14 



THE HARDWOOD RECORD. 



THE TRAFFIC BTJREAXT. 



Since the orgauization of the traffic de- 

 partment in the National association, there 

 has been, Manager Hurlbut informs us, 

 considerable inquiry as to the aim ami 

 scope of the work intended. A great many, 

 too, have accepted the service of the bu- 

 reau and have already found its value. 



In an interview the other day Mr. Hurl- 

 but explained pretty fully one of the 

 phases of the work, which to the unini- 

 tiated would seem like a big undeitak- 

 iug, but which, after all, to an adept is 

 not so serious, and it is an accomplish- 

 ment that is calculated to greatly benefit 

 the hai-dwood trade. In substance, Mr. 

 Hurlbut stated that one of the objects of 

 his department would be to effect an ad- 

 justment of the rates of freight, that is to 

 say, they would seek to tii-st make them 

 right within themselves, or, in other words, 

 discover any inconsistencies as between 

 lumber and other commodities; second, to 

 see that shipments from a given point 

 would not carry a relatively higher rate 

 to one destination than another, and third, 

 to see that shipments to a given iwint 

 would have a rate in line with similar 

 points of destination.. 



In explaining this, Mr. Hurlbut said 

 that in going over the schedules of one 

 of the largest southern lumber carrying 

 roads he had found many inconsistencies 

 which he w'as sure the railroad company 

 in question would be glad to right on pre- 

 sentation of facts. As an illustration ho 

 cited a shipping point a short distance be- 

 low Memphis whose CJiicago rate was the 

 Memphis-Chicago rate plus 3 cents and 

 whose Buffalo rate was the Memphis-Buf- 

 falo rate plus 5 cents, thus showing a dis- 

 crimination against Buffalo of 2 cents. 

 Other similar cases were shown affecting 

 both ends of the line. 



This is only one of the features of the 

 traftie department, and will give our read- 

 ers a fair idea of the good that can be 

 done in the matter of freights. While in 

 this ease what is accomplished for the few- 

 will benefit the entire trade, there are 

 many other matters that will be handled 

 which wUl derive a benefit to those only 

 that are members of this department of 

 the National association. We refer, for in- 

 stance, to claims account of overcharges 

 in weight or rate or car service. Every 

 shipper at times runs up against a knotty 

 claim problem and it cannot be gainsaid 

 that one who knows how and what will 

 appeal to a raUroad claim agent can get 

 better results than one not acquainted with 

 the inner workings. 



Other hard and fast rules of the rail- 

 road companies which at times work 

 against the proper conduct of a lumber 

 busmess can in specific cases be overcome 

 by co-operating with the freight bureau 



It is hardly a secret that the new de- 

 partment is not receiving full enough sup- 

 port of the trade— in fact, not nearly so 

 mu(?h as it deserves, and only about half 



as much as is necessary to make it a com- 

 plete success. This is, perhaps, lai'gely due 

 to the fact that the trade, in so short n 

 period of time, has not appreciated all its 

 advantages. The lumber press, which Is 

 supposed to foster all that is good for the 

 trade, should, it would seem, show some 

 anxiety in the success of this undertaking, 

 and we bespeak their influence. 



The hardwood trade at large, too, con- 

 sidering the small cost, should come to the 

 support of this scheme. As stated in a 

 former issue, the cost to become a mem- 

 ber of this department is determined on 

 the capital rating, the basis being one- 

 tenth of one per cent. It will cost a firm 

 having $10,000 capital $10 per year, which, 

 by the way, is the minimum charge, and a 

 firm having $250,000 capital $250 per year, 

 which is the maximum charge. 



Each member of the association should 

 join the traffic department. 



MEETING OF THE INSPECTION 

 BTTREAU COMMITTEE. 



Pursuant to call by Chairman J. W. 

 Thompson, the inspection bureau commit- 

 tee of the National Hardwood Lumber As- 

 sociation held a meeting at the rooms of 

 the Chicago HardAvood Lumber Exchange 

 at Chicago on Fi-iday, July 25. 

 The foUowtng members were present: 

 J. W. Thompson, Memphis, Tenn. 



E. C. Colcord, St Albans, W. Va. 

 W. E. Smith, Cairo, 111. 



A. J. Lang, St. Louis, Mo. 

 W. W. Knight, Indianapolis. Infl. 

 W J. Wagstaff, Oshkosh. Wis. 

 M. M. Wall, Buffalo, N. Y. 



F. H. Smith, St Louis, Mo. 

 A. R. Vinnedge, Chicago, 111. 



Mr. E. A. Swain, member of the coai- 

 mittee from Cincinnati, sent the following 

 letter: 

 Mr. J. W. Thompson, Chicago. III. 



Dear Sir:— I find that it will be impos- 

 sible for me to attend the meeting at Chi- 

 cago to-morrow morning, owing to some 

 pressing business. 



I trust you will have a full meeting and 

 accomplish all the results that you antici- 

 pate. 



Regretting that I will not be able to be 

 there and wishing the bureau continued 

 success, I am, yours truly, 



E. A. SWAIN. 



Thus the entire committee was present 

 with the exception of W. M. Weston of 

 Boston, Mass., and H. B. Lewis of Elk 

 Rapids, Mich. 



The meeting was called to make prep- 

 aration to take care of the great increaso, 

 of business which has followed the St. 

 Louis meeting of the National association. 

 Since the new rules have been issued the 

 ti'ade has evinced a willingness and de- 

 sire to do business on national inspection. 



Mr. Wagstaff, representing Wisconsin, 

 asked suggestions as to what should bo 

 done in the matter of organizing his state 

 and was advised to call a meeting of the 

 Wisconsin association and advise with 

 them in order that the organization of the 

 state shall be made to suit the needs of 

 the Wisconsin people. 



There was much discussion of important 

 matters and some important changes con- 

 sidered. The outcome of the discussion 

 was that President F. H. Smith of the 

 National association instructed Secretary 

 Vinnedge to call a meeting of the board 

 of managers at an early date. 



It was not considered advisable to give 

 out the matters discussed for publication, 

 at present, so our report is necessarily 

 meager. 



Chairman Thompson instructed us to say 

 that the bureau is booming and let it go 

 at that. 



At C p. m. the meeting adjourned. 



The proposed Appalachian forest reserve 

 includes a total of about 4,000,000 acres', 

 which, it is said, can be acquired by the 

 government for not more than $10,000,000. 

 This sum, which surely is not a large one 

 for a country like this to spend, is not an 

 expense, as most public outlays are, but an 

 investment, upon which profitable returns 

 will be realized almost from the start, and 

 which will yield an annual revenue be- 

 fore the clos<e of the century estimated at 

 from 15 to 30 per cent. It is merely pro- 

 posed that the government shall buy the 

 timber and handle it as a productive forest, 

 cutting the trees as they mature, and, 

 while preserving the forest intact, make it 

 a self-sustaining and even a profit-earning 

 enterprise. 



It is evident from this outline of the 

 plan that the control of this tract by the 

 national government would not mean that 

 the timber is not to be cut, or that the 

 amount available for consumption would, 

 be les'sened, but that the land wo.uld be 

 maintained perpetually in forest, and so 

 handled as to grow as much good saw 

 timber as possible. Sooner or later this 

 system of handling timberlands, and es- 

 pecially such tracts as are not available 

 for other pui-poses, will be generally 

 adopted by both public and private o^^^l- 

 ers', and one purpose in view in promoting 

 the plan of a great Appalachian reserve is 

 to demonstrate the practicability of such 

 treatment of the mountain timber of the 

 South. Once in practical operation, the re- 

 serve would furnish a most valuable ob- 

 ject lesson to timlier owners, and would no 

 doubt lead to a vast improvement in lum- 

 bering methods throughout the mountain 

 regions. — St. Louis Lumberman. 



Owen M. Bruner & Co. have a few car.? 

 of "Dependable"' rift sawed Georgia yel- 

 low pine flooring which they are especially 

 offering, as will be noted in our adver- 

 tising columns this issue. It is "depend- 

 able" in manufacture, "dependable" in 

 quality, "dependable" in low prices, and 

 you can "depend" on getting iirompt ship- 

 ment. Their main office is 143S South 

 Penn square, Philadelphia, and branch of- 

 fice at Tiffton, Ga. 



A saw mill belonging to Lee Thomas, 

 situated near Rockhold, Ky., was des- 

 troyed by fire recently. 



