June 25, 1917 



FRANK F. 1 \>l\. 1 IIICAGO. 

 SECKETAKY 



E. V. BAIICOCK. I'lTTSIilHcJII. PA.. 

 MEMBER EXECUTIVE COM.MITTEE 



T. .M. BROWX, LOUI.SVILLE, KY.. 

 MEMBER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 



A complete detaileil review of all of the activities of the association dur- 

 ing the .year closin;; with this meetinj; would be impossible within the rea- 

 sonable limits of a report, but the secretary has endeavored to present for 

 the consideration of this meeting a fair recapitulation of the work directly 

 aiTecting the interests of the association. Its officers have found the 

 strength which comes from letting everyone interested in the sale or pur- 

 chase of harilwoods know the truth : and to the fact that all questions are 

 discussed in open meetings an<l that no star chamber methods obtain much 

 of our prestige is due. 



The unsettled condition of business caused by the great war has made 

 progress more difficult, but a substantial gain in membership has been re- 

 corded. Since the 1910 convention, held in Chicago, June lij and 16, 147 

 new applications have been received, of which 5 were rejected on account 

 of being ineligible (►r undesirable. The record of failures and withdrawals 

 from business numbers 73 ; 12 have been taken from the list on account of 

 being deiiniiuent in dues : and i} have resigned. The total number of new 

 applicants favorably passed upon by the directors and admitted to mem- 

 bership during the year is 142, which lu-iugs the present number of mem- 

 bers in good standing to 902. 



These figures, while encouraging, do not indicate fully the actual gain 

 of the association, for the strength and <iuality of the new members ad- 

 mitted is not indicated by them. The fact that the combined financial 

 ratings of the members lost is $2,9."iii.00i1. or an average to each member of 

 about $.32,000. against the combined financial strength of the members 

 added of $10,090,000, or an average of from $90,000 to $100,000 to each 

 member, furnishes evi<lence of gain not afforded by the statement showing 

 numerical gain only. 



In this work of interesting new mend)ers, greater care than ever has 

 been e.\ercised not to solicit concerns in any way undesiralile. As an illus- 

 tration of the necessity of close scrutiny in this respect it is well to mention 

 the fact that during the past year the association has seen tit to expel two 

 members. 



During the year live meetings of the executive committee and board of 

 managers have been held. These meetings were characterized by an inten- 

 sity of purpose and an attendance rarely seen at association committee 

 meetings, and as at recent annual meetings of the members, none showed 

 willingness to miss any discussions : and the understanding seems to be 

 general that the work of this great organization is of the utmost impor- 

 tance to all engaged in the hardwood business. 



At the board of managers' meeting of October 20 several requests from 

 organizations of consumers for meetings with the inspection rules commit- 

 tee were presented, and it was decided to notify all organizations of con- 

 sumers that it was not expedient to comply with requests for conferences ; 

 and that all such associations desiring changes in the present inspection 

 standards be requested to submit their recommendations and suggestions 

 for inspection rules changes, in writing, to the chairman of the inspection 

 rules committee, and assured that full and fair consideration would be 

 given them. ^ 



The efficiency of our inspection rules committee has been strengthened 

 on account oi this ruling, and economy of time ami lalior has resulted, as 

 eviilenced by the practically unanimous approval of the report of the in- 

 spection rules committee, which will be presented at this afternoon's ses- 

 sion. 



In conformity with Article X. a petition bearing the requisite number of 

 signatures, has been presented for the consideration and vote of this meet- 

 ing as follows : 



In conformitv with the By-Laws, Article X, we, the undersigned mem- 

 bers, petition that Article IX, Section 1, be changed to read as follows : 



"The inspection rules of this association can bechanged onlv at an annual 

 meeting by a majority vote of the members present voting thereon." 



The meeting will be requested to vote on this change at the close of this 

 report. The matter is one of vital importance : therefore, I recommend it 

 to yiuir careful and intelligent consideration. 



The program of this convention has been arranged on a strictly business 

 basis and an effort put forth to insure full discussion of the important busi- 

 ness to be transacted. The officers and directors urge upon those in at- 

 tendance to express their opinions upon all subjects in which they are in- 

 terested, and hope that none will hesitate to claim the privilege of the floor. 



In every way the past .vear has been an active one and again the records 

 indicate increased demands on the inspection department. It is my belief 

 that the association has successfully met these demands and closes the year 

 stronger in every way than ever before. It has been my privilege to meet 

 a large number of our members during the year, and I have heard expres- 

 sions from every section that indicate the present force of inspectors in the 

 employ of this association is the most competent and reliable that can 

 he securi'd. Certain it is, as evidenced by the figures, that a greater degree 

 of uniformity exists today in the application of national rules by the in- 

 spection force than ever before. 



The figures in detail of the inspection department for the year ending 

 May 1, I9l7. showing the quantity of lumber inspected in each market and 

 district, with amounts earned and exact cost of maintenance, are sub- 

 mitted below : 



Market Feet Earnings Expense 



Memphis, Tenn 14.701,400 $.S,344.11 $7 7.S6 :n 



Chicago, 111 12,630,103 8,434.37 8!l6S..^il 



Grand Rapids, Mich 10,40."),.-)7.S 1,. 133, 34 7.")0 01 



St. Louis. Mo 9, .111,477 .j. 1.14. .SO 4 S4l'.-.l 



Minneapolis. Minn 7..")67..")64 4,140.91 3 837 .10 



Philadelphia, Pa 0,719,139 3,879.98 3 140 34 



Southern Illinois 6.78.1.399 3.882 05 3 771 ,si 



Cincinnati, Ohio 4,980,.396 3,102.43 3X38 11 



New Orleans, La 4,743,793 2, .169.61 3'.139 47 



Louisville. Ky 4,049,134 2,784.33 2 517 35 



Detroit, Mich 3,834,343 2,249.77 2 15732 



Helena. Ark 3,711,343 2.193.52 107123 



Boston, Mass 3,077. iHil 2,072.21 2 339 78 



Buffalo, N. Y 3.572.2117 1,970,55 l!990,88 



New York City, N. Y 3.301.402 2.220 87 '033 23 



Toronto. Ontario 3.245.959 1,801.33 2'078'9-' 



Mobile. .\la 2.722.397 1.481.31 1 0'>1 39 



Nashville. Tenn 2,534.775 1,412.08 1773 88 



Chattanooga, Tenn 2,402,890 1,290.89 liosi 05 



Pittsburgh. Pa 2.230,688 1.805.86 2 264 64 



Bristol. Tenn 1.937.922 1.428 95 l'795'70 



Clarksburg. W. Va 1,804,585 1.388.81 2'os7 37 



Oshkosh, Wis 1,452,112 1,124 54 ■''504 93 



Asheville, N. C 1,312,470 762.66 841.97 



Baltimore, Md 054.594 8.23 8 23 



Michigan Mills 54.837.420 2 742 84 



Chief Inspector 1..1S7,717 1,787.05 0.813.93 



Of the 176,332,1 2 feet indicated by these figures to have been inspected 

 under the Nation 1 Hardwood Lumber Association bonded certillcate, offi- 

 cial reinspection- ivcre requested aurl applied to 1,587,717 feet, and of. that 

 amount the original inspection was found to be in error in excess of 4 

 per cent money value on 613,485 feet, resulting in claims paid by the asso- 

 ciation of $2,930.87, It will be noted that the expense of the inspection 

 bureau exceeds the amount earned by $4,212.13. This is the first year 

 since 1905 that earnings have not been equal to expenses and it is my 

 belief that this is due entirely to car shortage, although unfavorable 

 weather conditions may have been a small factor. With embargoes on at 

 many points ilicii^ have been many weeks when the salarie.l inspectors have 



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