Loading lumber: 1929 style

THE transponation of materials

I and the forest products industry have been natural partners from the earliest days of commercial activity in this country. So when we ran across this old photo and its accompanying article, from the July 15, 1929 issue entitled "Lumber and Trucks" we figured it was a natural for an anniversary issue that celebrated our 60 years of publishing in the same month that The Merchant presents its annual Transportation Special Issue.

After making the point that "motor trucks are now a great factor in all branches of thelumber industryfrom the tree to the consumer," the article went on to estimate that "the retail lumber trade in California alone uses over 6000 trucks for the distribution of their lumber products. One large retail company in Southern California operates over 60 trucks in their business. Many retail concerns in the state operate fleets running from l0 to 25 trucks."

The widespread use of "motor trucks" in 1929, from a page lrom The Merchant's files. "many retail concerns operate fleets running from 10-25 trucks."

The story goes on: "The above illustration is an excellent example of the use of trucks in the retail lumber business. This shows the loading of a truck load of lumber by an electric hoist on a Moreland truck at the yard of C. Ganahl Lumber Co., Los Angeles. The hoist lifts the lumber onto the truckthis operation takes but two minutes for loading."

While the Moreland Truck firm, one of a number in California producing vehicles for industry, is long gone, the Ganahl Lumber name is very much alive and well at its Anaheim, Ca. headquarters. It is the lineal descendent of the original C. Ganahl Lumber Co., founded in 1884 and at 98 years old it is believed to be the oldest retailer in Southern California.