Sqn Diego's Old Dirie Lumber Compony

To Consolidote With Airline Lumber Compqny Jonuory I As Dixieline Lumber Co.

The following t'"vo announcelnents rvere sent out earller this month by the respective San Diego retail lumber comDanles:

"special Announcement to Our Good Friends and Customers-We of Airline Lumber Co. are indeed happy to announce joining forces with the Dixie Lumber and Su-pply Co. This iucce.sful consolidation has norv been completed and rvill be effective January 1, 1958. The nerv firm namc will be Dixieline I.umber Co., 4009 Rosecrans; CYpress 8-987r."

And the other reads:

"special Announcement to Our Good Friends and Customers-Af ter 44 years in North Park, the Dixie Lumber and Supply Company r'vill discontinue business at ottr present l,,citlon , 3925 Ohio St., as of Friday, December 27 ' 1'957Ho'il,ever, we are h"ppy to inform you that n'e u'ill mergg our business, which lncludes our complete organization of experienced and faithful employes, with the Airline Lumbei Co. As of January 2, 1958,'rve rvill be open for business at our nerv location,4009 llosecrans St., under the nerv firm name, Dixiel-ine Lun.rber Company. The offrcers and employes of Dixie wish to express sincere appreciation to you and hope that u'e rvill have the privilege of serving you in the future and shall do onr rltmost to merit your continued business and friendshio."

Behind the bare a.ri.r,ru.rcements of the merger of these trvo respected and successful retail lumberyards, The CALIFORNIA LUMBER MERCHANT has learned the follorving facts and the pattern for the yards' future retail l)uslness :

The Dixieline Lumber Comoanv is a consolidation of all assets of Airline and Dixie, the former trvo separate yards. Art Jensen and Dick Gurney, tr,vo cif the three orvners of I)ixie Lumber ancl Supply Co., rvill sell their interests in Dixie to ISill Corvling and, in turn, will keep the real estate ancl some other fixed assets in lieu of their stock in Dixie. This n'ill leave Dealer Cou'ling and his family the sole owners of Dixie Lumber and Supply and, after that, the two retail comoanies rvill consolidate.

Artllur C. Jet-r.etr as president, and Richard H. Gurney as r-ice-president of l)ixie have long been associated rvith the retail lumber firm and are u'ell knrirvn throughout the Iun-rber industry in Southern California. They are both reported expecting to retire as soon as this deal is completed but both are vitallv interested, and doing all possible, in giving the rren. DiiieLine a good start. and their cooperation has been a tremendous helo to Dealers Bolt Sutton and Bill Cou'ling, tlrey told The llerchant.

Cowling and Sutton New Offrcers

William S. Cou'ling rvill become president of Dixieline Lumber Co. He rvas secretary of Dixie Lumber and Supply Clo. and had been manager since going to San l)iego in 1926. FIe t'as earlier employed by Hammond Lumber Co.

Robert M. Sutton rvill be vice-president an<l general manager of the merged firms into Dixieline.

\\rilliam S. Cowling, Jr., r.vill be the secretary-treasurer and assistant manager'of the retail yard.

New Facilities Underway

General and sales offices rvill be located at the present Airline yard, rvl.rere the dealers r.vill soon complete a new 30x100 rnill and storage building, a new 6Ox57 finish shed, and a neu' 26x85 store building-all of which rvill be shorvn in these columns when completed. Bob Sutton feels the additions u'ill make Dixieline one of the best-equipped retail vards in Southern California in one of the most modern ind up-to-date plants.

A11 full truckloads or job lots 'ivill be delivered from the 28th street yard of Dixie Lumber at the foot of tlie 28th street pier. This property is approximately 2l acres and has a ihed about 12,500 sq. ft. plus a modern, attractive shipping office (no sales are made at this location).-There is a -3-car spur on the property so the dealers can handle either cargo or carload lumber economically.

Personnel of both yards is being kept intact as much as possible in the consolidation, with the follorving depart-

(Continued on Page 58)