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HARDWOOD RECORD 



the success of the movement. Already accept- 

 ances of the invitation have been received 

 from approximately a hundred handle manu- 

 facturers, stating that they will be present at 

 this conference, and Ijefore the date of the 

 meeting it is hoped that at least double that 

 number of acceptances will be received. It 

 must not be imagined by anyone that this 

 gathering is in any way a sectional affair; all 

 manufacturers of hardwood handles through- 

 out the country are invited to attend, whether 

 their product be of maple, beech, elm, or what 

 not — though the ash and hickory people may 

 be expected to predominate, since they cover 

 the greater portion of the field. Acceptances 

 of the invitation have been received from 

 widely scattered localities; a factory in west- 

 ern Kansas, one in eastern Massachusetts, one 

 in northern Michigan, and one in southern 

 Arkansas have sent in responses signifying 

 the intention to be represented. 



There is every evidence that there is an 

 urgent need of association work among both 

 the hickory and the ash handle producers, and 

 this is the time to get together and do some- 

 thing. Excerpts from a few letters which 

 indicate the great interest that is being mani- 

 fested in this movement are appended, but 

 they include a very small number of the total 

 received. 



Conway, Mass., Sept. 10. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : Yours of the 7th inst., regarding form- 

 ing a handle assouiation, received. I do not go 

 into hickory liandle lines at all, so that such an 

 association would not interest me unless they 

 take in, as your letter suggests they may do 

 later, the whole handle industry. It this is the 

 object I should he in favor of such an associa- 

 tion being formed, for there is need to improve 

 conditions. I think the greatest source of trouble 

 in handle manufacturing, as in other lines, is 

 that there are too many selling goods that don't 

 know what their goods cost them, and if they 

 only get a big lot of work to do they think they 

 must be making money. Again, once in a while 

 somebody goes into business with the intention 

 of getting in debt as deep as possible, fail, pay 

 5 or 10 per cent on the dollar and make prices 

 accordingly, any old prices so long as they sell 

 goods. I also believe too many manufacturers 

 that are out after business are too easily influ- 

 enced and believe too often what a prospective 

 customer tells them as to what they can buy 

 such and such goods fur ; and to get the order 

 make a price that no man can manufacture 

 goods for and pay his bills. To illustrate, 1 

 bad a letter from a party this month with 

 sample for quotation. I quoted at a price I 

 could give them a good article for and make 

 merely a fair profit. They replied that their 

 customer told them he had been buying the 

 handles (or about $4. Now. the actual cost of 

 the two items of raw material, lumber and fer- 

 rules, will cost anyone .$4.00 per thousand. I 

 wrote right back and told them to keep on buy- 

 ing of the party, and that my price was final ; 

 they could take them or leave them as they saw 

 fit. It will not be possible for me to attend the 

 meeting, but I would like to know what is done, 

 and hope you will send me report. — II. G. Keed. 



Bedford, Pa., Sept. 14. — Editor ■ Hardwood 

 Record: We have your favor of the 7th inst., 

 with reference to the meeting of handle manu- 

 facturers. Oct. 8, at Chicago. Our Jlr. J. L. 

 McLaughlin will represent us at this meeting. — 

 J. L. McLacghlin & Sons. 



AsHLEV, Ohio, Sept. 14. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : If possible the writer will be at the 

 handle meeting Oct. 8. Having had eighteen 

 years' experience, might suggest a good many 



points of interest. Enclosed find $2 subscrip- 

 tion to Hardwood Record. Will try to be with 

 you. — Union Handle & Manufacturino Com- 

 pany. II. D. Hale, Mgr. 



Favetteville, Ark., Sept. 13. — Editor Hard- 

 wood Record ^ The writer will endeavor to be 

 at the meeting in Chicago. As to suggestions, 

 will leave them to people who have been in the 

 business for some time, whom I hope to meet 

 there. — Wji. Charleswortii Handle Company. 



Westport, Conn., Sept. 7. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : Would say that were we manufactur- 

 ers rather than consumers of bandies we would 

 be glad to enter into your proposed association. 

 As it is, however, we must be content to sit by 

 and watch your proceedings, and note what effect 

 the same may have on us as consumers. We do 

 not wish to encroach on your time, but would 

 make a suggestion that one of the principal ad- 

 vantages which we as consumers would gain 

 from an association of this kind would be prompt 

 filing of orders. Thanking yon for your invi- 

 tation to join in this conference and wishing the 

 association all manner of success. — G. W. Brad- 

 ley's Sons, Inc., H. T. Lees, Mgb. 



Atchison, Kan., Sept. 10. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : We beg to acknowledge receipt of 

 yours of the 7th instant, and to say we will en- 

 deavor to have a representative at this meet- 

 ing. — Jackson Woodenware Co-mpany. T. R. 

 Clendinen, Mgr. 



Greenfield, Mass., Sept. 10. — Editor Hard- 

 wood Record : Your notice of the proposed 

 handle makers' meeting at hand, and the writer 

 will try to be present, as we believe such a meet- 

 ing can not fail to be helpful. — Rugg Manufac- 

 turing Company; F. A. Rugg, Treas. 



Hicksville, Ohio, Sept. 12. — Editor Hard- 

 wood Record : We note you have substantial 

 encouragement for calling a meeting to organ- 

 ize handle manufacturers. We make cant hooks, 

 jack lever handles, etc., also farm tool handles, 

 and feel that i-t is our duty to encourage any- 

 thing in the way of bringing manufacturers or 

 producers together. We can not understand each 

 other too well. Labor is much higher than for- 

 merly, we have to go farther for timber, freight 

 i-ates are rigid and prices have not advanced in 

 proportion to cost of production and timber. We 

 shall be glad to meet with you and lend all the 

 encouragement we can. Wishing you perfect 

 success. — Kerr Brothers Manufacturing Com- 

 pany, G. B. Wilson. Tkeas. 



Hope, Ark., Sept. 13. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : We will try to have a representative 

 at the meeting in Chicago Oct. 8, and would sug- 

 gest that, if it is possible to do so, the grading 

 of handles be changed so that they are graded 

 according to quality of timber and general serv- 

 ice, not on appearances, as many that have a 

 little red on them, or little blemishes that mar 

 the looks, are just as good for general service 

 as all white. Of course it will be a hard matter 

 to educate the consumer to using handles that 

 are not all white wood, but hickory timber is be- 

 ginning to get so scarce that the price of handles 

 will soon advance to where the poor man can 

 not buy if he insists on having a nice, clear, all- 

 white handle. — Ivory Handle Company, T. R. 

 King, JIgr. 



Rural Hall, N. C, Sept. 11. — Editor Hard- 

 wood Record: We think something must be 

 done so that handle manufacturers may realize 

 a respectable profit from their investments. If 

 possible a representative from among us will be 

 pleased to attend the meeting in Chicago. We 

 feel this is a move along the right lines and hope 

 much good may be accomplished by it. Hope to 

 be present. — S.mith-Kizer Manufacturing Com- 



PNAY. 



Putnam, Conn., Sept. 9. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record: Our Mr. Tatem, Jr., may not be able 

 to attend the meeting. He will, however, be 

 willing to serve on any committee and will do 

 all be can to help the association in this section. 



and hopes to attend the next <ine. — J. B. Tatem 

 & Son. 



Pittsburg, Pa., Sept. 13. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : We have duly received your two cir- 

 cular letters of recent date, relative to the pro- 

 posed Association of Handle Manufacturers. We 

 are heartily in favor of sucli a movement, be- 

 lieving that an organization of this kind will no 

 doubt tend to better the conditions surrounding 

 this line of production. There is certainly plenty 

 of room for betterment, and we will gladly lend 

 our endorsement to any such movement. We 

 will consider sending a representative to the 

 meeting at Chicago. Wishing you success in the 

 undertaking. — The Pittsburg Shovel Company. 



Caruthersville, Mo., Sept. 10. — Editor 

 Hardwood Record : Our greatest need at pres- 

 ent is a uniform set of grades and rules that will 

 cover both North and South. Such rules as are 

 now supposed to govern our business were 

 formed long ago, when timber was plentiful and 

 only the pick of it used, and are so distorted 

 and changed that every buyer and seller has a 

 set to suit himself. The lumbermen had this 

 same thing to contend with until they got to- 

 gether a few years ago and reorganized and 

 changed their rules and grades to suit the re- 

 quirements of the times. I should like to make 

 the suggestion that in getting up a committee on 

 grades and rules they be not picked from one 

 section or state, but have them appointed from 

 different ones, in proportion to the amount of 

 timber used in this business from each state. A 

 set of grades and rules that will govern only 

 northern timber will work an injustice on south- 

 ern timber. You must have representatives from 

 all sections to form grades and rules that will 

 DC fair and just to all. Any person acquainted 

 with timber in both North and South will bear 

 me out in this. — George C. I'eattle. 



New Albany, Ind., Sept. 9. — Editor Habi>- 

 wood Record : Providence permitting, the writ- 

 er will try to attend the meeting of handle man- 

 ufacturers Oct. S. As to giving suggestions rela- 

 tive to what would benefit the handle manufac- 

 turers, we do not care to go into details at pres- 

 ent, more than to say that there are many manu- 

 facturers who would be on a good footing today 

 if they were getting anything for their goods. 

 People who do not know what their goods cost 

 them do not know how to sell them at a profit. 

 We note that many speak of a certain concern 

 as being a "trust" ; it is one of our strongest 

 competitors, still does a legitimate business. 

 Every factory which it owns has been bought 

 and paid for in cash, not in stock, and we see no 

 reason for complaint of anyone who sees fit to 

 buy out other manufacturers, paying their price 

 in cash, and continuing the business. We endeav- 

 or to sell our goods for the highest market 

 piices, and when prices in any market are sufch 

 that we do not see .a margin we withdraw from 

 that market and hunt such places as we can sell 

 at a profit. If every manufacturer of handles, 

 especially hickory handles, would follow this line 

 they would have no particular cause to com- 

 plain. We dare say you can get a thousand and 

 one ideas from people in regard to a handle as- 

 sociation and how it should be run, but are these 

 people successful in their business? If not we 

 do not see how they are capable of advising 

 others how to manage theirs. The writer has 

 been familiar with and represented this firm In 

 every hickory handle organization there has 

 been, and for this reason he is very familiar with 

 all this business, the successful and unsuccess- 

 ful parts of it, and the only way to have a suc- 

 cessful one is not to allow anyone to join who 

 is not financially able to carry his business 

 should there be a lull in trade, and not be forced 

 to sell his production at low prices to meet 

 borrowed obligations. — I. F. Force Handle Com- 

 pany, F. W. Peters, Secy and Treas. 



Keene, N. H., Sept. 12. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record ; As to my opinion regarding the for- 

 mation of an association, allow me to say I don't 

 think it will help some things much. My obser- 



