N..v.iiihir 10. IDIT 



V»^:;:;saraayi;*&^OTl»g;^glKi>iwt^^ 



The seiniamiual meeting of the Michigan Haidwooil Maiuifai'- 

 turers' Association, held at Hotel Statler, Detroit, Mich., on October 

 25, was unusually well attended, and its sessions marked with unusu- 

 ally well sustained interest. 



President \V. C Hull occupying the cliair opened the meeting 

 with a brief talk. 



Secretary Knox then |)reseiited his report. He said that present 

 conditions (leman<led a closer co-operation between business men 

 and the government than ever before was necessary and that lum- 

 bermen will be found in the foremost ranks in all lines of govern- 

 ment work. 



Refering to stock report for October 1, he said this compares 

 favorably with figures of a year ago, witli five less members report- 

 ing. These five members have cut out since the last report. 



The treasurer's report was read by the secretary and showpil a 

 cash balance of good pro])ortions in the forest fire fund, although 

 the unusual expense of tlie past year cut down the balance in tlie 

 general treasury to a minimum amount. 

 * Mr. Knox suggested full discussion on the question of niininuini 



assessments, as due to hasty action at the last meeting there was 

 some confusion on this .score.' He also requested that a committee 

 he appointed to attend the war conference of the Michigan busine.ss 

 men to be held in Detroit in November. He referred to the proposal 

 for 15'/f advance in freight rates and told of steps taken by lumber- 

 men to watch the proceedings in this instance. 



Chief Fire Warden Morford in liis report gave tlie following 

 tabulation of causes of fires during tlie past season: 



Vnitsri* 

 Railroads . 



Sctthirs 



I'ishcriiicn . . 

 ' Smokers . . . . . 

 Carelessness . 

 Berry pickers 

 T'nkuown . . . 



\ ilmhrr I'rr Cent 



. . L'l; ts.T 



. ::4 ■J4.4.-. 



4 2.8S 



. . li 4.r> 



.. 7 r.,04 



. . 4 2..S8 



. . .-.s 41.-:; 



ISO 



In his report on the work of the Michigan Hardwood Manufac- 

 turers' Emergency Bureau, Chairman C. A. Bigelow covered the 

 entire activity of that body. According to the report, members of 

 the Michigan association shipped 1,066 cars containing 23,101,81.5 

 feet. This was on direct orders, and in addition on orders placed 

 through the Northern Hemlock Manufacturers' Emergency Bureau, 

 there were shipped 182 cars containing 4,200,000 feet. These ship- 

 ments were made in sixty days, the total expense being $1,747.76. 

 The agreement vvitli tlie dealers handling the lumber was tliat an 

 Mssessmcnt be levied of net amount of invoice against members 

 ■-hipping on the order, and an additional 7%% per M feet was made 

 to cover the extra expense of distribution. Chairman .^bbott of the 

 committee on market conditions presented the following illuminating 

 report : 



The niiirki't iimditions coniniitlci' liclil its nieclinj; al tlic StatlcT llnti'l. 

 Iietrolt, toda.v. .\fter careful consiileialion we find the yenpral coinlUioii 

 of our hardwood stocks as shown li.v October 1 statistics is ideal. 



The total stock on hand of 21.T:!K.000 feet is (i2,04:!.000 feet or 22 

 l.crccnt less less than October 1, lOKi. The unsold stock of .S.i.:{'S5,00il 

 ■ et is 24.144,000 feet or 22 percent less than October 1. 191i>. No. 2 

 ■ommon and better hardwoods show t."i.-|.224.0oo feet on hand or 21.172.000 

 icot less than October 1. U>1C.. We have 14.(i."iX.00O feet in No. 2 common 

 and better iinsobl stock on hand than we had October 1. 1011!. Over 

 10.000,000 feet of this is found in the 4/4 and ."> 4 maple and No. 1 and 

 -' common and No. 2 common and better mixed, or in other words the 

 li'toring stock grades. 



There is no question hut that the consumption of flooring has been 

 materiall.v lessened due largel.v to a falling oft in building centers. In 

 fact, construction of large Iiuildings using the better grade of hardwood 

 flooring has been almost nil. This is no doubt dne to the war coupled 

 with the excessive cost of labor and other materials entering Into build- 

 ing construction of thi.s kind. We need have no fear, however, as there 

 is no more of this lumber than will be manufactured for flooring pur- 

 poses and for various lines Into which It is now drifting. 



30 



We have less No. 2 lomnion and better hunhvoods in all items excepting 

 ash, whh'h shows a small Increase froiii last..veiir. No. :i common hanl- 

 woods on hand amount to ti2.1(iri feet or 40,S71 feet than one year ag" 

 and unsold .-^tock of No. .'{ common amounts to 27,4;J4 feet which Is 

 :)8,802 feet less than a year ago. During the past twelve months we 

 have produced 4il,000.000 feet less hardwoods than we have shipped. As 

 previously stated, our hardwood stock condition Is ideal. 



The hemlock situation Is taking care of Itself very nicely, the stock 

 on baiiil being 104. .Ul .000 feet which is 10.888,000 les.-i than we had on 

 hand (Jctober 1, 1010. Iiuriiig the past few' weeks trade has been rather 

 quiet, and yellow pine has been olTered at slightly lower lu-ices which ha> 

 had a tenden<*y to hold up hemlock orders. The car supply in the South 

 is commencing to be felt quite seriously anil also there is a tenflenc.\ 

 on the jiart of manufacturers to strengthen yellow pine markets, (Jener 

 ally speaking, yellow pine is not a competitor of hendock today. Oiir 

 customers will quote us yellow pine rates, but when it comes to getting 

 the goods they want hemlock if we are in position to make the didivery. 



The lath stock of 8.467.000 feet is 08 percent of what it was one year 



ago. 



Ill reporting for tlie grading rules committee, Chairman Saunders 

 verball.v called attention to the new gr&de of selects hardwoods and 

 asked members to make actual tests of this grade and rei>ort to the 

 market conditions committee. This would enable the committee to 

 make specific reeoiiiiiii'ii.lntiiinv nt the eoming meetinir :il"oit thirtv 

 days hence. 



On motion of '.'. .\. Bigelow an assessment of 3c per tlumsaiol 

 feet, pa.vable in semi-annual installments, was levied. This will 

 raise about .$12,000 to take care of the association work for 1917 

 and 1918. At the same time the minimum due for membership was 

 placed at $50. 



Mr. Bigelow, in talking un government luinlier needs said that 

 lumber so far used in cantonments is small as compared to what will 

 ultimately be used for this purpose. He stated also that the govern- 

 ment has accepted birch as a substitute for walnut in gunstocks 

 and tliat exjieriments are now being conducted to .letermine whether 

 or not maple is suited to tlie same purpose. 



.\s a means of conserving steel and steel products, the National 

 Lumber Manufacturers' Association is endeavoring to determine the 

 actual needs in the lumber traile of wire cable for logging and other 

 purposes. The members were requested to advise the secretary as 

 to their needs so that he in turn be able to report to the National 

 association. 



On motion, the secretarv was instructed to advise the War De- 

 partment that members of the association will accept Liberty Bonds 

 ill pavineiit for all government orders and that the members are also 

 willing to accept such bonds from indiviilual customers, either in 

 the 3Vi or -i'/, issue, these bonds to be acce]>ted at par and accrued 

 interest. 



Following tlie granting of $100 to cover the expense incident to 

 combatting the proposed 15% rate advance, it was moved that the 

 question of meatless and wlieatless da.vs in logging camps be referred 

 to the members for individual action with the recommendation 

 that the.v adopt such measures. 



On motion, $500 was appropriated from the fund of the Forest 

 Fire Protection Association to 1)e investeil in Liberty Bonds. 

 The meeting then ad.jourued. 



The Value of a Smile 



A young lumberman who recently passed into the Great Beyond, 

 after a brilliant and successful career, was famous all over the country 

 for his smile. Few of his friends, looking back on their associations 

 with him, will be able to recall his face without the sincere and 

 .jovial smile which it usually carried. 



He smiled his way into their hearts; he smiled his way through 

 business and personal ilifticulties, and he won the supjiort and loyal 

 co-operation of his men by smiling. 



The driver, who cracks the whip and makes his hirelings .lump, may 

 get results; but the smile is equally efficacious. 



