Do You Remember When?

An Old Timer* Looks Back on the Lumber Business in the Los Angeies of a Ouater Centuty Aso and More

YE OLD TYMER having duly read in the daily papers about various and sundry things which are to be inflicted on the long suffering business man; and having been disappointed for the steenth time in thinking that the sailors' and longshoremen's strike was going to be settled; and thinking too much of how good a cigar would taste after foolishly having been talked into swearing off the filthy habit on New Year's Day, says to himself, "Oh Hell, let's forget the whole mess and turn back again to the days of twenty-five years or so ago, when even a Republican had some rights; when there weren't any female barflies; when you knew who lived across the street; when you didn't have to drive a customer down to three docks, show him a dozen cars of lumber and end up in selling him a truckload; when the public considered they had some rights in the case of a strike; when there weren't any boulevard stops, or a business district every fourth or fifth street through a residence district; when you could get a stein of genuine Wurzburger or Pilsner beer for a dime, and a quart of seven year "Old Crow" for a dollar; and barber shops were for men. So my friends "Ye Old Tymer" presents:

The Higman Lumber Co., late of Hazen, Nevada, had a yard at 58th and Main Streets where Brown Higman had his headquarters along with his father; also at Florence Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard where our long time friend Jerome was cutting the proverbial fat pig; and a third yard at Manchester and Moneta Avenues (now Broadway) where C. O. DeCoo, Will Price and "Cass" Casler found plenty to do; later selling out their interests. In l9l7

Dave Woodhead bought both the Main Street and Florence Avenue yards. Brown then started the yard in what was called Sherman, now known as the Yost-Linn Lumber Co. Jerome went to Ranger, Texas, where he opened a yard, and later had a yard. at Oatman, Arizona, during the mining boom. Then later he started the yard on Exposition Boulevard with Frank Stitzer and Harry Bishop; and now the "White Spot." Old Timer considers Jerome one of the half dozen best salesmen in Southern California. Casler is with the Forestry service, Price and DeCoo have died.

F. P. Sappington, there my friends is a real veteran, for thirty-three years he has had his yard at El Monte. Do you know he is a full fledged M. D. ? Well, he is that ! Old Timer has kidded him for years about having oil lights in his office up until two years ago, but don't think for a minute that F. P. isn't up with the times. He bought a new Chrysler in Detroit last fall, drove it home, and going through Arizona, in places was barreling along at lO2 MPH.

If you're hunting a thrill, ask him to take you for a ride; he cured me in one treatment. He used to own the yard at Puente, now the Patten-Blinn yard, and A. G. Clabaugh has run that yard all these years.

Both of these yards were on Old Timer's list of customers and to show you how we sold lumber before we had autos to drive around; took the Salt Lake (now U. P.) morning train to Hudson Station, walked to Puente; then caught the S. P. train to Savanna (rvhere Kerchkoff-Cuzner have a yard now); for some reason only known to the S. P. this train wouldn't stop to let you off at El Monte, so you walked back to that town. Later in the day a S. P. train stopped at El Monte and you caught it back to L. A. Remember Harold Plummer, manager here for Union Lumber Company, and that Mercer car of his? Too bad he isn't with us any more.

W. D. Wise, a man who was a veteran here in Los Angeles, when Old Timer first began wearing out shoe leather calling on the trade. Walter used to sell the imported Alsen cement besides being tops in wholesaling lumber. When he confirmed an order every "i" was dotted and every "t" was crossed. Remember that $6,000 Stevens Duryea roadster of his-the under sides of the running boards were varnished and the exhaust pipe was enameled. He used to garage it at the P. E. garage where the colored boy had his instructions to wipe off the motor every day. Walter had his suspicions that it wasn't being done, so he laid a four-bit piece on top of the motor under the hood. That night the colored boy protested that he had wiped off the engine, so Walter raised the hood and showed him the four-bits.

Luke Brooks got his training under W. D. Wise. I saw W. D. only a few months ago.

Alta Planing Mill at 8th and McGarry Streets. Ralph Homann now in the contracting business, and Roy Arnold were the principals.

Pacific Coast Planing Mill, and no small plant either, at 6th and Mateo Streets. Red headed John Grifen; later moved to 48th Street and Santa Fe Avenue; then merged with Pacific Sash and Door.

F. W. Enderly, with headquarters at Riverside, where he owned the Pacific Lumber Co. (no relation to you Scotia). Also yards at Perris run by Miller; Elsinore with Frank Ware as manager-greetings to you Frank, you were a youngster when Old Timer knew you; and let's not forget Andy Ware of the Corona Lumber Co. Andy, I wonder if you remember when you and F. W. hearing I was going to drive to Santa Ana through the Canyon, made me promise to phone you when I got to Olive or you would send a searching party to look for me? Well, I got through, but I did hit a wooden bridge at 25 miles per hour only to find a 3x12 bridge plank was completely gone, bounced three feet (more or less) in the air and got across. Santa Ana Canyon in those days was some trip.

Well, just for a change, the Havward bar and their King David cocktail. Think I will have to drop in there tomorrow and see if they have them again, now that the 18th Amendment is out. That reminds me of the old Imperial Cafe, remember that one, and while we are at it how about Al Levy's at Third and Main Streets. Until a couple of years ago his old push cart that gave him his start was housed up in that cupola on the corner of the roof, you could see it from the street.

D. I. and F. U. Naftziger and their yard across from the P. E. Building with their big sign, "We skin them all" and then down below in small letters "in price." Later Naftziger started the yards at Burbank and Lankershim (North Hollywood to you) that Blanchard bought in 1911.

There you are my friends, hope it has given you something to think over.

* Name on request.

Celotex to Merchandise Thermax Products

The negotiations whereby The Celotex Corporation becomes exclusive sales agent of Thermax Structural Insulation and Absorbex Acoustical Corrective have just been completed between the Corporation and The Northwest Magnesite Company.

In announcing the completion of the arrangement, which becomes effective January 1, 1937, B. G. Dahlberg, President of The Celotex Corporation, stated:

"Thermax Structural Insulation and Absorbex Acoustical Corrective are distinctly different from Celotex both in physical properties and appearance. They have been marketed in the United States for a little over 5 years, and in Europe since 1918. Something over 300,000,000 board feet have been sold. Manufacturing facilities are located at Chewelah, Washington, in the heart of the source of their raw materials-timber and refined magnesite "srnsnl- insuring uniform economical production.

"R. E. Bennett, an executive of the former Thermax Division of The Northwest Magnesite Company, has joined The Celotex Corporation and is working on distribution arrang'ements to make these products more available to purchasers, which should result in a corresponding increase .in demand.

"The largest potential markets for Thermax lie in the construction of frame buildings, industrial roof decks, fireproof partitions, structural walls and ceilings, where insulation, structural strength and sound isolation are essential. Principal markets for Absorbex are in offices, public buildings and general business places, where acoustical correction, fireproofing and beauty are governing factors."

The general sales headquarters will be in The Celotex Corporation's main office at Chicago.