36 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Gilison, February 3, 4, and 5 are well taken care of and properly enter- 

 tained. It is expected that there will be close to one thousand visitors, 

 and a splendid meeting Is anticipated. Details of the entertainments and 

 tlie programme of the meeting have not as j-et been arranged jind due 

 notice will 1)0 given later. 



There is a feeling of optimism among the hardwood dealers, the present 

 dullness not having any effect or redetiing a continued dullness. After 

 I he llrst of the year dealers are expecting a fair but not rushing business 

 after business opens up again. Conditions are right for this result, stocks 

 being low In the consumers' yards, and manufacturers of lumber with 

 fair stocks now on hand are running mills right along sharing in the 

 confidence in the market held by the dealers. 



Meeting of Philadelphia Wholesalers 



The Philadelphia Wbiilesale lAimber Dealers' .\ssociution, inaugurated 

 another social feature by inviting the retail lumber dealers and planing 

 mill firms In Philadelphia and vicinity to a dinner given .it "Kuglers," on 

 December 17. It was strongly emphasized that the dinner was not given 

 wllb the object of embarrassing the retailer, or in any way make him feel 

 obligated to buy from members of this association, but for the purpose of 

 bringing the wholesalers, the retailers and the planing mill men together 

 for mutual good, and ultimately fur the welfare of tie city. The guests 

 were given to understand that if the Philadelphia wholesalers do not sell 

 as cheaply or furnish as good material as could be found elsewhere, they 

 were Justifled in buying elsewhere. One hundred and twenty-two diners 

 sat down to a banquet which could have made suggestions to the famed 

 "Lucullus." -Vt each plate was a pamphlet giving a concise history of the 

 wholesale association, its direct purpose, and for general edification was 

 divided into short paragraphs. 



"The members of tlie association know very well that they must be eco- 

 nomic and necessary agents in iho distrilintion of lumber. 



■■'I'lii'v can surelv maintain )lii~ ^ipi > iiiacy in the patronage of their 

 friends." the retail dealers thrcMii;li ili^ ii.l\ .iiitage of their convenient loca- 

 tion, tlieir organizalion and sv^irm: ihrir established character, their 

 knowledge of sources of supi)l.v. I he cimsumption of the same, and their 

 lovaltv to established trade ethics. 



"Bu.vers of lumber may absolutely rely upon the moral endorsement and 

 support of the association in any contract one of their members may 

 make." 



It then gave the list of the members of the association. 

 The banquet room was handsomely decorated with the national and 

 state colors. The music was consigned to the efficient Jerry Shaw and his 

 orchestra. After cigars were passed around. President Owen M. Bruner 

 addressed the guests, telling of the advantages which the association 

 offers and of the efficient work of its committees. 



The further conduct of the meeting was in charge of Robert G. Kay, 

 chairman of the committee on the dinner to the retailers. Mr, Kay 

 opened his speech by saying that this meeting had made him ten years 

 younger. He had met at the meeting old men and some younger men he 

 had not seen for years. "This is a get-together meeting," he said, "to 

 benefit them ail, and for the city of Philadelphia's welfare as well. We 

 want to do each other all the good we can, to work together to get the 

 great 1,700 foot dry dock brought to League Island, and also in behalf 

 of other great improvements now in prospect." Mr. Kay then introduced 

 Frederick S. Underbill of Wistar, Underbill & Nixon, who said in part : 



"Since you have received the invitation to come you have probably 

 several times raised the question as to why you were invited here and 

 wliat motives were behind the invitation. We want to assure you that 

 our motives are not altogether selfish, although we are frank to state 

 that we have a sincere conviction that benefits will come ultimately. 

 "The first essential point that we desire to emphasize is that where 

 there is such a strong representative community of retail merchants and 

 in the same community such a body of responsible, aggressive, wide awake 

 wholesale merchants it is self-evident that a substantially good and real 

 individual advantage to ail concerned is sure to result from a spirit of 

 mutual interest and co-operation. 



"The second point is that every person here, because of his present 

 identification with the lumber trade, is interested in maintaining a per- 

 manent market for lumber. Regarding every item of lumber that you 

 handle the manufacturers of cement and other substitute materials have 

 been pouring into the ears of the architect underwriters, real estate men 

 and carpenters many points that are apparently convincing and the 

 result is that quite a number of these people already are altogether 

 against lumber or are prejudiced in favor of the substitute to the detri- 

 ment of lumber. If they are allowed to continue their missionary work 

 without any systematic, practical, coherent work on the part of those 

 who depend upon the lumber trade for a livelihood the result is surely 

 a menace to your interests and ours. We want you to know that we 

 propose to counteract this substitute propaganda. 



"The third point and last that we will emphasize at this time is that 

 the members of this association have recognized the ethics of trade and in 

 seeking a market for their wares have fairly considered your welfare." 



Mr. Kay then introduced Benjamin Stoker, of George W, Stoker & Son, 

 president of the Lumbermen's Exchange, as a retailer who buys ninety 

 per cent of his lumber in Philadelphia. Mr. Stoker said in part : 



"In the city of Philadelphia today we are represented by from sixty to 

 sixty-five retail yards. We employ from 1,500 to 2,000 people. We have 

 an investment of about ?10, 000,000 in lumber of all kinds. We carry 

 about 100,000,000 feet of lumber ready for immediate delivery. We are 

 as necessary as the baker, the grocer or any other retail business. If we 

 should all conclude to close our gates for thirty days the business of our 



elt.v, to a large extent, would be paral.Nzed, and so I have concluded that 

 we are somebody and our business is worth while, and yet, from a retail 

 point of view, present conditions seem to have us all aguessing and some 

 of us. I fear, agoing. 



"Philadelphia has ceased to be a quaker village, has become a great 

 metropolis, the best and truest American city of them all and known 

 throughout the world as the city of homes and brotherly love, and we as 

 lumbermen, both wholesalers and retailers, have had our sluuo in the 

 making of it." 



Herbert P. Robinson, of Mliler-Robinson Company, was next called 

 upon by Mr. Kay. Mr. Robinson said lie in llie past had depended on the 

 wholesaler to a great extent and had been much benefitted l)y the knowl- 

 edge obtained. He said he could not please all of the local men because 

 they come too fast. l''or complaint of wholesaler as to not getting enough 

 trade from the retailer Mr. Robinson gives for a reason that the lumber 

 merchant rarely calls on a customer. "We want to see the boss once In 

 a while," he said. "The local firms should trade with one another," 

 was his opinion. "Although there were rarely any trouble or kicks 

 coming, it would be a better arrangement, for it is easier to make proper 

 adjustments and to settle with local men than with mills." 



Mr. Kay wound up the evening with the oft repeated epigram "Live 

 and let live," adding "Let us help the men who help you." He reiter- 

 ated the explanation that the evening's affairs were for tlie exclusive pur- 

 pose of getting all the lumbermen in close touch for mutual as well as the 

 city's beuelil. 



St. Louis Club Appoints Committees for 191-1 



J. A. Rebels, the newly elected president of the St. Louis Lumbermen's 

 Club, has selected the following committees to serve during the ensuing 

 year: It is the purpose of the new administration to push the affairs of 

 the club along business lines to the fullest extent. 



Entertainment Committee — R. J. Fine, chairman; W. W. Tilden, W. 

 W. Stephenson, Guy B. Fulton. Chas. Antrim. 



Traffic Committee — T. C. Whitmarsh, chairman ; E. E. Eversuli, S. H. 

 Fuiierton, .1. W. Putnam, F. E. Sheldon. 



Membership Committee — F. J. Riefiing, chairman; Otto Pfeffer, W. W. 

 Dings, B. B. Kennedy, J. E. Mink. 



Akeitration Committee — Hans Wachsmuth, chairman; Chas. C. Curry, 

 .•\. F. Pendergrass, Carl Hoiekamp, R. T. Wintermann. 



Statistician — W. F. Biedermann. 



Publicity Committee — W. E. Barns, chairman ; Herman von Schrenk, 

 F. ,L Liebke, L. E. Cornelius, C. M. Jennings. 



Legislation and Public Affairs Committee — E. C. Robinson, chair- 

 man ; Julius Seidel, C. W. Jurden, Geo. K. Smith, Stephen J. Gavin. 



National Wholesalers to Meet at Buffalo 



The Board of Trustees of the National Whobsale Lumber Dealers' Asso- 

 ciation met in New York, December 18, and decided on tlie date and place 

 for holding the next annual convention. The big meeting will be held 

 March 4 and o at Buffalo. N. Y., hotel or meeting place to be chosen later. 

 The association had invitations from many other cities, among others 

 Memphis, Philadelphia, Boston, Nashville, New Orleans and Colorado 

 Springs. Buffalo was chosen at this time because of its convenience of 

 location for members in the States and Canada, and furthermore it is 

 many years since this association met in Buffalo. As usual the meeting 

 arrangements and entertainment features will be under the direction of 

 the executive committee, the association acting as host at the dinner. 



Forest Products Exposition Bulletin 



Definite shape is taking the place of the preliminary generalities of 

 the Forest Products Exposition and within a short time there will ba 

 descriptions of proposed exhibits, the working plans of some of the 

 associations, companies and individuals, and the general program of the 

 great undertaking for the exploitation of American wood. In order to 

 insure the proper amount of demonstrating material showing the operative 

 working of the Forestry Service, a bill has been prepared for Congress to 

 appropriate the sum of $10,000 for the preparation and maintenance o( 

 an exhibit of the forestry division of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture at Chicago and New York. The management of the exposition 

 is in communication with public authorities and private concerns in the 

 Philippines and Panama, while a number of Canadian interests are study- 

 ing plans for active participation. 



An effective argument in exploiting the Forest Products Exposition is 

 the personal discussion of the purpose, plans and progress as presented 

 by Manager George S. Wood or his representative at the various trade 

 conventions and meetings. During January and February Mr. Wood will 

 visit the principal meetings of the country in the various branches of the 

 industry, covering practically every point of the compass from Chicago 

 and making his home in a Pullman car. The active participation of 

 clubs and organizations, as well as the individual concerns, is being 

 developed along lines that promise successful results. 



Many applications for space have been received at the headquarters in 

 Chicago, representing the general interest throughout the trade that is 

 being taken in this shop window of the industry. One of the difficulties 

 anticipated by the management at the outset was that of reaching the 

 people and interests whose participation would be essential to making up 

 a complete story of American wood, but the co-operation of associations 

 and concerns throughout the country has spread the news until nearly 

 every angle of the trade seems to have been reached, according to advice 

 received by the management. A number of the leading organizations do 

 not hold their meetings until January and February and while assuring 



