Three Santa Cru, Land Lubbers Cruising tVith "\(/est lvis" on the Pacific

By George \il. Wood '\ilood Brothers Co. Santa Cruz, Calif.

George V. Vood

I saw a ship a sailing 'A sailing on the sea And it was full of pretty things For baby and for me!

There were comfits in the cabin And apples in the hold; The sails were all of velvet, And masts of beaten gold.

-Nursery Rhyme.

These lines kept running through my head for days-three of them-before we went on board. It all happened this way! The Wood family, seven of us, were guests of Captain Maland on the "Lake Francis," that big boat that brings lumber from Seattle to Santa Cruz. We were invited for a "sea journey" across Monterey bay. The captain had our automobile swung on board. We seven walked on to the ship over an improvised gang plank and were oft on our first voyage. We liked it so well that next day when three of us-mother, daddy and five-year-old baby Katherine-were given the opportunity to go aboard the big South American freighter, "West Ivis," for an ocean voyage up the coast, we were not slow in accepting. So here we are steaming out through the Golden Gate on our first tr{p to sea. Thrilling! Imagine our delight!

We have just had supper with Captain Westerberg, his wife, their five-year-old son Bobby, together with the pilot, Captain Peterson, and Mr. Thompson, the first mate.

Our ship is big. She carries four and a half million feet of lumber when loaded (that's 300 carloads, ladies!). She is 425 feet long and right now, unladen, rises about 40 feet above the water line.

Come sail with me! It's evening and we're steaming by the wharfs along the water front. See those city lights! Yonder lies Oakland. Out there towards Goat Island are the barges where the East Bay bridge is being built. Ahead on both sides rise the great towers for the Golden Gate bridge. Now w€.rdre heading out to sea. Captain Westerberg has invit{d us to his cahin, so up we go to the captain's deck, just below.dhe bridge. We'talk with him and the pilot, as well as Mrs. Westq'rberg arrd Bobbyr Out there where the lights are showing is the bar across which Captain Peterson will pilot our boat.

Another thrill! We are invited up to the bridge. The pilot shows us where the Farallones lie and tells us so many interesting things nautical. There's the dredger that works day and night, years on end, keeping the passage clear through the bar.

The pilot blinks his flash light signaling the pitot boat. It's a little two masted yawl with motor and sails. She comes alongside about ten rods (or should I say fathoms) away. They launch the dory which is to take our pilot from the West lvis. Meanwhile our third mate and two seamen have rigged the sea ladder and put it over the ship's side. The wind blows and the horns on nearby buoys sound their weird notes. The dory comes alongside. Over goes the pilot. We watch him board the pilot boat and wave us good-bye. The yawl sounds three siren blasts. which to seamen mean "good-bye." In deep throated notes the "West Ivis'l answers. We're headed out to sea. really out to sea.

Ship ahoy! We're off on the briny deep.

Chapter Ii

Just outside the Golden Gate was where we left you, as I renrember, with something like "out on the briny deep." Naturally you want to know a little about this ship. It's a big freighter,. as I have already told you. She carries a crew of 40 besides 20 passengers-that is she has accommodations for 20. Right now there are only three besides the Woods. Our cabin is forward just under the captain's deck and on the starboard side. It's plenty large enough, about 10x10, and has all the conveniences one could wish for. It's right alongside the dining room and near the pantry. If you aren't seasick already let me take you through. It's late at night and the two Filipino boys who serve the food, have gone off to their bunks but the steward is kind enough to show us the ropes. Passengers are welcome in the pantry any time. We help our- selves. There's a big coffee urn at our service. Hot water also for tea if we wish. An electric refrigerator holds platters of sliced ham, roast beef, cheese and tongue. There's always jam, cake and sauce there, too. This food and all are for the officers and for us, so any time, day or night, we can help ourselves to sandwiches, tea or cofiee. Maybe I had better tell you here about our feed at 2 o'clock in the morning. We had all (the three of us) been feeling a little off on Wednesday, the second day out. To tell the truth, we had missed three meals unless you call crackers and tea regular food. Katherine woke up at 2 a.m. She was in the tower with mother. "Muthaa (she can't pronounce her r's), I'm hungry !"

"Shh, you'll wake your daddy,"

Well, daddy was awake arld hungry, too, anxious pantry. So I made tea for two and poured the coffee With ham, cheese and tongue sandwiches, together jam, I'11 say the "eats" were good.

Tuesday morning I was out on deck early, before 6 o'clock. Weather fine, sun just breaking through the fog I went all over the boat. Away aft on the poop deck I found the big tiller and the emergency steering wheel. Forward I looked over those enormous anchors and the machinery for lowering them.

Arnold Baldwin had loaned me his marine glasses through which I gaze for hours. There's an oil tanker, there's a lumber schooner! Here comes a big Luckenbach boat. We are right in the steamer lane and hardly ever out of sight of some sea going vessel. The captain shows an interest in my marine glasses. "How do you like them, Captain?" He looks them over and through fhem, examines the regulating apparatus arrd ends up by offering to trade 4rq his best, powerful, heavy glasses for them. (Am I proud?) I explain that they belong to a big navy officer of Santa Cruz and the captain is disappointed.

We are steaming up along the coast. The mate says the land to the starboard is Mendocino county.

Romance at Sea

The captain's five-year-old son and our five-year-old Katherine have met and are playmates now. (Oh, say, I missed telling you about breakfast. Grapefruit, cereal, choice of steak, ham and eggs or bacon, hot cakes, hot biscuits, jam and what have you?) After a few hours Katherine comes into the cabin and says: "Mutha, he kissed me," speaking kind of shyly. A little later Bobby brags about this experience to us and adds, "I kissed her, so we're sweethearts now." That evening it all co_mes out at the dinner table and the captain exclaims, "Aha! Romance at sea!"

Bobby is gallant. Anything Katherine

Later, after she's been a little seasick, I hungry. He leads her to the galley where to try that for mother. with cherry wants, she can have. hear her tell him she's I 6nd her with a huge, greasy doughnut that Bobby wheedled from the cook, Poor lass, daddy had to come along and change the menu to crackers.

And now it's noon on the second dav. Am I seasick?

What Ho? I wish it were Coos Baj, Ho. More anon.

CHAPTER III

We should have told you at the beginning of this yarn that our good ship, the West Ivis, is one of the McCormick Steamship Company boats. The same company owns and operates twenty-eight steamers, of which two, i.e., the Dorothy Wintermote and the Silverado, make more or less frequent calls at Santa Cruz.

Our destination is Vancouver, British Columbia. The proposed itinerary called for the first stop at Portland. This was changed, however, before we put to sea and we learned on Monday evening that we would load lumber for Buenos Aires, South America, at Coos Bay, Oregon. So here we are Wednesday afternoon, steaming for Coos Bay harbor. That's the place where we get that famous white cedar, the same wood that lines hundreds of clothes closets in Santa Cruz homes. We're on our feet even if we are a little bit wopsy, bothering officers and crew with questions about where we are and how soon we will land.

Foggy Weather

The fog rolls in thick and close. The deep toned whistle booms out every few minutes and we slow down to less than six knots.

(Now there's a nautical touch for you Yacht Club boysl) Soon we hear the whistling buoys and now we are looking for the pilot. After what seems a long time we hear a shrill toot, toot off on our starboard bow (get thatl) In a few moments the pilot boat comes alongside, Over goes the Jacob's ladder and the pilot comes aboard together with a coast guard .officer. That's all for tonight until Katherine wakes us up at 2 a.m. for that feed you have already read about.

Daylight reveals a long broad beach about a quarter mile away. It is backed by heavy pine woods, with a few homes in among the trees. About 7 o'clock we weigh anchor and steam over to the dock where we are to load 100,000 feet of fir planks for South America. Meanwhile I've figured out that it will save time and enable me to transact my business at Portland, if my car is put on shore here. Captain Westerberg arranges everything for me, so up comes the old Buick out of the hold and overside on to the dock. We have invited Mrs. Westerberg, Bobby and Mrs. Thomfison, the first mate's wife, to take a ride with us on shore. Meanwhile, I spotted a crab fisherman netting his catch on shore. We ask him the price of crabs. "They're a little high now," he says. "How much?" "A dollar and a quarter a dozen," he replies. Now tell that to Malio, and do we have crab meat?

We are in the land of the rhododendron. Our drive is to Sunset beach, through the woods, along the seashore. We gather great armfuls of the scarlet flowered shrub for the ship's dining Salon and cabins. Returning we take a picture of our steamer coming into the dock at North Bend. I hope that picture is at the head of this chapter. Ilere we leave our boat and drive north for Portland and Hpod River. We choose the new coast highway for our route north. This winds along the seashore and is one of the most attractive highways we have ever traveled. Beautiful flowers, flaming red wild currants, rhododendron, carpets of pink bleeding heart, white Solomon's seal, wild ferns, trailing manzanita and Oregon grapes, line the highway on either s-ide. There are five state highway ferries to cross-no charge-Oregon invites us. Late that evening vre stop at Lincoln Beach for the night. We are fortunate in finding a very clean auto camp cabin where everything is new. We are away early next morning, arriving in Portland at 9 o'clock. Lumber business for Wood Brothers and brooder business for Art occupies my day. We arrange for a trip through the McCormick creosoting plant at St. Helens and the veneering plant at St. Johns, both down a ways on the Columbia river.

Portland is especially beautiful at this season of the year. Trees, shrubs and flowers, wonderful stretches of rivers, green covered hills and valleys.

Friday evening we drive up the Columbia River highway to my sister's apple ranch in Hood River valley. Many of you who lived in Santa Cruz back in 1908 will remember her and her husband. Mr. O. B. Nye. Mr. Nye came to Santa Cruz that year where he worked in the old East Side Mill and Lumber Co.

At Hood River I was pleased to find a satisfied customer to whom I sold a Wood Radiant Electric Brooder.

Monday was the day scheduted for the visits to the creosoting and veneering plants, also for our reembarking on the West lvis, so back to Portland we go to find our boat. If you are still interested we will tell in our next chapter about veneering-the lumber of the future.

(Ne.rt installrnent of Mr. Wood's article will appear in the lune 15 issue)

Mrs. Hugh Herbert Hughes

Mrs. Hugh Herbert Hughes, daughter of George Lounsberry, Los Angeles retail lumberman and secretary-manager of Lounsberry-Harris, died at the Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, Friday, May 11, following an appendectomy performed a week previously. Mrs. Hughes was 25 years of age.

Mrs. Hughes is survived by her husband, a young daughter, Gweneth Hughes, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Lounsberry. Funeral services were held at the family residence, 415 South Rossmore Avenue, Los Angeles, Tuesday afternoon, May 15, with the Rev. George Davidson of St. John's Episcopal Church officiating.

Floyd Dernier Calls On Yards

Floyd Dernier has returned from a two weeks' trip calling on the retail lumber trade. He called on the Coast yards on his trip north to San Francisco, and on the Valley yards on his return trip south.

A LIE.AWAKE SONG

The apples falling from the tree, Make such a heavy bump at night I always am surprised to see They are so little when it's light.

And all the dark just sings and sings, So loud I cannot see at all How frogs and crickets and such things That rnake the noise, can be so small.

Then my ovyn room looks larger, tooCorners so dark and far awayf wonder if things really do Grow up at night and shrink by day?

For I dream sometimes, just as clear I'm bigger than the biggest manThen mother says, "Wake up, mV dear"; And I'm a little boy, again.

-Amelia Josephine Burr.

. CHURCHES AND CHAPELS

Whenever God erects a house of prayer, The devil always builds a chapel there; And'twill be found, upon examination, The latter has the largest congregation.

Debts

Now the time is coming, if not here, when adventurers will go into debt, sure of making profits on investments. May we say to them in all earnestness, "Don't do it !" None of us know what the future holds. While the skies seern to be brightening, it is wise to avoid indebtedness. Had we pad it to face, we would be fat as a cold pancake right now, with nothing to hitch a rope on. As it is, thanks to a wise friend, while we have had losses, they have not left us stranded. And all because we had no indebtedness to utterly ruin us ! Avoid debt ! If you have not the money to pay for an investment that looks good, don't make it ! ft is better to be safe than sorry.-W. G. Sibley.

Frightening

"Lady," said Mike, "wo,uld you lend me a cake of soap?"

"Do you mean to tell me that you are really wanting to use some soap?"

"Sure, lady. Me pardner's got de hiccups an' I want to scare him."

Just Nice Friendly Remarks

Pearl: "ft must be three years since I saw you last. My, how you've changed! I hardly know you, you've aged so much."

Ruby: "Well, I wouldn't have recognized you in a thousand years, either. It was that dress that identified you."

Troubles And Joys

Put a magnifying glass over your joys, so that all who see you will be able to bear witness to them. But your troubles, pack them' tight, and hide them aw?/, so that none who see or hear you will realize that you possess such things.

T\,yO SCOTS FISHING

Two Scotchmen went fishing. They made a deal that the first one to catch a fish should buy the drinks. One of them got a bite that nearly broke his pole in two, but he wouldn't try to pull it up. The other had no such trouble. He had never baited his book.

Thrift

To save something each month develops self-control. This power frees one from fear and gives abiding courage. Such moral strength is of far greater value than the mere possession of the money that has been saved.

Mrs. Griswold Seriously Injured NRA Approvc Stumpage Values

A regrettable accident occurred in San Francisco on the evening of May 5 when the automobile of Arthur B. Griswold, manager of the San Francisco office of C. D. Johnson Lumber Company, was struck by another car at the intersection of Buchanan Street and Golden Gate Avenue and overturned, pinning underneath Mr. and Mrs. Griswold and three friends who were riding with them.

Mrs. Griswold sustained a serious back injury, and was removed to the Children's Hospital after treatment at the Emergency Hospital. Mr. Griswold and the others were treated for cuts and bruises but were not detained. Fortunately for all, the overturned car was immediately righted by men who were at the scene of the accident, thus forestalling the certainty of fire. Mrs. Griswold was able to be taken home May N, and is making good progress.

Move Mill To Big Bear

The El Monte Building Material Co. has moved its mill equipment from the plant at El Monte, Calif., to the Big Bear district where they have a track of timber.

H. S. MURPHY VISITS CALIFORNIA

H. S. Murphy, general manag'er, Pacific Mutual Door Co., Tacoma, left San Francisco for his home city May 2l after a business trip to Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Visits Main Office

R. J. "Joe" Blitch, traffic manag'er, The Pacific Lumber Co., Scotia, was a recent visitor to the company's main office in San Francisco.

WHOLE SA LE LUMEER-3l}$P

W. R. CHAMBIRLIN & C(}.

California Sates Agentr for

Polson Lumber & Shingle Co.

Hoquiam, Varh.

Anderron a Middl*on Lumber Co. Aberdeen, Verh.

Prcuty Lumber & Bor Comprny Varrenton, Orcgon

Opcrating Stecmerc

Washington, D. C., May 4.-The National Recovery Administration has approved for inclusion in cost-protection price computations, the following schedule of prices for standing timber, effective under the Lumber Code unti! July l,1934:

Hardwood Subdivision ....

North Central Hardwood Subdivision (Selected stumpage)

North Central Hardwood Subdivision (Mixed ungraded stumpage)

Northeastern Hardwood Subdivision

Northern Hemlock Division

Northern Pine Division .. Redwood Division

Northeastern Softwood Division

The following schedule for.the West Coast Logging and Lumber Division was approved three weeks ago: rnade by RY-LOCK COMPANY LTD. SAN LEANDRO, CALIIORNIA

Only minor changes have been made from the schedules issued October 3O. Prices for the North Central Hardwood Subdivision are additions to the old list; the figure for the Northeastern Hardwood Subdivision has been reduced from $5.66 to $5.51; figurbs for Douglas fir and Western red cedar have been slightly lowered and those for West Coast hemlock and Sitka spruce slightly raised.