40 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



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Pertinent Information 



Rates Equalized 



A decision of tbc Inlei'staU' ('imiiuc rcr Commission i-pndci-fd lust week 

 ilctinitely settles the long stiiudiny lontroveisy between New York and 

 Boston relative to inland rates ou imports I'rom foreign markets. Tlie 

 commission's decision places tlie two ports on an equal footing as far as 

 western shipments on imports arc concerned. 



Car Figures 



statistical bulletin issued b.v Ibo .\merican liaiiwa.v Associal ion of 

 Chicago on Oct. 22 gives the usual car surplus and shortage figures on 

 the various roads of the country. According to the bulletin, the total 

 surplus on Oct. 15, 191S, was 37,198 cars as against a surplus on Oct. 1 

 of 41,994 cars. The surplus on Oct. 10, 1912, however, was but 22,810 

 cars. The total shortage on Oct. 35 of this year was 43,246, as against 

 shortage on Oct. 1 of 31.020. The shortage on Oct. 10, 1912. was 54,389. 



A comparison of the figures for Oct. 1 and Oct. 15 of this year 

 covering both surplus and shortage would indicate a satisfactory increase 

 in the total volume of shipments, inasmuch as there was a decrease in 

 surplus amounting to appro.vimately 4,000 cars and an increase in the 

 shortage amounting to about 12,000 cars. On the other hand, according 

 to the figures presented, there is Indicated considerably less activity 

 during the early part of October, 1913. as compared to a similar period 

 in October, 1C12. as the total surplus increased by 15.000 cars from Oct. 

 10, 1912, to Oct. 15. 1913. and the shortage decreased by 11,000 cars. 

 This apparently untavorahle report is probably accounted for in a degree 

 by the more favorable distribution of shipments of farm products this 

 year than prevailed last year. It is not necessarily an indication of 

 slacking in trade but on the other hand can be taken as a favorable 

 Indication of better management and can be looked upon as comparative 

 proof that no serious car shortage will be felt this year. 

 Increased Railroad Rates Filed 



Railroads l)elonging to the eastern and central freight associations 

 filed tariffs with the Interstate Commerce Commission on Oct. 14 and 15 

 proposing a flat increase of five per cent on all freight rates, except in 

 some instances, those on coal and grain. In accordance with an arrange- 

 ment between the railroads and the commissiou. the new rates were 

 filed by the closing of business on Oct. 15. 



The proposed advances was at once suspended. In most instances the 

 roads themselves inclosed slips witli the tariffs voluntarily suspending 

 the increases until the commission shall have had opportunity to pass 

 upon their reasonableness. 



Commissioner Harlan, who will have general charge of the proceed- 

 ings, has announced that he will endeavor to arrange for at least a pre- 

 liminary Iiearing about Dec. 1. It is improbable that a decision will be 

 reached before nest spring. 



The roads proposing the increase number fifty-two, operating north of 

 the Ohio river, and the changes in the rates mount up into the tens of 

 thousands. The tariffs, representing an expenditure on the part of the 

 roads of about $300,000. have been forwarded to the commission by mall, 

 express and special messengers. In aggregate bulk there will be consider- 

 ably in excess of a half carload. 



This action on the part of the railroads created no surprise. It was 

 well known that they intended to ask for permission to increase their 

 ratrs. on the grounds that they have not been making :>uoiigh money to 

 ^■arry on their business properly. 



Old Bates Continue from Arkansas to Louisiana 



J. H. Townshend. general manager ot the Southern Hardwood TratHc 

 Bureau, has just returned from Kansas City, where he went to attend the 

 hearing before a special examiner of the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 involving proposed increases in rates on hardwood lumber shipments from 

 points in Arkansas and Louisiana to destinations in Missouri, Illinois. 

 Iowa and Minnesota. The officials of the railroads which were a party 

 to the proposed advances and the Southern Hardwood Trafiie Bureau 

 reached an agreement whereby the old rates would prevail so far as all 

 members of (he Southern Hardwood Traffic Bureau are concerned. The 

 representatives of the bureau believed that they would be able to make 

 such a strong case against the proposed advance as to prevent its effective- 

 ness, but they did not contemplate such a complete victory over the rail- 

 roads as indicated b,y the foregoing. >Ir. Townshend was the principal 

 representative of the bureau at this hearing. The Baker Lumber Company. 

 George C. Brown & Co., the Fee-Crayton Hardwood Lumber Company and 

 several other prominent firms in Arkansas and Louisiana are the direct 

 beneficiaries of the compromise. 



Building Operations for September 



After the unfavorable report of .\ugust building operations, showing 

 a decrease of 33 per cent as compared with August last year, the report 

 of September building operations, shown in detail below, looms up splen- 

 didly. The statements from 69 cities received by The American Con- 

 tractor. Chicago, reach a total value of .$56,749,572, as compared with 

 $56,528,039 for Se|itembei-. 1912. The gain is less than one-half of one 



per cent, when compared with a year ago, but the surprise is that there 



is any gain at all. In 20 cities there are gains. The Duluth increase is 454 

 per cent; that of Grand Kaplds 490 per cent: while Troy distances all 

 '•ther cities by a gain of 1,355 per cent. Other cities making excellent 



showings Include Spokane, 217 per cent ; Syracuse, 268 per cent ; Toledo, 



100 per cent: St. Joseph, 104 per cent; St. Paul, 90 per cent; Philadel- 

 phia, rs per cent. 



For the nine months ended September 30 the tabulation is encouraging. 



Ueturns from 63 cities show that building permits issued during that 

 period totaled ,$583,349,016, compared with $586,670,736 for the first nine 



months of 1012. This is a decrease of only 1 per cent. In detail the 

 Ugiires are as follows : 



City— Sept. 191.S. Sept. 1912. Oain, Loss. 



Akron $ 383,045 .$ 335,950 17 



Atlanta 384,723 6«8,.')87 . . 32 



Baltimore 808,237 669,760 21 



Birmingham 242,099 470.262 48 



Boston 853,875 2,145.755 . 60 



Bridgeport 224,323 



Buffalo 821,000 838,000 . . 1 



Cedar Rapids , 258,000 330,000 . . 22 



Chattanooga 50.120 53.815 7 



Chicago >7,858,920 7,210,900 9 



Cincinnati 870.188 699.340 24 



Cleveland 1,949,545 1,379,315 41 



Columbus 473,195 513.02.-. .. 8 



Dallas 469.925 351.;;j.-i 34 



Dayton 107,955 332,i;:;o .. 67 



Denver 295,490 331,000 .. 11 



Des Moines 127,750 139,150 . . 8 



Detroit 2,056.856 1,841,800 11 



Duluth 473.897 85,408 454 



Evansvllle 211,632 181,271 17 



Ft. Wayne 278,355 362,640 . . 21 



Grand Rapld.-i 1,573,350 264,130 496 



Harrisburg 88,800 101,050 .. 17 



Hartford 369,421 437,530 . . Itt 



Indianapolis 676,504 1,000,540 . . 32 



Kansas City 676,695 969,774 . . 29 



Lincoln 104,050 101,650 2 



Los Angeles 1,748,665 2,310,617 . . 24 



Louisville 297.170 330,970 . . 10 



Manchester 161,015 147,386 9 



Memphis 288,355 644,515 . . 55 



Milwaukee 874,509 803,889 9 



Minneapolis 1,449,660 1.211,075 20 



Nashville 49,930 84,144. .. 41 



Newark 561.526 708.625 . . 21 



New Haven 243,880 325.765 . . 25 



New Orleans 186,769 211,170 .. 11 



New York- 

 Manhattan 6,386,568 7,735,740 . . 17 



Brooklyn 2.405,750 3,290.823 . . 26 



Bronx 621,096 2,020,815 . . 61 



Total 9,413,414 13,047,378 . . 29 



Oakland 456.424 839.440 . . 46 



Omaha 414.580 476,050 . . 13 



Paterson 64,215 126,119 .. 57 



Peoria 142.245 244.680 . . 42 



Philadelphia 4,363,955 2,798,700 56 



Pittsburgh 1,434,790 1,343,749 7 



Rochester 843,226 969,936 .. 13 



St. Joseph 77,120 37,711 104 



St. Paul 910,908 479,646 90 



St. Louis 1,180,809 1,248,763 . . 6 



Salt Lake City 142,937 226,375 . . 37 



San Antonio 176,128 151,592 16 



San Francisco 2,273.723 1,783.145 27 



Scranton 71,420 162,110 .. 53 



Seattle 692,885 607,870 14 



Shreveport 74,573 86,590 . . 14 



Sioux City 100,085 126,970 .. 21 



South Bend 60,028 60,725 . . 1 



Spokane 679.116 214.515 217 



Springfield 52,385 181,435 . . 71 



Syracuse 1.437.103 390.820 268 



Tacoma 167,842 282,840 .. 44 



Toledo 672.489 336.605 100 



Topeka 116,005 96,110 21 



Troy 920,600 63,280 1,355 



Washington 740,886 841,127 . . 12 



Wllkes-Barre 133,053 175,298 . . 24 



Worcester 404.619 666.902 . . 39 



Total $56,749,572 $56,528,939 .... 



Hearing on Louisville & Nashville Switching 



The much debated question of the switching regulations of the Louis- 

 ville & Nashville Railroad in Louisville will be decided by the Interstate 

 Commerce Commission in the near future, as the taking of evidence has 

 been set for October 28 in Louisville. Lumbermen are particularly inter- 

 ested in the result of the case, which is being pushed by the Board of 

 Trade, nie Louisville & Nashville has refused to accept for switching 

 to industries on its lines cars originating from competitive points, or 

 which could have been delivered to the Louisville & Nashville at a junc- 

 tion point. This attitude is regarded as arbitrary, and shippers in all 

 line.~ hope that the commission will see fit to require an amendment. 

 Perfecting Fireproof Shingle 



The Wisconsin I'orest Product laboratory at Madisun is conducting an 

 interesting series of experiments to make wooden shingles fire-resistant 

 as a solution of the inhibition against the use ot the ordinary shingle made 

 by a number of cities throughout the country. The question of fireproof 

 shingles is agitating the lumber trade and the finding of a commercially 

 available process will be of immense importance. The laboratory has suc- 

 ceeded in making shingles fireproof by the use of chemicals, such as sul- 

 phate of ammonia and phosphate of ammonia, and placing shingles In 

 solders and subjecting them to pressure, thus forcing into them these 

 fire-resisting substances. The laboratory has succeeded in producing a 

 fireproof shingle by this process at a cost of fifteen dollars per thousand 

 and is now workin<; on reducing the cost of operation. 



