HARDWOOD RECORD 



Tims tlie supieme triliimal of tlie coi 

 on record as tor justice in eoutroversic: 

 by statema<le rates. This dedision ii 

 tionably have a considerable bearing 



ly has placed itself definitely 

 egarding competition effected 

 , broad one and will unques- 

 otlier similar matters in the 



which take from bnsiuess each j-ear thousands of new and old con- 

 cerns, replacing them with other concerns, some of which are 

 destined to become important factors ii 

 but the bulk of whii-li cither go along in 

 altogether. 



ouehorse wa.v or fai 



National Meeting Promises Unusual Interest 



IN TALKING WITH SECRETARY FISH of the National Hard- 

 .Tood Lumber Association the editor of Haudwood Recokd was in- 

 formed that every indication points to quite an unusual attendance 

 and unprecedented interest in developments at the seventeenth annual 

 convention, which will be held at the Hotel Statler, Buffalo, Thursday 

 and Friday, June 18-19. 



The last issue of Hardwood Recokd contained a notice of the 

 official program and entertainment features, and since that date 

 Secretary Fish has gained considerable information and statistics 

 which will be an interesting part of his annual report. The conven- 

 tion promises some enlivening developments which will unquestionably 

 be of interest to all members fortunate enough to attend. 



The laxness of business at this time would seem to give an unusual 

 opportunity for the attendance of member;? from all parts of the 

 country. Plans are perfected at Memphis, Nashville, Louisville and 

 other central hardwood points for exciirsions of a considerable repre- 

 sentation of the hardwood trade of those communities. The same 

 interest is being shown in eastern and northern points, one feature 

 being a delegation of Canadian hardwood men, members of the asso- 

 ciation, who will come down in a special car from Canadian points 

 and will maintain a regular office for the purpose of disseminating as 

 much information as possible regarding Canada among attendants. 



Thus the association promises unusual interest and important devel- 

 opments. There is no question but that attendance at the sessions 

 will be ample reward for the expense and time demanded by the trip. 

 It is to be hoped that hardwood men, members and non-members, will 

 realize this opportunity of getting together to boost a worthy cause. 



Looking Back 



THE SECRETARY OF ONE of the largest lumber organizations 

 in the country recently expressed himself reminiseently regard- 

 ing the evolution of the personnel of the hardwood business. His 

 talk was due to his having recently had occasion to refer to the 

 records of membership of the association which he represents, the 

 records taking him back to the year 1904. At that time there 

 were 380 members — prominent concerns in different parts of the 

 country — and .as a matter of curiosity the secretary checked off 

 these names with the idea of determining just how many of them 

 are still members or still in business. 



As a result he found that but 123 of these 380 concerns have 

 survived the vicissitudes of business and the toll of sickness and 

 injury. The 'number of deaths among the membership of 380, 

 which necessitated the termination of the business affairs of 

 respective members was, according to the speaker, appalling. Also 

 the list of business failures resulting in the termination of mem- 

 bership was distinctly a surprise. 



The probable cause of a considerable number of these failures 

 was the condition under which certain concerns launched their 

 respective institutions. Since the time at which these figures were 

 compiled the country has gone through periods of extremely good 

 business and extremely poor business, working up to the final cul- 

 mination in 1907, when the lumber business had been on a decidedly 

 upward grade for several years. As a result a great many new 

 concerns were launched for the most part to handle lumber on a 

 wholesale basis. A great many of these concerns were headed by 

 men who had been employes before that date and were attracted 

 by the apparently glittering profits realized by their employers. 

 As a result of incompetence and inexperience the failures among 

 this class of concerns during the financial troubles following 1907 

 were numerous. It was in this way that a large percentage of 

 the original membership shown was eliminated not only from 

 membership but from the business world. 



This is but an indication of the failures constantly going on 



Lost Motion 



THOSE WHO DISCUSS CONSERVATION and the saving of 

 waste in the manufacture of wood, from the time it is felled in 

 the forest until it reaches the final consumer, usually confine their 

 argument to the better utilization of scraps, odds and ends, sawdust, 

 and to other matters of that kind. This is proper as far as it goes; 

 but the whole story of waste, and the methods of lessening it, cannot 

 be told in those terms. A very important element is often over- 

 looked or not valued at its full worth. This is the element of time. 



One of the worst wastes is this waste. Workers and dealers in lum- 

 ber and its manufactured products sometimes miss that part of the 

 subject. There is no economy in saving scraps worth fifty cents, if 

 the man who saves it is paid a dollar in wages while about it. It may 

 be taken for granted that few persons waste time on purpose. At 

 least that is not the kind of waste that is here under consideration; 

 but rather that due to inefficient methods of doing work. 



Time is wasted in a yard or factory every time a stick of lumber 

 is unnecessarily moved. Lumber may be transferred from wagon 

 or truck, or from truck to truck, when a little planning in laying 

 out drive ways or tracks would make one loading or one handling do. 

 Much worse is the waste when work is done by hand which could bo 

 done by steam or mule power. This is seen when lumber is carried 

 in or out of factories, sheds, or dry kilns by man power when it 

 might be done by truck or wagon more cheaply on account of being 

 done more quickly. A few well laid and well executed plans would 

 often same more time, consequently more money, in shifting and 

 handling stock than can be saved by picking up all the scraps on 

 their way to the dump. 



The machine that works with ' ' lost motion ' ' is at a disadvantage 

 which frequently cannot be compensated for by higher speed. It is 

 the same with a factory. Time unnecessarily consumed is the mill's 

 or the yard's "lost motion." Paradoxical as it may seem, in such 

 a case the loss is often due to too much motion rather than too 

 little — carrying boards, crates, or other products twice when one 

 transfer could be made sufficient; or shifting a truck load when 

 all that is needed is to lay a track and deliver the load in half the 

 time. ' ' Lost Motion ' ' is often the hookworm which saps efficiency. 



Possibilities in the Garage 



THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEMAND for pleasure autos 

 has opened up a new field for the consumption of lumber, the 

 extent of which is very little realized. When it is considered that 

 one of the largest automobile manufacturing companies turns out 

 as many as 100,000 cars a year and that there are any number of 

 big manufacturers producing their quota each year, and 

 when it is further realized that while a great many of these cars 

 may be kept in public garages, a great many also are housed in 

 private structures, the importance of the automobile to the lumber 

 business, aside from its direct importance as an actual source of 

 consumption, can be realized. 



During the early stages of development of this business almost 

 any old kind of a shack would do to house an automobile. In fact, 

 most of the early users were those who formerly kept horses and 

 they simply turned their stables into garages; but with the rapid 

 development of this industry people who never even thought of 

 keeping a horse are now owners of machines, and as a result they 

 are either keeping their cars in public places or are constructing 

 their ovrn sheds. The construction of these private garages has 

 opened up a considerable field for architectural efforts and it is 

 to be noted with regret on the part of the lumber trade that, as 

 usual, manufacturers of competing materials are gaining a strong 

 foothold in this fruitful market. It is up to the lumberman to 

 realize the possibilities presented in the construction of this new 

 ty[)e of structure. 



