THE CALIFOR}.IIA LUMBERMERCFTANT JackDiorne,fufWu

MeScegr

How lrumber lrooks

Lumber shipments of 430 mills reporting to the National Lumber Tracle Barometer \\rere 7.5 per cent above production for the u'eek ended April 24, 1'948. In the same week new orders oi these rnills lvere 28.0 per cent above production. Unfilled order files of the :eporting mills amount tg 61 per cent of stocks. For reporting softwood mills, unfilled orders are equivalent to 28 days' production at the current rate, and gross stocks are equivalent to 44 days' production'

For the yea:--to-date, shipments of reporting identical mills lvere 5.3 per cent above production; orclers were 7'9 per cent above production.

Comparecl to the average corresponding \l'eek of 19351939, p:oduction of reporting mills u'as 3t1.5 per cent above; shipments rvere 44.1 per cent above; orders were 72-5 per cent abor-e. Compared to the corresponding r'r'eek of 1947, prodtrctior.r of reporting mills u'as 12.9 per cent belorv; slripments u'ere 17.7 per cent below, and neli' orders u'ere 11.1 oer cent above.

\\'estern I'ine Association reports production for the year to date of Idaho u'hite pine, Ponderosa pine, sugar pine, ancl associated species is up 6 per cent compared 'il'ith a year ago. Shipments, horvever, are doll'n 2 per cent from the sanre period of 1947 and orders up 2 per cent.

F<rr the u,eek ended April 24, orders totaled 70,097,000 boarcl feet compared with 57,937,000 the rveek before and 80,6189,000 the corresponding 'rveek last year.

Similar comparisons of shipments shon' 60,566,@0 feet ;rgainst 60,474,N0 the previous u-eek and 79,629'000 the pie"ious year. Production u'as 59,216,000 compare<l 'rvith 58.721.0A0 feet and 71,284,000 tn 1947.

The Southern 1, ii4 units (lO9 feet, sliiprncnts feet. Orcle"s on 563,0d0 feet.

Pine Association for tl.re rn"cek ended Nlal' mills) reporting, gave orders as 16,355,000 19,590,000 feet, and production 20,176,W hand at tl-re er-rd of the week totaled 63..

The \Vest Coast Lumbermen's Association for the week ended April 24, l(r1 mills reporting, gave orders as 122,025,000 feet, shipments 94,066,000 feet, ancl production 85,003,@0 feet. Unfilled orders at the end of the 'r,veek totaled 517.758.000 feet.

For tl-re week ended May 1, 161 mills reporting, gave orders as 122,9&),000 feet, shipments 102,131,000 feet, and production 85,960,000 feet. Unfilled orders at the end of $'eek totaled 537,304,000 feet.

Accept Wcge Increcrse

Portland-Some 4O,000 C.I.O. lumber rvorkers in the Pacific Northrvest and Northern California have voted to irccel)t a l2f-cent hourly \\'age increase, Carl Winn, exccutive secretary of the C.i.O. International Wood'w.orkers of America, announced. The increase, similar to ihat granted A.F.L. u-orkers, puts tl.re hourly minimunr at $ l .1.).

The increase also is applicablc to some 470 striking C.I.O. boommen. Boommen, horvever, are insisting on rvage increases on top of the 121 cents. clain.ring that the rvork calls for special skills anrl that in l)re-war da.ys boommen received a u,:rge premium.