28 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



October 25, 1910 



and the Chicago. Rock Island & Pacific railroad companies, and allows these 

 carriers to charge freight rates in accordance with their own rates which 

 were put into effect on August 1. 1916. pending final trial of the case. 



On October 11 the Iron Mountain and Rock Island railroads filed suits In 

 the federal court, asking for a temporary resti-aining order to prevent the 

 railroad commission, prosecuting nttorne.vs and shippers from bringing suits 

 in the state courts for penalties tor overcharges under the Arkansas law. 

 The railroads alleged in their complaint that their increases in rates, effec- 

 tive August 1 and somewhat higher than those provided by the commission's 

 tariff, applying to rough lumber, bolts and logs and rough rice. were\made 

 in order to comply with a ruling of the Interstate Commerce Commission, 

 made May 19, 1916, in answer to a petition filed before that body by the 

 Memphis Freight Bureau. 



The Interstate Commerce Commission rulings provide that the state rates 

 shall not be more than one cent per hundred pounds less than the interstate 

 rates. The Arkansas commission takes the position that it has power to fix 

 rates to be used in Arkansas and issued notices to the railroads that it 

 would bring suits on the grounds of overcharges in all instances where it 

 could be proved that the rates charged were higher than those as provided 

 by the commission. 



The Arkansas statutes provide penalties for overcharge ranging from $500 

 to S3.000. And already several suits have been instituted for collecting 

 these penalties. J. X. Rachels, prosecuting attorney for the first judicial 

 district, brought two suits against the Iron Mountain railroad shortly after 

 the rates went into effect on account of overcharges made upon shipments 

 made by the Xriller Lumber Company of Marianna. Since then several other 

 suits have been brought by the prosecuting attorneys over the state. M. E. 

 Dunnaway. prosecuting attorney for the sixth judicial district, on S'eptember 

 23 brought seven sui'ts against the Iron Mountain on behalf of the William 

 Farrel Lumber Company for $21,000, the ma.\imum amount asscssible under 

 the law in those cases. 



Attorneys for the railroads and the members of the Arkansas commission 

 held an informal conference on Monday of last week, but were unable to 

 reach an agreement, the commission announcing its aim to bring suits in all 

 instances where recovery might be had. 



Last June these two railroads, the Iron Mountain and the Rock Island 

 following the decision of the Interstate Commerce Commission in the Mem- 

 phis Freight Bureau case, issued tariffs of their own. effective \ugust 1 

 1916, and applying to lumber and rough material. These rates were made 

 without the consent or knowledge of the Arkansas commission, and were 

 considerably higher than those formerly provided by the commission in Its 

 lariff No. 5. The commission announced that it would seek to enforce its 

 rates, and asked the prosecuting attorneys over the state to file information 

 in every case where overcharges were made. 



John McClure to Aid in Important Work 



td"^^ fT'J^"","'^' P''!f""^°' °f t"- Southern Hardwood Traffic Associa- 

 tion, left Memphis on October 21 for Washington, where he will as the 

 representative of that organization, the Gum Lumber Manufacturers' \sso. 

 cmtion and the National Lumber -Manufacturers' Association aid In the 

 selection of the lumber commission to be sent to Europe bv the federal 

 trade department and the United States chamber of commerce to investigate 

 ■ conditions and report for the benefit of lumber Interests throughout this 

 country so that they may share as far as possible in the business developing 

 after the war or even before the coming of peace if this is unusually slow 

 in developing. 



The idea of sending the commission to Europe was first discussed some 

 months ago by representatives of various lumber organizations called into a 

 conference with officials of the United States Forest Service the Federal 

 Trade Department and the United States Department of Commerce at Chi- 

 cago. The suggestion was heartily received by the representatives of the 

 lumber industry, but the plan appeared to strike a snag when it developed 

 that the federal bodies participating in the conference had sufficient funds 

 at their disposal to pay only one commissioner. The lumber organizations 

 however, came to the rescue by offering to pay the salaries of the other 

 four commissioners though they were to work under the jurisdiction of the 

 United States Department of Commerce. Mr.' McClure took quite a promi- 

 nent part in the Chicago conference and he has been honored bv the federal 

 authorities by being chosen as one of the lumbermen to aid' in selecting 

 these commissioners. ' 



S'ome time ago 1:15 men presented themselves as candidates for commis- 

 sioners. Competitive examinations have narrowed the list down to about 

 20 men, and the committee on which Mr. McClure will serve will select 

 the five commissioners from these applicants Monday and Tuesday of tBe 

 current week, an examination being conducted for that purpose. 



These commissioners will spend some time going through the various 

 lumber centers in the country to familiarize themselves with the quantity 

 of lumber and lumber products available for export, the capacity of mills 

 and other data b.arlng on the proposition from a supply standpoint. They 

 will leave for Europe on Jan. 1 and will cover the \arious countries as 

 rapidly as possible. One commission will do the work in England, the 

 Netherlands and France, another will cover Germany and -Vustria. a third 

 will report on Russia, a fourth on the Balkan States, and the fifth on Spain 

 and Italy and the Scandinavian States. It is expected that at least two 

 years will be required tor completion of tills Investigation, but reports will 

 be made from time to time and the Information contained therein will be so 

 distributed that those catering to the foreign trade will have the benefit 

 thereof long before the commissioners complete their duties and return. 



Lumbermen believe there is going to lie a tremendous European demand 

 for lumber and lumber products when the war is over and they are naturally- 

 anxious to secure all data that will enable them to capture their share of 

 this foreign business. 



While in Washington Mr. ilcClure will confer with the chairman of the 

 Intcrst.ite Commc-rce Commission in regard to the car shortage which is 

 proving so serious a handicap to lumber interests throughout the southern 

 \ hardwood producing territory. He will ask the immediate imposition of 

 higher demurrage charges In congested districts by the commission and for 

 other prompt action looking to early relief. Resolutions appealing to the 

 commission for help were unanimously adopted at a conference of 50 repre- 

 sentatives of the Southern Hardwood Traffic Association, the Gum Lumber 

 Manufacturers' Association, the Yellow Pine Association and Cooperage In- 

 dustries held here Friday, October 20, and Mr. McClure will personally pre- 

 sent these to the commission. 



'v :i^t!;io;i»5ii;ite;!t:A.'>igTOtg;itt>?w>wt; ;ti^ 



Wkh the Trade 



West Virginia Timber Company to Close Louisiana Mills 



The West Virginia J'imlier Company. Charlestou. W. Va., has found It 

 necessary to close its lumber mills at Baskin, La., for an indefinite period 

 beginning about the first of next year. The company states it has a good 

 number of orders on hand, but because of the difficulty of securing cars 

 with any degree of regularity, it has decided on the above course. The 

 company advises it has already, stopped operations at several of its big 

 T^ouisiana mills for Ibe S'liue reason. 



Oregon Factory Will Resume Operations 



The furniture plant at .Albany, Ore., which has been idle for some time. Is 

 being taken over by a company organized by Fletcher Linn of Portland. 

 Lumber has been going through the kilns for some time in preparation for 

 resuming operations, and the plant is now starting on the production of 

 about five hundred extension tables. 



C. C. Boyd & Co.'s Sawmill Burned 



A hundred persons were driven from their homes early last Friday morn- 

 ing, when fire, which destroyed the sawmill of C. C. Boyd & Co.. at North 

 Bend, O., threatened to sweep through the colony of homes housing the 

 employes, which are in the immediate vicinity of the mill. The loss is esti- 

 mated at considerably over $25,000. The company's offices are In Cincinnati 

 and the mill, at North Bend, is about fifteen miles down the Ohio river. 



The flames, fanned by a high wind, spread rapidly through the mill and 

 sawdust piles and early burned out the telephone wires so that some diffi- 

 culty was experienced in getting fire apparatus to the scene in time. Em- ' 

 ployes and farmers In the vicinity formed bucket brigades and bed clothing 

 was soaked in water and hung on the sides of the houses which were being 

 scorched. The princiijal buildings of the mill and the runway to the Ohio 

 river were destroyed, but much valuable lumber in the yards was saved, 

 along with the employes' homes. 



Charles C. Boyd, the head of the concern in Cincinnati. Is on a southern 

 business trip and until his return no correct estimate of the loss Is obtain- 

 able. 



The cause of the fire could not be determined, but it is believed that it 

 resulted from spontanpous combustinn In n sawdust itib-. 



Lumberman on Prominent Directorate 

 Frederick E. Weyerhaeuser of St. Paul, son of the late Frederick Weyer- 

 haeuser, has been named as director of the Great Northern railway to fill 

 the vacancy caused by the death of James J. Hill. Mr. Weyerhaeuser is 

 reputed to be one of the wealthiest men In the country. 



Manistique Plant Wearing Completion 



The new plant •<< Ibi- limwn llr.illi.rs Lumber Ccunnany at Manistique, 

 Mich., of which W. W. Parr of Traverse City Is general manager, is rapidly 

 nearing the finished state. The plant, which will manufacture automobile 

 crating, interior finish and do a general planing mill business, will be modern 

 and modernly equipped in every essential point. It will give employment to 

 about seventy-five men. 



The building is 80x150 feet and every piece of machinery will be run by 

 Individual motor. 



As to the flooring factory which is planned for this company. It Is stated 

 that the construction of this Is problematical as far as time Is concerned. 

 It is likely that this plant will be begun in the not far distant future and 

 will adjoin the present plant and be of the same dimensions. 



New Chair Factory for Far West 

 It is reported tliat a new chair ladury is piojeiteil for Portland. Ore. 

 The plant will be built after the first of the year by the Itoernbecher Manu- 

 facturing Company, and will be an addition to the company's present plant. 



The building will he .■'.(Inxino feet and tlini'-stories high. 



Holland, Mich., Company's New Plant 

 A complete change In the organization of the Peerless Manufacturing 

 Company of Holland, Mich., was effected a week or so ago. The past man- 

 agement ri'signed and new officers were elected. The new factorj is located 

 in the south end of the city. 



