18 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



this may be beneficial for certain purposes, no particularly beneficial 

 results from the drying standpoint are gained thereby. 



F. R. Gadd, vice-president of the Wisconsin Lumber Company, Chi- 

 cago, read a most instructive paper on Cost of Production, which is 

 reproduced in full on another page of this issue. 



A telegram was read from the headquarters of the Hardwood Man- 

 ufacturers' Association extending a cordial invitation to all mem- 

 bers to attend the convention of that organization at Cincinnati, 

 January 28-29. 



John W. McClure, chairman of the assessment committee, appealed 

 to all members to render every assistance to getting new members 

 toward the end that money may be raised without increasing the 

 individual assessment. He said that while he has not reports on all 

 cuts up to date on which to base assessments, he estimated that 

 reports from twenty members, which include several of the larger 

 operators, show a cut of 75,000,000 feet, which he estimates at from 

 thirty-five to forty per cent off from last year. He said that the 

 assessment of ten cents per 1,000 feet on this basis won't be money 

 enough for running expenses without increasing the membership. 

 He maintained that Mr. Parlin's recommendation that assessment be 

 increased to twenty-five cents per 1,000 feet is impossible as the by- 

 laws state the maximum assessment shall be fifteen cents. 



President Harrison maintained that the real object of the asso- 

 ciation can be accomplished only when the membership represents the 



entire trade. He said that it is not so important to raise dues as that 

 all get together and work on increasing the membership. 



Secretary Pritchard then read some statistics showing the amount 

 of lumber on hand at members' mills. President Harrison said that 

 with the 2,500,000 feet of box boards on hand it is deplorable that 

 manufacturers are offering this desirable stock at the low figures at 

 which sales are reported as made on different occasions. 



F. B. Robertson, chairman of the nominating committee reported 

 that his committee recommended the following oiEcers for the new 

 year: 



Pkesidkxt, C. L. Harrison. 



FiHST Vice-President, John W. McClure. 



Second Vice-President, H. B. Weiss. 



Treasurer, S. M. Nickcy. 



Directors for a two year period : W. B. Burke, R. M. Currier, M. B. 

 Cooper, W. E. DeLancy. 



The secretary was instructed to cast a ballot electing these ofiicers 

 for the coming year. 



The meeting closed with short talks by several prominent men who 

 had not participated in the active program. F. E. Gadd pleaded for 

 immediate attention to the compilation of reports of cuts in order that 

 the advertising committee might know how much funds it would 

 have available in order to start the advertising as quickly as possible. 



The meeting then adjourned. 



Prohlems in Southern ISSew England 



The Lumber Manufacturers' Association of Southern New 

 Hngland met in Hartford, Conn., December 7. One of the most 

 important questions considered was with reference to the demand and 

 specifications of the New Haven Railroad for crossties. The rumor 

 had been afloat that the railroad was not going to buy any more 

 local ties, but would substitute creosotcd southern pine instead. A 

 committee of the association took the matter up with President 

 Elliott, who advised in part as follows: 



"In the year ended June 30, 1914, 2,060,485 ties were laid on the 

 New Haven's lines, compared with 1,814,190 in 1913, and 1,493,786 

 in 1912. Of those laid last year about 1,800,000 were bought in 

 New England. The increased number of ties laid in the past fourteen 

 months has brought back the road more nearly to a normal basis, 

 so that its purchase of ties next year will naturally show some 

 decline of both native and foreign ties. But even allowing for this 

 and for the increase to be made in the number of yellow pine 

 ties, there will be purchased as before a large number of ties in 

 New England, the number probably reaching over 1,600,000," 



It appeared from data supplied by the members of the association 

 that there are already enough ties cut and stacked in the tie yards 

 and along the right-of-way to fill the requisition for the year ending 

 June 30. As the present policy of the road is to keep its surplus 

 stock as low as possible, it was evident to all the members of the 

 association that further production of ties will glut the local 

 market. 



Another matter of concern is a proposed change in tie specifica- 

 tions which the New Haven road plans to put into effect July 1, 

 1915. The present specifications admit local ties of white, yellow, 

 rock and red oak, chestnut and cedar. First class or No. 1 ties when 

 flatted or hewed must be 7 " thick with a 7" to 12" face; when 

 squared, 7" thick with a 9" face. Second class or No. 2 ties, flatted 

 or hewed, 6" thick with a 6" to 12" face; squared, 6" thick with an 

 8" face. Third class, flatted or hewed, 6" thick with a 5" to 12" 

 face; squared, 6" thick with a 7" face. All ties are to be 8' in 

 length with ends sawed square; face measurements to be taken 

 within 6" of rail seat. The present scale of prices is: 



First class or No. 1 ties 70 cents each 



Second class or No. 2 ties 55 cents each 



Third class or No. 3 ties 35 cents each 



The proposed specifications exclude red oak from first class or 



No. 1 ties and state that ties of red oak or timbers other than white, 

 yellow and rock oak, chestnut and cedar, having dimensions required 

 for No. 1 ties, will be paid for as No. 2 tics; those having dimen- 

 sions required for No. 2 ties will be paid for as No. 3 ties; while 

 those having dimensions for No. 3 tics will not be accepted. In 

 other words, red oak ties must be of first or second class dimen- 

 sions, but will be paid for at second or third class rates, as the 

 case may be. 



The directors of the association objected to this change. They 

 are willing that red oak be excluded from the first class, but wish 

 the specifications for the second and third class ties of this wood to 

 be the same as for the other woods. The railroad company has 

 taken this suggestion under advisement and may adopt it. 



In other respects the proposed specifications are in effect un- 

 changed, except that the first class or No. 1 ties must be cut one 

 ■from a section. "No halved, quartered, or split ties will be 

 accepted." There is a difference of opinion as to the merits of 

 this specification. The obvious purpose of it is to assure as large 

 a proportion of heartwood as possible, which is a very desirable con- 

 sideration when ties are used without preservative treatment. It 

 is also claimed by the railroad officials that such a tie withstands 

 wear better and does not check or split as ties cut from quarters 

 or halves. Their explanation is that when a single tic is cut from 

 a stick it is from young and thrifty timber which is harder, stronger 

 and tougher, and does not rail-cut so easily as timber cut from 

 large, old and softer-wooded trees. 



The company officials also claim that slabbed or hewn pole ties 

 give bettor service and longer life in track than squared ties of the 

 same quality and class do. On the other hand, there are several 

 objections to pole ties. One that applies to both slabbed and hewn 

 tics is the lack of uniformity in size which inci-eascs the difficulty 

 of replacement, particularly in rock ballast. Other objections to 

 hewed ties are the unequal bearing afforded tie plates and rails, and 

 the unnecessary waste of valuable material. The objection to 

 sawed square ties should entirely disappear if the ties are treated 

 with preservatives. 



In the tie specifications of the New Haven road, as is the case with 

 most other roads, the following clause occurs: "Ties must be of 

 live timber." Bulletin No. 50 of the U. S. Forest Service com- 

 ments on this requirement as follows: "In most forests there is- 



