H. Carter Now With Palo Alto Lumber Co.

O. H. Carter, formerly manager of the Fresno Co., Fresno, is now associated with the Palo Alto Co., Palo Alto, as manager.

Four more Southern California retail lumber firms have been licensed to use the West Coast I'umbermen's Associa' tion grade-marks on West Coast lumber grade4 _at their yardJ under the supervision of A. A. Kayser of- Los Angeles, Association grades inspector. The new firms are: Geib Lumber Co., I-os Angeles; Lumber and Builders Supply Co., Solano Beach; Union Lumber & Mill Co., Sa-nta 'Birbara: Bowerman Lumber Co., Glendale. A total of 47 Southern California lumber firms, some of them operating several years, have been authorized to grade-mark lumber at their yardq.

Back From Oregon Trip

Lumber Earl Johnson, Independent Lumber Co., Livermore, reLumber turned recently from an automobile trip to Oregon. He was accompanied by his wife and son.

Man' Caused Forest Fires Increased in Last Decade

One twelfth the total area of California, or 8,372W acres, has been burned over in the past ten years (1921- 1930).by {9r.e9!,.brush and grass firesjcausing damagi estimated at $14,424,Offi and coiting $10,736,000 f-or fire freven- tion and suppression, according to official figures for Federal, State and other agencies- issued today by the U. S. Forest Service in San Fiancisco.

_ This ten-year record, according to Regional Forester S. B. Show, shows a gradual increase in ihe percentage of man-caused fires as compared with those staited by tightling. According to ten-year averag'es, the three causei of fires that are increasing are care-less smokers, reckless debris burners and incendiaries. In 1930, when the losses and acreage burned were far below normal, fires caused by man amounted to 3,769 out of a total of 4,219, or 89 per cent as compared with a ten-year average of 81 per cent.

^ "At the opening of what threatens to be a season of high fire hazard in the valleys, foothills and mountains," sa-id Mr. Show, "travelers, iampers and other recreationists should remember that fires are extremely easv to start and can cause lasting damage to forest, watershed, recreational 1n{. -grazing: resources. Fire protection organizations in California must- depend on the iooperation oI the public to prevent forest fires."

- Warnings have been issued about the danger of careless throwing away of lighted tobacco in cigars; cigarette and pipe heels, but the lighted match that setJ the tobacco burn- ilg and is then carelessly throrvn on the ground is one of the chief offenders.

S. F. May Building Permits

Building operations in San Francisco for the month of May, 1931, involved an expenditure of $2,853,671, according to John B. Leonard, superintendent of the Bureau of Building Inspection of the Department of Public Works.

During the month 530 permits were issued..

May, 1930, totals registered 570 permits for imprpvements valued at 92,881,110. During April, 1931, 7O3 pirmits were granted for construction costing $1,8 37,433.

Building operations undertaken during the first five months of this year involved an expendituie of $10,324,887 as -compared with $10,316,120 for the corresponding period in 193O.

During the past five months 2,758 permits were granted as compared with 2846 permits for the same period in 1930. Following is a segregated report of the May, 1931, activitles :

Class B

Class C Frames

Alterations.

Public Bldg.

Govt. Bldgs.

Carl Hornibrook Returns From Eastern Trip

Carl Hornibrook, sales manager of the Ewauna Box Co., Klamath Falls, Ore., \,vas a recent Los Angeles visitor where he spent a ferv days on business. He hid iust completed an extensive business trip through the east where he visited the large lumber consuming -points.