lnterprets Decline of Lumber Redwood Tanlcs Good as New Sales in Second Quarter After 64 Years' Service

Washington, D. C., August 12.-In a survey of lumber demand and supply issued today, the U. S. Timber Conservation Board's Lumber Survey Committee attributes ths poor showing in the second quarter of 1934 partly to the prevalence of strikes outside the lumber industry, particularly on the Pacific Coast. Part of the lethargy is charged to "retail and consumer hesitancy" because of price uncertainties. In that quarter shipments and new orders were 1O and 9 per cent, respectively, below production. Orders were only slightly above those of the first quarter of the year, and nearly 30 per cent below those of the second quarter of 1933.

Lumber stocks at the mills on July lst were about 8.5 billion feet-an increase of.832 million feet in 12 months.

It is pointed out that the Lumber Pri'ce Index of the Bureau of Labor, which was 88 last December, is expected to dr'op to around 8O when the recent 10 per cent reduction irr minimum mill prices begins to be reflected statistically.

Lumber stocks are considered to be in surplus by nearly 4 billion feet, but an increase in lumber buying during the rest of the year is confidently expected. The industry is criticized for- backwardness in organized and centralized trade promotion efforts, implying that it has relied upon trade stabilization and orderly marketiug through the Lumber Code more than upon encouragement of consumption.

Attention is called to the fact that since the Lumber Code became effective in August 1933 more than 5,000 small sawmills have been put into operation. At the rate of lumber consumption given by the Committee for the first six months of 1934 the year's lumber consumption will equal 15.5 billion feet, as compared with 14.6 billion feet in 1933.

Another proof of the durability of California Redwood, and its suitability for the construction of all kinds of tanks, was given recently when two water tanks, made of Redwood in 1870 were wrecked in San Francisco af.ter 64 years' service. The tanks, which were in use up to about a year ago, were found to be in perfect condition.

The tanks, made by Pacifib Tank Co., now known as Pacific Tank & Pipe Co., were erected by John Center, who owned most of the property around the neighborhood of Sixteenth and Shotwell Streets, where the tanks were located, to supply water to his tenants.

When the great fire of 1906 came, these water tanks were credited with saving much of the property in the district.

On account of the sturdy construction of the sub-structure, which was mortised and tenoned, without a nail in it anywhere, and the fact that seven feet o{ water remained in the tanks, the wrecking job presented unusual difficulty, and resisted the efforts of the wreckers until thev found out about the water and drained it.

The San Francisco Examiner gave a good deal of publicity to the wrecking of the tanks, and treated the wreckers to some good-natured joshing, Their first article, after the first failure to pull the tanks down, was headed, "No, Tanks, They're Not Pushovers, These Old Boys." A picture was shown of the structure leaning at a slight angle, with the caption, "And Still They Stand." The following day the paper showed five pictures of the structure in various stages of falling, with the heading, "Tank Yank, In Five Reels. Tower Falls After Battle." SIRUCIURAI

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