30 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



$20,000 per annum. The new rates superseding the old will become ef- 

 fective February 15. The reduction amounts to 1 cent per hundred pounds 

 from Mississippi points, the rates of 11 and 10 cents, respectivel.v, being 

 against the old rates of 12 and 11. Thus all hardwood rates are brought 

 to the same basis as those on gum. 



The issues involved in these cases have been fought out before the 

 Interstate Commerce Commission several times. In 1904, the organiza- 

 tion corresponding to the present Southern Hardwood Traffic .Association, 

 secured an order from the commission not only knocking out higher rates 

 charged by the Illinois Central and Yazoo & Mississippi Valley roads but 

 securing a refund of the alleged excessive rates paid. In 19i:i there was 

 another effort on the part of the same roads to put rates higher not only 

 from Memphis but from all other intermediate points. The commission 

 held at the time that these higher rates were reasonable. Its present rul- 

 ing is therefore partly a maintenance of its former position and partly 

 a rescinding of its former ruling. This is seen in the fact that Memphis 

 rates are pronounced in the present case to be reasonable while those 

 from intermediate points are reported unreasonable and are ordered re- 

 duced. 



A conference was held in Chicago on December 28 between representatives 

 of the Southern Hardwood Traffic .Vssociation and committees from the' 

 lumber organizations of Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis, Cairo and Chat- 

 tanooga. Geo. D. Burgess, president of the association, and J. II. Town- 

 shend, secretary and general manager, were among those who went from 

 Memphis. J. R. Walker, regular attorney of the Southern Hardwood Traf- 

 fic Association, and Luther M. Walter, specially employed by the associa- 

 tion, were both present. The idea of this conference was to go very care- 

 fully over the arguments to be presented by the Southern Hardwood Traf- 

 fic Association in its contest with the railroads in the efforts of the latter 

 to advance rates from points in the lower Mississippi valley to Ohio river 

 crossings. This will come up for hearing at Memphis January l.'i and in- 

 dications are that it will be one of the most vigorous contests ever staged 

 here. The lumbermen have been very carefully preparing their evidence 

 and data tor some time and, whatever may be the outcome, It is certain 

 that the lumber people will not lose because of any lack of preparation or 

 thoroughness on their part. 



Lidgerwood Skidder at Burton-Swartz Operations 



The Burton Swartz Cypress Company lias just completed its new mill at 

 Perry, Fla. This building is of the latest steel construction, and plant 

 will cover approximately seventy-five acres. It Is equipped with com- 

 plete up-to-date machinery, which is now installed, with boilers and power 

 plant, and is ready to start work. 



The first train of logs arrived the other day at the plant from Carbur. 

 Carhur is the head of the logging operations conducted by the Carpenter- 

 O'Brien Company and the Burton-Swartz Cypress Company. Carbur Is 

 situated seventeen miles south of Perry, with which it is connected by 

 a branch of the .\tlantic Coast Line Kailroad. The Burton-Swartz Com- 

 pany operates its own trains over this branch line, the railroad company 

 having built special yards at Carbur to receive and make up these trains. 



The timber around Carbur is chiefly cypress, mixed with pine. The 

 Burton-Swartz company is now logging this tract, and is taking off the 

 cypress, using a Lidgerwood steel spar overhead skidder. 



The photograph, which shows the skidder at 

 work, also shows part of the town of Carbur, 

 which has a population of about one thousand. 



New Book on Timber Preservation 



A book which deserves and will doubth-ss 

 receive a place on the desks of those interested 

 in the preservative treatment of timber has 

 just come from the press of the McGraw-Hill 

 Book Company, 239 West Thirty-ninth street. 

 New York. The author is Howard F. Weiss, 

 director of the government's Forest Products 

 Laboratory, Madison, Wis. 



Mr. Weiss is a specialist in the field which 

 this book covers. He has been in charge of 

 numerous studies and investigations along all 

 lines having to do with structural and other 

 commercial timbers, and is thoroughly ac- 

 quainted with the subject both historically and 

 experimentally. 



He has written the book in a clear, readable 

 style which adds much to its value, for the 

 subject has not been obscured by technical 

 terms not easily understood by the average 

 reader. While it Is valuable to the profes- 

 sional timber engineer, it is of equal interest 

 to the non-professional man who is seeking In- 

 formation on a subject which is constantly 

 claiming more attention from users of treated 

 woods. 



Some idea of the scope of the work may be 

 obtained from the chapter headings, some of 

 which are as follows : 



Factors which cause the deterioration of 

 structural timbers. 



The effect of the structure of the wood upon its injection with preserva- 

 tives. 



Preparation of timber for its preservative treatment. 



Processes and preservatives used in protecting wood from decay. 



The construction and operation of wood-presorving plants. 



Prolonging the life of crosstles, poles, posts, piling, etc., from deoaj- 

 and abrasion. 



Prolonging the life of mine timbers, paving blocks, shingles, lumber and 



The protection of timber from fire, alkaline soils, birds, sap stain, and 

 sand storms. 



The strength and electrolysis of treated timber. 



The use of substitutes for treated tiiiil>er. 



.V very complete list and description of various wood-preserving proc- 

 esses is included, together with much statistical information on subjects 

 related to the general discourse. 



The book contains 312 pages, is well printed, luindsomely illustrated 

 with pictures, diagrams and charts, is strongly bound, and sells for three 

 dollars. The work is one of the most valuable contributions that has 

 ever been made to this important subject ; and no Inconsiderable part of 

 it is based on investigations personally conducted by Mr. Weiss. 



Change in Trade Reports 

 With the close of 1914 the publication which, up to that time was 

 known as "Daily Consular and Trade Reports," and was issued by the 

 Department of Commerce, Washington, I). C, ceased to exist under that 

 name: but a new form has been substituted. The size of the publication 

 and its general form and style of printing have not been changed ; but the 

 publication has assumed more the character of a daily newspaper. It 

 gets Information to the public more speedily. Trade news from distant 

 countries conies by cable and is published at once. That saves from one- 

 to six weeks in getting the information to the public. Changes in foreign 

 business conditions are rapidl.v taking place, and under the former slow- 

 way, opportunities might be lost by delay, which now can he turned to 

 advantage. 



Lumber Cut and Shipped in November 



The figures recently published by the National Lumber Manufacturers* 

 .Vssociation give comparisons of cut and shipments of lumber for Novcm- 

 licr, 1914, with the corresponding month in 1913. Following is the sum- 

 mary : 



Cut November, 1913, 434,300,000 feet. 



Cut November, 1914, 318,!;00.000 feet. 



Decrease. Il.",,s00.000 feet, or 2<!0/]0 per cent. 



Shipments November, 1913, 4.^8,100,000 feet. 



Shipments November. 1914, 341.100,000 feet. 



Decrease, 117.00(1,000 feet, or 2r, i">/10 per cent. 



Shipments November, 1913. 4.-.8,100,000 feet. 



Cut November, 1913, 43 I.:;(iii.imi(i feet. 



Cut less than shipped, 2.'..mmi,imiii feet, or 3 2/10 per cent. 



Shipments November, 1914, .Ml, 100,000 feet. 



Cut Noveml)er, 1914, 31t<,.">00.i)00 feet. 



Cut less than shipped. 22,(1iiii.imiO feet, or 6 6/10 per cent. 



Building Operations for December 



Building operations throughout the United Stales tor the year 1914, 

 as Indicated by the reports from GS of the principal cities, show a decrease 



LIDGEr.\Y()OD .SKIlllir.U AT WOltK .\T OPIORATIONS OF BURTON- 

 SWARTZ CYPUF.SS COMPANY AT CARBUR, FLA. 



