R. G. ROBBINS TUMBER GO.

Distributors ol Pacific Coast Forest Products

IOS ANGEI.ES

7ll W. Olynpic Elvd. PRorp.ct C72l

Boss C. Lcshley

Sitka Spruce Box Lumber Prices Raised

Washington, May 24.---The difierential between Sitka spruce boar,ds and box lumber prices was narrowed today by the Office of Price Administrat,ion in a move to restore normal production of box lumber needed by manufacturers of boxes used for shipping war supplies.

Today's action was one of a series of steps taken by government agencies to co-ordinate lumber production so that sufficient supplies of boards, needed for heavier crating purposes, and box lumber would be produced to meet an increasing demand. Recent action taken by OPA, War Production Board and War Manpower Commission is expected to encourage production of Douglas Fir boards to a point that today's action, rediverting some of the lumber going into Sitka spruce boards into box lumber channels, can be made to meet an equally essential demand of the \,var program.

The action, in reality, results in considerable savings for box manufacturers even though, paradoxically, the prices for Sitka spruce box lumber are raised $2.00 per thousand board feet in each of the three grades of box lumber. Since box manufacturers have been compelled because of the shortage of box lumber to purchase Sitka spruce boards the action means an average saving to them of about $1.11 per thousand board feet the differential provided today between Sitka spruce box lumber sold in mixed grades and "average" Sitka spruce boards maximum prices.

Under normal conditions, about 42 per cent of the total log out-turn in this species falls into box and common grades, about half of which went into grading box lumber and the other half into common grades from No. 3 to select. About one-fifth of total production was box lumber an<l about one-fifteenth was common boards. During the past three months, however, the demand for boards became so acute that mills cut boards rather than box lumber, a trend which resulted in a sharp upturn in the percentage of boarcl production though not sufficient in itself to meet war needs.

Robbins

In addition, this trend resulted in a corresponding decrease in the production of box lumber so that box manufacturers, faced with a shortage, were compelled to buy boards rather than true box grades to meet the demands for boxes used for war materials.

Under these con'd,itions the box manufacturers, who normally were able to purchase box lumber in a mixed grade (containing at least 65 percent No. 1, 25 per cent No. 2 and 10 percent No. 3) at an average flat price of $23.50 per thousand, were compelled to buy spruce boards at $26.61 per thousand board feet. In many cases the cost was higher when higher grades and select common percentages were greater.

By reducing the spread between the mixed-grade box price and the spruce boards price to $1.11, the industry is expected to return to producing its normal ratio of about 20 percent of total production as box lumber. In effect, the differential now represents the costs to the mills of separating and grad,ing out its material as boards.

Specific prices for special workings, odd specifications and extra services not previously listed in the regulation but which have been approved on individual applications from manufacturers are codified .and placed in Maximum price Regulation D0 by the Amendment No. 3 so that the prices apply to the entire industry. The amendment is efiective May D,1943.

Disaster Relief for Softwood Lumber Distributors

Softwood lumber distributors whose stocks have been destroyed through fire, flood, tornado or other catastrophe may file emergency PD-IX applications for inventory replacement, the War Production Board declared today. The announcement was made because softwood lu,mber distributors have no other method of obtaining assistance for replacement of losses resulting from fire, flood, or other emergency condition.

OPA Price Ceiling Meetins Held At Los Angeles

Relief for California retail lumber dealers who have been squeezed by present ceiling schedules based on March, 1942, prices was discussed at a meeting called by the Office of Price Administration at the Embassy Auditorium, Los Angeles, Monday, June 7 ' Henry Eckstein of the Distribution Section, Lumber Division, Office o{ Price Administration, Washington, D. C., conducted the meeting, which was largely attended.

At the morning session any dealer who desired had an opportunity to express his opinion, and a large number of them talked on the difficulties they are confronted with in doing business under today's conditions and under March, 1942, ceiling prices.

Mr. Eckstein named the following committee of retailers to meet with him during the afternoon to discuss a proposed mark-up formula: C. E. Bonestel, Ventura; C. C. Ganahl, Los Angeles; Ray Clotfelter, Visalia; R. A. Emison, Santa Ana; Paul Hallingby, Los Angeles; H. Park Arnold, Glendale; O. N. Reynard, Santa Barbara; E. C. Parker, Los Angeles; Walter Peterson, Bakersfield; Wendell T. Robie, Auburn; J. A. Privett, Los Angeles; D. Frank Parks, La Mesa; J. H. Kirk, San Luis Obispo; George Lounsberry, Los Angeles; S. P. Ross, Hanford, and Walter S. Found, Merced. Ex-offrcio members of thc committee were Orrie W. Hamilton, San Diego; B. B. Barbei, Fresno, and Louis D. Nadeau, Oakland.

Mr. Eckstein stated that the tabulation of March, 1942, ceiling prices which had been submitted from areas in California seemed to indicate the following formula which the Committee went on record as approving:

Mill ceiling prices and inbound freight from points fixed by MPR No. 215, plus $5.00 per thousand board feet, plus 30 per cent on Group 1 items, including boards, dimension and small timbers in lengths up to and including 24 feet, or plus $5.00 per thousand board feet, plus 50 per cent on Group 2 items, which comprises everything not included in Group 1 ; plus cartage on all deliveries; and on sales less than $7.50, the above formula to apply plus 10 per cent.

The proposed formula is not definite as it must be substantiated by the Office of Price Administration in Washington, D. C., with a sampling of March, 1942, ceiling prices which have thus far been submitted or which will be called for should the examination not justify such a formula.

It is expected that the formula will be reflected in an amendment to MPR No. 215 within the next six weeks or two months.

MPR No.215 is still in force as at present and the above formula merely supplements the MPR No. 215 by establishing a formula which will supersede March, 1942, ceiling prices on softwood lumber when sold to strictly retail customers.

Shook Prices Increased

An increase of $5.25 per 1,000 board feet in the price bf shook-Western pine lumber prepared for assembly into Western wooden agricultural containers-was announced by the Office of Price Administration.

The increase is to compensate for higher lumber costs resulting from boosts in Western pine lumber prices following granting of War Labor Board-approved wage rises in April of this year.

The higher prices for shook are authorized in Amendment No. 5 to Maximum Price Regulation No. 186, and become effective June 3, 1943.

The new basic prices for shook range between $36.25 and, $74.25 per 1,000 board feet, f.o.b. mill, according to type and grade of container to be manufactured from the material.

On May 31 of this year, producers of Western pine lumber in California, Idaho, Montana ,Oregon and Washington were authorized by OPA to increase ceiling prices $3 per 1,000 board feet on six species of lumber in trvelve named grades and sizes sold to certain buyers under War Production Board Limitation Order L-nO. The purpose of the boost was to maintain production following granting of lumber worker wage increases approved by the War Labor Board. Makers of Western wooden agriculture containers are among buyers who may purchase 'Western Pine under Order L-D0.

Moves Door Exhibit To Oakland

E. C. Pitcher Co. has moved its exhibit of Pitcher Disappearing Doors and Pitcher Overhead Garage Doors from 557 Market Street, San Francisco, to the Builders & Manufacturers Exhibit, 608 16th Street, Oakland. E. C' Pi'tcher Co. is also an agent for Fir-Tex.

Hoo-Hoo Concat to be held In San Francisco June 25

Announcement is made by Carl Warden of Warden Bros., San Francisco, Vicegerent Snark for San Francisco Bay District, that a Hoo-Hoo Concatenation will be held at the Whitcomb Hotel, San Francisco, on Friday, June ZS.

The Concat will be held at 5:39 p.m., and dinner and entertainment will be at 7 :@ p.m.

A number of Kittens have been signed up for initiation, and a large attendance of Bay disirict members of the Order is expected.

E. S. McBride of Davis, Calif., who is a member of the Supreme Nine, and Charles L. Shepard, Sacramento, Vicegerent Snark of the Sacramento Valley district, will attend.

The Nine appointed to officiate at the initiation will be as follows:

Vicegerent Snark, Carl Warden; Senior Hoo-Hoo, Bert Bryan i Junior Hoo-Ifoo, Lewis Godard; Scrivenoter, Bert Johnson; Bojum, Eddie Peggs; Jabberwock, Seth Butler; Custocatian, Larue Woodson Arcanoper, Fritz Dettmann; Gurdon, Charles Lindsay.

Frank J. O'Connor will be toastmaster at the dinner. and C. C. "Sti" Stibich will be pianist at the Concat.

Industry Meeting at Los Angcles

An industry meeting was held by the Southern California Retail Lumber Association at the Embassy Auditorium, Los Angeles, Thursday afternoon, May 22. president Park Arnold presided.

Richard C. Willis of the FHA, Paul Hallingby, member of the Special OPA Lumber Price Committee, and Secretary Orrie W. Hamilton were the speakers. The meeting was well attended.

Making Ice Refrigerators For Houstng Project

E. D. Minton, president of the Minton Lumber Company at Mountain View, Calif., reports that their principal business right now is manufacturing 4,000 ice refrigerators for the Kaiser Company Housing Project in Richmond..

Receive Second Gold Star For Production Achiev€ment

The Western Hardwood Lumber Co. and P. J. Walker Co. of Los Angeles have been granted additional honors for continued outstanding performance in produ,ction and on May 31 received the following telegram from H. L. Vickery, commissioner of the U. S. Maritime Commission:

"As chairman of the United States Maritime Commission Board of Awards, I take pleasure in advising you that the Board, in recognition of your continued outstanding production achievement, has awarded your company its first Gold Star to be added to your ,,M,, pennant. please wire Mark O'Dea, director of Public Relations, the number of bona fide employees in your company as of June first who have not yet received the Maritime Merit Badge. Also advise him date before July twentieth you would like award presented to your employees by Maritime Commission representative."

They received their first Gold Star on October 13, 1942, when they were given the Maritime ,,M,, award. The Western Hardwood Lumber Co. and p. J. Walker Co. is a joint venture performing joiner contracts for the U. S. Maritime Commission.

Celebrate 60th Wedding Anniversary

Mr. and Mrs. Jaco,b Niederer celebrated their 6oth wedding anniversary at their home in Los Angeles on June 5. There was a family reunion and open house, and attending were their son, Walter, their three daughters, Mrs. Lucille Hiltscher, Mrs. Bertha Gieselman and Mrs. Jean- nette Brittle, ten grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Mr. Niederer, a native of Switzerland, and his wife, who \ras born in Dubuque, Ia., are 85 years of age. He is president of J. Niederer Co. of Los Angeles, a woodworking business he established in 1888. The plant is now engaged in defense work and Mr. Niederer is active in its management.

Oscar Miller Sells Interest

Oscar H. Miller, veteran retail lum,berman, who retired in 1939 from the management of Knox Lumber Co., Sacramento, has sold his interest in this firm to Crawford W. Cox, who succeeded him as manager.