Santa Fe Lumber Company Increased Retail Lumber Sales Extends Pine Business During May

IA. J. "Gus" Russell, manager of the Santa Fe Lumber Company,.San Francisco, announces the extension of the company's California White and Sugar Pine business to markets further afield. Mr. Russell announces also that this department is now in charge of Frederic S. Palmer, well known San Francisco lumberman, who has a very large acquaintance with buyers and dealers in California Pines all over the United States and Canada.

Mr. Palmer has been identified *ith the Pine business in California for a great many years. He gained valuable experience in the distribution of California White and Sugar Pine while he was manager for a number of years of the lumber department of the American Trading Co. After leaving this concern he was in business for himself for several years as a wholesaler of these rvoods with headquarters in San Francisco. ln 1926 he accepted a proposi{on to build and operate a lumber manufacturing plant at El Salto, State of Durango, Mexico. When hiJ iontract with this concern expired he returned to California and b_ecame general sales manager for the Madera Sugar Pine Co., Madera, Calif.

In the interview with a representative of this paper dur- ing which this announcement was made Mr. Russell h_umorously referred to Mr. Palmer's prowess as a golfer. His remarks in this connection were about as followi:

"While we are of course anxious to extend our California Pine operations there is another important underlying reason for Mr. Palmer's affiliation with us.

"For some time this firm has not been well represented in sports. Albert Kelley for many years very capably took care of the indoor sports department, but with gray now etching his temples it seems proper we should have someone here who can make some showing in outdoor sports.

"Hereafter golfing lumbermen like Jo Shepard. "Chuck" Griffin, Ralph Duncan, Elmore King and others of their ilk nlay tangle with Mr. Palmer. Unfortunately I have retired from all fields, but fortunately have never been bitten by the Golfbug.

"As a wigwag warning, horvever. the gentlemen named should understand that Mr. Palmer's golf losses or winnings are entirely independent of his expense account and guard themselves accordingly."

Washington Firm Opens San Francisco Office

Posey Manufacturing Company, of Hoquiam, 'Wash., recently opened a sales office in San Francisco at ll2 Market Street. The office is in charge of E. C. Hallinan.

Redwood Pictures Shown to Yuba City Kiwanis Club

Lloyd Harris, of the Holmes Eureka Lumber Co., San Francisco, was the principal speaker at a recent meeting of the Yuba City Kiwanis Club, when he gave a talk on the various uses of Redwood and exhibited pictures taken at the operations of The Pacific Lumber Co., Scotia. Mr. Harris was invited to give this talk by Cooper Nason, of the Nason Lumber Co., Yuba City, who is a member of ,0.1.1"0.

Washington, June 3.-Sales of lumber by retail dealers showed an increase during May of from 5 to 1O per cent over April, the June issue of "The Lumber Market", monthly business review and forecast of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, states. There will be a similar increase in June retail movement, at slightly lower prices, holever, according to the consensus opinion of two thousand reporters, consisting of lumber retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, banks, building and loan institutions and other informed sources.

Sales of lumber to retailers showed a I to 5 per cent decrease during May in the face of an expected increase, and prices paid by retailers dropped from 5 to 1O per cent, although only from 1 to 5 per cent of this drop was passed on to customers during the month. A very slight increase in sales to retailers is expected during June. A rather substantial increase in softwood sales to industrials. but no improvement in hardwood movement, is forecast for June.

On May 16 manufacturers' stock were 5 per cent below those held on May 18, 1930. Dealers' stocks increased substantially during May over April of this year and there was a slight decrease in stocks held by industrials.

Residential building fulfilled expectations, showing a 5 to l0 per cent increase in May over April, though a slowing down of this ratio for June is anticipated. Building money is reported "ample, but difficult to procure" in most localities, due to rigid credit requirements.

Golf Ranges Open Market For Lumber

Nervark, N. J., June 3.-One of the "developments" which is somewhat chahging the aspect of the landscape as noted by motor tourists through New Jersey, is the introduction of golf driving ranges. These ranges which had their origin two or three years ago merely as practice ranges for golfers who wished to concentrate on improvement of their driving rvithout the fatigue and the delay between drives of following the ball around the links, are this year developing into a real amusement phase all over the country. Golfers come to them not merely to practice, but for the real fun of "lacing gut" ball after ball on measured fairways with their yardage plainly marked. A player can have a lot of fun merely playing by himself, and still more rvith his friends pitting their skill at driving against his.

At first these ranges were nothing more than a piece of open pasture land; but now they are being equipped with club houses and with rows of stalls arranged in semi-circles. Each stall contains an improvised tee and a comfortable r,r'ooden seat.

One of the most advanced golf driving ranges is one recently installed by A. B. Baker in the suburbs of this city. Mr. Baker's experience indicates that if golf driving ranges "catch on" with the public as miniature golf did last year a large market will be opened for lumber. Mr. Baker considered using other materials for the driving stalls, but decided that owing to the ease with which he could change the design and layout with the growth of the game, and the inexpensiveness of maintenance, he would use lumber. The stalls are partitions of the general shelter or shed. They are divided by wood partitions to a height of approximately four feet, with wire netting above that. There is a wooden walk along the entire length of the building, which gives entrance to the rear of each stall.