Howl.rumber l-rooks

Portland, Oregon-Freezing rveather in early January only slightly affected production of lumber by Douglas fir sawmills which are apparently headed for another recordbreaking year.

In the first four weeks of. 1952, fir mills of western Washington and Oregon produced 803,859000 board feet, according to Harris E. Smith, secretary of West Coast Lumbermen's Association. This is 98 million feet below output tor Januarv, 1951.

During January, Smith pointed out, fir mills in the region accepted 917,75I,WO board feet of orders, which is 114 million feet more than nas cut. For seven consecutive l-eeks orders have topped production.

Wqlter S. Johnson Re-elected President \ll/estern Pine Assoc'n

\\ralter S. Johnson, San Francisco, rvas re-elected president of the Western Pine Association at the annual meeting of the organization held in the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, February 2l and 22.

The only nerv officer named was Vice President Bruce Ehnore, McNary, Arizona. Officers re-elected l'ere U. R. Armstrong, \\.inchester, fdaho, vice president, and C. T. Gray, Stockton, Calif., treasurer.

These san-re mills also reported an unfilled order file of 1,A64,724,ffi0 board feet rvas 58 million feet above gross stocks at mills.

The rveekly average of West Coasi Lumber production in January was 174,752,000 b.f. or 93.3/o oI the 1947-1951 average. Orders averaged 199,511,000 b.f.; shipments 164,555,000 b.f. Weekly averages for December were: Production 168,159,000 b.f. (89.8% of the 1947-1951 average); otderc L74,IM,000 b.f.; shipments 156,47I.W b.f

One month of 1952 cumulative production 803,859,000 b.f.; one month of 1951, 901,944,000 b.f.; one month of 1950, 527,468,N0 b.f..

Orders for one month of. 1952 breakdown as follows: Rail & truck 649,738,0m b.f.; domestic cargo 186,303,@O b.f. ; export 45,000,000 b.f.; local 36,710,000 b.f.

The ir-rdustry's unfilled order file stood at 1,064,724 b.f. at the end of January, gross stocks at 1,006,625.

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