HARDWOOD RECORD 



35 



Of every thickness tlierc are about sixty per cent first quality ami 

 forty per cent second quality gooils. To make up this production the 

 following number of machines are employed: 



."i hollers for the stonmin;! of the logs. 



.'( to 4 Inthes. depending upon the thickness of logs. 



.'! to 4 clippers. 



L' glue spreaders. 



•-' glue presses. 



t dry presses. 



1' stock cutting machines. 



I to 1' scrapers. 



The number of employes in such a factory is about 70 men, or for 

 tHO shifts, 140. In ease of jiart of the veneer being worked thor- 

 oughly there is to be added one betnuudiine (coloring machine), one 

 smoothing machine, one imitation machine, five or six circle saws. 

 These require for two shifts 30 men. The total crew employed in 

 this way is about 170 men. 



To obtain an idea about the cost of production in such a factory 

 the total expense for the main operation is divided over the whole 



number of cubic feet of finished veneer. In the United States all 

 calculations are based on square feet, hence the expense has also been 

 reduced to this basis, but we should remember that these figures can- 

 not be absolutely correct, but are only an average because the cost 

 of production, of course, is somewhat different with different sizes. 

 The following figures are not gotten up in a theoretical way, but are 

 taken from results obtained in practice. 

 Co.st of production is as follows: 



Average Average 



per cub. ft. per sq. ft. 



Wood .31.60c 0.496c 



I-ahov 13.00c O.205c 



•'lue 12.60c 0.198c 



.\dmlnlstration. interests, insurance, up-kcep 19.83c 0.311c 



Freight to England 9,10c 0,139c 



Total 86.13c i.349c 



Market price about $1,04 1,627c 



The market differs of course, but depends upon the preceding fig- 

 ures and on an average a profit of .278c per square foot may be added. 



! v-:>Ki.'t%w.H^>isi^JiWi>tTO»;*wsi:;<mi>-^ 



The eighth annual meeting of the National Veneer & Panel Manu- 

 facturers' Association was held at the Auditorium hotel, Chicago, on 

 Tuesday and Wednesday, December 9 and 10. The regular business 

 session, election of officers and banquet took place on December 9, 



Following the routine opening of the meeting. President Jarrell 

 read a very able paper. The paper is printed in full as follows: 

 Address of President 



I have now bei-n .vour official head for two years, and I am gratified 

 to say that our menihers have been loyal to the organization during that 

 time," and that while the membership has not increased to the extent I 

 had hoped, general conditions of the organization are now more stable 

 than ever before. I'nder the able leadership of their chairman, the 

 various clubs afliliated with our organization are in a healthier and more 

 compact condition than formerly, and during the past year some of the 

 clubs have practically doubled in membership, and there are more veneer 

 and panel mills today interi»sted in associational work than at any time 

 in the history of the organization. 



The able addresses delivered at our various former conventions on 

 practical subjects vital to the interests of every manufacturer have had 

 much to do with the continued interest in the association, and have been 

 the cause of many good hard dollars being placed in the pockets of those 

 of our members who profited by the information secured from those ad- 

 dresses. I feel that it is a distinct loss to any manufacturer who fails 

 to take advantage of the opportunity of attending our meetings, and, 

 as one of the most profitable programs has been prepared for our edifica- 

 tion and instruction at this time, no one should permit himself to miss 

 bearing anv of the addresses. 



During the' time I have served you as president, I have given much 

 of mv time, and the best thought of which I was capable, to the work, 

 and, 'with your other oflicers, have endeavored to evolve some workable 

 plan by which those manufacturers of veneers and panels, who have not 

 in the past become interested in our work, could be induced to attend 

 our meetings, but with mediocre success. I have observed that it is an 

 easy matter to secure the active support of practically every representa- 

 tive of any manufacturing concern who attends any of our sessions : in 

 fact, I believe that seeing and hearing what is done here will convert to 

 our way of thinking, the most obdurate, anti-associational manufacturer 

 in the country, and I give fair warning to anyone who doubts this state- 

 ment, that he" had better stay away from our sessions if he does not want 

 to join us. 



.\s has been said before, the work of our association in its conven- 

 tions is educational, and the program committee has endeavored to have 

 everv problem that confronts manufacturers, from the felling of the trees 

 to the completed veneers and panels, covered by experts in their respec- 

 tive lines, in such a way as to cause our members to learn how produc- 

 tion can lie increased, quality of output improved, and cost of manu- 

 facture lessened. You who have been regular attendants of the sessions 

 In thi- past know how much success has attended the committee's efforts, 

 anil how prnfitable the addresses have been to you individually. 



I sometimes think we should endeavor to stray from the beaten path 

 that was made by the officers and directors In the past. Into new and 

 untried methods, but after more mature deliberation I have reached the 

 conclusion that we are attaining quite as much success along the lines 

 that have been followed heretofore, as could be hoped for, under existing 

 conditions, and that the thing for us to do is to continue our efforts 

 along the same old lines. Keeping everlastingly at it has brought success 

 to you In your factory work and just to the extent of the energy, effort 

 and thought we put in our work here, will our efforts be successful. 



It is a well-known fact that quite a good many manufacturers are sell- 

 ing veneers and panels without reference to cost of manufacture, and the 

 great variation in prices is appalling. It is gratifying to note, however, 

 the number of such manufacturers is decreasing, and will continue to 

 decrease Just to the extent that our association can secure their co- 

 operation. 



There arc times when the demand for goods proves to be exceptionally 

 heavy, and without any apparent cause Inquiries dwindle and almost 

 cense. None of us likes to have his iKniks free from orders, and when 

 times of depression arrive, and we find it will probably be necessary for 

 the output to be reduced somewhat, we feel an almost uncontrollable 

 desire to reduce prices, even down to cost of production, rather than 

 curtail, or close down our plants for a time. One .selfish, thoughtless 

 manufacturer, with an eslablisbed reputation, can rob Innocent brother 

 competitors of trade thev have worked long and hard to establish, by 

 quoting ruinous prices just in order to keep his mill going six full da.vs 

 In the week. How much better for the Industry would It be for the out- 



put to be regulated by the demand rather than for it to be continued at 

 the highest notch, and the prices regulated by the output. 



There is another factor that I believe is to a certain extent responsible 

 for this condition, and that is salesmanship — or rather lack of sales- 

 manship — on the part of some of our traveling men. It is too often true 

 that a young man is sent out from the office to interview the trade and 

 book orders, who has no interest whatever in maintaining prices, but on 

 the contrar.v, will immediately go to the lowest limit allowed bv the 

 manufacturer in his desire to land the order as easily as possible. There 

 are no shrewder men in the business world today, than those who buy 

 and sell, or use. veneers and panels — the middlemen and the consumers 

 — and unfortunately some of them are unscrupulous, and often tell fairy 

 tales regarding quotations said to have been made hv well-known manu- 

 facturers, and our salesmen swallow the bait, hook and all, I feel cer- 

 tain that if manufacturers who now give to their salesmen so much 

 latitude in price cutting, will instill into them more fully the idea that 

 sales are to be made at the highest possible prices, for' the quality of 

 goods offered, one of the einrent evils of the industry will be well on the 

 way to a permanent si.liitinii. It goes without saying that this indite- 

 mc'jit is tc. .ipply Miih In ilhi-e sjI, smen who are guilty, and is not in the 

 slii;lilrsi iiir.:i,nin iiM.iHliil ,i~ :i rcilection ou the large majority, 



1 •11" ul.HJ to ipii. ilii jiiii.ri- .if our members during the last few 

 months iiiciir.ite :i liraltliy r. unlit i. ill of business, and there appears to be 

 no reason why we should not all receive a satisfactory share of orders 

 during the next few months, and at living prices. The panickv feeling 

 that seemed to be gripping the country a short time ago has disappeared 

 to a large extent, and I hope it has been chased to permanent oblivion. 



In view of the very disastrous floods along the Mississippi river and 

 its tributaries during the last year or so, and the great damage that 

 was done the plants of many members of our association, we should 

 strongly advocate some more positive system of river regulation that 

 wnl relieve the nation of these recurring disasters than has been used 

 by the government in the past. 



At this time the people as a whole are more interested in building 

 flrst-class country roads than ever before, and as no class of manufac- 

 turers can be more directly benefited by general road improvement than 

 will members of our organization, I feel that every possible encourage- 

 ment should be given to this great work, not only as an organization, 

 but as individuals. We all would like to be philanthropists, and. like the 

 poor, we have country roads always with us, all of which roads are 

 more or less abominable. The assistance we give in this work is philan- 

 thropy of the purest type. 



The car shortage, while not so severe as last year, is being felt to a 

 marked extent in certain sections. This condition promises to continue 

 until the railroad companies largely increase their orders for new cars, 

 keep their present rolling stock in better condition, and bring their 

 tracks up to a higher point of efficiency. It is claimed by the roads 

 that these improvements, which are so vital to the business interests of 

 the countr.v, cannot be made without an increase in revenue, hence the 

 movement which is receiving the endorsement of many of the large manu- 

 facturing plants, trade organizations, and chambers of commerce through- 

 out the countr.v, leading toward a general advance in freight rates. 

 While I feel the present rates charged tor transporting goods manufac- 

 tured by our members are as high as they should be, when the service is 

 taken into consideration, I believe it positive assurance could be given 

 by the railroads that the increase in revenue would be put back into 

 equipment and tracks, and the service correspondingly improved, we 

 could heartily approve of the proposed blanket increase of five per cent 

 in rates on all articles, always assuming, however, the rates now charged 

 are fair and equitable, on the present hasis. 



One of the cr.ving needs of the present time, in my opinion, is govern- 

 ment regulation of track scales, and a standard of efficiency and accurac.v 

 below which no road shall be permitted to go. I am sure our members 

 lose thousands of dollars every year, paid for freight on excess tonnage, 

 because railroad scales are so often inaccurate. Cars now in use are 

 larger than was the case a few years ago. arc much heavier, and the ton- 

 nage capacity has been practically doubled. Track scales, which were 

 quite large and strong enough then but are now entirely too small and 

 light, are in a great many instances still in use, I am reliably informed 

 that some extensive efficiency tests were made a sliort while ago, and not 

 more than ten per cent of the scales so tested weighed accuratel.v. and I 

 am sure you will bear me out in the statement that errors In scales weight 

 are almost Invariably agtilnst the shipper, I etirnestly recommend that 

 the bill introduced in Congress by Kepresentalive Williams of Ohio, for 

 government control of railroad track scales, be endorsed by our organiza- 

 tion. 



There Is no question but that the use of veneers and built-up panels 

 is greater today than ever before, and that new avenues are constantl.v- 

 belng opened up for their entrance and use. The idea that veneers and 

 goods manufactured of veneers are inferior has l)een superseded by the 



