J. W. McCLURE, MEMPHIS. MEMBER COM- 

 MITTEE TO REPRESENT LUMBER IN 

 RAILROAD COXFEREXCES EAST OF 

 THE MISSISSIPPI. 



S. B. AXDERSOX, .MEMPHIS. MEMBER COM- 

 MITTEE TO REPRESEXT LIMBER IN 

 RAILROAD COXFEREXCES EAST OF 

 THE MISSISSIPPI. 



W. B. BrRKK, CHARLESTOX, MISS.. MEM- 

 BER COM.MITTEE TO REPRESENT LUM- 

 BER IX RAILROAD CONFERENCES 

 EAST OF THE .MISSISSIPPI. 



^C;<taic z;>;;^:.>:c:;;^;a.'v>!3!tAyi^>io6e>io;k^^ ^ 



The I^emorahle Memphis Meeting 



When George Burgess of the firm of Russe & Burgess, Inc., Mem 

 phis, Tenn., took the chair, there were about .325 prominent lumt>er 

 manufacturers and important officials from the southern railroads in 

 attendance at the harmony conference called by the Southern Hard- 

 wood Traffic Association, and taking place at the Hotel Gayoso, Mem- 

 phis, Tenn., on Wednesday, April 7. Numerical attendance is not 

 necessarily of jiarticular significance at any convention, as ordinarily 

 the social factor has a great deal to do with bringing together the 

 participants. However, in this case there was nothing of a social 

 nature ofTered as an imlucement, as the meeting was purely a business 

 proposition, with a big purpose behind it and a big object before it. 



The real idea of those responsible for the meeting and the aims 

 it is hoped will be reached, are described in full in the paper of 

 John W. McClure, summarized in following column. Brief!}', the 

 meeting was prompted by a desire to present testimony and exhibits 

 that would convince the railroad interests in the territory affected of 

 the necessity for radical changes in tariff schedules, in order that 

 the very life of the lumber industry, in certain .sections of the South, 

 may not be jeopardized. 



There perhaps was never a more portentous meeting nor one which, 

 as its proceedings developed, gave promise of more portentous 

 results. It is apparent that one of two conditions must develop in the 

 South in the near future — either, in the absence of definite alterations 

 in tariff schedules, making possible the logging and shipping of 

 certain grades and kinds of lumber, the manufacture of those stocks 

 will necessarily be discontinued altogether, or, if this meeting lias 

 the definite result which it is hoped will be effected, conditions will 

 be so altered as surrounding the manufacture of certain southern 

 hardwoods that a profit and not a loss will be realized from lumbering. 



The large attendance of representative lumbermen from the south- 

 em districts evidenced their realization of the absolute necessity for 

 action. The following list of prominent railroad men present shows 

 that they too feel that there is something wrong with the situation, 

 and are willing to go half way in righting it. 



Illinois Central: Jnmes Hattenilorf, Memphis. Tenn.. C. F. A.; V. D. 

 Fort, Memphis, Asst. F. T. M. ; Frank E. Bowes, Chicago, III., V. P. : ,T. T. 

 DonvBn, Paducah. K.V., .\gent. 



Nashvillk. Chattanooga & St. Louis Railroad; .Tohn C. R.van. .Mem 

 phis, Tenn., G. .\. : Charles Barliam. Nashville, Tenn., G. F. A. 



Louisville k .Nashvillk: S. H. Stout, Memphis. Tenn.; L. H. Dorman. 

 Memphis ; A. R. Smith, Louisville, .3r(l V. P. 



—22— 



GiuxD Tki.nk : W. A. Burke. .St. Louis, Mo., C. A. 



Big Four: S. A. Town.send, St. Louis, Mo.; M. A. Greding, Little 

 Rock, Ark., T. F. A.; J. .1. F"ahe.v, Memphis, Tenn.. G. A.; E. L. Roklerer, 

 I»ulKvllle, K.v. ; E.f. Greaves, Birmingham, .Via. 



Southern Railway : A. H. Shaw, Atlanta, fia.. .\. T. F. M. : W. A. 

 Turner, Memphis. A. C. F. A. ; C. A. Russell. Memphis. C. .V. 



St. I^h is, IiiiiN Mountain & Soi thkkn ; C. E. Perkins. St. Louis, 

 V. T. M.; R. M. l>ozler. Memphis, C. A. 



Louisiana Railway & .Navic;ation Company : E. C. D. Marshall. I'ree- 

 port. La.. (;. V. A. : X. I!. Helm. Freeport. V. I'. : li. L. MeKee. Little 

 Rook, Ark. 



Cotton Belt : .1. K. James, Memphis. Tenn., C. A. ; J. D. Watson. St. 

 Ix.uls. Mo.. A. T. F. M. ; llemy E. I'"ari-ell. St Louis. V. P. : Edward A. 

 llald. St. Louis. .Mo., .\, G. A. 



Toledo. St. Loi'is & Western : W. S. Turner. Little Rock. 



Wabash Railroad: I-ce Pescla. Memphis. Tenn.. «'. .\. 



Texas & Pacikii- ; E. S. Vincent. Little Rock. .\rk. 



Frisco Lines: Frank C. Rell.v, St. Louis. M<i.. A. F. T. M. ; W. B. 

 Biddle. St. Louis, Mo., Receiver. 



Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific: H. W. Miniisun, Little Rock, Ark., 

 A. V. T. M. : .1. E. .lohnson, Little Rock. G. F. .\. ; F. C. .lohn.son, Memphis, 

 Tenn.. C. A. : .S. T. York, Memphis. 



In opening the meeting Mr. Burgess, who was chairman of the 

 temporary committee appointed to put through the plans of the 

 meeting, expressed himself as deploring the lack of friendly eon- 

 tests between shippers and carriers, and outlined developments lead- 

 ing up to the meeting. He introduced John W. McClure, president 

 of the Southern Hardwood Traffic -Association, who occupied the 

 chair during the entire session and handled the program in admir- 

 able fashion. 



The Purpose of the Meeting 



,1. W. McClure approached the discussion of the relationship which 

 should exist between lumbermen and railroa<ls by saying that for- 

 merly the railroads fixed rates on the basis of as much as the traffic 

 would bear. They do not at present announce that policy as a basis 

 for rate fixing; but many per.sons question very seriously whether 

 they have fouml a way more scientific or more acceptable to the 

 shippers. 



The transportation comjianies now a|>|!ear to make a survey of the 

 industrial situation ; decide upon what commodities are bringing 

 pretty good returns to the shipi)ers, and the decision is made that 

 a higher rate can safely be lai<l on those commodities, and if the 

 .shii)per does not want to stand for the advance, he can pass it along 

 to the consumer, who will pay it. 



