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Cigar Box Cedar

(Continued from page l4) sawed and air dried, accounts recall. The dried boards were put through the kilns with the shook milled to six different sizes to meet the needs of the cigar box manufacturers. Although written recollections are vague, pictures record that a sawmill, veneer plant and dry kiln plant operated at San Blas. The early operation was housed in tents and then moved into wooden structures. Probably the sawers and millworkers were paid about a third as much as they were paid in Nogales, Az.

The firm also maintained a shipyard with a fleet including the motorship Nogales, a tug and a barge. Lumber was moved by water to Mazatlan, approximately 100 miles north, where it was loaded into Southern Pacific boxcars for shipment over the border to Nogales, Az. For many years approximately 70,000 b.f. was shipped daily from the Arizona location to New York City to be assembled into finished cigar boxes.

Mexican cedar, also known as Spanish cedar, was used for all types of sash, door and millwork, as well as cigar boxes. The aromatic wood was said to resemble Philippine mahogany in color and texture.

The Roy and Titcomb mill at Nogales, Az., also milled amapa, huanacasta, cioba, venedia, ceba and popoilla. The latter two hardwoods, which resemble balsa, also were used for cigar boxes.

Although cigar boxes may have been the most romantic product of this adventurous episode of lumbering, the millwork of some of Arizona's finest homes and buildings including El Conquistador Hotel in Tucson can be traced back to Roy and Titcomb's Mexican venture. Said to be the most complete mill west of the Mississippi, the Arizona operation closed in 1932.

We are indebted to pioneer Arizono Iumberman Jay O'Malley, retired choirman of the board, The O'Molley Cos., for his help in preparing this story. Accounts written by Gus Michsels, who lqter became executive vice president of the Arizona Lumber ond Building Supply Associqtion, also were helnfu!-ed.

CHUCK LINK executive director

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employers on all earnings up to $39,600.

This is an increase from the 1984 rate of 6.7V0 for employees and'lVo for employers on earnings up to $37,800. In 1984 employees received a tax credit of .390 of compensation, resulting in employees and employers paying different tax rates for the first time in history.

With all the uncertainty about the Social Security program these days, it's important for workers to have an accurate earnings record (from which their benefits are computed). Since errors are bound to occur, help your employees check their records in their Social Security Administration files by supplying them with request forms. You can obtain these by asking your local SSA office for Form OAR-7004 or writing the Social Security Administration, P.O. Box 57, Baltimore, Md. 21203. After employees fill out and mail the form which is a postcard, they'll receive a statement of earnings credited to their Social Security account to check against their own records.

"The best preventive measure to discourage employee theft of time, money or merchandise," says Gerry Jewett, Jewett Lumber Co., Des Moines, Ia., "is eliminating temptations before they grow into serious and difficult problems." Some recommended curbs against temptation are:

(f) Do not permit employees to park their vehicles on company property.

(2) Have employees sign for company premises or vehicle keys issued to them.

(3) Do not permit any employee to purchase damaged merchandise.

(4) Do not permit any merchandise or dunnage to be loaded on any vehicle (whether that of the employee, the company or a customer) without a charge or cash ticket covering the merchandise.

(5) Number all load tickets and monitor control copies to make sure they are all accounted for and not altered.

(6) Have all loads tallied or checked by someone other than the loader.

(7) Have delivery tickets run through time clocks when loads are taken out or record on tickets the time the driver leaves.

(8) If you have radios in delivery vehicles, have employees radio in when they arrive and leave each job site.

(9) Have all gas purchased for company trucks recorded on supplier ticket with vehicle num!;er, mileage and employee signature.

(10) Attach a copy of your company's purchase order to every invoice to double check quantities and price, and discourage employee ordering of merchandise for personal use.

(11) If you let employees purchase from inventory on credit, or if you advance pay or make loans to employees or permit other payroll deductions, get written authorization.

(12) Have employees sign for all merchandise picked up from other retailers or suppliers.

RICHARD DAVIS (seated),v.p., Willamette Industries' Lumber & Plywood Sales Div.. has completed his outstanding 39-year forest products career. With him are (left to right) Eugene Walters, Willamette general sales manager, lumber & plywood and Floyd Vike, Willamette v.p., marketing.

Willamette's Davis Retires

As Richard Davis, v.p. of Willamette's Lumber & Plywood Sales Dvision, closes his 39-year forest products career, he can be proud of the contributions he has made, not only to Willamette, but to the entire wood products industry.

He's a respected leader in the industry and a strong supporter of the wholesaler in the distribution of wood products. He's a valued member of several wood products associations and has taken an active part in supporting the industry. For more than 30 years, he's played a key role in the development of Willamette Industries' approach to sales and product promotion.

Dck Davis' Willamette roots run deep. In 1946, he began working for the Santiam Lumber Co. in Lebanon, Or., then partially owned by the Davis family. He started Santiam's first retail division and turned to mill sales in 1949. as assistant to the sales manager.

In 1951, Willamette Valley Lumber Co. purchased an interest in Santiam Lumber. Willamette Valley and several related firms merged to form Willamette Industries. Inc.. in 1967 and fu Willamette started up its fust plywood mills in Louisiana in 1962, he led the introduction of the company's sheathing products into new markets. He also spearheaded the development of Willamette's retail Iumber division in 1974 which reached $20 million in annual sales during a nine year period.

Davis was named general sales manager.

Davis was named vice president of Willamette's Building Materials Group in 1978, and has continued to direct the lumber and plywood sales division for both the south and the west.

"Dick has made a major contribution to our company and the forest products industry over the years," notes William Swindells, Jr., president of Willamette Industries, Inc. "He's been a good businessman and colleague as well as a good friend."

In addition to day-today Willamette Industries duties and community activities, Davis has found time to become an active leader in wood prod-

(Please turn to page 76)

Simpsm DoorBuilds New Plant

Construction on a new Simpson Door Co. plant at McCleary, Wa., will begin in April with completion set for August 1986, according to William Ruddick, general manager, Simpson Door Co., Seattle, Wa.

Part of a planned $zl0 million investment by Simpson in its overall western facilities, the new plant will feature state-of-the-art equipment.

The existing two-story building, built in l9l2 and presently used for stile and rail door production, will be demolished with the new plant being constructed on that site. Ruddick believes the new automated equipment will further improve the quality of the doors produced, enhancing the company's capability to maintain fine tolerances and perform precision woodworking.

Marketing Class Registration

Preliminary enrollment for the North American Wholesale Lumber Association wood marketing seminar scheduled for June 16-22 at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or., has been overwhelming, according to Gary W. Hoormann, association staff member.

For the second year, NAWLA will also conduct a similar seminar in the southeast in the fall. Preliminary enrollment for this class is already at 750/o capacity.

Registration is still being accepted for both sessions as additional classes will be added if there is sufficient enrollment, according to Hoormann.

The format is organized to provide industry information which can make salesmen more productive and profitable in their work. Classroom instruction, informal sessions, field trips to manufacturing facilities and peer interaction are part of the program.

Registration can be made with the association offrce, 2340 S. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, Il. 60005, telephone: (312) 981-8630.

Freeway Wipes Out Yard

The freeway finally got Island Builders lumberyard on Mercer Island (Seattle) in Washington State.

For 16 years it threatened owner Jim Mizuki, making him wonder how many months or years he could stay in business, but now it's over. The state has finally terminated his month to month lease, which had been in effect for 16 years, and the business is closed.

Customers will miss the yard which operated on a casual basis, perhaps influenced by the precariousness ofits existence. Regulars were allowed to pick out their needs and tell Mizuki what they owed. When the yard was closed on weekends, they were free to pick up pre-ordered materials, or other items needed, and settle up on Monday.

Convenient as it may be, for many the cross island Interstate 90 highway will never compensate for the loss of Island Builders.

Home Center Show Speaker

J. Peter Grace, chairman and c.e.o. of W. R. Grace & Co.. will address the l0th annual National Home Center Show general session, 8:30 a.m., March 20, in the auditorium of the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.

Grace, who will discuss the findings of "The President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control," was chairman of a group commissioned by President Reagan to study efficiency in government.

Keynote speaker will be Georges A. Hanzi, president and c.e.o., Homecrafters Warehouse, Inc., at the opening general session, 8:30 a.m., March 18. Theme of the March 17-20 show will be "Opportunities '85."

A total of 1.300 exhibitors will occupy the recently+xpanded, 345,000 net square-foot, World Congress Center. The annual exposition is structured specifically to meet the specialized needs of home center and do-it-yourself retailers, their wholesalers and suppliers.

The number of business management seminars has been reduced to permit segmentation into topics for "small town/rural home centers" and "multi-store chains." Seminars will explore the opportunities homecenter retailers have with people, computerization and merchandising.

Other highlights will include the 4th Annual Innovator and llth Annual Home Center of the Year awards competitions, and the 2nd Annual induction ceremonies for the Home Center Hall of Fame.

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