36 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



walnut log referred to. In many respects it certainly is the 

 soundest and handsomest figured American black walnut tree that 

 has been transformed into veneers in many a year. 



Of course, the story of these two logs is the other side of the 

 speculative game about figured veneer, and the great values occa- 

 sionally secured out of the veneer product of an extremely hand- 

 some log. The story of veneers is very akin to tales heard on the 

 subject of other speculative ventures. The stories of failures are 

 not told, but those that do come to light are only the details of 

 wonderful coups. Thus it is in the veneer industry — the public 

 only hears of the occasional remarkable profits developed from in- 

 dividual logs, and never about the unprofitable ones. The average 

 run of figured wood, like mahogany, walnut, Circassian, etc., can 

 be pretty well demonstrated in advance, and the astute buyer and 

 manufacturer knows pretty well that he will get for the veneer 



product a half cent, a cent, two, three or possibly five cents a 

 foot — the latter for the exceptional best. It constitutes a busi- 

 ness with a comparatively fixed profit, and it is only occasionally 

 that the veneer manufacturer encounters a log that makes him a 

 fancy profit. On the other hand he opens up many a log with 

 which he is very well pleased if he can only get out cost — and 

 often he does not do even this. 



Right now, as is pretty well known in the trade, C. L. Willey 

 has the largest holdings of figured logs, notably in mahogany and 

 Circassian, of any veneer producer in the world. While he hasn't 

 cornered the market, he has a large sum of money invested in the 

 biggest holdings of figured woods that have ever been possessed 

 by one man in the history of the trade. With the rapidlj' increas- 

 ing appreciation and values of these woods, it is certain Mr. 

 Willey has achieved a handsome coup in the fancy wood trade. 



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Tales of the Trade 



STORY OF CAT ASTROPHE 



Some time ago Alex McNeill of the Webster-Whipple Lumber 

 Company of Minneapolis, was on a business trip in northern Michi- 

 gan and compelled to spend the night at Houghton. The best he 

 could do was to get a room with a friend whom we will call Jack 

 Smith. 



The night was exceedingly warm, and after retiring they did not 

 overburden themselves with clothes. It being too warm to sleep 

 Alex says they told stories, one of which was interrupted by the 

 prrr-r-r-r-meou of a cat. Jack seemed to have it in for this par- 

 ticular cat and, thinking that every door was shut, they decided 

 to catch poor pussy and throw her out of the window. Alex hasn 't 

 much use for cats, so armed himself with a shoe, but the feline 

 was a little bit smarter and made a dash for the door. Alex let 

 drive at Mrs. Cat, but, as good or ill luck (as you see it) would 

 have it, the missile went through the open door, down the hall, to 

 the head of the stairs. There was a light burning in the hall, 

 and Alex decided to go after the shoe. He secured same and had 

 just reached the door when he found to his dismay that Jaik had 

 shut and locked it. 



It so happened that this was the floor occupied by the waitresses, 

 who were dressing for a ball, and, hearing the commotion, they 

 gathered en masse in the hall. Alex said a few things, in fact 

 more than a few, all of which seemed to make no impression on 

 his friend, but the latter finally became convinced that it was 

 either let him in or he would come through the door. 



In relating this story Mr. McNeill states that if Jack Smith 

 had not been such a son of a gun in size he would have been killed 

 instead of the cat. He now sees the humorous side of the story, 

 but mournfully states that it was the most heart-rending episode 

 of his entire career. 



From that time on Alex has never gone after his wayward 

 shoes unless attired in a manner suitable for a hurried retreat. 

 NEVER OVERLOOKS A BET 



When the writer chanced to be in the oflice of the American 

 Lumber & Manufacturing Company of Pittsburgh, some time ago, 

 he heard some one ask W. D. .Johnston, president and manager of 

 that concern: 



"Johnston, what is the secret of success?" 



Quick as a flash W. D. came back with: "Work all day and 

 think all night." 



It is said to be a fact that he formerly carried a small scratch- 

 pad to bed with him in his night shirt pocket to jot down ideas 

 that came to him either in his waking or sleeping moments. It is 

 further stated that at the present time he has an electric flash- 

 light in his other pocket, and a slip noose, so as to lasso his ideas 

 before they get away. 



Mr. Johnston states that an idea is no good if you do not tie 



it up and make it work for you, and he certainly has the system 

 down pat. 



"QUERIES ' 



What color is red oak when it is green? 



Should not bass-wood be good to make drums off 



Should not a man who died of drunkenness be buried in a 

 hickory coflin? 



Should not all dairy buUdings be built of butter-nut? 



Why not construct "Shoot the Chutes" of slippery elm? 



Is a ven-eer related to an engineer? 



Does ash make the best fire? 



Should a man who has been brought up in the beech woods 

 know how to swim? 



Does a dealer in buck-eye get the buck ague? 



If Cy cedar on the street, would Cypress her hand? 



Is it "fir" to the Pacific coast? 



Are gum manufacturers good chewers? 



Would hack-bury look well in a funeral procession? 



Could burglars pick a hem-lock? 



When the white man whipped the Indian, do you think Lo- 

 cussed! 



When the farmer chased pigs with his dogs, did he sie-em-moref 



If the darkey butted the side of the house, would he have a 

 black wall-nut? 



Do you think the above are chestnuts? 

 THE SAWMILL 



The sawmill was originated by man to convert monarchs of the 

 forest into lumber, lath, shingles and sawdust. It later developed 

 as an institution through the agency of which more money could be 

 lost with little effort, than any other invention of the fertile brain 

 of man. After you have caught and apparently tamed your saw- 

 mill, it can develop more leaks (through which streams of money 

 can pass away), than an oyster boat on Chesapeake bay. 



The early visions of a property of this kind are very rosy, con- 

 tinuing so until a short time after the property is acquired and 

 from then on the " daj- dreams" rapidly develop into "night 

 mares. ' ' 



No sawmill has ever been known to follow the example set by 

 Oliver Wendell Holmes' "One Horse Shay," and all go to pieces 

 at once, each mill having its own peculiar way of developing break- 

 ages at so many per day in unexpected spots. 



Another peculiarity is to turn out a large and satisfactory cut 

 on one day and absolutely refuse to run the next. (We under- 

 stand the automobile has acquired this habit, but feel that it is 

 an infringment on the well established custom of sawmills.) 



A full-fledged, well regulated sawmill will cut anything from 

 an oak log to a man's leg. (This is not used in a masculine sense, 

 but relates to mankind in general.) 



