14 



HARDWOOD KKCOKD 



DcMmbcr 1" 1!>1.% 



withdrav . - .. the pur«hasiD{; fi<M !■% ^.■1M<• of the rooa „l 



purrliiLtr* in balnuceil by Iho ■ uf utker coiiipanip* 



and thp rontinued - '" for ami |>iii>Kii>iiii,< uf making additioni 



to all kiiula of ■ 



There i» i ' • • ' n 



Optimiatio lu ^ 



and public anU i' .A kiiiiiit ure uitlicr uiidt^r 



way or boiug an 1 for. A gront deal of 



additional lumber will movo out in tbii direction in the nozt six 

 months. 



All in all, it has boon a long tinio since lumbermen could face 

 the now year and holiday season with a more cheering, hopeful out- 

 look auti n more sntiKfying prraciit condition. 



The Cover Picture 



THE OKOGRAPUY OK CALIFOKXIA ANU NEVADA is shown 

 in the cover picture illustrating this number of Harowouu 

 Recobd. The sheet of water lies in both states, the line separating 

 them passing through the middle of the lake. It is not an out-of-the- 

 way ploce although no sign of human civilization is visible in the 

 picture. Many tourists visit tho place <luring the summer, but it i.s 

 not frequented in winter because the temperature is then below freez- 

 ing and the snow is usually several feet deep. The picture was taken 

 late in autumn after the snow had crept down the slopes and spurs 

 of the mountains, but it had not yet reached the immediate shores 

 of the lake. 



The sheet of water lies at the source of the Truckee river and is 

 known ns Lake Tahoe. It is justly classed as one of the most beau- 

 tiful water scenes in the world. It is twenty miles long and from 

 eight to twelve wide, and is very deep. The surface lies 6,275 feet 

 above sea level, and the Sierra Nevada mountains which form the 

 background of the picture rise from three to four thousand feet 

 higher. The ravines and sheltered places near the summit have snow 

 the year round. In winter thick ice forms on the lake and it was 

 formerly harvested in large amounts for shipment to the cities of 

 California. 



The lower slopes of the distant mountains are covered with timber, 

 and a straggly growth extends far up toward the summit. Owing 

 to the distance, this timber is scarcely discernible in the picture. 

 Though the mountains seem to be only three or four miles from the 

 point where the photograph was taken, they are really from twelve 

 to twenty-five miles away, and some of the peaks are considerably 

 farther. The clearness of the atmosphere causes the observer to 

 underestimate the distance. 



Some of the timber growing on the mountain slopes within sight is 

 of commercial quality, but much of it is scrub. Pra'^tically every- 

 thing is soft wood, but a few hardwood trees maintain their existence 

 there. The principal soft woods are western yellow pine which is 

 often called California white pine; Jeffrey pine which closely resem- 

 bles the yellow pine, and is itself a yellow pine which may be identi- 

 fied by its apple-like odor; sugar pine, which Is the largest pine in 

 America and by the botanists is classed as a white i)iue; white fir 

 which is an extremely tall and beautiful tree; Douglas fir which is 

 here approaching the southern limits of its range; whitebark pine, 

 mountain hemlock, and western juniper. The last three named are 

 high mountain trees and grow in all their glory among the peaks 

 which look down on Lake Tahoe. 



This mass of water impounded by the Sierras serves other purposes 

 besides the requirements of a summer resort. The lake discharges 

 through Truckee river and the water is utilized to irrigate the alfalfa 

 meadows miles away in Nevada. The largest wooden water pipe in the 

 world is used in that irrigation system. It is eight feet in diameter. 

 A region formerly a sand and sage brush waste has been redeemed 

 by the water from Lake Tahoe. This lake is fed by melting snow 

 and by spring and autumn rains. There are no rains in that region 

 during the summer, but there is always jjlenty of pure, clear, cold 

 water pouring from the surrounding ravines into the lake. 



There is no possibility that irrigation canals will drain the lake 

 below its natural level, for the river forms the outlet, and its channel 

 in the solid granite cannot be lowered. An artifiiial dam has raijsed 



.. few feet, by 11.... collecting an ri. .i 



volume of water when thcro in a surplus flowing into tho lake from the 

 surrounding mountain*, and holding it as a rcs<>rvo until lute in the 

 ■uminer when it is needed to Hood the cultivated lands in Nevada. 



What Would Happen If llie Salesmen Were 

 Called In? 



Ti\> i^l KSTIU.N 8LG<!KSTS ITSELF from the state of trade 

 ami blocks and prices. It is interesting to let one's mind 

 dwell on the probable results of culling all salesmen back to tho 

 mills and head ofllcea. 



Wouln 't this policy, if it were generally adopted, bring tho 

 situation to a definite stntuH much more quickly than to con- 

 tinue to go after tho businc»n an usualt \Vouldn't it satisfy the 

 buyers first by giving tliem n chance to catch up on their require- 

 ments ami to line up definitely what is wanted, and, secondly, be- 

 cause by bringing tho condition of hardwood and vcnoor markets 

 to a head more quickly it would enable the buyers to form definite 

 ideas as to just what they will be forced to do by the rapid 

 overbalancing of supply by demand f 



Wouldn 't this directly reverse the present situation, and by 

 having the buyer go to the seller rather than the seller to the 

 buyer quickly establish the exact status of stock conditions, deter- 

 mining what stocks arc long and what stocks are short and pros- 

 pects for replenishment in the near future t Wouldn't it put into 

 effect a more logical price level based on actual demand rather 

 than a level influenced so largely by the individual conditions of 

 different firms? Some are long on this and some on that and after 

 spending the money to actually go out to get tho trade, they are 

 much less likely to turn down the prospective order if by shading 

 their price fifty cents or .a dollar they would most likely get the 

 signature, than they would be were tho buyer to come to them with 

 a proposition of his own. If such were the common policy, the 

 levels that would be established would be natural and not artifi- 

 cial. They would bo truly representative of the real worth of 

 hardwood stocks at present and give a satisfactory criterion for 

 the future. Doesn't this seem logically so first because there is 

 undoubtedly not one lumberman in a thousand who expects or de- 

 sires to get more than his lumber is really worth (of course, he is 

 exceedingly anxious to get that) ; secondl.v, because while all might 

 differ on selling prices when they are out competing on the road 

 a price level commensurate with actual, intrinsic value for different 

 stocks would be determined, which would be the logical point for 

 prices to land if they were allowed to establish their own level in 

 this manner. 



Of course this idea is impracticable — we concede that in antici- 

 pation of anybody raising the question — but at the same time this 

 policy, if universally adopted, would establish more or less of a 

 millennium in lumber circles, or it would at least effect immediately 

 a condition which is going to be effected within the next six 

 months anyway and make the entire matter more satisfactory for 

 everybody. 



Wisconsin Does Things 



IT'S A LIVE BUXCII UP THERE IN WISCONSIN. Of course, 

 like all the rest of the lumbermen they need to be prodded, 

 coaxed, driven, coerced and pleaded with to get anything started, 

 but once it is started it goes through with flying colors and that 

 which is accomplished is usually of real moment. The Wisconsin 

 operators are showing themselves to be at the forefront in the mat- 

 ter of advanced thought on methods of administration pertaining 

 to all l)ranches of lumbering. They do not devote themselves 

 merely to good-fellowship gatherings but come together with the 

 expectation of working, and they do work. Every man is in effect 

 a committeeman on everj' important subject that is presented be- 

 cause every man has the privilege, and most of them embrace the 

 privilege, of getting up and airing his views. The result is that 

 when any question is decided it is decided upon the best judg- 

 ment of the majority and not because two or three men want it 



