Lumber Shipments Heavy in Intercoastal Trade

Lumber shipments in the intercoastal trade have been unusually heavy this year and the shipments from Columbia river ports for the first months of this year surpassed that of the entire year of 1923, according to figures just made public by the traffic department of the Port of Portland. Shipments of lumber to New York have been particularly hiavy, but smaller shipments have been made to most of the Atlantic and Gulf ports. During the month of May this year shipments outside of those to New York were made to Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Norfolk, New Orleans, Mobile, llouston and Galveston. This lumber was carried by twelve vessels with fifteen vessels handling the shipments made to California ports.

According to the reports issued by the deputy collector of customs at Astoria, the total shipments from the Columbia river in May amounted to a little more than 62,000,000 feet. During this month seventy-two vessels cleared from the river with lumber for foreign and domestic ports. Of ports. this 62,000,000 feet, 16,000,000 feet were destined for foreign ports, 31,000,000 feet to California ports and 15,000,000 feet to Atlantic Coast ports. These figures consider vessels clearing from Astoria during the month, but do not include the vessels which cleared from Portland on the last dav of M"y.

Lumber ,exports from the Columbia river for May this year totaled 17,436,205 feet, with a value of $474,117. This is the first time this year that lumber exports have been less than for the same month in 1923. This, according to the report, is accounted for by the small shipments of lumber destined for Japan, which amounted to only 2,781,548 feet for May this year, as compared with 14,000,000 feet for the corresponding month in 1923.

Shipments to South and Central American ports were heavy during May, with 2,089,W feet delivered in Chile, 1,828,000 feet in Peru, 63,050 feet in Salvador, 50,000 feet in Brazil, 26,484 feet in Uruguay and 18,200 feet in Argentine.

China again assumed the position of the Columbia river's largest receiver of lumber, taking 5,229,633 f.eet. China, the report shows. has been a steady buyer during the year, taking between 5,000,000 and 15,000,000 feet each month. This also is the smallest record for d,eliveries to China so far this year.

Australia and New Zealand are taking more Northwest lumber, and during the month of May 2,089,914 feet, valued at $66,046, were shipped to these countri,es. To the Philippines were shipped 362,949 feet during the month. Ship- ments to the United Kingdom were heavier than usual, with 1,564,168 f.eet, valued at $71,873. Other shipments'to Europe included 50,000 feet to Holland.

Domestic shipments of lumber for the month of May this year amounted to n,2I4,788 feet, of which 9,922,O4O f.eet were for New York.

Association Man Applauds Editorial

Mr. F. L. Morgan, of Los Angeles, has expressed his appreciation of our editorial, "Talking Too Much About 'Presidential Year' Hard Times." in a letter as follows: Mr. Jock Dionne, Los Angeles.

Dear Mr. Dionne:

While I think about it I want to express to you my appreciation of your editorial in the last number of the California Lumber Merchant.

You have struck the nail on the head. You are iust optimistic enough to be right. Ther,e is too darned much pessimism circulating around the country the last few.months.

Wishing you all the good luck in the world, Yours truly, F. L. MORGAN.

PAT MURPHY CALLS ON. CALIFORNIA REPRESENTATIVE

Pat Murphy, of th,e Superior Oak Flooring Co., Ifelena, Arkansas, was a recent Cllifornia visitor where he spent about three weeks making a survey of lumber conditlons in the Los Angeles and San Francisco districts. While in San Francisco, he was a caller at the offices of W. M. Beeke the well known hardwood distributor, who is the California _representative of the Superior Oak Flooring Co. Mr. Murphy is one of the best known hardwood flo6rine lumbermen in the country and is the president of the Oa[ Flooring Association.