m^ 



j\!;^!)^sxHC!; : ;.\ i >\;a;y.TOi : yytt:^>X:)toV/V/:>:>K>^'^.> ' -->'->J >^^^^^ 



The Lumhermens Round Table 



SERVICE IS APPEECIATED 



There is uIhujs a good ileal to bo said against tlii' plan of making 

 contracts for lumber covering a long period, because of the possibility 

 of the buyer ' 'welching" in case of a decline in the market; but that 

 this side of the situation is overemphasized is probably true. 



"Most of our businesis is contract trade," said the sales manager 

 of one of the leading hardwood and veneer concerns in the West. 

 "We have had so few refusals to take lumber or thin stock onlered 

 from us because of price charges that we never think of such a possi- 

 bility. The right kind of concerns would not attempt to break a 

 contract if the price went do^vn, any more than we would make that 

 attempt if tlie price went up. 



■ ■ Besides, the reason we can get contract business is because we 

 are in a position to render service. We can deliver goods just when we 

 agree to do so, and the consumer knows that this is worth something. 

 .\s a matter of fact, it is worth a great deal. We get more for our 

 stock, in the first place, by reason of being in a position to render 

 service, than those who can give no such assurances; and this counts 

 more with the consumer than lumber and veneer manufacturers may 

 think." 



BLACK WALNUT IN THE WEST 



Oddly enough, it is the Far West which has played the most im- 

 portant role thus far in the revival of black walnut. A leading 

 middle western furniture factory, which has been making u]) an 

 immense amount of veneered walnut furniture, reports that by far 

 the bulk of these goods has been shipped to the Pacific slope. The 

 westerners seem to like the color of the wood, and by reason of the 

 fact that it has no former reputation to live down there, as it h^is in 

 the older portions of the country, it is likely to develop more rapidly 

 on the slope than elsewhere. And the demand for furniture of that 

 kind is likely to have a marked effect on the interior finish trailo. 



Speaking of walnut, Wallace Irwin, one of the cleverest of pri'seut- 

 ilay writers, refers time and again to walnut in a story in the .^pril 

 number of McClure's, as a means of suggesting that the furniture of 

 the home which he describes is out of date. This is the kind of pub- 

 licity which the walnut people will have to counteract in some way. 

 Had a kind friend whispered to Mr. Irwin that walnut is a high-grade 

 cabinet wood which is still being produced at the rate of .")0,000,00(1 

 feet a year, and that the finest furniture on the continent is ma le of 

 this material, he would proliably have referred to the design of the 

 furniture of the old home, ratlier tliiin tlio iiiateri:il. 

 MECHANICAL VENEER DRYING 



■ ' The greatest advantage of using a mechanical system of veneer 

 drying," said one of the big manufacturers, "is that you can figure 

 exactly on what your production of dry stock will be. When you 

 tell a customer that you can ship a carload of veneers a week on 

 his order, you know that you can do it if you are drying your stock 

 mechanically. If you are using any other means, the condition of 

 the air and various other factors may determine the result, and you 

 may have trouble explaining to your customer why the goods were 

 not shipped as promised. 



' ' Another big advantage is absolute uniformity. When a me- 

 chanical dryer has finished its work with your stock, which has been 

 handled under uniform conditions as to temperature, you know that 

 it is all dried right, and that there will be co kick on part of it 

 being below standard in this respect. By eliminating uncertainties, 

 you have a big talking point and also save yourself a lot of w(Mry 

 that would be your portion otherwise. ' ' 



THE LOCOMOTIVE CRANE 



A southern hardwood manuldcturcM said recently that a locomo- 

 tive crane which he installed for the purpose of sorting his logs, so 

 that only one kind of wood would be sawed at one time, has also 

 proved its usefulness in other ways. He is switching his cars with 

 it and is able to place them just where they are wanted without 

 waiting for the lordly switchman and his cohorts to come along and 

 perform the service. 



"In view of the possibility of a charge for spotting cars being 

 put in effect," he said, "I am feeling pretty good over my invest- 

 ment in this crane. If the railroads decide that they will have to 

 increase their revenues in this way, I shall simply tell them goodby 

 and do my own sorting. This would be a considerable saving to my 

 concern, and would not add any expense, as the locomotive is there 

 now and couM do the work as easily as not." 



KNOWING THE CUSTOMER PERSONALLY 



The head of the sales department of a leading hardwood manu- 

 facturing concern recently went out on the road with the head of 

 the sawmill department of the same house. They visited the lead- 

 ing consumers of the company's products, not for the purpose of sell- 

 ing, but merely to get well acquainted with them. 



The sales manager desired to find out just what the consumers 

 wanteil, and to learn whether any of the stock previously furnished 

 had been unsatisfactory, in order that he might sell and deliver only 

 lumber that would fill the bill. The superintendent wanted to study 

 the consuming processes of the factories and get a line on just how 

 the lumber is used, so that he might ship it intelligently. 



At the same time they impressed the buyer, first, with the fact 

 that they were anxious to give the right kind of service; and, second, 

 that they had that kind of service to offer. By describing their 

 facilities in detail they were able to make an impression that merely 

 writing about them would never have created. Both representatives 

 of the comjjany found the trip profitable, and there seems to i)e no 

 doubt that the expenditure in time and money was a good investnient. 



CO-OPERATION IN TRAFFIC MATTERS 



If there is one point at which co-operative effort is well worth 

 while it is in connection with traffic matters. Railroad rates affect 

 everybody equally, and if one lumberman in a market is hurt by a 

 change it is pretty certain that others are also. Consequently, when 

 important traffic developments arise, there is usually a get-together 

 movement on the part of the lumbermen, so as to distribute the cost 

 of looking after the matter among all of the houses interested in it. 



This suggest* that there should be some permanent arrangement 

 of this kinii, for pmrposes of offense and defense. Traffic matters 

 take some time to work out, and cases may drag along for years 

 before a final result is obtained. The lumberman who is sawing 

 wood and saying nothing on the subject is likely to forget the de- 

 tails and be as much in the dark when the case comes up again as 

 he was at first. If he had a traffic man to look after the proposition 

 all the time he would be kept advised of developments and would 

 be in a position to pass judgment upon the situation at any time. > 



Same of the larger lumber markets have found the advantages of 

 co-operation in this connection and employ traffic men permanently. 

 Others act only when their need of immediate action is obvious. 

 They might take a cue from clothing manufacturers in cities where 

 the business of individual houses is not enough to support a first- 

 rate ilesigner; they co-operate to secure the services of such a man, 

 all profiting by this arrangement. The lumber manufacturers, 

 likewise, might get together and by their combined efforts support 

 a good traffic man. 



The cost of transportation is such a large part of the cost of 

 lumber that no lumberman can afford to be without authoritative 

 information and advice bearing on this department of his business. 



Freight Car Statement 



!n lis regular bulletin dated April 7 ilic Anicriran Kailway Asso- 

 ciation sjijs that there was a total tniridus on April ], 1914, of 141,525 

 freight cars. The surplus on March 15 was 132.010 cars and on 

 .\pril ) a year ago it was 68,702 cars. It can be seen that the 

 sur]>his of cars had begun to increase after the temporary activity 

 in March. 



The shortage is reduced to a practically negligible figure, there 

 being but 2."i;( cars on .A.pril 1, 1914. The shortage on March 15 

 Mas 7.K.") lar^ :ind on April 1 a year ago 10,084 cars. 



