Ausnist 10, 1922 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



15 



Michigan Hears Institute Story 



Members Michigan Hardwood Association Receive Earnest Address by C. H. 

 Sherrill — Appoint Amalgamation Committee — Old Officers Re-elected 



The members of tlie Micliigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Asso- 

 ciation met at the Hotel Statler, Detroit, Wednesday, July 26, iu 

 the sixteenth annual meeting. There were many matters of supreme 

 importance to the Michigan organization, the question of proposed 

 amalgamation of the Northern Hemlock and Hardwood Manu- 

 facturers' ABsoeiatiou involving a single office to be maintained 

 at Chicago being considerably discussed. This aetivit.y resulted 

 in the appointment of a committee composed of W. L. Martin, 

 Shebo.vgan; Geo. C. Brown, Cadillac; W. L. Martin, Traverse City; 

 John Wentworth, Bay City. This amalgamation committee is to 

 meet with a similar committee appointed from the Northern Hem- 

 lock and Hardwood association to determine whether or not the 

 plan is feasible and desirable, and secondly, what steps are neces- 

 sary if it is decided to make the change. 



In order to provide sufficient funds for this and similar work, it 

 was decided that the officers are authorized to levj' an assessment 

 of three cents a thousand feet sales for the lower peninsula, and 

 one and a half cents a thousand feet sales for the upper peninsula, 

 with minimum assessment of $100 per member. 



Re-elect Old Officers 

 The association went on record in the matter of officers for the 

 past year by re-electing the entire slate for the coming year. Thus 

 F. 0. Barden, Boyne City, becomes president; W. N. Wrape, Bay 

 City, first vice-president; J. L. Colby, Cadillac, second vice- 

 president; George C. Brown, Cadillac, treasurer; J. C. Knox, 

 Cadillac, secretary. 



The Secretary's Report 



The address of J. C. Knox was most interesting and instructive. 

 Secretary Knox reviewed the history of the organization since it 

 was organized at Ottawa Beach in August, 1906. In reference to 

 the activities of the association he referred to monthly statistical 

 reports of stock shipments, production, etc., the monthly woods, 

 mill and yards average wage report. He stated the stock report of 

 July 1 showed a complete list of stock of members as of that 



date, revealiui; rjO.OOO.uuO feet less unsold hardwoods than a year 

 ago. 



Mr. Knox referred to the July 1 cut in railroad rates, making 

 the observation that this is insufficient to place rail rates in line 

 with other reductions, referring to the fact that as representing 

 the association he had found it necessary to intervene in southern 

 rate cases and appeared before the Interstate Commerce Commis- 

 sion at Washington on April 28 in order to get into the records 

 the needs of the Michigan shippers of hardwoods for reduced rates 

 as compared with rates effective from competing territories. He 

 pointed out the other matters of importance to come before the 

 meeting. 



Saunders Reports on Standardization 



President Barden then called upon W. L. Saunders, Cadillac, for 

 a report of Standardization Conferences at Chicago and more 

 latterly at Washington. Mr. Saunders spoke as follows: 



On the committee for the lumbermen's interest would be John W 

 Blodgett. John H. Kirby and C. -A.. Goodman, for the manufacturers; 

 the president of the national retailers' association, president of the 

 national wholesale association I American Wholesale Lumber Associa- 

 tion was meant 1, and a representative of the engineers and repre- 

 sentative of the architects. 



They had a bunch of engineers at Madison who instigated another 

 set of rules that are going to change the entire lumber business. These 

 young fellows that never saw a log busted open, I don't think, still 

 they are going to tell us how the lumber is going to be graded. These 

 rules are all submitted for adoption, and are held in abeyance for this 

 future conference. 



Now when %ve were in Washington the west was there very strong, 

 and they adopted almost all sizes. There were just a few they could 

 not agree upon and referred back to the convention. Those same 

 sizes were taken up at Chicago and busted, liecause the south was 

 there strong and the west was not. Somebody some time, whether 

 an engineer or architect or wholesaler, has got to get close enough to 

 the others to say whether a 2x4 shall be l%x3% or something else. 

 Somebody has got to say that, and when it is said, it is going to be 

 standardized by the government and the engineers of the country will 

 adopt that as a standard. 



As far as sizes are concerned I don't know as we are interested on 

 hai-dwoods. I have taken the position on hemlock that as far as 

 possible we are supplying the size that the trade wants. As to hard- 

 \voods I have said that they don't go into the building to any extent; 

 "I don't want to take your time and don't want you to take mine." 

 We will give our customers what they want and don't want any one 

 else to bother us; and from now on I don't think I will spend much 

 of my time in this standardization project. It is a matter for the 

 builders to get together on. The south wants thicker lumber if they 

 can get it because their haul is shorter and it looks like a competitive 

 advantage. On the other hand the consumer's interest must be looked 

 after. I think it ciufstinnable whether he wants it thick or thin. 



F. O. Barden 

 President 



W. L. Saunders 

 of Cadillac, Mich. 



