McGARVEY CLINE 

 Director of Forest Products Laboratory, United States Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin 



It is now five years since the first 

 steps were taken to provide a labora- 

 tory in which all the necessary investi- 

 gations involved in the use of wood 

 could be made. An appropriation was 

 requested from Congress, but was not 

 secured. An attempt was made to lease 

 a suitable building in Washington, but 

 one could not be located. Contractors 

 were found who were willing to erect 

 a building such as was desired, but be- 

 cause a long-time lease could not be 

 made, and because a building of the 

 kind desired if vacated for its original 

 purpose could be used for but little 

 else, the proposed lease rate was so 

 high as to make the project impracti- 

 cable. 



After considering many possibilities, 

 we at last hit upon the idea of enlisting 

 the aid of a university to secure the 

 needed facilities. The matter was pre- 

 sented to several prominent institutions 

 situated in the region within which it 

 was considered advisable to locate the 

 laboratory. Nearly all became inter- 

 ested at once, and three of them re- 

 sponded with very attractive proposi- 

 tions. These were the state universities 

 of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. 

 Not only were their propositions good, 

 they became very eager to secure the 

 prize. State pride was aroused. To 

 decide between them was no easy mat- 

 ter. After careful and full considera- 

 tion, the University of Wisconsin was 



325 



