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HARDWOOD RECORD 



of the bureau. The information desired is so varied in character 

 that special statements continually have to be compiled. To 

 facilitate the compilation of such statements and to insure accu- 

 racy, inquiries should invariably be precise and detailed both as to 

 the nature of the article and the particular countries in which 

 the inquirer may be immediately interested. In foreign countries 

 many articles are subject to customs duty merely on the basis of 

 the component material, and the inquirer should always mention 

 the component material as well as the nature and use of his 

 products. When such detailed description is given, the bureau is 

 the more readily enabled to indicate the foreign rates of duty. 



The New Tariff Law 



THERE IS EVEKY PROSPECT that a new tariff law will very 

 soon be enacted by Congress, which will eliminate entirely the 

 duties imposed on a large number of necessities of life, and ma- 

 terially reduce the duties on many others. It goes without saying 

 that the business of the country will have to readjust itself in 

 some particulars to the situation presented by this possibly quite 

 drastic legislation. Lumber practically will go on the free list, 

 as the duty on all rough lumber other than cabinet woods will be 

 removed, while the duty on the latter will be reduced from 12.75 

 per cent to 10 per cent; but with this advent will follow hundreds 

 of items that go to make up the cost of living, and the general 

 cost of lumber production. 



It is thoroughly believable that the net results of this pros- 

 pective legislation will be distinctly favorable to the lowering of 

 the cost of production of all varieties of lumber in the United 

 States, and will be especially advantageous to the hardwood end 

 of the industry. The prevailing alleged protection to hardwoods 

 under the Aldrieh-Payne tariff law has been entirely mythical, 

 as it is very hard to see any protection in a duty levied on woods 

 that by no possible chance enter the United States in competition 

 -with local supplies. Therefore, in its eventual results the new 

 tariff law will contribute materially to the lowering of the cost 

 of hardwood production. It will doubtless lower food cost, clothing 

 cost, machinery cost, steel rail cost and in fact everything that 

 enters into the items of expense of lumber production, and as an 

 eventuality, will doubtless lower labor cost. It is thoroughly 

 believable that the hardwood industry can view with complacency 

 the proposed tariff changes. 



Imports and Exports for February 



THE MONTHLY SUMMARY OP IMPORTS AND EXPORTS 

 shows the total value of imports of wood and manufactures of 

 •wood for February, 1913, to be $4,242,620, as against $2,817,243 

 ior February, 1912. Manufacturers of lumber, including boards, 

 iplanks and other sawed lumber, aggregating in value $845,883, 

 -were imported during February, 1913. This is an increase of 

 :$340,000 during the year. The value of the mahogany import 

 •during the month of February was $343,670, as against $222,160 in 

 J'ebruary, 1912. The total value of pulp wood imported during 

 Tthat month in 1913 was $409,986, as against $280,890 in February, 

 1912. The total values of wood pulp imported during the same 

 respective periods were $1,623,362 and $985,870. 



The total export value of all wood and manufactures of wood 

 • during February, 1913, was $9,647,449, as against $6,700,417 for 

 ■February, 1912. The total value of all manufactured lumber 

 •exported during this month in 1913 was $5,084,514 and for Feb- 

 .ruary, 1912, it was $3,421,417. 



The Floods and Collections 



APPALLING FLOOD DISASTERS have visited a large area of 

 Ohio, Indiana and Illinois during the past fortnight, and be- 

 ■yond the consideration of the great loss of life and physical dis- 

 tress of thousands there is a commercial loss of such magnitude 

 that it is yet not estimable. Perhaps the railroads have been 

 the greatest commercial sufferers. Following closely is the loss to 

 lumbermen and the hundreds of manufacturing institutions of 

 ■^which lumber is the basis of consumption. 



The territory invaded has been the very center of manufacturing 

 of articles from wood, and outside of the great losses sustained by 

 this interest by direct damage, the loss is amplified by the inter- 

 ruption of business that has obtained. The affairs of hundreds of 

 lumbermen and woodworking industries have been demoralized 

 and it will take months for recovery. The situation undoubtedly 

 will have a far reaching effect on lumber affairs, notably in hard- 

 wood. While perhaps few individual losses have been of such a 

 monumental character as to bankrupt the concerns, it will be a 

 long time before many of them will be able to promptly meet their 

 current indebtedness, and hence it is probable that collections 

 from this territory are going to be slow. 



This delay in receipts from a territory consuming such a large 

 quantity of hardwoods will reflect on the affairs of many manu- 

 facturers and wholesalers, as an interruption of collections from 

 outstanding accounts will naturally upset the financial calculations 

 of many. 



Details of the flood disasters will be found elsewhere in this issue. 



Liverpool Mahogany Sales 



MARCH MAHOGANY SALES at Liverpool were well attended 

 by representatives of large concerns. The catalogues of these 

 sales were chiefly Lagos and Benin, and while there was a con- 

 siderable quantity of good wood which realized prices that were 

 even higher than recent averages, there were also plenty of poorer 

 grade logs, the prices of which seemed high in proportion to those 

 realized on the higher class stock. One finely figured log was sold 

 for almost $12,500. It contained 3,802 feet and sold at 13s Sd. 

 It is one of the largest amounts ever invested in a single piece 

 of wood. It is reported that the outlook for arrivals at Liver- 

 pool are very disappointing, and as far as can be seen they will 

 continue to be below normal for some months to come. There will 

 necessarily be no appreciable reduction in price, at least for the 

 next six months. 



Continuance of Box Hearing 



THE HEARING on the question of freight rate classification as 

 applied to wooden vs. fiber containers, started at Los Angeles 

 in Januar_v, in what is known as the PridKam case, is being con- 

 tinued at Chicago. The testimony at Los Angeles was more or less 

 of a summary nature, but it is apparent from the attitude of both 

 sides in the present hearing at Chicago that they will go very much 

 more deeply into the controversy and get down to actual concrete 

 facts pertaining to the advantages and disadvantages of both types 

 of packages. 



The Chicago hearing started at the Hotel La Salle in Chicago, 

 April 4, and is not yet completed. So far the fiber box people 

 only have submitted testimony. The wooden box interests have 

 secured a continuance in the hearing to start April 21, at which 

 time they will submit their side of the case. 



The present indications are that the matter will work down to 

 a definite basis with the analysis based on actual facts, in which 

 event the wooden box people will surely realize a material 

 advantage. 



Forthcoming N. H. L. A. Meeting 



pLANS ARE BEING COMPLETED for the annual meeting 

 *■ of the National Hardwood Lumber Association, which will 

 be held at the Hotel Sherman, on Thursday and Friday, June 

 5 and 6. Plans are being made for the entertainment of even a 

 larger number of visitors than were present at the Chicago 

 meeting a year ago. Chicago's hospitality to the lumber trade 

 is boundless, and it goes without saying that every provision 

 will be made for expeditiously conducting the business of the 

 organization, • as well as for the comfort and pleasure of the 

 thousand guests expected. 



Quite an important part of the secret of success in the hardwood 

 flooring business is to be found at the dry-kiln end, for without 

 proper drying to start with, no hardwood flooring can be what it 

 should be. 



