I' BAlTCI$ ff. IIAII$OIT

This is a story about a Los Angeles bttsiness institution called West Coast Screen Company. But, because the West Coast Screen Company is in reality simply the lengthened shadou' of one Francis G. Hanson, this is then mostly a personal story about this man who rvas the founder and has at all times been the business genius oi the,concern. He started it when it was strictly a one-ring circus type of factory, and the office from rvhich he managed same r'r'as just a hole in the wall.

Step by step Francis G. Hanson built the West Coast Screen Company plant and business until it is today one of the most useful, respected, and vital institutions of its kind in the entire industry it represents. Step by step the factory grew. Year after year old equipment was replaced with newer and more modern units; and continually they reached out for more space and filled that space with still more equipment to make still rnore products. It is almost wasting time to state that the big thing in the life of West Coast Screen Company is the Hollywood Door. Once it was known only in Los Angeles. Today it is a vital factor in the national business made up by that sort of door. They make some other things, of course, such as shutters, C. C. Doors, scr:een doors, and louvre doors. But their fame and fortune was built and is today based upon their very famous product the Hollywood Door.

The lumber storage warehouse holds as much as three million feet of lumber. Although they buy only commercially dry Pine for their doors, their custom is to season it for another three months after it reaches their plant, to insure perfect condition for door making.

Mr. Hanson is particularly proud, and rightfully so, that during the war years, in spite of the scarcities of materials and the huge cost increases in all the commodities that go to make up the Hollywood Door, he has held the price

A Splendid Business Record And A Hole-in-One

F. G. Hqnson of the door down to a level that is well-nigh unbelievable. While many products of this sort soared in price several It'lndred p'er cent over prewar levels, the Hollywood Door never reached a price level that made it prohibitive. That is something to be proud of. 'And Mr. Hanson and his organization are inclined to be a bit boastful on the subject. He explains it by pointing to the incomparably efficient manufacturing plant in which the door is produced, and a working organization that has done wonders in the way of economy. The furnished facts indicate the exactness of Mr. Hanson's statements in this regard.

The manufacturing plant, the storage facilities, and all the mechanics of operation have, as stated, g'rown continually since the inception of the business, and the time came

Mr. Hqnson's Privcte ol{ice rluring tlrc 1)ast veitr \\'hcn thc-v Iortttrl thcttlselr-cs itl lt sprit n herc it n'as lreccssltrv to rlo sotrle lruiltlirlg in thc othcr rlirectiorr, tl-rc ofhcc, the shilrpirtg tlepartttrcrrt, an<l 1hc u'arehonsc. So the-r'crecterl lrntl llrtisherl:t rlragnificellt \\-;lrehousc rrnrl olicc lruil<ling. lt has flottr sl)itce of 1.i,000 sqtlarc feet. It is bLrilt scicntificall-r-to exactly frt the Irce(ls o{ the \\'est ('oast Scrccrr (.ot-ttp:ttt-r-. Frlr thc l)ilst scverill months this splenriid l-ruilrJing htis lreen in practical ttse.

A corner ol the genercrl ollice l{e1rl:rcing the lrole-in-tlrc u':rl1 ,rlhcc u'hich scrved its I)tl11)()sc for s0 lllillt-\- \-citrs is tltle lrI the 1ll' ):t itttrAetl\ (' att<l 1rr:tctical lrttsirtcss oflrccs itl I-os '\rrgeles' 'lhcrt- is tlcn fluorcscent liglrting thrortghottt.'fhc oftjce irtrttitttre :ttt<l e<1ui1rn1cnt is trtotlernistic irrirl h:rrtrtorrizing. ('lcver insttllttion shrrts out itll unrrcccssAr\- srttttt<1, giving thertr a vcr-r' <lrrict ancl I)cace ful o1Icc. 'l'he se trcral olfice is lianeletl irr \\'clrltcx. NIr. llansorr's prir-ate oftrce is rlottr: it.t Stitrtn:Lll solirl h:rrclu'ootl p:tttels, ttrlrtle br-I:. J. Stiitltorl & S,rrl. It is a ver-r' h:tpirr- settirrg for the ctttire oruanizirtion. I lere rrru_v be fotrrrrl Jlr. Fr:trtcis C'. lllLrrsorr, still rvith his lirrger ()n e\-er,\'rlctrril of the lrusirress lLs hc has aln'zrr-s ileert. Here also ma,r'lrc fortnrl lris tu-o llttr:tcti\-e <llLughters, Iilorence :rncl ltuth,:ts intert:stetl anrl:ts acti\-e in the lrusittess as thcir frLthe r. Thcv lrrc his st:Llu'ltrt assistatlts in thc erttire ()pertrtioll oi \\:est (loast Screcrl. Thc-r'knou'tloors anrl thev klou-the tr:rrle ;Lltout lLs n'ell as llrc father. liar- Uthc is irr charge of the tttAtLtt[;tt'tttring r,1iL'l-1l1irltls rt'ith tttorc than one hundred employees in his domain. Orrin \\rright is the popular and efficient office manager.

Mr. Ifanson has traveled continually and extensively in the interest of \A/est Coast Screen from the very time it started. In these travels he has usually been accompanied by Mrs. Hanson, who also likes to travel and call on the trade, and has made him a splendid partner in spreading the gospel of Hollyrvood Doors throughout the building trade of the rvhole country. Mr. Ilanson is norv slowing dou'n a bit on this traveling stuff. Perhaps the continually growing volume and cares of the business serve to keep him more at home. Perhaps the luxurious surroundings of his office and plant attract him more than as in days of yore. Perhaps the birthdays are telling him, in the rvorrds of G.I. Joe, "Take it easy."

Anyway this amazingly busy man is now taking a little time to play. Once a week he plays golf. He has become a fan in that direction. And rvould you believe it, friends, the other day he entered into the realm of the mighty b1' making a hole-in-one on the golf course. Since that time his blood pressure has never gotten exactly back to normal. There is a suspicion in the minds of some of his golf friends that he thinks he can do it again. Which idea will keep him shooting.

But outside of that one afternoon a week, callers can still find Mr. llanson at his regular place of business. He has in the new office what he calls a Rumpus Room where he entertains his friends. There is something in the room that looks suspiciously like a bar. The walls are covered with

Lumber atorqge wcrehouse h<rs ccpccity ol .3 million leet. pictures of Mr- llanson's friends, most of them lumbermen, men from all parts of the country. When they come to Los Angeles they gather here. And no man lives who loves and appreciates his friends and his fellorv man more than Francis Hanson. The friends he has built are as important to him as the business he has built. He feels sure that they - are equally important and are inseparable

So, for the time being, we shall leave the plant of the West Coast Screen Company and its owner. It is a mighty fine outfit. Hanson is a mighty fine man, who has brought nothing but good thinking and good business to the industry of which he is proud to be a part. Drop in and watch him slide back the panel as he leads you to the Rumpus Room. And rvhen he, tells you abont that hole-in-one, show your enthusiasm. It is som.ething to be proud of. If you don't believe it, try to make one.

New Johns-Manville Plant

Johns-Manville unveiled its new Insulating Board plant before a distinguished group of Mississippi public officials, business leaders, editors, and rvriters, on June 25.

D. R. Seip, plant manager, welcomed the group on behalf of Johns-N{anville, and introduced Hon'ard \\r. Allen, Director of Public Relations from the New York headquarters, who discussed briefly the company's community and press relations policies.

Located on St. Catherine's Creek just southeast of Natchez, Mississippi, the new plant consists of three major buildings joined together, and 24 minor buildings. The rvhole plant operation covers. an area of 400,000 square feet on a 250-acre site, allowing for possible future expansion.

When in full operation the plant will employ from 400 to 6@ people, with an estimated annual payroll of $750,000. The eventual output of insulating board products is expected to be approximately 200,000,000 square feet. Among the products to be manufactured at the Natchez plant are natural finish building board, decorative ceiling panels, wall plank and insulating board sheathing.

Raw material consists largely of pulpwood processed on the spot from short leaf pine and hardwoods. Purchase of timber by Johns-Manville will provide a continuing and permanent cash crop for farmers and timber owners in the southwest Mississippi area.

A new manufacturing process at the plant enables them to utilize a larger proportion of hardrvoods as well as short leaf pine.

Johns-Manville rvill encourage and practice the most modern forestry methods not only on its own lands, but on the property of those farmers and timber gro'ivers from r,r'hom it buys pulpwood, thus insuring a valuable timber crop for generations to come.

In keeping with industrial trends, the plant is highly mechanized. The unloading and handling of pulpwood is all done by mechanical means and the fabricating and coating equipment for various types of insulating board is of special design developed by Johns-Manville from previous experience in this field. The dryer, through which the insulating board passes, is one of the largest ever built, having 18,000 bearings and requiring about 1,000 horsepower in electric motors to operate.

To operate the plant, a four and one-half natural gas supply line was built and a five-mile waste disposal line constructed to avoid local stream pollution. Four 500-'foot deep wells were drilled to supply water for the plant.

The dryer building is equipped with continuous roof ventilators the full length of the structure with louvers on both sides. All major buildings are of saw-tooth design, for the most efficient light and ventilation. Fireproof construction of steel and Johns-Manville Transite wall panels is featured throughout. The main office building and the plant service offices are air-conditioned, as is the cafeteria for the personnel.

Locker 4nd rvashroom facilities of the most modern type have been installed for plant workers, and an inclosed loading platform has been built to protect employees during periods of inclement weather.

Paul L. Matthies, of P. L. Matthies Co. ,rvholesale lumber dealers, Pasadena, Calif., realized one of his ambitions when he caught and landed, after a mighty struggle a 176 lb. Striped Marlin in the Gulf of California in the vicinity of Guaymas, Mexico, June 2, 1948.

Paul flew down to Guaymas with a group of friends, Dr. A. E. Tucker, Paul Manuel, Sid Johnson, and Bob Robbins. He says that during the fight to land this big fish, which was the largest one caught by any of the group, he certainly forgot some of the cares and worries of the lumber business. lfe reports that the group saw 23 big fish in five days, hooked 13, and actually landed five. This percentage is considered a good performance.

"Forty-Niner" Pcrty

The "Forty-Niner" party, which was held at the Emerald Hills Country Club, San Diego, rvas a gala afiair and brougl-rt out a big crowd, over 150 attending. A buffet supper was served at 6:59 p.m. and was followed by a fine floor show. Door prizes were awarded to the holders of the lucky numbers. The party was sponsored by the San Diego Hoo-Hoo Club, and Vicegerent Snark John Stewart, "Chuck" Hampshire, and Ed Glasson were in charge of the arrangements.

Fire Dcrma€Jes Lumber Ycrd

Fire damaged lumber sheds containing lumber and roofing materials, and the hardware store, of the Alert Lumber Co., Bell Gardens, early Monday morning,'July 5. About 40 per cent of the lumber firm's property was saved. The loss was estimated at $35,0@.

Mason Supplies, Inc. Now Distributors Of Certain-teed Acoustical Tile

Announcement is made by Mason Supplies, Inc., wholesale building material distributors, 732 Decatur Street, Los Angeles 21, that they are now wholesale distributors for Certain-teed Acoustical Tile, made of Fiberglas.+

In talking about this product, an officer of this company had this to say: "Certain-teed Acoustical Tile is a highly efficient sound absorbing material. It is composed of flexible glass fiber-an amazing product of science. It is ideal for all installations, combining as it does sound absorption with fire protection, light reflection, and decoration.

"Applied to ceilings it reduces noise, improves hearing conditions, and promotes a quiet, restful atmosphere. Restaurants and stores add to comfort. Homeowners add to gracious living. Schools, churches and theatres improve hearing conditions when they eliminate sound distortion and echoes.

"It is fire-safe because it is incombustible-one of its most important advantages. It will not warp, buikle, expand or contract, and .is entirely unaffected by changes of weather.

"It has better insulating values .than any ordinary wood fiber insirlation board of equal thickness. It can be redecorated as needed without material impairment to the acoustical efficiency if simple painting precautions are observed. It is applied by means of an approved adhesive to a suitable base. Instructions for application are enclosed in each carton of material."

Mason Supplies, fnc., also announces that there is a substantial price reduction on Fiberglas Building Insulation, which they also handle.

*T.M. Reg. U. S. Patent Office by O. C. F. Corp.

Rcry H. Benson In Chcrge Ol Pcmrudo Lumber Division

Ray H. Benson is now in charge of the Lumber Division of Pacific Mutual Door Company, 2719 Compton Avenue, Los Angeles 11, replacing E. A. Anderson.

Mr. Benson has had a good background of experience in the lumber business. He was associated with OwensParks Lumber Company, Los Angeles, for 15 years, and recently has been representing Kerr Lumber Company, Eugene, Oregon, as commission salesman.

Ingersoll on Robert Burns

(Robert Ingersoll's thoughts over the grave of Napoleon have been quoted innumerable times, and are admittedly among the all-time classics in the English language. And little has been said of his tribute to Robert Burns, which probably exceeds the Napoleon tribute in strength, beauty of thought and expression, and wonderful eloquence. Here it is.)

"I visited them all, all the places made immortal by his genius, the field where love first touched his heart, the field where he ploughed up the F{ome of the Mouse. I saw the cottage where Robert and Jean first lived as man and wife, and walked on 'the banks and braes of Bonnie Doon'. And when I stood by his grave, I said: This man was a real, genuine man. This man believed in the dignity of labor, in the nobility of the useful. This man believed in human love, in making a heaven here, in judging men by their deeds instead of by creeds and titles. This man believed in liberty of the soul, of thought and speech. This man believed in the sacred rights of the individual; he sympathized with the suffering and oppressed. This man had the genius to change suffering and toil into a song, to enrich poverty, to make a peasant feel like a prince of the blood, to fill the lives of the lowly with love and light. This man had the genius to make robes of glory out of squalid rags. This. man had the genius to make Cleopatras, and Sapphos, and Helens out of the freckled girls of the villages and fields-and he had the genius to make Auld Ayr, and Bonnie Doon, and Sweet Afton and the Winding Nith, murmur the name of Robert Burns forever. This man left a legacy of glory to Scotland and the whole world; he enriched our language, and, with a generous hand, scattered the gems of thought. This man was the companion of poverty, and wept the tears of grief, yet he has caused millions to shed the happy tears of joy. His heart blossomed in a thousand songs-songs for all times and all seasons-suited to every experience of the heartsongs for the dawn of love-for the glance and clasp and kiss of courtship-for'favors secret, sweet and precious'for the glow and flame-the ecstacy and rapture of married life-songs of parting and despair+ongs of hope and simple joy-songs for the vanished day-songs for birth and burial-songs for wild war's deadly blast-songs for gentle peace-songs for labor and content-songs for the spinning wheel, the sickle and the plow-songs for sunshine and for storm, for laughter and for tears-songs that will be sung as long as language lives and passion sways the heart of man."

Remorse

An engineer lost his wallet. A few days later he re:eived this letter: "Sir: I found your money. Remorz is nawing me, so a\m sendin surn of it bah. When it naws me agin, I will sen sum more."

Uselul Thoughts oI Uselul Men

"fn what he leaves unsaid I discover a master of style" -Schiller.

"We enjoy thoroughly only the pleasrlre that we give" -Dumas.

"Do not stir the fire with 3 5q7e1d"-Pythagoras

"Pity is best taught by fellowship in woe"-Coleridge

"Live with wolves, and you will learn to howl"-spanish Proverb

"An obstinate man does not hold opinions-they hold him"-Bishop Butler

"When flatterers meet the devil goes fe di11g1"-DeFoe

"Life is a flower of which love is the honey"-Victor Hugo

"The deeper the sorrow the less tongue it has"-Talmud

"Genius finds its own road and carries its own lamy''Willmott

"All power, even the most despotic, rests ultimately on opinion"-Hume

"Everyone can master a grief but he that hath it',Shakespeare

"Malice drinks one half of its own poison,,-Seneca

"Too low they build who build below the skies',-young

"He who purposely cheats his friend would cheat hils God"-Lavater

"Eloquence is logic an fi1s"-Lyman Beecher

"To reform a man, you must begin with his grandmother" -Victor Hugo

"Books are lighthouses erected in the great sea of time" -E. P. Whipple

"Ambition is not a vice of little people"-t\l[ontaigne

"Love gives itself ; it is not bought"-Longfellow

"All sunshine makes the desert"-Arab proverb

Poor Choice

Asked what he thought of the two candidates for the election, an enlightened voter replted: '.\Mell, when I look at them I'm thankful only one of them can get elected.,' Enchcnted Lcrnd

What exquisite enchanted land fs mine in sleep? Some moon-gilt strand

Where silver-throated mermaids sing

To waters palely murmuring?

The valley of a dappled streain

Where Pan is pleased to lie and dream

Or pipe the dryads from their shade

To worship in his reedy glade?

To what enchanted land f go, What long desire, I do not know.

But waking, yet f briefy keep

The ecstasy brought back from sleep, And briefly still my pulses stress

The echoed notes of happiness.

_Georgie Starbuck Galbraith