Long-8e11 Lumber Company Has Flistoric Exhibit

R. A. Long

One of the most interesting exhibits displayed at the recent convention of the Southwestern Lumbermen's Association at I{ansas City, Missottri, was a replica of the yard office to which the Long-Bell Lumber Company owes its beginning.

April J0, l875-fifty-five years ago-R. A' Long, chairman of the board of the Long-Bell Lumber Company, began business with a small retail yard at Columbus, Kanias. The company was incorporated in 1884, began manufacturing in 1889 and established headquarters in Kansas City in 1891. The exhibit building was constructed to duplicate the original offrce insofar as possible.

Long-Bell lumber was used throughout. To facilitate handling and assembling on the convention floor, it was made in eighteen sections which, in the erection, were bolted together. The building was lZxT f.eet and the office proper ociupied a space l2xl4 feet, In the rear was a partitioned space, 6x12 feet, constituting the sash room.

The office was finished with walls and ceiling covered with plastic paint applied directly to the rough boards. The resulting effect was that of a smooth plastered surface. The trim was painted gray.

The furniture consisted of a small roll top desk, a highback, swivel arm chair, two upright chairs and a little coal stove, all in keeping with the original office equipment. The room was lighted by two coal-oil lamps, one of them being fifty years old.

The exterior was painted white, with green trim.

Of unusual interest were some of the old books of R' A. Long & Co., displayed on the desk. For the first few years .at least, Mr. Long acted as yard man, bookkeeper and manager, all in one.In these original books were accurate accounts of every expenditure, not only of his company, but of Mr. Long. personally. Such entries as "Shave, 10 cents"; "To church, $1.00"; "To watch repair, $3.75"; and then, four days later, "To watch, $25.00"; "To wife, $10.00"; "To peaches, $2.50"; "To Sally and Loula, 10 cents"; and "To Sally, 5 cents"; all gave evidence of early thrift and exactness which enabled Mr. Long to begin in a business about rvhich he knew nothing and develop it to the extent of becoming the largest lumber manufacturing company in the world operating under a single management.

Remarking about his early ignorance, Mr. Long, while inspecting the exhibit, said:

"Yes, this looks like my old sash room. Along this wall I had a few doors. One day a customer came in and said he wanted a four-panel door. I didn't know whether I had any or not, but I began turning them, one by one. After I had moved more than half of them, the customer said that any of them would do !

"Tha[, and many similar experiences, taught me the rudiments oi the lumber business."