THE CALIFOR}IIA LUMBERMERCHANT

w. T. BLACK

Advertising Mcncger

Addtional Douglas Fir Price Changes

Washington, D. C., May 4-To prevent lumber mills from continuing to add extra charges in pricing Douglas fir lumber except where the additional charges are warranted. three new restrictions on the use of extras were announced today by the Office of Price Administration.

Today's action, effective May 4, 1945, will reduce the cost of Douglas fir lumber an average of from one to two per cent, OPA said. It includes:

1. Reducing the number of grades to which grain specifications may be added and reducing the premiums for grain specifications in several instances. Extra charges for 75 per cent heartwood and for square edge, formerly permitted, are .eliminated.

2. Limiting the use of the maximum prices provided for certain industrial grades of Douglas fir to direct mill shipments with final delivery to historical users of such grades. This limits the use of maximum prices fixed for barge framing, barge planking and decking, ship plank and scaffold plank to sales to shipyard operators, ship and barge builders and repairers. It also restricts the use of ceiling prices for ladder stock to sales made to manufacturers of ladders. Maximum prices for these grades no longer can be charged in sales to retail lumber yards.

3. Limiting the number of grades in a combined shipment of any one size of the same species to seven grades unless specific approval is obtained from OPA.

OPA also added a penalty for the failure of mills to separate or designate grades by stipulating that when mixed grades are shipped without separation or identification, they may not be priced above the ceiling price for the respective sizes of the lorvest grade listed in thb order or invoice.

Today's action also provides that if no grade is desig- nated on the invoice, the price of the entire shipment must not exceed $15 per thousand board measure.

When exceptions to the limitation on the use of grain specifications are believed warranted, a mill may apply.to the OPA Lumber Branch, Washington, D .C., for special pricing action. Similarly, exceptions to the new restriction -on thJ use of special industrial grade prices may be permitted after the prospective buyer applies directly to the OPA Lumber Branch.

Other Pricing Changes

Today's action also increased ceiling prices on dimension Douglai fir lumber and proportionately reduced the maximum prices on most planks and timbers.

Ceiline prices on all srades of dimen

Ceiling prices grades dimension lumber were creased $1.00 per thousand board measure and the extra lncrea charge for Selecl Structural grade was increased from $5.00 to $7.00 per thousand.

Maximum prices for all grades and sizes of planks and small timbers with the exception of Select Structural and No. 4 grades, which remain un'changed, were reduced $1.00 oer thousand board feet.

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Ceiling prices of 6x6, 6x8, 6x10, 6x12, 8xl0 and 8x12 in all grades,-except Select Structural and No. 4, were reduced 50 cents per thousand board measure. Prices of all othet sizes in all gradgs, except Select Structural and No. 4, were reduced $1.50 per thousand board measure.

The increases and decreases q'ill 2pproximately balance each other, but indirectly the price changes should stimuIate the production of dimensipn lumber, which is in urgent demand for war purposes, OPA said.

Dollar-and-cent ceiling prices we-re also fixed on a few services and specifications that formerlv have been priced on individual aoolications. -

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