276 



SELLING LUMBER 



Advised 

 to Visit 

 Architects 



Don't Try 

 to Win 

 Through 

 "Pull" 



Lumber 

 the One 

 Nameless 

 Material 



Branding 

 of Timbers 

 Should Be 

 Insisted Upon 

 by Every 

 Architect 



tects as you possibly can and show them that you have the courage 

 to butt in and do your part toward improving their methods of 

 operation, first thoroughly acquainting yourself with their lumber 

 problems. 



Another point that I wish you would take to heart as lumber 

 manufacturers, and salesmen of lumber, is that with the architect 

 you will not proceed very far in winning his confidence if you at- 

 tempt to reach him through a "pull." You may have your first 

 audience through pull, but I am afraid that you will have a very 

 long wait before the architect gives you a second invitation to visit 

 him. If you know your business, and are thoroughly efficient in 

 your line, you will become so convincing in your argument to the 

 architect regarding the material you are handling that you will for- 

 get to criticise your competitor's goods, as you must remember the 

 architect did not call on you to get your version or personal crit- 

 icism of the other fellow's goods. What he called you for was 

 your true and honest opinion of the quality of your own goods. 

 If you can win his confidence you may rest assured that in his speci- 

 fications he will place the name of your goods and will not follow it 

 up by the term "or equal." By "or equal" I mean, an invitation to 

 every other lumberman to compete on the same building. 



Probably you are not aware of the fact that the one material 

 entering into buildings that has been considered least with regard to 

 its origin is lumber. Take, for instance, heating, plumbing, electric 

 goods, stone, brick, etc. Almost invariably the name of the manu- 

 facturer and the catalog number of the manufacturer are specified 

 in detail, but when it conies to lumber, wherein the strength of the 

 building depends, the specification is usually left for the interpreta- 

 tion of the contractor, who, I may say, is not always regarded as 

 the best authority. 



Right here I want to add something. Two weeks ago I was 

 called in as a witness on a building that collapsed. The architect 

 who built this building stated to me that he had absolutely long 

 leaf yellow pine in the building. I looked in his specifications. It 

 said, "yellow pine, kiln-dried, or hemlock." The building col- 

 lapsed. (Applause.) 



Agitation was started some time ago in the interest of more 

 scientific grading! of Southern pine lumber and its identification 

 by the use of brands, by branding on the material the name of the 

 manufacturer and the location of the mill where it was manufac- 



