Deeembtr UK 1917 



The Lumhermans Round Table 



Figured Gum in Window Panels 

 One of tilt" most otlVi'tivo \v:iys in which to use figured {;um is 

 in the coustriu'tion of piiiiels for show windows. The modern mer- 

 cliant knows that liis windows are his best salesmen, and lie dresses 

 them up accordingly. Tsiially it is desired to have a liand.some fig- 

 ured wood to form a suitable background for good-looking mer- 

 chandise, and figured gum certainly serves a purpose here. 



One of the leading shoe stores in Chicago has windows which are 

 trimmed in figured gum, and finished in oil, without varnish or 

 stain. The result is that the natural color of the wood is brought 

 out, and the appearance is elegant and appealing. Circa.s.sian wal 

 nut in its palmy days never had anything prettier to offer tlinii 

 this particular installation of gum. 



Fixing the Responsibility 



A lumberman who recently broke down under the strain of handling 

 too many details has decided that the best plan for him to pursue here- 

 after is to fiud one man big enough to handle an entire operation, and 

 put it up to him to do so, taking the responsibility for the success of 

 the work. 



This manufacturer, who has had to deal with the general manage- 

 ment of the enterprise, including office work, financing and sales, also 

 attempted to watch all of the various departments connected with the 

 mill; and the result, as stated, was that he broke down under the 

 burden. A real superiut^'ndent, who could have assumed the entire 

 task of running the mill, would have relieved him of all of this, and at 

 the same time probably would have got better results than, in reason, 

 could be secured by a man who has his mind crowded with dozens of 

 other matters. 



For example, it is hard for the head of the business to watch such 

 details as log buying, inspection, the daily cut, the placing of cars, 

 and all the other details which fall to the lot of the superintendent. 

 Even though he has a department head who is immediately in charge 

 of certain matters, he himself must think about them and supervise 

 them to a considerable extent; and that is extremely difficult. The 

 other plan is not only easier, but better, and gives each man a chance 

 to do his best work, without having to worry with details which could 

 be handled more eflfectively by someone else — the man on the job. 



The lumberman referred to has had to pay a high price for his ex- 

 perience, but he realizes now that the lesson was worth learning. A 

 proper organization involves the idea of distributing responsibility, 

 and then making those to whom it is delegated respond to it. 



Making Use of Motor Trucks 



Lumber concerns which are using motor trucks are rapidly learning, 

 in common with those in other lines, that there is more to getting 

 value out of motors than is represented in the letter's ability to cover 

 the ground rapidly. That is, the lumber must be handled efficiently, 

 and the idle time of the truck held to a minimum if the investment is 

 to prove profitable. That is because the truck represents more capital 

 than horses and wagons, and the lumberman cannot afford to have 

 this large amount of capital stand idle, as it must do when loaded in 

 the ordinary way. 



For this rea'son many lumbermen who are using trucks have equipped 

 them with rollers, by means of which the lumber is rolled forward 

 from stands or wagons on which it has previously been stacked. This 

 enables the loading operation to go on while the truck is out of the 

 yard, so that when it returns, the load is ready for it and can be rolled 

 right onto the body without delay. The rolls are geared to each other, 

 the gearing being arranged in such ratios as to enable the rolls, 

 cranked by hand, to be turned easily by one man. Usually a man gets 

 at the crank on the truck and another at that on the yard-\i(agon or 

 stand, and the big pile, which may weigh five or six tons, is transferred 

 without delay. 



If the lumber is to be delivered onto the ground, it can lie rolled off 

 in the same way, a chain, fixed with one of the patented clamps which 

 have come into use, holding i% together. Or, in the ca.se of wide lum- 



ber, especially rough stock, sticking it at alternate ends every few 

 courses holds it together and enables it to be dumped without chains. 



A good many hardwood yards are developing local or city business 

 of sufficient proportions to justify them in using trucks, and they are 

 studying this question and experimenting in various ways. For In- 

 stance, one yard in the Ohio valley has recently been using a truck 

 made of a Cadillac pleasure car chassis. If it gives good results, a 

 commercial car will undoubtedly be installed. But the right handling 

 methods should be worked out when the truck is bought if it is to be 

 worth while. 



Too Easy to Get Credit? 



The remark is often made that one of the reasons why over- 

 head expenses are greater in the lumber business than they ought 

 to be is that it is too easy for those who do not deserve credit to 

 get it. 



This is another way of saying that the lumberman who books 

 an order without scrutinizing the credit hazard involved is intro- 

 ducing ail element of speculation into liis business. 



Cases are frequently noted where a lumberman, knowing that 

 the buyer is not a good credit risk, will nevertheless ship the lum- 

 ber, if the price at which the order has been booked is attractive; 

 and on the other hand, if the item sold happens to be a slow mover, 

 the order appears so alluring that the credit end of the transaction 

 is almost lost sight of. 



Of course, when business is good, as it has been of late, the 

 lumberman is in a position to choose his customers with more cir- 

 cumspection, and those who have a reputation for discounting their 

 bills naturally get most consideration. But ordinarily the hard- 

 wood concern is compelled to do a lot more worrying about its 

 accounts, and to accept a much higher proportion of paper, than 

 is the rule in many other businesses. 



In contrast to this, it should be noted that the hardwood manu- 

 facturer pays cash for most of the things which he buys. His 

 timber is paid for as soon as it is delivered at the railroad station, 

 and before the logs are received at the mill. Those who are job- 

 bing lumber usually pay for it when it is taken up at the mill, and 

 sometimes as soon as sawed and put in the pile for their handling. 

 Freights don 't permit much extension of credit, and labor is an 

 item that demands cash every Saturday night. The only place 

 where the lumberman has a chance to do business with the other 

 fellow 's money — which is what use of credit really means — is in 

 connection with minor accounts for supplies, which are a small 

 fraction of the total cost of operation. 



Consequently, it looks as if the lumberman who is an "E. Z. 

 Mark," when it comes to extending credit ought to apply the same 

 methods to customers as he must adopt when buying himself, and 

 endeavor to make the account one that will be liquidated promptly. 

 You can 't figure profits ahead of collections. 



The Portable Units 



The [lortable sawmills of the country, while individually small 

 and insignificant, in the aggregate constitute quite an item in hard- 

 wood production, and there is every indication that this winter 

 will be unusually busy among them. The demand and the good 

 prices for many items will serve to stimulate activity among 

 |iortable mills. A large part of their product is for local con- 

 sumption which has the effect of reducing the demand for the 

 lumber of the open market. They are beginning to look some- 

 what beyond this, how-ever, and to become factors in supplying 

 dimension stock and especially items for wagon, vehicle and im- 

 ])lement work. Some of them have excellent timber available 

 and while the quantity may be limited, the quality is there an4 

 those needing the product of this timber may well get in touchr 

 with the ]>ortable units to the end that most of it may be con-" 

 served for the best uses. 



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