Ne* USG Board Plant at Midland, Calif., Will Sta* Op"rating on July 1st

On July 1 the new gypsum board plant of the United States Gypsum Company at Midland, California, will start operations and bring to completion an undertaking that had its beginning many years ago. Pacific Coast lumber and building material dealers will now enjoy the same mixed car advantages on gypsum products that are enjoyed by dealers in other parts of the United States.

The United States Gypsum Company acquired from the Uniled States Government a gypsum deposit at Midland in 1910. They already owned a deposit at Arden, Nevada, but this deposit was not coirsidered suitable'for the longtime development the bompany had in mind.

It was not until 1925, however, that conditions appeared right for the development of the Midland deposit. That year a crushing and grinding plant was erected on the site, gypsum was extracted from the earth and the ffrst shipments of gypsum were made from Midland. Three years later a calcining plant was built, and Red Top Gypsum Plasters were shipped to the Pacific Coast trade. These plasters have earned an excellent reputation, in part due to the care with which they are mariufactirred, but also in large measure due to the high quality of the gypsum at Midland. Four years after the calcining plant had been in successful operation, a gypsum block plant was erected at Midland; and early this year construction was started on a gypsum board plant.

The gypsum board plant is as skillfully constructed as any plant of its kind in the United States, and represents the cumulative experience USG engineers have obtained in the construction of twenty or more gypsum board manufactories. Four major plants have been constructed by the company in the last few years at waterfront points on the Great Lakes and Atlantic Coast, and the exfbrience obtained through the construction of these plants has gone into the Midland construction.

Sheetrock and Red Top Rocklath (Perforated Type) will be manufactured in the new board plant. Sheetrock will bE made in three thicknesses, one-quarter inch, threeeighths inch and one-half inch, and in the standard lengths.

It will have the same patented folded edge that has been shipped into Pacific Coast markets from USG mills at Sweetwater, Texas; Southard, Oklahoma, and Fort Dodge, Iowa; but it will be a California product.

Sheetrock has gained wide use on the Pacific Coast, providing as it does the approximation. of a plastered wall, free from warping and buckling, fireproof and adaptable to any type of decoration. Now, manufactured on the Pacific Coast, and available with the economies provided b! mixed cars of gypsum products from Midland, it is expected to obtain even wider use.

Red Top Rocklath (Perforated Type) is a new USG product, specifically adapted for Pacific Coast use. This type of gypsum lath was recently tested by fire and watei at the U. S. Bureau of Standards at Washington and earned a rating that makes it acceptable for one-hour coti: struction. In Red Top Rocklath (Perforated Type) are 48 perforations, each three-eighths of an inch in diameter and extending through the lath. When plastered, 48 keys or locks are set up in each lath, and these anchor the plaster securely to the lath.

The list of USG products now shipped from Midland includes in addition to the Sheetrocks and Rocklath. the following: Wood Grained Sheetrock, a Sheetrock to which is added by photographic process, a wood-like finish that cannot be distinguished from the real from the distance of a few feet; the Sheetrock Metal "A" Joint System for armoring Sheetrock joints against cracks; Red Top Cement Plaster; Red Top Gauging Plaster; Red Top Casting Plaster, Red Top Acoustical Plaster, Red Top Ivory Keene's Cement; Ben Franklin Agricultural Gypsum. All these commodities are shipped in mixed cars of gypsum products from the Midland mill.

Council Meets At Santa Rosa

The California Lumbermen's Council held a meeting at the Occidental llotel, Santa Rosa, Jane 24. George N. Ley, Santa Cruz Lumber Co., Santa Cruz, president of tht Council. presided.