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HARDWOOD RECORD 



July 10, 1922 



Donald R. Brewster 



Expert Consultant 

 OPERATION OF LUMBER DRY KILNS 



28 Blymer Building. Cincinnati. Oliio 



TRAINING OF KILN OPERATORS A SPECIALTY 



Nevertheless, aJl other conditions being favorable, good results can 

 be obtained with systematic attention in these kilns. 



Ideal Drying Arrangements 



If it were practically possible to construct and maintain a kiln so 

 as to keep the moist air outflow and the fresh air inflow in a perfect 

 state of balance continually, irrespective of atmospheric influences, and 

 to employ the gradually increasing vapor tension within the kiln as the 

 only motive power in the intermittent ejection of the accumulating sur- 

 plus moisture, we would have the ideal kUn, from the standpoint of 

 moisture removal at least. Since this cannot be accomplished, it is 

 necessary to make use of the gravity difference between the warmer 

 (and lighter) inside air, and the colder (and heavier outside air, and 

 the varying condition of the latter makes careful and continuous atten- 

 tion rather necessary to successful drying of hardwoods in kilns of 

 this type. 



In some ventilated kilns air exchange is aimed at through vapor 

 expansion, supplemented hy aspirating steam loops in the exit flues, 

 and carefully counterbalanced dampers on top of these flues are used 

 to regulate this air movement. Fresh air supply is by hand regulation. 



The only means to correctly ascertain the humidity condition of the 

 kiln at the disposal of the operator is the Hygrometer, and this can be 

 considered as reliable only if used in rapidly moving air. An ordinary 

 dry and wet bulb thermometer used in still air will not indicate exact 

 wet bulb temperature and is misleading in nine cases out of ten. 



Excepting the moist air blower kilns or the Tiemann Spray Kilns, 

 where the condition of the rapidly moving air can easily be determined 

 by a hygrometer placed into the duct, the operator should have a 

 hygrometer which creates rapid air movement over the wet bulb ther- 

 mometer by means of an electrically driven small fan. Provision 

 should therefore be made for electric connections on the outside of the 

 kUns, between the doors, and moisture-proof extensions of suflScient 

 length will enable the operator to place the hygrometer well into the 

 kUn, sufficiently distant from the door, to obtain the true condition 

 of the kiln air. Even with the fan attachment at least five-minute 

 running of the fan at the desired location is essential for a correct 

 reading. 



Recording hygrometers with long extensions, the bulbs properly 

 located in the kiln, arc very desirable, because they permit continuous 

 reading of the kiln conditions without entry of the kiln or disturbance 

 of these conditions by opening of doors, and at the same time furnish 

 a continuous record, but such instruments cannot furnish even ap- 

 proximately correct information, unless regularly inspected and taken 

 care of, and unless located in moving air, or better still, when equipped 

 with some means for mechanical movement of the air over the wet bulb, 

 which latter, however, is somewhat difficult to maintain in a kiln in 

 which high humidity must prevail at times, or where lumber has to be 

 steamed on occasion. 



In conclusion, the writer wishes to strongly impress the statement 

 that the very best kiln equipment which human ingenuity may design 

 and construct will supply only about one-fifth of the successful results 

 desired; the other four fifths must come from the competent, careful 

 and systematic management of this kiln equipment. 



{Concluded) 



Special Study of Blue Stain to be Made 



A special trip to the southern states to study sap stains and molds on 

 both hardwoods (principally gum) and pines (southern yellow pine) is 

 being made during June by E. E. Hubert, a representative of the Forest 

 Products Laboratory, and the Bureau of Plant Pathology. The principal 

 ■wood-using association headquarters and the Important regions con- 

 cerned In the problem of control will be visited in the following order : 

 St. tiouis, Missouri ; Greenwood, Mississippi ; Shreveport, Louisiana ; 

 Alexandria, Louisiana ; New Orleans, Louisiana ; Bogalusa, Louisiana ; At- 

 lanta, Georgia ; Nashville, Tennessee ; Memphis, Tennessee. 



Mcllvain Discusses Improvement in Lumber Business and Rise 

 of Ovyn Firm 



"A ten per cent increase in the lumber trade has so far been shown 

 this year over the same period of last year, caused by the slow but cer- 

 tain increase in business in the past few months in all kinds of indus- 

 tries in Philadelphia," according to J. Gibson Mcllvain, president of the 

 J. Gibson Mcllvain Company, Inc.. of 5Sth street and Woodlawn avenue. 

 Philadelphia, Pa. "I cannot give an exact statement of fact concerning 

 the amount of lumber that will be sold this year, but I feel sure it will 

 certainly be of greater percentage than the year of 1921. The city of 

 Philadelphia, itself, has always demonstrated great progress in industrial 

 development, starting from the early days of its foundation up to the 

 present time. The building of the Delaware River bridge and the future 

 Scsqui Centennial to be held here in 1926 are good examples of the con- 

 tinuing prosperity of our city ; an idea of the rapid growth of the lumber 

 trade can be given by tracing the rise of the J. Gibson Mcllvain Com- 

 pany from the beginning. 



"The J. Gibson Mcllvain Company started business in 1789 in the 

 vicinity of 34th and Market streets. Its founder was Hugh Mcllvain, my 

 great grandfather. Like most men of his time, he had a modest beginning, 

 but by ISOl, due to a rapidly growing business, he took his brother, 

 Richard, into the firm as a partner, the organization then being known as 

 Richard and Hugh Mcllvain from 1801 to 1832. On the death of his 

 brother, Hugh continued the business as H, Mcllvain from 1832 to 1835. 

 He was joined by his son James in 1835 and the tirm became known as 

 H. Mcllvain and Son from 1835 to 1838. with the olBce and yard moved 

 to the corner of 34th and Market streets. 



In 1S39, the brother of James joined the firm and James and Hugh 2nd 

 wont under the name of James and Hugh Mcllvain. 



It was around this time in 1839, in the beginning years of the busi- 

 ness, that the lumber was cut in the northern part of the state. It con- 

 sisted principally of hickory, oak and white pine and was shipped down 

 the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers on rafts. About 1854 a change was 

 made in securing the logs, as the supply had by this time run out in the 

 state. The lumber was then cut in upper New York state and sent down 

 the Hudson river on rafts from Albany to New York city ; here it went 

 by way of the canal from New York to Trenton and from Trenton to Phila- 

 delphia by way of the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. 



The year 1854 saw also some new changes made in the personnel of the 

 company. On the death of his brother James, Hugh Mcllvain conducted 

 the firm as Hugh Mcllvain from 1854 to 186S. In 1868 Hugh let his 

 son, J. Gibson, my grandfather, into the business and it was known as 

 Hugh Mcllvain and Son, The firm continued under this name until 1879, 

 when on the death of Hugh Mcllvain, his son James carried the business 

 on by himself under the same name until 1883. The style was changed 

 and read J. Gibson Mcllvain. This lasted till 1888, when J. Gibson, my 

 father and his brother, Hugh 3d, came into the organization, changing the 

 name to J. Gibson Mcllvain and Company. This name has held ever 

 since and is the great name in the company. 



In 1898 we celebrated our One Hundredth Anniversary by a removal 

 of our office and yard from 34th and Market streets to 5Sth and Wood- 

 land avenue. Here we had the increased facilities of 2,500 feet of track- 

 age in our yard, as both the Pennsylvania and the Baltimore & Ohio rail- 

 roads ran tracks into our place. We were enabled, being but a short 

 distance from the Schuylkill river, to receive and ship lumber by rail and 

 water. A large shed was built, which has been so increased in size from 

 time to time, that today it has a capacity for storing 16,000,000 feet under 

 cover. We are, therefore, in a position to handle lumber of all kinds 

 to the best advantage. 



"In 1903 I entered the firm and it was then conducted by J. G. Mcllvain, 

 Hugh Mcllvain and J. G. Gibson Mcllvain, Jr. In 1908 my brother 

 Walter joined. My father died on February 9, 1920, and my uncle, H. 

 Mcllvain, retired from the firm on July 23, 1920. On December 1, 1920, 

 the J. Gibson Mcllvain Company purchased the business, under which style 

 it has since been conducted. The present officers are : J. G. Mcllvain, 

 president ; Walter B. Mcllvain, vice-president ; Benjamin Heritage, secre- 

 tary, and Harry Z. Harrison, treasurer. The directors are composed of 

 the above officers and Frank N. Worrell and Russell Duane. 



"The business has changed hands from succeeding generation to suc- 

 ceeding generation three times. Each member of the family on taking 

 charge has added some new improvement in the method of handling the 

 lumber or some new addition to the yard or office. 



"As it has Ijeen formerly, It Is also our intention today to carry a 

 well assorted stock of the different varieties of hardwoods, white pine, 

 yellow pine and general building lumber, so as to be prepared to fill any 

 orders at any time promptly from a well-seasoned stock. The fact that we 

 have carried the business on from succeeding generation to succeeding 

 generation with a continuing volume of trade surely speaks well for the 

 quality of our lumber and sen^ice, and shows we still have a prosperous 

 future ahead of us." 



