic feet. It is there, as here, one of the few trees which he 

 who plants it can harvest, and its extended propagation is being 

 strongly reconmiciided. Plantations are best started from one-year-old 

 seedlings. A height growth of five feet the first year after trans- 

 jilanting is very common. 



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