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HARDWOOD RECORD 



at the maximum efficiency by running full time all the year round. 

 The man with the big factory and the relatively small warehouse 

 must cut down his operations now and then to wait for the market 

 to catch up with him; the other man, having figured this variation 

 in the demand in advance, is less troubled with fluctuations, due, 

 as indicated, to the seasonal character of the business. 



Flooring factories as a rule are giving more attention to the 

 human factor than most other branches of the lumber and allied 

 trades. For instance, over each of the planers in a southern 

 hardwood flooring plant is a sign carrying the word, "Think!" 

 While the effect of this legend upon the operatives doubtless 

 becomes less with the passage of time, it is an admonition that 

 must have a lot of real effect. And in the same plant the pro- 

 duction of the various machines is listed daily, comparisons with 

 previous years being kept, so that the men can see whether they 



are keeping up with their competitors, and whether the factory 

 as a whole is doing as well as it formerly did. This stimulates- 

 interest and develops the spirit of competition which is relied upon 

 by many to aid in the work of an industrial organization. 



In the same connection, as well as from a mechanical standpoint,- 

 the uniform attention given to lighting is of interest. In one big- 

 factory which the writer visited not long ago, the wall was prac- 

 tically made of glass; while overhead skylights furnished addi- 

 tional natural illumination. The relation of good daylight to good 

 work is better understood in the metal-working trades, probably,, 

 than in woodworking; and flooring men who have seen the advan- 

 tages, with the idea of aiding the condition and increasing the- 

 comfort of their men, of good lighting are realizing upon what- 

 ever additional investment is required to get it in the form of 

 better work and fewer accidents. 



' V vi5;;a>Mma51Wa^miOTM)itiOTiWiTO^^ 



The Mail Bag 



Any reader of HARDWOOD RECORD desiring to communicate 

 with any of the Inquirers listed in this section can have the ad- 

 dresses on written request to the IVIail Bag Department, HARD- 

 WOOD RECORD, 537 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, and referring 

 to the number at the head of each letter and enclosing a self- 

 addressed stamped envelope. 



B 407 — Seeks Oak and Ash Truck Poles 



New York, N. Y.. Feb. 2o. — Editor Hardwood Record : We would like 

 to have the names of some reput.ii^le sawmills who want to supply ami 

 who know how to properly cut good oak and ash truck poles. 



Trusting you may be in a position to let us have this information, and 

 (hankiuf you in advance for your courtesy, and with best wishes we re- 

 main, • 



The above has been supplied with a list of manufacturers of wagon 

 stock, who would probably be in a position to cut the stock desired.— 

 Editor. 



B 408 — In the Market for Ash Logs 



Boston, Mass., Mar. 4.— Eilitor II.\rdwiiod Record : Can you give us 

 the addresses of some small mills that manufacture asb or couid you give 

 ub any information regarding parties who might furnish several cars ot 

 ash logs? 



Company. 



A list of ash lumber producers and a source of supply for ash logs 

 has been furnished the above correspondent. Would be pleased to 

 hear from handlers of ash logs who would like to be placed in touch 

 with this prospective customer. — Editor. 



' i c^5i;aii;aiae»»iMetiTOatm^)i^>i«^^ 



News Miscellany 



Chicago Weight Hearing 



The last hearin.a on railroad weights was held in Chicago on Fob. 2G 

 and 27. Vt this hearing, in answer to Commissioner Prouty's statement 

 that what was desired was some method ot settling disputes in regard to 

 weights, Mr. Maegly ot the Santa Fe explained that committees of the 

 American Railway Association have the matter in hand, and will probably 

 present a partial report at the May meeting of that association, Mr. Hale, 

 chairman of the American Railway Association, made the following sug- 

 gestions which he thought should be covered in the briefs and arguments 

 which might be filed with the commission : 

 Light Weights of Cars: 



Rules, reports and tolerance. 

 Standards of Scales and Weighing: 

 Weighing machine tolerance. 

 Weighing in motion — uncoujiled at both ends. 

 Weighing in motion — coupled at both ends. 

 Weighing standing — uncoupled at both ends. 

 Weighing standing — coupled at both ends. 

 Rules — Uniform: 

 Test weighing. 



Railroad and shipping weights. 

 Miscellaneous: 

 Pilfering. 



Refuse and clean cars. 

 Commissioner Prouty stated his belief that the railroads should file 

 briefs and also argue the matter before the commission. He said that the 

 lines suggested by Mr. Hale were substantially what he had in mind, 

 except that he would put at the head of the list the question of federal 

 control as to the whole matter ot scales and their operations and the 

 extent to which such control should go. He wanted to know, under the 

 matter of tolerance, what was the limit of accuracy that might be expected 



from the track scales and what was to be done when discrepancies in 

 weights occur. He thought that weighing should be done as early a& 

 possible after the shipment was in the custody of the carrier and that the 

 shipper should be notified of the weight obtained at that time and that 

 that weight should govern throughout, unless changed for very satisfactory 

 reasons. He also thought that if change was made by the carrier, the 

 shipper should be notified, because, under the present practice, the shipper 

 never knows of the change until complaint is made to him by the con- 

 signee, when it is too late to determine whether the complaint is well 

 founded. 



The hearing was adjourned to Mar. 10 at Philadelphia, and it was stated 

 that the case would probably be argued about the first week in May and 

 that anyone desiring to prepare a brief or submit argument should notify 

 the commission prior to Apr. 15. 



Meeting Baltimore Exchange 



The aionthly meeting of the Baltimore Lumber Kxchange, held Mar. ". 

 while largely attended and very eD.ioyable, was productive of little busi- 

 ness. Only some routine matters received attention, the business session 

 lasting hardly more than fifteen minutes. The members then adjournecJ 

 to the dining hall, where an excellent luncheon, served in the best style 

 of the club, was partaken of. .\bout fifty lumbermen were present, one 

 of the visitors being K. C. Evarts. secretary of the Retail Lumber Dealers" 

 Association of the state of New York, with headquarters in the Cham- 

 ber of Commerce building at Rochester. President Theodore Mottu of 

 Theodore Mottu & Co., occupied the chair, and L. H. Gwaltney of thi- 

 American Lumber Company, was secretary. 



Meeting of New Jersey Lumbermen 



The annual meeting and banquet of the New .Jersey Lumbermen's Pro- 

 tective Association was held at the "Washington," this cit.y. Feb. 26. The- 

 business session was called to order by President Geo. A. Smock at 2 

 o'clock. There were over 150 in attendance. 



Reports of officers and committees were read reviewing the work of the 

 rast year. Special attention was given to the suit of the government 

 against the Eastern States Retail Lumber Dealers' Association, of which 

 the New Jersey association is a member. A. B. Cruikshank, counsel for 

 the lumbermen, addressed the meeting and reviewed the decision of the 

 circuit court, which was adverse to the associations. He pointed out that 

 the court ruled in favor of the lumbermen on all questions of fact, reduc- 

 ing the decision to one of pure law. The directors of the association hart 

 previously voted in favor of taking the ca.se to the Supreme court at 

 Washington, and Mr. Cruikshank's talk at the meeting roused the member- 

 ship to great enthusiasm, and by vote the association went on record as 

 favoring appeal to the highest court. The course followed by counsel and 

 the special defense committee was also endorsed. 



Jas. Sherlock Davis and John F. Stoeves, lumbermen of New York, mem- 

 bers of the defense committee also review-ed the case. 



A tentative draft of proposed changes in the by-laws and constitution 

 was read to the meeting and referred to a committee of three to report^ 

 back at a special meeting of the association. 



The election of officers resulted as follows : President, I. Newton Rudg- 

 crs, Montclair : vice-president, M. T. Brewster, Little Ferry : treasurer, 

 J. F. Glasby, Newark, Directors for three years : I. A. Collins, Morris- 

 town ; H. V. Weeks, Weehawken : W. D. Gulick, Washington : S. H. Van- 

 derbeek, Jersey City, and S. F. Bailey, Newark. 



The chief speaker of the evening was Gov. Fielder of New Jersey, who 

 succeeds President-elect Wilson. Mr. Fielder addressed the diners and 

 spoke on the lien law. a subject of peculiar interest to the material men of 

 the state who have been trying for some time to have the law changed 

 in some respects. Mr. Fielder has consistently opposed the dealers and 

 took occasion to explain his attitude. He closed with some complimen- 

 lary remarks for his distinguished predecessor. 



During the courses there w-as much entertainment and good music and 

 .\ word of praise for the committee in charge is in order. 



Monthly Meeting Cincinnati Lumbermen's Club 



At the regular monthly meeting of the Cincinnati Lumbermen's Club at 

 the Business Men's Club March 3, there was much gloom and sadness ovef 



