THE CALIFOR}.IIA LUMBERMERCHANT JackDiorne,ptblishu HowLrumber Irooks

'fhere is no change in the CIO longshoremen's strike which has tied up West Coast shipping, and as we go to press on October 12 the strike is in its 41st day with no settlement in sight. There are 190 vessels tied up in the West Coast ports.

Portland, Oregon, September 30-West Coast sawmills seem headed for new peace time records in lumber output, orders and shipments, according to Harris E. Smith, secretary of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, as he reported regional accomplishments for the first eight months of 1948.

The 1505 sawmills in the Douglas fir region of rvestern Oregon and Washington reported production totals for the first 34 weeks of l94B of 5,792,259,000 bd. ft., Smith said. Orders of 5,736,285,000 bd. ft. u'ere almost identical with lumber produced, and up 10 million feet over last year for the same period. Lumber shipments exceeded both orders and production, totaling 5,820,809,000 bd. ft.

Irrability of ivater mills to ship by boat and a continuing shortage of railroad cars for tl.re next two months may cut into shipments, Smith said, and could cause mill stoppage where storage facilities become over-crowded. Mills report they are in the best position since the war to supply lumber needed for the nearly 950,000 new homes which will be built in the U. S. this year.

The weekly average of West Coast Lumber Production in August was 185,664,000 board feet or I17.6% of the 19421947 average. Orders averaged 165,001,000 board feet;

Shipments 177,751,000 board feet. Weekly averages for July were: Production 151,848,000 board feet (96.1/o ot the 1942-7947 average) Orders 156,182,000 board feet; Shipments 154,004,000 board feet.

Thirty-four weeks of 1948 cimulative production 5,792,259,0N board feet, thirty-four weeks ol 1947,5,585,551,000 board feet, thirty four weeks of 1946, 5,247,036,W board feet.

Orders for thirty-four weeks of 1948 break down as follows: Rail 3,984,173,000 board feet. Domestic Cargo 839,32I,OOO board feet. Export 259,962,0n board feet. Local 652.829.OO0 board feet.

The industry's unfilled order file stood at 630,124,000 board feet at the end of August. Gross stocks at 702,271,000 board feet.

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