Review of Pacific Coast Hardwood Industry

By LeRoy FI. Stanton, E. J. Stanton & Son President, Pacific Coast Hardwood Dealerts Association

LeRoy H. Stanton

Looking back over the past few years it is plain that the hardwood industry on the Pacific Coast has made considerable progress in the right direction.

Some of the AccomPlishments

Among the achievements of the past few years might first be mentioned the forming of the Pacific Coast Hardwood Dealers' Association in 1923. This brought about probably the greatest results for the good of the industry, and some of these will here be detailed.

Uniform Grading

Through the formation of the Coast Association all the. memberJ were brought into the fold of the National Hardwood Lumber Association and this made possible the stationing of national inspectors in some of the main ports of the Pacific Coast. Up to this time the standard of grading was not uniform, particularly in view of the fact that there were two national associations which were later merged. Due to the fact that we now have these national inspectors stationed on the Coast, the hardwood trade is assured of getting stable grades of hardwoods. This close connection with the National Hardwood Lumber Association has practically done away with disputes between dealers and the mills and has brought about a much closer and better feeling between buyer and seller.

As an example of the good brought about by the connection between the Coast Association and the National Association we cite the following: A movement was instigated last year to change the methods of grading hardwoods. This movement if it had been successful would have had the efiect of making it more difficult for the hardwood dealer to supply the building trades with grades of hardwoods suitable for interior finish. Through our connection with the National Association we had several representatives from the Coast present at the annual meeting of the National Hardwood Lumber Association in Memphis where this matter of changing the grade was brought to a vote, and these delegates from the Coast Association of course had the opportunity of doing their part in defeating these changes, which the Coast Association felt would work to the detriment of the use of hardrvoods as interior trim.

Code of Ethics

Another thing the formation of the Pacific Coast Hardwood Dealers' Association has accomplished is the adoption of a Code of Ethics and Principles of doing business. This code dedicates the efforts of the association members toward the highest standards of operating and thus a higher degree of service to the public.

Also, the adoption of this code of ethics meant taking by the Association of a firm stand for fair dealing among the members of the Association.

Operating Costs

Early in its history the Association commenced a closer study of operating costs. In order to give real service, a dealer-and particularly those who are newer in the fieldmust know all the elements that go to make up the costs of efficient operating, and to really serve the building trade in the highelt seni it w.as felt that a dealer must thoroughly kiow his costs, because to operate efficiently-he mu"st Le paid in proportion to the service that he can render' This careful study- of operating costs has brought about cheaper and more efficient methods of hand-ling hardwoods, which, of course, reacts to the benefit of the hardwood trade.

Promotion of the Use of Hardwoods

The building public up to a few years ago had had very little education in the use of harclu'oods for interior trtm' It was the general concensus among home builders that hardwood wis entirelv out of reach for the reason that the public had the idea that because hardwoods had to be -stripped from points at a distance with con:equent heSvy freishts, the price would be excessive. (Therefore, they felt-that the cbsts of hardwoods were so much higher than Pacific Coast woods it would be entirely out of reason to undertake to use hardwoods.) As a matter of fact the Panama Canal has practically brought the hardwood forests of the South almost into our back yards. Lumber can be brought in by boat from the southern states, including MisJissippi, Lbuisiana, Alabama, and Texas, at practically the saml^cost as it can be shipped into eastern states by rail. Furthermore, the immenie forests of the Philippine Islands have been opened up by American capital with modern American machinery and latest methods from the States. and these beautiful hardwoods are brought into our coast ports on American vessels at extremely l9w freight rates. On account of these fine woods being cut in our own insular possessions, no duty is charged, and the result is that the building public can secure at very reasonable costs real hardwoodJoj beautiful grain closely resembling the mahoganies from Mexico and Central America, at extremely reasonable prices.

Upon the organization of the Pacific Coast Hardwood Deaiers' Associition it was felt that there was a real crying need for the extensive advertising and dissemination of information to architects, contractors, and home builders on the use of hardwoods for interior trim. The hardwood dealers in the various cities got together and established hardwood exhibits in architects' buildings; a billboard advertising campaign was instituted; and pamphlets an{ 1dvertising matler were sent out broadcast to the building public. -Results have been gratifying and it was found that more and more home builders were glad to warm their homes by the use of beautiful hardwoods when they found that their homes were made much more beautiful at just a little more cost. Many home builders were surprised when they found out how little additional investment it took to finish a room in hardwoods, and that they could increase the selling and renting values of their buildings appreciably at an additional cost of only what it would talie to buy one nice piece of furniture.

Co-operative Study of Problems Affecting the Hardwood Industry

Powder Post Beetle Menace. This subject was thorough- ly gone into at one of our conventions, and very valuable information obtained by the membefs in the control of this damaging insect.

Freight Rates. The Pacific Coast dealers are, of course, very much interested in keeping the rates, particularly by steamer, as reasonable as possible in order to bring their customers hardwoods at the lowest possible costs.

The Part that the Hardwood Dealer Has Played in the Development of the Wood Industry on the

Due to constantly :fl:h:'::t"ditions, floods in the South, and other similar contingencies, the dealer has filled a very major niche in the development of wood consuming factories on the Coast. This has been brought about by maintenance of adequate stocks in the various coast cities. Large and well assorted stocks of hardwoods are maintained by dealer members of the Pacific Coast Hardwood Dealers' Association, thus assuring the woodworking industries at all times adequate supplies of prime quality lumber. Dependable quality has also been assured.

Seasoned Lumber

Every woodworking institution, of cotrrse, knows that the first essential need of their plant is a supply of properly dried lumber. The drying of hardwoods requireJ experienced, technical knowledge, and the hardwood yard which is best fitted to serve the woodworking trade must have experts who are highly trained in the technique of kiln drying hardwoods. Special hardwood kilns must be used-and methods are entirely different from those employed in dry- ing ordinary soft woods. Each kind of hardwobd may re.quire-a different treatment, and this also applies to the dry. ing of different thicknesses; so that in the maintenance of special hardwood dry kilns and special operators, the hardwood yards have rendered a real service to the wood industry of the Coast. On account of the considerable distance between shipping point and destination, particularly where the cheapest method of transportation ii by watei, the wood worker, takes needless risk in transporting lumber kiln dried at the source because necessarily there il a likelihood of it absorbing moisture enroute.' The hardwood dealer renders a valuable service in the maintaining of dry kilns, thus delivering lumber direct from his kilni to th-e factory ready for use, as only a woodrvorking institution of great magnitude would find it practicable to maintain a kiln drying system of its own, which requires such technique as is required in the drying of various hardwoods.

fntroduction of Philippine Woods

Difficulties were encountered in the finishing of Philip- pinehardwoods for furniture and other wood pioducts, and the Pacific Coast dealers have helped in the-development q! ploper finishes, with the result ihat great quantiiies of Philippine woods are norl' going into Picific eoast homes in the form of furniture. etc.

The Present Position of the Hardwood Industry Stabilization of Production. The abnormal pojt-wartimes with the tremendous demand for lumber in lhe building tp of the countrv following the war to supply the great need for homes and buildings of all sorts, taxed the-saw mills to capacity for several years, and many new mills were put into operation with the result that .ivhen the demand became more normal the hardwood industry was faced with tremendous over-production. This industry has been working in-the- rigtrt direction through the meiger of many p-roducers in _the South and the realization on the part of the -hardwood people that they must bring production more in line with the demand, The tremendous-over-production brought on by abnormal demand after the wai caused a great waste of valuable hardwood timber, and it has only

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