GORDUN 0. EDWAKU^. nlTAWA. DNT.. AllOM 

 BER ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE 



\V. CROW, CHICAGO, ILL.. MEMBER 

 ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE 



IKIWNMAN. M:\V ipKLEANS. LA.. MEM- 

 r.EK ilKKANI/'.ATInN COMMITTEE 



that in many eases the inferior wood will not live up to what is 

 demanded of it in certain uses where the superior wood is specified, 

 and where the task is apportioned according to the qualities of the 

 superior wood which it had been expected would be used. He said 

 that this method hurts the trade as a whole and does a great deal 

 toward putting lumber in a position which it cannot afford to hold. 



Mr. Seidel cited a case, which is probably typical of a great many 

 in every part of the country, having to do with the building codir 

 of St. Louis. This code allows the figuring in structures of con- 

 crete construction of 100 pounds to the square inch, but the old code 

 for lumber, which was in existence long before this addition covering 

 concrete construction was put in effect, specified the figuring on the 

 basis of 150 pounds to the square inch. Mr. Seidel maintained that 

 this is a striking illustration of the indifference of lumbermen to con- 

 ditions which are directly derogatory to their industry. 



Chairman Rhodes called on L. W. Crow, president of the Lumber- 

 men's Association of Chicago, to describe proposed ordinances which 

 are coming up before the Chicago council to broaden the fire limits, 

 these being aimed at eventually stretching the limits to the city 

 lines. The lumbermen, according to Mr. Crow, are starting to make 

 people back of this movement give good reasons why this ruling should 

 be put into effect. He expressed as his opinion that the substitute 

 people are actively behind this proposition, although not entirely 

 responsible. He said that the Chicago lumbermen are willing to 

 admit the justice of certain claims that are not favorable to wood, 

 and that the greatest difllculty he and his associates have encoun- 

 tered is to exactly determine the force behind this opposition to 

 wood in order that the issue may be approached on definite and 

 specific lines. He said that Chicago lumbermen are looking to the 

 manufacturers to outline plans that can be followed and the duties 

 of all under such plans, and announced that Chicago lumbermen are 

 ready to help in any legitimate line of lumber advertising. 



F. A. Hofheinis of North Tonawanda, N. Y., who has been carry- 

 ing on quite extensive work along the lines suggested for considera- 

 tion by the gathering, was next called upon. Mr. Hofheims instanced 

 a case which is now coming up in the state of Massachusetts, pro- 

 hibiting the use of shingles anywhere in that state. He maintained 

 this would be a. tremendous calamity to the lumber business as it 

 would establish a precedent that would s|iread rapidly over the coun- 

 try. He demanded that immediate action be taken on this par- 

 ticular case anil said ho would either continue to carry out the work 

 he has already planned to%yard this end, or would turn over his 

 assistance to this new movement with what funds he has already 

 raised for combating this wood agitation. 

 The meeting then adjourned for luncheon. 

 Afternoon Session 

 Chairman Kliodes opened tlie afternoon session with .1 reiteration 



of his belief in tlic co-operation of all Ijianches of the lumber busi- 

 ness. He said that before calling for further discussion he would 

 outline thi' two jirinie objects before the meeting, namely the forma- 

 tion of a definite plan of organization in order that associations can 

 co-operate with the general association, and the appointment of a com- 

 mittee to work up the program. 



L. L. Rarth of the Edward Hines Lumber Company, Chicago, sug- 

 gested that the chair appoint a 'committee of seven to work up these 

 ideas in concrete shape and report them back to the meeting so that 

 definite action could be taken. The chairman appointed on this 

 committee W. A. Gilchrist, F. A. Hofhvinis, A. T. Gerrans, J. R. 

 Moorehead, Adolph Pfund, E. F. Perry and L. L. Rarth. This com 

 mittee retired for consultation. 



The Country Retailer's A'iewpoixt 



J. V. O 'Rrien, secretary of the Cleveland Board of Lumber Dealers ', 

 Cleveland, O., told of the formation of a Cleveland organization 

 entitled "Society Advocating Fire Elimination," which he maintained 

 is simply a campaign for brick and other competitives of wood in 

 construction work. He said this organization has been able to make 

 remarkable strides as its members have always been active advertisers 

 in the Cleveland press, whereas lumbermen have not, and lience the 

 public sentimont has been turned favorably to the organization. He 

 said that lumbermen have awakened to the situation and are now 

 endeavoring to offset its effect as much as jiossible by the use of 

 placarded wagons with the f ollovving jilacard, ' ' Build With Lumber. 

 It Is More Beautiful, Costs Less." According to Mr. O'Brien, the 

 chief difficulty the lumbermen have encountered is the fact that they 

 find themselves without specific and definite arguments to combat the 

 arguments of wood substitute handlers, and that in his opinion this is 

 the chief difl!iculty in the way of any such general campaign. He 

 said that the city of Cleveland is now working on a new building 

 code and that at no time has a lumberman ever served on thi^ building 

 code committee. He said that without definite information it is 

 almost imiiossible to successfully argue lumber before this body. Mr. 

 O'Brien stated that the opinion of the Cleveland lumbermen is that 

 there should be a definite national bureau to work out this question, 

 and that local organization should absorb local cost. 



J. W. Barry of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was the next speaker. Mr. 

 Barry expressed himself very forcibly in opposition to past methods 

 of lumber advertising, saying that there has been too much boosting 

 of individual woods and no advertising or educational work regarding 

 hnnber in general. He said that retailers can join such a movement 

 as is aimed at if "wood" will be advertised rather than any specific 

 wood. He expressed himself as believing that the cost of advertising 

 should be paid from the selling price and that this is the only logical 

 way of settling that question. Mr. Barry outlined one case in which 

 wood is suffering because of the carelessness on the part of manufac- 



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