S.^pH'lUlirl- 2''. lil'J 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



o^ 



The most iiiipdrtaiit aec-oiiiplisliiiient of the annual meeting of 

 tlio Northern Logging Congress at tlie Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, 

 Wis., September 7 and 8^ was the adoption of rules for the grading 

 and sealing of hardwood saw logs. Tliese rules, which were pre- 

 pared by a committee comprising W. A. Holt, cliairmau; S. D. 

 Switzer, (). E. Kuokc, E. B. Boyd and P. S. McLurg, received the 

 unanimous endorsement of the Congress, with tlie provision that 

 they are to be given a year's trial, after which they are to be con- 

 sidered in the light of this trial and revised where necessary. 



The Congress, representing the logging interests of Wisconsin, 

 Micliigan and Minnesota, devoted a good deal of its time, under the 

 li'adership of S. T). Switzer of Wabeno, Wis., president, to a discus- 

 sion of tlie labor problem. The concensus of opinion was that little 

 relief from the shortage of men can lie expected until the middle of 

 October, when the liarvest and roail biiihling season has virtually 

 ended. It was concduded that in the me.-intime the effort to attract 

 men into tlie nortliern woods by high wages would be futile. It 

 was therefore resolved that wages should be maintained on the 

 present scale — that is, a minimum of $30 a month in Minnesota, 

 .nid $Z~i for common labor and $40 for sawyers in the Wiseonsin- 

 Micliigan territory — for another thirty da.ys. It is anticipated that 

 at tlie end of that period the congress will again assemble to con- 

 sider the wage scale. 



Tlie chief feature of the aiiiiu;il :i(Idress of President Switzer was 

 a recommendation of the piece work jirinciple as ' ' the most effective 

 ]ilan for stimulating ]irodnctioii in the logging industry, for creat- 

 ing greater con entnient and better morale on the [lart uf the men'' 

 through ''increase*! jtay for increased work.'' 

 Gilmer Becomes President 



Tlie election of ofticers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: 



I'rcsiilent — F. II. (lUinur of the Virj;inia & Rainy I^akc Comiiau.v, Cnssou. 

 -Minn. 



Vicp-iircsiilc'iit — .Jnlm Lamlim of the MiMlfiml Lunili.r Cmniiaiiy. ilocl- 

 I'uril. Wis. 



Treasurer — ( '. II. Lan^ of the Ilouiilit'tn LunilM-r (.'ninpauy. Houghton, 

 -Miili. 



Secretary — Uuy V. Norhcck. ^iinncapulis, Minn, (re-elected). 



Kxccntive ciininiittee — II. 8. Uilkey of Pendleton & Gilkey, Minneapolis. 

 Minu.. rcpicsi'ntiu^' the Minnesota Loggers' .Association: W. .T. Maitland of 

 Hie Park Fails laiinher Company. Park Falls, Wis., ri'prcsenting the Xorth- 

 ■ Tii Wisconsin Loggers' Association : L. Pi'terson of the Langlade Lumber 

 I'liiiipany. .\ntigo. Wis.. re]n'eseutiiig the I'entral Wisconsin Ia)ggers' Asso- 

 ciation : W. K. IIoIlenlic<-k of the J. W. Wells Lumber Ciniipany. Iron Moun- 

 tain, Mich., representing the Northeastern Wisconsin Loggers' .Association, 

 and W. F. Merrill of the Wipi'cester Lumber I'oinpauy. Cliassi'Il. .Mii-li.. rep- 

 resenting the TJiMicr Pi'iiinsula Loggers' .Association. 



New Grading aaid Scaling Rules 

 The text of the recommendation containing the newly adopted 

 grading and scaling rules for saw logs is as follows: 



The inspection or grading of logs is ueci-ssarily a iiiatf<-r uf .judgiiu'nt 

 in determining fnuii the outside aijpearanci- of the log the sfriunsness of 

 defect and the adaptability for luiiibi'r of diffcreiit gr.-ides ur f.>r other 

 purposes. 



In detenniuing the grade of a log tht- entire surface, wliieli incliales 

 both ends, iiuist be taken into cousideratiun, and inspertm-s nuist use 

 their best jndgim-nt in determining the seri(nisness of i-arli and every 

 defect in anti on the log. 



On account of knots and other ilefects fretinently being under the Ing. 

 imbedde*! in the gronnil or hidden frnm view between h»gs which are closely 

 bulked. insi)ectors will put all line logs ur logs on whii-b thi're is a reasoii- 

 able question as to grade into the lower grade which is in (piestioii. 



Standard lengths shall lie in. I'J. 14 and li; feet : ."lO per cent ur inme 

 shall be 14 and 111 feet and not ovi'r .j per cent shall be Id feet bnig. AW 

 logs must be cut 2 inches longer than specatied lengths to allnw fur |iroperly 

 trininiiug the lumber. .\11 logs must I)e measured at the small end. inside 

 the bark, and any dead logs inside the stain ur doty or mtten saji, and all 

 fractions of an inch must be called back to the ne.\t lowest figure. 



Deductions iiinst be made from the above ineasurenients for any and 

 all defects as hereinafter stated. .Vll logs should be straight, or due 

 allowance must be made in grade and measurement for crooked logs. .\11 

 logs must be scaled for what they will produce of 10 feet and longer 

 lumber, no shorter luiiiher being considered in the scale. Logs less than 

 standard length to he scaled as the next shorter standard length. 



An allowance is to lie made in the measitrenient of hollow logs to com- 

 pensate full.v for the loss in lumber scale. -\ reduction is to be made in 

 the measurement or grade (or both) of loose hearted or shaky logs or logs 

 which have puffed open or split open on the ends. P.nlges ami irregular- 



ities on the bark surface of a log are practically conclusive evidence of 

 some hidden serious defect. and are to be given careful consideration by the 

 ins|ie<tiir in grading logs. 



King shake and mineral streaks are very serious defects, and inspectors 

 will carefully consider same according to extent and damage, both for 

 graiie and measurement. 



.\ll_ stump shot logs must be saw trimmed to make ends smootli. 



It is understood that a woods run uf logs is to contain the full amount 

 of good logs which the standing timlier will produce, and that no large 

 or high grade logs are to be separated from the woods run of logs. 



Any defects not mentioned in these rules are to be considered by the 

 Inspector according to their damage to the logs. The term "merchanta- 

 ble" means logs of Nos. 1 and 2 grades together. 



The standard measure for a standard defect is a sound, bright knot with 

 a luaximum diameter of not more th.'in three inches. Where the rules call 

 for its equivalent, it is understood to mean its equivalent of damage to 

 the prciduct of the log. 



These rules describe the poorest log in any grade, but each grade must 

 contain all logs up to the next highest graile. 

 Grading Rules for Bircli. Basswood. Ash, Oak. Rock and Soft Elm. 



Hard and Soft Maple 



No. 1 Logs — Shonhl he cut from live timber, 12 inches and larger in 

 diameter at top, standard lengths, of generally smooth appearance, sound 

 and reasonably straight. 



Logs from 12 inches up to 14 inches in diameter will permit of one 

 standard defect or its equivalent. andhoUow or rotten or shaky hearts not 

 exceeding 10 per cent of the diameter of the log. 



Logs 14 inches up to 17 inches in diameter will permit of two standard 

 defects or their equivalents, and holbiw or rotten or shaky hearts not 

 exceeding 15 per cent of the diameter of the log. 



Logs 17 inches and up in iliametcr will permit three standard defects 

 or their equivalents, and hollow or rotten or shaky hearts not exceeding 

 20 per cent of the diameter of the log. 



Xo. 2 Logs — Standard lengths, cut from live timber. 8 inches and larger 

 in diameter, or logs less than 10 inches to be surfaced clear, straight and 

 sound. Ten inches and over must lie reasonably straight, no rough top 

 logs, no rotten or hollow or shaky hearts that do not have more than 6 

 inches of sound wood around the hollow, rot or shake. 



Xo. ,S Logs — Rough top logs. S inches and larger, excessive shake, crack 

 or mineral shakes, large hollow, rotten or shaky butts, numerous large 

 knots, logs cut from dead timber, but which are sound except for sap rot. 



Xo logs smaller than S inches permitted in any grade except by specific 

 agreement. 



Culls — Rough top logs, very crooked, very rotten, very doty or verv shakv 

 are not adniissihie in any grade and must be inspected "and scaled by 

 specific agreement only. 



Runaway Lumber Market Unlikely, Survey 

 Indicates 



Emphatic denial that there is likely to be a so-called runaway 

 lumber market consequent upon heavy building operations, large 

 demand for lumber and tr.-msportation difficulties occasioned by the 

 coal and railway strikes is expressed by the National Lumber Manu- 

 facturers' Association after a natioinvide survey in ascertaining the 

 facts as to present lumber conditions and lumber prices. 



The general tenor of the reports received by telegraph is: 



First — That there have been only small changes — ranging from negligible 

 amounts up to 23 per cent increases and some decreases in prices, at the 

 sawmills, of lumber since January 1. 



Second — That the increasing wages iiaid to labor and other items of pro- 

 duction cost and. in many instances, fictitious demand caused by excessive 

 anticiijatory buying have accounted for most, if not all, of the price 

 increases. 



Third — That in some instances manufacturers have been selling lumber 

 at a loss, at the sawmills. 



Fourth — That the unusually large volume of orders, together with 

 restrictions impnseil on shipments in many localities by transportation 

 deficiencies land on production by forest fires in the far Xorthwest and else- 

 where liy local labor shortages), has established a tendency for advancing 

 prices. 



Fifth — That the large producers of lumber i-verywhere are opposed to a 

 riipidly rising market and are individually pursuing policies designed to 

 avoid it. which include a universal effort to siJced up production. Xo gen- 

 eral iir concerted action to check price advances at the mills is legally 

 liiissible. and none, therefore, is being undertaken. 



Among those reporting on behalf of the hardwood brtinch of the 

 inilustiy are: 



Millmen Don't Want Boom Market 



I rruiii .1. c. Kn.ix. secretary. Michigan Ilardwoml .Manufacturers' .Vssci- 



elation, Cadillac. Mich, i 



X" imlicati<ins in -Michigan of a runaway market. Increase in lumber 

 Ijrices from low point reached last winter was inevitable, as lumber was 

 then sold at least as low as cost of production. The increases, which will 

 not average 15 per cent, are justifiable and necessary to the industry. 

 The manufacturing iumbermen will do all they can by increasing their 

 iiutpiit to iirevent a runaway market which they realize is an unbi'alth.v 

 condition. The transportation facilities in tlo' Lower Peninsula are fairly 

 gn.Mi. Car suppl.\' is somi-what short in the Upper Peninsula. 

 { Cniil iilntil <m juiiii 42) 



