HARDWOOD RECORD 



37 



tlic nrt;oiit (lemaiid for prompt sliipmciit from all parts of the State 

 as well as a large demaiul from Cleveland, Pittsburgh and eastern 

 territory, have a tendeney to ereate a rising market." 



Tlie trouble that had arisen between lumbermen and vohiclo 

 inaiiiifacturers over dimension oak for wagons, was explained by 

 <'. A. Bigelow. The various angles of the misuaderstanding have 

 been fully presented in former issues of Hardwood Record, and it 

 is not necessary to recapitulate them here. Mr. Bigelow explained 

 that hardwood lumbermen are in a position to meet the govorn- 

 nient 's demands for vehicle stock, and he expressed the opinion 

 that if the lower prices of this lumber prevailed the vehicle people 

 would be compelled to lower their prices for the wagons to the 

 government. If the present finished vehicle prices stand, the lum- 

 l)ermen would insist on getting for their lumber the base price 

 which the vehicle people sought to convince the government they 

 would be required to pay in figuring their bids, namely $120 a 

 thousand feet. Mr. Bigelow also told of the work of the Northern 



Hardwood & Hemlock War Emergency Bureau, saying that good 

 results are being obtained and that one of the big orders now ne- 

 gotiated is for 600,000 feet of birch and 200,000 feet of maple foi 

 the French government to be used in airplane construction. The 

 railroad tie and hemlock bark situations were also discussed. Mr. 

 Bigelow told the members that the government not only would 

 soon fix the prices to be paid for the different kinds of railroad 

 ties but would insist that the railroads get their supply near at 

 hand in the territory they pass through. In other words, no more 

 southern ties will be hauled north for use on northern lines, nor 

 vice versa. Michigan roads will be compelled to get their supply 

 from Michigan and members promised to get out the volume of ties 

 the government would ask, whether hardwood, hemlock or cedar. 

 In a report by Fire Warden Morford, it was recommended that 

 the nevn fire assessment be placed at one and a half cents per acre 

 for timberlands and three-fourths of a cent per cord for wood. 

 The association acted on this recommendation and adopted it. 



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To Standardize Farm Wagons 



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The farm wagon department of the National Implement & Vehicle 

 Association met on May 1 and 2 at Louisville, Ky., in the largest 

 representation the farm wagon manufacturers have ever known. 

 The purpose of the meeting was to adopt steps leading to the com- 

 plete standardization of farm wagons. Some thirty manufactur- 

 ers furnished wagons and gears of new standardized designs for 

 inspection. 



The changes involved standard width of track, standard wheel 

 heights, standard widths of tire and also other minor items. Manu- 

 facturers from the South, East and West were present as were 

 also various government officials interested in this work. 



It is generally known that heretofore wagons have been made in 

 a variety of tracks, the two principle ones being a wide track of 

 t;il inches, used largely in the eastern and southern territory and 

 nil the Pacific Coast, and a narrow track, .'54 inches obtaining in 

 the middle west, the north, Canada and portions of the middle east. 

 It was unanimously decided to abandon both of these tracks and 

 ,ill others, and adopt a standard of 56 inches, which is the standard 

 track of i)leasure automobiles and many other motor vehicles. Thus, 

 after wagons are constructed of this track the farmer moving to 

 any section of the country will be able to use his wagon without 

 making any changes. 



The next important change was the adoption of a standard box 

 or bed width of 38 inches outside measure. Heretofore many 

 widths have been made including the 38-inch and also the 48-inch 

 width on wide track wagons. There was some controversy over 

 the loading of cotton bales in the new width, but southern manu- 

 facturers agreed to adopt the new standard. It is also understood 

 that the government is requiring the baling of cotton in smaller 

 ilimensions in order to economize in railroad car space. 



The third important change was the adoption of three standard 

 lieights of wheels, 40, 44 and 48 inches. These are to be used in 

 combinations, permitting the use of but one standard gear. A 

 restricted list of tire widths was also adopted, this to be graduated 

 by inches from two to four inclusive. 



There were several other important though minor changes in con- 

 struction adopted, but the foregoing are the ones which will affect 

 the trade throughout the country. 



The matter will now be passed to the Commercial Economy Board 

 at Washington and after that will be made effective as rapidly as 

 possible, but not later than January 1, 1920. Part of them will be 

 put into effect by January, 1919, thus allowing manufacturers to 

 use up stocks on hand without loss. 



The wagon manufacturers state that in bringing the standardiza- 

 tion work to this concrete result they are moving in the interest 

 of the wagon user for with a universal track he can procure a 



wagon of his choice almost anywhere and with standard wheel 

 heights and tire widths repair parts are at all times available. 



The wagon manufacturers emphasize that in all details of con- 

 struction the individuality of the manufacturer and his own ideas 

 as to construction for strength and wear have the same latitude as 

 heretofore. Consequently, it is anticipated that so far as competi- 

 tion of makers and brands in seeking the trade of the jobbers or 

 dealers is concerned, this will continue as intensely as heretofore. 



Memphis Gets More Logs 



The Valley Log Loading Company during May loaded 1,4(I0 ears 

 of logs on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley railroad and 220 on the 

 Missouri Pacific system in Arkansas. In April it loaded 945 on the 

 former and 125 on the latter. Its total loading was therefore 1,620 

 ears, against 1,070 last month, an increase of approximately 50 per 

 cent. This is by far the best showing this company has made for 

 more than six months and has resulted in a substantial reduction 

 in the quantity of old logs remaining to be transported to mills at 

 Memphis and elsewhere in this territory. The amount actually 

 loaded during the month was approximately 6,000,000 feet, as com- 

 pared with 4,000,000 feet for March, and J. W. Dickson, president 

 of the company, estimates that there are only about 5,000,000 feet 

 of old logs remaining to be loaded on the main line of these roads. 

 There is considerable timber on spurs on which this company does 

 not operate. The same authority estimates that new logs awaiting 

 shipment will not exceed, so far as the main lines are concerned, 

 3,000,000 feet, giving a total of about 8,000,000 feet immediately 

 in sight on such roads. This estimate does not touch the Frisco 

 system, but applies to Yazoo & Mississippi Valley and Missouri 

 Pacific system main lines. 



Mr. Dickson said today that, if his company is al)le to operate as 

 advantageously during May as during April, all but a very small 

 percentage of the old timber in sight would be cleaned up and 

 considerable new timber would be moved. He regards the situation 

 as materially improved and believes that, in a short time, the ques- 

 tion of flamage to old logs from insects will l)e practically elimi- 

 nated. 



The increase in loading during the past month has been due partly 

 to the larger number of cars furnished for log handling and partly 

 to a change in the system of loading. The company has been load- 

 ing on only one division at a time, loading there for several days 

 and then moving to another division. This plan has greatly short- 

 ened hauls and has made for highly increased efficiency. 



The quantity of timber cut and prepared for shipment during the 

 past few weeks has been comparatively light. This has been due 

 in part to the bad weather and the heavy rainfull during February 



