September 2n, 101.' 





Wisconsin Prosperity Gathering 





Tlic titJo of tins stor,v should not I* liikt'ii litonillv nn "pros 

 |>orit>-" was the goal sought after rnthor thnn the uchicvenicnt to 

 b« recorded by the gathering of lumlirr nivl shingle nmiiiifnotiircrti 

 from Wisconsin and upper Michigan, which took plnco nt the Hotel 

 I'fister. Milnnukee, Friday, September 17. 



Til' \ nt the instam-o of the Northoru llcinlock 



nud 1 .lors' Association, but wus not rostrictcil to 



members ol Unit urpminiition r.s lunibernicu, particularly niiinufiic- 

 turers of hemlock and makers of northern white cedar shingles, were 

 invited to participate, whetlier members or not. 



The cedar men bad the first session, with W. H. Thomas of the 

 White Marble Lime Company of Manistique, Mich., in tho chair. The 

 principal business of tho morning's session, which convened at 9:30, 

 was the appointment of a resolutions committee, which was instructed 

 to report back at the afternoon session. Tho jiurposc of the meet- 

 ing was to work out ways and means of bolstering up the market for 

 white cedar shingle.', and the resolutions committee was instructed 

 to formulate some plan for the consideration of the visiting shingle 

 makers under which it would be possible to save the white cedar 

 industry. 



W. S. Hcddles of Madison, Wis., who runs a series of line yards, 

 toll! of the retailer's attitude toward white cedar shingles. Mr. 

 Hcddles stated that the western red cedar shingle, on account of pre- 

 senting a clean, wide appearance, rather attracts the consumer and 

 that while the retailers themselves arc fully aware of the superiority 

 of the white cedar shingle, they must protect themselves and handle 

 what the trade wants. Mr. Hcddles said that his yard did not sell 

 one white cedar shingle these days to thousands of red cedar, and 

 that the prepared roofing is an additional reason why whit« cedar 

 shingles have not been finding tho proper market. 



Di.scussion brought out the fact that there was a disposition among 

 the retailers in the northern country to get back to handling the 

 white cedar shingles, if possible, although they realize that it is 

 entirely dependent upon the impression made on the minds of the 

 consumers as to whether this result will be possible of accomplishment. 



R. B. Goodman, president of the Northern Hemlock and Hardwood 

 Manufacturers' As.-^ociation, speaking in behalf of that organization, 

 said the offices of his association will be at the disposal of the white 

 cedar shingle manufacturers in the event of their forming an 

 organization. The white cedar men then adjouniod until the 

 afternoon. 



Pi<ANS TO Boost Hemlock 



With B. B. Goodman in the chair, the hemlock manufacturers, both 

 members and non-members of the association, convened after the 

 adjournment of the cedar meeting. Mr. Goodman called on M. J. 

 Quinlan, chairman of the market conditions committee to take the 

 chair. 



Mr. Quinlan referred to results gained through instructing sales- 

 men to gather impressions as to the attitude of the trade toward 

 hemlock, and to give their ideas as to conditions and causes sur- 

 rounding the market for hemlock, white cedar shingles and other 

 northern woods. 



George N. Harder of the Rib Lake Lumber Company, chairman of 

 the hemlock committee of the association, had compiled the reports 

 of the salesmen and submitted two typical of the lot. One consisted 

 of carefully prepared answers to the list of questions as propounded 

 by those who had this work in cliarge. The questions and answers 

 are as follows: 



1 — What wood was bought Instead of the hemlock quoted by you? 



Yellow pine Is the biggest substitute for hemlock In this territory. We 

 do not get much chance to quote in direct competition to this, as the 

 retailer Is usually fully decided as to what he wants to stock up with 

 before asking for quotations. 



2 — If hemlock was bought, what was the difference In price? 



The price of hemlock on the 12c Wnusau rate averages about the same 

 as yellow pine on the 26c rate, except on transit cars, which run .fl.no to 

 $4.00 per M lower than quotations for shipment from the mills. Their 

 price on long stock usually runs considerably lower than ours. 



«-88— 



:t- — If there wn« no partlcuL-ir illirerenrf In [irlce. wlint was llic ciiuiie 

 of your losInK the order? 



Kor the two years preci'dlng March of thlH yrar yellow plnc> was nillliig 

 on n .'to and .'t2 cent rati' nt a price an low and on some Hems lower llian 

 hemlock on a 10 cent rate, nnil a good many of the retailers educated 

 ihi'lr irnOe to buy It, an It meant more profit to them. Most of them, 

 iKiwevir. are trying to switch back now for llw same reason, but It takes 

 lime for them to get their trade oiil of lln' liabll "f calling for y.ll.iw 

 pin", and »s they cannot mix yellow pine and hirnlock piece sluff <m Ihe 

 same Job on account of the dllTerence In sisii', they are still compelled 

 to buy If they are short of some Hems to (111 out a Job. Another thing 

 that helps to keep yellow pine piece stuff and sliealhlng In this territory Is 

 the fact that all the yards carry yellow pine flnlsh and a good nmny of 

 Ihem do not want to buy a straight car of llnlsh, so they nil in with 

 other stock. 



4 — In calling on your various cuslomc rs, wIhtc you make no sales, is 

 it a case of where tlie customer is not wanting Innilier at present? 



None of my customers have had to want for lumber very long, ns most 

 of them tell me tiny never had so many salesmen calling on them as 

 they have had this year. 



!i — Is this customer using as much hemlock ns formerly? Find out as 

 near os possible how many cars of hemlock he lias bought this year ns 

 compared with the same period a year ago. and If less. Is It on account of 

 less volume of business or has he chonged wholly, or In part, to some 

 other wood, especially yellow pine; and If so, where is he gettlu'.' it. and 

 what Is he paying for It. as compared with the oftlrlnl list on hemlock? 

 How much would hemlock net off the olliclal list If you made the same 

 price as the yellow pine? 



The principal towns In my territory where .vellow pine has cut down 

 our sales to any great extent arc Rockford, Freeport and Rockton, 111. ; 

 Belolt, Jnnesvlllc, Evansvllle. Monroe. Darlington and rinltevllle. Wis. 

 Nearly all the other towns have used yellow pine to some extent, but 

 have always sold more hemlock than any other lumber for rough material. 

 One yard In Madison bought nearly all Its piece stuff In yellow pine 

 for some time, but II has switched to hemlock again now and has cleaned 

 up practically all the yello-.v pine it had In stock. Anolber firm still buys 

 yellow pine piece stuff, but uses hemlock sheathing. Tlie largest part of 

 the fir that gets Into southern Wisconsin Is timbers and flooring. They are 

 Inning timbers up to 40 feet long around $2.5.00 per M. 



6 — What kind of lumber are they buying for sheathing land under- 

 floor. and If selling substitutes in place of hemlock whnt Is their experience 

 with their trade? 



One by six No. 2 yellow pine Is the biggest Item we have to compete 

 with for sheathing and underfloor. The retailers claim It takes the place 

 of No. 1 hemlock, and It proliably has as much strength, but the car- 

 penters prefer to use hemlock on account of Its being easier to work, but 

 Just now there is considerable difference In the price of these two Items, 

 and In towns where they have always used 0-Inch sheathing they can 

 offer the .-ontractor yellow pine enough lower to Induce him to use It. 



7 — Whnt is their experience In the way of bills calling for other woods 

 than hemlock. In the way of changed architects' specifications or con- 

 tractors' specifications? 



The retailer Is able to Influence the contractor a good deal as to what 

 wood to specify on bills. The farmers have a hard time getting it through 

 their heads that hemlock Is reolly a wood fit to build a home out of, and 

 occasionally you will find one who Insists on having pine. They do not 

 eare v.hat kind of pine it is Just as long as It has the name, so the yard 

 man gives him yellow pine. I think some literature to the consumers 

 would help these people a lot, 



8 — Are you finding much literature to the farmers or consumers regard- 

 ing certain woods other than hemlock, and if so nhot. and to what extent? 



I find very little literature to the farmer except that sent out by the 

 cypress and white pine manufacturers and occasionally a little fir adver- 

 tising. Cypress and flr is advertised more In magazines than any other 

 way. 



9 — Are you having competition with fir or Norway In your territory? 

 If so to what extent, and what particular kinds of flr and Norway? If 

 piece stuff, what sizes, nnd If Inch, what gmdes In particular? At what 

 prices are they putting It Into your territory? 



There is considerable Norway used In my territory. Most of the yards, 

 especially those west of Madison, carry a complete stock of both hemlock 

 and Norway piece stuff. Norway Is sold about $.'?.!j0 or .?4.on per M 

 higher than hemlock. Most of the flr used Is timbers, flooring or drop 

 siding. The farmer or contractor likes flr flooring and drop siding, as It 

 does not hove the defects that he Is used to seeing in hemlock or pine ; 

 that is, wane, shake and knots. The worst features about flr are the pitch, 

 the fact that It Is hard to work, and that It is apt to split. 



10 — Does average manufacture or grade of hemlock need Improvement 

 or change to compete better with yellow pine or flr? What objections or 

 suggestions are made along this line? 



I do not think that changing the grade or manufacture of hemlock 

 would help matters any. I have heard no complaint of the average grade. 

 There Is not one yard In my territory that Is handling white cedar shingles 



