HARDWOOD RECORD 



19 



There are locations where thousands of these 

 trees stand In the forests In close proximity to 

 water transportation, and generally speaking, 

 they are superior in size and more symmetrical in 

 proportions than American hickory. One of the 

 principal features common to sapodilla, which 

 would greatly decrease the cost of massing or 

 .accumulating the logs in large lots, is the fact 

 that it grows in communities or tracts where a 

 whole section of the forest is almost all sapo- 

 dilla. It does not grow scattering with only an 

 isolated tree here and there as is the case with 

 mahogany, and for this reason the expensive 

 item of road huilding in the jungle would be 

 greatly reduced and short hauls would bring 

 large quantities of logs to the river or lagoon 



from where they could be floated down to the 

 bar. On account of the weight, however, of this 

 timber it would be impossible to raft it without 

 some kind of floaters, but this diflJcuity can be 

 overcome in various ways. Where the water is 

 deep enough the natives bring down non-floating 

 woods, such as logwood or iignumvitse, by build- 

 ing cribs or pens of the cabbage palm logs from 

 12 to 20 feet long and 10 to IG inches in diam- 

 eter : the bottom of the crib being made of the 

 same material. These palm logs after they have 

 been cut for some time become dry and are hol- 

 low or full of air-tight compartments and are 

 buoyant as an empty cask on account of their 

 pithy nature. The whole craft is bound together 

 with tie vine in a wonderfully substantial man- 



ner and the crib is then corded full of the short 

 billets of the heavy woods and floated down 

 to the bar or sea shore. They also bring down 

 heavy woods in dories or canoes, made by hollow- 

 ing out large mahogany logs. The sapodilla can 

 be handled in this way and the only expense to 

 the entire process would be the native labor, 

 which is cheap and it is surprising what they 

 can accomplish by their own crude methods, 

 in fact, they generally do more work when al- 

 lowed to use their own implements and ways 

 than they do when required to adopt the tools 

 and methods of the white man. The cost or 

 royalty for the stumpage would be small, as 

 there has as yet been no market for sapodilla. 

 — J. V. Hamilton. 



Proposed Handle JManufacturers* Association. 



At the instance of several prominent han- 

 dle manufacturers the following editorial was 

 printed in the last issue of the Hardwood 

 Record : 



The Handle Industry. 



The manufacture of handles is an industry 

 of considerably more importance than it ap- 

 pears on first consideration. Under this gen- 

 eric term the line of production is exceed- 

 ingly broad, including as it does fork han- 

 dles, hoe handles, shovel handles, rake han- 

 dles, broom handles, moi5 sticks, axe handles, 

 railroad pick handles, coal pick handles, 

 sledge handles, maul handles, adze handles, 

 drift pick handles, hammer and other small 

 tool handles. In the aggregate the consump- 

 tion of hardwoods in this industry runs a 

 long way into the millions of feet annually. 



A portion of the handle product of this 

 country is produced by an alliance of numer- 

 ous factories under one general head — the so- 

 called ' ' handle trust ' ' — but there are a large 

 number of independent concerns. The prices 

 of handles are largely controlled by this 

 "monopoly," and there are a good many 

 people in this trade who contend that they 

 are not at all in proportion to the price of 

 lumber and of labor. They also contend that 

 the rules for grading them should be radi- 

 cally changed, since they are the same today 

 as they have been for the past quarter of a 

 century, and when made were based on a 

 better and more plentiful supply of timber 

 than it is possible to obtain now. 



For these reasons it is suggested by sev- 

 eral manufacturers that it would be wise to 

 organize a Handle Manufacturers' Associa- 

 tion, with a view to securing a somewhat 

 higher scale of prices, and also to reorganize 

 the grading and inspection system of han- 

 dles. It is suggested that a logical and just 

 set of inspection rules could be formulated 

 through conference between handle makers 

 and handle buyers, the execution of these 

 rules to be under the direct control of the 

 proposed organization. The good results ob- 

 tained in other lines of hardwood production 

 by cooperative work are too well known to 

 need extended comment. Hardwood lumber- 

 men have their associations, veneer and panel 

 people have theirs, wagon stock makers have 

 theirs, and so it goes. 



The Hardwood Record will be very glad 

 to cooperate with the handle makers of the 

 country in assisting them in the formation 

 of an association, if the majority of manu- 

 facturers in the various lines involved deem 

 it wise to form such an organization. 



On Aug. 13 a reprint of this editorial and 

 the following letter were mailed to nearly 800 

 manufacturers of all varieties throughout the 

 United States: 



Dear 8irs; W'c mclnsc you licri'with re- 

 print of an I'ditiirinl trnni the Hardwood 



Record of Aug. 10 which is self-explanatory. 

 We have been solicited to assist in the for- 

 mation of an association to take up the 

 affairs of the handle industry of the country, 

 and if it is the wish of the majority of 

 manufacturers that this be done the editor 

 of this paper will take pleasure in calling a 

 meeting at Chicago during the latter part 

 of September to perfect the plan and to 

 assist in the work. 



"Will you freely express to me at your 

 earliest convenience your ideas of the possi- 

 bilities of good resulting from this movement 

 and make suggestions concerning the conduct 

 of the enterprise? If this proposed associa- 

 tion receives sufficient support the Hardwood 

 Record will make an active campaign, analyz- 

 ing the jiresent conditions of the trade, and. 

 attempt to interest every handle manufac- 

 turer to assist in the betterment of the in- 

 dustry. 



Kindly give this matter the attention its 

 importance desen-es and reply promptly and 

 fully. If you are not engaged in this line 

 of trade do us the courtesy to so advise. 



Thinking possibly you may not know the 

 character of this publication we are sending 

 you under separate cover a specimen number. 

 Sincerely yours. 



Hardwood Record, 

 Henry H. Gibson, Editor. 



As will be noted by a perusal of the fol- 

 lowing replies to this letter, which are still 

 coming into this office by every mail, the 

 majority of the handle makers seem to be 

 enthusiastic over the prospect of the forma- 

 tion of a handle association. Therefore, it 

 is that in the editorial columns of this issue 

 of the Record, the editor makes a call for a 

 meeting for this purpose, to be held at the 

 Great Northern Hotel, Chicago, at 10 a. m., 

 Tuesday, Oct. 8. 



Fatf.ttevii.le, Auk.. Aug. 20. — Editor Hari>- 

 wooD Record : We have your favor of recent 

 <late and note with pleasure what you have to 

 say in your editorial in reference to the handle 

 business. The time is ripe for a handle manu- 

 facturers' association not controlled by a trust. 

 There should be a change made in the grading 

 rules, also in prices, and there should be gotten 

 out each year a uniform price list. While we 

 make handles that will bring top prices in any 

 market, yet we are in favor of an association if 

 it can be organized and carried on in the right 

 way. and should you call a meeting of the han- 

 dle' manufacturers soon for the purpose of or- 

 ganizing, advise us and the writer will try to 

 attend. In the meantime each handle manufac- 

 turer should make up a set of grading rules as 

 they think handles ought to be graded, and 

 submit same to the committee on grades. Thank- 

 ing you for the interest you are taking and 

 trusting that your efforts will prove a lasting 

 benefit to the handle manufacturers and your- 

 self, we beg to remain, yours truly, 



WiLLLVM <'IIA^,r,ES^\■(U:TIr Handle Company. 



.ToNESBono, AitK.. .\ug. 20. — Editor Hardwood 

 ItEcouit : Yours of recent date received enclos- 

 ing reprint of editorial from Hardwood Recokd 



of August 10. This is the most practical and 

 businesslike editorial written on the handle sit- 

 uation that we have seen. The laws of Arkan- 

 sas do not permit us to belong to an association, 

 but we would heartily cooperate with you for 

 the adoption of a set of new modern uniform 

 rules for grading. This is almost a necessity 

 and will save, besides, a tremendous waste — 

 millions of feet — in our forests. The last grad- 

 ing list was adopted September 10, 1904, by the 

 Handle Manufacturers' Association, but the lar- 

 gest manufacturer utterly disregarded the list 

 adopted by it and others. Yours truly, 



American Handle Company. 



Birmingham, Mich., Aug. 20. — Editor Hard- 

 wood Record : Yours of a few days ago regard- 

 ing association for handle manufacturers re- 

 ceived. Think it is the only way the business 

 will ever be made what it should be, and I 

 have talked with some of our Michigan manu- 

 facturers and they are of the same mind. If 

 I can do anything to help you make this a suc- 

 cess let me know. Very truly yours. 



BiRMi.NGHAM Handle Company. 



Norway, Me., Aug. 19. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : Your circular letter regarding the 

 formation of a handle manufacturers' as- 

 sociation received. No doubt such a move 

 would be a good thing for rake, hoe and long 

 handle manufacturers, as the industry is mostly 

 confined to the West, but do not think it bene- 

 ficial to eastern makers. In this section it is 

 mainly everybody for himself and no regard to 

 ci^mpetitors, particularly so with small manufac- 

 turers like ourselves ; each must upbuild his 

 own industry to the best of his ability, jealousy 

 being the great drawback to unity in this line, 

 there being no confidence in oue another. We 

 would like the views of other manufacturers in 

 this section in this specific line, if you receive 

 them. Yours truly. 



Novelty Turning Cojipany. 



Sequatchie, Tenn., Aug. 19. — Editor Hard- 

 wood Record : Answering your circular letter 

 with reference to formation of liandle associa- 

 tion, we liave been identified with handle asso- 

 ciations in the past and received much benefit. 

 We will be glad to give any assistance possible 

 in the formation of a new one. and wish you 

 much success in the undertaking. Yours truly, 

 Sequatchie Handle Works. 



Wheelerville, Pa., Aug. 19. — Editor Hard- 

 wood Record : Your favor at hand. I am in 

 the handle business, making a variety of round 

 liandles. such as broom. Iioe. pruning shears, etc., 

 any kind and shape, but only make broom han- 

 dles to order, as the price is too low for profit. 

 If a factory only made broom bandies one could 

 not get enough out of the bandies to pay for 

 the lumber: but we make our waste or short 

 pieces into short handles, such as for wasli 

 brushes, feather dusters, pails and a variety of 

 other articles. I would be willing to do all in 

 my power to advance tlie price of handles, but 

 the handle business is the same as all others. 

 For instance. I was supplying one factory 15.000 

 per week at .$11.50, .$lo..50 and $18.50 per thou- 

 sand, and some partv sold the same company 

 two carloads at .$.S.50. SI 1.50 and .fl7. Now if 

 there was an association that would keep such 

 men in line it would greatly help the trade. 

 Hoping you will succeed in adding much to the 

 advancement of the handle business. Respect- 

 fully yours. B. P. Raub. 



Memphis. Mo., Aug. 17. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : There is no such thing as a handle 

 trust in the country, though a few years ago 

 the handle makers did combine for the better- 

 ment of tlie business, but it soon went to pieces, 

 and everyone now is for himself, with prices 

 very lillli' better. Recently, however, we under- 

 staiid that several of the' larger concerns have 

 advanced the prices of handles and have issued 



