Uei'cmljer 25, 1018 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



33 



(Coiidiiuid from page 241 

 proper entertainment of the visiting lumbermen of whom there were 

 about 250 present. The chief feature took place on Tuesday night, 

 it being in the form of a sumptuously arranged smoker. The prin- 

 cipal entertainment was a series of lively boxing matches between 

 soldier toxers from Camp Taylor, outside of Louisville, under the 

 direction of world renowned Packey McFarland. There was a 

 series of six or eight extremely good bout.s. In fact, the exhibition 

 was far better as a whole than one would be apt to see by paying 

 admission to view scrappers in the professional ranks. 



The final number was a burlesque feature between Packey Mc- 

 Farland on one side and a big husky stevedore^ on the other. Max 

 Sondheimer was unanimously elected to referee the match and 

 after he had raised the hand of Packey 's opponent as a sign of 

 victory, McFarland stated Mr. Sondheimer had the honor of being 

 the first referee rendering a decision against him. As a side issue to 

 this show the side tables around the rooms and in the anterooms 

 were heavily burdened with everything that the hungry and thirsty 

 lumbermen might desire. 



John M. Pritchard Presented with Silver Service 



One of the incidents at the meeting was a dinner given by the 

 former members of the Southern Hardwood Emergency Bureau, 

 which was organized to carry on war work at Washington. AU the 

 members were present, including John M. Pritchard, secretary- 

 manager of the association, who was in charge of the Washington 

 oflSce. A very pleasant dinner was served, the surprise of the 

 evening being the presentation to Mr. Pritchard of an extremely 

 beautiful silver service tendered to him in appreciation of his serv- 

 ices at Washington. Another surprise of the meeting was a state- 

 ment of fact that the bureau has a substantial surplus on hand. 



Log Scarcity in South 



Production of hardwood lumber is progressing with only moderate 

 speed in the southern field, and stocks are pronounced by the major- 

 ity of the trade as rather limited despite the fact that sales recently 

 have been of comparatively small proportions. There is little excess 

 in any direction, and meantime there is one phase of the situation 

 looming up that is attracting considerable attention. This is the 

 lightness of logging operations and the comparatively small quan- 

 tity of hardwood logs coming out. 



There was distinct slowing down of logging immediately after the 

 embargo order, requiring permits for the shipment of lumber into 

 important consuming and distributing territory, went into effect, 

 and those who slowed down at that time have never resumed this 

 work on an anything like normal scale. Now, even if there were 

 desire to manufacture lumber on a normal scale, it would be impossi- 

 ble to do so for the reason that the logs would not be available. 

 Unfavorable weather has already exercised something of a restrict- 

 ing influence on work in the woods and winter is at hand, during 

 which it is regarded as improbable that it will be possible to make 

 much headway with cutting and hauling logs to the rights of way 

 of the railroads. There is a more plentiful supply of labor now 

 than for quite a while, but even this does not avail to restore logging 

 conditions to normal for the reason that weather and not labor is 

 the determining factor. 



Officials of the Valley Log Loading Company report that there are 

 quite limited supplies of logs awaiting loading on the two railroads 

 that are the principal log carriers in the southern field. They 

 further say that the company will have comparatively little loading 

 to do in the near future unless there is decided increase in the rate 

 at which logs are prepared for loading. The statements of this 

 firm furnish the most conclusive evidence that there is a real short- 

 age of hardwood logs ahead of the mills and that efforts to substan- 

 tially increase production of hardwood lumber would be met with 

 considerable, if not insuperable, difficulty. 



Some of the larger producers are in the position of getting out 

 very little timber now and of having brought out comparatively lit- 

 tle when weather conditions were favorable because the condition 

 of the market did not justify, in their opinion, anything like full 



logging operations. They admit that, if they attempted to operate 

 their mills now on full time, they would encounter difficulty in doing 

 so for there has been a slowing down of logging on the part of those 

 who offer logs in the open market, as well as on the part of those 

 who cut their own timber and convert it into lumber. 



Stocks are known to have increased during the past few w-eeks, 

 but emphasis is laid on the fact that the increase has been com- 

 paratively slight and well distributed for the reason that produc- 

 tion itself has not been anj' where near normal. There is an actual 

 shortage of oak, and plain and quarter sawn white in the higher 

 grades and in No. 1 common are reported very scarce. There is no 

 large stock of firsts and seconds plain sawn red or of the lower 

 grades of plain red and white. There are plentiful supplies of Cot- 

 tonwood and gum with the exception of box boards. In cypress 

 there is a relatively fuller supply than of any other southern hard- 

 wood as measured by relations between supply and demand. 



The trade generally anticipates a larger business after the turn 

 of the year, and they are making preparations to that end in a num- 

 ber of directions. There is nothing indicating, however, that they 

 are making plans to increase production in proportion to the increase 

 they expect in demand for hardwood lumber and in proportion to the 

 anticipated shipment thereof. 



A Year of Healthful Growth 



The official bulletin of the National Hardwood Lumber Associa- 

 tion presents an encouraging summary as regards the member- 

 ship. The past six months has witnessed the accession of seventy- 

 three new members, while the losses from all causes has been less 

 than twenty per cent of that number. The total membership is 

 now 972, and if a similar rate of growth can be maintained during 

 the next .six mouths, a total membership of 1,000 will be attained. 

 The semi-annual meeting of the board of directors has been called 

 for January 24. That meeting will decide upon the time and place 

 of holding the twenty-second annual convention of the association. 



Expiration of Certain Lumber Prices 



On December 14 the National Wholesale Lumber Dealers' As- 

 sociation notified its members of the expiration of certain lumber 

 prices as follows: 



The price fixing committee of the war industries board, in accordance 

 with the request of the industry, announces that the maximum prices on 

 lumber shall expire on the several dates fixed by existing agreements : 



Midnight, December 20, Pennsylvania Hemlock. 



Midnight, December 23, Alabama-Mississippi lumber. 



Midnight, December 23, Georgia-Florida lumber. 



Midnight. December 23, Southern Pine lumber. 



Midnight, December 31, Long and short-leaf yellow pine for North and 

 South Carolina and Virginia districts. 



Traffic Bureau in Contemplation 



The announcement comes from the National Lumber Manufac- 

 turers' Association that under the auspices of that organization a 

 fully equipped lumber traffic bureau will shortly come into existence 

 at Washington. It is expected that the name of the traffic man- 

 ager will be announced within a few days. 



The result is the outcome of a movement which began in the 

 lumber mass meeting recently held at the Congress hotel in Chi- 

 cago, and after discussions, some between individuals and others 

 in group meetings, the steps were finally taken which are expected 

 to lead to the organization of the bureau in a short time. It is 

 confidently believed that such a bureau will greatly strengthen the 

 National association. 



Farmers Will Repair and Build 



According to reports from the agricultural district of which 

 Kansas City is the center, farmers have decided that they will 

 not longer postpone the building and repairing which are needed. 



The change in plans began to be noticed from the time the 

 armistice was signed. Up to that time the disposition among 

 the farmers was to do no more building and repairing than was 

 absolutely necessary; but plans are now being worked out that 

 will call for the use of much lumber on the farms. The result is 

 expected to be noticeable in the lumber trade. 



