THE CALIFOR}.IIA LUMBERMERCHANT

JackDiornne,prblishm

How Lumber Looks

Douglaa Fir.-Production of lumber by millr reporting to t'he West Coast Lumbermen'r Asrociation, declined to 40.36 per cent of capacity for the week ended December 20. This is the lowert volume reported for a rix-day week, according to the Arsociation, lince during the storm period inFebruary. In these eix days the ind'ustry produced but slightly more than during the five-day weeks including Thanksgiving and Labor Day.

In the 30-week period gince the week ended May 24, 352 mills have operated at 46.49 per cent of capacity' which has resulted in over one and one-half billion feet being cut from production. The decrease represents over twelve weeks prod'uction, at the present rate of cutting, for the entire industry in the Douglas fir region of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

Mill inventories have been reduced 4.94 p* cent dur' ing the past 3O weeks. Continued reduction of production from now until after the New Year is anticipated by the Association and further decreaser in inventories are expect' ed. Stocks are badly broken with popular yard items increasingly difficult to obtain.

Production, orders and shipments at 228 mills for the week ended December 2O were reported ar follows: Pro' duction 103,485,695 feet, Shipmentr 112,062,807 feet' Orders 102,1751902 feet. Ordere wete 1.27 per cent under production, and shipments 8.29 per cent over the output.

Details of orderg and shipmentr as reported by these 228 mills follow: Orders-Rail 34,O06,816 feet; Domestic Cargo 46,675,829 feet; Export 13,513,711 feet; Local 7r979;546 feet. Shipmenta-Rail 29,828,949 feet; Domertic Cargo 52,558,880 feet; Export 2l'6951432 feet; Local 7'' 979,546 feet.

California wholesalerr r€port that the Fir market has shown some improvement during the past two weekr, and although the demand is seasonal, pricer have shown aome strengtl due to the heavy curtailment at the mills and the difficulty in buying lumber. There ir more firmness in pricer at the mills as production is down so low that it ir now

JOHN OLSON AND E. B.CULNAN Vrsrr SAN FRANCISCO

Iohn Olson and E. B. Culnan, Chas. R. McCormick Lumber Co., Los Angeles, have returned from a short business trip to San Francisco where they were visitors at the 'company's San Francisco office.

balanced with the demand. Curtailment during tte past two weeks at the mills has been heavy, and it is repofted that many millr, both rail and cargo, which went down prior to Chrirtmac will nbt rerume operationr until the market shows an improvement. Unsold stockr on the public doclrr at San Pedro totaled 9,435,0OO feet on Deccmber 24, a dight reduction over two weekr ago. 58 lumber versels in the California service are laid up.

The Californie White and Swar Pine Manufactureru Association for the week ended December 13 reported production jrom 24 mille as 8,271,000 fee! shipments 13r3lOrOOO feet, and orders 12,476r(XX) feet. For the week ended December 13, the California Redwood Acsociation reports production from 12 mills as 5,720,OOO feet, shiP' ments SrZga,OOO feet, and orders 4r9O8rO00 feet. The CalL fornia demand for Pine and Redwood is seasonal, due to inventory time, but an improvement in the market is looked for after the firrt of the year as the yards are going into the Nerp Year with only moderate stocks. Prices are rteady. al|ssil&84*!iA

The relationship of shipmenta and orders to production for the first 50 *etke of 1930, as reported by the regiorpl ascociations to the Nationd Lumber Manufacturerr Auociation, follows:

West Coart Lumbermen's A,ssociati6l-p1s{qction 6'' 961,216 M feet; Shipmentr 6,786,623 M feet; Orderr 6'' 826,498 M feet.

California White and Swar Pine Manufacturers Arcocia' fie1-p1s{uction 905,849, M feet; Shipments 958'142 M feet; Orden 935'829 M feet.

California Redwood [ssesistiqn-production 329'335 M feet; Shipmenta 298,901 M feet; Orders 300,269 M feet.

Southern Pine Ascociation-Production 21654'349 M feet; Shipmentr 2,509,437 M feet; Orders 2,468,626 M feet.

Total Hardwoods-Production 1,818,050 M feet; Shipmentr 1,619,465 M feet; Orders 1'524,895 M feet.

Iv\/.

F. O'KEEFFE RETURNS FROM TEXAS TRIP

W. F. O'Keeffe, Watertite Casement Hardware Co., Los Angeles, has returned from a business trip to Texas, .*hgl. he f,as spent the past five months calling on the trade. He reports that he covered the entire state and had a very successful trip.