HARDWOOD RECORD 



A Consumer on Dimension Lumber 



'T'HE SECEETAEY OF ONE of the largest hardwood consuming 

 ^ institutions in the country made the observation recently that to 

 further conserve our lumber, and to protect the future supply, the 

 elimination of waste is of the utmost importance. He suggested that 

 the use of dimension lumber is a move in this direction, providing that 

 it can be furnished in accordance with specifications. He further 

 avers that his experience in this respect has been quite varied and 

 not altogether satisfactory. He has found, according to his claim, 

 many mills cutting dimension lumber, which vfill not follow specifi- 

 cations. Sorting, out defective stock is expensive to the user of it 

 and to the producer and has the effect of discouraging both. He 

 states that if the mills from which one is buying ship stock falling 

 below specifications, it is better to cease doing business with them. 



These observations are unquestionably true as far as they go. No- 

 body wants to do business with a man who will not live up to the 

 terms of his contract, if it can be proven that he has broken such 

 terms. On the other hand, it is only fair that the consuming trade co- 

 operate with the manufacturers in this particular effort at conserva- 

 tion to the extent of investigating the dimension question with the 

 view to ascertaining the relative value of clear dimension stock cut 

 to the size required, as compared to the value of the ordinary lumber 

 which they should have to purchase in order to cut out a sufficient 

 quantity of clear stock. 



It has been suggested in these columns many times that the atti- 

 tude of the consumer is responsible for the fact that a great deal 

 of small slabs and cuttings are wasted at the mill simply because 

 the railhnan cannot secure a suitable price to return a profit to him. 

 The attitude on the part of the consumers generally indicates that 

 they believe that because dimension lumber is in many cases manu- 

 factured from what would otherwise be wasted, it should be sold at 

 a ridiculously low figure. They in many cases do not figure from a 

 fair basis. 



Dimension values should unquestionably be figured on the basis of 

 the actual value to the buyer, in that securing clear stock in sizes 

 ready to finish saves a great deal of waste at the factory in addition 

 to storage room, handling freight, drying unseen stock, etc. 



If the real aim of the speaker in question is to conserve our 

 timber and to protect the future supply, he should do his part by 

 considering this phase of the dimension business. 



Lumber the Goat as Usual 



ONE HEARS NOWADAYS from time to time very emphatic 

 statements tending to show that the poor "peepul" cannot 

 build homes anymore because the wicked lumbermen have raised 

 the price so high that nobody but the Standard Oil magnates and 

 Andrew Carnegie and his associates can scratch together enough 

 cash to put up even a chicken coop. Those giving forth these utter- 

 ances never have the facts and figures at their command to prove 

 that the lumber factor in house construction is the factor which 

 has resulted in the present high cost of building construction. If 

 these people would take the trouble to look into the situation and 

 ascertain the actual facts, they would immediately cease to vilify 

 the "lumber barons," and would pick their way as daintily, noise- 

 lessly and inconspicuously as possible back to the "tall timbers." 



A sales manager of a large hardwood concern, who is a pretty 

 close student of general affairs, recently stated that he became 

 very much incensed a short time ago at a statement of this charac- 

 ter made by a man who merely guessed at the situation. This man 

 said that lumber values have increased to such an extent that the 

 average man found it beyond his financial ability to build a home. 

 He practically blamed lumber prices entirely for this situation. 



The controversy led a delving into actual figures as to current 

 lumber values compared to values ten years ago. The result showed 

 that the actual advance has been very nominal. It showed further 

 that a wooden house costing some $2,500 ten years ago, would 

 today cost one-half again as much as that, or ,$3,750. However, an 

 actual comparison of the values of lumber and other forest products 

 going into a home at that time and this shows that the total 

 difference in value in those ten years, as far as all wood entering 



into construction is concerned, would amount to only $150. These 

 are actual figures based on records which are absolutely beyond 

 question as to their authenticity. 



It used to be that a contractor could figure about one-fourth of 

 the total cost of construction for his lumber bill, but the ratio has 

 been very decidedly changed. It would surely be but a fair thing 

 for those inclined to put the blame of increased cost of home build- 

 ing in lumber to look into the corresponding cost of wages; to 

 consider the materially shorter hours with much more pay on the 

 part of the laboring element, and also to consider the greatly 

 increased cost of various other materials and articles going into 

 house construction. Or it might be well for the lumber trade 

 itself to investigate these conditions and to compile the results 

 in concrete form, and give them broadcast circulation. Such figures 

 would go a long way toward eradicating the present sentiment 

 against lumber. 



The Buyer Sometimes to Blame 



A MAN PEOMINENT in the hardwood consuming trade, one who 

 is connected with one of the biggest institutions of that char- 

 acter in the world, is responsible for an article appearing in the 

 current issue of a certain furniture journal. In his article he says: 



"The buyer is sometimes to blame for mixed grades. When one 

 endeavors to secure lumber that is actually worth $30 a thousand 

 feet for $25, he usually gets what is worth $23, for which he pays 

 $25. A consumer of lumber should know the grades and insist on 

 getting them." 



While as a general thing the main body of hardwood buyers are 

 intelligent men who are up on all details of their business, there is 

 a considerable element of the trade whose knowledge of actual 

 grades and cutting values of different grades, sizes and kinds of 

 lumber, is very much open to criticism. It is just this class of man 

 whose egotism makes him think he is a good enough buyer to pur- 

 chase $30 lumber for $25, whereas if he is so little conversant with 

 actual markets and intrinsic values of different woods as to believe 

 this, he invariably is ignorant enough to accept even poorer value 

 than he actually pays for. 



These observations have come entirely from millmen and whole- 

 salers in the past, and it is encouraging to note this expression from 

 one who is in position to express an honest and unbiased opinion as 

 to the hardwood buyer 's knowledge of his business. 



The personnel of the modern selling force has unquestionably been 

 raised very materially of late years. The very character of competi- 

 tion has made it absolutely essential that intelligent, resourceful 

 men be employed who are capable of earning good salaries. It is to 

 be hoped that the observation above quoted is an indication that 

 there is an apparent corresponding improvement in the personnel of 

 the buying trade. 



This is not intended in any way to insinuate that hardwood buyers 

 as a rule are not up to their duties, but as in any line, some men are 

 better than others. Again, with increasing lumber values and neces- 

 sarily decreasing cutting values in different grades, it certainly be- 

 hooves any large buyer to post himself as fully as possible as to the 

 actual, practical and workable knowledge of grades, and all other 

 facts pertaining to the woods he buys. 



Progress 



PROGRESS IS ALWAYS GRADUAL, but progress in perfecting 

 *■ sawmill and woodworking meclianism and new appliances has 

 probably been as rapid as actual development in an}- otlier industrial 

 line. Two questions have demanded the serious attention of the con- 

 suming trade for a good many years. They are, namely, more rapid 

 and more thorough seasoning of lumber as to the raw material, 

 and quicker drying of varnish, giving quicker finishing and shipment 

 of completed articles. 



Two inventions have taken care of these points and are very mate- 

 rial factors in reducing manufacturing costs. In neither case is the 

 effectiveness offset to any extent by a lessening in quality of the 

 product. In fact, the claim is backed by proof that the processes 

 lead to an accession of quality. 



