Lcttctrs

Max Cook

The Merchant

Dear l\[ax,

We both want to express our appreciation for the help and cooperation you have extended to us dur:ing our organizational period.

It is times like this that the tr-ue color of friends comes to the sur{ace.

Santa Fe Lumber Co, is now launched and rolling, and much credit is due you, We hope to be able to repay your courtesY 'lvhen we feel solid ground under our feet.

In the meantime, please be assured that your concern for our welfare is not taken lightly by us.

With thanks and grateful appreciation, we are, Sincerely, Fred G. Turkheimer

Robert P. Smith

Santa Fe Lumber Co. San Rafael. Calif.

VIETNAM LETTER

The Merchant Dear Dave,

Can you imagine standing a half a mile away down wind and smelling Pile Burrr, It's a fact. Last May, about 20 miles north of Qui Nhon in So. Vietnam, a military storage depot gave off this smell.

A pile of lumber 6 lifts high and about 150 yards long, solid unit piled, and everything frorn 1x4 to 6x12 in this line. No order, no segregation, all lengths in the 100 degree heat and 99 humidity. In a month this lumber was worthless.

The lumber the U.S. sent in that big rush a year ago was treated and handled like so much dunnage coming out the end of a mill while cutting cull logs. In fact, lumber was a cornmodity that was at the bottom of the priority list. Hair spray for the ladies was top, with communications and med ic al supplies next.

Ths method they used in hauling what they did need would make any transportation man commit suicide.

A few loads I saw went out the conventional way, units on trucks, but the majority went via dump truck (piled like hay) or on the backs of people, bicycle and motor scooters. The only method of transportation not used was horse and wagon. The reason is that the only horses in Vietnam were race horses in Saigon.

The labor for handling lumber was really the worst of all. Three Vietnamese to one sheet of V+" 4x8 plywood, or two men to a 2x4 t2" long. I will admit for what money they get I couldn't blame them too much and I never saw any one who weighed over a 100 lbs. "soaking wet." What a race of people for jockeys !

The country itself has a great potential to produce its own lumber. But who wants to run a sawmill when you have that kind of help. It would take 200 men on the green chain alone for a 20M saw mill. There is teak, mahogany and other species I am not familiar with, But again there is a transportation problem, roads to be built and get rid of "Charlie." The prime stands are in his hands.

Uses of the lumber were mainly limited to tent platforms, temporary housing and warehouse units on military reservations. The permanent buildings, native and otherwise were made of precast concrete. In other words don't look for a market there when and if this "war" is ever over.

So if you want to saw lumber and own a saw mill, fight dissase, dirt, poverty, ignorance and maybe "Charlie" go to Vietnam. I was there.

B.

W'. Magruder Torrance. Calif.

Hordwqre Wholesqlers Merge

Great Western Hardware in Los Angeles has purchased the Orange County Cooperative Warehouse, Inc. Orco becomes the buildine materials division of Great W'estern. Tony Frewen will be the manager.

Great W'estern is a dealer-owned hard- ware-housewares wholesaler serving rnore than 300 retailers. Orco, headquartered at suburban Santa Ana, is a building materials dealer cooperative of 22 stores, all in nearby Orange County.

Orco has been generating annual sales in excess of $500,000, reported Arnold Poolg president of Great Western.

.More LMA Members

Bob McBrien, executive vice-president of the Lumber Merchants Ass,ociation, has extended the'welcome hand to two new asso' ciate members. They are Armstrong Cork Co., represented by Bob Mullen, and U. S. Plywood Corp., represented by Harry Riback.

Oregon Mill's Mony lmprcvements

Plant improvements totaling approximately $l million at Eastertr Oregon Pine Co., are nor.r almost completed with the new facilities now in operation, C, K. Rose of Sacramento, one of the owners, has announ<:ed.

In 1965 Eastern Oregon Pine bought two plants from American Forest Products Corporation in Lakeview. Oregon and began construction to consolidate the sawmill and the planing and moulding plant. All operations were transferred to the sawmill Ieaving the second site for EOP office headquarters.

A line bar re-saw rvas added to increase capacitr by about 20,000 bf per day. un Irvington edger was installed and two drv kilns were built ( 105 feet long and doublc trat'ked to dry two million b[ pel month ). Two polc sheds wcre erected for protection and cooling and a crane shed rsith a P & H 75 ft. overhead crane was installed eliminating lift-truck handling. A 1700 {t. rail spur rvas laid from the crane shed to the Southern Pacific tracks, leaving only about 200 ft. oI exposed tlavel from thc time the log is pulled from the pond until loading. No lumber will be stored outdoors.

L. Mclellan and David Wyman, both of Seattle, are associated with Rose and, together, they also own the King's llivcr Lumber Company oI Auberry, Calif.

Ed Avery is resident manager of tlrt. company, Alvas "Buck" Elliot is yard foreman and David I)uBose is sawmill {oreman.

Phoenix Club Honors Seitz

Jack Seitz was named the outstanding member for 1966 when the Salt River Valley Hoo.Hoo Club 72 held its annual Valentine dinner dance in Phoenix. Ariz.. I'ebruarv 10.

President Nlarvin Setzt'r presented him l'ith a wood ax for his outstarrdins work rs rhairmarr ,,f the 1966 Furt.st Pioducts Fair. \earlr- 150 Hoo-Hoo mt'mbers and theirrvivt's attt'rrded.

Moior Timberlqnd Sole

A major pux'hase o[ northem Cali{ornia timber land has bcen made by Williarn and Richard Nolris who have purchased 5,412.19 aclcs from the Salmon Creek Logging Co.

Villiam Norris of Van De Nor Lumber Sales, Inc.. in Arcata. said the "about $l nrillion" sale was completed February 24,, and that his {irm expects to utilize about l0 million b.f. of old-erowth trees. The land is east of Beatrice and north oI Fortuna, Cali{.

Plans for utilization oI sccond srowth timber u cll rrtrt clisclosed. ,rnd \orris said thele are no long range plans as such. "We'll hold it for awhile and see what materializes," he said, adding. "probably for from five to ten years."

It was purchased from Fred Lundblade head of Salmon Creek Logging; his wife, Patricia Lundblade, Stig Strombeck. and Mrs. lrrgrid Strombeck.

Mountoin Deoler's New Slqie

E. LeRoy Anderson has been named president of the Mountain States Lumber Dealers Association, C. W. Nortz, executive secretary has announced. Vice presi. dent-directors named were David Barry. Howard Jones, C. L. O'Neal and Roy Nagel.

I)irectors named were: Del Hansen, Lamar Bradshaw, C. W'. Jacobson, Bob Day, T. E. Hugunin, Robert F. Woods, John Spiller and Richard P. Cook.

Hoo-Hoo-Ette Convention Set

The 5th annual National Hoo-Hoo-Ette convention will be held May 19-21 in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, hosted by l,os Angeles Club #t. Treats in store {or the ladies include a tour of Universal Studios, a cocktail party hosted by t.nion Pacific Railroad, Iashion show, banquet and dancing.

Installation of new officers will wind up the program on the 21st.