,'f5 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Some Phases of Handle Production 



FUTURE OF THE BEOOM HANDLE 

 BUSINESS 



Jt seeiiis that rlit' tendency of the times 

 is to ilo away with the common corn broom 

 entirely, judging from the number of dif- 

 ferent inventions being' markefed under the 

 name of carpet sweepers, vacuum cleaners, 

 etc. But nevertheless there are new fac- 

 tories being constantly erected to manufac- 

 ture the old stj'le broom. Judging the sit- 

 uation from the viewpoint of a manufac- 

 turer of broom handles, though the writer 

 is not interested in a broom or carpet sweep- 

 er factory, it does not seem that the situa- 

 tion will prove at all embarrassing for our 

 line of trade. Our factory is already be- 

 ginning to supply the vacuum cleaner plants 

 and has for some time supplied handles for 

 the carpet sweepers. No matter what kind 

 of a machine they invent or sell for the 

 cleaning of carpets, the broom handle manu- 

 facturer will get his share of the business, 

 for they all have handles and the wooden 

 handle is the only logical one. Some ex- 

 porters have been trj-ing for several years 

 to force the broom men to use the bamboo 

 handle, but so far they have accomplished 

 but little in this direction. Aside from the 

 fact that a woman prefers a nice smooth 

 maple handle, the bamboo is not practically 

 adapted for this purpose, as it is too light, 

 is knotty, and on account of splitting so 

 easily at the end, it is almost impossible to 

 tie a broom to one. 



Till' broom handle trade for the past three 

 mouths has been in a better condition than 

 any time for the last three years. Prices 

 on all grades have been advanced and are 

 still increasing. This is in spite of the 

 fact that there is not a shortage of han- 

 dles, except in some of the highest grades 

 where short lengths, some of them in lower 

 grades, will be substituted. It is this low- 

 grade problem in the broom handle trade 

 which presents an aspect similar to the 

 low grade problem in the hickory and ash 



BY H. B. ALEXANDER 



)jandh' ti'ade. When they can be marketed, 

 it is usually below the cost of manufac- 

 ture. This condition is traceable to the 

 fact that the broom manufacturers will not 

 touch anything but the very best handles, 

 a policy which is wrong in itself, as the 

 Xo. 1 grade is every bit as good for all 

 practical purposes. The question is merely 

 one of looks and not of trtility, and eveu at 

 that the defect is often covered up by the 

 broom or the label. Of course as the grade 

 is lower, the quality of handles is propor- 

 tionately poorer, but even in the poorest 

 grades manufai'tured, the handles will 

 iiftimes outwear the broom itself. 



It used to be that tlie broom handle manu- 

 facturer had only to buy his saws and han- 

 dle lathes, when he would be ready to make 

 handles. He usually either finished them 

 in a tumbler or did not give them any finish 

 at all. Now, however, he is expected to 

 do all sorts of things never dreamed of be- 

 fore. In our owQ factory we have not only 

 tlie usual saws and lathes, but have Sand- 

 ers, automatic ohucker and borer, wood 

 drilling machine, threading machine, va- 

 riety machine, rod machine and painting 

 rigs, and still find that sometimes we are 

 called upon to do something for which we 

 are not equipped. For instance, recently 

 we had to make up a lot of handles, which 

 after being turned had to have three dif- 

 ferent sized holes bored into them and a 

 three-sixteenth slot cut down one side near- 

 ly full length, and had to have a square cut 

 uu two sides of the butt end and then be 

 painted. As a rule I do not believe it is 

 the thing for a broom handle manufacturer 

 to attempt any other kind of handles or 

 turnings, except where they do not inter- 

 fere with the handle lathes or work, or 

 where they are made from the culls or 

 from the accumulation of lumber that is too 

 thin for the regular handles. Verging in 

 this way from the regular routine upsets the 

 entire force and the working svstem. 



Chicago Hardwood Lumber Ex= 

 change Discusses Consolidation 



Following the conclusion of the usual eu- 

 joyable luncheon of the Chicago Hardwood 

 Lumber Exchange, held at the Union League 

 on Friday, February 17, President Brown 

 called the meeting to order by asking the 

 secretary to call the roll, but asked that the 

 minutes of the previous meeting be omitted. 



The chairman of the publicity committee, 

 Harvey S. Hayden, said that he trusted that 

 the little booklet that was just distributed 

 •nould be self-explanatory. He also men- 

 tioned the Lumber Sales Managers' meet- 

 ing, to be held at the Auditorium February 

 23, and said he thought it would be a help 

 to the trade to have as many present as pos- 

 sible. 



Oliver U. Alger, chuirmau of the trade 

 committee, stated that things had been mov- 

 ing slowly, and he hoped that some agree- 

 n.ent would soon be reached. 



A letter was then read by the secretary 

 from E. E. Hooper, secretary of the Lum- 

 bermen's Association of Chicago, in regard 

 (o reducing insurance rates, which follows: 

 Chicago, Feb. 14, 1911. 

 F. L. Browu. ['resident, Chicago Hardwood Lum- 

 Dcr Exchange. 



Dear Sir : The question o£ a reduction in the 

 insurance on lumber yards in Chicago has been 

 under consideration by our Trade Committee and 

 the Chicago Board of Underwriters for several 

 months. Mr. Boles, president Lord & Bushnell 

 Company, and the writer took Mr. Glidden, man- 

 agei-. iind Mr. i ;nod\Aillie, inspector of the Chicago 



Board of Underwriters, over our" yards some 

 time ago, for the purpose of acquainting them 

 with tlio sitvuilion and conditions of the different 

 yards now as compared with ten years ago, and 

 WG are pleased to note that they acknowledged 

 that a great change had been made in the bettei-- 

 ment of conditions, as the yards are scattered 

 to such an extent that they are not an exposure 

 within themselves. 



Since that time I have had several conferences 

 with Jfr, Glidden and at the last one I informed 

 liim lliat imr Trade Committee desired a meeting 

 with tln' Board of Underwriters to discuss tbt» 

 question of reduction in the present basis of 

 rates. He informed me that they would not hold 

 a meeting until some time in April, and in view 

 of this fact, if a meeting of our association wen- 

 called, he would be glad to attend to explain thr 

 insurance situation and would probably make 

 some recommendations that might assist us in 

 nor contention for a reduction, 



.\t the last meeting of our Board of Director* 

 I he above report was made by me and the follow- 

 ing resolution was adopted : 



Resolved, That this insurance matter be re- 

 ferred to the Trade Committee with full power 

 to act in arranging such a meeting at an early 

 date, and that they be requested to endeavor to 

 secure the co-operation of the members of the 

 t'hicago Hardwood Lumber Exchange who an- 

 yard dealers and the Millmen's Association. 



It was the sense of the meeting that a noon- 

 day lunch be held with Mr. Glidden present to 

 talk on insurance, I have communicated with 

 .Mr. Glidden and he informs me that he would be 

 pleased to attend the lunch any day after Feb- 

 ruary 22, 



I would be glad if you w-ould present this 

 proposition to your meeting on B^riday and ad- 

 vise me as to whether your members, who are 

 yard dealers, would attend, as it is our desire to 

 have as large a meeting as possible. When date 

 is definitely arranged will advise you. Yours 

 truly, B. B. Hoopeh, Secretary. 



Herman H. Hettler, a member of the ex- 

 change and also a member of the Lumber- 

 men 's Association, was then called upon by 

 President Brown to give a few remarks re- 

 garding insurance. He briefly discussed the 

 matter, saying that he knew insurance rates 

 were not fixed by accident. Some years ago, 

 he said, they all received some cuts of $1..50 

 on rates, the last cut bringing the rate down 

 to $1. Present statistics show that the rates 

 are too high, also that the mutual one-price 

 prevailed in smaller towns. Mr. Hettler had 

 discussed the matter with Mr. Glidden, in- 

 spector of the board of underwriters, who 

 seemed to think that there might be some 

 chance of having rates reduced throu.gh a 

 joint meeting of the two interests, 



A motion was then carried to the effect 

 that a joint meeting be held between the 

 Lumbermen's Association of Chicago and the 

 i^'hicago Hardwood Lumber Exchange, 



Joseph H. Dion, chairman of the member- 

 ship committee, announced the application of 

 the following five nev\' firms: W. B. Crane 

 & Co,, Messinger Lumber Company, F. T. 

 Hand & Co., W. H. Spear & Co. and Frank 

 1. Abbott, which were duly passed on and 

 accepted by the exchange. 



G. F. Kerns, chairman of the special . eom- 

 uiittee on stocks, was unable to give a com- 

 ]ilete report because only one meeting had 

 been held. A motion was then made and 

 i-arried to the effect that the report be re- 

 turned to the committee for completion. 



The next topic introduced by President 



