Novfmber IS, 18tS. 



Making Stock-List* Aitrnctive 



lu a Ictlor to u cubIoiiut, ■■ • . r 



men of the country itaiii: " 1 i ' > i, 



list. How do you like thp wiiy thia ik cuttcn upt \S <■ linvu tripil 

 to kct-p away from tlu' ittorooty|ie<] atylo of the old lumber atock- 

 lists, and get a littlo dope in thia list, rather than ineroly a com- 

 pilation of thp actual sizes and dimcnaions of the bonrdii \\v have 

 to soil." 



Kxnininution of the storkliiit xhows that the effort expended has 

 been worth while, n.s it is attractive, ronveniently nrruni^ed and 

 really informative. Une thing that is inipn-v-iivo, from the stand- 

 point of the possible buyer, is that the tyjie in which the list is 

 printed is lar^je. There is no f;ood reason why a reading-gl.igs 

 should bo required to get the details of sui-h a list, and yet many 

 lumbcrmcu print their items of stock in such small type that it is 

 difficult to read. The consumer who tosses such a list aside cnnnot 

 be blamed a great deal for doing so. 



Information about indiviilual items of stock, as to lengths and 

 widths, are given throughout the list, where surh information would 

 be of obvious interest. Under the caption, "Points About Our 

 Stock," a number of interesting facts are given on the Inst page, 

 designed to impress the reader with the quality and good manu- 

 facture of the lumber. This is just as important as the details 

 regarding sizes. 



The same concern manufactures rotary veneers, and like other 

 large producers carries a considerable quantity in stock. This 

 stock is listed, with the explanation that other material of any 

 size and kind will be cut to order. The drying facilities of the 

 manufacturer, insuring Hat uniformly dried stock, are emphasized 

 in this department, while it is also noted that those preferring air- 

 dried stock may be supplied with that kind of veneers. 



All the way through, in fact, the idea is to lend individuality 

 and color to the description of the material to be sold, instead of 

 presenting merely a cut-and-dried, stereotyped list of material, in 

 the same form in which others put out their lists. It is a good 

 bet that consumers who get this list retain it for actual use in 

 ordering, while what happciis to the other is largely problematical. 

 The Value of Common Logs 



How much is a common log worth, compared with a good logf 



The practical log man may say that it depends altogether on the 

 log; or, if he thinks that you are hinting that he is paying too 

 much for common grades, he will suggest that any inequalities of 

 that kind may be taken care of in the measurement. 



But, putting such possibilities aside, and considering the question 

 on its merits, it is plain that the desirability of the log should be 

 looked at from the standpoint of its value f. o. b. mill rather than 

 at the stump or even at the railroad track. In other words, a 

 high-priced log will stand more handling expense than a cheap log, 

 as pointed out in this department recently in another connection. 

 You can freight a good log in to the mill and pay other handling 

 charges, and still have a cost that will let you out; but whether 

 you can do this with a common log, where the cost of trans- 

 portation and handling is a good deal more, in proportion, than it 

 is on a good log, depends on the price at which it was bought. 



In some sections the common practice of log buyers is to pay 

 two-thirds the price of good logs for common. By the time the 

 freight is added, if the distance amounts to anything, and some- 

 thing put on top of that for handling at both ends, the cost of 

 these logs to the lumberman is approximately three-fourths of what 

 the good logs stand him. And few log men would have the temerity 

 to suggest that the average common log will cut out three-fourths 

 as well as an average good log. 



The situation is even more strongly emphasized as to culls. 

 Many of these Ctfe not worth shipping, for the reason that the 

 transportation costs, added to the price paid at the stump, would 

 make the gross cost at the mill excessive. Yet many log men seem 



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not to conniilor these things, but go out assuming that they can 

 buy Kood, common and cull lot;!" at the sumo relative prices, where- 

 as the good are often thu only ones that the manufacturer rnn 

 niako any money on, after incidental expenHos have boon added. 



An Introduction to Dimension 



A littlo more than lasunl htuly of IIm- p.iri which lending lum- 

 ber concerns an playing in the manufacture uf material used for 

 war purposes sugccHls tho jirobubility of these nmipanies becom- 

 ing pcrmaiiciit fiii'tors in the dimension lumber business. 



The avprug<> lumberman, ai'i-ustomed to running his mill the 

 easiest way, which is to make the lumber as it comes, without 

 trying to control widths and lengths except by sorting after the 

 stock leaves the chute, has a marked distaste for the dimension 

 t)usiness. This is based just as much on the nilditional trouble 

 and ilisturbnncc of routine involved as on the ini)>re)<Hion that tho 

 possibilities for profit arc less pronounced. 



Kut those who have had an introduction to dimension lumber 

 manufacturing in tho form of war materials are be(;inning to see 

 that when the work is properly organized and routed, with machin- 

 ery and handling adjusted to the requirements, it can be taken care 

 of just as well as putting ordinary lumber through the plant. It is 

 simply carrying the manufacturing process a step farther — and 

 charging a profit on tho operation. 



These lumbermen have seen the amount of waste involved in 

 cutting to special sizes, and they have appreciated the necessity of 

 making the consumer pay for that waste. If this policy were 

 adhered to all the way through the dimension lumber field, and 

 prices properly figured, the business would possess legitimate attrac- 

 tions, which would justify more lumbermen in specializing in this 

 branch of the trade. 



Letting Employes Insure Themselves 



As every lumber operator knows, the man wlio is hurt in the mill 

 r.nd is well taken care of afterwards is seldom likely to be vin- 

 dictive in the matter of a damage suit. For this reason the use 

 of a "franchise" sj'stcra of insuring the men, which has come into 

 considerable favor among the sawmills of eastern Kentucky and 

 West Virginia, has advantages that are worth mentioning. 



Under this plan one particular accident insurance company is 

 given ths exclusive privilege or franchise of writing the employes. 

 The latter ara not required to take out policies, but as tho solicitor 

 has the necessary standing given him by official permission to can- 

 vass the men in tho. mill, it is usually found that most of the men 

 are written. The premiums are paid by the company out of the 

 wages of the men, thus saving the insurance company the cost of 

 collection. If anybody is hurt, the lumber concern adjusts the loss 

 by paying the employe the amount provided in the policy. In this 

 way enforced lay-oflfs caused by accidents do not prove burdensome 

 either to the employe or to the company, because the former gets 

 enough money from the insurance company to take care of his 

 necessities, and the employer is not compelled to pay him for the 

 lost time. 



Usually the insurance company pays one of the ofiSce men of the 

 lumber concern for handling the collection of the premiums through 

 the pay-roll system, and attending to the adjustments. It practically 

 amounts to a mutual system among the men, only the insurance com- 

 pany furnishes the necessary backing, in case losses are greater 

 than premiums. 



The fact that a lumber concern has a liability policy does not re- 

 duce the valiie of a system such as that described, for the reason 

 that the liability insurance company always wants to settle the claim 

 for the smallest possible amount, and docs not consider the matter 

 from the standpoint of keeping the goodwill of the employe toward 

 the concern for which he has worked. Of course, if a man is hurt 

 and gets his money from the insurance company under the plan 

 outlined, he may still sue the lumber manufacturer, but as he has been 

 well taken care of, the incentive to do this is usually slight. 



