Liberty Ship '5.S.A. B. Hammond" Honors Pioneer Lumberman

Named for a lumber industry leader, one of the great business pioneers of the West, the S.S. A. B. Hammond, a 10,500-ton Liberty ship slid from the building ways of the California Shipbuilding Corporation's yard at Wilmington, Calif., January 21. The vessel was the 319th to be placed in the water by Calship.

Mrs. Leonard C. Hammond, wife of the president of Hammond Lumber Company and Hammond Shipping Company, and daughter-in-law of Mr. A. B. Hammond, broke the traditional bottle of champagne on the cutwater of the vessel. Mrs. Paul Hallingby, wife of Paul Hallingby, executive of Hammond Lumber Company, Los Angeles, was matron of honor.

Andrew B. Hammond was a Montana pioneer. Ife played a big part in the development of the Pacific Coast lumber industry, built railroads, and was owner of one of the largest fleets of lumber cargo ships on the Pacific Coast. It is interesting to recall that it was Mr. Hammond who introduced large steel steamers to replace the small wooden lumber carriers. He built the first steel lumber ship, the "Francis H. Leggett," at Newport News, Va., in 1903, and placed it in the coastwise service between Eureka and San Diego.

Mr. Hammond was born in St. Leonards, N.B., Canada, on July 22, 1848. He came West to Missoula, Montana, in 1867, at the age of 19. There he organized the Missoula Mercantile Company, the First National Bank and the Blackfoot Mill Company. As a further outlet for his abilities he built the Bitter Root Valley and Philipburg Railroads, which afterwards became a part of the Northern Pacific Railroad.

He went to Oregon in 1895, and became the associate of Collis P. Huntington, the railroad builder, the Mark Hopkins Estate and John Claflin of New York, in the construction, ownership and management of the Astoria and Columbia Railroad, which connected Astoria with Portland, and in the acquisition of the railroad from Yaquina Bay through

Corvallis to Mill City, Oregon, where one of the Dougla; fir mills of the Hammond Lumber Company was located.

These gentlemen also became identified $'ith the Hammond Lumber Company, which acquired timberlands in Oregon, began the manufacture of lumber there and also entered the Redwood lumber business in California at Samoa, Humboldt Bay. The Redwood interests of the Hammond Lumber Company and the Little River Redwood Company were merged in 1931.

Credit for the modernization of the Redwood industry r.vas given to Mr. Hammond, and he was regarded as the dearr of the industry.

Mr. Hammond passed away 15, 1934, in his 86th year.

San Francisco on January

Burton Chace Candidat e 1or State Atsembly

Burton W. Chace, owner of the Chace Lumber & Supply Co., 4I Market Street, Long Beach, has announced that he will be a candidate for Assemblyman for the Tlst District at the State primaries May 16.

Mr. Chace is a well knor,vn retail lumberman. He has headed the Chace Lumber & Supply Co. since his father, Natl,an Chace, retired in 1939. He and his father established the business 20 years ago.

He has been active in Republican politics, and hopes to get both the Republican and Democratic nominations. He was a member of the County Central Republican Committee for some years.

Mr. Chace has been prominent in civic affairs, lravirrg served two terrs on the Long Beach School Board, from 1933 to 1941. He was elected president of the Board in 1939.

Timber Structures, fnc., Opens Branch

Olfice

in Scn Frcrncisco

A branch office has been opened by Timber Structures, Inc., at 220 Montgomery Street, San Francisco 4. Arthur P. Cramer is manager.

This concern specializes in prefabricated timber and glued assemblies. The main office and plant is in Portland, Ore., and suboffices are located in New York City, Trenton, N. J., Seattle, and Eugene, Ore.

Ward Mayer is president and founder of the busir-ress.

Personal ltems

C. C. Stibich of Tarter, Webster & Johnson, Inc., San Francisco, attended the annual meeting of the Western Piue Association in Portland. Februarv l0 and 11.

Kenneth Shipp, returned February coma and Seattle.

California Builders 4 from a business Supply Co., Oakland trip to Portland, Ta-

Larue Woodson, Wheeler Osgood Sales cisco, member of the temporary milhvork tee, attended a meeting of the committee ary 26. He returned February 7.

Capt. W. H. Nigh, Army Air from Wendling-Nathan Co., San at Lockheed Terminal. Burbank.

R. C. (Bob) Sand, of Cole Angeles, returned recently from fic Northwest, where he called olants.

Met With Retcil Dealers

Corp., San F'ranadvisory commitin Cl-ricago, Janu-

Corps, on leave of absence Francisco, is now stationed Calif.

Door & Plywood Co., Los a business trip to the Pacion the door and plywood

J. Philip Boyd, chief of the Lumber and Lumber Production Branch, War Production Board, Washington, D. C., met with a group of retail lumber dealers from the critical defense housing areas at the Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, on February 4, to discuss the housing situation.