January 



19i;l' 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



31 



S. F. D. Meffley, Secretary-Manager 



Chicago Association Holds Fifty-Third Annual Meeting, 

 Recording a Successful Year 



A year of aggressive 

 activities, (luring wliich 

 time several important 

 undertakings were car- 

 ried to suc<;essful con- 

 clusions, was closed by 

 the Lumbermen's Asso- 

 ciation of Chicago, when 

 the fifty-third annual 

 meeting was held in the 

 association headquarters 

 at 11 South La Salle 

 street, January 18. 



-\mong the important 

 accomplishments was a 

 tremendous publ i c i t y 

 "stunt," consisting of 

 the building and exploi- 

 tation of a five-room 

 bungalow ; and the se- 

 curing of milling-in- 

 transit privileges (or 

 Chicago on all impor- 

 tant railroads entering 

 the city, a victory which 

 destroyed a competitive 

 handicap which it is es- 

 timated has cost the 

 lumbermen doing busi- 

 ness in the Chicago mar- 

 ket some $30,000,000 

 during the last 50 years. 

 The trade extension value accruing from the bungalow building proposi- 

 tion has been almost inestimable. In order that it might shout a home- 

 building message to the "world," the bungalow was built in eight hours at 

 a strikingly low cost. The stunt attracted great attention not only in Chi- 

 cago, but throughout the country. Being built, as it was, at the height 

 of the nation-wide home-building propaganda drive. It was featured by 

 the moving picture news services and discussed by newspapers all over the 

 country. No end of publicity was secured for the Lumbermen's Association 

 of Chicago. Within a short time .SOO.OOO people visited the bungalow : over 

 3,000 persons with money to build homes called at the association office to 

 inquire about the bungalow ; over 6,000 letters were received inquiring 

 about the bungalow and asking advice on home-building. Then the bunga- 

 low was sold for little less than what it cost. 



The milling-in-transit privilege was secured under the direct leadership 

 of A. A. Adams, chairman of the Traffic Committee, who is traffic manager 

 of the Edward Hines Lumber Company. It ended a fight of several decades 

 and will save many thousands of dollars in freight charges each year. 



These two accomplishments are evidence of the unusual organizing 

 ability and driving energy of N. C. Mather of the Lord & Bushnell Co.. 

 who has been president of the organization during the past year. The asso- 

 ciation also had a most able secretary-manager in the person of S. F. D. 

 Mefiiey, who was eternally on the job, and who really made a record in 

 spite of the fact that when he took hold a year ago he knew little or nothing 

 about the lumber industr.v. In his annual address Mr. Mather gave unstint- 

 ing praise not only to the co-operation he received from Mr. MeiHey, but 

 also from his board of directors and division chairman. He could find no 

 words to express his appreciation of their enthusiasm for and self-sacrific- 

 ing devotion to the affairs of the association. 



Mr. Mather reported, however, that the income of the association is not 

 adequate to its needs and that within the next year the dues must be sub- 

 stantially increased or. if this is not done, the dues must be increased to 

 a small extent and the membership largely augmented. He reported that 

 the prospective income of the association is some .'?20,000, while the poten- 

 tial expenditures are aliout $30,000 for the ensuing year. 



Besides the president's and the secretary-manager's reports, reports were 

 made by Mr. Adams, M. J. Truman, chairman of the committee on arbi- 

 tration : K. J. Lundin. chairman of the committee on appeals : P. S. 

 Fletcher, treasurer, and A. C. Quixley, councillor to the Chamber of Com- 

 merce of the United States, and Geo. J. Pope, chairman of the inspection 

 committee. 



Both Truman and Mr. Lundin recommended that in order to facilitate 

 the work of the arbitration and appeals committees some definite method 

 of procedure must be worked out for the presentation of cases coming be- 

 fore the two committees for settlement. They said tliat much delay was 

 experienced during the past year because cases were not formally and com- 

 pactly prepared. 



The arbitration committee was extremely busy during the past year be- 

 cause of the disturbed condition of the lumlier industry and handled sev- 

 eral cases involving large sums. Tno of these were for sums around $50,000 

 and both went to the committee on appeals. Both committees experienced 

 a most satisfactory success in settling the many cases. 



The annual meeting elected a board of directors, a committee on appeals 



and a committee on arbitration to serve during the ensuing year. These 

 were as follows : Board (.f Directors : Karl Wclnstock, W. L. Schuppert, 

 S. C. Bennett, Prank 11. lUirnaby, C. W. Lawrance, Chas. L. Baxter, U. D. 

 Traeger, Frederick Klapproth, Wm. Nussbaum. Committee on Appeals: 

 J. W. Embree, Frank J. Ileidler, E. J. Lundin, Chas. Wcstcott, W. L. God- 

 ley, A. J. .Sine, Arthur Dietsth, John Stunkel. Committee on Arbitration : 

 V. S. Mashek, W. C. Schrciber, A. II. Ruth. Francis J. Pike, S. E. Banvick, 

 Ulcliard Cortis, L. C. Haring, Robert O. Stlnson. 



The following figures on lumber shipments in and out of Chicago during 

 the past year up to December 1, 1921. were given In the secretary-manager's 

 report : 



Lumber — 1921 1920 



Inventory at beginning of year 280,576,770 285,823.245 



Receipts during year 2,315,852,000 2,412.887,000 



Total stocks 2,006,428,770 2,098,710,245 



Inventory at close of year 275.179,098 280,576,770 



Total consumption 2,331,249.672 2,418,133,475 



Shipments 924,387,000 958,175.000 



City consumption 1,406,862,672 1,459,958,475 



Decrease in total consumption 76.884,803 289,958,475 



Decrease in shipments 3.378.800 05,329,000 



Decrease in city consumption 43,095,793 194,244,820 



Shingles — 



Inventory at beginning of year 46,535,000 49,219,000 



Receipts during year 273,346,000 235.657.000 



Sales and shipments 208.756,000 238,341.000 



Inventory at close of year 17,978,500 40,535,000 



The annual meeting was concluded with a banquet and entertainment 

 in the ball room of the La Salle Hotel in the evening from :30 until 

 10 o'clock. The more than 300 members present evidenced a profound 

 satisfaction in this the "report" of the entertainment committee. The 

 committee was headed by J. L. Lane of J. L. Lane & Co. 



The new board of directors will hold a meeting about a week following 

 the annual meeting ami elect a president and other officers. 



Memphis Club Discusses Furniture Markets 



Telegraphic, mail and personal reports regarding the furniture markets 

 at Grand Rapids and Cliicago and mail advices with reference to the auto- 

 mobile industry as a prospective large user of hardwood lumber during 

 1922 featured the regular semi-monthly meeting of the Lumbermen's Club 

 of Memphis at the Hotel Gayoso Saturday afternoon, January 21. 



Information submitted by wire and mail indicated that the markets for 

 furniture at the two points mentioned have l)een quite satisfactory, and 

 that the record attendance of buyers and the large volume of business 

 effected foreshadow much more active buying on the part of furniture 

 manufacturers in the near future. Advices from the automoliile industry 

 suggested that seven out of every ten automobiles being manufactured are 

 of the closed-body type, and that the quantity of hardwood lumber required 

 by this industry during 1922 will be much larger than ever before. 



Frank A. Conkling, who personally attended the shows at Grand Rapids 

 and Chicago, stated that a number of furniture manufacturers are sold 

 up for the next two to three months, and that there is remarkable absence 

 of price cutting on the part of these interests. He added that considerable 

 gum will be used, with a tendency to employ sap. in both plain and quar- 

 tered, in the place of red heretofore used. Stocks of lumber In the hands 

 of most furniture men, he said, are light. 



The law and insurance committee, George C. Ehemann, chairman, was 

 instructed to make a complete investigation into all phases of the forestry 

 legislation contemplated in a bill now pending before the Mississippi legis- 

 lature and to determine, on behalf of members of this organization wha 

 own timber lands in that state, what means are necessary to prevent the 

 passage of any measure detrimental to the interests of such timber land 

 owners. It was emphasized, during the discussion of a report on the pend- 

 ing bill, that forestry legislation is likely to be enacted in Arkansas and 

 Tennessee, as well as in Mississippi, and that it will be of great value to 

 timber land owners in all of these states if a proper measure is passed by 

 the Mississippi legislature. 



Two new member were elected : Chas. A. Hooker, Kelsey Wlieel Com- 

 pany, Memphis, and Almonta Smith, Chapman-Dcwey Lumber Company. 



Minutes of the meeting of the directors showed that the ofilcial board 

 had voted favorably on Referendum No. 37, dealing with provisions of the 

 tariff bill now pending before Congress. S. B. Anderson of the Anderson- 

 Tully Company thought that the entire membership should pass on matters 

 of this sort and, after much discussion. President Thompson announced 

 that hereafter the board would recommend action by the club instead of 

 committing this organization on referendum matters. 



J. H. Townshend, secretary-manager of the Southern Hardwood Traffic 

 Association and chairman of the traffic committee, submitted a brief report 

 on the decision of the Interstate Commerce Commission in the hardwood 

 rate case. He pointed out that reduction authorized by the commission Is 

 somewhat disappointing. 



There were more than 100 members of the club present. Joe Thompson, 

 president, occupied the chair. The usual luncheon was served. 



