September 25, 1917 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



23 



B-1137— Spruce Wanted 



Chicago, 111., Sept. 12. — Eilitor Hardwciod Kucuuli ; Can you advise 

 us where we cau obtain a ear of northern Michigan or Wisconsin spruce ; 

 or, better, Canariian spruce? Can use it in almost any thickness, either 



green or dry. . 



B-1 138 Dimension Stock 



Philadelphia, Pa.. September l.s. — Editor Hakdwood Record : Please 

 send us the address of several manufacturers making a business of cutting 

 dimension stock in following woods : Chestnut, poplar, gum. birch and 

 quartered oak. . 



B 1139— Oak Veneers 

 New York, N. Y., September 20. — Editor Hakdwood Record : We seem 

 to have some trouble in getting plain and quartered oak veneers in %, i/s 



and -^g" thicknes-ses sawed. . 



B 1140 — Seeks Osage Orange 

 Cincinnati, O. September 20. — Editor Hardwood Recobd : Can you 

 advise where I can secure osage orange in large quantities in 6/1" lumber or 

 in the log if necessary? 



Any information on this subject will be very much appreciated. 



Regarding osage orange lumber or logs. This wood seldom goes 

 on the market as lumber, but its usual form is wagon felloes, insula- 

 tion pins, or some other partly manufactured articles. Possibly lum- 

 ber could be had by dealing with producers in the region where the 

 osage orange grows. Its natural range is limited to a few counties 

 in Texas and Oklahoma, and little of it goes to sawmills outside of 

 that region. It might be had by corresponding with lumber dealers 

 in the following Texas counties: Lamar, Franklin, Grayson, Collins, 

 Dallas, Hunt, Tarrant, and Kaufman ; or with dealers in the following 

 Oklahoma counties: Bryan, Atoka, Marshall, Choctaw, Coal and 

 Johnston. 



This tree is usually called ' ' bodock ' ' in the region where it grows. 

 The trunks are small and crooked, and only short, narrow lumber 

 could be cut from them. The very largest trunks are seldom two feet 

 in diajneter, and they are apt to he cracked open from the heart out- 

 ward. Even in cutting stock for wagon felloes, it is customary to 

 make the felloes only half the regulation length in order to utilize 

 more of the crooked, split logs. Even then, the waste runs over fifty 

 per cent, but they work the waste into telephone pins and sometimes 

 into tobacco pipes and other small novelties. 



B 1141— Wants to Buy Chestnut Lumber 



A large cabinet factory in Chicago 'phoned HAitDWOOD Record's 

 ofSce on press day asking for lists of people having sound wormy 

 chestnut for sale. Anyone interested in the inquiry may have the ad- 

 dress on writing Hardwood Record office. — Editor. 



Clubs and Associations 



Open Competition Plan Report 



Due to the hot weather of the summer and the inclement weather of 

 late, the dry lumber market is very high, stocks low and no chance for 

 manufacturers to catch up with the demand of the consumers, according 

 to feports made at the monthly meeting of the Open Competition Plan, of 

 the Hardwood Manufacturers' Association, held at the SInton hotel, Cin- 

 cinnati. River mills, it was reported, will not run again until next spring 

 because their supply of logs is exhausted. 



The open-competitioh-plan members of the Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Association of the United States will hold two monthly meetings hereafter. 

 Assistant to the President F. R. Gadd, explained that the change from one 

 meeting to two was made for the greater convenience of the membership 

 which is widely scattered. 



Open Price Meeting at Memphis 



.\t the conclusion of the meeting of members of the open competition plan 

 of the Hardwood Manufacturers' Association, held at Memphis September 

 15, it was announced by P. R. Gadd, assistant to the president of this 

 organization, that monthly meetings of members of this plan would be 

 held in Memphis in future in order that those identified therewith might 

 keep in close touch with market conditions. 



The question of opening a branch of the association in Memphis was 

 briefly discussed and then referred to the board of directors who will 

 decide at their next meeting to be held in Cincinnati. It is generally 

 expected that the office will be opened here about January 1. 



There was macli discussion of market conditions during the , mfietili.g. 

 .ind it appeared to be the consensus of opinion that business is rather 

 quiet at the moment. It was announced that there was considerable 

 government business in progress and that this was preventing what would 

 otherwise be a pretty dull market. The falling off in building operations 

 was given as the principal cause of the slowness of the market for hard- 

 wood lumber at the moment but the majority of those discussing this 

 phase of the matter expressed the belief that this condition would prove 

 temporary and that there would be a good demand for soutlicrn hardwoods 

 at full prices this fall and winter. 



Cincinnati Lumbermen's Club 



Discussion of demurrage rules and cur service were the principal topics 

 before the Lumbermen's Club of Cincinnati, at its initial meeting held at 

 the Metropole hotel last week. Several matters of complaint were referred 

 to the river and rail committee for investigation. 



Five firms were elected to membership : the John Dulweber Company. 

 Talbert-Zoller Lumber Company, Thoman-Finn Lumber Company, W. E. 

 Heyser Lumber Cpmpany and the C. "W. Tunis Lumber Company. 



A press and publicity committee consisting of Harry R. Browne and 

 John Byrnes was appointed. 



A communication from the Treasury Department asking the club's moral 

 support for the next Liberty Loan was received. 



War Tax on Freight Bills 



The Southern Hardwood Traffic Association is officially advising mem- 

 bers that there will be a government war tax of :i per cent added to all 

 lumber and forest products freight bills, effective on or about November 

 1 next. 



Those members already familiar with this prospective freight tax 

 are having stamps made which will be used on all quotations and com- 

 munications regarding lumber, advising customers that this increased 

 freight cost will be added to the price of all lumber sold by them. 



There is already a 7 '/a per cent war tax levied by the Canadian govern- 

 ment on all imports of lumber from the United States. J. H. Townshend, 

 secretary-manager of the association, however, is in position to advise 

 members of this organization that the Canadian authorities have ruled 

 that, unless there is a special agreement concerning the payment of this 

 tax, it must be borne by the consignee. 



Consider Memphis for Export License Depot 



A. H. Bullock, representing the Department of Commerce, Washing- 

 ton, will be in Memphis within the next few days to conduct an investi- 

 gation to determine whether or not a branch for the issuance of export 

 licenses shall be located in Memphis. The foreign trade committee of 

 the Chamber of Commerce is compiling statistics to be used as a guide 

 by Mr. Bullock and these will show that Memphis is a big exporter of 

 cotton, lumber, forest products, cottonseed products and other commodi- 

 ties, so big in fact that it is entitled to the consideration export interests 

 here are seeking. 



James E. Stark, president of the Southern Hardwood Traffic Association, 

 has been named to represent the lumber interests at the conferences to 

 be held with Mr. Bullock. The Cotton Exchange, Merchants Exchange, 

 Chamber of Commerce and other organizations will also appoint conferees. 



Association Issuing Pocket Tariff Book 



The pocket tariff book issued by the Southern Hardwood Traffic .Asso- 

 ciation came from the press September 15 and was immediately distributed 

 among the members of that organization. This little book contains all 

 through rates on lumber and lumber products from southern producing 

 points to northern and eastern destinations, including Canada, as well 

 as to all points in Western Trunk Line territory. It is expected that it 

 will prove of very great assistance to members in making quotations and 

 in giving prices to their salesmen. No account whatever is taken of com- 

 bination rates. Through rates are given in all instances and the matter 

 of quotations is thereby much simplified. 



The issuance of this booklet will also very much reduce the quantity 

 of work heretofore neces.sary in the offices of the association. One man 

 has had to give practically all of his time to answering inquiries involv- 

 ing rates but his duties will be far less onerous than heretofore. 



In order that the tariffs may be kept strictly up-to-date, supplements 

 will be issued each month, covering all changes in rates. 



Hardwood Rate Advances Suspended 



The Southern Hardwood Traffic Association is in receipt of official 

 confirmation of the suspension of the increased tariffs in I. & S. 1125. 

 These and other advances into eastern territory, including Canada, were 

 to have become effective on September 1 and later dates but the order of 

 the commission suspends all of them until December 30, 1917. 



J. H. Townshend, secretary-manager of the association, expressed much 

 pleasure over the action of the commission in suspending these advances 

 for two reasons : The big saving that the suspension means for hardwood 

 lumber shippers and the removal of the necessity tor changing the rates 

 as published in the pocket tariff book just issued by the association. 



However, the suspension of these advances does not mean an end of 

 the effort of the carriers to bring about higher rates. Mr. Townshend 

 says he has been given to understand that the carriers, as soon as they 

 are able to get their forces properly organized, are going to attempt to 

 bring about general advances in hardwood rates from all southern pro- 

 ducing points to destinations in all parts of the country. He further 

 (Continued on page 3S). 



