August 10, 1922 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



19 



California's Most Majestic White Oak Tree 



About sixteen miles west of Paso Eobles, 

 in San Louis Obispo county, and near the 

 2,600-acre ranch of the noted Paderewski, 

 stands the biggest white oak tree in the 

 state of California. 



It is located on the "Pair Oaks'' ranch, 

 formerly known as the "Old Kentucky" 

 ranch, owned by the Fair Oaks Land Com- 

 pany, of which Morris B. Ayers, a relative 

 of the Ayers of almanac name, is president. 



This famous old tree stands about 127 

 feet high, and its branches have a spread 

 of 131 feet. It measures 44 feet in circum- 

 ference at the ground, and 28 feet 5 inches 

 in circumference for four feet above the 

 ground. 



The loads of acorns burdening its 

 branches and strewing the earth beneath 

 make it a most tempting stamping ground 

 for the herds of cattle of 

 the vicinity. No less than 

 ninety-nine head of cattle 

 and two horses have been 

 counted enjoying its cool 

 shade at one time, and 

 there was still plenty of 

 room for a quarter of a hun- 

 dred more without crowd- 

 ing. 



Standing alone, its 

 branches literally filled with 

 mistletoe, and its entire top 

 trimmed with the exquisite 

 lace moss common to that 

 vicinity, it presents an im- 

 posing spectacle. 



This choice specimen 

 barely escaped the wood- 

 man 's ax some time ago, 



Monarch of **Fair Oaks." 



when its owners entered into a contract 

 with a resident of the community, by the 

 terms of which he agreed to chop it down 

 and work it up into stove wood for the 

 neat consideration of $500. When he had 

 made all his preparations for the Herculean 

 task, the owners relented, and it is said 

 paid him $100 to leave the work undone. 

 About two years ago this tree was en- 

 tered in a contest held by a certain maga- 

 zine, which sought to locate the largest 

 white oak tree in the state. At that time 

 it was claimed that a certain tree near 

 Hollister, in San Benito county, out- 

 stripped it by a small margin, but the 

 growth of this tree has been so marked 

 during the last two years that it is now 

 r-afe to say it has passed its closest com- 

 petitor, and now enjoys the proud distinc- 

 tion of monarch of the Cal- 

 ifornia forest. 



Its rapid growth may be 

 attributed to its wonderful 

 condition. The first thing 

 that strikes the attention 

 of the observer is the ab- 

 solute absence of dead wood. 

 Every twig and branch ap- 

 pears to be green and sen- 

 sitively alive, and the tree 

 as a whole gives fair prom- 

 ise of continued growth for 

 a long time to come. 



It was exhibited by sev- 

 eral moving picture houses 

 .it San Francisco during the 

 I'anama Exposition as one 

 of the wonders ,of Califor- 

 nia. 



Praise Men Who Keep Trains Running 



The Southern Hardwood Traffic Association at its semi-annual 

 meeting at the Hotel Gayoso, August 9, unanimously adopted ring- 

 ing resolutions pledging its support to those men wlio have continued 

 their services to the public or who have accepted service under the 

 emergency and thus made possible continued operation of the trans- 

 portation system of the country, and also to the railroad executives 

 and the public officials who are seeking to continue operation of the 

 railroads and to protect every man in his right to work. The asso- 

 ciation in the preamble to the resolutions declared that restoration 

 of sonority to the striking shopmen would be an indefensible in- 

 justice to those men who have made possible operation of the roads 

 since the strike began. Copies were ordered sent to President Har- 

 ding and the Railway Labor Board. J. V. Norman, attorney for the 

 association, in a strong appeal for tlie resolutions, asserted that the 

 strike must be fought out now however much it may hurt, and he 

 was ably supported by all present. 



Mr. Norman and Frank Carnahan, eastern representative of the 

 association, both told the lumbermen that the transportation situation- 

 will become extremely critical in tlie immediate future even if the 

 railway and coal strikes are settled at once and that it would probably 

 continue .so for practically the entire winter. Both urged that the 



association send heads of member firms to Washington to assist in 

 securing the liardwood industry's share of available ears on the 

 ground that tlie personal equation is highly important. The associ- 

 ation authorized the appointment of a committee of twelve to fifteen 

 such men for tliis purpose and it also decided upon the appointment 

 of a standing committee on car service as a step in the same direction. 

 Mr. Carnahan stated that the car shortage is worse in the south than 

 in any other part of the country which made conditions highly un- 

 favorable for the hardwood industry. He suggested, however, that 

 steps are now being taken to afford partial relief by sending engine 

 men into this territory and also by diverting empty cars thereto. 

 The membersliiii committee reported 88 additions during the past 

 seven months, while the report of J. H. Townshend, secretary-man- 

 ager, indicated tremendous savings to shippers through the oflieient 

 service of the organization. 



Joins Hoffman Brothers 



Oiris A. Evans, manager of the Memphis Offices of the Louisiana 

 Red Cypress Company, left Memphis the evening of August 1 to 

 accept a position with the Hoffman Brothers Company, Fort 

 Wayne, Ind. Up to the time he left there, his successor had not 

 been appointed. 



