N EWS BRil TTS

The shortage of rail cars in the West continues ctitical; American Assn. of Railroad statistics show total freight traffic nationally up 6.9Vo above the corresponding period last year, while lumber/ plywood shipments dipped 5.28o, due to the car shortage

The plywood assn. asked the ICC for 0n emergency order directing the immediate return ol all 40' & 50' boxcars to their home lines Railway Age Magazine expects the shortage to last at least another 30 davs

As expected, Housing starts dropped in March to an 8 ma. low, off 8.IVo from Feb., to 2,259,000; the decline is expected to continue as the "superboom" in housing starts completes the descent from earlier peaks . bldg. permits fell 4.7o/o in Mar.

National Gypsum and U.S. Gjpsram have been assessed a tot, al of $3.2 million in damages in a suit brought by 6 S.F. Bay Area bldg. supply dealcrs who charged price fixing,' Kaiser Gypsum had earlier settled separately for an unrevealed price, National and U.S.G. plan appeals

Record llooding from the Great Lakes to the Gulf ol Iulexico is causing havoc with the Southern lumber/plywood industry hardwood supplies are expected to be hit particularly hard . . . a number of mill closures have been reported tritrl Loan Leogue notes that "the net new deposit growth slipped bchind that of a year earlier by 40.74/o and trailed behind that al t\)o years ago by 42.7Vo .

Virginia Hardwood Co. ol Ariz. has moved to larger quarters at 1555 E. Jackson, Phoenix Lumber Products, Eugene, Ore., has a new 30,000 sq. ft. $250,000 warehousezoffices on 5 acres; the old one was torched by two teenagers, now doing time in prison

Big Pines Lumbt Co., Medford, Ore., is adv. it "going-outof-business sale" . . . Smith Lumber Co., at the south end of town, has a new store, called Smith Building Specialties Ole's Home Centers is the new narne for the L.A. firm, which is dropping "hardware" from its name, they also announced that their 1 lth store will be built soon in Reseda,Ca....

Weyerhaeuser plans "major new lnvestments in forest prod, ucts mfg. capacity in the Pacific Northwest," ... speculation is that much of it will so to serve the Japanese market,-Weyco recently signed a joint venture with two Japanese firms to mfg. newsprint in the Northwest for the lapanese home market

Alter 97 years, the Mississippi Valley Lumberman Magaline has been merged into the Northwestern/Iowa magazine, the continuing publication is know as the Northwestern and Mississippi Valley Lumbermon and is a monthly, plans call for a rejuvenation of the magazine to improve service to its market Potlatch Corp. is the new name for Potlatch Forests. Inc.

Northside Lumber & Mercantile, Jeromc, Ia.. has been sold to Volco, Inc., which now becomes the state's largest bldg. mtls. firm . . . a grand opening for the newly remodeled San Leandro Building Materials has been staged by owners Ron Delisle and Paul Olsen in the Ca. town of the same name G-P has opened its 2nd distributian center in Oregon, in Eugene, (the other is in Portland) new location totals 53,000 sq. ft.

Diamond International has opened a new store in Sacrarnento. Ca., a $2 million investment, their 37th store in that state . Ebbetts Pass Lumber will be part of a new $2.5 million shopping center in Arnold, Ca., planned by firm cwner Dan Miller, one of the three men in the new developl)tenI

Mortgage rates are seen heading higher in the West, despite recent hikes . experts blame a slowdown in deposits at lending instittttions; most seers don't expect a squeeze ala the crunch of 4 years ago . the U.S. Savings

Lumber production in Feb. (latest figures) , shows a decrease on u .\casonally adjusted rate ol l.4oh f rom Jan. and a drop of 0.3Vo from the year earlier Security Pacific Bank forecasts a moderating trend in hausing starts that will center in multiples, but leave single family dweliings dorvn only fractionally . Business Week Magazine notes that "fueled by an expanding economy and pent-up demand, a massive boom in nonresidential construction is about to get under way."

Certain-teed Corp. plans to build a nev, fiberglass plant in Ca. this year, site as yet not an- nounced a $1 million addition has been built at the Hines Millwork Factory, Burns, Ore. . . Eldon Ellis is now the sole owner and pres. of" Independent Distributors, Inc., Portland ; amount of the transaction was not revealed, he had been exec. vp . .

The Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club hopes to draw a crowd ol nearly 200 at its 4lst annual Reveille gofi / dinner show / extravaganza at the Sunol Country Club, May 18 . . . Familia,n Corp., Van Nuys, Ca., has purchased Pioneer Supply Co., Seattle, making it one of the largest plumbing and pipe distributing firms in the entire Pacific Northwest.

Complete Drying and Milling Facilities

In addition to a 9,000,000' inventory of domestic and imported woods in 75 different species, Penberthy maintains its own dry kilns and an extensive milling operation which can suPPlY anY desired detail. We deliver locally with our own truck fleet or pick up can be made by your trucks, common carrier or rail. Call Penberthy f irst for any lumber requ irement!

May

May is National Home Improyem€nt Month-May 1-31

Hoo-Hoo-Ette Club. No. l0May 10, monthly meeting, Mishima's, Gardena, Ca.

Los Angeles Ilardwopd Lumberman's ClubMay 10, monthly meeting, Stevens Steak House, City of Commerce.

Lumber Assn. of So. Calif.-May ll-12, quarterly membership meeting, Rancho Bernardo, San Diego.

Los Angeles Hoo-Hoo Club No. 2-May 14, meeting, Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades.

Tacoma Lumbermen's Club, Inc.-Mry 17, last regular meeting until Sept. 20, New Yorker, Tacoma, Wash.

Arizona Lumber & Builders Supply Assn.-May 1?-19, convention, Mountain Shadows Hotel, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Oakland Hoo-IIoo Club No. 39May 18, 41st annual Reveille, golf tourney by Dubs, Ltd., Sunol Country Club, Sunol, Ca.

Shasta-Cascade Hoo-Hoo Club 13&-May 18, (to be announced).

Hoo-Iloo-Dtte National ConventionMay 18-20, annual convention, Thunderbird Hotel, Eugene, Ore.

American llardboard Assn-May 22-24, semi-annual meeting, The Newporter Inn, Newport Beach, Ca.

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn.-May 22-25, annual meeting, Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego.

Spokane Hoo-Hoo Club 16-May 25, woodworking contest awards luncheon (place to be announced).

W.O.O.D., Inc.-May 30, W.O.O.D. Products School (ply: wood) Denver, Colo.

June

Spokane Hoo-lfoo Club No. 16-June 1, golf tournament (place to be announced).

Tacoma Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club No. 89-June 5, meeting and election of officers, New Yorker, Tacoma, Wash.

W.O.O.D., Inc-June 13, Father-Sbn banquet, Denver, Colo.

Hoo-Hoo-Ette Club No. l0-June 14, monthly meeting, Quality Inn, Inglewood, Ca.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman'g ClubJune 14, monthly meeting, Stevens Steak House, City of Commerce.

American Plywood Assn.-June 18-20, annual meeting, Thunderbird Motor Inn, Jantzen Beach, Portland.

Los Angeles Hoo-Ifoo Club No. 2-June 22, meeting, Pomona National Golf Club-Walnut, Ca-

Tacoma Olympia lfoo-Ifoo Club No. 89-June 22, gold tournament, The Oakbrook Golf & Country Club, Tacoma, Wash.

Shasta-Cascade Hoo-Hoo Club No. 183-June 23, Ladies Nite, (Silverthorn Queen Ride) Silverthorn Resort.

Young Westerns' Club Conference-June 23-24, study meetings, Boise, Id.

Forest Products Research Society-June 24-28, annual meeting, Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim, Ca.

JUtY

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's CluLJuly 10, meeting, Stevens Steak llouse, CiW of Commerce.

Trade Shows Ltd.-July 22-27, 77th Calif. Gift Show, Biltmore Hotel & Los Angeles Convention Ctr. National Retail Hardware Assn.-July 22-26, ?4th Annual Congress, Hilton Hotel, Portland.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Keep us posteil on your club or group's upcoming meetings. But be sure and subtnit them a least seaen weeks belore the eaent to make sure there will be time n list them in an issue in circuLatinn belore the big day happens.