HARDWOOD RECORD 



23 



ueeessary that the exhibit be made in duplicate, as ouly ten days 

 elapses between the Chicago and the Xew York shows. The matter 

 was referred to the committee on recommendations. 



J. K. Rhodes, manager of the Xational Lumber Manufacturers' 

 Association, then talked regarding the work of that organization. 

 In speaking of the fiber and wooden box controversy, Mr. Rhodes 

 said there is a growing disposition on the part of the railroads to 

 give goods shipped in fiber containers fair treatment. Mr. Rhodes 

 said that the Interstate Commerce Commission should reach a 

 definite decision in this matter at an early date. Mr. Rhodes also 

 spoke of the experiments for fireproofing woods, and then went on 

 to tell of the progress of the work done in connection with the 

 proposed five per cent horizontal advance in freight rates. In 

 speaking of the Forest Products Exposition he said that as it is 

 now lined up its success is assured inasmuch as the various associa- 

 tions have come forward gratifyingly in their subscriptions for 

 space. 



Mr. Rhodes' version of market conditions was that prospects for 

 1914 are much brighter than at the beginning of 1913. 



Secretary Kellogg read the paper prepared by 11. R. Isherwood, 

 manager of the Sawyer Lumber Company, Sawyer, Wis., treating 

 of wood silos. The paper demonstrated clearly that a great injus- 

 tice has been done to the silo made from the products of the forest. 

 He substantiated this claim by citing instances, one of them being 

 a meeting of the Farmers' Institute held at Sawyer recently, which 

 Mr. Isherwood attended. Two of the topics for discussion were 

 silos and farm buildings. Mr. Isherwood said that the chairman 

 of the institute distributed a number of cement booklets which had 

 been sent to him, and that he, Mr. Isherwood, endeavored to pin 

 the chairman down to a reason for recommending the use of cement 

 for silo construction. The chairman replied that the use of wood 

 in silo construction is absolutely prohibited under present condi- 

 tions by the high prices. He added that the wooden silo costs more 

 to erect than does one constructed of cement. The same man also 

 spoke of the use of cement in barns, saying that in no instance 

 should lumber be used in the stables. 



The point brought out by Mr. Isherwood was that, inasmuch as 

 these lecturers are employed by the state and paid by the tax 

 payers, it is not fair that they should be permitted to recommend 

 one substance as against another substance equally entitled to con- 

 sideration. He suggested that the time has come for the manu- 

 facturers and retailers of lumber to get together in their own 

 defense and endeavor to secure some of the representation which 

 the cement interests have secured in these public demonstrations. 



C. H. Worcester spoke along the same lines, dealing more par- 

 ticularly with the activities of manufacturers of substitutes in 

 connection with the proposed legislation on the prevention of fire. 

 He cited as an instance the meetings of the fire prevention com- 

 mittee of the Association of Commerce of Chicago, which were 

 attended by architects and insurance men who had for presentation 

 plans of frame and fireproof construction, and figures tending to 

 show that the homeseeker does not need to make any materially 

 increased outlay for so-called fireproof material, the difference be- 

 tween that and the wooden construction being only from ten to 

 fifteen per cent. Mr. Worcester said that ho had challenged this 

 statement, figuring that the difference ran from twenty to twenty- 

 five per cent, on a conservative basis. 



Adolph Pf und, secretary of the Wisconsin Retail Lumber Dealers ' 

 Association, congratulated the secretary and advertising committee 

 on the efficient publicity work they had done on hemlock. He in- 

 vited Secretary Kellogg to attend the next meeting of the Wiscon- 

 sin retailers. 



A. L. Osborn moved that the nominating committee be appointed, 

 and the chair named R. B. Goodman, A. R. Weeks and C. H. 

 Worcester. 



The meeting then adjourned for luncheon, which was served in 

 the convention room. 



In the absence of George H. Chapman, Secretary Kellogg re- 

 ported for the railroad committee. Mr. Kellogg stated that two 

 important subjects had come before that committee, namely, the 



Missouri river rate case and the proposed five per cent advance in 

 rates on eastern railroads. He said that neither of these subjects 

 had been entirely completed. 



According to Mr. Kellogg, a formal complaint was made in con- 

 nection with the Missouri river rate case, asking for a reduction of 

 lumber rates west, in July, and a hearing was asked. 'JThis hearing 

 was set for .January 14 at Minneapolis, but was cancelled and no 

 new date has as yet been set. The railroad committee has been 

 busy preparing evidence and is now ready, having everything in 

 shape to present at the proper time. 



Regarding the five per cent general increase, Mr. Kellogg said 

 it has only been possible to keep in touch with the developments 

 in that direction through the railroad committee of the National 

 Lumber Manufacturers' Association. He said no formal action had 

 as yet been taken. 



W. H. McDonald, chief inspector, read his semi-annual report as 

 follows: 



Chief Inspector's Report 

 In subraitlinK niy annual report for the inspcclioii diparnnont of tho 

 association during 101.'!. I find that much good work was done during 

 that time, and can see much Improvement in the way of l>otter piling in 

 the yards, grades more up to the standard, and a better understanding 

 among the manufacturers as to why the inspection department of the 

 association is maintained. Both Mr. Ball and myself have been on the 

 road continuously durins the year, and the following figures will show 

 you just what has been accomplished : 



LfMBER Inspected in Yards at Mill Points 



Hemlock 796,233 feet 



Amount below grade, 7,400 feet or 1 per cent. 

 Amount above grade, 8,160 feet or 1 per cent. 



Hardwood . . . .- 553,100 feet 



Amount below grade, 25,350 feet or 4% per cent. 

 Amount above grade. 2.420 feet or % per cent. 



Pine (regular inspections) 21,000 feet 



Grades all right. 



Loaded out on special request 160,000 feet 



Total 181,000 feet 



Total quantity of lumber inspected at mills, , feet 1,530,333 



Total number of calls made 568 



Number of calls where no stock was moving 150 



Reinspections 



Hemlock 316,413 feet 



Amount below grade, 54,549 feet or 17 per cent. 

 Amount above grade, 720 feet. 



Hardwoods 331,435 feet 



Amount below grade, 22,623 feet or 7 per cent. 

 .\mount above grade, 1,417 feet. 



Pine 116,240 feet 



Amount below grade, 29,596 feet or 25 per cent. 

 Amount above grade, 1.866 feet. 



Total quantity of lumber reinspected 764.088 feet 



Lath 4 cars 



Total Numbeu op Reinspections 



Hemlock 21 



Hardwood 19 



Pine 8 



Lath 4 



Total 52 



Total Quantity of Lumber Handled 



Hemlock 1,112.046 feet 



Hardwoods 884,535 feet 



Pine 297.240 feet 



Total 2,294,421 feet 



While our visits have been short at some plants, I can assure you that 

 it was no fault of ours, as we have had to make them so in order to visit 

 all of you, and we have used the time to best advantage to all concerned. 

 If any member thinks that we have slighted him, it certainly wasn't In- 

 tentional, as we moan to do all we can for all of you. 



T have noticed that some of the manufacturers are not paying enough 

 attention to the piling of their lumber in the yards. In order to avoid 

 having stained lumber, I would suggest that you raise the foundations so 

 as to give better circulation under the piles, make larger chimneys through 

 the center, and use narrow cross pieces. This will also hasten the season- 

 ing of the lumber. 



Much improvement can be made In the manufacturing of the lumber. 

 Manufacturers should pay more attention to this, as a good many concerns 

 are not golting the best results from their logs. The manufacture of 

 lath, as well as the grading, also needs more attention at a number of 

 the mills. We have had n number of complaints on lath that could have 

 been avoided If a little more care had been exercised. 



As to the grading down of stock in the yards, a good many graders are 

 inclined to be careless, and while we have checked them up about It, In 

 some places It doesn't seem to do any good. This is the cause of much 

 depreciation in the stock. 



I am calling your attention to these points, hoping that It may help In 

 bringing about a better condition In the manufacture of lumber, better 

 sorting at the transfer, and piling. If this Is done, it will lessen the 



