38 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



travels all the way through the drying and manufacturing process into 

 the cars on these conveying trucks, so that the stock used in the manu- 

 facture of this flooring never touches the ground from the time it leaves 

 the saw until the finished product is put into the cars for shipment to 

 destination. 



All the departments of the plant are kept at even temperature, which 

 is another necessary feature in the manufacture of high class flooring, 

 while the finished stock, where not immediately shipped out on orders, is 

 kept in a steam heated store-house. 



In order to completely serve the trade with strip flooring, as well as 

 with its own parquetry product, the Federal Parquetry Manufacturing 

 Company has secured from the Mowbray & Robinson Company of Cincin- 

 nati, Ohio, the exclusive sale of the strip flooring to be made l)y that 

 house at its plant. This strip flooring will be made from the same 

 quality of oak as the products of the Federal company. The Mowbray & 

 Robinson Company is one of the largest oak lumber producers in the world, 

 ■with over 200,000 feet per day at three units. 



B. Connor Company Charges Misrepresentation 



In a statement to the press \V. D. Connor, well-known Uimberraan of 

 Marshfleld and Laona, Wis., regarding the indictment recently returned 

 against the Connor interests by the federal grand jury at Milwaukee, 

 alleging misrepresentation of shipments by the Connor people, blames the 

 Soo road, which, he says, is trying to get out of certain contracts by ap- 

 peal to the Interstate Commerce Commission. Mr. Connor says : 



"On returning to Marshfleld from the North, the article in the press re- 

 garding the indictment of the Connor Lumber Company and the Laona & 

 Northern Railway Company was brought to my attention for the first time. 

 I know very little about the action of the grand jury, excepting what has 

 been stated in the press. When this matter was before the Jury, we were 

 refused an opportunity to have our contracts and agreements with the 

 Soo line presented by our attorneys or to appear personally liefore the 

 grand jury. 



"We have a contract with the Soo line entered into prior to the building 

 of the Laona & Northern railroad, by us In good faith, and the contract 

 made as a protection to us before we Incurred the expense of constructing 

 the road. The contract was drawn by and entered into at the solicitation 

 of the Soo line, the agreements contained therein made with the traffic 

 department and the legal department of the road, and the contract exe- 

 cuted by its president in January, 1902. 



"For eight years the terms of the contract were carried out In apparent- 

 ly good faith by the parties thereto until in .January, 1910, some one for 

 the Soo line conceived the idea that the Soo company' could get out from 

 under the responsibilities and obligations of that contract by appealing 

 to the Interstate Commerce Commission and pleading that the contract 

 ■was illegal. 



"The questions involved were brought before the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission, and finally, after about two years' waiting, a decision was 

 rendered holding the contract legal in part and binding between common 

 -carriers. On some points, however, the commission held with the Soo line. 

 On the questions that the commission held with the Soo line, the United 

 States supreme court has since passed, and the decision of the supreme 

 court held that the decision of the Interstate Commerce Commission was 

 Illegal. 



"Since 1910 the railroad company in every way that experts could 

 manipulate tariffs and elassifirations, has undertaken to get around com- 

 plying with the terms of our contract and to overcome the decision in our 

 favor by the Interstate Commerce Commission, and later, the decision of 

 the United States supreme court. If the juggling of tariffs can be held 

 lawful, and if the Interstate Commerce Commission approves of and en- 

 courages such procedure by railroads. If a railroad can welsh on Its con- 

 tract and disregard its every obligation, then no person is safe in dealing 

 with a railroad company or in making any contract with Its oflicers, from 

 the danger of being dragged into court if it suits the <-onvenience of the 

 railroad company. Then we may expect the indictment and the result of 

 the peculiar laws that can be called into service for the convenience of 

 the railroads. 



"We hope, however, to have a day in court when we can hope for a fair 

 and judicial decision on these several questions, which we will aecei)t iu 

 good faith whether it is for or against us." 



Hlvistrating a Famous Shipment of Hardwood 



The movement of an entire train of hardwood lumber by a single shipper 

 is a noteworthy achievement under any condition of the market. Under 

 existing market conditions it is of especial interest, and if it be the first 

 shipment of hardwood lumber to pass westward through the Panama canal 

 it is really historical in its significance. 



Such a shipment was forwarded by the Ferguson & Palmer Company of 

 Paducah, Ky., from its mills at New Houlka, Miss., and that company 

 may successfully claim the distinction of being the first shipper of hard- 

 wood lumber to utilize the great international waterway for the trans- 

 portation of its product to Paciflc coast points. 



The shipment was loaded during the last days of October and was run 

 special over the New Orleans, Mobile & Chicago railroad, "The Panama 

 Route," from New Houlka, Miss., to Mobile, .Ma., where it was transferred 

 'to the S/S "Peter H. Crowell" of the Sudden & Christensen Line, sailing 

 from that port on November 16 for Pacific coast ports via the Panama 

 canal and Is scheduled to arrive at San Francisco early in December. 



The difference of thirty cents per hundredweight between the all-rail rate 

 and the combination rail and water rate on this shlument resulted in a 

 material saving in transportation charges, and serves to emphasize in a 

 most forcible manner the benefits that will accrue to shippers of all classes 

 of ceimmoditles from the opening of this new waterway. 



This item of interest was noted in a previous issue of Hardwood Rkcoud, 

 but is referred to again in connection with the illustration which the 

 Ferguson & Palmer Company has just sent to this olEce. 



Change of Address 



E. A. Sterling, forest and timber engineer, formerly at 1331 Real Estate 

 Trust building, Philadelphia, has taken new offices at 92.') Commercial 

 Ti'ust building, same city. The change of address includes (he firm of 

 Clark, Lyford & Sterling and (he I'hiladelphia & Vancouver Timber 

 Company. 



Vestal's Victory- 

 Ed. Vestal, the congenial and convivial secretary of the Vestal Lumber 

 and .Manufacturing Company of KnoxviUe. Tenn., landed in Chicago two 

 weeks ago and soon was iiuiniring anxiously and mysteriously for informa- 

 tion as to the best and quickest means of getting to Omaha. In fact, he 

 carried this mysterious air a little too far. The consequence was that a 

 number of hungry lumber salesmen became suspicious, believing that in 

 some manner he had sighted a carload order for Knoxvllle. About 

 train time the Twelfth street depot in Chicago was well crowded with 

 commercial tourists whose jobs it is to talk entertainingly of the products 

 of our forests. They all came determined to follow Ed as long as they 

 were able to stand and to trail him to the treasure pot. 



The disappointment was gieat when it was discovered that he had 

 learne<l of their designs and had taken an earlier train, and their anxiety 

 could hardly be contained until Ed arrived back In Chicago again the fol- 

 lowing Monday. The broad smile with which he greeted his friends when 

 he stepped from the train sent their hearts down into their boots, as they 

 knew he had accomplished that business for which he had made the trip 

 and that further efforts on their part were useless. As they are all good 

 fellows at heart they decided to give Ed the glad hand and congratulate 

 him on his success, and appointed a spokesman to tender their heartiest 

 congratulations. A rather unusual conversation then arose which went 

 about as follows : 



Spokesman (who believed that I'd had the order tucked securely In his 

 wallet) : "Ed, while you didn't play exactly fair with us in sneaking out 

 en an early train last Wednesday, we all appreciate that it takes courage 

 to accomplish what you have done and only hope that there won't l>e 

 any kick when the goods arc delivered." 



Ed then replied with a patronizing smile which he bestowed Impartially 

 upon the entire circle of friends : "Yes, boys, he said I could have her." 

 The spokesman, wishing to extend his congratulations and well wishes a 

 little farther and at the same time desiring to get a little more informa- 

 tion so he could go after the next month's busines at the same plant said : 

 "I suppose it had to be sound stock." 



Disgruntled salesman who liad more acrimony than good fellowship feel- 

 ing : "Well. Ed, I don't want to say anything that will discourage you, 

 but I had had some dealings with that party myself and am a little bit 

 afraid you have been handed a lemon. The old man is about as crabbed 



FIRST SHIPMENT OF HARDWOOD LT'MHER TO GO TO THE PAC IFIC CO.VST VI.\ THE PANAMA C.^NAL 



