Son Froncisco Hoo-Hoo Plqn Lorgest Porty for the

Kids

Plarx are now being finalized for what should be, according to President Gay Bradt, the largest and best San F.rancisco Hoo-Hoo club annual Christmas Party ever sired by Club 9 (which has produced a series of outstanding events in this department).

The traditional luncheon and Christmas party for 50 boys and girls from the San F-rancisco Boys Club will again be held in the popular downtown setting of the San Francisco Elks Club on December 20, and it is anticipated that some 200 lumbermen. their wives and secretaries will attend the event.

Because timing is important, members and guests are urged to be on deck for the refreshments at 11:29 a.m., the arrival of the junior citizens at 12 Noon, and the Christmas banquet with the kids at L2:29 p.m. Entertainment for the kids, big and litfle alike, will began at 72:45 p.m. sharp, followed by the ..44in gygnf"-4 personal visit from Santa (what else?).

This year's show will be patterned after the club's highly successful previous parties: special seating up by the stage for the kiddies, a good, fast-moving children's show, a personal chat with Santa and a g'ift for each kiddie (which should pretty well tally with 50 little letters written earlier this vear).

Building Costs Rise I o/o in Six-Month Period

Construction costs in the United States (excluding Alaska and Ha'i/aii) rose another 7/e between April and October of this year, according to Myron L. Matthews, manager-editor of the Dow Building Cost Calculator. Coupled with a LVo increase reported for the six-month period prior to April, this means that construction costs have increased 2/o during the past 12 months.

T'his increase is based on an averaging of building materials prices and hourly wage data sampled in 144 metropolitan areas throughout the country. Other elements of cost taken into consideration include design, taxes, insurance, money and competitive conditions.

Looking to the future, Mr. Matthews forecasts an annual increase of from 3 to 4% in construction costs in 1961.

Commenting on the building-costs increase in the April to October 1960 period, Mr. Matthews explained, ,,Generally, it takes $2.61 to buy and assemble the materials today that 91.00 did in 1941. This means that the 1941 building dollar is worth only 38 cents today.

"The $7500 'dream house' of 19 years ago would cost g19,b?b to put up today. An industrial plant costing $2b0,000 to build in 1941 would cost 9652,000 to duplicate today. Office buildings in the current $25 per square foot class were available for less than $10 in 1941," he added.

Labor costs went up between one and 7yo in7]r7 of the 144 costsalnpling areas, dropped 7% in one area, and remained unchanged in 26 areas.

Belter Fire-fighting Methods Seen

Governor Eldmund G. Brown has contacted Secretary of Defense Thomas S. Gates, Jr., to secure authorization for the 314th Air F'orce Reserve Troop Carrier Squadron at McClellan F.ield. near Sacramento, to assist the California Division of F.orestry in the movement of fire-fighting: crews and specialized equipment during emergencJ, situations.

At the present time, the Division of F.orestry is staffed and equipped to meet "average bad" forest-fire emerg'encies. When extreme conditions occur, such as those which were experienced dur- lng the past two fire seasons, outside help must be secured if California's resources are to be adequately protected, according to State E orester F rancis H. Raymond.

When Governor Brown's efrorts to utilize Colonel Mailey's C-11g "flying boxcars" are realized, fully equipped 18-man crews with stakeside trucks for ground transportation, loaded fire trucks with crew, complete fire camp units, or small bulldozers can be taken to within one hour's driving time of any wildfire in the area of responsibility of the California Division of Forestry.

Protection of California's forests and wildlands becomes more important as the demands on these areas increase with the rapidly expanding population. As the values become greater, the increased use of wildlands makes the protection problems inflnitely more difficult. "Only the highest type of cooperation of all levels of government and all organizations interested in the use and develop- ment of California's wildland areas will insure adequate protection of this state's abundant natural resources.,' said State Forester Raymond.