HARDWOOD RECORD 



34K 



it a careful study ami have had years of 

 experience ; few have succeeded and several 

 small fortunes have been lost in attempts to 

 master the last block business. 



Among the most successful makers in this 

 , oiintry. and. in fact, the only two in the 

 West who are making a specialty of this 

 line, are the Williams Brothers Company and 

 the Crawford-McGregor and Canby Company 

 of Dayton. O., whoso block factory is located 

 at Oaylord, Mich. A large portion of the 

 lasts used are manufactured in the Kast, par- 

 ticularly in the New England states. Block 

 factories in the eastern states have the ad- 

 vantage over Michigan mills on account of 

 freight rates ; the blocks being heavy and 

 bulky, freight bills are a great item to con- 

 sider. 



.\s the majority of shoes arc made in the 



New England states the greater number of 



last factories are located there. However, 



the superior quality of Michigan maple has 



uabled the Williams and Crawford plants 



to do some business, even in the East. Xot- 

 withstanding the high freight rates against 

 them eastern manufacturers appreciate the 

 high quality of Michigan maple, and the 

 superior grade of blocks made from it. 



The last business is not one of mushroom' 

 growth, but is steady and staple for the con- 

 cerns who have finally succeeded in master- 

 ing the difficulties of the business, which is 

 totally different from any other. 



Some basswood liloeks arc made and arc 

 used for fillers, as it is a light, tough wood; 

 these fillers are used largely by traveling 

 salesmen and in shoe samples in show win- 

 dows, lliey ai-e turned from the same forms 

 as the lasts, fit the shoes perfectly and give 

 them a fine appearance. 



The supply of maple timber in the United 

 States is fovmd principally in northern Wis- 

 consin, Michigan, New York, Xew Ham|)- 

 shire, Vermont and Maine. Michigan has the 

 finest quality and contains the yrcatost por- 

 tion of this valuable timber. 



NeWs Miscellany. 



Curtailment of Production. 



lu makiii^ ;i nient canvass "f vaiioiis mills 

 ,.' llardwiioil .Manufacturers' Association has 

 • and iliat in Kentucky and West Virginia G2 

 l>cr cent of the mills reportinsr to it bave shut 

 Uon-n and that 03 per cent of the monthly out- 

 put has been curtailed. 3 have shut down until 

 January 1. :;(i until .March 1. and the balance 

 Indefinitely. 



In the states of Ohio and Indiana, 43 per 

 lent ii( the mills lepoitins have shut down 

 and ."14 per cent of the monthly output has been 

 curtailed, 3 mills have shut down until January 

 1. 4 until I'eliniary 1. !) until March 1, and the 

 balance indefinitely. 



In the St. I.ouis and Memphis district, in- 



• luding Mississippi Valley south of St. Louis, 

 "."i per cent of the mills reporting have shut 

 down and 70 per cent of the monthly output 

 has been curtailed. 4 have shut down until Jan- 

 uary 1. 4 until February 1. 2 until March 1. 

 4 until April 1. and the balance indefinitely. 



In the district about Nashville and east to the 



• 'umberland mountains. 'T> per <ent of the mills 

 riportlng have shut down and 03 per cent of 

 the monihly output has been curtailed. 



In eastern Tennessee, western North Caro- 

 lina and the Great Smoky mountains, 72 per 

 lent i)f the mills re|mrling have shut dnwu 

 and ."0 per cent of the monthly output has been 

 curtailed. 2 have closed until January 1. 2 until 

 January ir>, 1 until April 1, and the balance 

 Indefinitely. 



In Wisconsin and Michigan O.'i per cent of 

 the mills reporting have shut down and 80 per 

 cent of the monthly output has been curtailed, 

 4 ha\c closed until January 1, 3 until March 1, 

 G until April 1. 1 until May 1. 4 until July 1, 

 and the balance Indefinitely. 



In summing up. It Is found that 343~mill3 

 bave curtailed monthly production from the 

 normal, 159.890,000 feet, to .")2.O."'.8.00O feet, 

 showing the percentage of mills closed down to 

 be 06, and of curtailment, 67 per cent. 



A number of those who arc continuing to 

 operate have advised the association that they 

 are compelled to do so In order to protect them- 

 selves, as the log .supply Is In such condition 

 that It must be sawed at once, and others are 

 under contract to remove timber from certain 

 tracts In a given time, so that at least ~'> per 

 cent of those who will continue running are 

 practically forced to do so. 



Extension Asked. 



Miller ijr»jtlK'rs. wholesale hardwood operators 

 at (j Madison street, Chicago, luive been obliged 

 to ask a general extension from their creditors, 

 of twelve, eighteen and twenty-four months. It 

 is understood that creditors representing sev- 

 ent}--five per cent of the indebtedness have agreed 

 to the proposition, and it is believed that the 

 remainder will fall in line. 



The firm of Miller Brothers is composed of 

 Milton anil Charles Miller, two young and ener- 

 getic brothers who previous to entering business 

 on their own account were associated with the 

 firm of Holmes & Smith of Chicago. The gentle- 

 men are of the highest moral standing and have 

 an excellent knowledge of the lumber business, 

 which includes a large acquaintance with local 

 and nearby factory trade and their require- 

 ments. They commenced business with a capital 

 of somewhat less than $10,000 and originally 

 opened a small yard at Twenty-second and 

 Centre streets. This yard was discontinued at 



limber property, and the recent stringency In 

 financial affairs has necessitated the extension 

 asked for. 



It Is believed that Miller Drothers' assets are 

 iiniple to take care of their debts and leave them 

 a foir surplus, and that If they have the hand- 

 ling of their own affairs the creditors will surely 

 be paid In full. 



New Veneer Plant. 



The I'ark Kalis .Manufacturing Company Is 

 the name cf a new veneer manufacturing con- 

 cern that has Just enmpleted a plant at I'ark 

 Falls. Wis. The factory Is equipped with one 

 Capitol rotary cutter and one rhiiadelphia Tci 

 tile Machinery Company's dryer. E. V. Sherry 

 is president of the concern. J. B. Saunders 

 secretary and 1". I. Boss manager. A stock of 

 logs Is now being accumulated and the i)lant 

 wi.l be started np williiii a U'w (lays. 



Bodley Wagon Co. 



The accompanying illustration shows the fine 

 plant of the Bodley Wagon Company, Memphis. 

 Tvnn.. manufaclurers of a complete line of log 

 cart-s. log wagons, lumber and farm wagons. lum- 

 ber buggies, dump carts, cane wagons and carts. 

 This firm is doubtless one of the oldest in this 

 country manufacturing this particular line of 

 products, having been established in 1S32 at 

 Wheeling. W. Va. Later the company removed 

 to Hampton. Va.. and in 1902 to .Memphis, where 

 it has been in continuous nperation ever since. 

 These changes in location were made so that the 

 plant might at all times be operated near the 

 source of supply of hardwoods, which are used 

 extensively in the manufacture of its products. 



The factory occui)ics a tract of land compris- 

 ing about twenty acres. The buildings are all of 

 modern construction and are equipped through- 

 out with the latest improved ma<-hinery. The 

 main building, which is 120 by ,"iSO feet, is well 

 liglued and ventilated, and contains the wood 

 working department, blacksmith and machine 

 shop, etc., where the ditferent parts of the va- 

 rious kinds of wagons are manufacturetl. L"p- 

 wards of 100 skilled workmen are constantly 

 employed, and the annual output aggregates over 

 300 carloads, which finds a ready sale throughout 

 tlie southern states, .Mexico, Cuba, Central Amer- 

 ica and Demerara, B. G. 



The Bodley Wagon Company's guarantee goes 

 with every shipment made. This concern's rule 

 of good workmanship, good material and cour- 

 teous treatment has l>eeu instrumental In making 

 It one of the largest and best known in its line 

 of business. 



The officers of the Bodley Wagon Company are 



PLANT OF THE BODLEY WAGON COMPANY AT MF.MI'IIIS. TENN. 



the end of two years, and since that time they 

 bave been handling mill e\its largely In the 

 South. The Immediate trouble comes about by 

 attempting to finance several sawmills and some 



men long experienced In the manufacture of 

 wagons; they are: Charles F. Bo<lley, preslilciil 

 Edward .V. Nix, vice president and general man- 

 ager, and ITenry Daspit, secretary and treasurer. 



