26B 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



•where there is considerable steam and 

 moisture, is that constructed on the double 

 clamping plan, as shown in Fig. 5. This 

 involves the application of tJe additional 

 section of clamps for both ends, as at I, I. 

 The clamping-rods must be made a few 

 inches longer to accommodate the added 

 clamps. The increased clamping force af- 

 fords a very strong hold necessary in the 

 slippery belt. Fig. 6 exhibits the rope 



method of drawing up the clamps. The 

 clamps proper are made as usual, but the 

 rods are each formed to a ring at the inner 

 ends, and the rope on either side passes 

 through these rings, as at J, J. Then a 

 hardwood stick, K, is passed between the 

 double rope, and in twisting the ropes, by 

 turning the stick, the clamps can be drawn 

 inward and the belt ends held during the 

 lacing. 



NeWs Miscellany. 



A Practical Flooring Scraper. 

 Cobbs A: MItclicll. 

 Inc., Cadillac. Mich., 

 are doubtless as ex- 

 pert manufacturers 

 of hardwood flooring 

 as there are In the 

 country. The char- 

 acter of their maple, 

 beech and birch lum- 

 ber, combined with 

 their variety of beau- 

 tiful grain, mark- 

 ings, density and 

 color, seem to adapt 

 them perfectly to the 

 requirements of mod- 

 ern hardwood floors. 

 Alter years of care- 

 ful study, observation 

 and experience this 

 foremost flooring 

 manufacturing house 

 has found that it is 

 a physical impossi- 

 bility to saw, season, 

 dry kiln and mill 

 even high-class hard- 

 wood to that point of 

 accuracy where it 

 can be satisfactorily 

 laid in a floor with- 

 out a subsequent Du- 

 ishlng process. They 

 have demonstr a t e d 

 that, to achieve the 

 best results in a 

 hardwood floor, after the strips are accurately 

 nailed in place, the floor must be scraped, to 

 establish, a perfect surface. Up to this time 

 there has been no appliance which would ac- 

 complish this without a vast deal of hard and 

 disagreeable work with the plane and hand 

 scraper. 



After prolonged Investigation and experiment, 

 through Its experts, Cobbs & Mitchell, Inc., have 

 Invented and placed on the market a tool which 

 they designate as the Electric floor scraper. Al- 

 though this tool was patented October 20, 11)03, 

 It has Just been brought to a point of perfection 

 where the manufacturers deem It wise to place 

 It upon the market with their guarantee of 

 worth and efficiency upon It. An Illustration 

 of the scraper accompanies this article. 



Incidentally, the necessity of scraping floors 

 after they arc laid does not exist when flooring 

 is to be used for ordinary purposes, such as 

 factory or store floors, but when a perfectly 

 smooth, polished surface Is desired for waxing 

 or varnlshlog, the work of the best manufacturer 

 must be supplemented by the floor layer. This 

 la necessary lor three reasons : first, the varying 

 density of the wood, some pieces being more 

 fllnt-lllie than others will resist to a greater 

 ' degree the pressure of the rolls and the cut of 

 the knives, and from such pieces a little more 

 of the wood must be cut; second, milling hard- 

 wood flooring Is extremely heavy work, and 

 while the machines are adjusted with the least 

 possible play, there must be sufficient to prevent 

 the beating and binding of the bearings which 



would result from an absolutely tight adjust- 

 ment ; third, flooring which matches perfectly 

 when delivered from the machines may absorb a 

 little moisture before it Is laid, some pieces more 

 than others from the different density of the 

 wood, and tints cause slight unevenness in the 

 surface of the floor. 



It is alleged of the Electric floor scraper that 

 its work is superior to "dubbing" with smooth- 

 ing planes and hand scrapers because the strokes 

 are longer and the surface is left more even. 

 Its use effects an economy. The inventor states : 

 "1 know from actual experience that two men 

 (an do more and better work with this scraper 

 than four men can with smoothing plaues and 

 liand scrapers, and besides can produce a per- 

 fectly smooth and level surface without waves 

 or plane marks, ready for the finishers." 



The price of the Electric floor scraper is $lo. 

 .Vdditional inftirniation and directions for use 

 can be obtained from the manufacturers, Cobbs 

 & Mitchell, Inc.. Cadillac, Mich. 



Car Stake Conference. 



The adjourned meeting of the joint sub-com- 

 mittees of the National Wholesale Lumber Deal- 

 ers' Association and the railroad interests, which 

 originally held a meeting on the subject of se- 

 lecting a practical car stake and to effect au 

 agreement cuiiceruing its use, at Washington, 

 March 0, resumed its session in Chicago on 

 'J'hursday, March 22. On behalf of the associa- 

 tion were present F. K'. Babcock of E. V. Bab- 

 cock & Co., rittshurg; J. L. Kendall of the H. 

 I'. Huston Lumber Company, Pittsburg; L. 

 L. Barth of the Edward Hines Lumber Company, 

 Chicago : several representatives of the railroads 

 «-eie present. The conference was held at the 

 Union League Club. The Joint committee took 

 into account the various appliances presented by 

 several Inventors for equipping cars with per- 

 manent stakes, which were adaptable to the 

 loading of luiuber. The committee, so far as 

 can be learned from the details leaking out of 

 an executive session, failed to reach a conclu- 

 sion regarding any of the devices presented. 

 However, the sub-committee agreed to recom- 

 mend to the full committee three plans for 

 equipping flat cars, the full committee to select 

 one of them for a test. It also recommended a 

 plan for fitting out gondola cars, which the com- 

 mittee will also test. It is said tliat the full 

 committee may decide to select for trial several 

 of the devices submitted. It Is announced tliat 

 the full committee will meet In conference within 

 two or three weeks. 



During the afternoon L. L. Barth took the 

 party in carriages to the yards of the Edward 

 nines Lumber Company, where numerous cars 

 were being loaded. There they had an oppor- 

 tunity to witness a practical demonstration of 

 the various methods now employed In staking 

 cars and also the faults and weaknesses of the 

 present system. 



Big Fire at Bristol, Va. 



On March 10 the big sawmill, pinning mill, 

 box factory and other property belonging to 

 .lames A. Wilkinson of Bristol, Va., were de- 

 stroyed by Are, and where but a tew days ago 

 was one of that city's biggest* Industries there 



is now a mass of debris and a chaos of thou- 

 sands of dollar.s" worth of twisted machinery. 

 Mr. Wilkinson's loss will aggregate, according to 

 estimates, $75,000, with only .i!12.000 Insurance. 



The tire spread to the lumber yards of the 

 Adams Bros. Company. Inc., adjacent, and be- 

 fore the firemen could check its coui'se a loss of 

 about $15,000, fully covered by insurance, was 

 sustained by this companj-. 



Mr. Wilkinson was iu Europe at the time of 

 the fire and was immediately communicated witli 

 liy cable. He sailed March 17. and until bis 

 arrival It will not be decided wliether the plant 

 will be rebuilt or not. Mr. Wilkin.son is a heavy 

 exporter and has been sending representatives 

 abroad to look after his interests every year, and 

 this year decided to make his first trip to the 

 European lumber centers. 



Evidence of Impartiality. 

 Lewis Dostcr. secretary of the Hardwood 

 Manufacturers' Association of the United States, 

 insists tliat the organization with which lie is 

 ullied is conducted on lines of absolute impar- 

 tiality. All members are treated alike: all reln- 

 spectlons are made by competent and disinter- 

 ested inspectors ; and dues are collected in pro- 



I 



5< 



portion to member.s' output. It will only be 

 necessary for the casual observer to call on Mr. 

 Doster at the new headquarters of the associa- 

 tion on the fifteenth floor of the First National 

 Hank build. iig. Chicago, to find a new exempli- 

 fication of this policy of impartiality. The little 

 sketch herewith shown illustrates the point most 

 forcibly, for on one side of the secretary's office 

 entrance is the office of the Anti-Saloon League 

 of America, while on the other side is that of 

 the United Breweries Company. 



Flooring Combine. 



In consequence of having done business at a 

 loss for several years, by reason of Increased tim- 

 ber prices, higher wages, taxes and Insurance 

 rales, German manufacturers of parquetry floor- 

 ing have decided to combine In order to place 

 that branch of trade on a more favorable basis. 

 A meeting was held In Berlin in .lamiary, at 

 which it was decided to form au incorporated 

 company. The main office of the corporation 

 is in Berlin, and branches will he maintained in 

 Munich and Frankfort. Seventy per cent of the 

 iii.'iuufacturers have joined the organization, and 

 It is thought that the rest will soon follow. One 

 of the regulations Is that manufacturers shall 

 sell their product to traders only at a fixed mini- 

 mum rate, and not to outside parties. 



New Orleans Liunbcr Exporters' Associa- 

 tion. 



At the first regular meeting of the New Or- 

 leans Lumber Exporters' Association, held March 

 12. a board of directors consisting of seven 

 members was elected, as follows : J. S. Hlnton, 

 president : S. J. Sutherland, vice iiresldeut : 

 I.udwig Ilaymann, secretary-treasurer ; W. A. 

 I'owell, J. II. Gomllla, Fred Muller and F. F. 

 Spencer. 



For the purpose of a division of the work 

 the officers and board of directors were divided 

 Into four committees — a railroad committee, 

 maritime coinmlttec, arbitration and complaint 

 committee and grading committee. It was also 

 decided to employ a puld secretary. 



