May 25, 1922 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



19 



^ 



Appalachian Loggers Hold Congress 



Freight Rates and Standardization of Logging Methods Are Among Important 

 Problems Considered by Operators; Repeal of Adamson Law Is Demanded 



Freight rates and the standardization of rules for the cutting 

 of trees and conducting the logging industry in general, were 

 among the important subjects discussed at the seventh annual 

 spring meeting of the Appalachian Logging Congress, which was 

 held at the Hotel Sinton, Cincinnati, May 9, 10 and 11. 



In reference to freight rates, President F. G. Norcross, in his 

 address at the opening session of the convention, invited the lum- 

 bermen 's attention to the attitude of the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission in holding the rates on the low grade cuttings at a 

 point where, he said, it virtually is impossible to ship the pro- 

 duction. Appointment of a committee by the congress was urged 

 by President Norcross to confer with J. H. Townshend, secretary- 

 manager of the Southern Hardwood Traffic Association, in an at- 

 tempt to have the rates reduced on the low grades. 



"W. M. Eitter, president of the W. M. Bitter Lumber Company, 

 Columbus, O., advocated the standardization of rules for the 

 logging industry in his address on "The Hardwood Situation." 

 He urged that these rules be made the subject of definitions and 

 instructions much in the same way that rules are made for the 

 grading, inspecting and shipping of lumber. 



The resolutions committee presented a half dozen resolutions, 

 which were adopted at the closing session. Among the important 

 ones are- A resolution recommending the repeal of the Adamson 

 eight-hour law and other similar legislation enacted by Congress 

 since 1916; another resolution opposes any legislation providing for 

 free tolls for American ships through the Panama Canal. The 

 congress in another resolution indorses the work of the National 

 Forest Fire Prevention Committee. Resolutions thanking the 

 Cincinnati Lumbermen's Club and the management of the Hotel 

 Sinton for the many courtesies extended to the delegates while in 

 Cincinnati also were adopted. 



The sessions were held in the ballroom of the hotel and many 

 questions of importance to the logging and lumber industry in 

 general came up for discussion during the three days' session and 

 men prominent in the industry were present to exjjlain new methods 

 and problems in the production of lumber. 



More than 175 delegates representing the various sections of 

 the Southern Appalachian region were present. The entertainment 

 feature was high-class and in charge of committee by the con- 

 gress and one representing the Cincinnati Lumbermen's Club. 



Attention of the delegates was called by President Norcross 

 in his address to the request of the Forestry Division of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture that the forests be con- 

 served. "I feel confident that the lumbermen are doing their bit 

 in regards to this matter, but I do not think they are being met 

 halfway," President Norcross said. "The government wants to 

 conserve the forests and yet the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 places a rate on low grade lumber that makes it impossible to 

 ship and as a result a large quantity of this lumber is going to 

 waste in the forests. That is not the first principle of forest con- 

 servation. ' ' 



President Norcross said that the operators need relief and 

 the sooner the better. He urged the delegates to induce their 

 consumers to make more use of wood containers, in an effort to 

 move the lower grades. 



"I have received a communication from the box manufacturers 

 offering us their co-operation in disposing of the low grades which 

 unfortunately is a large part of our output," President Norcross 

 said in his closing remarks. Millions of dollars could be saved 

 annually if wood containers were more frequently used for ship- 

 ping purposes. ' ' 



In a very detailed manner, Henry H. Tryon, engineer for James 

 W. Sewell of Washington, D. C, talked on "Timber Estimating 

 and Mapping of Today."- The speaker by the use of maps and 

 charts, showed cruising and estimating methods, the idea being 

 not only to show the varying character of the growth throughout 

 the tracts but to pick up the topography in such a manner as to 

 indicate logging conditions. 



Almost any estimate requires a survey, or at least a definite 

 knowledge of ownership lines and areas, Mr. Tryon said. 



Following Mr. Tryon 's remarks the meeting was open for a 

 discussion of his subject. It was brought out in this discussion 

 that several lumbermen have never been able to ascertain from 

 timber estimates, whether they include the whole tree or just 

 those parts that can be profitably manufactured. In this connec- 

 tion, Mr. Tryon said that when making timber estimates it is a 

 good rule to go into the mill first and see just what kind of 

 lumber is being used for manufacturing purposes. 



The first session adjourned at the conclusion of this discussion. 



In the evening the delegates and others in attendance were 

 entertained at the Claremont Hotel, Southgate, Ky., by the Cin- 

 cinnati Lumbermen's Club. Four special trolley cars conveyed the 

 delegates from the Dixie Terminal to the hotel, which is located 

 in the Highlands of Northern Kentucky. The dinner was served 

 on the grounds surrounding the hotel. Motion pictures of logging 

 operations and four boxing bouts which were staged in a special 

 built arena outdoors featured the program. Sinclair Shaw, Cin- 

 cinnati representative of the Edward Hines Lumber Company, 

 Chicago, was referee and W. H. Hopkins of the New River Lumber 

 Company, master of ceremonies. 



In opening the morning session, Wednesday, May 10, W. M. 

 Hitter of the W. M. Bitter Lumber Company, Columbus, O., made 

 a masterly presentation of lumbermen's problems and offered 

 several very constructive proposals for betterment of conditions 

 throughout the industry. 



In reference to standardization Mr. Bitter said, "Why should 

 not the lumber industry cut down the expense and reduce the in- 

 efficiency which results from the lack of standardization? I 

 should like to see the logging congress realize the fundamental 

 importance of this matter and put some of its best talent to work 

 at investigating not only logging methods but all processes of the 

 industry and decide on those that are best for their kind of work, 

 put them to print and thus standardize the text for all such op- 

 erations; and I thoroughly believe there is no practical difficulty in 

 the way of accomplishing this. I can not see for example, why 

 rules for cutting of trees and conducting of logging operations 

 from the stump to the saw should not be standardized and made 

 the subjects of definitions and instructions, much in the same way 

 that rules are made for grading, inspection and shipping of lum- 

 ber. ' ' 



Mr. Bitter also called the lumbermen's attention to the adminis- 

 tration of their timber properties, and in this connection said that 

 the companies with which he is associated have prepared in brief, 

 but comprehensive and in concise fashion, a clear presentation of 

 the scientific facts concerning the timber properties of the general 

 Appalachian area. The congress was invited by Mr. Bitter to ex- 

 amine these facts, and as a result M. W. Stark of the American 

 Column & Lumber Company, Columbus, 0., was appointed chairman 

 of a committee by President Norcross to confer with representatives 

 of the W. M. Eitter Lumber Company relative to the statistics. Mr. 

 Stark is privileged to select the personnel of his committee. The 

 findings of this committee will be presented at the autumn meet- 



