THE CALIFORIIIA '.-rlg*l:sjl"' How Lumber Looks

A quickening of building activitier in California's two largest citier, a general increase gince the first of March, with correcponding activity at other pointr throughout t'he rtate, make the wholesale lumber situation look sounder, from thie one angle, than for rome time.

Elsewhere in thie issue i! a report from the Bay district' showing e remarkable gain in building perrnits, in March over February, and lart minute reports state ttat the month of .April ir off to a good start, in San Francicco and Oak' Iand.

To the night of the 13th, the permits at Los Angelet have totalled nearly four million dollarq higher t[an the total on the same date l,art month, md predicting a month's total higher than for March.

Thir building ir largely of a clasr that requiree lumber, and is not a repetition of the condition that prevailed at thie time last year, large perrnitr for Clare tt,ltt buildingr uring but little of our productr.

There is a general good feeling tone evide'nced through' out the rtate, even better ttan two weekr ago when tonte of tte dealers were in a half pessimistic frame of mind, largely over weather conditionr. Since then the state hal had a drenching, and har been benfited millions of dollars w<xth, and it is a happy fact that burinees has picked up, etpecially on rail shipments.

The cargo market, with'eome few exceptions, ie firm in and around Los Angelee, wit[ very little atock being sold at firecale pricec. The docks are in fair shape, with stocks going out steadilY.

To the night of the 13th, San Pedro Harbor har reported carriers with 'a combined capacity of about forty'eight million feet. Jurt in line witrh the permits.

Northern buyerr still report a firrn attitude by the millc, ar regards pricee. Cutting orderr are difficult to place, and Gaf,go€o on tte dockr at the milla, are being held for the milh price.

A report from Portlandr. on the 13th, stated that a decided change had taken place in the lart fw dayr, with a much firmer market, mainly eccount the recent increare in orden for yard rtock from the eart and middle wert. The curtail,ment program is holding rtrong. It ir ertimated at twenty-six million feet per week, which representr arr avGrage curtailment of twenty per cenL The millr are anticipating an increaaed Japaneee denrand which would alter the condition as regardr tte cargo market.

The last report from the Wect Coart Lumberrnen'r Arlociation showr a week'e production of lOlrOO0rO(X) feet and sales of 117 million

A telegram from San Francirco, the 13tt, dirclocee that the Fir demand is about the rame ar of two weekr ago, with a tendency by the mille to etrengtten the pricec. The Redwood demand ie active witb tte millc in curtailment about l$Vo.

The California Pine millr have curtailed slightly in their cut, end their demand rhowe a decided improvement.

Orders Reduction

The order of the California Railroad Commission in the Log Angeles Lumber Products Co.'s casc requires the Southern Pacific Company to publish, by June lSth, reduced rates on lumber from San Pedro to points from San Francisco to the Arizona linc inclusive. Below are given the points named in thc order, with thc new and present rates. Intermediatc points are to be adjusted in accordance with the new rates, distance considered.

This probably means 14c in Riverside-San Bernardino territory with present rates graded down through Beaumont, Banning, fndio, etc. From 16c at Gree,nspot to 29c at Niland. Whether or not the Colorado rate of 3ft will apply across the river to Yuma is in question.

The Interstate feature of the complaint which allegcd discrimination in favor of Westwood other Northcrn Ca.lifornia and Southcrn Oregon pointa was recommended dismissed by thc Intcrstatc Commerce Commission Examiner who sat in the casq