20 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Bureau of Information managers, and two meet- 

 ings of the Railroad and iransportatiou com- 

 mittee, and various other conferences^ — all held 

 in the Xew York office. This does not include 

 the annual meetings. 



I have, with the representative of the com- 

 mittee on legislation, appeared before the sen- 

 ate committee at Washington and worked with 

 the committee on arrangements for this meet- 

 ing, and in the usual way gave such services as 

 the varied and necessary work of committees 

 have required. 



During the first week of 1905, together with 

 members of the committee on. forestry, and sev- 

 eral other members of this association, we took 

 part in the proceedings of the Forestry Con- 

 gress at Wasfh'ington. D. C. At this meeting our 

 association was recognized by the appointment 

 of three of its members on the advisory com 

 mittee of the American Forestry Association. A 

 full and interesting presentation of the forestry 

 question wi II be given you at tomorrow's ses- 

 sion. 



Favorable comment has been general regard 

 ing the very pleasing improvements in our office 

 arrangements, enabling us to have a reception 

 room for the special use of members and their 

 friends, the general use of which was so prompt 

 and appreciative that there is no doubt of the 

 wisdom of this provision by your board of tnis 

 tees. Those who do not often visit us will be 

 interested to know that we have an average of 

 over ten visitors per day. some on special busi- 

 ness and some to meet customers and friend-^, 

 others for a friendly visit : this custom seems to 

 be growing, and is a very pleasant feature of 

 our work, and I may add right here that let- 



drawals by reason of going out of business, 

 etc.. 35 ; net membership March 1. 1905. 314. 



Qther wholesale organizations can appeal for 

 membership on the basis of a special or definite 

 work which, when accomplished or defeated, 

 leaves a disorganized body with no future. Our 

 advantage lies in the interest, fidelity and sup- 

 port of a large body of wholesalers, who are 

 unmoved by local or personal considerations, 

 but who are willing to work for the general 

 good, not only present, but future. 



If this is our distinctive position, it is our 

 duty not only to lay stress on those parts of 

 our work, where the co-operation with a large 

 and loyal member^ip is necessary, but also to 

 admit these members to the largest measure of 

 control of association affairs. 



This is partly provided for through your 

 board of trustees and committee, but in the last 

 analysis the individual member is the unit to 

 which we must look for support and success. 

 The officers are merely your servants to work 

 out your will. 



The emblem of the association, as used on 

 stationery, and by the buttons worn by members 

 and salesmen, has become the recognized sign 

 of membership. It has taken a longer time 

 to establish this custom than was anticipated, 

 but neatness of the emblem, and the many 

 ways in which it can be used, has helped fix 

 itsplace. We have seen it used in many ways, 

 and wish to suggest that, as it is copyrighted, 

 it can only be used by members. It is a work 

 of art. and is entitled to dignified use. 



I have no suggestions to offer as to any 

 radical changes in the work, but compliment 

 you on the substantial basis upon which you 



the bureau, noiabiy touching the legal depart- 

 ment of it. 



Report of Bureau of Information. 

 The superintendent, K. F. Perry, submitted a 

 report which is herewith given in full : 



The statistics submitted by the board of man- 

 agers of the Bureau of Information show^ the 

 very substantial progress made by this depart- 

 ment aud its ability to keep pace with a grow- 

 ing membership. The figures are worthy of 

 repetition in part at least, and will enable us 

 to get a clear idea of the scope of the work. 

 Seventeen thousand reports mean a fund of in 

 formation obtainable at no other office in the 

 country : and it must also be borne in mind 

 that information is receive and sent in volun- 

 tarily each day. which continues to make these 

 reports more valuable. 



There are asked for on an average seventy- 

 five complete up-to-date reports each day. which 

 means the dissemination of information that 

 adds to your knowledge and preserves and en- 

 hances your capital. 



Tradle conditions, both local and general, 

 opening of new territory as sources of supply 

 and demand, financial embarrassments and the 

 failure of many dealers to keep up with these 

 changing conditions make it imperative *hat the 

 bureau exercise diligence in compiling and dis- 

 tributing its credit information. The ever in- 

 creasing number of reports adds to the bureau's 

 efficiency and scope of activity, and enables it 

 to prornptly meet the growing demands of its 

 subscribers ; many of those who have this year 

 become subscribers have testified to the su- 



LEwas DILL, baltimorf:. president. 



ters or telegrams sent in our care always have 

 prompt attention, are no trouble to us. and we 

 encourage it; business or social appointments 

 may be made for the room without consulting 

 the secretary. 



The calls upon your secretary for conference. 

 advice and d.siu.ssion. regarding individual and 

 association matters, have been greater this year 

 than ever before. 



Many of our members have met disappoint- 

 ment because of my absence from the city when 

 they called, but my trips to various cities 

 throughout the ctuintry have all been to serve 

 the business interests of the association, and 

 we have planned to have our office assistants 

 always in readiness to supply from office records 

 such information as has been temporarily needed. 

 We are pleased to observe an increased gen- 

 eral interest in association work, partly due 

 possibly to the wave of prosperity sweeping 

 over the country, and which is being fully en 

 joyed by the lumbermen. It is also our pleasure 

 to again repo.'t a small gain in membership. 

 (I believe wo have reported an increase every 

 year.) While records show numerous resigna- 

 tions, nearly all. if not quite all. are for legiti- 

 mate causes, mainly that of going out of busi 

 ness, changing from one firm to another, etc. 

 Our system of electing members by special 

 committee, after careful investigation, continues 

 to meet with approval, assuring to the organi- 

 zation the preservation of high ideals and a 

 high standard of membership. 



Statement of membership Is : Membership 

 March 1, 1904, 312 : applications received since 

 March 1, 41 ; withdrawn, 1 : still being acteH 

 upon, 3 ; elected. 37 : resignations and with- 



E. F. PERRY. NEW YORK. SECRETARY. 



have placed the organization, and can only 

 (tnce again express my appreciation of many 

 favors \ have received at your hands. 

 Treasurer's Report. 



TTie report of the treasurer, Frederick W. 

 Cole, showed that the financial affairs of the 

 association were in satisfactory cnndition. 

 Bureau of Information. 



F. E. Parker, as chairman of the board of 

 managers of the Bureau of Information, re- 

 ported that the number of subscribers to this 

 bureau during the past year had increased from 

 171 to 179. On March 1, 1904, there were 

 15,501 reports on file in the office of the super- 

 intendent, and on Feb. 1, 1905, there were 16,- 

 958 reports. The average number of reports 

 sent from the superintendent's office daily during 

 the year was 75. 



The chairman suggested a personal investiga- 

 tion of the methods and results of this depart- 

 ment from all members of the association who 

 were not subscribers, and urged that all become 

 subscribers to the bureau. He told in detail the 

 splendid work that was being accomplished by 

 the bureau and claimed that If the benefits aris- 

 ing from this service were fully analyzed by 

 non-members, they surely would join it. Some 

 suggestions were made providing for some slight 

 cnaiiges in methods of conducting the affairs of 



J. B. WALL. P.UFFALO, TRUSTEE. 



periorlty of our reports over those of old line 

 agencies aud from other sources, and letters of 

 commendation on file at the office are evidence 

 that thi' bureau is accomplishing its purpose 

 aud meeting with general approval. 



The net gain of seven during the year In the 

 number of subscribers is most encouraging, and 

 particularly as nearly all withdrawals have 

 come from natural causes, and not. as far as 

 we are iuformed. from any dissatisfaction with 

 the service performed. Tliat there are not. at 

 lease. 301) subscrll>ers instead of 178 is our only 

 regret, and as has so often been stated. If al! 

 the members who are not subscribers to this 

 bureau were acquainted with the character of 

 information to be obtained, and the actual net 

 saving made, there would be no question of a 

 large increase. You will, however, be pleased 

 to know that each year since organized ( l.S 

 years ago), we have added to the number. Much 

 time has been spent in the jvaat in educating 

 the members as to just what the bureau can 

 do on the subject of credits, and that those 

 efforts have met with some success is evidenced 

 by the confidence shown, in the Increase of re- 

 ports asked for. and lu Important questions 

 asked of us on almost all subjects, often by 

 telegraph and many other ways. 



The usual channels of Information have been 

 strengthened and others added and every pos- 

 sible provision has been nuidc for keeping sub- 

 .scrlbera belter posted as lo the credit, standing 

 and business methods of their customers. Our 

 bonded local attorney list has been modified and 

 enlarged ; thus providing more efficient cohnec- 

 tlons for reporting to us court records, trans- 

 fer of property, general local conditions, changes 

 in moral standing, etc. Special stress has been 



