HARDWOOD RECORD 



27 



through the different stages of the product from 

 the log to the finished articie, but the past seven 

 years have been entirely devoted to organization 

 work, and the publicity which has been given 

 was mainly along the line of how to organize. 

 In this worli I appeared before different organiza- 

 tions who were in development, the same as we 

 had been in the past, and worlsed with them for 

 uniformity on all matters in the manufacture of 

 lumber and of lumber products. After these 

 various stages devoted to the establishment of 

 this worls, we find ourselves in a position to show 

 results and what we propose to do at the pres- 

 ent time. 



My subject, I am glad to state. Is something 

 which is of interest to you as well as the entire 

 hardwood industry, and our development has been 

 interwoven with it to such an e-xtcnt that I can 

 deal frankly, intelligently and successfully with 

 this vital and important subject, "How to Buy 

 Hardwood Lumber and Get a Square Deal." 



The Hardwood Manufacturers' Association of 

 the United States, which I have the pleasure to 

 represent, authorizes me to convey to you greet- 

 ings from an organization representing over 

 three hundred and fifty concerns, who, at times, 

 operate nearly seven hundred sawmills, and when 

 conditions are favorable prepare for the markets 

 lumber to the amount of nearly one billion feet 

 annually. 



Our organization work is divided into various 

 departments, bureaus, etc., and it is not my In- 

 tention to elaborate on our entire organization 

 work, but to select the important bureau — the 

 one which is the most expensive, that we spend 

 the most time and thought on, and which de- 

 velops a "square deal" policy, and that is the 

 Bureau of Grades. 



Our policy is to grade lumber for everybody, 

 and to grade it right. We have a grading rule 

 book which is written in language so clear as to 

 avoid any misinterpretation by inspectors. The 

 rules have emanated from a careful study of the 

 different sources of supply to ,J,he different sources 

 of consumption, separated into different series of 

 grades for the expensive, medium or cheaper 

 classes of work n-hich are necessary to cover the 

 different needs of consumption. 



The lumber buyer, or your purchasing agent, 

 may not be an expert in the grading of lumber 

 and sometimes not a thorough lumberman, and, 

 as a rule, required to buy everything needed for 

 the finished article, such as hardware, glue, 

 leather, varnish, besides lumber. While inter- 

 ested in all, be is not able to thoroughly under- 

 stand the various aspects of the raw lumber 

 product as he is other similar commodities, and 

 the word of others must often be taken to guide 

 him in his deliljerations. That is where we 

 come In as a factor. 



To faithfully promote the duties of our rule 

 hook, intelligent inspectors are placed in the dif- 

 ferent consuming markets where lumber is used, 

 and on the appearance of any complaints these 

 men are sent to the yards of the purchaser to 

 grade the lumber. Their visit there is an im- 

 portant one. They give quick action ; they will 

 separate, if necessary, all the grades they find ; 

 they will explain all the grades as they come 

 before them to your men, when such information 

 is desired. As soon as the work is complete, a 

 report Is made out ; a copy is given to you as a 

 customer, the duplicate to the shipper, so that 

 both are intelligently advised as to the exact con- 

 dition of this car. 



At times, when we find lumber which is either 

 manufactured poorly, improperly shipped or 

 graded, we send to the mills the very man who 

 discovered such lumber in the markets, and 

 through his influence and instructions we are 

 able to correct such evils. It is our endeavor to 

 overcome disputes. They retard the movement of 

 the lumber in transit from the sawmill to cutting 

 up for the finished product. They cause a bulk 

 of correspondence and delay, which should be re- 

 duced. They cause a feeling of enmity between 

 the purchaser and the seller, and when such are 



avoided the channels of commerce through the 

 Industry are smoothed out for quick action and 

 results. 



Purchasers of lumber, after receiving the copy 

 of inspection reports, have an assurance of ob- 

 taining the proper grade ; if they object to the 

 same, it can be reinspected by an acting or chief 

 inspector, who gives a businesslike investigation 

 for your benefit. Again, lumber produced that Is 

 not desirable for your needs is reported. 



Under the subject of grading, we might state 

 that there is one matter which has destroying in- 

 fluences in the industry. Many people have found 

 time and opportunities to criticise our methods, 

 but, gentlemen, let me tell you, from the in- 

 vestigation we give all complaints, we find active 

 knocking is usually a good boost, for it so often 

 develops methods which are not what we con- 

 sider wholesome business, one of the most trouble- 

 some of which is the "mixing proposition." We 

 all know the furniture trade do, and always will, 

 purchase certain grades according to their desires, 

 but the mixing evil I refer to is occasioned by the 

 man who will buy from the shipper of lumber a 

 car of firsts and seconds containing 20 to 35 

 per cent of No. 1 common in the car thoroughly 

 mixed. He will buy a car of No. 1 common with 

 20 to 50 per cent of No. 2 common thoroughly 

 mixed. He will buy a straight car of No. 2 

 common, and then all is invoiced as a straight 

 higher grade. Naturally, there are a great many 

 complaints created when the lumber arrives, and 

 it has been a "tune" that has been played long, 

 but not with so much success lately, placing the 

 cause on grading under the Hardwood Manufac- 

 turers' Association rules. It has not received sup- 

 port from us, and the manufacturers of lumber in 

 the association I represent deprecate this habit 

 by giving to the buyer the true grading, using 

 their oflicial book, with the yellow back and 

 double red stripe across the face. 



With a system of reports, we keep before the 

 manufacturers the kind, thickness and grade of 

 stocks which are short items. It has been our 

 work to watch this point and have ready for the 

 buyer quickly ail short items to insure a more 

 even market. A high price on a short item does 

 not make money for the industry; a medium 

 price on a general stock is a much more healthy 

 Condition. 



In the manufacturing end of the business the 

 larger operators who can afford to produce the 

 lumber find it advantageous to assist the smaller 

 producers to properly manufacture and grade 

 their material uniformly, and it helps to keep 

 the price uniform. Cheap lumler for a customer 

 is expensive when not manufactured or graded 

 for his wants. 



Everything we have in our association tends 

 to bring together the producer and the purchaser. 

 However, all policies of cooperation must be 

 based on close afllliations. The manufacturer 

 alone cannot do all that is wanted to bring the 

 trade together. The consumers of the various 

 products must work with him. You, as table 

 manufacturers, are one of the important parts 

 of the chain to mutually provide the links of 

 uniformity. We ask you to work with us. When 

 we are together we learn each other's ideas, 

 what is to be done for you, and by such methods 

 you will be better off. Remember, the manufac- 

 turers of hardwood never want to produce or sell 

 anything the consumer does not want. 



Consumers of lumber are eligible to member- 

 ship in this association. They join us with the 

 intention of obtaining information from time to 

 time of what we are doing and what they desire. 

 You are eligible and can come in if you wish to 

 take advantage of an organization which is 

 mutually in sympathy with the principle which 

 you desire as a purchaser of hardwood lumber, 

 and which we want as producers — "a square 

 deal." We guarantee it by asking you to buy on 

 the methods of the Hardwood Manufacturers' -Vs- 

 sociation of the United States. 



Supplementing Mr. Doster's address, 

 Henry H. Gibson, editor of Hardwood Rec- 

 ord, Chicago, gave an interesting talk on 

 "The Evolution of Hardwood Production." 

 Mr. Gibson's introductory remarks follow; 

 from this point on, his address was prac- 

 tically a repetition of an editorial in the 

 October 10 issue of Hardwood Record, en- 

 titled "The Logical Evolution of the Hard- 

 wood Lumber Business": 



I thank you for the pleasure of appearing be- 

 fore you today, and wish to talk on the possi- 

 bility of some practical economics in the purchase 

 of the hardwoods employed in your manufactur- 

 ing institutions. As a "reformed" lumberman, 

 and as editor of the only hardwood newspaper 

 published, it may be that I can suggest some 

 things to you that may prove of interest. 



About half of the hardwood lumber manufac- 

 tured in the United States is produced north of 

 the Ohio river. The remaining half is manu- 

 factured south of that stream. Hardwood lum- 

 ber is consumed where we make things out of 

 wood, and 85 per cent of the total consumption 

 is utilized in the very small spot on the great 

 big map of the United States involved In south- 

 ern Wisconsin, southern Michigan, Illinois, In- 

 diana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. 



An intimate acquaintance with hardwood pro- 

 duction, running back through a good many 

 years, makes It possible for me to state with a 

 good deal of authority that very few hardwood 

 lumbermen who have operated north of an east 

 and west line drawn through the straights of 

 Mackinaw, or south of an east and west line 

 through Greenville, Miss., have ever achieved any 

 material profit from their operations. On the 

 other hand, good financial results have been se- 

 cured from hardwood manufacture in central ter- 

 ritory, where hardwood is employed for remanu- 

 facturing purposes. These results have been at- 

 tained simply because it has been possible to 

 market in this territory low grade hardwood on 

 a low freight rate. 



The area of hardwood timber growth involved 

 in the region that consumes the greater portion 

 of it is fast becoming depleted ; it is growing 

 smaller and smaller very year ; and you, as buy- 

 ers of hardwood lumber must needs recognize 

 that you will have to go farther and farther 

 from the point where your factories, your labor 

 and homes are located in order to secure your 

 supplies. 



The table of net cutting results of various 

 grades of lumber shown on the diagram exhibited 

 in this room, shows conclusively that you are 

 paying freight on from 20 to 50 per cent of lum- 

 ber that eventually finds its way into your fire 

 room. 



These two addresses brought out consid- 

 erable interesting discussion and the two 

 men were given a vote of thanks by the 

 association. 



The balance of the session was taken up 

 by an address on "The Value of the Cost 

 System," and a discussion of the subject 

 by the various members present. J. A. Con- 

 rey was again chosen president of the bu- 

 reau and it was decided to hold the next 

 meeting at Indianapolis some time during 

 the month of May. 



U. M. Guilford of West Branch, Mich., has 

 purchased a body of timber on the Lincoln 

 branch of the Detroit & Mackinac railway, in 

 Alcona county. It contains 5,000,000 feet of 

 hemlock and hardwood. Mr. Guilford will cut 

 the timber this winter and expects to establish 

 camps at once. 



