THE CALIFOR}IIA LUMBERMERCHANT

JackDionne,prblislw

How Lrumber Lrooks

Favored with an open winter throughout most of western Oregon and Washington and a plentiful supply of logs, West Coast sawmills, in the 13 weeks of 1948, cut 2,046,528,000 bd. feet to top the same period of last year by 8.2 per cent, according to H. V. Simpson, executive vice president of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association,

Portland, April 12 -

Orders for West Coast lumber in the first quarter of 1948 shorved a gain in every domestic category Simpson stated. Largest gain was in Oregon and Washington or' ders which jumped from 195,786,000 feet in 1947 to 242,238,000 feet in 1948 to date. Cargo orders from California were 16,000,000 feet higher in 1948 for a total ol ffi,647,O00. Atlantic Coast and Gulf orders in 1948 amount to 235,050,000 {eet, topping by 45,000,000 feet the 1947 figure. Despite a severe rvinter in many parts of the midwest and east, rail orders were up more than 4,000,000 feet to total 1,294,517,000 feet so far this year. Rail business stability is accounted for in part by a strong California demand.

Shipments during the l3-u'eeks of 1948 exceeded by more than 100,0@,000 feet those of the. same period in 1947, Simpson pointed out, and nearly kept pace with production.

The weekly average of West Coast lumber productioll in March 1948 was 158,958,000 board feet, or 107.0 per cent of the 1942-1947 average. Orders averaged 151,010,000 board feet; shipments 157,959,000 board feet. Weekly averages for February \ rere : production 157,567,W (106.0 per cent of the 1942-+7 average) orders 155,585,000, shipments 154,500,000 b.f.

Thirteen weeks for 1948, cumulative production 2,046,528,000 b.f.; thirteen weeks 1947, 1,890,785,000; thirteen weeks 1946, 1,770,866,000.

Orders for thirteen r,r'eeks of 1948 break down as follows: tall I,294,517,000; domestic cargo 322,372,60; export 104,039,000 ; local 242,238,000.

The industry's unfilled order file stood at 6t5,774,O00 at the end of March. Gross stocks at 482,263,040.

The Western Pine Association for the week ended April 17, 171 mills reporting, gave orders as 55,473,000 feet, shipments 57,9+1,000 feet, and production 55,944,000 feet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 210,040,000 feet.

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association for the week ended April 10, 161 mills reporting, gave orders as 102,004,000 feet, shipments 99,233,000 feet, and production 102,995,000 feet. Unfilled orders at the end of the week totaled 489,969,000 feet.

For the rveek ended April 17, 162 mills reporting, gave orders as 100,665,000 feet, shipments 92,615,000 feet, and production 95,213,000 feet. Unfilled orders at the end of the week totaled 492921300 f.eet.

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Quantity Supplies oJ

Precision f/lanufioclured, Uniformly Graded