HARDWOOD RECORD 



37 



during the past eight months. The cut and 

 shipments of members who failed to report 

 would add much to these totals. Altogether, 

 there is much basis for the opinion that when 

 all the lumber manufactured in 1910 is measured 

 up, it will closely approach, i£ not exceed, the 

 40,000,000,000 feet cut in 1907. 



Records show heavy building operations in the 

 principal cities in the country. Big wheat and 

 corn crops are bringing the farmers remunerative 

 prices. But prices of softwoods are not as high 

 as they were three years ago. The situation 

 in regard to the structural grades of softwoods 

 and low grade hardwoods can be summed up 

 in a single word — overproduction. The sawing 

 capacity of the country is in excess of the de- 

 mand. Unregulated production generally means 

 economic waste, and this is strictly true of 

 the lumber business at the present time. lUntil 

 some practical as well as legal means are de- 

 vised for the regulation of himber production 

 to the needs of the country and the capacity of 

 the forests to produce, lumber manufacturers 

 can look forward to a series of ups and downs 

 for several years to come, with the possibility 

 that the downs may . be more numerous than 

 the ups. 



It. S. IvELLOGG. 



After laying down bis paper Secretary Kel- 

 logg stated that it was evident that there 

 has been a tremendous production for the 

 year 1910, which, however, has been ex- 

 ceeded by the consumption, but he warned 

 the members that though the prospects seem 

 now exceedingly bright the only way to 

 crystallize this evident condition into a 

 concrete fact is to curtail production to a 

 reasonable figure. 



As the treasurer, George E. Foster, was 

 absent, the president called for the report of 

 the Committee on Grades and Inspection. 

 Chairman A. R. Owen responded as follows: 



Report of Committee on Grades and 

 Inspection 



At a meeting held yesterday, reports and 

 other information at hand was carefully con- 

 sidered and your committee begs leave to re- 

 port that, from all information, they have con- 

 cluded that the stocks of hemlock on hand at 

 this time are at best no more than normal, 

 with a probable shortage of No. 2, which should 

 strengthen this grade. Shipments by members 

 for the month of August were over 10 per cent 

 heavier than in July, and, on the average, as 

 good as in the spring months. 



All reports from inspectors and other infor- 

 mation indicate general shipments of hardwood 

 by all members and in all grades since May 

 production have decreased and shipments have 

 held their own. From now on, shipments will 

 increase and exceed production. 



We find that the stock of ash is normal and 

 demand fair. In birch and maple there is no 

 surplus and the demand and prices are good. 

 Soft elm is apparently in good supply, but is 

 possibly a little weak. Kock elm is in good 

 supply and prices weak. There is no surplus 

 of basswood. The demand for it is fair and 

 prices arc good, particularly in the upper grades. 

 We can recfimmend faith in the upper grades of 

 all hardwoods. 



You undoubtedly received a copy of the Sep- 

 tember 12 sales report. This shows that bet- 

 ter prices have been received for hemlock than 

 a month ago and the sales are more numerous 

 than at that time. Your committee does not 

 feel that at this time they can recommend 

 any changes in the existing lists. 



We wish to call your attention to the grade 

 of No. 3 hemlock boards and strips and cull 

 dimension on page 71 and 70 of the Book of 



Rules. It has been the custom of some to 

 put everything which comes from their saw- 

 mills below the grade of No. 2 into this grade. 

 Inspectors should be instructed to throw out 

 of this grade any pieces that are absolutely 

 worthless, or which are ■unfit for the ordinary 

 purposes for which this grade is used. Instruc- 

 tions along this line will bo given to all asso- 

 ciation inspectors, and the members of the as- 

 sociation will be notified through the secretary's 

 office. 



A number of members of this association arc 

 cutting a considerable quantity of white pine 

 lumber, but not enough to make them eligible 

 for membership in the Northern I'ine Manufac- 

 turers' Association. Some time ago, a cir- 

 cular was sent out from the secretary's olDce 

 inquiring as to the amount of pine cut, and 

 also if the members desired inspection of their 

 pine lumber. It was found that there was man- 

 ufactured 24.000,000 feet of pine by our mem- 

 bership. About one-half desired inspection. At 

 the meeting of the committee this matter was 

 considered, and it was deemed desirable to 

 offer to any members manufacturing pine — who 

 desired it — the services of our inspectors in the 

 handling of this lumber. All inspection of it 

 will be made under the rules of the Northern 

 Fine Manufactureis' Association. Any desiring 

 this inspection will please notify the secretary 

 of their desire. The pine inspection will be 

 handled on the same basis as hardwood. 



we have had thirty-four requests for reinspec- 

 tion. six of these on hardwood lumber and twen- 

 ty-eight on hemlock. 



It may be of interest to you to know that 

 upon the arrival of the inspector at the point 

 of destination, he found that sixteen of these 

 thirty-four shipments had been consumed. 



On reinspection, the inspectors have handled 

 332,109 feet and they found that 8,167 feet of 

 this was above grade and 46,727 feet below 

 grade. 



In addition to the above, your inspectors have 

 handled 79,509 feet on special requests for re- 

 inspection from various members and others. 

 This Is a feature of our work that seems to he 

 increasing, and, I think, shows more confidence, 

 not only by our members, but by outsiders, in 

 our inspection service. 



Before closing, I would like to state that you 

 all, in cases where you ask reinspection, can 

 be of great assistance to your inspection depart- 

 ment if you would give us a reasonable time 

 in which to take care of your claims. All 

 of our requests arc for immediate inspection, 

 and at times it is very inconvenient and very 

 expensive to give service at once. If possible, 

 we would like from two to three days' notice. 



Our inspectors have also found upon arrival 

 in a number of cases, that the consignee was 

 not aware of the fact that an inspector had been 

 called, and, in one instance, had refused to let 

 our inspector inspect the stock until he had the 



PART OF THE VISITORS AT THE SEMI-ANNUAL OF THE HEMLOCK AND HARDWOOD 

 MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION, MILWAUKEE. 



The inspectors of the association have so far 

 during the year inspected 808,125 feet of hem- 

 lock lumber. Of this amount 25,914 feet were 

 found to be above grade, and 17,299 feet below 

 grade. 



They have also inspected 543,013 feet of hard- 

 wood. 4,634 feet of which was above grade and 

 20,427 feet below grade, making a total of 

 lumber handled 1,351,138 feet. They also in- 

 spected 17,.'j00 pieces of lath, of which 1,842 

 pieces were above grade ; and 1,605 pieces below 

 grade. 



In order to accomplish this work they have 

 made 333 calls at the plants of members, but 

 were only able to make inspections in 249 cases, 

 on account of finding no loading in progress 

 at eighty-four of the mills. 



There have been more calls made upon your 

 inspection department for reinspection of carload 

 and other shipments. So far during the season. 



written order or consent of the consignor. In 

 a number of cases, our in.spectors have found 

 that a large portion of the shipments have been 

 used and that only the rejected part of the stock 

 was left. As you are all aware, our inspectors 

 — unless specifically instructed to do so — will 

 not inspect a part of a shipment. Their instruc- 

 tions are to inspect only the whole shipment, 

 unless, as above indicated, they have specific 

 instructions to do otherwise. 



It has been, and is now, customary for the 

 inspector to give both sides to the controversy, 

 a copy of his inspection report, and we believe 

 that this is a fair and proper way to do. If 

 the member, however, who asks for the reinspec- 

 tion does not care to have the consignee have a 

 copy of the report, he should notify the chief 

 inspector when he makes the request for rein- 

 spection. 



If you all bear these few things in mind, you 



