Loop Lumber Company Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Son Froncisco Firm Begon Business in June, 1B9B

Loop Lumber Company, one of the best knorvn concerns in the lurnber business on the Pacific Coast, is celebrating this month a half century of successful olteration in San Francisco.

With its long record of business integrity and efficient operation this firm l.ras made a l-rost of friends throughout the industry, and all of these lvill u'ish thc company continued success for the futnre.

The company started in 1898 on Be:ry Street, betu'cctt Third and Fourth Streets, as Srvett, Loop & Daveuport, a partnership; l'as incorporated in 1905 as Loop Lumbcr Company, and in 1908 moved to the present location at the Foot of 1(rth Street.

The yard escaped the great San Francisco fire of 1906, under the supervision of the company's then secretary, \Villiam Chatham, n'ho rvith the loyal employees reported for duty, and remained on the job all that d"y ancl busied themselves carrying u'ater from the channel adjacent to the lumber yard ar.rd filling buckets, t'hich u'ere distributed advantageously throughout the gang\\rays. With sacks kept lvet from the barrels of rvater tl.re men beat out the sparks as they fell on the various piles of lumber and saved the entire stock. With one exception this u'as the only lumber yard in San Francisco save<l from the terrible conflagration.

Prior to 1906 the company ou'necl and ope:ated a fleet of sailing vessels. When realizing the advantage of morc modern means of transportation, it r'vas among the pioneers in building and operating steam schooners as lumber carriers, thereby revolutionizing the conveying o{ lumber from sa'ivmills of Oregon and \\rashington to the retail vards in the bay area. This rvas continued up to the outbreak of \Vorld War No. 2. During the war period all lumber rvas received by rail ancl this has continued up to the preser-rt timc.

Ray G. Jacobs, manager of the Ross Carrier Co., San Francisco, is back on the job follorving illness that caused hin-r to be as,ay from his office a goocl deal clurling the past ferv months. lle reports brisk business for Ross li{t t: uclis and carriers.

The con.rpany has complete r.vater and rail facilities. I-rrmber handling equipment is of the most modern type, and includcs the highly efficient Ross lift trucks and cai:riers, used exclusively. Lift trucks are used for both loading and unloading cars on the yard's private spur tracks.

Looir l-umber Company, one of the oldest yards in Califon.ria, conducts a rvholesale and retail business, handling all West Coast u'oods, including fir,, hemlock, pine and redrvood. The yard is more than six acres in extent. The planing mill is a very important adjunct to the lumber yard, and is fully equipped to resarv and surface the various sizes of lumber and specializes in the surfacing and rcmanufacturing of large and long timbers.

William Chatham is president of the company, I-. S. Brush is executive vice president, and A. F. Bulotti is secretary-treasurer. All three of the principals have been rvitl-r the company since its extensive operations started at the foot of 16th Street.

\Ir. Chatham is still active. and is the oldest executive in the lumber business in San Francisco.

The I-oop Lumber & Nlili Company, the Alameda yard, is locatecl at Broadu'ay and Blanding Avenue, and .is equippecl to do general lumber business ancl finished millu-ork. The plant covers more than forrr acres and is uucler the general managemellt of \\rm. Chatham Jr., vice president of thc companr'.

E. E. Marshall, of Marshall Shingle Co., 600 16th Street, Oaliland 12, u'holesale distributors of shingles and shakes for the past 20 years, retu:ned May 22 from two weeks' trip during rvhich he visitecl Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C.