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Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



November 25, 1920 



CHICAGO OFFICE 



N. S. JOHNSON 



39 W. ADAMS ST. 



GRAND RAPIDS 



GEO. A. BAKER 



HOTEL CODY 



MAHOGANY 





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THE 



FREIBERG 







M MAHOGANY CO. >J 



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LUMBER - VENEERS 



With the Trade 



Suspension of Penalty Urged 



The Southern Hardwood Traffic As.sociation through J. V. Norman, its 

 chief counsel, has filed a petition with the Interstate Commerce Commis- 

 sion asking for susipension of the proposed increases in demurrage rates 

 pending a hearing of the matter at which shippers will have the right to 

 enter their objections to the new schedule. J. H. Townshend, secretary- 

 manager of the organization, is authority for the statement that he expects 

 favorable action on the petition. The association, in a statement issued 

 to its members, says : 



"It is stated that this is an emergency measure, due to car shortage, 

 liut the majority of members feel that any such emergency is passing, if it 

 has not already passed, and. that there is, therefore, no justification for 

 the increased demurrage charges, especially in view ot the fact that many 

 of the carriers are not now using their equipment with maximum efficiency." 



Big Texas Company Changes Hands 



Charles Sigler and associates have purchased the Beaumont Shingle and 

 Lumber company for approximately $225,000, one-half of which was paid 

 in cash. The change in ownership will take place on Nov. 10, and it is 

 probable that Mr. Sigler will make some improvements at the plant. The 

 company owns about eight million feet of yellow pine and two million feet 

 of hardwood timber in Jefferson county which is served by tramway, two 

 locomotives, loaders, skidders and other equipment on the Gulf & Interstate 

 at Walden station. It owns two million feet of timber in Orange county 

 and a like amount in the same territory under contract. This latter timber 

 can be reached by floating down the Neches river. 



The Beaumont Shingle and Lumber company was organized by W. C. 

 Gray in 1905 with a capital stock of $35,000. Later when its scope of 

 operations was enlarged, the capital was increased to $100,000. He was 

 president and general manager. Other active officers In conducting the 

 company's affairs are L. N. Newman, vice president, and B. P. Chambers, 

 secretary and assistant treasurer. 



Mr. Sigler and associates now operate mills at Colmesneil, Texas, Lees- 

 ville and Singer, La. Their mill at Woodville was destroyed by fire some 

 time ago. 



Interest Rates Opposed 



The Southern Hardwood TraflSc Association appeared before the South- 

 ern Freight Rate Committee, with headquarters at Atlanta, at the Hotel 

 Gayoso, Memphis, Monday, Nov. 15, and entered a vigorous protest 

 against increasing the rates on box and crate material to a level 5 cents 

 above the common lumber rate between all points in Southern official clas- 

 sification territory. Representatives of the Anderson-Tully Company, of 

 Memphis, also participated in the hearing and joined in the protest. 



C. A. New, assistant secretary-manager, said after the meeting that it 

 was highly probable that the increase in the basis would not be allowed 

 and he also, expressed the opinion that tariffs would shortly be issued 

 prescribing the common lumber rate for these materials. 



Building Slump Continues in October 



Building activities in the United States continued on approximately the 

 September level throughout the month of October, judging from statistics 

 reported from 191 cities, says the last number of The American Con- 

 tractor. These cities show a total valuation of $96,172,999 for building 

 permits in October. For September the permits in 203 cities totalled 

 $101,834,729. 



The average valution of permits per city in September was $501,640 ; 

 the per city average for October is $503,524. The average per city for the 

 first eight months ot 1020 was $696,920, or nearly $200,000 more than 

 the averages for September and October. 



Eighty-five cities show an increase in October over September. Excep- 

 tional decreases are noted in Boston, Akron, San Francisco, New Tork. 

 Cleveland, Chicago and Philadelphia. 



This comparison may also be made for 191 cities : 



October, 1919, number of permits, 40,653 ; valuation, $157,528,977. 



October, 1920, number of permits, 35,794 ; valuation, $96,172,999. 



When proper allowance is made for the differences in construction costs 

 as between 1920 and 1915, for instance, it is obvious from the following 

 table of city averages that the volume of business In October, 1920, was 

 much less than 50 per cent of the October record in 1915. 

 Tear August September October 



1920 $ 626,750 $501,640 $503,524 



1919 1,000,000 860,000 890,000 



1918 287,000 225,000 162,000 



1917 416,000 435,000 498,000 



1916 624,000 627,000 776,000 



1915 615.000 594,000 807,000 



1914 733,000 593,000 567,000 



The showing made by many of the southern cities in October suggests 

 that building activities are increasing in the South and that the expected 

 revival in building may materialize first in the South, working north as 

 favorable weather develops in the spring of 1921. 



