Fisher-Swartz Lumber Co. Modernazes Pfant Holds Open House

Fisher-Srvartz Lumber Co. of Santa Monica held open house the week of July 11-16 at its newly remodeled and trodernized lumber and building material plant.

Many people of the Santa Monica Bay District and other Southern California points visited the plant where President John W. Fisher and his staff showed them the new offices and the company's complete facilities for supplying all types of materials for new home construction and remodeling older residences.

The company's buildings and yard cover an area of approximately 60,000 square feet, extending from 14th Street to lTth St. on Colorado Avenue. An addition, 10 feet by 32 feet, u'as made to the office building. The former office, rvhicl.r u'as orig'inally one large room, has been divided and partitoned off into a general office, private office, bookkeeping and harclware departmenis. The rooms are attractively finished rvith Knotty Pine 'ivainscoting in natural color, and USG Weatherwood of various designs in ivory color was used for the walls and ceilings. The floors are White Oak.

The counter in the general of6ce is Knotty Pine rvith White Oak top.

One of the first things that catches the eye on entering \Ir. Fisher's private office is a desk name plate presented to him by Carl J. Hanson, secretary of the Bay District Lumbermen's Instilute, who made it himself of l2l separate pieces of wood. This unique desk ornament contains 76 <lifferent kinds of tropical ancl domestic l.rardrvoods from 19 countries. All .ivoods are in their natural colors. No nails or brads are used. The name, John W. Fisher is inlaid on each side and his initials on each end.

The countries from rvhich the woods calne are: Unitecl States, Philippine Islands, Honduras, Siam, Nicaragua, Brazil, India, Africa, Japan, Canary Islands, Austr-alia, Bolivia, lfexico, England, Guaternala, Chili, Burma and Guam.

United States woods used were Black Walnut, Dogrvood, Holly, Almond, Myrtle, Grapefruit, Apple, Green poplar, Yerv, Orange, Olivc. Honey l-ocnst, Nlanzanita, Sycamore, Sap Gum, C)sage Orarrge, Bay Boxrvood, Mt. N{ahogany (Arizona Irorrwood) and Beech.

John W. Fisher, president of the company, has been associated rvith the lumber business for the past forty-three years, his first job being in a lumber yard at Taintor, Iowa. After thirteen years of managing yards in that state, he went in business for himself in Centerville, Iowa, in 1908, when he bought the R. W. McConn Lumber Co., changing the name to Fisher Lumber Co. When he sold this yard, the owners retained the name Fisher Lumber Co. and today it is one of Iowa's progressive lumber concerns.

After selling his business interests in the East, Mr. Fisher came to Southern California, and in 1920 started the Century Lumber Co. at Long Beach. He sold the yard to Ross E. Hall in 1923 who operates it under the same name.

Mr. Fisher opened a yard in Santa Monica in 1923 with Frank and H. J. Alley, operating it as Alley Bros. Lumber Co. He bought out the Alley Brothers in 1925, who now have a yard at Santa Monica. Later Mr. Fisher took in Bert Wilberg and Geo. N. Swartz as partners, changing the firm name to Wilberg-Swartz Lumber Co. He bought Mr. Wilberg's interest in May, 1935, and since then the company have been known as Fisher-Swartz Lumber Co.

Mr. Fisher is a member of the Rotary Club, National Appraisers Society, and Southern District Executive Committee of the California Retail Lumbermen's Association.

Geo. N. Swartz, his partner, is secretary of the Harbor District Lumber Dealers' Association with offices in Long Beach. Before coming to Southern California, Mr. Swartz was with Morrison-Merrill & Co. of Salt Lake City, as general manager of the Tri-State Lumber Co. with headquarters in St. Anthony, Idaho.

The company's staff of employes has been with them many years. W. E. Moss, an outside contact man, has been associated with Mr. Fisher since 1908 when he started his yard at Centerville, Iowa. O. C. Leighton, credit manager, and C. A. Laughlin, of the shipping department, have been 'ivith the firm for fifteen years, and Thomas J. Fox, assistant to Mr. Fisher, for a number of years. Roberta Leighton is bookkeeper and stenographer.

Mr. Fisher is president of the Century Federal Savings and Loan Association of Santa Monica, which was founded in 1927. Geo. N. Srvartz is first vice-president, and I; F. Noxen. a former lumberman. is secretarv.