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Builders of Lumber History 



NUMBER CVX 

 EDWARD A. LANG 



(See I'ortrait Supplement.) 



While Edward A. Lang, the subject of this sketch, has distin- 

 guished himself in lumber affairs, he is of such a modest and retir- 

 ing disposition that his name rarely appears in lumber newspaper 

 annals. He has charge of the lumber department of the great 

 Paepcke-Leicht Lumber Company and its allied concerns, which 

 have their general financial and executive headquarters at Chicago. 

 To Mr. Lang has been assigned the lumber selling and buying 

 department of this immense institution, for, notwithstanding the 

 fact that the Paepcke-Leicht Lumber Company is a producer of 

 more than a hundred million feet annually of Cottonwood, gum, 

 oak, ash, elm, soft maple, sycamore and cypress lumber, it also is 

 a large buyer from outside sources. 



Mr. Lang was born in Chicago on August 5, 1874, and is of 

 German descent. His parents moved to Elgin, II]., when he was a 

 lad, and from the age of seven to twenty-five years he lived in 

 that Illinois city. It was at Elgin he received his common school 

 education and early business training. As a young man his first 

 employment was with the Elgin Butter Company, and next with 

 the Borden's Condensed Milk Company; later with the First 

 National Bank of Elgin. These institutions were all conducted on 

 high planes of business efficiency, and he became grounded in good 

 commercial methods through his connection with them. 



In February, 1900, Mr. Lang entered the employ of the Paepcke- 

 Leicht Lumber Company in a clerical capacity. Here he found 

 his real calling, and as the work interested him intensely, by dint 

 of industry and intelligent endeavor he gradually arose in the 

 esteem of his employers to such an extent that during the past 

 six or seven years he has held the responsible position of manager 

 of the lumber department of this immense business. Mr. Lang's 

 disposition makes him deprecate his own talents, and he modestly 

 avers his success is attributable to the unswerving confidence that 

 has been given him by his employers. He holds that the unfailing 

 confidence of his principals, and their ever-ready advice and co- 

 operation, have made it possible for him to handle to their satis- 

 faction the important work of the company which devolves upon 

 him. 



Through Mr. Lang's connection with the lumber department of 

 the Paepcke-Leicht Lumber Company he has become deeply inter- 

 ested in all lumber association work. He is chairman of the 

 executive committee of the manufacturers' division of the Lum- 

 bermen's Association of Chicago, and it has come upon him to 

 largely represent his company in its alliance with the Hardwood 

 • Manufacturers' Association of the United States. He is a member 

 of the executive board of this latter named organization, and is 

 ■ thus closely identified with a group of a score or more of the 

 : largest hardwood timber owners and lumber producers in the 

 i United States, who have the handling of the affairs of this asso- 

 ' ciation. It goes without saying that Mr. Lang has the confidence 

 of his brother executives and takes an important part in all their 

 councils. 



Accompanying this brief sketch is a supplement portrait of Mr. 

 Lang. This appears in Hardwood Kecord at an opportune time, he 

 having been unanimously selected as the first president of the 

 new and already great Lumbermen's Club of Chicago, which starts 

 off with a membership of about five hundred lumbermen. When 

 this club was organized, three months ago, Mr. Lang's name was 

 not even suggested as a presidential possibility, but the moment 

 it was mentioned it seemed to be universally understood that he 

 was the right man for the place and he was enthusiastically made 

 the club's first executive. Undeniably his popularity has come 

 about not only through his suavity and kindliness, but because of 

 his reputation for keen and accurate judgment pertaining to all 



lumber affairs, and to his strict integrity as well. The lumbermen 

 of Chicago have certainly made no mistake in placing Mr. Lang 

 at the head of their new social organization. 



Mr. Lang is married and lives in Edgewater on Sheridan load. 

 His only fad, if that may be considered one, is golf, and he finds 

 much delight in the out-of-doors exercise and experience that it 

 gives. During the open season he can be found at least a few 

 hours each week on the links. He is a member of all of the 

 Masonic bodies. 



It is with more than usual pleasure that Hakdwood Eecord takes 

 this opportunity of giving this brief and inadequate sketch of 

 Edward A. Lang, as in it he can be characterized as one of the 

 most competent lumber purchasing and sales managers in the 

 country, and perhaps the best man in Chicago to head the new 

 Lumbermen 's Club. 



Coming Meeting of Wisconsin Manufacturers 



Secretary K. S. Kellogg, of the Northern Hemlock and Hardwood 

 Manufacturers' Association, has announced the quarterly meeting of 

 that association which will be held at the Hotel Pfister, Milwaukee, 

 at ten a. m. on April 17. Members should be especially interested 

 in an address by a member of the Wisconsin Industrial Commission, 

 who will discuss proposed state rules for factory safeguards, illus- 

 trating with photographs such devices as are recommended for use. 

 There will also be reports on dry stocks on hand April 1 ; log cut 

 during the winter ; market conditions ; mill and yard insurance and 

 lumber advertising. 



Spring Meeting Michigan Manufacturers 



Announcement is made that the spring meeting of the Michigan 

 Hardwood Manufacturers' Association will be held at the Pont- 

 chartrain hotel, Detroit, Friday, April 10. 



The principal subjects up for discussion at this meeting will 

 be the present market conditions of hardwoods and hemlock; the 

 outlook in hemlock bark; proposed changes in inspection and 

 grading rules for hardwood lumber; forest fire protection measures; 

 reports of various eomniittees. 



Exports and Imports for February 



Manufactures exported in February, 1912, exceeded in value those 

 of any previous February. The total value of exports during the 

 month was $85,500,000, an increase of $10,000,000 during the year. 

 The total value of all wood and their manufactures, however, de- 

 creased from $7,447,000 in February, 1911, to $6,700,000 February, 

 1912. There were considerable decreases in the exports of logs and 

 round timbers, and of all kinds of hewn and sawed timber. The 

 value of the first decreased during the year from $478,000 to $308,000, 

 while the export value of timbers decreased from $1,039,000 to $808,- 

 000. The total export value of all lumber, including boards, planks, 

 joists, scantling, deals, etc., in the various woods aggregated $3,- 

 243,000 in February, 1911, and $3,501,000 in February, 1912, which 

 represents a healthy increase. There was a slight increase in the 

 exports of furniture, which amounted in February, 1912, to $517,000. 



The increased value of imports of wood and manufactures of wood 

 during the year was rather slight, figures for February, 1911 and 

 1912, respectively, being $2,725,000 and $2,817,000. There wag a 

 noticeable decrease in the value of mahogany imports during the 

 month, this item aggregating $222,000 February, 1912. There was 

 also considerable increase in the importation of manufactured lum- 

 ber, there being stock of this type valued at $501,000 brought 

 into this country during February, 1912. 



