Lumber Folks Frolic Amid Classic Charms of Huntington Lake

It was a great event in the lives of many California lumbermen and their families when the San Joaquin Valley Lumbermen's club decided to hold an outing and picnic at Huntington Lake, Saturday and Sunday, September 16 and 17.

The invitations were sent by the San Joaquin Valley folks not only to their own members but to the Sacremento Valley and the Central California clubs and to the wholesalers and. manufacturers of San Francisco, I.ros Angeles and other parts of the state.

Needless to sal', acceptances were quite general. I-rumber men and lumber women came from near and distant points to join in the festivities. It was a wonderful occasion. All the diversified entertainment that a two-day excursion into the mountains could afford was provided-automobile riding, scenic attractions, feasting, music, dancing, fishing, boating, bathing, a camp fire gathering, speaking, storytelling, and a thrilling sky-high trip over the summit of the S,ierra range to the headwaters of the San Joaquin river where the natural course of the stream is being altered so that it may provide electric energy for all of Southern CaIifornia.

While the main excursion was conducted by the San Joaquin Valley boys, this latter part of the entertainment was provided by the Southern California Edison company and its staff of courteous, good-natured and well-informed engineers and officials who have charge of the tremendous power development project now under way in that region. It was a busy week-end. for everyone-and that means about 150 people, mostly men and women, but also a few children. There was so much going on that it was impossible to see everything.

The several active committees of the San Joaquin club served. with customary efficiency. Every element of their guests' pleasure and comfort was provided for. Automobile accomodations were available for all who came without machines.

They started from the Fresno hotel early Saturday morning, stopping at Pine Ridge Tavern for luneh.

Early in the afternoon they reached the sawmill of the Carlson Lrumber company near Cascada. Here Sam Kellner, one of the owners, took the travelers in charge and. showed them the operations. The mill is cutting mountain pine and turns out about 60,000 feet a day.

A funny thing about that mill: M. Kellner & Sons, operate a line of yards in the valley and a few years ago were confronted with the problem of obtaining a ready supply of mountain pine for their customers. So they bought the mill. Just about the same time the Southern California Edison company undertook the huge development project along Big Creek and the tenitory beyond and began dernanding lumber from that mill. As the capacity of the piII inereased the Edison company's requirements grew. So now practically the entire output is used by the Edison company and the Kellner yards get none. Anyway, Sam proved to be a genial host and the stop at his mill was one of the delightful incidents of the trip.

I-rate Saturday afternoon the caravan pulled up at Huntington Lake lodge, and what a delightful spot it is ! Iluntington I-"rake, is an artificiai body of water, but Nature herself could not have done a better job. The lodge sits majestically at one end and afrords an entrancing view of the lake itself and of the distant mountains.