301j 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



November 25, 1918 



cause It resembled the other mahogany In appearance and had other good 

 qualities. 



The fact that African mahogany is not really mahogany (and so stated 

 In U. S. Gov't Forestry Bulletin), technically speaking, has never militated 

 against it, and rightly. Most of the criticisms which It suffered at first 

 were simply the same old stock objections which from time Immemorial 

 have always been made to any new wood when first marketed, viz. : that 

 It warped more than the older wood, that it dulled the tools, that it was 

 difficult to finish, hard to work, etc., etc. These objections were gradually 

 overcome and African "mahogany" through its real merits established it- 

 self (In spite ot the fact that its name is "kiwya sciicgalcnsis" instead of 

 "swictcnia malwgani"). Does Mr. Record claim ".\frlcan" is exempt from 

 his "true" test? 



Philippine mahogany during the past twelve years has gone through 

 Identically the .same experience. The jirejudlces of 190G to 1908, due 

 partly to inexperienced dealers selling soft wormy pattern wood to old 

 fashioned cabinet makers, and hard heavy figured wood to speed boat 

 builders using the light weight stock ; partly to skilful spiritualistic 

 phenomena (lommonly called "rappings"), carried on by salesmen selling 

 more expensive woods ; and partly due to that trait of human nature 

 which naturally hates to adopt anything new, have been overcome. 



At the present time it is firmly established. Its qualities are under- 

 stood, it is marketed, we believe with some degree of intelligence ; at 

 least, we take great pains to give each customer, wood adapted, in tex- 

 ture, color, figure and the like, to his particular requirements. That this 

 Is a gtjod I)usiness policy and also that it results in satisfied customers 

 is proven by the phenomenal growth of the business and also by the fact 

 that practically all the customers we have made have come hack for more 

 wood, in spite of its unfortunate botanical name. 



When Mr. Meeker or any of your staff are next in this vicinity we wish 

 you would stop and look over the stock ot rhillppine mahogany on our 

 yard at Long Island city. We know, as lumbermen, you will be interested 

 in what we have to show you. We are always glad to send samples of 

 the wood, large enough ones to show what it looks like, and if you would 

 care to have some, we will send them to you, carefully marked "Philip- 

 pine" so they will not be mistaken for African, in case the recipient 

 happens to have left his microscope at home. 



May we trespass on your good nature for space enough to say one more 

 thing? We wish Mr. Record would not call us "promoters," either with 

 or without quotation marks. We are plain lumliermen and the name 

 "promoters" does not fit the Indiana Quartered Oak Company, nor we 

 are sure does it fit our friends, the Nicola, Stone & Myers Company, or 

 the Robert Dollar Lumber Company. 



Thanking you tor your courtesy in again opening your columns to us, 

 we are 



INDHNA Quartered Oak Co., 



IlEUBBRT Mead, Jr., 



Vice-President. 



•(The reader's attention is called to Bulletin 474. entitled "True Ma- 

 hogany, " issued by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest 

 Service, Washington, D. C, written by C. D. Mell, forest examiner.) 



Meeting of Wholesale Bureau 



The National Bureau of Wholesale Lumber Distributors met on 

 Friday ami Saturday of last week, at the Congress hotel, Chicago, at 

 the time of flie general lumber mass meeting. 



President Louis Germaine of the Germaine Company, Pittsburgh, 

 Pa., was in the chair, assisted by Secretary C. W. Cantrell. The 

 meeting was a rather informal affair, having no set program, but was 

 given over to general discussions of the wholesale distribution of lum- 

 ber. The subjects covered tlie present status of the wholesale ele- 

 ment and future question^ whicli must have definite consideration and 

 solution. 



The session started on Friday afternoon, the speakers on that oc- 

 ■casion being Prof. E. C. Bryant of tlie United States Forest Service 

 and Capt. George M. Chambers, formerly secretary of the Kendal! 

 Lumber Company, Pittsburgh, who resigned to take up war work 

 as chief of the lumber section of the war department. 



Prof. Bryant talked on the general question of lumber export as 

 affected by present and prospective European and South American 

 markets. He went into detail as to fields that lumber is to find in 

 those countries and uses to which lumber may be put at such destina- 

 tion. 



The subject of Capt. Chambers' talk was the disposal of lumber 

 now on government order and uot yet shipped, and lumber that has 

 been shipped to government agencies not yet used, and of the salvage 

 of excess lumlier now in place in many deiiartmental buildings, such 

 as camps, etc. 



Capt. Oiambers went very fully into these questions, making the 



recommendation that the lumbermen send a delegation of competent 

 nient to Wasliington in order, through proper advice and conference, 

 to regulate the distribution of this surplus stock so that it may 

 not disturb the normal markets for lumber. 



The balance of the Friday session was given over to a discussion of 

 tliese questions as tliey came up. 



The chair appointed a resolutions committee at the afternoon ses- 

 sion w'hich was to report on Saturday. 



The Saturday 's session was held in the morning terminating with 

 a very pleasing luncheon at noon. The principal speaker was Hon. 

 .Jos. E. Davies, counsel for the commission. Mr. Davies made a very 

 pleasing talk, congratulating the wholesalers upon their present status 

 due to official recognition of legitimate wholesale merchants as being 

 an essential factor in the distribution of commodities. He compli- 

 mented the association upon its excellent brief prepared by the presi- 

 ilent and secretary, and submitted in favor of the wholesalers' bureau. 



The report of the treasurer sliowed the association to be in excellent 

 financial condition, there being a balance of about $20,000 on hand. 



The main resolutions covered the question of railroad purchases of 

 lunil)cr and question of distribution of the surplus lumber above re- 

 ferred to. The railroad resolution requested that the railroad admin- 

 istration proceed witli its purchase of lumber witliout waiting to do 

 too much shopping after prices, so that the movement of lumber into 

 necessary railroad consumption may proceed without delay and that 

 ucu'mal markets for lumber may not be unduly affected by withhold- 

 ing of this legimate businees. A resolution on surplus lumber had 

 to do with the establishment of concentration yards and the sugges- 

 tion that this work be turned over to the wholesalers' bureau. 



Northerners Discuss Foreign Trade 



Members of the Michigan and Wisconsin lumber organizations held 

 conferences during the mass meeting at Chicago having to do mainly 

 with efforts to line up the foreign trade. The main point under dis- 

 cussion was the question of sending Eoy H. Jones, now manager of 

 the Washington oflSee of the Northern Hardwood Emergency Bureau, 

 across for extensive study and development of foreign markets. 

 Michigan seemingly would benefit mostly from such propaganda, as 

 maple flooring would be the chief item, and Michigan members are 

 alreaily very much in favor of the project, but Wisconsin is withhold- 

 ing its support until after the Atlantic City meeting of the Chamber 

 of Commerce of the United States, as it may be determined at i^iis 

 session and through conferences there between representatives of the 

 northern lumbermen just what the prospects may be for lining up 

 such business. Mr. Jones will be in attendance with data he is gather- 

 ing on what will be purchased, how purchasing may be done and on 

 other pertinent points. 



It seems it is not .yet sure whether these purchases may be made 

 on the other side, and whether or not foreign purchasing agencies 

 may not be established on this side. 



M. J. Fox of Iron Mountain, Mich., was chosen tlie delegate of 

 the Northern Hemlock and Hardwood Manufacturers' Association to 

 attend the Oiamber of Commerce meeting. 



Operators' Union Formed In Memphis 



The sawyers an<l filers of a number of mills in Memphis and else- 

 where in tlie Memphis territory have formed the Sawyers and Filers' 

 union, Init the latter has neither demanded nor received recognition 

 from the mills. Furthermore it has not yet formulated a scale of 

 wages. It is estimated that there are between twenty-five and thirty 

 members of the union, representing about three fourths of the mills in 

 Mempliis and some outside of Memphis. The mills are generally pay- 

 ing sawyers and filers .$7 to $H per day. 



Sawmill interests in Memphis and elsewhere in tluit territory are 

 not pleased with formation of this union, but the former have not, as 

 yet, taken positive action in regard to the matter and may not do so 

 for some time. The subject has been informally discussed and it 

 would seem, from information available, that sawmill interests are 

 standing together on the iiroposition. 



