San Diego Case Attracts Nation-Wide Attention

A case that has just come to a close in the Los Angeles courts has been of considerable interest to the lumbermen of California and in fact has attracted nation-wide attention. The suit was filed bv the Crystal Pier Amusement Company of San Diego against " Lo. Angeles company. This latter company took a contract to build the Crystal Pier, using creosoted piling. The Pier Comp,any claims that instead of using creosote the defendants used a mixture of cresylic acid and ordinary petroleum or fuel oil. In any event, after two years, the piling have been so eaten up by marine borers that the pier has been conclemned as unsafe.

The trial of the case required four months of taking testimony. Charles MacDonald Kerr, Field Engineer of the American Preservers' Association, who has been in Los Angeles for the past two months, together with many other experts from various parts of the country, testified at the trial. In his testimony in court, Mr. Kerr said in part:

"Out of the maze of experimentation and long-time service records, tu'o preservatives for rvood have successfully stood the acid te.st of time. while clozens of others hav-e been discarded because of failure to meet the requirements.

"These two preservatives are coal-tar creosote and zinc chloride salt. While these two preservatives contain in a marked degree all of the requisites of a satisfactory preservative, their use covers. in the main. separate fields. Bv

South Coast To Have New Lumber Business

Facilities for the operation of a first class modern lumber 1'ard at Capistrano Beach, California, the scene of much building activity, are now under construction and will cost approximately $50,000, according to reports received from San Ju'an Capistrano. The new firm is to be known as the Wales-Smith Building Material and Supply Company. Eclward Neary of Los Angeles, formerly with E. K. Wood Lumber Company for many years, is to be manag'er of this ner,l' enterprise.

permanency is meant that the preservative shall remain indefinitely in the wood and at the same time retain its toxic value. Coal-tar creosote meets the requirements better than any other knorvn preservative. Zinc chloride salt possesses the necessary toxic value required of a preservative, but lacks the permanent feature contained in creosote under extreme exDosure.

"Experience has conclusively demonstrated the fact that there is no substitute or alternate material that can supplant creosote," Mr. Kerr declared.

W. B. Wickersham, Chas. R. McCormick Lumber Co., Los Angeles; H.A. Browning, Los Angeles; Gardner Pond, J. H. Baxter Co., Los Angeles; Chas. E. Sims, formerly rvith the Los Angeles Harbor Department; A. E. Maehl, Assistant Purchasing Agent for Los Angeles County; O. F. Cooley, Assistant Road Commissioner for I os Angeles County; Ralph H. Rarvson, Consulting Timber Engineer, Portland, and A. A. Brown, Chief Engineer, American-Hawaiian Srrgar Co., San Francisco, were among' those who were called on to testify at the trial.

In speaking of the suit, a prominent Southern California lumberman stated: "The fundamentals back of the case involve the question of dealers' liability with particular reference to the sale of creosoted materials, which at the preseht time are occupying so much of our attention."

The presiding judge has the matter under advisement and will soon render his decision in the case.

L. E. KING IN CHARGE OF HAYWARD YARD

L. E. King, formerly of the Hammond Lumber Company at Orange, Cal., and more recently of the Blue Diamond Materials Company, Los Angeles, has accepted ,the management of the Hayrvard Lumber Company a[ Oceanside, Cal., follorving the resignation of Roy Envoldsen.

GIRTH G. BEYER BACK FROM SAN FRANCISCO

Girth G. Beyer, Los Angeles representative for Sudden & Christenson, is back on the job after spending the Christmas holidays in San Francisco.

THE L. W. BLINN LUMBER COMPANY

Lumber Mill WorL

Sach & Doorl

Nailr

Roofrng Cernent

Plarter Wall Board

Everything in the Building Line

Any lumberman can \rrite a sermon on this text.

!7e believe that giving the Building Public the right material for his intanded purpose is the acme of sarvice to every branch of the lumber trade as vell as to the public.

The right material means Redvood for exteriors from foundation line to ridge pole, for interiors, for farm use generally, and for many industrial lines.