THE CALIFOR}.IIA LUMBERMERCHANT

Jack Dionne, publisttet

lncorporciod uder the lcwg ol Cclilomic l. C. Dioue, Pres. aqd Treas.; l. E. Mcrtia, Vice-Pres,; W. T. 3lccl, Sccrelcry Publisbed the lst cad lSth ol ecch boDtb qt 508-9-10 C.ntrst 8uildiag, 108 West Sixtb Streei, Los Argeles, Cclil., Telepboac VAadite 4565 Eatered qs Secoud-clcss nqttsr Sapl€mber 25, l92il, at the Post Ofiice ct Los Aageles, Calilomia, under Act oI Mcrch 3, 1879

Subgcription Price, $2.00 per Yecr Single Copies, 25 cents eacb

I-C)S ANGELES 14,

How Lrumber Lrooks

2?-Sawmills in the Douglas fir region of Oregon and Washington produced 4,109,429,Om bd. ft. of lumber in the first six months of 1948 to top 7947 first half output by over 37 million feet, according to H. V. Simpson, executive vice president of West Coast Lumbermen's Association.

Portland, Oregon, July

June u'eekly average production was 135,261,000 bd. ft., a drop of four million weekly below May sawmill totals, due, Simpson pointed out, to flood waters throughout the Columbia basin which closed a number of large producing mills. Most flood-damaged sawmills are now back in operation, after a five week shut down.

Principal concern of West Coast lumbermen today is a threatened freight .car shortage u'hich may slow down production during the late summer, Simpson said. The lumber executive was still optimistic that the 1948 West Coast lumber output would top last year's record 8,344,000,000 bd. ft. He assured the nation's construction and home building industry of an ample supply of constrnction grades of Douglas fir and West Coast hemlock to meet all their requirements.

The weekly average of West Coast lumber production in June was 135,261,000 bd. ft. or 87.0 percent of the 19421947 average. Orders averaged 134,566,000 b.f.; Shipments 138,452,000 b.f. Weekly averages for May were: Production 139,472,m0 b.f. (89.7Eo of the 1942-1947 average), orders 160,684,000 b.f., shipments 154,649,000 b.f.

Twenty-six weeks ol 1948, cumulative production 4,1@,-

429,0m b.f.-26 weeks 1947, 4,072,089,000 b.l.-26 weeks 1946, 3,924,740,0W b.f.

Orders for 26 weeks of 1948 break down as follows : Rail, 2,766,759,O00 b.f. domestic cargo, 731,208,W b.f., export, 188,110,000 b.f., local 470,927,0m b.f.

The Industry's unfilled order file stood at 7|3,4&,ffi0 b.f. at the end of June, gross stocks at 498,564,000 b.f.

The Western Pine Association for the week ended July 17, 95 mills reporting, gave orders as 73,874,W feet, shipments 55,798,000 feet, and production 67,578,N0 feet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 2M.976.000feet.

The Southern 10,81 units (107 feet, shipments feet. Orders on 233,000 feet.

Pine Association for the week ended July mills) reporting, gave orders as 12,776,000 74,007,N0 feet, and production 15,564,000 hand at the end of the week totaled 58.-

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association for the week ended Jtrly 3, 160 mills reporting, gave orders as 84,729,N0 feet, shipments 100,944,000 feet, and production 88,597,000 feet. Unfilled orders at the end of the week totaled 519._ 508,@0 feet.

For the week ended July 10, 160 mills reporting, gave orders as 63,691,000 feet, shipments 62,841,M0 feet, and production 57,266,0A0 feet. Unfilled orders at the end of the week totaled 516,530,000 feet.

Ed Fountain Lumber Co. Concentrates All Activities at So. Hooper St. Yard

Frank Bader, Lloyd Crandall, Dick Lloyd, Jess McCain, and Rex Workentine.

The yard has been completely paved. Sheds have been built to house the dry ldmber, and has sufficient mechanical eqiripment, lift trucks, carriers, etc. for quick service to dealers.

The company also operates a planing mill in the vicinity, which helps to speed up the dealers' special orders.

Reid and Wright Co. Starts Business in Fresno

A wholesale lumber and building material business has been organized by Reid (R. F. "Bob") and Wright (R. J. "Bob") Co., with headquarters at Fresno, Calif., and is now in operation.

Ed Fountcin

In order to improve service to dealers, and to centralize all the firm's activities, the Ed Fountain Lumber Company, has rebuilt and remodeled the office building at 6218 South Hooper Avenue, Los Angeles 1. The sales office, shipping office, accounting department, and all other activities will be centralized at this address starting early in August.

To improve telephone service both of the old numbers have been discontinued, and the nerv telephone number will be LOgan 8-2331.

The company operates a 'ivholesale distribution yard at this address, catering to the lumber dealers of Southern California, handling all West Coast softrvoocls, for immediate delivery from stock. In addition carload quantities are shipped direct from the mills. A stock of pressure-treated lumber in specified lengths is also carried at the yard. Ed Fountain Lumber Company represents a number of Northern California and Southern Oregon sarvmills, and operates its own planing mill, located near Medford, Oregon.

The company consists of a partnership of Ed Fountain, Doyle Bader, Dale Burns, Carl Myers, and Allan Young.

In the sales department the following salesmen represent the company in the various Southern California territories:

The warel-rouse and office are located at 314O California Aveune. Telephone is Fresno 2-2243. The new company will handle a complete line of building materials including lvall board, plywood, wire products, roofing, paints, millwork, and specialty items. The lumber department will conduct a jobbing business in uppers of all West Coast species, and also direct shipments from mills.

The new concern will cover the territory from Bakersfield to Stockton, and both Reid and Wright will personally call on dealers in the area. The management emphasizes that it will be a strictly wholesale organization, serving only the retail lumber and building material dealers in the territory.

Both principals are well known. Robert F. (Bob) Reid for the past three years has been Fir-Tex representative in tl-re same area, and is well known to the trade. Previous to military service he was associated with Fir-Tex of Northern California in San Francisco. He is president of the San Joaquin Valley Hoo-Hoo Club. He was a flight officer in the U. S. Army Air Force during the war.

Robert J. (Bob) Wright for the past two and a half years has becn executive vice president of the Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California. Prior to service in the U. S. Navy he served as field representative of the Association with headquarters in Fresno.

Among the manufacturers whose products will be carried rvill be The Paraffine Companies, and Fir-Tex of Northern California.