36 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



At 8:30 the regular annual meeting of the club was called to 

 order by the retiring president. The feature of the evening was 

 the annual report of Mr. Lang, which is briefed below: 



Mr. Lang said that in all probability the Lumbermen's Club of 

 Chicago is the largest social club of lumbermen in existence, but 

 he suggested that the incoming officers should not rest secure in 

 the knowledge of this fact, for many of the present members had 

 given their support when the club was organized because of 

 loyalty to a trade project. He thought that there was great danger 

 of losing some of this support when it appears that a successful 

 launching of the club had been accomplished; that many of these 

 members were affiliated with other clubs and it could hardly be 

 expected that all would remain members of this one. He therefore 

 asked that an active campaign be carried on to the end that the 

 limit of resident membership (400) be reached in the near future. 

 He asked for close co-operation between the house committee and 

 the hotel management, with a view of maintaining a high standard 

 of service in the dining room. This, he thought, would accomplish 

 much in securing new members and retaining the old. He said 

 also that a careful selection of entertainments will assist materially 

 and stimulate in keeping alive the interest necessary for the suc- 

 cessful operation of the club, as the members will patronize the 

 club in proportion to the amount of entertainment, pleasure and 

 comfort they can secure from it. He said during the last year the 

 entertainment committee had given seven affairs, which had been 

 well attended. He paid the entertainment and house committees 

 glowing tributes for the hard and conscientious manner in which 

 they have worked for the good of the club. The library and 

 publicity committees also came in for their share of encomiums. 



In closing Mr. Lang reconvmended to the next administration 

 the adoption of the following financial plans: 



Immediately upon the appointment of the new committees there should 

 be made up a budget of receipts and expenditures, based upon the best 

 estimates obtainable from the committees, club superintendent and other 

 sources. The finance committee should prepare a careful estimate of the 

 probable receipts from dues and other sources during the two half years 

 and apply against this the expense of conducting various departments 

 and the upkeep of the property of the club; this to guard against 

 assuming any expense or unusual charges not within the estimated 

 receipts of the club. 



We go into the next year with a bright future before us. No debts, no 

 litigation, and nothing but good feeling and loyalty apparent. It is my 

 sincere wish that the club may always enjoy prosperity and grow to be 

 one of the strongest trade clubs in existence. 



Secretary Klann presented a brief report showing that the 

 board of directors had held twenty-two meetings since the club 

 was organized, fifteen of which were held since the opening night, 

 April 6, 1912. The secretary's office had received and turned over 

 to the treasurer $16,702.77, and had expended, under the direction 

 of the treasurer and on vouchers duly executed, $1,488.63. The 

 standing of the membership February 28 was 270 resident and 

 205 non-resident members, a total of 475, as compared with 483 

 when the charter list was closed. Death had taken one member 

 from the club 's ranks — George Green of the George Green Lumber 

 Company, Chicago, who died August 31, 1912. 



Treasurer Eobert H. Gillespie in his financial statement showed 

 a balance on hand at the end of the fiscal year February 28 of 

 $1,814.14. He stated that the club's finances were in better shape 

 than that, as the balance on hand March 15 was $3,761.57. 



E. A. Thornton, chairman of the membership committee, verified 

 Secretary Klann 's report and said that it is a well-known fact 

 that the second year of any social club is the crucial year of its 

 existence, but, as the report of the treasurer shows the club to be 

 in excellent financial condition, it requires only the co-operation 

 of the resident membership with the various officers and commit- 

 tees to make the club a really strong social organization. He 

 added that as soon as it has been definitely determined that the 

 lumbermen will have an office building of their own and a home 

 for the club established in this building, the membership will be 

 greatly augmented. With the reports of the library committee, 

 the art committee and the publicity committee, the regular order 

 of business came to an end. 



Mr. Lang introduced the new president, F. E. Gadd, who thanked 



the membership for the honor conferred upon him, and stated that 

 he felt that he was called upon to fill a position involving great 

 responsibilities. He asked the members to withhold criticism and 

 to co-operate with the officers in making the second year of the 

 club's existence as successful as the first had been. 



E. A. Lang, manager of the lumber department of the Paepcke- 

 Leicht Lumber Company, has certainly made a most efficient presi- 

 dent of the Lumbermen's Club, and there is apparently just as- 

 much promise of good work that will- be accomplished by his- 

 successor, F. R. Gadd, vice-president of the Wisconsin Lumber 

 Company and manager of the lumber manufacturing department 

 of the International Harvester Company. 



The Lumbermen 's Club certainly has been very fortunate in the- 

 selection of its retiring as well as its new presidents. It is to be 

 congratulated on the marvelous success that has been attained by 

 this year-old club, which brings together in such cordial social 

 relations the larger element of the manufacturing and jobbing 

 lumber trade of Chicago, as well as the out-of-town members of the- 

 orKanization. 



Traffic Matters Around Memphis 



Lumbermen of Memphis expect to secure a favorable decision 

 from the Interstate Commerce Commission in connection with the 

 proposed advance on hardwood rates from ten to twelve cents per 

 hundred pounds from Memphis and Mississippi points to New 

 Orleans. The hearing in this case was conducted here during the- 

 past week before A. H. Elder, special examiner of the commission. 

 The railroads were represented by a number of prominent wit- 

 nesses, including Joseph Hattendorf, general freight agent of the 

 Illinois Central. The lumbermen were represented by the Southern. 

 Hardwood Traffic Bureau and the river and rail committee of the 

 Lumbermen's Club of Memphis. The hearing extended over 

 practically a week and was the longest in connection with any 

 advance which has been proposed by any of the railroads operating 

 in this territory. 



The principal contentions of the railroad witnesses were that 

 the increased rates were necessary as a source of revenue and that, 

 as the railroads had contributed largely to the extension of the 

 lumber industry, they were entitled to a share in the increased 

 profits derived therefrom. 



On the other hand the lumbermen insisted that there had been 

 no general advance in lumber prices since 1907 and that any 

 attempt on the part of the railroads to increase the rates on gum 

 in order to bring these up to the same level as other hardwoods 

 would result in practically destroying the already established 

 market for this lumber. George D. Burgess, president of the 

 bureau, proved a valuable witness, while the members of the river 

 and rail committee kept close tab on the testimony and aided the 

 bureau in preparing counter evidence. Other witnesses who 

 appeared for the lumbermen were: S. M. Nickey of Nickey 

 Brothers Hardwood Lumber Company, J. D. Allen Jr. of the I. M. 

 Darnell Sons Company, T. E. LeGroue and John Dwyer of the 

 Lamb-Fish Lumber Company, and Elliott Lang of R. J. Darnell, Inc. 



The outcome in this case is awaited with unusual interest because 

 the railroads are now holding up other advances pending the 

 decision in this contest. The lumbermen were successful in 

 opposing a similar advance several years ago and they believe 

 that they will be able to obtain a. favorable verdict from the 

 commission in the present instance. In the previous case the 

 commission held the advance of two cents per hundred pounds to 

 be both unreasonable and unjustifiable. This was styled J. W. 

 Thompson et al. vs. the Illinois Central Railroad et al., and 

 involved exactly the same issue. 



Some of the fellows who used to laugh at red gum will likely 



be crying for it before many more years roll by. 



» # » 



The fame of our forests will be made by historians after thej" 

 liave passed into history. Why not let the ad man make some of 

 that fame now and reap some of the benefits? 



