May 25. 1915. 



Measured by actual tangible results, there is very little to be said 

 regarding the first joint conference held at Memphis, Teini., Wednes- 

 ilav, May 14, between the committees representing the liardwood 

 lumber industry and that representing the railroads east and west of 

 the Mississippi. The conference was called to order at the Hotel 

 Chisca at 10 o'clock and lasted throughout the day. The only inter- 

 ruption came with the serving of hiiudK'on at which the visiting rail- 

 road men were tlie guests of the Southern Hardwood Traffic Associa- 

 tion. 



The sessions were executive and it was agreed by both the lumber- 

 men and the railroad men that practically nothing should be given 

 out for publication. It was pointed out that the discussions were 

 largely preliminary, dealing with a number of different subjects and 

 covering the scope of the work to be undertaken in the future in the 

 way 01 a readjustment of freight rates as well as the possibility of 

 sui-cessful accomplishments along this H.-ie. It can be said aiitliori- 

 tatively, however, that the meeting was entirely harmonious and that 

 after adjournment representatives of both the lumber industry and 

 the railroads declared that the harmonious spirit shown at this con- 

 ference augured well for the future success of the conference method 

 as a means of adjusting rate and other matters in controversy be- 

 tween the lumbermen and the carriers. 



Subjects Discussed 



The principal subjects discussed may be summed up as follows: 



First : — Necessity for adjustment of gum rates on a lower level 

 than other hardwoods. 



Second: — Whether adjustment of other hardwood rates shall be on 

 a mileage or a group basis. 



Third: — At ".vhat distance should differential for two-line haul 

 disappear. 



Fourth:— Adjustment of west side rates. 



Fifth: — Necessity for special adjustment of rates on timbers based 

 on lower rates with minimum rates. 



It may be said, however, that, in addition to the foregoing, there 

 were a number of other matters brought up by both the representa- 

 tives of the hardwood lumber industi.y and the railroads, including 

 the two main cases now pending before the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission. These are known as I. & S. 184 and I. & S. 520 and 

 involve higher freight rates both east and west of the Mississippi river 

 to western destinations and also to Ohio river crossings. Neither the 

 lumbermen's committee nor the railroad committee had any definite 

 idea as to what the outcome of these cases would be or when de- 

 cisions would be handed down by the commission. It was sug- 

 gested, however, that it might be several months before that tribunal 

 gave out anything definite in regard to its attitude on the issues 

 involved in these two cases. 



It may be definitely stated that a number of propositions were 

 submitted to the railroad representatives by the lumbermen and that 

 the former took these matters under advisement, promising to hold a 

 conference between themselves later and reach decisions. It is prob- 

 able that the announcement of these decisions on the part of the rail- 

 road otEcials will represent the first concrete and tangible results of 

 the conference. 



Date for Next Meeting Uncert.\in 



It is known that there will be another joint conference in the 

 future, but just when it will be held is quite indefinite. It may be 

 within two months or it may be longer. It was pointed out by those 

 who attended that both the railroads and the lumbermen have a vast 

 amount of work ahead and that it will be impossible for some time 

 to arrange a date that will be suitable for all interested. 



LUMEERMEX INSIST OX FAIR READJUSTMENT 



One of the subjects on which much stress was laid by the lumber- 

 men was the absolute necessity for a I'eduetion in the west side rates. 

 The lumbermen were unanimous on this point and they were also 

 quite emphatic. F. K. Gadd, Wisconsin Lumber Company, said that 

 the railroads either had to lower their west side rates or the lumber- 

 men engaged in business in that territory would have to quit. It is 



also understood that the lumbermen made a very vigorous request for 

 gum rates on a lower basis than those prevailing on other hard- 

 woods. This was one of the principal subjects brought to the atten- 

 tion of the joint conference and it was likewise the principal feature 

 of the harmony conference held liere April 7. Just what the atti- 

 tude of the railroads will be towaril this plia>e of rate revisions, how- 

 ever, is entirely unknown. 



John W. McCIure, president of the Southern Hardwood Traffic 

 Association, said that the meeting was entirely satisfactory and that 

 a spirit of harmony prevailed throughout. He further said that as 

 this was the first joint conference, very little in the way of definite 

 results was anticipated by the members of the lumbermen's commit- 

 tee. He thought it might take two or three months, or, perhaps, 

 even a longer time before anything definite would be accomplished. 

 He pointed out, however, that the spirit of harmony which prevailed 

 was a harbinger of successful accomplishments in future and de- 

 clared that the lumbermen had every reason to be encouraged over 

 the attitude of tlie railroads as disclosed in the discussions had at this 

 meeting. 



The Coxferees 



The conference convened at 10 o'clock and was presided over by 

 John W. McClure. All the msmbers of the lumbermen's committee 

 were present, as follows: East side: — Jolin W. McClure, Bellgrade 

 Lumber Company, Memphis; W. B. Burke, Lamb-Fish Lumber Com- 

 pany, Charleston, Miss.; S. B. Anderson, Anderson-Tully Company, 

 Memphis, and J. H. Townshend, secretary and general manager 

 Southern Hardwood Traffic Association. West side:— Walker Wei- 

 ford, Chickasaw Cooperage Company, Memphis; F. R. Gadd, Wiscon- 

 sin Lumber Company, Chicago; R. L. McClelland, Paepcke-Leicht 

 Lumber Company, Chicago, and C. D. Hendrickson, C. D. Hendrick- 

 son Lumber Company, Memphis. In addition to these eight represen- 

 tatives of the Southern Hardwood Traffic Association, George Land, 

 traffic manager for the Lamb-Fish Lumber Company, Charleston, 

 Miss., and J.imes Morgan, manager for the Cooperage Traffic Bureau, 

 St. Louis, were preserit in an advisory capacity. 



The eight southern railroad.s having representation on the railroad 

 committee sent fourteen officials to look after their interests, as 

 follows : 



niinois Central: — F. B. Bowes, vice president in charge of traffic, 

 Chicago; D. W. Longstreet, Chicago, B. D. Fort, Memphis and 

 Joseph Hattendorf, in charge of traffic for southern lines, with head- 

 quarters at Memphis. 



Louisville & Nashville: — D. M. Goodwyn, general freight agent, 

 Louisville, Ky. 



Rock Island: — H. W. Morrison, assistant freight traffic manager. 

 Little Rock. 



'Frisco System: — F. C. Riley, assistant freight traffic manager, 

 St. Louis, G. F. McGregor, assistant general freight agent, Memphis, 

 and B. H. Stannage, assistant general freight agent, St. Louis. 



Mobile & Ohio : — Charles C. Taylor, assistant general freight agent, 

 Memphis. 



Iron Mountain :^C. E. Perkins, freight traffic manager, St. Louis. 



St. Louis-Southwestern : — J. D. Watson, freight traffic manager, St, 

 Louis. 



Southern Railway: — J. M. Culp, vice-president in charge of traffic, 

 Washington, D. C. and Carroll P. Cooper, special executive official, 

 with headqu.nrters at Memphis. 



Everybody Sees the Hole 



An Ohio Valley lumberman, who happens to be the sort of man 

 who sees the doughnut instead of the hole, was recently commenting 

 on the fact that when business is good, nobody says much about it, 



"We all want to get as much of it as v.e can before the informa- 

 tion becomes common property," he said. "But when trade is poor 

 we tell everyone we meet about it. ' ' 



Maybe that's the reason why prosperity is so long arriving. 



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