June 10, 1922 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



19 



Rate Cut Applied to Southern Hardwoods 



The Southern Hardwood Traffic Association announces that the 

 reduction of 10 per cent in freight rates on hardwood lumber and 

 forest products, including logs, as ordered by the Interstate Com- 

 merce Commission, effective July 1, will apply to switching, transit, 

 weighing, diversion, reeonsigning, lighterage, floatage and storage 

 — except track — and transfer charges. 



In view of the fact that one or more of these charges accrues in 

 connection with every shipment of lumber, the reduction will prove 

 an important factor in helping to cut down the present excessive 

 burden of transportation. 



Keen disappointment is expressed by members and officials of 

 the association over the smallness of the reduction in freight rates, 

 as applied to hardwood lumber and forest products in general, and 

 to logs in particular. It is quite generally agreed, however, that 

 [ the reduction will stimulate the movement of hai'dwood lumber and 

 forest products to consuming destinations, and that it will also 

 bring about more activity in the manufacture of hardwood lum- 

 ber itself. 



It is pointed out that the straight percentage advance under 

 Ex Parte 74 seriously impaired rate relationships built up over 

 a long series of years, and that the adoption of the straight per- 

 centage reduction has done very little to correct this situation. 

 The long haul movement is on a little more favorable basis as com- 

 pared with the short haul as a result of the reduction which 

 becomes effective in the next three or four weeks, but it is empha- 

 sized that many inequalities will be left and that much readjust- 

 ment of rates must be made to correct conditions in this respect. 



"The reductions are all right as far as they go, but they do not 

 go far enough," declares S. M. Nickey, president of the association. 

 ' ' They are particularly disappointing with respect to logs. I was 

 hopeful that the commission would order a big cut in heavy-loading 

 commodities, such as coal, lumber, steel and iron, and leave rates 

 unchanged on class materials. I believe this would have been 

 better for the country as a whole, and I am certain it would have 

 been a great deal better for the hardwood lumber industry, which 

 is suffering from burdensome freight rates and from inequalities of 

 the most striking sort, resulting from the destruction of relation- 

 ships built up with so much care and with so much effort on the 

 part of the industry. ' ' 



The association announces that tariffs are now being issued, 

 effective June 10, 1922, on westbound transcontinental shipments 

 of hardwood lumber and forest products from Groups A and B. 

 The new rates are .$1.05 from Group A and 92 cents from Group B. 



The association also states that all railroads west of the Missis- 

 sippi have agreed to extend the use of the old form straight bill 

 of lading to Dee. 31, 1922, provided such forms are stamped with 

 the customary notation. 



The following is in part a statement issued by the Southern 

 Hardwood Traffic Association immediatelj' after the decision was 

 announced: 



The reductions made under this new general decision on all classes of 

 freight Include such reductions as have already been made since August 

 26, 1920. The commission's decision was issued in the form of a modifica- 

 tion of the percentage advances which were made effective August 26, 

 1920, and provides that rates shall not exceed the following basis : 



(a) In the western group and between the western group and Illinois 

 territory 21% per cent over the rates in effect August 25, 1920, instead 

 of 35 per cent, which was the advance niafle effective August 26, 1920. 



(b) In the southern and mountain Pacific groups 121-^ per cent over 

 the rates in effect August 25, 1920, instead of 25 per cent, which was the 

 advance made effective August 26, 1920. 



(c) In the eastern group, also between points in Illinois territor.v and 

 between points in Illinois territory and the eastern group, 26 per cent over 

 the rates in effect August 25, 1920, instead of 40 per cent, which was 

 the advance made effective August 26, 1920. 



(d) On inter-territorial traffic, except as otherwise provided, 20 per cent 



over the rates in effect August 25, 1920, instead of 33I3 per cent, which 

 was the advance made effective August 26, 1920. 



The new rates are required to be issued effective July 1, 1922, on ten 

 days' notice. 



Generally speaking, the. reductions from the full advanced rates which 

 became effective August 26, 1920, range from SVz to 5% cents, which 

 'means reductions in the present rates ranging from 1 to 3 cents. 

 Similar changes will be made in the rates on softwoods. 

 The rates shown in the attached statements are subject to minor 

 changes when the tariffs are pul)lished. 



Certain inconsistencies in the new rates, due to the varying percentage 

 revision and disposition of fractions, will be carefully analyzed with a 

 view to correction. 



*New Rates on Hardwood Lumber and Lumber Articles, Car- 

 loads, to Become Effective July 1, 1922 

 *XOTE — The amount of reduction shown is the reduction from the full 

 advanced rate that became effective August 26, 1920. The reduction 

 shown below iiicludes the reduction which we secured several months ago. 



. TO 



Buffalo 

 Chicago Detroit Cleveland Pittsburgh New York 



Reduc- Reduc- Reduc- Reduc- Reduc- 



FROM Rate tion Rate tiou Rate tion Rate tion Rate tion 



Missouri — 



Kennett 31 31/2 351/, 4 37 41/, 4x 4i/„ 49 5% 



Arkansas — 



Helena 30Vo 3% 351/2 4 37 4% 38 4 47 5 



Brinkley ... 331/2 3% 38 4 391/2 4% 4iy2 4i/2 49 51/2 



JIarked Tree 32 41/2 36i/4 SVi 36% 5 40 4% 49 5% 



Little Rock. 36 4 40 4% 42 4y2 451/2 5 49 5% 



Camden ... 3814 4 42% 5 HVi 5 47V4 5 49 5% 



Louisiana — 



Alexandria.. 391/2 4% 44 41/2 451/2 5 47% 5 49 5% 



Oakdale 39% 4% 44 4% 45% 5 471/, 5 49 sy^ 



■ New Orleans 38 4 42% 5 44% 5 45% 5 49 5% 



Texas 39% 4% 44 4% 45% 5 47% 5 49 5% 



Mississippi — 



Charleston.. 34 4 39 4% 41 4% 40 4% 49 5% 



Greenville... 34 4 40 4% 41% 4% 42 4% 49 5% 



Vicksburg ..34 4 40 4% 41% 4% 42 4% 49 5% 



Greenwood.. 35% 4 41% 4% 42% 5 41% 4% 49 5% 



Meridian 38 4 42% 4% 44% 5 451,2 5 47 5 



Tennessee — 



Memphis ... 29% 3 34 4 36 4 35% 4 44% 5 



Nashville ... 32 3% 33 3% 34 4 34 4 41% 4% 



Chattanooga. 35% 4 35% 4 35% 4 34 4 41% 4% 



Maryville ..38 4 38 4 38 1% 35 3% 41 4% 



Alabama — 



Gain 35% 3 40 5 42 4% 41i/i 4% 49 5% 



Tuscaloosa.. 35% 4 40 4% 42 4% 43 3 44% 5 



Mobile 38 4 42% 5 44% 5 44% 5 49 5% 



Georgia — 



Macon 39 4% 44 4% 45% 5 44% 5 41 4% 



Florida — 



Marianna ..38 4 42% 5 44% 5 45% 5 47 5 



Kentucky — 



Louisville ..19% 2 21% 2% 22% 3 24% 3 36% 4 



Paducah ... 19% 2 26% 3 28% 3 33 3% 44% 5 



Campbellsville 32 3 32 3% 32 3% 31 3% 45% 5 



Quicksand ..34 4 34 4 34 4 31 4% 42% 5 



North Carolina — 



Asheville .. 42% 4% 42% 4% 42% 4% 39 4% 39 4% 



South Carolina — 



Spartanburg. 45% 5 45% 5 45% 5 44 4% 39 4% 



West Virginia — 



Boyer 33 3% 28% 3 28% 3 28% 3 33 3% 



Pax 33 3% 27% 3% 27% 3% 27% 3% 38 4 



Parkersburg. 23% 2% 20 2% 17% 2 16% 1% 31 3% 



Virginia — 



Lynchburg . . 341/2- 4 29 3 29 3 29 3 31% 3% 



Abingdon... 41 4% 36% 4 35% 3% 37 4% 40% 5 



{Coniiniieil on page 22) 



Chance to Increase American Lumber Sales 



Considering the tact that the eastern European countries have not 

 been able to make satisfactory deliveries since the war, prospects for 

 American lumber and lumber products in Algeria must be sjiid to be en- 

 couraging. It must be noted that our exporters are not handicapped to a 

 similar extent in regard to high freight rates as is the case in other mar- 

 kets located nearer to other sources of supply. In regard to tariff, the 

 United States is in a favorable positiou, — U. S. Commerce Reports. 



