The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-08
.LUMBERMEN WILL MEET NEXT WEEK Will Be Important Conference
 of the Trade BUSINESS IS IMPROVING
  Mills In Western Mississippi Are All Running on Full Time-Hatties- burg District Is Improved
 40 Per Cent.
BUSINESS IS IMPROVING

Hattiesburg, Miss March 7-(Special )- The regular annual session of the Mis- sissippi Pine association and the accom- panying concatenation of the Hoo Hoos in this city next week; that is, on March P, promises to afford the most important conference of the lumber trade to be held in Mississippi this year The indications are that the convention of the association will be the largest numerically that it has ever held in the several years of it's exis- tence. The attendance will be especially notable on account of the presence of un- usually large delegations from along the line of the Illinois Central railroad, who do not ordinarily train with the lumber men of the southeastern part of the state.
 S. N. Aeree, who is vice regent snark of the Hoo-Hoos for South Mississippi. has recently been travelling extensively along the line of the Illinois Central working up an interest in the Hoo-Hoo confederation to be held on the 18th, and he finds that large numbers of the lum- bermen from over there are preparing to attend this session of the association. The lumbermen over there are enjoying a comparative degree of prosperity. MT. Acree did not find a single mill closed uONH III dll ltldl 1uGy dIt WOl ing on interior business and have enough orders to keep them going at prices that are not unprofitable.
 MT. Acree, in the course of his travels, .rn finds that the mills in this immediate terJ tory are doing better than formerly. He goes so far as to say that the condi- ton hereabouts is improved 40 per cent over what it was a month or six weeks ago.
 Mir Acree says that the concatenation of the Hoo-Hoos is going to be a corker in every respect. The boys have been preparing for it long in advance. Mr- Acree is particularly anxious that the members of the order shall bring in all the kittens they can round up. Hatties- burg has something of a record for fur nishing the largest class of initiates to be got in the country, and it Is desired that this occasion shall prove no excep- tion to the rule.
 Plants Resume Operation.
 The opening of several additional mills which for some time had been out of op- eration in this territory further attests the gradual improvement of the trade sit uaton hereabouts One of the most inn portant of the plants to resume operation is that of the Conner Lumber company J full crew, and proposes to gradually in- crease it's output as opportunity offers. Mir w. M. Conner, president of the com pany says that the cut for the present will mostly be for export; but he says there has been some improvement in the interior demand, and he looks for a con- tinual though perhaps not a sudden or rapid, restoration of normal conditions Ill that direction. The milling plant will be in shape to meet whatever demands may be made upon it by the interior market The mills of the Lyndon Lumber com many at Wingate have resumed after a shutdown since December 20. This com- pany employs 300 men or more, and these have been idle for the past two months They operate a log road eight miles long and it is still being extended. The com pany 1as stumpage sufficient to Keep II going for several years. They nave booked some good orders, and there Is nc prospect of another close down for a long l time.
 Old Forces Back.
 The mills are not having much trouble in getting their old forces back in the ! harness. In most of the milling towns the houses occupied by the laborers are owned by the company, and are rented | to the workmen at reasonable prices. Dur ing the period of suppressed opei idtioiis the workmen, out of employment ano having no income, have been permitted to retain these homes rent free, and thus | their residence on the spot has peer maintained. In every case the mill own. | CTS have so conducted themselves towaro | the men that the very best relations ex- | ist. and the men are glad to return tc their former employment, even at reduced | wages.
 | Hereafter Mr. l.. L. Majors, general manager for the Newman Lumber com | pany at it's mills in Hattiesburg ana III 1 Sumrall. will be able to devote his entire | time and attention to the mill pusihess Heretofore MT. Majors has occupied the | position of vice president of the MISSES sippi Central railroad, and his respohslpil- l itfes in that position have not apeen oner- | bur. Notice has come from Scranton, "a. headouarters of both companies, that MI R. K. Smith, general manager or the raii, road. has been made it's vice president and highest resident official. This con stitutes a complete divorcement or the mill and railroad interests of the uniteo States Lumber company in this territory MT. Majors has been eminently success | ful in his capacity as railroad magna'e
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