THE CALIFOR}.IIA LUMBERMERCFTANT

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How Lumber Looks

As we go to press negotiations continue between representatives of the shipowners and unions on the unsettled issues in the Pacific Coast maritime strike now in its eleventh week.

The executive committee of the Intirnational Longshoremen's Association met with negotiators of the Shipowners' Association of the Pacific on January 11 to discuss wages and working conditions on coastwise steam schooners with particular reference to the l'randling of cargoes of those vessels. The longshoremen constitute the largest of the unions on strike and it was the first time these two groups have met since the strike began on October 29.

Negotiations are also under way between the shipowners' committee and representatives of the American Radio Telegraphists' Association, Engineers' IJnion, and Marine Cooks and Stewards' Association.

Tentative agreements with the Sailors' Union of the Pacific and the Marine Firemen, Oilers, Wipers and Watertenders' Association w-ere reached by the shipowners a few weeks ago. The agreements were subject to ratification by members of the trvo unions but as yet they have not been ratified.

For the last business lveek of the year, ended January 2, and the ninth consecLltive week of the maritime shutdown, reports of 2OZ down and operating mills in Washington and Oregon to the West Coast Lumbermen's Association contir,ue to shorv drastic reductions in both productlon and shipments. These mills reported a total production of 60,$0,17A boarcl feet of lumber during the week, approximately the same volume as in the previous week; both periods containing holidays. The industry produced 36.8 per cent of its average rveekly cut during 1926-29. Shipments for tlre lveek rvere 61,963,421 feet.

Orders taken by these N2 mills of 82,813,768 board feet continrle, as in recent previous weeks, to be unusual in volume for the time of year. With around 60 per cent of the usual shipping outlets-to water markets-closed, most of the new business taken during the week, or 56,798,566 board feet, was for shipment by railroad. Domestic cargo orders-California and Atlantic Coast-totaled 15.193.014 feet. This represents business taken subject to termination of the strike.

The volume of rail trade orders coming to the industry continues to be heavy, the volume reported sold in this department during December being more than in any thirty-day period since 1929. As a result of active buying and shipping, rail stocks are extremely lolv in popular items.

The situation with the straight cargo mills or mills normally shipping most of their production by water remained unchanged to the close of the year. Operations at these plants and dependent logging camps were mostly closed or running on reduced schedules. The total loss in water production and shipments in the same period due to the strike is estimated by the Association at approximately 360,000,000 board feet.

The Western Pine Association for the week ended January 2,114 mills reporting, gave orders as 63,491,000 feet; shipments 52.603,000 feet; and production 37,788,000 feet. Orders were 68 per cent above production, and 20.6 per cent above shipments. Shipments were 39.2 per cent above production. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 333.772.Wfeet.

The California Redwood Association reported production of 13 mills for the week ended December 26 at 4.561.ffiO feet; shipments 4,O72,M feet, and new business 10,720,000 feet. Orders on hand at the end of the week were 57.906.000 feet.