HARDWOOD RECORD 



49 



figured out with accuracy the logical steam 

 pressure and time required to achieve the best 

 results in the handling of various kinds and 

 thicknesses of lumber in the steam bath, and 

 also the time and various degrees of heat nec- 

 essary to be applied for dry-kilning. 



It may be noted that the John Schroeder 

 Lumber Company of Milwaukee, Wis., has 

 employed the Kraetzer method of handling 

 its green maple, preliminary to the manufac- 

 ture of flooring, for about five years. Green 

 maple under this system, as practised by the 

 Milwaukee company, goes to the flooring ma- 

 chines within three days after the lumber 

 is placed in the steaming cylinder, and this 

 result is attained in a slow drying kiln. 



Originally, Mr. Kraetzer made these experi- 

 ments simply for his own work in producing 

 interior finish and cabinet work, but there has 

 been so much interest m&nifested by sundry 

 leading manufacturers in improving their 

 methods of lumber curing and seasoning that 

 he is now organizing a company which will 

 take over his patents and process and market 

 them to the lumber manufacturing and reman- 

 ufaeturing trade. The steaming cylinders 

 will be manufactured at the Chicago plant of 

 the Allis-Chalmers Company of Milwaukee. 

 Illustrated matter and complete engineering 

 plans will be ready for distribution within a 

 few weeks. 



Incidentally, it may be mentioned that this 

 process of curing lumber is an extremely 

 economical one. The live steam required for 

 the steaming of wood is so very little that it 

 requires no extra boiler capacity than that 

 employed in the ordinary sawmill or factory. 

 As a matter of fact, Mr. Kraetzer uses only 

 a sixty horse-power boiler for his factory and 

 for his steam cylinder. Therefore, the extra 

 cost of steaming lumber is reduced simply to 



tlie interest on the investment of jiractically 

 au indestructible and very simple steam cylin- 

 der, closed by patented steam-tight door that 

 works as easily and quickly as a sliding barn 

 door. The expense attached to the dry-kiln, 

 if one chooses to kiln-dry rather than air- 

 dry stock, is a matter of individual judgment. 

 Kilns in present use are adaptable to kiln- 

 drying of steamed lumber with very slight 

 modifications. 



Undeniably, the superficial steaming of lum- 

 ber materially assists in the quickness with 

 which it can be seasoned, but say what you 

 please about steaming lumber without pres- 

 sure, it still is superficial steaming, and while 

 it may break up the cellular structure of the 

 wood on the outer surface, it certainly does 

 not go to the heart of the piece and break up 

 the cells uniformly throughout its entire di- 

 mension. 



The Kraetzer cured lumber process looks 

 to the solving of all the seasoning troubles 

 that have perplexed the lumber trade in the 

 past. The system surely appeals to common- 

 sense. While, scientifically, one knows little 

 about it, it is certain that the result of steam- 

 ing lumber under pressure simply means the 

 breaking up of the cellular structure of the 

 wood, releasing the contents of the wood cells 

 and putting the lumber in the best possible 

 condition, either for air-drying or kiln-drying. 



Sundry specimens of wood seasoned by the 

 Kraetzer process are on exhibition in the office 

 of Hardwood Eecord, and can be seen by 

 anyone interested. Perhaps what will appeal 

 most strongly to lumber manufacturers con- 

 templating employing this process will be that 

 the total cost involved in steaming and drying 

 under the Kraetzer-cured system, will lessen 

 rather than increase the present kiln-drying 

 or yardage expense as ordinarily practiced. 



NeWs Miscellany 



Monthly Meeting Cincinnati Lumbermen's 

 Club 



In reply to a unique invitation sent out by 

 President Cliff S. Walker, a representative gath- 

 ering was in attendance at the monthly meet- 

 ing of the Cincinnati Lumbermen's Club, held 

 at the Gibson House. March 6. A novel method 

 of entertainment was supplied by the committee 

 in charge, the s-crvices of a professional woman 

 society entertainer being engaged, who was 

 screened off from the dining room during the 

 first part of the dinner. Her presence was re- 

 vealed as a pleasant surprise to the diners. 



After the entertainment, the regular order of 

 business was taken up, opening with a reading 

 of the minutes of the previous meeting, follow- 

 ing which the secretary announced a number of 

 communications which he was instructed to read. 

 A letter from the Crescent Lumber Company of 

 Marietta, O., thanked the association for ef- 

 ficient service rendered by the arbitration com- 

 mittee, and expressed entire satisfaction with 

 the findings in the case. 



Various communications relative to the pro- 

 posed closing of the Cincinnati postofflce on Sun- 

 day, from various bodies interested, addressed 

 tc the postmaster and to the postmaster general, 

 were discussed, and caused an interesting de- 

 bate. Finally a motion was proposed indorsing 

 the closing of the postofBce on Sunday, which, 

 after considerable wrangling, was lost by a 

 close vote. 



W. J. Eckman moved the adoption of resolu- 

 tions of the Cincinnati Commercial Association 

 as read. Being duly seconded, a vote was taken 

 and the resolutions indorsed, thus placing the 

 club on record as opposing the closing of the 

 postoflice on Sunday. 



The secretary then read a communication 

 from an exporting firm located at Bahia, Brazil, 

 advising of the purchase of large tracts of tim- 

 ber lands south of that place, and of the early 

 beginning of the exporting of hardwoods from 

 these tracts to the United States and Europe. 

 The company will manufacture various wood.=, 

 including rosewood. Massaranduba, and many 

 others of the finer species. The firm stated th:it 

 it was in the market for sawmill machinery and 

 was also open to negotiations relative to securing 

 suitable representatives. 



The secretary reported that the Wildberg Lum- 

 ber Company had complied with the laws of the 

 association and that as it still desired to sever 

 its connections with the club, he moved that 

 the resignation be accepted, which motion was 

 duly seconded and carried. 



W. A. Bennett called the club's attention to 

 the meritorious work performed by the Receiv- 

 ers and Shippers' Association of Cincinnati, and 

 the fight against the advance freight by the 

 railroads, and stated that the lumbermen were 

 the greatest beneficiaries of this work. He re- 

 viewed the history of the association and touched 

 upon some of the most prominent cases which It 



has handled. He stated further that the Cin- 

 cinnati Receivers and Shippers' Association was 

 the first body of its kind in the country, and 

 that through its success many others have been 

 rnrmed. .\ meeting of the associations from 

 various parts of the country was called a year 

 ago under its au.spices to combat the intended 

 advance in freight rates in all parts of the 

 .-■ouutry. Forty-eight states were represented 

 and the result of their efforts was most ef- 

 fective. 



T. B. Stone, in commenting on Mr. Bennett's 

 remarks, said that the Receivers and Shippers* 

 .A.ssociation was the greatest friend of the lum- 

 ber inter(?sts : that its benefits were beyond com- 

 putation : that it had done more direct good 

 for lumbermen in holding the railroads in check 

 than any other known source. He thought the- 

 suggestion of Mr. Bennett that the club con- 

 tribute .$500 toward the support of the Re- 

 i-'eivers and Shippers' .Vssociation very worthy, 

 and in his opinion the club should subscribe 

 .fr.OO annually. 



President Walker, as a former railroad man, 

 said that he believed the Receivers and Shippers' 

 -Association had saved the Cincinnati lumbermen 

 from $250,000 to $400,000 annually in freight, 

 and that the contrilration of ,$300 a year would 

 b-e little enough in comparison to the benefits 

 received. 



George Morgan moved that the club contribute 

 S'OOO to the Receivers and Shippers' .\ssociation. 

 The motion was carried unanimously. A further 

 motion that the membership be assessed $2r> 

 apiece was also unanimously adopted. 



The president announced that under the con- 

 stitution it became his duty to call the atten- 

 tion of the members to the provision which 

 calls for the appointment of a committee on 

 nominations for the regular ticket by the chair, 

 and that an independent ticket committee be 

 named from the floor. For the regular ticket 

 he named W. H. Bennett, chairman, T. B. Stone 

 and H. .\. HollowcII. The independent ticket 

 named C. F. Korn, chairman. R. McCracken and 

 R. L. Gilbert. The chair instructed the com- 

 mittee to report to the president whenever it was 

 ready or at the April meeting. 



There being no further business, the meeting 

 rd.iourned. 



Semi-Monthly Memphis Lumbermen's Club 



The Lumbermen's Club of Memphis held its 

 tegular semi-monthly meeting at the Hotel 

 Gayoso on March 4. There was a good attend- 

 ance, and a number of visitors. 



Very little new business was transacted. The 

 meeting was given over largely to the hearing 

 of reports of standing or special committees. 

 Mr. Crenshaw, chairman of the entertainment 

 committee, reported that a dinner had been 

 given to President Townsend of the Hardwood 

 Manufacturers' .Association, which was attended 

 by about thirty members. 



J. W. McClure. chairman of the information 

 committee, stated that his committee had broken 

 all precedents by holding a meeting and dis- 

 cussing plans whereby it might be of service to 

 the club. He further stated that, after mature 

 consideration, the committee had decided to look 

 after the following classes of information for the 

 benefit of the members of the club. 



1. .\ny employe who leaves your service and 

 is likely to apply to other club members foi 

 positions. State \vlu^th<'r his services while in 

 your employ were satisfactor.v or otherwise, what 

 position he" filled, and any other information that 

 ma.v be of interest. 



2. Any mill man who violates his contract, 

 breaks faith with you. or otherwise proves him- , 

 self to be unworthy of confidence or credit. 



o. .\ny customer who breaks a contract, re- 

 fuses to comply with terms of sale, makes un- 

 fair and un.iust claims for allowances or proves 

 himself financially weak and unworthy of credit. 

 -Vny case of open fraud, if the facts warrant, 

 will be reported by the committee in open club 

 meeting as a warning to the entire membership. 



4. Any facts or information of interest and 

 importance to the Memphis lumber trade in gen- 

 eral, or to our members in particular. Such 



