Gus Russell Offers Cash Pfize for Oldest Wooden Shingle in California

Elsewhere in this issue, over the signature of A. J. ("Gus") Russell, Santa Fe Lum'ber Company, San Francisco, California, will be found a very unique ann.ouncement.

That it is an interesting one to the retail lumber dealers of California, there can be no doubt.

Boiled down short and hard, Mr. Russell offers & cash prize of $75 to the retail lumber dealer who finds and authenticates THE OLDEST SAWN WOODEN SHINGI-E IN USE O,N A ROOF IN CALIFORNIA.

He offers a cash prize of $25 for the SECOND OLDEST WOODEN SHINGLE IN USE ON A ROOF IN CALIFORNIA.

The contest is open to RETAIL LUMBER DEALERS ONLY.

It 'makes no difference what wood the shingle is made of, but it must be a SAWN SHINGLE.

The contest is announced in this issue. Three well knorvn rnen in the lumber industry of California will be named as judges ,in the contest. These three judges are NOT announced in this issue, but will be announced in the April 15th issue of The California Lumber Merchant.

In the meantime the interested dealers can get busy with their investigations. O'f course, any dealer can go about finding the oldest shingle in his locality in any way he chooses, but Mr. Russell's plan goes 'farther than just the offering of tlre prize, ancl the payment of it to the chosen winner.

HE figures that the dealers can turn this to their own account, by in their turn advertising to their local trade, offering a small prize prob'a.bly, to whoever will prove to have the oldest shingle in THAT I'ocality. In this rvay the dealer could have the oldest local shingles brought to HIM, develop an interest in his own business, and perhaps win the cash offered by Mr. Russell.

Of course, there are no strings tied to this oldest shingle offer. No dealei needs to make it a local contest unless he desires. He can find the oldest local shingle to try for the prize any way he desires. The publicity stunt is simply suggested by NIr. Russell as a method for mak.ing this ,a groundwork for exciting the interest of the local trade, and The California Lumber Merchant heartily indorses it. In fact, there will be found herewith, a piece of advertising copy which we suggest the local dealer anywhere who is interested in stirring up some local interest, m,ay use for this purpose.

Here are the conditions surrounding the oldest shingle contest, as set forth by Mr. Russell: l. All entries must be submitted by a retail lu.mber company located in California: all shingles submitted to remain the property ofthe Santa Fe Lum'ber Company.

2. No two shingles removed frorn the same roof m,ay be entered for competition. (This rule to prevent two shingles from the same roof c,arrying off both prizes).

3. Shingles must be sawn, at least 4 inches wide, and have two parallel edges:,they may be of Redwood or Red Cedar.

4. They shall be accompanied by a hrief statement giving location, description, and ownership of building from which removed, together with such other authentic information as can be supplied to prove years of service. If judges so elect, alidavit covering such facts to be supplied later.

The naures of the Committee to judge this contest will be announced in the California Lumber Merchant of April lsth,1923.

6. Length of continuous service and present state of preservation together with definite data concerning same, will ,be deciding fact'ors.

7. Statements concerning exhibits Should be enclosed with same and be in Committees hands not later than _June first, 1923, on which date contest closes.

The California I.umber Merchant considers this a very interesting contest, indeed, and will exploit it and its developments to the fullest extent. Pictures and d,ata on the oldest shingles will be pttblished in this journal at the close of the contest.

(Suggcrted Copy for Dealcrr)