THE CALIFOR}.IIA LUMBERMERCHANT How lrumber Irooks

Seattle, Washington, February 11, 1943-The weekly average of West Coast lumber production in January (4 weeks) was 105,869,000 board feet, or 54.8 per cent of estimated capacity, according to the West Coast Lumbermen's Association in its m,onthly survey of the industry. Orders averaged 118,276,WO board feet; shipments, 116,664,000.

Weekly averages for December were: Production, Lh,852,000 board feet (79.6 per cent of the 1939-1942 average) ; orders, 133,922,W ; shipments, 144,O28,W.

4 weeks ol 1943, cumulative production 423,474,m board feet ; 4 weeks, 1942-468,104,000 ; 4 weeks, l94t-7 67,U7,M.

Orders for 4 weeks ol 1943 break down as follows: rail, 375,880,000 board feet; domestic cargo, 31,452,ffi0; export, 4,967,Offi ; local, 60,803,000.

The industry's unfilled order file stood at 1,063,215,000 board feet at the end of January; gross stocks, at 473,990,0m.

The outstanding fact on the industry in January was its struggle to recover production forced down by midwinter storms. One-half of the West Coast mills were either idle because of log shortages and adverse weather or were able to operate only on a less than normal basis. January produ,ction fell 12 per cent below December's, and below fall production by about 35 per cent.

The industry expects another two months before the nor- mal scale of production can be restored, the governing factor being the short supply of logs.

Meantime, the war demand for West Coast lumber remains great. The industry has a very stiff job ahead, in keeping ship timbers, ponton stock, airplane lumber and other special items, grades and sizes of lumber for war, moving during the midwinter obstacles to production.

The Western Pine Association for the week ended gave orders as 63,feet, and production the end of the week for the week ended gave orders as 27,feet, and production the end of the week

February 13, 9I mills reporting, 172,000 feet, shipments 57,752,W 43,322,NO feet. Orders on hand at totaled 367,597,N0 feet.

The Southern Pine Association February 13, 110 mills reporting, 521,000 feet, shipments 28,357,0W 25,7o9,0ffi feet. Orders on hand at totaled 158,054,000 feet.

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association for the week ended February 6 reported orders as 80,846,000 feet, shipments 89,112,000 feet, and'production 83,818,000 feet.

For the week ended February 13, orders were reported as 90,128,000 feet, shipments 97,049,000 feet, and production 82.086.000 feet.