South American Hardwoods are Augmenting Lumber Needs in U. S.

The insistent demand for more lumber of every sort than the American mills have been able to produce, has had the effect of developing new sources of supply not previously known in the United States. The fact that the Japs captured all the Philippine Mahogany mills and timber deprived the hardwood and cabinet wood users of this country of a source of supply of wonderful character. In the 'West, Philippine had become almost as everyday a wood as Western softwoods. The entire country had become accustomed to a certain amount of Philippine supply.

With the demand so gfeat and the Philippine loss so keenly felt, it was but natural that American lumber importers should turn to other sources outside this countrv for needed hardwoods. One of these sources that is now delivering cabinet woods into this country in considerable quantity and promising more, is Columbia, South America. When Philippine was cut off, Roy Barto, of Los Angeles, President of one of the oldest Philippine lumber concerns, Cadwallader-Gibson Company, turned his eyes toward South America. Also his feet. He heard of the timber and mills of Columbia, so he went down there to look. And he found a big concern manufacturing cabinet hardwoods in two quite modern sawmills at Barranguilla, Columbia, the name of which is Compania National de Maderas .,La fndustria." It is generally known as simply ,'La fndustria.,, This concern has two sawmills, one with a 7 foot and a 9 foot band headrig, and the other with an 8 foot band headrig and a pony saw. He made a deal with this concern to act as their Agent for the entire United States. He likewise sent them some highly capable and experienced hardwood men to assist in their manufacturing operations, and introduced American grades and grading rules.

Buys Encinitcs Lrimber Co.

Eugene Gauthier, who has been manager for the Bauer Lumber Co., Carlsbad, Calif., for the past ll years, purchased the Encinitas Lumber Co., Encinitas, Calif., and took over the yard September l, 1943.

He is now shipping some of the products of these mills into this country, entering at New Orleans. It is only four or five days' time by freighter from Columbia to New Orleans, as compared with thirty to sixty days required to ship lumber from the Philippines to the West Coast. All the lumber they have shipped in has gone to the United States Government through the Defense Supply Corporation. About a million feet has arrived so far, all of one outstanding species called Albarco. It is a dark red, close grained, ribbon striped wood, much heavier than Philippine Mahogany. It has been tested and accepted by the Navy as a substitute for both Mahogany and Birch. It slices well and makes wonderful looking veneer. This is already an established wood, of great beauty, density, and usefulness. Mr. Barto is busily engaged in trying to discover markets and secure acceptance for various other species produced by his company. They vary in color, density, and probably in usefulness. Some of them are most interesting woods. He displays samples of one wood he thinks is a substitute for Spruce. Mr. Barto says it weighs one-fourth as much as Spruce, and has greater strength. It really lifts like cork. There are many other woods that he thinks will win acceptance in this country as soon as they are tried out.

"La Industria" has been manufacturing lumber right' there for 65 years, and has a splendid reputation. They have timber for all time to come, apparently. They have planing mills and dry kilns at their plants, and are building more. They already have many resaws, trimmers, edgers, and a forest of othgr equipment for manufacturing and remanufacturing their lumber, so they have something really up-to-date to offer. Their big problem so far has been getting shipping space from the mills to New Orleans. Mr. Barto's offices are at 621 South Spring St.

"Shorty" Nelson Vtsits Calilornicr

"Shorty" Nelson, Chief Inspector for the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, left Los Angeles September 16, after a two weeks' visit in Southern California. He stopped at San Francisco, and then went on to Portland.