E. F. PERRY, NEW TORE, X. Y., 

 SECRETARY. 



BABCOCK, PITTSBURGH, PA.. 

 TRUSTEE. 



R. M. CARRIER. SARDIS. .MISS., 

 TRUSTEE. 



iisk an.v of our members who are not members of the bureau to secure a 

 COP.V of this blue book and give its contents careful consideration. 



The legal department In connection with the bureau of information 

 had made rapid strides since it was established in 190-1. The important 

 work of the legal department is the collection of claims, and I submit to 

 you figures from its records, showing a steady growth. Claims to the 

 amount of $1,4.*H,7".27.00 were placed with the department from Jan. 

 1, igo."). to Dec. 31. 1911, and of this amount $1,217,344.00 were set- 

 tled, and I venture the statement that this is a much larger percentagr- 

 of claims settled, and at a much lower cost than can he shown by any 

 commercial agency. I ask the heartiest support from all our members to 

 the bureau of Information and legal department. They alone are worth 

 many times the expense of both association and bureau dues, and their 

 usefulness merits a continued growth and increased patronage. 



The railroad and transportation committee, through its bureau, has 

 done good work for our members during the past year. Information 

 and assistance covering a wide range of transportation matters has been 

 furnished members, and many claims for loss and damage in transit, over- 

 charge in weight, rate, misrotiting, etc.. Lave been handled, for which a 

 nominal charge has been made based on the actual amount collected. 

 Many of our members fail to appreciate the effective work done by the 

 railroad and transportation bureau. In obtaining free allowance in 

 weight for stakes used on flat and gondola cars, this association, through 

 its railroad and transportation bureau, has benefited the whole lumber 

 trade in saving it many thousands of dollars ; and the bureau is in a 

 position to compel the railroads not now making this allowance to do so. 

 I ask your careful attention to the detailed report of the chairman and 

 traffic manager of the railroad and transportation bureau, noting especially 

 its efforts in connection with the National Lumber Manufacturers' Asso- 

 ciation to obtain a correction of the abuses in the weighing of shipments 

 of lumber. 



The legislation committee has had but iew important matters sub- 

 mitted during the past year, but this committee is always on the alert 

 to look after the interests of the lumber trade in protecting it from un- 

 just and burdensome legislation which is continually cropping out in na- 

 tional and state legislatures : and our members are urged to report to 

 this committee any proposed laws aflfecting unfavorably the lumber trade. 



The marine and coastwise insurance committee, working in the interests 

 of members using water transportation, has been little called on during 

 the past year, hut I venture the hope that during some coming year plans 

 for an interinsurance arrangement such as is being successfully and profit- 

 ably carried on in several local associations may be attempted by the 

 marine and coastwise insurance committee, thus guarding the interests 

 of our members from excessive rates from the marine insurance companies. 



The fire insurance committee, under the able chairmanship of Geo. H 

 Holt, has been active during the past year in protecting the ;nterests of 

 our members in securing lower insurance rates than offered by the boar<i 

 companies. Great credit is due to Mr. Holt and this committee for th-? 

 campaign of education that has been started among our memlx-rs ; aud 

 material results are already appearing in the more liberal treatment of 

 the lumber insuring interests by the insurance companies. Mr. Holt ha? 

 some broad-gauged ideas on insurance matters, which will be presented 

 at this meeting, and I ask your careful attention to his report and .sug- 

 gestions. 



This committee, in connection with the special committee on single 

 standard universal hardwood inspection, has been acting under a resolu- 

 tion adopted at a former annual convention, with a view of using its good 

 offices to obtain a national set of rules governing the grading and in- 

 spection of hardwood lumber: and while their efforts bave not yet met 



with full success in bringing about the desired situation, some good has 

 resulted, and very cordial relations have been established between our 

 association and the hardwood lumber associations. 



To settle business differences between our members is the work of this 

 committee, and I am pleased to report that the arbitration committee ad- 

 vises that business between our members during the past year has been 

 conducted with such "smoothness and harmony" that it has been unneces- 

 sary to call for the services of the committee frequently. The committee 

 was called upon to arbitrate one case, which was promptly decided. Sev- 

 eral minor cases were submitted to our secretary and were settled on his 

 suggestion without aid of the arbitration committee. This committee 

 offers another source of saving of time and expense to those who accept 

 its good offices, by settling disputes between members at actual cost of 

 the expense of the committee, and a saving of your own time and the 

 .nnnoyance of courts and juries. 



We are much indebted to this committee and its efficient chairman for 

 its excellent work during the past year. The forestry question has been 

 growing in the public mind and is now one of the attivo questions of the 

 day. The people of this country, with its tremendous resources of tim- 

 ber, must be educated to take all precautions to avoid a future timber 

 famine, by advocating such legislation as will tend to preserve the forests 

 from needless waste and destruction, and by advocating a proper and 

 scientific plan of reforestation which will preserve the forests for those 

 who will come after us. Our committee on forestry strongly advocates a 

 liberal governmental appropriation for the protection of the national 

 forests, and a rigorous protest against turning over the national forests 

 to the states in which they are located, and asks the active co-operation 

 of our membership in aiding it in these reforms. 



This important committee, under its able chairman, F. S. Underbill. 

 has been endeavoring to bring about a better condition of affairs in the 

 interest of the wholesaler on the subject of terms of sale, realizing that 

 it is the wholesaler rather than the manufacturer who suffers from vio- 

 lations of discount privileges, and believing it is in the province and right 

 of the wholesaler to remedy this evil to a considerable extent by taking 

 a firm but courteous stand with his customers whenever there is a viola- 

 tion of the terms of sale, which are as much a part of the contract as 

 the price. The committee on terms of sale and trade ethics brings in a 

 strong report this year, which merits your most careful attention, and 

 which I hope will result in bringing up for general discussion in the 

 meeting this very important subject. 



Several other committees not mentioned above will have interesting 

 reports to submit at this meeting, to which I ask your careful attention 

 and consideration ; and I take this opportunity to express my thanks 

 and appreciation to the chairman and members of each of the several 

 committees for the time and thought they have given these association 

 matters during the previous year. 



I wish also at this time to welcome the delegates and representatives 

 of the different associations who have gathered here with us, and I hope 

 thev will feel free to attend our meetings and to express themselves 

 on any subjects brought up for discussion. 



It is my sad duty at this time to call your attention to the recent 

 death of one of our board of trustees, L. R. Vandervoort of North Tona- 

 wanda, whose loss we shall all keenly feel: and 1 shall later have this 

 association, through its board of trustees, pass suitable resolutions of 

 condolence 



Our membership during the past year has suffered some losses on 

 account of business failures and concerns going out of business, but 

 through the efforts of our special membership committee, and the faith- 

 ful efforts of several members of our board of trustees, yfc have made an 



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