30 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



November 10, 1916 



487,000 feet. In hardwoods oak led with 4.768,000 feet ; gum followed 

 with 1,909,000 feet; poplar came next with 408,000 feet, and all others 

 classified totaled 7,402,000 feet. 



The report for August, which of course is not a normal report, shows 

 that Cuba was the largest single purchaser, leading with 19,152,000 feet. 

 Next came the United Kingdom, 17,039,000 feet. Other countries taking 

 substantial amounts in the order of importance are : Australia, Central 

 America, Mexico, South America, West Indies (besides Cuba), Spain, 

 Italy, Denmark, Africa, Philippines, China, France and Norway. 



American Lumber in Europe 



At the Forest Industry Conference, Portland, Ore., October 25, the 

 matter of America's share in supplying Europe with lumber after the 

 war was a topic that brought out a thorough discussion. Among those 

 who took part in it was E. E. Pratt, chief of the Bureau of Foreign and 

 Domestic Commerce. 



He predicted that the huge demand for this class of material would 

 amount to a billion dollars during the first year after the close of hostil- 

 ities, and stated that a large proportion of the grades desired would 

 be for temporary construction and rebuilding, wood paving blocks, rough 

 construction, railway ties, car building, etc. No doubt, also, there would 

 be a continued and Increased demand for the finer grades of American 

 lumber, particularly hardwoods, 



American lumbermen were told that there would be not only an oppor- 

 tunity but a duty to sell their products during the coming period when 

 the destruction wrought by war would have to be repaired. In a sur- 

 vey of the sources of supply, the speaker said : 



It is easy to anticipate what countries will compete for the privilege 

 of supplying this lumber. We can not expect to do all the business. We 

 shall be lucky if we are able to do even a m.ijor part of the business. 

 In the year 191.3 we shipped more wood products than any other country 

 In the world, amounting to a total of $115,000,000 worth in all. In the 

 same year Russia shipped $88,000,000 worth ; Sweden, $84,000,000. 

 Austria-Hungary $68,000,000. Canada $50,000,000, Finland $47,000,000, 

 Germany $26,000,000, Norway $24,000,000, Roumania $5,000,000. The 

 total European exportation, therefore, amounted to $392,000,000 and 

 the combined Canadian and American exportations amounted to $165,- 

 000,000, making a total from these, the chief lumber exporting countries 

 of the world, of approximately $550,000,000. Of course, all this lumber 

 did not go to Europe. Sweden, Norway, (iermanv, and Austria shipped 

 lumber all over the world, but naturally the great bulk of their output 

 went to Europe. 



We know that the rebuilding of Poland and western Russia will absorb 

 Russian energies for some time after the close of the war. We know that 

 Germany is using up her forest reserves ; we know that Norway has 

 long been overcutting her annual growth. We can therefore safely pre- 

 dict that the greatest European competition will come from the mills 

 of Sweden and Finland. These countries are Icebound during six months 

 of the year, usually from October to May. The lumbermen of this country 

 can readily see, therefore, the possibilities and the responsibilities that lie 

 before thorn. 



Maple Sugar Industry of Canada 



Consul E. V. Richardson, reporting from Moncton, New Brunswick, says 

 that Canada as a whole produces annually, according to recent statis- 

 tics, about $2,000,000 worth of maple sugar. Of the total yield dur- 

 ing the five years 1908-1912 the United States took 99 per cent of the 

 sugar and 50 per cent of the sirup. In that period the aggregate export 

 was 8,685,000 pounds of sugar and 20,000 gallons of sirup, with the 

 province of Quebec the chief producer. In the maritime provinces the 

 value of the maple tree, except as a factor In the lumbering industry, has 

 hardly yet begun to be appreciated and the making of maple sugar and 

 sirup has never been undertaken in a systematic manner. Nevertheless 

 there are a few farmers who find the unfelled maple a source of profit. 



Temporary Injunction Granted 



Judge Frank A. Youmans of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Judge Walter I. 

 Smith of Council Bluffs, Iowa, sitting with Judge Jacob Trleber of Little 

 Rock, Arkansas, in the United States District Court at that place on 

 Saturday, October 28, granted to the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific 

 and the St, Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern railway companies a tem- 

 porary injunction against the members of the Arkansas Rjiiiroad Com- 

 mission to prevent that body from enforcing its tariff on lumber and rough 

 rice by bringing suits in the state courts against the railroads for pen- 

 alties for overcharges where rates higher than those provided by the 

 commission are charged. The injunction also applied to shippers who 

 claim to be aggrieved by reason of the alleged overcharges. 



The suit in the federal court is the outgrowth of suits which have 

 been filed in the state courts against the railroads for making charges 

 higher on certain shipments than the rates provided in the Rjillroad 

 Commission's Standard Freight Distance Tariff No. 5. In the Memphis 

 Freight Bureau case, decided on May 9, 1916, the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission held that the rates on interstate shipments could not be 

 more than one cent per hundred pounds higher than the intrastate rates 

 on the same commodity. Following this, the carriers above named pre- 

 pared tariffs on lumber, logs, bolts, staves and rough rice, to become 

 effective August 1, 1916, which were in most instances higher than the 

 rates provided for in the state commission's tariff. Immediately after 

 the new rates prepared by the carriers were put into effect, at the request 

 of the members of the Arkansas commission, suits were filed in the state 

 courts where the higher rates were charged, alleging overcharges and 

 asking for penalties under the law which range from $500 to $3,000 for 

 each offense. The total amount of the penalties sued for in these cases 

 exceeds $25,000. 



After a futile effort on the part of the railroads' attorneys to get an 

 agreement from the railroad commission to allow the state court prose- 

 cutions to stand until the question of the carriers' rights to make such 

 charges could be determined, the railroads on October 11, 1916, filed suit 

 in the federal court at Little Rock, asking for the relief which was given 

 October 28. 



In the formal decree entered by the Federal judges on October 28 the 

 railroad commission was restrained from enforcing its Standard Freight 

 Distance Tariff No. 5 in so far as it applies to lumber, logs, bolts, staves 

 and heading, rough rice and hardwood logs, until further order of that 

 court. The commission and others were enjoined from bringing suits 

 under the overcharge statute to collect penalties for overcharges until 

 it has been determined by the court whether the carriers can lawfully 

 make the charges they are now making. 



Second Examination for Lumber Commissioners 



Dr. Pratt, chief of the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, an- 

 nounces that as the government and lumber officials who have charge of 

 the examination for candidates for the five positions were not satisfied 

 with the results obtained from the first examination, a second trial will 

 be held on November 22, The examination will be held at a number of 

 larger cities and applicants will' be examined at the most convenient 

 points. 



As announced prior to the first examination, the duties of the trade 

 commissioners will be similar to those of commerce agents and special 

 agents of the development of commerce in foreign countries. They will 

 consist of investigation of foreign markets and foreign production as 

 bearing on the opportunities of American producers and manufacturers — 

 the demand and competition which will be met in European countries. It 

 is desired that persons appointed sliould be good iuvestigators, capable of 

 preparing readable and informative reports. They must necessarily have 

 a good knowledge of all phases of American lumbering and lumber utiliza- 

 tion, and must have command of at least one foreign language. 



It is announced specifically that experience in connection with the 

 lumber business will be considered more important than scientific train- 

 ing in forestry. Practical experience in the manufacture and sale of 

 lumber is desired ; the ability to address public gatherings is also desirable. 



Persons, to meet the requirements, who desire to take the examination 

 sho'uld apply for form 375, stating the title of the examination for which 

 the form is desired. Application should be made to United States Civil 

 Service Commissioner, Washington, D. C, the secretary of the United 

 States Civil Service board, P. O.. Boston, Mass,, or to the same ofiicial at 

 the postofiice in Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Ga., Cincinnati, St, Paul, 

 Seattle or San Francisco ; at the custom house in New York or New 

 Orleans, and the old custom house at St. Louis. The exact title of the 

 examination is given at the head of the examination, namely, "Trade 

 Commerce. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of 

 Commerce," is to be given on the application form. Applicants must be 

 twenty-five years of age or over. 



Nicaragua's Supply of Crossties 



A report by Consul John A. Oamon on the forest resources of Nica- 

 ragua points out that in the future that country will be in a position to 

 furnish large numbers of crossties. Few have been cut in that region. 



The best woods available for ties are madera negra, nacascola, guyacan, 

 nispero, quebracho, guachlpiUn, vainillo, guiligulste, guapinol, mora, 

 granadillo. almendro, conancuba, gavilan and chiquirin. The weight of 

 these woods will average slxty-thrue pounds to the cubic foot. Of the 

 woods listed, madera negra is probably the best for crossties. The aver- 

 age life of the woods mentioned is from eight to ten years in roadbeds 

 without ballast, but they will average from ten to twelve years In 

 ballast. 



One million ties could be furnished yearly at Conseguina Peninsula 

 and a similar quantity on the coast section from Rio Tamadindo south 

 to San Juan del Sur. 



Hewed crossties are used on the Ferrocarrii del Pacifico de Nica- 

 ragua, and measure 6 by 8 inches by 7 feet (minimum), and cost 28 

 cents placed alongside the rails. A man who is in the tie business states 

 that ties measuring by 8 inches by 9 feet would cost approximately 40 

 cents each. Other persons in the hardwood business believe that hewed 

 ties could be laid down at ship's side for about .30 cents each if shipped 

 on the coast or in the Gulf of Fonseca, exclusive of export duties. For 

 ties carried to Corinto by rail there would be an added freight charge of 

 about 27 cents and a wharfage charge of 85 cents per ton. The cost of 

 loading ties should not exceed 2 Ms cents each. 



Timber for the Trenches 



The London Timber News says that the cry from the front Is for muni- 

 tions and timber. An almost unlimited supply of wood tor tlje repairs 

 and consolidation of newly-won trenches and communication ways Is re- 

 quired, and vast quantities are being supplied for this purpose by both 

 France and England. Generally, the work of felling and converting the 

 timber required for this purpose is being carried out by battalions of 

 Canadian woodmen, several of which are now busily engaged both in 

 England and Scotland in felling some of the finest and most suitable 

 pine woods. Already about 1,550 woodmen from Canada are at work, 

 and two more battalions are either on their way or about to start. 

 At Windsor much good work has been energetically carried out, while in 



