\(/. M. Cady, Lumber Manufacturing Genius of the South, Dies in Pasadena

William M. Cady, one of the old guard of the yellow pine industry, passed away Sunday, Mar,ch 6, at his home in Pasadena, California. He was 58 years old and had been living in California since his reiirement from the lumber industry a few years ago. He had been in ill health for some time past.

Will Cady was regarded as one of the geniuses of the Southern Pine mill industry. When he first engaged in lumber manufacture, it was not along the usual lines. He left the beaten path-turned specialist-incorporated new ideas in his operaticins-and proved their value by the success of his business.

One, and the principal one, of these then nerv ideas, r,vas to cut long leaf into nothing but dimension and timber, making boards only where the proper trimming of the log necessitated it. "The Best of the Log for the Best of Dimension" became the slogan which Jdentified quality dimension and'timber stock with the Cadv mills.

Speed in manufacturing was synonymous with the Cady operations. He built two big mills in Louisiana. one after another. They cut logs faster than yellow pine logs were ever cut before in any mill of equal size.

Mr. Cady was born in Crowley, La. Much of his early life was spent in and around lumber mills. It was thirtytwo years ago that he started his Louisiana mill operations. He was then scarcely known except in his immediate home surroundings. But it took only three years for him to rise to a place where he occupied a commanding position in the yellow pine manufacturing world.

It u'as at McNary, La., a station on the old Iron Mountain, thirty miles south of Alexandria, that Mr. Cady built his first mill. The place was a wilderness surrounded by great forests of long-bodied virgin yellow pine, Securin! financial backing from men of means to whom he sold thE vision of profitable investment-and who, incidentally, were sold on the ability and talents of Mr. Cady-he organized the W. M. Cady Lumber Company and bought 10,000 acres of the long leaf pine.

The mill was of unusual construction for the South. The equipment was regular West Coast weight ,the heaviest ever used for cutting Southern yellow pine, only circular equipment being used. And then another mill was built at the same place. It was larger than the first, had twice as much machinery, but equipped in the same manner. A new company was formed, the McNary Lumber Company. They bought 18,000 acres of the same pine forest. Then the Cady Company bought 10,000 acres more. And the two mills, standing side by side, cut logs at a rate of speed that was breath-taking.

They cut no inch lumber except what the turn of the log forced them to cut, graded nothing higher than Number One .stock, all the "uppers" going into their common lumber. It was a unique policy, never put into practice before. It permitted cutting at great speed, their mills being equipped with this idea in view, using only circulars and heavy gang.

The two Cady operations became the second largest producer of yellow pine in the entire South, being iurpassed at that time only by the Great Southern Lumber Company at Bogalusa, La. They were turning over to the Iron Mountain Railroad some 4O cars of lumber and timber every day of the week except Sundays-a total of 600,000 feet a day.

It was "Cady Quality", and it was so sold and advertised-for Mr. Cady was a great believer in advertising- his argument was that he had a worthwhile product, that there was little use in making better stock if quality buyers. were not to be informed of the fact. So he told the trade,. and sold them.

Early in 1924, the McNary plants cut their last log. In anticipation of that event, Mr. Cady turned his eyes Westward to Arizona. At the town of Cooley was a great white pine operation, the Apache Lumber Company, with one and a half billion feet of timber owned bv the United States, a 72-mile rail line and complete logging equipment. This property the Cady interests acquired at a consideration of $3,000,000. The plant was one of the finest in the country, with every modern equipment for saw-milling.

And when the last lvhistle blew in their Louisiana plant, Mr. Cady with his associates and selling organization, moved to Arizona, ready to carry on with the manufacture of "Cady Quality" lumber. They took over the new properties December l, 1923. Mr. Cady took with hirrr two well known Southern lumber boys, Herbert F. Adey as general manager; Sam Eaton, sales manager; both of whom occupied similar posts in Louisiana.

Several years ago, Mr. Cady disposed of his lumber interests and retired to his home in Pasadena where he has since been living with his wife, who survives him, as do two children, William M. Cady, Jr., and Mrs. Chris Baconn both of Los Angeles.

Mr. Cady in the business field was energetic, aggressive, forward-looking; but in his private and social contacts. he was of a retiring disposition; he was generous, kindly, slow to make friends, but firm in his friendships. Charles H. Burns, one of his early business associates, now at Pineville, La., who was one of the first to learn of. Mr. Cadv's passing,_expresses the thought of all who knew Mr. Cady well: "Ffe was a wonderful friend to me, and to thousands of others. A mighty good man has gone."

Enlarge Wilmar Yard

At the Wilmar yard of the C. E. Williams Lumber Co., a new building 6Ox120 feet has'been erected as an office and display room. The building has a street frontage of 120 feet and gives the company excellent facilities to exhibit their finished lumber products and building materials. The Wilmar plant is also equipped with a mill, lumber sheds for their finished lumber products and building materials, cement shed, and garage.

The C. E. Williams Lumber Co. is operated by C. E. Williams. and his son, C. E. Williams, Jr. who is manager of their Wilmar yard. The main yard and plant is located at Azusa, Calif.

Change Of Address

The Twohy Lumber Company, Los Angeles, announce the change of their office from 729 to 628 Petroleum Securities Bldg.

Pine Mills Start

The Susanville mill of the Fruit Growers Supply Co. started up Malg! 7 on a three days a week, eighi hours basis, and the Hilt plant started on the same basis March 14. The company's principal idea in starting the mills is to give some employment to their crews.