Lumber Survey ForecostsRise in Soles ond Production Despite Drop in Home Storts

Washington, D.C.- Despite prospects of a slight decline in home building next year, the lumber industry expects its output and dollar volume of gross sales to show a modest gain compared with 1959, according to a nationwide survey by the National Lumber Manufacturers Association.

Replies from nearly 500 lumber and wood product manufactuiers indicated they expect production next year to show a gain of 2.8/o, compared with 1959's expected total of about 36 billion board feet. Gross sales, according to a "weighted average" of replies, will increase 2.9/o, compared with 1959.

About nine out of ten producers responding to the survey expect their own production and gross sales figures next year to equal or exceed the level of 1959. Among 52 wholesalers and retailers polled separately, the consensus was also 9-to-1 that gross sales next year will match or surpass 1959.

Private non-farm housing starts next year, the survey indicated, will decline about 3/o-from an expected total of 1.35 million in 1959 to 1.3 million in 1960. Ninety-two percent of the survey's respondents predicted that 1960 housing starts will be at or below the level of this year.

Profits after taxes will be about the same as in 1959. Nearly three-fourths of the respondents expect their profit picture next year to be as good or better than 1959.

Production costs will show an increase ol 4/. compared with 1959.

Nearly three-fourths of the firms replying to the stlrvey expect lumber industry employment next year to remait.l substantially the same as in 1959.

Nearly ninety-four percent of the firms covered by the survey forecast that availability of logs and stllmPage next year will be "fair to good."

- Expenditures for new plants and equipment in the lumber industry will decline by 3.1/o in 1960.

On a board-foot basis, lumber consumption next year will be down about 2/o from 1959's expected total of 39.5 billion board feet.

Three-fifths of those expressing an opinion ou the issue expect the availability of mortgage money to be a problem next year.

The survey turned up this consensus on the outlook for 1960: l. Demand for lumber and wood products tion will decline approximately l/o.

2. Farm demand for lumber will be about ir-r coustructhe same as proclucts will

6. The use of lumber and wood products for the mantlfacture of containers will be ofi by nearly 2/o.

7. Demand for wood wall paneling will show a rise of 2%.

Respondents to the survey identified "tight credit" as the economic factor likely to have the greatest effect on the lumber industry next year. Other factors, in the order listed, were: (1) increased competition from other materials; (2) taxation; (3) inflation; (4) general business uncertainties ; (5) government regulations; (6) international developrnents.

Within the lumber industry itself, the factor expected to exert the greatest infuence on lumber prospects for next year is the increased cost of doing business.

Asked to suggest what action the National Lumber Manufacturers Association might take to bolster industry prospects for the coming year, lumber manufacturers gave top priority to "advertising, wood promotion, research and related activities." Respondents also urged the association to seek "improvements in the rnanagement ancl disposal of federal timber supplies."

The survey also asked producers of rnaterials competitive with wood to give their opinions on business prospects for the coming year. Generally, competitive producers were rnore optimistic than lnmbennen about their sales ancl profit crntlook for 1960.

Conodion Joins Forestry lob

Ronald William Stark, formerly agricultural research officer and associate forest biologist with the Division of Forest Biology, Canada Department "of Agriculture, has been appointed assistant professor and assistant forest entomologist at the University of California's Berkeley campus. He succeeds Arthur D. Moore, who resigned to accept an administrative position with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At Berkeley, Stark will teach a course in Forest entomology and direct an expanded program of research on bark beetles-pests responsible for the loss of pine timber in California averaging more than 300 million board feet per year since 1950.

New Point Mixer qf Buenq Pork Yqrd

The Buena Park Lumber & Hardware Company has added a color machine to its paint department. Many l.rundreds of new colors can be mixed by the new macl.rine in just a few seconds' time. Several members of the company staff, including Jack Avery, manager of the paint department, have attended paint school in order to better serve their customers.

SMOKEY BEAR. MAKES BR,OADWAY

After 15 years irr the woods, Smokey llear l-ras at last rnade ]lroachl'ay. From a rooftop on the comer of 49th Street anci Broaclu''ay-just up from Times Scluare-a huge hand-paintecl Smokey reminds the 1>assing throrrg that

& nenarnkt-Only yg csn PREUTilI ]ORTST TIRES!

"Only yorl can prevent forest nranclnrerrts : "Break matches, fires :rre out."

fires." anrl rel)eAts his ct-rrrrcrtrsh smokes. lrrtrl be srrre irll

Horv did the bear from the backwoocls nrake it to suclr a choice sl)ot on otre of the r,vorlcl's fanrorrs streets 7 '\ Iiorest Service spokesman s:rid it was done througli the good graces of the Aclvertising Council, Inc., arr<l an a<1vertising firrn u'hich 1>lans the yearly Sn.rokey camp:rig'rr.

Snrokey has alreacly rna<le Hollywood. A 65-foot Snrokey spectacnlar was prlt up alongsirle Wilshire borrlevard in Holly'rvoocl last -f uly. Tl're recent 14,000-acre fire in the Angeles National Forest, 11sa1 fhglq-worst fire of the year -is a grim reminder that folks shoulcl heed Smokey's message.

Truckee-Tqhoe lumber Converfs lo Mechqnicol Hqndling cr Tqhoe Ciry

The Tmckee-Tahoe Lumber Con.rpany, u,itl.r heaclquarters in Truckee, recently began a cornplete remodeling and faceliftirrg of its Tahoe City branch, inclucling convertirrg t1.re operatioll over to rnechanical harrcllirrg. Althorrgh locatecl in the cetrter of brrstling Olympic-rnirrclecl Tahoe City, a paving plalr ancl irrverrtory arrang'eme1lt has beert r.r'orked out to allou' all-l eather rrse of lift trucks in the yarcl.

A complete facelifting ancl paint job is currently in 1>rog- ress atrcl a store expatrsiotr and rer-no<lelirrg is planned for this conriug \\'irrter. Charles ll. Cross, Sr. is presiderrt of the organization ancl Charlie Cross, Jr. is secretary-treasrrrer ancl general nranager of the 'l'al.roe Cit1. oU".nat,rn.

long Beoch Furniture Co. Stqrted

Smith & llermigas has been startecl in f-oug lJeach to nranufacture occasional tables, accorcling to the listines of October. lto1 S. Srnith arrrl .Nlary Nlerrrrigas arc 1,r.,1rriit,,rs o{ the busirress at 1360 Rose Ave.

TPI Tollies 90 Yeqrs i ('ontinttttl ironr l,:rr:t I 1 ,i

,1rcr:rtirrg littt's ttortlrn:tt'<l ft',rnt S:ttr Iir:tttcisc,r. rvhilt' tlrt' S:rrrt:r lit' n':rs lookittq :rt tlr(' lrt':trt t,i tlrc rt'clu oorl rlistlict irst,li.

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Mill B looms up behind log pond ilop pholol; (onstruclion oI new deborking plont wos underwoy when this photo wos token. Now in operotion, il is ldrgest hydroulic borker in lhe world, hondles logs up to l2'width,45'lenglh ond 20 tons deod weighl. Fufnoces ond power plonl ore to the loft in <loseup cl Mill B (lowcr photo) r',,trrl :rrrrl tlrr' llr>t rnill rvlriclr rrr:rttui;rclrrr-t',1 rt'r1rr,,,,,1 :rt St'oti:r i()r- rnoIe 1lr:ur t\\ ('n1_\' \'rir.r':.

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Slrortl,r'lri1('r tll('.trrrt oi tlrt'trvt'rti<'tlr ('(,ntur'\'. tlrt S;rltlr Iit'li:Liln:L-v Cotttlxttt,r l)('g:tlt t() set'l<:r rotrtt'ir',,t1 Slrn lrrlLrr t'ist'o ittto tltt' ( )rt'gorr t('r'rrt{,t'-\, t:i1,1,i11- tlrt' t't'rlrr()o(l c()ulr tr\'('nr()ut('.'l'lrt'S,,rrtlrrrrr l':Lcillc I-irrts lcrc illt(,lt ()l 1ll(, s:irrre tlrirg. 'l'lrc l:Lttcr' \\'('r(' g:rtll('ring liglrtsoi u lL-r- rrrtrl of way south of Scotia to the farthest reaches of Pacific's timbei. As soon as it could be done, the railroad company disposed of the mills and timberlands which they did not need,and which they had no wish to operate.

Even before the redwoods had been seen by white men other than the Spanish padres, in 1833, Simon Jones Murphy hiked from his father's farm in Maine to the lumber Center of Bangor, on the Penobscot river. Only 18 years old, he got a job and a few months later formed a partnership to get out logs. The venture failed by reason of the partner's lack of integrity.

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But young Murphy got another job, and paid off the debts. Later he found two friends with whom he formed a working partnership which was to last a lifetime. These three logged out the last of the pine in Maine, moved to Michigan, where they spent many years in the sawmill business, and then on to Wisconsin and Minnesota.

As Simon Murphy was getting along in years, he began to devote himself to various outside interests, some of which took him into Arizona and Southern California. Here he came in touch with the Santa Fe people.

As a result of this meeting, he and his associates organized a new Pacific company, a Maine corporation, and purchased all the stock of the original Pacific Lumber Company. Thus the span from the Penobscot on the east to the Eel river on the west was completed.

\Arhile Simon J. Nlurphy had a predominant part in the