Truck Service Big Factor In Developrnent of Hardwood Business

B. E. Bryan President and General Manager, Strable Hardztood Company

Motor trucks are playing an ever-in,creasing part in the development of hardwood iales adjacent to home markets, according't9 B. E. Bryan, President and General Manager of the Strable Hardwood Company, Oakland, Californial

"Because of the e,conomic factors involved." Mr. Brvan goes on to say, "the time is not far distant when we will make all deliveries by motor truck within a hundred miles radius. Deliveries are quicker and cheaper. Hardw,oocl reaches its destination in better condition. The result is better satisfaction to the ,customer because of the promptness of deLivery and excellent condition of materials jnd the satisfaction to ourselves in knowing we are rendering a service to our dealers and ,customers that meets the mod-erntrend of business, i.e., that of supplying hardwood when and where it is needed by the quickesl and most direct method and at the lowest possible cost of transpor- tation."

, "Promp.t se^rvic_e has been a prime factor in the development of the Strable Hardwood Company, which was fiist started in the year lX)7. Our stock on hincl then consisted of one carload of hardwood. Today. our business. rn,hich is not only statewide but extends into'Arizona, Nevada, and the northwest, consumes between 30 to 40-carloads per month.

"Th. yard occupies

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.approximately three acres of ground, is situated on a belt line served bv all railroads arrd- is i-- rs srtuated on and is immediately .adjacent to the city docks. A stock ranging from one half to three quarteis of a million feet of h-ard-- trom quarters hardrvood is ,carried on hand at all times. The maioritv of this ts carrred maiority hardwood, consisting o! _9"\, ash, magnolia, hickory, and uaruwoocl, consrsrlng 01 _9a{, magnolra, htckory, and gum, comes fromthe Mississippi Valley. Maple,-birch, beech and basswood comes from the Great Lakes territorv. From Central and South America we get such hardwoods as. lignum vitae, genuine mahogany, Spanish ,cedar and prirnavera. From Australia comes iron bark, jarrah, and spotted gum. Teak rvood, of course, comes from India. In addition to this complete line of hardwoods, the Company. han.dl.es Upson wallboard (a spruce fiber board pro- dq.t), building paper and pine paneG."

The Strable Hardwood Combany has standardized on

Fageol trucks, having in operation atthis time a fleet of fori. When, pneumatic tires became standard and as demands grew for faster service, they traded in their old equipment for urore modern types, in which were in'corporated all of the latest features to enable operators to meet demands of the trade.

Mr. Bryan first joined the Strable Hardrvood Compan-y in 1914. Having started his career working in the yards ancl gradually achieving his present position, he h-as gatheied a thorough kno*ledge of every department of the t)ustness.

"One of the things I am proud of,"Mr. Br1'an said, "is the fa'ct that by adhering to sound business principles and keeping abreast of the times, we have been able to give continuous employment to a force of from 35 to 40 people of Oakland including our clerical and sales force."

Forest Service Contracts Airplanes for Fire Patrol

Airplanes will again be used for scouting fires in the National Forests of California, according to Regional Forester S. B. Shorv of the San Francisco headquarters, IJnited States Forest Service. Contra'cts have been approved with two commer'cial airplane transport companies to provide ships for forest fire control work. The Associated Airwa1's, Ltd., operating from Goddard Field, Palo Alto, will urovide a Stearman three-seat biplane and a three-seat itlgtt *ing monoplane, both equippid *ittr J-5 225 Wright whirlwind engines, for patrol duty in northern California. Like service will be rendered in southern California by the Aero Corporation of California, Inc., operating from their on'n field in Los Angeles with two Eagle Rock lriplanes equipped with 200 h.p. Wright whirlwind motors.

Contrary to general belief, said Mr. Shou', airplanes are not used by the Forest Service for patrol over regular beats, but for scouting duty, although thel' are sometimes sent out to look for fires after heavy thunder and lightning storms and during periods ol haze and smoke when the visibility fromthe ground fire lookouts in the National Forests is impaired. Their principal usefulness is for the reconnaissance of large going fires, as a Forest officer in a ship at several thousand feet elevation can in a very short time determine the direction and rate of spread ofa fire and on his return to the ground, or by dropping parachute messages, can inform the officer in charge of the fire r.vhere best to concentrate fire fighting efforts. In 7929 the flying time on thisactivitl' amounted to 129 hours. Airplanes are also often used to transport Forest officers to the landing field nearest a fire and for dropping messages, blankets, emergency telephone wire and like non-fragile equipment at the base camps on large fires.

This is the tu,elfth year that airplanes have been used by the U. S. Forest Service in fire detection and control in the California Region. This work is made possible by a special appropriation by Congress.

Simonds

BandSaws for Satisfactory Service

Better service, longer saw life and Smoother cutting are arsured results from the use of STMONDS BAND SAWS (Nanow or Wide). The new wear-resfuting' edge'holding SIMONDS STEEL makes it porsible for the operator to get much better resultt. Specify SIMONDS for better band saw lervice,