ANTHONY

WOOD TREATING, INC.

Floods Add To Texas Lumber Woes

The early March storm that caused heavy flooding in the Houston, Tx., area before spreading to other Southern states caused continuing headaches for already drenched lumber dealers.

Whi le no yards reported damage to their businesses, some were stranded. "It flooded so we couldn't go south or north and nobody could get to us," said Yance Montalbano, Montalbano Lumber, Houston.

Fortunately, the area drained quickly. Meanwhile, clean up, repair and replacement products, such as flooring, sheetrock and drywall, have begun to move, though many homeowners are still waiting on their insurance companies before beginning work.

! Part clf tlrt'Anthorry Trrtrlrcrl.rrrtls lartrrly of wood prorlucts relatccl cof )c('n)\, 1;rovirlin<; techrrical expertrs(' Il .]ll .rslx'ct\ clf prorluctror), cn(Jlr)ccrrrrr;.irrrl tttarkctrrx;, as wt'll as a relrable sourct: of trrqh <luality woocl products, n Providing a wide variety of treated products: 4/4 boards, radius edged decking, fencing, siding, landscapes and other large and small timbers; as well as special orders, TSO and ULTRAWOOD.@

! Fcaturrrrg an 84 ft. rJoubkr-cloorcd Woorltcc(R) treatinq cylinder provrclng trcalrrxJ capacity of 100 million t)d ft./year.

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! Treatrrrq dorrt: rrr cornplrancr-'wrth .rll st.rtt: and federal EPA guidelines in accordance wrth AWPA standards under the suoervision of SPIB

! Experienced and helpful sales staff headec by James Hendrix and Tim Plunkett.

! Conveniently located on both the rrlterst.rte highway system {l-30) and a Union Pacific Railroad siding.

Carlos Ripley, Booth Lumber Co., Houston, reported minor flooding in their mill, necessitating a daylong shutdown.

And the storm has put contractors even further behind in an already heavy winter. "It slowed down all the construction in the area," said Eric Starkey, Contractors Supply & Lumber Co. "They're still trying to catch up."

"The constant raining's got the price of lumber way uP. It's hard to get lumber," said John Conrad, Lodge Lumber Co. "It'll dry up two or three days and then rain. It's just killing everybody, especially the mill people. We've run several mills completely out of logs."

"It's been so wet in this area that lumber is in short supply," Ripley explained. "You can't get it out of the woods. We need a few weeks of drier weather and we'll be okay."

The flash flooding caused an estimated $50 million in damages to about 3,000 homes and businesses in the Houston area, before the storm spread to Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas.

More Depot lnstalled Sales

After testing the concept for two years in four markets, Home Depot will roll out installation service at metro Atlanta, Ga., stores this spring and summer.

Tom Kesling, marketing manager, installed sales, is responsible for the program which will eventually be extended into all markets. ln the beginning selected items, mainly basics such as kitchens, will be installed. The service will be expanded as customers request additional installations with all items needing installation being covered ultimately, Jeny Shields, a Home Depot spokesman, said.

Independent contractors will be hired by each store. Home Depot will guarantee their work and be responsible for insurance.

Store Has Texas Hospitality

East Texas Lumber, Kilgore, Tx., has developed a reputation for service in the 61 years since it opened.

Services range from free estimates for commercial or residential jobs and free on-site consultation for residential needs to the option of a cup of freshly brewed coffee and/or a bag of hot buttered popcorn when you visit the store.

The company founded in 1931 by R. E. "Shiplap" Spradlin is now managed by the third generation with Ronnie Spradlin in charge.