THE CALIFOR}-IIA LUMBERMERCHANT

JackDionne,fubhtl*

How Lumber Looks

Building permits reported by eighty-seven cities of ten western states, Canada and Hawaii showed a 39.3 per cent gain in March, 1937, over March, 1936, according to the western monthly building survey prepared by H. R. Baker & Company.

The twenty-five cities reporting the largest volume of permits in March, 1937, showed a total ol $22,257,6D, a 53 per cent gain over the $L4,54I,177 in March, 1936.

First place was again held by Los Angeles, permits totaling $5,346,043, representing the largest total in several months.

San Francisco was in second place with $2,091,928, Portland third with $1,942,460, Vancouver fourth with $1,754,63O, and Denver fifth with $1,158,364. Then followed Sacramento, Oakland, San Diego, lsrnon, Long Beach, Beverly Hills, Seattle, Glendale, Honolulu, Santa Monica, Fresno, Burbank, Salt Lake *Citl and San Marino.

During the week ended April 3, a total of. L7l down and operating mills reporting to the West Coast Lumbermen's Association produced 1L4,727,3O3 feet. New business, as reported by these mills, was 140,526,W9 feet, and shipments were 118,583,189 feet. The industry produced 72.8 per cent of its average weekly cut during t9269n.

The unfilled order file at these rnills stood at 784,352,143 feet.

Orders taken in the domestic cargo market increased approximately 12,000,000 feet over those reported the previous week due, lumbertnen state, to more steamship space being available in the California trade. Some sales were reported made also for delivery in May in the Atlantic Coast market. Sellers in that trade assert that buying would be at least twice and perhaps three times the present volume if steamship space to the East Coast were available for current lumber shipment. In the meantime mills are cutting principally on orders taken during the maritime strike and many important sellers are entirely out of that market'

The Western Pine Association for the week ended April 3, 118 mills reporting, gave production as ffi,522,000 feet, shipments 72,037,W feet, and new business 72,5O4,000 feet. Orders were I9.7 per cent over production, and .6 per cent above shipments. Shipments were 19 per cent above production. Orders on hand at these mills at the end of the week totaled 328,470,000 feet. *

The California Redwood Association for the week ended March 27 reported production of 13 mills as 8,506,000 feet, shipments 10,107,000 feet, and new business 10,548,000 feet. Week-end orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 80,172,000 feet.

* :r *

As we go to press, the boom-men at Tacoma are out on strike. One mill has closed and ottrers will probably have to go down due to a log shortage.

The loggers in the Columbia River district have rejected the 7l cents hourly increase offered by the operators and are demanding 1O cents an hour increase.

Building operations in California continue active. Lumber cargo arrivals at Los Angeles harbor for the week ended April 10 totaled 28,7A5,m feet, an increase of 8,000,000 feet over the previous week.

The Douglas Fir, PonderoSa Pine, Sugar Pine and Redwood mills have good order files, and mill quotations are firm.