The Western Lumber Company

Bv \fl. F. Montgomery

The story of this company is, I believe, unique in the annals of the early lumber industry in Los Angeles and well worth preserving as a matter of history. It rvas at the time of the early boom days in Southern California and both real estate and the building industry u'ere flourishing. I had severed my connection u'ith the SchallertGanahl Lumber Co. rvhere f rvas manager of the First Street yard, and was looking for another job, as the real estate game in which I had engaged did not pan out rvell as the boom had reached its peak and rvas slou'ing up.

I had learned about some people from Austin, Nevada, who were planning to start a yard in Los Angeles and lost no time in getting in touch rvith them. The leading man was Mr. Andrew Nichols who had operated a small yard in Austin and he had interested trvo other men from Austin to join in the enterprise, each one investing ts'enty thousand dollars, with stock sales offered to the public. Mr. NichoLs had desk room rvith an insurance man, formerly from a mill town on the Columbia river in Oregon, rvho vvas acting as agent for one of the mills. He had effected the sale of a cargo of over a million feet to NIr. Nichols that was enroute and no place ready to store it.

I had subscribed for $10,000.00 rvorth of stock but had only $250.00 available at that time, l'hich I gave them as shorving my good intentions. I rvas able to increase this to $600.00 from my lvages before quitting my job, during which time they paid me the same salary as the large investors. Mr. Nichols had commissioned the insurance man and myself to look for a location and approved the site rve selected covering a rvhole block on 9th and San Pedro Streets. There lvas a spur track in the rear, put in to supply material to the Tenth Street Hotel, rvhose erection was finally abandoned.

When the cargo arrived no preparation had been made to care for it except to sketch on paper the location of each pile, and most of the cargo had to be dumped along the track until the foundations rvere installed. \\'e had taken orders for a number of house bills to be shipped in from the coast, and this lumber arrived at the same time as the cargo u'hich increasesd the confusion, but tu'o men u'ho had u'orked in the Ganahl yard shorred up and rvere given a job, one as foreman and the other as delivery man. Mr. Nichols, rvho rvas the onlv lumberman of the three, rvas checking deliveries, rvhile IIr. I\{ercer, one of the others, s'as trying to help shoving oft from the cars.

I u'as the only one that had any experience in the Los Angeles field, and at first the entire responsibility of the business devolved upon me. The first month or so was the

TTIIS PRODUCT

Reduces constnraton costB by lcster working schedules od quicker re-use oI lonrrs. Allows mcnked scnringrs to the concrete prduc.ts manulactuer by reducing curing time, curing spcce, ord inventorie& Pqrticulcnly cdvcntageous in pouing tscffic intersections, repairs in opercting lcctories cmd stores, mqchinery loundcrtions, lrrnnsl linings, AI{D most strenuous I ever experienced. I had to make all the sales, place orders for shipment, plan and build the office, and even suggested the name for the company which was approved by the stockholders. At the first meeting the insurance man was elected president and I had the title of assistant secretary. Later the insurance man severed his connections with the company.

I continued with the company for two years, drawing the same salary as the others, until lack of business demanded my withdrawal. They returned the amount of my investment, and also that of two of my friends who had made substantial purchases of stock through my recommendation. I have never worked with finer gentlemen than the three men of the Western Lumber Co. The entire conduct of the business rested on Mr. Nichols. As far as I know the company never paid a dividend and when taken over by Nofziger Bros. I doubt if little remained of their original investment; Nofziger Bros. had another yard at Main and Eighth Streets and the Western Lumber Company yard was moved to this location and Mr. Nichols was given a job as shipping clerk. I used to see my former boss when I was heading my own company. I also ,contacted Mr. Mercer who had a position with the Hollywood Cemetery which he seemed to enjoy. In that rvell written book by the late Ferry Whiting of which I have an autographed copy, he speaks very highly of the Western Lumber Company and thanks Mr. Mercer for offering to go on his bond on any contract where a bond was required.