Blanchard Lumber Company Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Blancharcl Lumber Compauy of IJurbank and North Hollyt'ood, establ.shed in Decernber, 1911, recently celebratecl its 25th year in business. A silver jubilee'dinner served at Hutchins Tavern, rvas attended by officials of the company, members of the organization and their familics.

A soec;al l>irthclav cake bakerl bv Mrs. Hutchins for the the business life of that time. A delightful entertarnment was furnished by Coco, Candy and Jack Riley, former accompanists and entertainers with Gene Austin, well-known radio artist. occasion took the forur of a building rvith roof, chimney ancl all the details. It was cleverly frosted in colors, illuminated rvith 25 lighted candles, ancl 191 l-1936 rvas inscribed across the roof.

The employees of the Burbank yard presented \\r. A. Blanchard with a beautiful plaque of polished curley maple on which a silver bar carries the inscription, "1911-1936 Presented to W. A. Blanchard." Roscoe Blanchard was the recipient of a similar plaque from the employees of the North Hollywood yard.

W. A. and Roscoe Blanchard rvere born in Morencie, M;chigan. In 1911, \\I. A. Blanchatd having sold his lumber interests in Kansas came to California to establish a retail lumber business. Six rnonths later, his brother, Roscoe, u,ho was connecteri t'ith the lumber business in Colorarlo, came to California. In December. 1911, The Blanchard [-umber Company purchased the yards of the Subnrban Lumber Company at Burbank and Lankershirn, W. A. taking over the management of the Burbank yard, and Roscoe became manager of the Lankershim (norv Nortl.r Hollywood) yard.

During the evening informal talks were macle by W. A. Blanchard and his brother, Roscoe W. Blanchard, which included reminiscences of lJurbank ancl North Hollywood of a quarter century ago and interesting high-lights of

W. A. Blanchard is assisted in directing the activities of the Burbank yard by his son, Judson. Otto Brenaman, yard manager, :s the oldest ernployee at the Burbank yard. having been rvith the conlpany 12 years. The office force is con.rposed of Morris \Moods and Don Spaulding. Mr. Blanchard has allr,ays taken an active interest in Burbank civic affairs, and served as mayor of the city for 8 years; is a former presldent of the Chamber of Commerce, and at the present tirne is president of the Library Board.

Roscoe Blanchard looks after the management of the North Hollywood yard. He is a rnember of the Chamber of Commerce, and servecl on the board of directors for over twenty years. He is treasurer of the California Retail Lumbermen's Association.

Walter Roberts, office manager, has beerr rvrth the com-

TECO Outstanding Example of Coopcration Between Industry and Research

Those familiar with the Timber Engineering Company, (more conveniently known to the trade as TECO), look upon its work as an outstanding example of what an industry can accomplish by putting to commercial use the results of laboratory research. TECO was organized by the National Lumber Manufacturers Association and American Forest Products Industries, Inc., in 1933 for the purpose of pooling patents, conducting research and the commercial development of patented and other devices and methods for increasing lumber sales.

Survey of TECO work since 1933, through 1936, shows that lumber in structures using connectors was 293,000,000' valued at ($20M) $5,86O,000; of this amount 55,000,000' valued at $1,1@,00O were used in specific parts employing connectors.

During 11 months of 1936 lumber sold on connector work u'as slightly over 50,000,000'. Of this footage, over 9,500,000' were in parts of structures using connectors.

Interi.or View ol North pany for 22 years and is the oldest employee at the North Hollyrvoocl yard. Harvey Barnes has been rvith them'for 17 years; Mike Kalapes, in charge o{ the yard, 15 years, and Johnnie Aviles is another old-timer. Mr. Blancharcl's tu'o sons, Roscoe, Jr. (Buss) and LeMoyne, are associated with their father in the business, being connected rvith the office sales staff, ancl Nfiss Elizabeth Swink is bookkeeper.

The Blanchard Lumber Company u'as incorporated in 1923. The officers of the company are: W. A. Blanchard. president; Roscoe Blanchard, vlce-president and secretary, and Judson Blancharcl, Treasurer.

ATTEND WESTERN RETAILERS' CONVENTION

George Burnett, Tulare Lumber Company, Tulare; F. Dean Prescott, Valley Lumber Company, Fresno, and Warren Tillson. Moclesto Lumber Company, Modesto, attended the 34th annual convention of tl-re Western Retail Lumbermen's Association at Seattle. Wash., on February lB, 19 and 20.

To date sales have been made in 44 states and Mexico and the types of buildings in which connectors have been used may be generaliy classified as prefabricated buildings; schools, gvmnasiums, warehouses, garages, churches and auditoriums; highway and railroad bridges; forest look-out towers and radio towers; rack houses; and oil and sulphur industries structures. TECO has prepared 203 designs of which 54 are available to lumbermen either in their ovvn plants or with customers and TECO engineers also are available for the preparation of specific designs.

A comprehensive guide on up-to-date timber designs is being prepared for publication and it is anticipated that about 48 designs will be included. TECO owns or controls 8 patents and has applications filed with the patent office; 6 others in process of preparation; and over 100 patents schedulecl for investigation.

Coast Counties Club Meets

The members of the Coast Counties Lumbermen's Club met at the Santa Lucia Inn, Salinas, Monday evening, February 15. Dinner was served at 6:30 P. M. which was followed by a business session.

W:ll Uge \(/ood to Reconstruct Pisl

San Francisco, Feb. ZLCharges following a severe fire at Pier 46 that San Francisco's wooden harbor structures constituted a major conflagration menace, unsafe to surrounding property and ships at anchor, have been entirely disproved by engineers of the State Board of Harbor Commissioners.

Original reports of the fire, early in January, placed the loss at $750,000. Engineers now report the loss at $149,090, fully covered by insurance. Furthermore, in the reconstruction and extension of the pier, identical timber construction features have been embodied in the plans, with ttre original laminated redwood roof and two by eight inch redwood siding praised for accomplishing their intended purPose.

Despite the great heat of the blaze which swept the 800 foot structure, the fire did not break through the four-inch larninated roof at any place. The roof covering of asphalt and gravel suffered no damage and will remain in use. Engineers report that fully 8O per cent of the roof will be salvaged for the new construction, simply by sandblasting away the charred area.

Approximately 75 per cent of the siding will be replaced but here again engineers report that wood served its purpose by holding the blaze within the building. One of the Dollar Steamship Line's passenger liners docked a hundred feet away was not even scorched.

While issuing no formal statement, the Board of Harbor Commissioners' replacement specifications offered obvious proof that timber construction had stood the test for harbor irnprovements on San Francisco Bay.

H. J. Anderson

Herbert J. Anderson, president of the Anderson Lumber Co., Los Angeles, died Tuesday morning, February 16, following a heart attack. He was 55 years of age.

Mr. Anderson was widely known in Pacific Coast lumber circles, and before coming to Los Angeles, he was a resident of Portland, Ore., where he operated a wholesale lumber business. He was a native of Minnesota.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Ailce Anderson, and a daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Jane Parmenter. Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon, February 18, at the Little Church of the Flowers, Forest Lawn Park, Glendale.

'Celotex lmprovementg Incresse Production

plant improvements costing $300,000.00 and making possible increased production of 250,000 square feet of Celotex Insulation Board per day have just been completed according to Harold Knapp, general sales manager of The Celotex Corporation.

Modernization work started about two months ago. It included rebuilding of dryers in Plant No. 1, converting them from steam to direct fired dryers, a type which has been found more efficient in other Celotex plants. Modernization amounted to about $200,000.00 and machinery about $100,000.00.

Mr. Knapp in announcing the increased production, possible with this more efficient equipment, said: "We have just completed one of the greatest years in the history of Celotex. Anticipating even greater demand for rigid insulation in residential construction during 1937, increased production is absolutely necessary. Last year the plant ran in capacity much of the time. With increased demand already apparent, last year's capacity production would be certain to fall behind orders. Added production now obtainable assures prompt filling of all orders."

Appointed Structural Engineer

Recent appointments of interest include the addition to the National Lumber Manufacturers Association's staff of Frank J. Hanrahan, who will serve on the Technical and Trade Promotion staff as Structural Engineer. His immediate assignment is the development of publications in the series pertaining to Wood Structural Design Data. Mr. Hanrahan is a graduate of Purdue University and comes from the Pennsylvania State College where he has been teaching Mechanics and Construction Materials during the past nine and one-half years. For the past three and onehalf years in association with Professor H. N. Benkert and L. W. Smith, Chief Engineer of National Lumber Manufacturers Association, he has been conducting structural investigations on lumber and plywood connections at the College. His practical engineering experience includes construction, design, estimating and specification writing rvith such firms as Wayne Tank & Pump Company; Indiana Service Corporation; C. R. McAnlis, Consulting Engineer; P. B. Kapp, Architect; Pennsylvania Department of Highways; Soil Conservation Service.