WESTERN sAsH co. DOOR &

sth & Cypress Sts., Oahland-TEmpleban 84OO

Col. Sherrill Explains Plan for Handling SurplusLumber Stocks

Washington, D. C.,The following isa letter addressed by Colonel Fred G. Sherrill, Corps of Engineers, to J. Philip Boyd, director of the Lumber and Lumber Products Division of the War Production Board, in respect to the United States Engineers' handling of surplus lumber stocks:

"Regarding the question raised at the Lumber Industry Committee Meeting at WPB on Friday, December t0,1943, you are advised that on the 7th of September, 1942, the Office, Chief of Engineers instructed all of the Division Engineers within the United States, among other things as follows:

"Should any excess material (including lumber) be requi.red on another project, it should be transferred immediately to the proje'ct requiring it.

"On the 19th of June, 1943, Headquarters, Army Service Forces, instructed the Chiefs of the Technical Services to accept quantities of lumber excess to construction projects within the Corps of Engineers and instructed the Corps of Engineers, to transfer such lumber to the other technical services as follows:

"It is desired that the Chief of Engineers and the chiefs of technical services having installations requiring boxing and crating lumber develop necessary procedures for the transfer of excess lumber from Engineer projects to technical service installations. Such transfer will be effected without any reimbursement or transfer of funds for the cost of the property, handling', or transportation. The technical services will accept and utilize the lumber made available under this policy.

"During the month of July, immediately following the receipt of these instructions, the Corps of Engineers transferred to other branches of the Army, 19,674,934 FBM, having an estimated value of $869,828.82.

"Prior to this and in keeping with the instructions previously referred to under the date of Septemb er 7, 1942, this office addressed another communication to the Division Engineers under the date'of .December 24, 1942, requiring a monthly report of excesses, including lumber. Specific instructions were issued whereby advice of excesses in one Division be furnished all other Divisions, transfer of excesses between Divisions without reimbursement was authorized and a,check required of arising requirements against excesses in other parts of the country. This policy was formulated in September, 1942, looking toward the day when the'construction prog'ram as a whole would be completed.

"During this period, which might be termed the preparatorv stage for the war, the Corps of Engineers had, within the continental limits of the United States, over 16,500 projects with a total estimated cost of eleven and half billion dollars. I is natural that An operation of this immense character should have had accumulations of excess ma_ terials. It was of constant concern to this office that these excesses be disposed of by transfer between projects and to other agencies in the g.overnment in order that they might be put to beneficial use in the prosecution of thl