Secret of Retailer Success Lumber to Fore in New SPort

Fond du Lac, Wis., June 30."lss can patch up a blown-out tire so that it may give some service, but the logical thing to do is buy a new one with a guarantee behind it." This sales argument by analogy puts across a complete replacement job at a cost of $3450 after the owner had -decided to spend only $500 for repairing the roof of his home, according to S. S. Solie, president of the South Central Club of this city, at the first meeting of a dealermerchandising series starting on May 12.

Mr. Solie told of the circumstances which had made his business profitable. He compared the type of salesmanship of ten years ago with which he used today to produce business, quoting specific instances to illustrate the successful selling of quality lumber. Among the numerous occasions wheie the National Lumber Manufacturers Association had been of assistance to him he cited a hangar job which was originally intended to go to steel and which he was told would not satisfy the State code if built of lumber. With the assistance of the N.L.M.A. he was able to secure approval by the Industrial Commission to a lumber plan.

"Success in the retail lumber business," he said, "is to be had through selling; in ringing door bells and in promoting business. Analyze your communities and discover trade possibilities."

When asked how he happened to be so successful on insulation sales he replied: "I am personally sold on the value of insulation and you must be sold on the merits of a product before you can sell it." He told of the assistance he received from the Forest Products Laboratory regarding moisture content, humidity, etc., and urged all dealers to make fuller use of the helps available to them. He uses a psycrometer to settle complaints of sash joints opening, as well as shrinkage and said he had found relative humidity in homes as low as 12 to 15 per cent.

New Cut-Up Plant

The Shaw Bertram Lumber Co., Klamath Falls, Ore., started operation of a new cut-up plant June 3. The new plant which was recently completed has a capacity of 20,000 feet a day and employs 3O men.

Residence Building Active

Building permits in Palo Alto for the first five and a half months of 1931 totaled $532,000, of which $,CI2,550 represents new residence construction. Sixty-seven new homes were built, 11 of these in the first half of June.

SAN FRANCISCO DAvenport 1l1O

New York, N.Y., June 30.-An automobile pleasure trip is confined no longer solely to the open highway; it has become a unit of the amusement park under the riotous title-"Automobile 'Whoopee". Like the familiar roller' coasters, the structure is made of wood, approximately onehalf mile long and consists of what is popularly known as "Thank-You-Mams", or camel-back humps, usually eight in number, four on either side of a U-shaped track.

This nerv form of recreation is of West Coast origin but has taken root in the East rapidly, with the result that the 150M or 200M bd. ft. of lumber required for each coaster, will mean good business for local dealers'

At the present time structures have already been completed at Atlantic City and Camden, N. J., and there are several in the South, particularly Florida. Additional structures are contemplated at three other eastern points, and an Elizabeth, N. J., dealer has supplied the lumber for one at Linden, N. J., in Douglas fir and hemlock of the various sizes required, viz: 4x6s for posts, 2x6s for the roadrvay' and 3x4s for posts for the roading' The wheel guards upon the roadway were constructed of five 2x4s'

The patent on this type of structure is claimed by G. H' O'Brien of Los Angeles, Calif. His local representative is Judge A. Casale of Kearny, N. J., who holds lumber in high isteim for this type of construction and who is confident that future structures of the same material will be erected' Lumber was chosen as the material best suited for such construction because of the ease and speed of erection, the economy of upkeep and an estimated life assurance of ten years.

Softwood Imports

According to figures supplied by the Section of Customs Statistics of th. Departmint of Commerce to the Lumber Division, softwood imports into the United States during April, 1931, were as follows:

Sawed lumber of fir, hemlock, spruce, pine or larch, dutiable; from Canada 27,n/W board feet; from Germany 3aZ,OOO from Mexico 558,00O; from Poland 613,00O; from Yugoslavia 17,000 and from Bruzil 2?,W.

Boards, planks and deals in the rough or. planed and dressed on ot e side; of fir, hemlock' spruce, pine or larch; from Canada 25,67/ffi board feet; free of duty.

Other kinds of softwood lumber, free of duty; from Canada 1,915,000 board feet and from Trinidad 11,00O'

ABERDEEN, \VASH.

S. E. SLADE LUMBER CO.

EST. 1885

WHOLESALE CARGO SHIPPERS

Reprecenting in California

MUMBY LUMBER & SHINGLE CO. Mills at BORDEAUX & MALONE, WASH.

DOUGLAS FIR

LUMBER MANTJFACTURERS' AGENCY

Eastern Railway & Lumber Co. CENTRALIA, WASH.

LOS AI{GELES

WEstmore 5288

E" C. MILI.ER CEDAR LUMBER CO. Millr at ABERDEEN, WASH.

Timbers Flooring Commons sParamountt' Lath

RED CEDAR LUMBER(MILLERD SHINGLES Tirnbeg Finieh Plafing Log Cabin Siding