The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-05-12

,kf&fA Is used mere, does not appl!
KdDh N exclusively to the rough ant
%yNK often disreputable logging
sssas crews of our great forests
That is but one phase OF ;
comprehensive and varied industry
and least attractive Of all to one who
is ambitious to make for himself 9
satisfactory place among the success
full breadwinners with whom he comes
in contact.
The numbering business takes in
everything from cutting down trees in
the woods to selling the finished prod.
uct to the man who has lumber yard
In your home town, and there Is such
a great VARIETY or occupations con-
nected with II that your boy, having
decided that he wants to be a lumber
man, may select his own line of ad-
vaneement. II is up to him In the be-
ginning to say whether he would pre-
fer to be an office clerk, or to handle
an ak In the woods, or to pile boards
In lumber yard; or to be an engineer
or machnist in a mill or a salesman
or buyer or a dealer In timber land.
No matter which branch he may
choose. there is plenty of room at the
top II he will only exercise a reason
able amount of industry and stick-to-it-
iveness.
Strictly speaking, however, a lum-
herman is generally taken to be the
man who owns sawmill and disroses
OF his product irr large markets. There
fore this is the department to which I
shall devote myself in trying to show
the steps that must be taken to reach
lofty place in the Industrial world.
The biggest end of any business Is
the marketing or selling of the prod
uct, for no producer can thrive unless
he can dispose of his wares profitably.
This makes numbering a sort Of para
dox; for the owners Of the biggest saw
mills, the most successful lumbermen,
are not ALWAYS the greatest experts In
the mechanical phases of their mills,
the ones who know most about lumber
production technically; but may be the
ones so clever and experienced that
they can so handle their shipments as
to sell at greater profit than their
competitors. Let us say that your boy,
not caring much for mechanics, has
taken up this line.
All that is necessary for him to do
Is to get job with the Iumberman in
the home town. If you live In a vii
lage, so much the better; for then his
will be more varied. He
VIII have to hep unload and pile the
lumber and shingles that come In to
replenish the stock. check off, accord
Ing to board measurement, the in
voices, help in keeping the books of
accounts, assist in figuring up the
price at which the lumber must be
sold In order to realize an adequate
profit, sell to local contractors and
etc. And for all this he will
be- paid what his employer thinks he
'arns, possibly $50 a month or so. II
he should be EMPLOYED In a city yard |
lie would get from $40 to $50 after he
lad ACQUIRED some ability.
II will require a year or so before
'our 10y begins to realize some of the |
possibilities of his chosen lifework. He
has been learning all he can about
umbertng, OF course, and will be a
'iligent reader of the lumber trade pa
,ers that come into the office. which
viii inform him of the proceedings OF
Tartous manufacturing and selling as
ociN tons throughout the country and
all over the field.
This study is most important for
nus he will be solving a serious prob
EN- Affecting his own firm. II he be-
ONES a student of freight rates and !
manufacturing conditions, he win find
'lenty Of opportunity to use his brains
, the advantage of his employer. For
Instance, he may discover that.
through local conditions, the mill men
n some parts Of the country are over.
locked with lumber and are willing
accept offers below list price. He
'nows the freight rates from that mill
his own town. Thus a telegram Or
Iertng carload of this or that NAV
esu't In a saving OF $50 to $50 or
nore, enough to change a close shave
nto really profitable business.
By the time your boy has become
cquainted with the various kinds of
lumber sold in your town and learned
he yard business sufficiently well 20
e able to handle all departments
'ithout any directions from anybody.
Mess he should prefer to stay until
g becomes member Of the firm
hitch he probably would be in time
e should go to some large railroad
enter in the east or middle west.
here he will find wholesale lumber.
ne an important business, and get a
%. There should not be any special
iniculty In doing this. for he viii have 1