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Southern Loggers Meet 



The annual meeting of the Southern Logging Superintendents' As- 

 sociation was held in New Orleans October 26, 27, and 28. The pro- 

 ceedings consisted of a few well prepared addresses on live topics, 

 and full discussion of numerous questions of interest to loggers. The 

 address by President J. B. Baker and the report by the secretary, 

 James Boyd, disposed of the preliminary business, and opened the 

 way for the general discussions. 



W. W. Ashe, who is a forest inspector in the Forest Service, read 

 a paper on "Small Timber and Logging Cost." Mr. Ashe's conclu- 

 sion was that each operation, involving different costs of logging, 

 different amounts of overhead charges, and varying percentages of 

 small trees, must be handled as an individual case. The tension zone 

 between loss and profit must be determined by the woods foreman, 

 miU superintendent and oflSce, and the forester can advantageously 

 be consulted from the point of view of the future profits of the small 

 material. They must jointly determine the profit or loss in operating 

 trees of each diameter class according to the relative profit con- 

 tributed by each class. 



The subiect of accidents came in for pretty full discussion, and 

 there were two set addresses along that line, the first by C. P. Myer, 

 of the Kirby Lumber Company, on the prevention of accidents, and 

 the other by W. H. Aldrich. The point which was most strenuously 

 insisted upon was that foresight in guarding against accidents was 

 of more importance than anything else, and that the lumber com- 

 pany's or the insurance company's greatest savings were made by 

 rendering accidents as nearly impossible as circumstances will allow. 

 It was shown by statistics that instruction and warning to the men 

 accomplish a great deal in lessening the number of accidents. 



Dr. R. B. Austin, camp physician of the Fernwood Lumber Com- 

 pany, presented the topic of logging camp sanitation, and handled 

 the subject in much the same way as the speakers on accidents 

 handled theirs. Practically the whole battle against disease can be 

 fought along the line of prevention. The three danger points were 



declared to be house flies, mosquitoes, and surface water. Unless 

 these can be eliminated, the logging camp will be in constant danger 

 of invasion by disease. A list of well-worded mottoes on sanitation 

 was recommended for tacking in conspicuous places about logging 

 camps. 



The ever-present problem of feeding the horses, mules, and oxen 

 that do the heavy work of the logging camp was presented in an 

 address by Dr. W. H. Dalrymple, of the Louisiana State University. 

 A technical discussion of this subject necessarily involves a good deal 

 of chemistry which is nearly a dead language to persons who have 

 not had considerable training in the application and meaning of the 

 terms in use. However, Dr. Dalrymple summed up his argument in 

 plain language, one of his conclusions being that a system of feeding 

 should be followed corresponding as nearly as possible to the natural 

 methods of the animal, and that no food should be given that is not 

 absolutely sound, wholesome, and nutritious. 



A paper descriptive of logging methods in southern Brazil was 

 read by G. W. Patterson, member of a lumber company in Brazil. 

 The methods used in the forests of South America were shown to be 

 up-to-date, but are in no way in advance of methods in the United 

 States. The logs in that part of Brazil run about three to the thou- 

 sand feet, and the stand averages about 7,000 feet per acre. It is 

 chiefly pine. 



The officers of the association for the ensuing year were chosen 

 as follows: 



Presidknt — C. P. Myer. Kirby Lumber Company. 



First Vice-President — Oscar Marsans, Opdenweyer Alcus Lumber Com- 

 pany. 



Skcond Vice-Preside.nt — F. B. McCormick, Carrier Lumber & Manu- 

 facturing Company. 



Secretary — James Boyd. 



State Vice-Presidents — Levi Wilcoxon. .Vrkansas; C. M. Munson^ 

 Florida ; .1. B. Work, Georgia : R. Lee Bass. Louisiana ; V. C. Langley.. 

 Mississippi ; W. H. McGregor. Texas ; C. C. Curry. Alabama ; V.. W. 

 Tschudy, Tennessee. 



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There was a meeting of the board of managers of the Southern 

 Hardwood Traffic Association at the offices of the latter on Thursday 

 afternoon, November 5. This was the regular monthly meeting of 

 this organization, but one of the principal features taken up was that 

 regarding the increase in rates on shipments of oak, cottonwood and 

 gum from Memphis and points in Mississippi and Louisiana to Ohio 

 river crossings. So far as this particular feature is concerned, how- 

 ever, the meeting was executive and nothing given out for publication 

 beyond the fact that further steps will be taken for combating the 

 higher rates. In this connection, the association is in receipt of 

 definite assurances from the Cincinnati Lumbermen's Club that it 

 will join with the Southern Hardwood Traffic Association in fighting 

 the advances in question. It is also suggested that the lumbermen 

 of Cairo will co-operate with the local organization, which represents 

 most of the hardwood lumber manufacturers in Mississippi valley. 

 Further information from Cairo is expected within the next few days. 



In the meantime, the Southern Hardwood Traffic Association is 

 in receipt of advices from the Interstate Commerce Commission indi- 

 cating that all the increased tariffs recently filed by southern roads 

 have been suspended until January 28, 1915, as was done in connec- 

 tion with the first general advance announced by the Illinois Central 

 and other roads. This means that none of these advances will be 

 allowed to become effective until hardwood lumber interests have been 

 given an opportunity of presenting their side of the controversy. 



A rather peculiar move has been made by the transcontinental 

 roads in announcing an advance of 5 cents per hundred pounds on 

 shipments of hardwood lumber from Memphis to Pacific coast points, 

 —32— 



effective November 15. The steamship lines operating from Mobile, 

 New Orleans, and other southern ports have made a rat« of 40 cents 

 fo Pacific points, via the Panama canal, while the rail rate from 

 Memphis to these ports is 12 cents, making a total of 52 cents. The 

 all-rail rate is already 75 cents and it was thought that this would 

 have to be lowered in order to compete with water transportation. 

 The railroads, however, have taken an entirely different view of the 

 matter and are seeking a still further increase in rates to 80 cents. 

 It is certain that the Soutliern Hardwood Traffic Association will 

 resist these proposed increases in rates and to this end a petition 

 has already been filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission. 



Transcontinental roads, se\eral years ago, attempted to advance 

 rates to the Pacific coast to 85 cents. In fact, the high tariffs were 

 put into effect and hardwood limiber interests here were successful 

 in getting the old rate of 75 cents restored. Geo. D. Burgess was 

 at the head of the Mempbi" Hardwood Eate Association, which won 

 this victory, and he is at present the presiding officer of the Southern 

 Hardwood Traffic Association, which will lock horns with the Trans- 

 continental Freight Bureau in this latest contest. 



Just at a tune when the transcontinental roads are seeking to 

 advance rates 5 cents per hundred pounds, the Southern Hardwood 

 Traffic Association is making an effort to secure lower rates from 

 Memphis and Mississippi points to New Orleans from 12 and 11 cents 

 to 11 and 10 cents, respectively. If this body is successful in this 

 effort, the rate by way of New Orleans to the Panama canal will 

 bo 51 cents instead of .52 cents, further increasing the discrepancy 

 between water and all rail rates. 



