W. B. TOWXSEXD, TUWXSEXD, TEXX., RE 



TIKIXG PKESIDEXT AND MEMBER 



EXECUTIVE BOARD 



R. M. CARRIER. SARDIS, MISS.. 

 EXECUTIVE BOARD 



CLIXTOX CRANE. CIXCINXATI. OHIO, MEM- 

 BER EXECUTIVE BOARD 



burgh, president of the National Wholesale Lumber Dealers' Asso- 

 ciation. Mr. Babcock made a very happy address of felicitation 

 to most every one associated with the Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Association and the Cincinnati lumber industry, and stated a few 

 of his own experiences in connection with association work in 

 which he has been very prominent for many years. A matter of 

 paramount interest upon which he enlarged was his belief in the 

 absolute necessity of a single or universal standard of inspection 

 to be applied to hardwood lumber. He said he believed that 

 ninety per cent of the people interested in hardwood lumber affairs 

 in the United States are praying that this one thing — that uni- 

 versal hardwood inspection — may be accomplished. He said that 

 while the goal had not yet been reached, he could not but believe 

 that much progress had been made and that in the near future the 

 trade may look for a full completion of that effort. He invited 

 every one to be present at the annual meeting of the National 

 Wholesale Lumber Dealers' Association to be held at Louisville 

 on March 6 and 7. 



Following, Secretary Doster read the report of Treasurer 

 Crawford, which showed the organization to be entirely free from 

 debt, and its finances in comfortable shape. 

 Secretary's Report 



Mr. Doster then presented his report as secretary as follows: 

 The condition of the membership in the association shows a decided 

 increase in the amount of acreage held. A number of our members are 

 purchasing and acquiring more timber ; and a number of operators who 

 have lately acquired large tracts of timber have joined the association ; 

 together with the manufacturers who have cut out or resigned from the 

 association, keeps the total amount of members about equal, but at the 

 same time the future of the association is insured for a longer life with 

 this larger acquirement of timber resources as shown by the following 

 figures : 



Members 320 



In States 25 



States owning acreage 14 



Total .icreage 5,207.000 



Total feet in stumpage 25,742,000.000 



.MEMBERS UEPORTING WHO DO NOT CONTROL OR OWN TIMBER : 



Members 28 



In States 8 



Annual output 75.000,000 



Statistics 



Stocks on hand at points of production, in the consuming markets : 



A — Conditions in the consuming markets for 1911, 80 reports ; 



Feet. 



Estimated normal capacitv for carrying stock 475,260,000 



Estimated stock on hand 225,100,000 



Balance showing a deficit of 250,160,000 



B — Stocks on hand at the point of production have not yet been ob- 

 tained, but the preliminary reports show a very large percentage of 

 shortage. In the latter part of 1911 the low grades moved exceedingly 

 fast, and the beginning of January showed a general cleaning up on the 

 low grade material which was going into the box and furniture manufac- 

 turers' hands for immediate consumption. 



C — In the canvassing of stocks for sale and stocks wanted, the shortage 



of stock is reflected by the demands which are being made now^ for lumber 

 to purehase. among our own membership. 



This matter will be ready for this convention and will be brought up 

 during the session of trading on the floor. 



The exact time of this important system will be announced later, as 

 owing to the interest shown it is desired that this be held when everyone 

 can attend without other committees or extra meetings, and a long list 

 of what is wanted to sell and for purchase is already in my hands. 



Bureau of Grades 



Feet. 

 Tbo amount of lumber shipped by our members in 1910 was. . 659,022,000 

 The amount of lumber complained on was : 1910 6,324,121 



Or 9/10 of 1 per cent of the total amount shipped. 



Feet. 



in 1911 was 630,212.000 



The amount of lumber com])lained on was : 1911 6,215,908 



Xumber of feet variation, 4 per cent or under 1,655,200 



Xumber of feet variation over 4 per cent, averaging about 



7 Yi per cent below grade 5.665,663 



The low amount of grades complained on, and under grade in 1911, 

 was 8/10 ct 1 per cent. 



The system of instruction at mills and the more complete study of our 

 mills are reducing each year the misunderstandings which formerly were 

 so prevalent (that is prior to our formulation of such rules) ; are reduc- 

 ing the opportunity for complaints and allowing a more satisfactory rela- 

 tionship between the shipper and customer. 



The bureau of grades maintain the same system that we have had since 

 the organization began, by locating the inspectors in the districts repre- 

 sented in the consuming markets. They are so located as to bandle re- 

 quests for inspection of lumber in the customers' hands in quickest 

 possible time. 



The work is carried on for our members at the lowest expense possible, 

 and the charges for the members are as follows : 



1 — If the shipment varies over 4 per cent below the grade invoiced, 

 the member pays the hotel and traveling expenses incurred of the in- 

 spector and $5 per day for the services. 



2 — If the shipment shows a variation of 4 per cent or less, of lumber 

 lower than the amount invoiced, the expenses are borne by the associa- 

 tion. 



3 — In our mill instruction work, which is for members only, and which 

 is a free service, we send inspectors to the mills for the purpose of con- 

 sultation with the management and their inspectors, when called upon to 

 do so. The purpose is to have our official inspectors and the shippers all 

 follow the same interpretation of the grading rule book, and it is the en- 

 deavor to send the men from the consuming districts to the producing 

 points on this official work from tbe districts which handle mostly the 

 complaints of those people in the markets. 



A large percentage of the complaints investigated are caused by the 

 mixing of grades. 



Many members now when called upon to ship different grades in a car 

 will place strips between the gra'des. or sell their lumber f. o. b. their mill 

 with the mill inspection final. 



Certificates to Foreign Points 



The work of issuing certificates the last year to foreign points, which 

 we performed for our members, has been steadily on the increase, and 

 has allowed the shippers to satisfactorily carry on an export business by 

 such action, and the purchasers have willingly consented to the associa- 

 tion certificates as the basis for invoice. 



The prominent change that has taken place in our grading rules is the 

 manner of placing specifications for construction oak timbers, covering 



^2P^ 



