HARDWOOD RECORD 



35 



If not chuico. will constrain him now to the spending of sonif of his very 

 great plenty in the uiakinE: of the necessary improvemi'nts about his 

 farm. Tiiis will produce a keen demand for the necessary lumber during 

 the coming winter and will make up in a large measure for the export 

 business which has been lost and the diminishing of building operations 

 in the cities. 



During the last couple of weeks exports from the ports of New York 

 and New Orleans have been resumed, on a small scale of course, but none 

 the less they mark a tendency of conditions abroad to adjust themselves 

 to the carrying on of considerable business even during time of war. 



The fact remains that considerable lumber is required to meet current 

 needs in the L'uited States. It is. as all will recognise, an utter impos- 

 sibility for this country to get along during any .situation without the 

 consumption of a very large quantity of lumber. The curtailment which 

 should operate in i)ractical!y all lumber trade circles should soon cause 

 this domestic demand for luinticr to consume the surplus. 



The only difference of opinion that seems to be apparent relativo to 

 curtailment is in the manner in which it shall be done, which of course 

 must be determined by the luirties doing it, and in a manner which will 

 best conserve and protect their future operations. 



Everj'body is doing the minimum amount of l>usiness. Jobbers have 

 refused to speculate, and buy from hand to mouth. There is every reason 

 to believe that movement of lumber has already receded to the lowest 

 possible point. It must inevitably and soon respond actively to great 

 natural conditions which require an increased consumption of lumber. 



From now on wholesalei's will require an increased amount of lumber. 

 As business approaches a condition anywhere near normal they w'ill need 

 very heavy shipments and need them frequently. 



It is probable that the lumber business will be among the last to feel 

 the effects of the return of normal conditions, but it will be rewarded 

 by an tinusuall.v heav.v volume of business when that time does come. 



.\ careful survey of the national situation cannot leave any one 

 without an optimistic state of mind. A little patience, perhaps a little 

 more of hardship is necessary, but by curtailing as much as possible, and 

 holding firmly to present prices, no one of our members can fail to 

 ultimately get Iiack all that he has lost, and there is every reason to 

 believe that the demand will be far greater than the production in 

 normal years. 



, To cut prices now means only that a loss of property has been added 

 to a loss of business. Lumber of any kind is valuable property, with 

 normal prices, and to sacrifice 'it Is to invite a disaster that will not 

 be remedied by the return of better times. 



Hesilock 



Practically tlie same condition exists as on hardwood. Of water 

 hemlock we have 22.0il0.00i> on hand unsold as against 8.01)0.000 last 

 year, and of rail hemlock we have 91,000,000 on hand unsold as against 

 55,000,000 last year. There have been so many different grades and 

 customs and markets with our different members that it is difficult to 

 get a line on values, but we find the values for water hemlock to be 

 about $14.50 for merchantable 10' to 16', $10.50 for merchantable IS' 

 and up, -$9.50 for cull, on dock or over rail at mill, according to the 

 custom of the port. These values are .fl to ?1.50 below those prevailing 

 last spring. Rail hemlock is bringing correspondingly higher prices, 

 according to location and grade. 



Hemlock Bark 



Forty members estimated they would peel 39.438 cords. In 1913 the 

 actual peel as reported bj' forty-five members was 54,590 cords. Prices 

 received for 1914 were about 75c per cord less than in 1913, the tanners 

 having gone into the year with exceptionally large stocks on hand. 



The paper was moved for acceptance and placed on file. 



In the absence of F. L. Miclielson, chairman of the forest fire 

 prevention committee, the report of that committee was omitted and 

 the president called on Chief Warden C. F. Hiekok. The report 

 covered the patrol season opening April 20 and closing October 10. 

 In comparing seasons with those of 1912 and 1913, it was found that 

 dry weather periods were more severe this year than the two years 

 previous. In 1912 there were 227 fires discovered with a total acre- 

 age burned of 27,000 acres. In 1913, 299 fires with an area of 35,900 

 acres burned. This year there were 390 fires with an area of 88,134 

 acres. This was accounted for, in addition to the dry weather, by 

 the accumulation of timber slashings during the two years previous. 

 However, the burning over of this 88,000 acres of brush lands has 

 reduced the hazard to normal conditions. 



The report then summarized the costs of fires, showing that settlers, 

 railroads and smokers are the primary causes, they being credited 

 with 38.4%, 26.9% and 15.02%, respectively of the total number of 

 fires. 



The total losses aggregated in value $11,793 and were divided 

 between chemical wood, hemlock logs, standing timber and hemlock 

 bark. The principal loss, however, was to chemical wood piled on 

 ground where cut. Thousands of growths were saved by prompt 

 measures which have been adopted to jirevent fire in the vicinity of 

 the association property. 



The report stated that the average loss per year in the three years 

 under the protection of the association was $5,580. It also expresses 

 the opinion that the aggregate loss for the years 1909, 1910 and 1911 

 was much in excess of losses recorded since the establishment of the 

 protective measures. 



The warden's report expressed pleasure for the greater co-operation 

 which is being instituted between the public and the wardens of tho 

 dejiartraent. Hundreds of people have signified their willingness to 

 help and have taken intense interest in extinguishing fires before 

 they were beyond control. The federal Forest Service also has co- 

 operated to the extent of allowing the payment tff the salaries of three 

 of the association 's wardens. This amount aggregates $580. .jO. 



The report touched on the ca.=es of two township officials who have 

 refused to do their duty relative to forest fire prevention which are 

 now in the hands of Governor Ferris. The association has been 

 behind this effort and is pushiiig it vigorously. 



C. A. Bigelow, in moving the acceptance of the report, also iJerson- 

 ally congratulated the chief warden on the effective work of his 

 organization. 



B. H. Rayburn, who was to have reported on the employers' lia- 

 bility law, being absent, N. M. Langdon was called upon to give the 

 result of his investigation on camp cost. Mr. Langdon stated that 

 the returns of his inquiries were very satisfactory, and of all replies 

 received only seventeen gave statements as to cost figures. Most of 

 these were on only a few items. He then read a compilation showing 

 the cost of respective features of woods operations, which the secretary 

 was instructed to get up in proper form and forward to members. 



R. S. Kellogg, secretary of the Northern Hemlock and Hardwood 

 Manufacturers ' Association, was in attendance and, on being asked 

 to express his opinion of camp costs, said that his organization has 

 gone at the question in a little different manner, rather aiming to 

 establish a standard of economic methods of feeding and camp regu- 

 lations than to determine what costs now are. According to Mr. Kel- 

 logg, he is working on a plan for the establishment of a standard 

 menu, copies of which he distributed among the members of the 

 Michigan association. He said cmjjhatically that a standard method 

 of cost accounting is not only desirable but absolutely essential; that 

 lumbermen cannot henceforth look for their profit to any great in- 

 crease_ in the value of their commodities, but must rather aim at 

 increasing profits by putting operations on a scientific and cost- 

 reducing basis. He spoke further regarding camp provisions, saying 

 that beef in the carcass this year wiU be at least twice what it was 

 eight or ten years ago. He recommended salt fish as being the 

 clieapest meat that can be served, and also stated that mutton will 

 be the cheapest fresh meat, and is a desirable camp food, as it is 

 palatable and contains as much food value as beef. He said further 

 along the line of standard menus for camps that this, if carried out 

 generally, would prevent men from jumping from one job to the other. 



There was some discussion as to the best method for eliminating 

 the uunecessary cost of free meal distribution, but no satisfactory 

 conclusion was reached. The suggestion of one of tlie members that 

 the best results would come from issuing meal tickets and compelling 

 all diners to secure meal tickets from the foreman before eating, was 

 aljout the only definite suggestion made. These tickets are free, but 

 the average camp floater hesitates before asking the foreman for 

 more than one ticket during one stay. 



The following resolutions were then read, pertinent to the recent 

 death of Fred A. Diggins of Cadillac: 



In the passing of Fred Arden Diggins, the members of the Michigan 

 Hardwood Manufacturers' Association have lost a wise counsellor, a 

 safe guide, and an unselfish friend. Men followed him gladly, recognizing 

 his innate genius for command. .\ natural captain of affairs, his view- 

 point was broad and clear and sane. Ilis advice was eagerly sought 

 and commonly followed. A man of unswerving integrity, he held always 

 to high ideals and fulfilled, in a manner beyond criticism, every trust. 



But great as were his mental gifts, to those who knew him best, his 

 attributes of heart meant even more. He was always the courteous, con- 

 siderate and kindly gentleman. His friendship was a privilege and bis 

 character an inspiration. 



While tendering to his family our sincerest sympathy and condolence, 

 we yet rejoice with them in those high qualities of his life which have 

 made his memory so rich a heritage. 



C. A. Bigelow moved that the resolutions be made part of the 

 official record. 



