HARDWOOD RECORD 



31 



A representative of one of the large veneer mills once told me that 

 they never have over twenty-five or. thirtj' accounts on their books. 

 In our little business we carry over one hundred accounts, which 

 shows how many more people the jobbers come in contact witli, and a 

 jobber is certainly more able, on account of his location imd 

 acquaintance, to market a great deal of stock that the millman would 

 find very hard to dispose of. 



There are so many buyers who use small amounts. The jobbers 

 are able to sell them random stock, which they are compelled to 

 match up for their work, when if all the users ordered their stock 



direct the mills would simply be flooded with an unlimited number 

 of small orders for special size stock, which I do not believe you 

 would find profitable. I also think the jobbers relieve the millmen 

 of a great many petty annoyances that otherwise they would have to 

 contend with. 



ff you gentlemen w'il] give this matter your careful consideration, 

 and instead of feeling that the jobber is working against you, try 

 to think that he is working with you. If both work together, I believe 

 you will find that I am correct when I say that the jobber is an 

 advantage to the millman. 



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Traffic Matters Around Memphis 



A large delegation of Memphis lumbermen have gone to St. Louis 

 to attend the hearing before the Interstate Commerce Commission in 

 connection with the advance on hardwood lumber shipments from 

 points in the southern territory to Canadian destinations. The lum- 

 bermen recently secured an order from the commission restraining 

 the advance until the case coiild be heard on its merits. The outcome 

 of this particular hearing is regarded as of wide importance because 

 of its probable bearing on the other rate cases which are to come 

 before the commission in the near future. The lumbermen are argu- 

 ing that no further advances are either reasonable or justifiable and 

 are asking that present rates be maintained or that these be reduced. 

 Included in the list of those who went from Memphis are the follow- 

 ing: James E. Stark, D. D. Nellis, S. B. Anderson, S. L. Sledge, 

 Walker L. AVelford, O. M. Krebs, S. M. Nickey, Elliott Lang, Frank 

 ilay, W. A. Eansom, L. E. Brown and C. B. Dudley. 



Tliere was a hearing in this city during the past week in connec- 

 tion with the subject of estimated weights on hardwood lumber ship- 

 ments, at which a number of the members of the hardwood lumber 

 fraternity as well as prominent trafBc men presented evidence. The 

 cpmmissioh has been holding hearings of this character at a number 

 of other points. The lumbermen claim that the present system of 

 weights is one that places them under a serious handicap. Com- 

 missioner Prouty was in Memphis. No decision has been announced 

 but it is expected that after Chairman Prouty has reported the 

 result of his hearing at Memphis something will be gi\en out by the 

 commission. 



It is proposed to somewhat widen the scope of the Lumbermen's 

 Traffic Bureau, although the exact method of accomplishing this 

 proposition has not been decided upon. In the case of James E. 

 Stark & Co., et al., vs. the Illinois Central EaUroad Company, et al., 

 an amended petition has been filed before the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission. This step has been taken' in order that there might be 

 a number of firms shown as joint petitioners not included in the 

 original action. The advances which are fought through this petition 

 affect an extremely wide territory and lumbermen from many points 

 are showing a keen interest in the work being done by the Lumber- 

 men "s Tratfic Bureau in the direction of opposing tliese advances 

 and also of securing lower rates than those now current. A number 

 of them have asked to be allowed to participate in the work, and this 

 is in reality the foundation for the movement which has been 

 launched, looking to the creation of a traffic bureau which can take 

 in outside members of the hardnood lumber trade as well as those of 

 Memphis proper. There has been much discussion of this subject 

 rceentl}. In the meantime, it is announced from Washington that 

 the advances propo.=ed by the railroads have been indefinitely post- 

 poned, and it is suggested that there has been some disagreement on 

 the part of some of the railroads in connection with the subject. 



John E. Walker, a prominent attorney and rate expert of Wash- 

 ington, has been in Memphis for the past few days. He has been 

 gomg very carefully over the rate matters to be presented before the 

 Interstate Commerce Commission in behalf of the Lumbermen's 

 Traffic Bureau of Mentphis. He has held several conferences with the 

 advisory board and other members of this organization, and an effort 

 has been made to map out a plan of procedure calcuhfted to secure 



the best results in the forthcoming litigation before tiic commission. 

 Lumber interests are very much pleased with the recent decision 

 of the Interstate Commerce Commission, holding that the railroads 

 in Texas must issue through bills of lading on cotton shipments if 

 the steamship companies are willing to honor these documents. 

 The commission held that it had no authority to compel the steamship 

 companies to accept these through bills but that it could and would 

 compel the railroads to issue them if the steamship companies were 

 willing to accept them. The steamship companies operating out of 

 Xew Orleans have declared their willingness to accept through bills on 

 lumber shipments through that port, and it is believed by lumber 

 interests here that the commission will force the railroads west of the 

 Mississippi river to issue through bills of lading on hardwood lumber 

 shipments just as they have done in connection with the railroads in 

 Texas on cotton shipments. This subject came before the commission 

 December 21 in the case of the Anderson-Tully Company brought for 

 the purpose of securing an order from the commission on this point. 



Hearings on Schedule D 



January 13 is the date set for a meeting of the Ways and Means 

 Committee of the House of Eepresentatives at Washington, for the 

 purpose of drawing up a draft for a new bill on Schedule D cover- 

 ing wood and manufactures of wood, to be worked out by the new 

 house after JIarch 4. 



Christmas for the Lumberman 



The Christmas season is at hand; your money you must spend 

 on folderols and knick-knacks and presents without end. As lum- 

 bermen we really think the idea would be good to send each friend 

 a present made entirely of wood. 



Unto your epicurean friend W'hose mouth is rarely shut, 'tis well 

 to cloy his hunger with a piece of Butternut. While to your friend 

 who's sporty (witli the ladies quite a leader), you send a handsome 

 little plank quite commonly called Cedar (seed-her). 



To father who has lots of boys, who leave him in the lurch, a 

 present that he'd welcome would be some strips of Birch. While 

 to your Isaak Walton friend with wish for fishing good, he 'd see 

 the point most certainly if sent some nice Bass-wood. To your 

 own girlj quite young of course, with laughter sweet and merry, 

 you'd send a token for her lips — a nice red piece of Cherry. When 

 Christmas day comes rolling round she'd take you for a goose, 

 unless you wore your handsome clothes and dressed up slick and 

 Spruce. 



And even dear old Schneider, that sleepy canine bore, could have 

 a toothsome bone boxed up in Quartered Sic-em-more. 



The boys. Lord bless their little hearts! Just rush right out and 

 tell 'em, they can have a nice toboggan made of A one Slippery 

 Ellum. When Uncle Silas comes around to get his noonday snack, 

 he'll hang his hat inside the house on Northern tama-rack. 



All womankind, when Christmas comes, with fond emotions stir 

 at any present from a man made up and trimmed with Fur. Or 

 if you have a little one, and want to make things hum, just send by 

 Santa down the flue a quarter's worth of Gum. 



