i8 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



months of this year were behind the first six months of the pre%'ious 

 year. December in this particular section was by far better than 

 December, 1911. 



With the buyers actually scouring the country for stocks which 

 they want, and no prospect of production in excess of present orders 

 and demand in the immediate future, there is everywhere the sincere 

 belief that 1913 will show up to be one of the best years ever expe- 

 rienced in the hardwood business. This condition is not one of boom, 

 but is one which is founded on strong fundamental conditions as 

 governed by supply and demand, * > 



The Car Situation 



The car shortage has been more acutely felt in the cotton pro- 

 ducing states probably than in any other section of the Union and its 

 effect upon the lumber trade in that territory has been more serious 

 than in any of the other" lumber states. Word comes now, however, 

 from Missouri, Arkansas and Mississippi points that tlie lumber 

 movement is showing a gratifying improved condition and that 

 while many mills in the Memphis territory have been running with 

 but a few days supply of logs ahead, their transportation facilities 

 in the nature of freight cars are in better condition than for several 

 weeks. This does not by any means signify that car shortage is a 

 thing of the past or that its back has been broken. It does, how- 

 ever, offer a ray of hope to the many shippers of lumber who have 

 been caused no end of anxiety and trouble because of their inability 

 to make delivery due to their lack of shipping facilities. The situa- 

 tion in other j)oints of the country has shown some improvement for 

 several weeks and if the Memphis roads at least hold their own in 

 the matter of supplying ears to the lumber trade, the situation 

 generally will be gratifying to lumbermen. It is to be hoped that 

 all shippers will eontiiuic to do their utmost to help the transporta- 

 tion companies facilitate the movement of rolling stock. 



Through Bills of Lading on Lumber May Result 



As a precedent the recent ruling of the Interstate Conunerce Com- 

 mission compelling railroads operating in Te.xas to issue through 

 bills of lading on cotton shipments for export trade going out of 

 New Orleans should be of some value in the fight being carried on 

 by luihber interests to secure such a ruling as applied to railroads 

 west of the Mississippi. The weak point in the decision is the ad- 

 mission by the Commission that it has no authority over the steam- 

 ship companies and can only compel the roads to issue such through 

 bills of lading when they are acceptable to the steamship lines which 

 will carry the goods. Nevertheless a number of the lines have signified 

 their willingness to accept such bills and with the power of the 

 Commission behind them, cotton shippers will have achieved a mate- 

 rial victory in this controversy. That element of the hardwood trade 

 interested in export shipments is thoroughly conversant with the 

 serious effect upon the export trade which has resulted from the 

 refusal of the railroads to issue such through bills of lading. They 

 should feel somewhat encouraged by the Commission's decision in 

 the cotton case and should feel that they at least liave a precedent 

 on which to work in pressing tlieir own case before that body. 



Rush Sawing versus Good Lumber 



Tlie continued lack of stock in the northern woods preventing the 

 getting in of logs for the winter's cut and the shortage of cars in 

 the South, equally effective in the matter of keeping down the supply 

 of logs for the southern hardwood mills, make it increasingly apparent 

 that when the mills actually have enough logs on hand to start 

 operations, the rush of business in getting out accumulated orders 

 will occupy the first attention of the mill owner. Alarmingly high 

 values on stumpage throughout all the hardwood producing terri- 

 tories of the country have kept constantly before the millman's mind 

 the question of how he can best turn this stumpage into the class of 

 lumber which will produce the most value when turned into cash. 

 His attention has been focused most closely upon the matter of saw- 

 ing the right dimensions and thicknesses to meet the demand of the 

 consuming market and second to this he has given his attention to 

 the production of the absolute maximum in quality. Necessity of 



demand will continue to force his attention to the first question and 

 it is to be hoped that his vigilance will not be relaxed in the matter 

 of producing the highest class of Imnber which he can get out of his 

 logs. Not considering the question of consumer's wants or the mat- 

 ter of satisfying a customer, the mere value of hardwood timber as 

 it stands today should be a sufficient reason for the sawmill man's 

 giving his closest attention to the matter of the highest grade and 

 quality of production. Eush work involving overtime and double 

 crews is never in accord with the best ideas of quality production in 

 any line of manufacture. Under these conditions the most difficulty 

 is experienced in maintaining the interest of the men and in effecting 

 a close supervision of production. Nevertheless overtime work is a 

 necessity \inder certain conditions and those conditions will un- 

 doubtedly exist this winter. Millmen can undoubtedly give good 

 tliought and close attention to provide beforehand for some means 

 of mill operation which will result in the production of that class 

 and those grades of lumber which will mean the fullest possible 

 value from the sawlogs at hand. 



Why We Need Accident Prevention 

 The bare statement that in one year there were 12,000 employes 

 killed or injured in the state of Washington alone is in itself a 

 sufficient argument to offset any doubt as to the entire necessity for 

 radical provisions working toward the prevention of accidents in in- 

 dustrial plants. This condition does not apply strictly to Washing- 

 ton as undoubted]}' if records were compiled from every other state 

 in the Union tliey would be proportionately as appalling. It is grati- 

 fying to note the tone of discussions, at the various meetings of 

 lumbermen and others affiliated in different ways with wood producing 

 and using industries on this question. In no case has there been any 

 active opposition to the establishment of the rules and methods for 

 prevention of accidents among employes. In fact, the whole con- 

 troversy has narrowed down to the question of the most efficient and 

 practical means of establishing safeguards which will actually safe- 

 guard. The chief difficulty has not been in finding suitable appliances 

 to protect workmen from machinery' or from injury in connection 

 with dangerous employment, but is rather in the education of the 

 workman to the absolute necessity for his observing instructions and 

 utilizing such appliances and following such regulations as will' 

 reduce to a minimum his chances for injury while at work. In the 

 sawmill, the veneer and panel plant, and woodworking factories and 

 in the woods and logging camps many new devices have been intro- 

 duced and metliods of applying them and instructing workmen have 

 been devised; but in every instance where an employer has reported 

 on conditions he lias expressed the same opinion, — that it is ex- 

 tremely difficult to provide a safety device or to put into effect a 

 rule which is fool proof. 



It would seem that the difficulty lies in the fact that the appeal 

 has been made directly from the employer's office. to the mechanic in 

 the shop. It would seem further that if means were taken whereby 

 the foreman, who is in close personal contact constantl.y with his 

 men, were brought in close sympathy with the intentions of the 

 employer and if the new ideas through him were transmitted to the 

 workman, the effect would be more satisfactory. Such a scheme has 

 been used in a number of plants, which schemes have embodied 

 regular conferences between the employer and the heads of the 

 various shop departments in which the foremen were given minute 

 instructions as to education of the men and strict personal super- 

 vision looking toward their strict adherence to rules and constant 

 utilization of safeguards. If such a method were in adoption gener- 

 ally, half of the difficulty of safeguarding employes would be 

 eliminated and with it the expense contingent upon casualty insurance 

 would be materially reduced. 



Standardizing Hubs 

 Manufacturers of farm wagon wheel hubs have lately worked up 

 the idea of standardizing hub manufacture with a view of reducing 

 the confusion of variety and eliminating unnecessary machine changes. 

 They are co-operating with wagon manufacturers and this working 

 together will eventually result in doing away with a great many 



