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Interesting iSforthern JMeeting 





The quarterly meeting of the Xorthein Hemlock & Hardwood 

 Manufacturers' Association \ras held as usual at the Hotel Pfister, 

 Milwaukee, Wednesday, October 28. An unusually exhaustive and 

 interesting program had been arranged, "which comprised a discus- 

 sion of a variety of topics that proved mighty interesting. 



The principal discussion had to do with the subject of feeding 

 of men and of manufacturing costs. 



President R. B. Goodman opened the session without the regular 

 address. He took occasion to read a number of replies he had 

 received to a letter he had sent out suggesting a general campaign 

 to induce the yardman to make his retail prices conform to the 

 lower level of wholesale prices which now in general prevails. 



Followdng the reading of the minutes and roll call, the secretary- 

 presented the report of the treasurer, which showed a balance on 

 hand July 17 of $2,415.44; receipts from the secretary, $6,655.36, 

 making the total resources, $9,070.80. Of this there was paid out 

 $5,205.70, leaving a balance of $3,865.01. 



Secretary Kellogg in his report urged greater co-operation of the 

 members in the matter of rejjorts which he requests regularly on 

 various subjects. He deplored the tendency to loose methods in the 

 administration of the lumber business, maintaining that the time 

 has gone by when these will result in success. 



Referring to the reports of stock on hand and cut and shipments, 

 the secretary said that they indicate decreasing volume of sales 

 since the beginning of the war and relatively increased amount of 

 stock on hand. According to his estimate there will be less lumber 

 <!ut this year than last, the figures on hemlock being 16 per cent; 

 hardwoods 26 per cent, and pine, 33 per cent. 



Referring to the results from advertising Mr. Kellogg said that 

 never before has the advertising been bringing so many inquiries 

 for information on building materials as during the last two months, 

 which would indicate that the architect, contractor and the home 

 builder are all anxious to have as much authoritative information 

 as possible as to the best woods for different purposes. 



He advocated that efforts should be concentrated, during the 

 coming months of slack trade, upon investigations of new channels 

 for the sale of lumber, and investigations as to the best means of 

 meeting the peculiar requirements of different consumers. 



M. P. McCuUough, chairman of the advertising committee, had 

 some interesting suggestions to make in his advertising report, 

 which follows in full: 



Report of Advertising Committee 



We completed the second year of our advertising early this month and 

 are more than ever convinced tliat the resuits we actuaiiy see fuily 

 warrant the appropriation that has been made for this worl!. Our replies 

 have been much greater in the past year than dnriog the first twelve 

 months of the campaign, due probably to our greater experience and the 

 fact that the entire worii has been handled direct from the secretary's 

 office without the aid of an agency, which our limited appropriation 

 would not permit. We not only have to exploit the intrinsic value of 

 our conunodity, but there is nothing sold today to the general public that 

 is harassed so vigorously on all sides by substitutes as is lumber, and the 

 tactics of the manufacturers of these substitute are manifestly unfair. 



We have before given you statistics showing the approximate advertis- 

 ing appropriations made by other lumber associations which have in every 

 case greatly exceeded the amount available for this committee. We have 

 not been seriously handicapped, simply our field has been limited, and 

 now we feel that we are using the mediums that render the greatest 

 returns. 



In a late article in Adrertisinfi and Selliiu/ figures were given to sliow 

 that the largest advertisers of our country appropriate from two per cent 

 to ten per cent of their gross sales for advertising and a large number 

 greatly exceed these figures. Our appropriation for this work is one 

 cent per thousand or about one-fifteenth of one per cent of the selling 

 value. 



Only recently in briclt advertising, lumber was directly accused of the 

 Chicago fire of 1871, that of Chelsea, Mass., Houston, Texas, and the more 

 recent 8alcm conflagration, and this impression has been so forcibly 

 "driven home" to the general public by the manufacturers of substitutes 

 that, as a starter, attempts are being made all over the country to 

 ■eliminate the use of the wooden shingle l)y oriiinance which, nevertheless, 

 permits the continued use of many so-called substitutes that In-themseives 



are higlily inilammable. We cannot afford to "sleep on the job," especially 

 as we are now so well started. 



Our exhibit at the Wisconsin state fair this fall was, we believe, very 

 effective, yet inexpensive. Samples of ali the Wisconsin and Michigan 

 woods were displayed both in the rough and in finished panels attracting 

 considerable attention. This exhibit was later shipped to the county fairs 

 at Sawyer, Viola and Gays Mills, Wis., and taiien charge of by the local 

 lumber dealers at these points. There is very little expense incurred in 

 malting these exhibits and we believe it should be done on a larger scale 

 another year. 



Our new birch book, copies of which have been sent to each memlier, is 

 being placed in the hands of architects, builders, retail dealers and others 

 where we thing they will bring results. Three thousand copies have been 

 printed, out of which four hundred were taken direct by members at 

 cost. This is the cheapest birch book we have gotten out, due largely to 

 Keith's Magazine and the American Carpenter and Builder who loaned 

 us a large number of cuts. The demand will greatly exceed the supply. 



Our hemlock advertising in farm journals will commence November 1 

 and runs to April 1 of next year. In addition to this we have taken 

 the suggestions made by a number of our members at our last meeting 

 and arranged to use weekly newspapers or the Sunday edition of daily 

 newspapers for the next four months along the borderline at Janesville, 

 Kockford, Dubuque, Waterloo and Winona. This added cost can very easily 

 be taken care of wdtbin our appropriation. 



We find that hemlock lath are being discriminated against in the Chicago 

 market and unjustly so. We are therefore taking .steps to inform the 

 architects, builders and lath supply men regarding the excellent points 

 in favor of hemlock lath and will endeavor to have them fairly judged. 

 We know that they are in a great many ways far ahead of other woods 

 and will try to successfully demonstrate it. 



In conclusion we wish to call your attention to the increase in value of 

 the better grades of birch, especially during the past ten years. Log 

 run birch has steadily increased in value, except for a slight recession 

 in 190S and 1909, and at the present time we are realizing from $8.00 

 to .$9.00 per M feet more for log run than we were able to olitain in 

 1904. In 1908 No. 1 common birch 4/4 was bringing from $1G.00 to 

 $17.00 per M and first and second clear from $27.00 to $28.00 per M at 

 shipping point. The values of these grades have continued to advance since 

 that year and for the past two years have readily brought us from $20.00 

 to $23.00 for the No. 1 common and the first and second clear birch 4/4 

 has increased in value from $11.00 to $14.00 per M and has been selling 

 at from $:!S.00 to $4.3.00 f. o. b. shipping point. We do not claim that 

 your advertising committee is to be held responsible for this, but we 

 do believe that this increase is due principally to the merits of the wood 

 becoming more generally known, and, as the high point of the production 

 of birch has been reached, that we must continue to exploit its merits, 

 for we have a wood that will back us up in everything we have claimed. 

 It is our idea that our advertising is in reality a most excellent 

 insurance policy. 



In addition to his report, Mr. McCullough made the suggestion 

 that his committee can have printed a variety of mail stuffers, 

 tending to create a better mental attitude among the customers of 

 the association members. 



George H. Chapman of the railroad committee reported that the 

 Wisconsin Railroad Commission recently sent out a notice of a 

 hearing on fuel wood rates, which has since taken place November 

 4. He referred to the re-opening of the 5 per cent general increase 

 case stating that in his opinion this is a matter for the National 

 Lumber Manufacturers' Association. He spoke of the proposed 

 advance on lumber from Wisconsin to the eastern states, main- 

 taining that this should not become effective as other building 

 materials have not experienced a similar advance. 



J. E. Rhodes, secretary of the National Lumber Manufacturers' 

 Association, responded to a request for an address and expressed his 

 usual instructive thoughts. He reviewed the Forest Products Ex- 

 position results, saying that there is now $10,000 in the treasury, 

 which was realized. He suggested the advantage of starting in- 

 dividual expositions in different cities and mentioned a number of 

 cities where active steps for such w^brk have actually been carried 

 on. 



Mr. Rhodes said that the credit corporation, which is maintained 

 as an adjunct to the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association, 

 is now completely out of debt and has been incorporated for $50,000. 

 Referring to the rate situation, he said that speaking frankly the 

 lumber business "got it in the neck," on the 5 per cent decision, 

 and this was due to differences of opinion among the lumbermen 

 as to the justification of advances, and to the fact that too much 



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