New Los Alamitos Plant for Big Ben Provides Greatly Increased Production

f| IG BtrN SASH and Door Company, L, in a recent move to a llew location, has greatly expanded its plant and rnill capacities to keep up with Southern California dealers' increasing demands for its products. Site of the new plant is at 3311 Sausalito Street, I-os Alamitos.

The Big Ben facility covers some 40,000 sqrlare f eet. Among the new buildings are two warehouses constructed by San Antonio Pole Con- struction Company. For fast and effrcient materials handling, the plant has its own railroad spur which accommodates three cars. The Los Alamitos Iocation in the Greater Los Angeles central industrial district provides easy eccess to all areas.

Owner Ben Slater and his son. Marvin, don't have much time to relax in their modern and comfortable offices. for they are continually on the go in the discharge of their management and production duties. Visitors and the congenial staff, however, can enjoy the pleasant working atmosphere, comfortably air conditioned and attractive with its polished redwood paneling.

Marv Slater explained the reasons for the move as being. "To provide better service to our customers, to combine our mill and manufacturing system at one central location and to increase production capacity."

The new production facilities provide for the manufacturing of a minirnum of 30,000 jambs per month. This figure does not include the capacitv fdr 15.000 door frames, sliding door frames and window frames.

The firm's specialty is the Glidetnaster Pocket sliding door frame arrd u'ardrobe unit. The Slaters have recently added the new line of fringe joint jambs and exterior pine frames.

The new plant has facilities for treating wood by-products with Houston Waterproofing. Ben Slater stated that all production will be treated with the Houston compound within the very [ear tuture.

Rig Beq operates for wholesale distribution only. Delivery is made to the job site for the dealer and also directly to the yard. Fast and efficient service is maintained with six pieces of rolling equipment.

Ben and Marv Slater have been in the lumber industry at all levels from sales to manufacturing since 1944. The firm is one of the recognized pioneers in the wood by-products business rvhich came into being after World War II, to take care of the expanding brrilding needs of the ever-growing Southern California population.

Covering the Southern California territory for Big Ben is sales manager llod Wilson. who has been in the lurnber business since he was "knee high."

Commenting on the expanded facilities, he said, "This will greatly speed up production and service."

An open house is planned for the first of the year so that customers may visit Ben, Marv, Rod, and the other rnembers of the staff. and become ac- quainted with the new permanent plant and its production capacities.

Ernie Bocon Monoges Alpho Plywood

Veteran plywood operator Ernie Bacon was named manager of Alpha Plywood Corp., 2295 Junipero Sierra Boulevard, Daly City, on October 15. Although he more recently had been located in Southern California, Bacou has spent over 25 years in northern California and has a host of friends at all levels of the plywood industry.

Corp., Willits, California.

A charter member of Dubs, Ltd., and an active member of both Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club 39 and San Francisco Hoo-Hoo Club 9, Ernie will soon be rejoining the ranks of northern California's lumber fraternity.

J. K. O'Neill Now Owner O'Neill ond Ellis, lnc.

J. K. O'Neill has announced that he has purchased the interests of C. C. Ellis in O'Neill and Ellis, Inc., wholesalers and jobbers of West Coast forest products, with sales office yard in Campbell, California.

Mr. Ellis is no longer with the firm.

Mr. O'Neill states that the firm will operate under the same name and management, and will continue to emphasize the promotion of lumber in the components direction.

Morlite Soles Aids Avqilqble

For 16 years Bacon covered the Northern California territory for the Fir-Tex Division of Dant & Russell and was area sales manager at the time the company was purchased by Blyth & Co., Inc. He then joined the Fairhrrrst Lumber organizition and for five years headed sales for Fairhurst Plywood Sales and Industrial Plywood

An advertising folder, showing the 15 ad ,mats and 6 radio spot commercials available to Marlite dealers, has been prepared by Marsh Wall Products. Mats illustrating how Marlite can be used to renovate a kitchen, bathroom, recreation room, dinette and living room are included in the folder. Drop-in logotypes for insertion in local advertising also are included. The mats and radio scripts are available without charge to Marlite dealers from the Advertising Department, Marsh Wall Products, Inc., Dover, Ohio.

The Fool's Proyer

The royal.feast was done; the King Sotgfrt:some new sport to banish care, And to'his jester said: "Sir Fool, Kneel thou and make for us a prayer."

The jester doffed his cap and bells, And stood the mocking court before, They could not see the bitter smile, Beneath the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head and bent his knee Upon the monarch's silken stool, His pleading voice arose, "Oh Lord Be merciful to me, a fool.

No pity, Lord, could change the heart From red with rvrong to white as wool, The rod must heal the sin, But Lord, be merciful to me, a fool.

"'Tis not by guilt, the onward s\,\'eep Of truth and right, Oh I-ord, we stay,

These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust Amid the heart strings of a friend.

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept, Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung, The word we had not sense to sarr. Who knows how grandly it had'rung?

Our faults no tenderness should ask, The chastening stripes must cleanse them all, But for our blunders-oh in shame

Before the eyes of heaven we fall.

"Earth knows no balsam for mistakesMen crown the knave, but scourge the tool That did his will; but Thou, Oh Lord, Be merciful to me, a fool."

The room was hushed, in silence rose The King, and sought his gardens cool, And walked apart, and murmured low, "Be merciful to me. a fool."

Generolly True

Even the most Puritanical man will admit the stories and reminiscenses told by a profligate, are ever so much more interesting than those told by a prude.

Robert Burns

What Raphael is to color, what Mozart is to music, that Burns is to song. With his sweet words, the mother soothes her child, the lover woos his bride, the soldier wins his victory. His biographer says his genius was so overmastering that word of his arrival at the village inn drew farmers from their fields, and at midnight arvakened travelers, who left their beds to listen delighted until morn.

One day this child of poverty and obscurity left his plow behind, and entering the drawingrooms of trdinburgh, met Scotland's most gifted scholars, her noblest lords and ladies. Mid these scholars, statesmen and philosophers he blazed "like a torch among the tapers," showing himself wiser than the scholars, wittier than the humorists, kinglier than the courtiers. And yet, in the very prime of his manhood, Burns lay down to die, a broken-hearted man. He had sinned much, suffered much, and being the victim of his own folly, he was also the victim of ingratitude and misfortune. Bewildered by his debts he seems like an untamed eagle, beating against the bars he cannot break.

The last time he lifted his pen upon the page it was not to give immortal form to some exquisite lyric he had fashioned, but to beg a friend in Edinburgh the loan of ten pounds to save him from the terrors of a debtor's prison. By contrast with the lot of other worthies Robert Burns seems to have been the child of good fortune. In the last analysis the blame is with the poet himself. Not want of good fortune without, but rvant of good guidance within, wrecked his youth. Save Saul alone, history holds no sadder tragedy than that of Burns, who sang "the short and simple annals of the poor."-Nlgwell Dwight Hillis.

Annusl Ooklond Hoo-Hoo Glub

Christmos

Porty llef for Dec. l8

Earle Bender, chairman of this year's Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club 39 Christmas Party, has announced that the annual event will be held at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley on December 18. As in recent years, the party will be for the "big boys" only and will feature an exchange of "presents" after the banquet. Although presents cannot exceed $1.50 in cost, there certainly were some real "gems" handed out last year. It's all in fun, so bring a present . or pay your fine to Santa.

On the serious side of the program, Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club 39 will donate a lump sum to either the California School for the Blind, or the California School for the Deaf and Dumb. A speaker from one of these schools will be on hand to describe how the club's donation was used to bring a little Christmas cheer into the lives of several of the more unfortunate of these handicapped children.

| 52nd for Dubs

Brian Bonnington was host for the 152nd monthly golf tournament of Dubs, Ltd., held at Orinda Country Club, October 20. Over 30 members and guests enjoyed a course in excellent condition, fine weather-but, according to reports of higher scores, perhaps a game just a shade off.

First flight winners were Rog Schuyler, net 74; Ralph Bowman, Sr., net 75; and Geo. Monnier, net 77.

Second flight: Roy Sjolund, net 70; Tom Jacobsen, net 72; and Hugo Miller, net 73.

Third flight : Bill Leonard, net 64; Ed French, net 7l : Bill Bonnell and Al Soulages, net 75 each.

Guests: Brian Bonnington, gross 82; Howard Russell, gross 94; and Weldon Richards, gross 106.

Bowman's son, Ralph, Jr., a new member, was awarded a humorous prize for accomplishins (?) a score of 110, the day's high. His award-a green plastic golf ball affixed to a tee, carrying the legend, "A chlorophyl golf ball for a stinking golfer."

A fine steak or lobster dinner preceded the meeting and presenting of awards.