HARDWOOD RECORD 



2,7 



We once knew of an owner of a mill who approached a ten-inch 

 saw which was apparently loafing and on putting his hand on the 

 edge of it, discovered that it was not so much of a "loaf" after 

 all, as it clipped off a finger without hesitancy or apology. A few 

 months after, while showing a friend through the plant, he related 

 the incident, informing him that the saw looked to be as quiet as 

 the one they were then passing, and to illustrate, he put his finger 

 on this saw, which was also laying in wait for him, and lost another 

 finger. Since that time he has refused to put his hand within four 

 feet of any saw unless it was thoroughly boxed, and lying not 

 less than twenty-five feet from the mill in an open loit. 



This reminds us of a man who went over the falls on the Ver- 

 milion river in Minnesota, and broke a leg, and later in showing 

 a friend how it happened, he went over and broke the other. Thus 

 we see that habit has a strong hold on a man. 



There are many kinds of saws, viz.: circular saws, which are 

 round; band saws, which are not round; segment saws, which come 

 in pieces, and if you own a mill you could probably mention other 

 kinds of names which are not allowed to go through the mails, or, 

 at least, this is your opinion of them during their periods of stren- 

 uosity. 



A sawmill once acquired is as hard to get rid of as the hold on 

 the historical "bear's tail," and the saying "once a sawmill 

 man, always one ' ' is due, no doubt, to the peculiar fascination 

 which danger has for the average human being. (We mean finan- 

 cial and not physical.) 



We know of one successfid lumberman, whose father was not so 

 successful, and almost on his death bed, he cautioned his son to 

 avoid ownership of a mill like a pestilence, and the son did so for 

 a number of years, but the disease finally got him and he now 

 owns a mill, which, during the last thirty days, has been fifteen 

 feet below the surface of the Mississippi river. 



It is true, of course, that no lumber could be produced without 

 a sawmill, but it is also true that little scratching could be done 

 without the itch, but that does not make it any more pleasant. 



A mill is like unto a boil, for a man is never so well off as when 

 the other fellow has it; but unlike the boil, there is no cure for 

 the desire of ownership. 



WOOD 



Wood is the substance which is covered by the bark of the tree 

 iind holds the leaves. It is a very useful article and man has used 

 It for many purposes since the beginning of history. 



Wood, cut into long, wide, thin pieces is called "lumber." 



Wood cut into big pieces that you cannot lift, is called "cants." 



Wood, cut into fine particles which can only be picked up in a 

 cup, basket or similar receptacle, is called "sawdust." 



Wood, put through a process of distillation, is called "alcohol." 



Wood, put through a pulping process and folded into sheets on 

 which you can write, is called "paper." 



Wood, cut into small blocks not fit for much, is called "fire- 

 wood. ' ' 



Wood, on the north end of a man, covered by his face and hair, 

 is called a "dummy" or a "mutton head." This form of wood 

 is not as common as the others, but can be seen on the streets of 

 any city, at any time. A sawmill man who sells his lumlier for less 

 than cost has a head of this kind. 



Wood is used for many purposes and promises to be for many 

 years to come, Thomas A. Edison to the contrary notwithstanding. 



A small quantity of wood, covered by bark, not very wide, but 

 a plenty long, when applied to a growing boy upon the place nature 

 has provided, has medicinal qualities that usually effect a prompt 

 and speedy cure. 



A lot of wood in proper form and place is called "woods," pro- 

 vided it is covered with leaves and bark. 



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A well-known authorit.y says that methods of merchandising, 

 selling, etc., change radically every seven \'ears. Just to see if 

 this is really- true, look about you in the large cities, or even in 

 the small ones — the larger preferably, for they are the most pro- 

 gressive. Seven j'ears ago the housewife would go to a depart- 

 ment store and probably spend the day there, making purchases 

 of everything she wanted. Today, look at the specialty houses — 

 each one catering to some special line, giving better value and 

 sometimes at lower cost. Do you blame her for trading at these 

 specialists ? 



Years ago, about the only method of getting business was 

 through a salesman. If the salesman was on the road, the house 

 depended on his orders to keep it busy. If in a store, he was 

 taught that he must sell to people who came in. Today, adver- 

 tising practically sells the goods, and when the customer comes 

 into the store it is merely to get the article or have it explained 

 further. The advertising department works in connection with 

 the sales department — in fact, in many cases the two are combined. 



It is safe to say that the lumbermen and their methods, with a 

 few exceptions, are the most backward when it comes to scien- 

 tific hnndling of sales and salesmen and the diplomatic handling 

 of customers. I have heard it said that more customers were lost 

 by improper handling of correspondence than in any other way — 

 yet there are no trained correspondents in the lumber business. 

 There are no trained salesmen in the lumber business. That's why 

 the annual consumption of lumber is less each year. This is a 

 broad statement, but let me explain. Take the cement trade — 

 each company has an advertising and sales department. The ad- 

 vertising department in its work shows the utilization of cement 

 (creating the demand), and secondary, the superior qualities of 

 service of its product. The salesmen are put to work in the cement 

 plant and before they ever see the road they know exactly how 



every particle is made. After that training the.y go to the other 

 extreme — the consuming end, to thoroughly know the many uses 

 and exactly how it is used. From this, they must study the office 

 method of handling sales and orders, watch the advertising depart- 

 ment; in other words, they know everything that is to be known 

 about the business. Before they are put out on the road the sales 

 manager gives them final instructions and many rules to go by; he 

 also outlines competitors' methods of manufacture and sales 

 schemes. Sometimes an older salesman is sent with the new 

 recruit. When a man goes through this training, he is more than 

 a salesman — he is an executive, a demonstrator, an educator in 

 fact. He can create business. He is in touch with the office at all 

 times. The house probably has its own house-organ and sales 

 schemes going to him all the time. Co-operation between the sales- 

 man, sales manager and the advertising department is the key- 

 note. Do you wonder that they get business? The same is true 

 in the steel business, the coal bufdness and other lines. Did you 

 ever hear of such an organization in the lumber business? It is 

 possible but not probable. Most lumber sales managers today 

 give their new salesmen a new «tock sheet and prices and turn 

 them loose. 



An advertising man once said, "Salesmanship today consists of 

 nine-tenths selling talk and one tenth, the goods." That applies 

 to the salesman who thoroughly knows his product. ' ' Knowledge 

 inspires confidence; confidence inspires enthusiasm; enthusiasm 

 conquers everything." 



An "order-taker" approach'js a customer like this: "Do you 

 need a car of Is and 2s gum?" The answer is generally "No." 

 The trained salesman approaches like this: "Mr. Blank, if you 

 could buy a car of high-grade No. 1 common red gum that would 

 cut to as good advantage for your work as the Is and 2s you are 

 now buying from So-and-So, wouldn't you be interested in the 



