The San Francisco call., 1910-04-16
LOST LUMBER LOAD
nets GOOD PROFIT
Finders Dispose of Shipment and
Put Proceeds in Bank for
Missing Owner

The traffic man walked into the office
OF Simpson. the sales manager, pur-
loined a stogie from his desk and
tossed over freight bill
i've looked all through the order
file, and I'll be hanged if 1 can find
whom we sol dthat car of oak to- He
pushed back his eye shade. What do
you know about it?"
Simpson smoothed out the freight
bill on his desk, pored over it awhile.
held it up to the light and looked
through it. Il can't seem TO place it.
Take it UP to Sheridan, in the purchas-
ing department. He'll know he said.
The traffic man rose wearily and
plodded into Sheridan's office. A buyer
was always better picking than a
salesman, so the traffic man pocketed
a Havana cigar from Sheridan desk,
says the st. Louis Times.
What do you know about this?"~ he
inquired. offering the freight bill The
purchasing agent studied it.
Never heard of the town it's
shipped from. Must be some hole in
the woods where one of our mills
bought up this car. Nobody we buy
from has q mill there. How many days
have you got before demurrage
starts"
''Thirty-six hours"
sure we haven't an invoice for it?"
Nary an invoice for anything like
it You know, we don't sell much oak"
Il haven't bought 10 cars this year.
Can't Simpson. in the sales, place it?"
STILL NO LETTER COMES
Nope he sent me in to you" The
traffic man arose and sauntered out.
Wei, I'll hold il till demurrage starts.
Wen probably get a letter or an in
voice before then"
There was no letter forthcoming,
however, and the traffic man had to
order the freight paid.
George, you go right down to the
NJ. L. and P. freight yards and take
look at that car Sheridan told his
assistant.
George came back and reported that,
as far as he could tell from looking in
the car door it was car of first and
second clear oak. all inch thick.
How much is there of it?" asked
Sheridan.
About 5000 feet. I should Judge"
hazarded George.
Sheridan called Simpson and Barnes,
the general manager, and they went
into executive session. The Blank lum-
Der company was a jobbing concern,
which did business strictly in carload
lots and maintained no yard. Conse-
ouently the three men were at a loss
as to where to put the contents of the
car. They might hire q vacant lot and
unload it: but then the mystery might
clear up and they be out the hauling
and ground rent
SIMPSON HITS UPON PLAN
"Tll tell you what" said Simpson.
Lets sell il. I can turn it over easy
enough to half a dozen of our custom
ers. What do you say to taking
chance? Wen take Georges guess at
the amount for the invoice and bluff it
through
The three men discussed it pro and
con. They advanced divers opinions,
none of which seemed feasible. At last
they came back to Simpsons proposal,
modified by the general manager to the
effect that the money realized be put in
a separate bank account, to protect
them If the car was ever claimed.
Simpson sold the car TO a customer,
billing il as 1892 feet at $45 per thou
sand feet. This netted s67464. The
freight was se46O. The customer used
the lumber without complaint The
amount left after the freight was de-
Quoted, s5S0.O4. was deposited in the
Fortieth national bank, and, inasmuch
as nothing ever was heard as to the
identity of the shipper, the incident
closed itself automatically.
Occasiona lly, however, the general
manager. takes bank book over to
the Fortieth national bank and has the
interest figured and compounded on
s5S0O4 Then he smiles. The original
amount has grown appreciably in the
five years since the car came in. 1t
continues TO do so year by year.