Electricity Crisis Hurts California Lumber Firms

Calitirrnia's elcctricity crisis is trying the souls of industry veterans who rernain deterrnined to keep the lights on amid shift cancellations, rolling blackouts and power outages.

Britt Lumber, Arcata, Ca.; Mendocino Forest Products, Ukiah, Ca., and Harwood Ploducts, Branscomb, Ca.. were among rnills that reported power outages. while wholesaler All-Coast Forest Products, Chino, Ca., was closed at least once for a full day.

Other firms were luckier, including Fontana Wholesale Lumber, Fontana, Ca., which kept humming thanks to its own powerful l2-cylinder dicscl generator.

Enita Elphick. the owner and founder of Unity Frlrest Pr'<lducts. Yuba City. Ca., used a bit of in-genuity to keep her I 3-year-old business operational.

Elphick slrid that elcetrieitl rteoulrt\ for l0c,4,of the nrill's operating costs. but with the Public Utility Commission-approved rate increase that percentage could increase.

Her solution was to replace the old lnotors with new, energy efficient rnodcls and then purchase a Gen-set diesel generabr.

"The diesel that runs the generator costs about what wc pay lirr clcctricity now. on a kilowatt hour," Elphick said. "lf (the price) quadruplcs then we can run at night on the off-peak hours and at least have a small part of our manutacturin-[ contrnue so we can keep the doors open."

Elphick located the generator after three nronths of searching and has gotten the necessary permit to buy it. She said the setup could cost her up to $ r00,000.

Trees Stump For Votes

The National Arbor Day Foundation is asking Americans to vote filr a national tree, amid a field of 2l nominees.

Votes can be cast online before April 26 at www.arborday.org or via mail by April l: National Arbor Day Foundation. Dept. P. Nebraska City, Ne.68410.

The results will be announced on Arbor Day. April 27.

Let's all hope there isn't a call fbr il recount.

Leslie J. Steffensen. 9,5. retired owner of the old Public Mill & Lumber Co., Laguna Beach. Ca.. died Jan. 16.

A native of Bricelyn. Mn., he worked for Bay District Lurnber Co.. NewDort Beach. Ca.. and Barr Lum6er Co., Santa Ana. Ca.. tor several years, before foundin-e Public Mill & Lumber Co. in the late 1940s.

He sold the firm to Ward & Harrington Lumber in the mid-1950s. but continued to work in sales for the business until his retirement in the mid- 1970s.

Reliable Wholesale Adds Yard

Reliable Wholesale Lumber, Inc., Tempie City, Ca.. has added a new inventory-holding yard in Anaheim, Ca. It is the firrn's sixth rail-served yard in Southern California.

The four-acre. unpaved facility is served by Burlington Northern Railroad. The yard superintendent is Ken Boelter.