February 10. 191S 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



45 



No Co-operative Purchases of Thick Oak 

 ' There 1ms been nuu'h talk rogardin*; orders for tliUk oak to be used In 

 the Dinnufacture of wagons, and there liave been at least two conferences 

 In Chicago between manufacturers accepting abnormally large contracts 

 for wagons from the government and representatives of the hardwood 

 lumber Industry, inclniling the Southern Hardwood Emergency Bureau at 

 Washington. James E. Stark, Juo. W. JlcClure, II. L. Jurden and other 

 members of the trade attended these conferences, but on February 2 John 

 W. MeClure, immediately after the meeting of the Lumbermen's Club, 

 made a detailed statement to the Memphis lumbermen in which he made 

 it clear that, whenever there were enormous quantities of thick oak to 

 be bought, the entire transaction was one between the individual wagon 

 contractor and the individual manufacturer of lumber, as all efforts to 

 work out a practical basis of co-operation had come to naught. Lumber 

 Interests have been primed for some time to expect big orders for hard- 

 wood lumber to be used in the filling of government contracts for wagons, 

 wheels, boxes, handles aeroplanes and other essentials, and they are not 

 at all surprised that such an order for wagon stock is to be placed. They 

 will keep an eye on the situation and will do what they can to secure part 

 of the business both because it promises to be profitable and because It 

 enables them to continue their policy of helping the government whether 

 directly or Indirectly. 



Executive Committee of New Hardwood Association Meets 



The first meeting of the executive committee of the American Hardwood 

 Manufacturers' Association to be held since the latter was launched at 

 Memphis, Friday. January 18, was called to order at the Tennessee Club 

 February 4 by R. L. Jurden, president of the association and exofflcio 

 chairman of this committee. Others present were: W. 11. Russe, James E. 

 Stark and J. W. McClurc, all of Memphis ; R. M. Carrier, Sardis, Miss. ; 

 E. A. Lang. Chicago, and M. B. Cooper, Memphis. 



The principal action of the committee was in the fixing of the rate of 

 assessment for the purpose of carrying on the general work of the asso- 

 ciation, not to exceed three cents per 1.000 feet on the number of feet 

 of hardwood logs cut during the preceding year, and in the election of 

 J. T. Kendall, formerly secretary of the American Oak Manufacturers' 

 Association, as first assistant secretary to John M. Pritchard, and C. A. 

 Van Camp, formerly assistant to Mr. Pritchard, as second assistant sec- 

 retary. 



It was announced that rates of assessment to be levied for carrying on 

 special department work will be fixed by the governing committee In charge 

 of each special wood. 



John JI. Pritchard, secretary-manager, was granted leave of absence to 

 continue his duties as manager of the Southern Hardwood Emergency 

 Bureau at Washington, and the ranking position held by Mr. Kendall 

 places him in active charge of the affairs of the association until such 

 time as Mr. Pritchard returns permanently to Memphis. 



The different standing committees will be announced in a few days, 

 and it will also be decided shortly what offices will be used by the new 

 association. 



Trade Helps by Northern Association 



A novel plan has been adopted by the secretary's office of the Northern 

 Hemlock and Hardwood Manufacturers' Association for bringing about 

 greater co-operation between the manufacturer and retailer of lumber 

 products in reaching the consumer. Large packages arc being sent out 

 to the manufacturers containing an assortment of building plans, building 

 booklets on silos, garages, farm buildings, birch books, maple flooring 

 booklets and other material of value to the retail lumber dealer. Some 

 of the dealers are framing these building plans and also putting the 

 booklets in a glass frame so that all of these together make an attractive 

 exhibit in the waiting room, where the study of the plans induces the 

 desire to build and shows a part of the service the manufacturer gives. 

 At the request of the retailer the association sends any of these publica- 

 tions or plans direct to the customer with the retailer's compliments and 

 when desired the name of the retailer is printed upon the reading matter. 

 Suggestions arc likewise issued with the printed material showing how an 

 intensive campaign for disposing of lumber can be carried on by co-opera- 

 tion 'between executives, sales managers, salesmen, sales agents and retail 

 customers. The entire campaign was entered Into with every confidence 

 that it is well worth the investment in view of the success met In the 

 exploitation of the association's hemlock stave silo. Inquiries are now 

 coming in for material on the silo not only from retailers, who distribute 

 It among the farmers, but direct from the farmers, whose letters show that 

 they have fully decided In favor of the wooden silo and their Inquiry Is 

 merely for advice on minor matters In connection with the construction 

 phases. ' 



Memphis Club Still Grows 



Six now members were elected to the Lumbermen's Club of Memphis 

 at the repiilar semi-monthly meeting of this organization at the Hotel 

 Gayoso February 2. bringing the total to 185. Furthermore, applica- 

 tions for membership were filed by four other lumbermen, and, when they 

 are elected two weeks hence, the total membership will he 189. Those 

 elected this afternoon are : 



E. J. Srhlosser, Forest City Box Company, Forest City, Ark. ; Edwin B. 

 Snyder, Pcnrod, Jurden & McCowen, Inc., Memphis; John Churchill, 

 Churchill, Milton Company, Greenwood, Miss. ; B. J. Davis, General Lum- 



ber Company. Memphis ; K. L. Emmons, Memphis Band Mill Company, 

 Memphis, and Harry Darnell, R. J. Darnell, Inc., Memphis. 



S. B. Anderson, chairman of the special committee appointed some time 

 ago to take steps looking to the better protection of employes of lumber 

 firms with a view to preventing negro laborers from becoming dissatisfied 

 and removing from Memphis, reported that he and his associates had suc- 

 ceeded in securing a promise from the sheriff of this (Shelby) county that 

 his deputies would not be allowed to prey on the negroes employed at the 

 saw mill plants and yards in Memphis, even If he had to Ore them to 

 prevent such raids as have been pulled off heretofore. 



Mr. Anderson thought, however, that the question of establishing stores 

 In North and South Memphis, where the negroes could buy their supplies 

 at cost, should not be decided at this time. He argued rather in favor 

 of waiting to see how the Kelsey Wheel Company in North Memphis and 

 Larkln & Co. in New South Memphis came out with the stores they had 

 established for the purpose of supplying their employes with goods at 

 cost. In the meantime, he recommended that lumbermen secure coupon 

 books from one of the big system of stores In Memphis and that they 

 supply these to their employes when the latter have run out of cash and 

 have to buy supplies. He said investigation had disclosed that these coupon 

 books were available and that the management of the chain stores In 

 question sold on a very close margin, thus affording ample protection. 

 Mr. Anderson strongly advocated that the lumbermen fall Into line In this 

 movement, saying that it was necessary to do something to protect their 

 employes from loan sharks and from stores charging unreasonable profits 

 if they wished to prevent their labor from being scattered, and if they 

 wished to avoid the alternative of paying higher wages to offset the high 

 prices employes arc having to pay under present conditions. 



J. D. Alien reported for the house committee and showed that the 

 employment bureau of the club had found work for twenty-seven persona 

 witli lumber firms during the single month of January. 



Mr. Allen recommended that the assistant secretary. Miss Florence Cor- 

 rington, be given a salary of $75 per month because of her increased 

 duties. The club, however, went him one better and gave her a salary 

 of $100 per month because of her very great efficiency and because of her 

 proven value to the club. She has charge of the employment bureau as 

 well as the rooms of the club in the Chamber of Commerce building. 



In connection with these rooms, Mr. Allen reported that the committee 

 figured that the assets of the club, in the way of furniture and fixtures, 

 amounted to approximately $1,200. 



R. B. Dickinson, chairman of the river and rail committee, said that 

 he and associates had taken up with Col. E. H. Egan, superintendent of 

 the Tazoo & Mississippi Valley railroad, the question of continuing cross- 

 town handling of lumber and lorest products, and suggested that the mem- 

 bers go ahead with the use of equipment for such handling with as great 

 efficiency as possible without entering into any controversy with that 

 official at this time. He thought it suflicient that cars were available for 

 this service and that the latter had not been eliminated. The club adopted 

 strong resolutions at the last meeting to be presented to Col. Egan, but 

 the committee thought the time inopportune for formal action. 



Mr. Dickinson also informed members of the club that the Illinois Cen- 

 tral had withdrawn all through bills of lading on export shipments routed 

 over its lines and that export shipments of lumber had to be handled, if 

 at all, on the basis of local bills. He did not think this made much differ- 

 ence at the moment, but that it was a matter which needed careful watch- 

 ing because a time would come when there would be a great deal more 

 export traffic offering than now. 



He also reported that the committee in charge of river and rail terminal 

 at Memphis to facilitate the handling of river traffic was seeking a loca- 

 tion for these terminals, but he did not approve the plans of the com- 

 mittee because they did not make such provision for carload freight as 

 would develop river transportation on the scale contemplated. F. E. 

 Stonebraker, representing the club on this committee, said that the latter 

 was contemplating an entirely new location and that, if this were decided 

 upon, it would greatly delay construction of these terminals at a time 

 when they should be available for use as soon as possible. He pointed 

 out that New Orleans has completed its terminals and that St. Louis bad 

 made large progress, while Memphis had done practically nothing to 

 increase freight handling facilities on the Mississippi. 



C. R. Ransom, chairman of the special committee appointed to sell 

 Thrift Stamps among employes of lumber firms in this county, said he had 

 chosen a number of able lumbermen to assist him, and that he felt sure 

 that the lumber Industry would soon be organized on an effective basis 

 for handling this proposition. He had not the slightest <loubt that the 

 lumbermen of Memphis would bring up their end of this proposition Just 

 as they had done on all other patriotic questions. He urged, however, 

 that lumber firms sign applications to become agents for the distribution 

 of these stamps among their employes and that they buy $50 to $100 

 worth of the stamps and keep a number of them on hand to distribute 

 among their workmen. He said the weather had kept many employes Idle, 

 but that he hoped, with better weather and larger earning power, the 

 negroes and other employes would fall in line and buy tticse stamps freely. 



George C. Ehemann, who has been working on the team appointed to 

 raise funds for the Baptist Memorial Hospital among the lumbermen, 

 reported that May Brothers had subscribed $2,000 and that the members 

 of the club had contributed $7,000, including that amount. He thanked 

 them for their active support of the hospital, which Is to be greatly 



