San Joaquin Valley Club Holds Meeting

The first regular meeting of the San Joaquin Valley Lumbermen's Club to be held under the direction of the new president and other new offrcers, was called at Fresno on April 24th.

The attendance was small, account of a large number of tlre members being in other parts of the state.

President King called the meeting to order at 2 p.m., the usual noon luncheon having been dispensed within favor of the evening banquet being held by'Hoo Hoo Club No. 31, celebrating American Forest Week.

Secretary Minard read the minutes of the last ,meeting, and proposed one new member, Mr.O. W. Carr, of the Burnett-Carr l-umber Co,mpany. He was elected to membership.

Mr. Minard read aletter from a Hollow Tile Association of Chicago, suggesting co-operation on a movement regarding the distribution of various materials, exclusively through the lumber clealers. No action was taken on this comurunication.

There was a short discussion on .the much talked of 4 Per Cent Cartage Charge Tax. M.. J. G. Martin of the Fresno Lumber Company explained his experience in sencling his fee to Sacramento, asking for the Exe'mption Plates. which were furnished to him. The consensLls of opinion seems to be that lumber dealers, delivering material from their yard with a specified charge pe.r thottsancl, are exempt from the 4 per cent tax and are entitled to apply for the specified exernption plates. Attorneys have advised dealers that the state will hold the lumber to be the property of the dealer until delivered on the job, entitling them to the exemption.

Mr. F. Dean Prescott of the Valley Lumber Company reported briefly for the Cement Committee. He explained the present situation in Fresno, with the larger gravel and rock companies delivering cement at practically cost, aldng with their other'materials, and told of their being able to make a lower rate on this commodity than the lumberman,'with their facilities of saving handling, storage, etc. Mr. Prescott suggested that further time would be needed by his committee.

This meeting had been called mainly to hold a discuss'ion on "Grade Marking", President Kinghaving planned to have exponents of both sides of the question on hand to present their arguments. Owing to thesmall attendance ancl the inability of. one of the speakers to be ir Fresno on that date, the discussion was postpqned until a further date.

A short time rvas given to the subject, with Mr. F. Dean

Prescott and Mr. Frank Wright of the Brey-Wright Lum ber Company presenting po,verful arguments in favor of Grade Markecl materials.

Mr. Prescott feels that many kinds of mercharrdise; D?tionally known, have ascended to their present status in commerce througl-r their being branded with the grade, and in most cases, with the name of the maker. He stated that competition was felt mrlch,more keenlv with unbranded materials, ancl that this present situation offered. many opportunities to unscrupulous dealers, to make lower prices on lower grade materials. FIe offered cases where lower grades had been specified on estimates when the dealer would deliver the higher grades, on a special ttnderstanding with the customer. Mr. Prescott said that the Grade Mark on lumber would follow through satisfactorily frorn the mill to the job, satisfying the wholesaler, the dealer, architect and consrlmer, and that the horue owner was entitled to this protection, not being an experienced grader and knowing very little, in most cases, about grading. Mr.Wright predicted that Grade.Marked lumber would be a very popular material in a short time.

Mr. A. L. Porter, Secretary of the Western Retail Lumbermen's Association, of Spokane, addressed the meeting briefly. He reported splendid conditions in and around Salt Lake City.

Mr. George Cornwall responded to his introduction with an interesting account of his recent trip to Florida.

The meeting a{journed, to be resumed, with the ladies, at the evening Hclo Hoo affair.

Those in attendance:

Elmore W. King.

Frank S. Minard.

A. E. Johnson.

B. Boyle.

F. Dein Presiott.

P. T. Burns

J. G. Ferguson.

C. L. Burnett.

A. T. Russell.

A. L. Porter.

Frank Wright.

A. H. Kelly.

George NL Cornwall.

A. W. Heavenrich.

J. G. Martin.

O. H. Carter.

W. F. Baird

Phil B. Hart.