Artistic Treatment of Beautiful Hardwoods in fnterior o] Ne* Trans-Pacific Liner Will Appeaf to Travefers

. Y""I San Francisco lumbermen took advantage of the invitation of the Dollar Steamship Line, Inc., to"visit the magnificent new S. S. President Hoover,-largest Americanbuilt merchant vessel and most powerful turi'o-electric liner aflgat, on her first visit to San Francisco, August 24 to 2i.

The keenest interest of the lumbermen wai naturally in the beautiful efiects obtained by the use of many variJties of hardwoods in all of the public rooms and staierooms.

Manufacturers of and dealers in all species of hardwoods owe a deep debt of gratitude to the *ejl known San Fran_ cisco firm of interior architects, A. F. Marten & Co., who plan-ned, designed and supervised the entire interior ,.t.-. qt t_!rs great vessel and her sister ship, S. S. president Coolidge. When this firm sold their idea'for the extensive use of hardwoods, finished for the most part in their natural colors, they did a tremendous job of tride extension work for the hardwood industry, for here are two great traveling exhibits which demonstrite what can be aciomplished bi an intelligent use of beautifu.l woods for interiois.

The shipbuilding company, at first opposed to the use of hardwoods, was later surprised to discover that the cost of the job ran no more than the old style paint job, a"a thai the cost of upkeep will be much less. Hbmer L. F..rgu.o., president of the company, thanked the A. F. Mart; Co: for their new idea, which has createcl an interior atmoiphere that will probably have a profound influence on "tt tuture construction of ship passenger accommodations.

Extensive use was made ihrouglout of philippine -Mahogany. All of the stateroom doois are of Rea t'irilippini, and walls are paneled in Philippine. Two of the de luxe suites have living rooms and verandas paneled in Burrnese padouk, and the other two have living room and veranda paneled in primavera. Furniture in these suites is made of zebra, macassar and harervood.

The main entrance lobby on C deck and also the lobbies on A and B decks are paneled in White Philippine, with Red Philippine trim. The grand stairway is birilt of walnut with carved walnut rail and newel posts. In the way of the stairs in the first class lobby on ill decks the walls are finished in full height panels oi avoidire, between narrow panel bands of satinwood with yellow poplar mold;ng.s. Woods used in the lounge are Philippine,-satinwood and_ primavera. The smoking room is completely paneled in West African bubinga, with a rich daik red mottled grain. Thewalls of thelibrary and writing room are paneled full height in large slabs of center-matched African mahogany, with side margins decorated with marquetry inlays in many hardwoods including American and Circaisian walnuts, curly maple, yellow poplar, harewood, bubinga, tigerwood, zebra and vermilion. The marine tea gartfun is paneled in teak. Two hundred thousand feet oJ teak were used for the decks.

. Practically_all of the furniture was designed and finished in the San Francisco workshops of A. F. Marten & Co. and-shipped to the Atlantic seaboard. A great part of the hardwoods used in this furniture was furnished bv White Brothers, San Francisco.

How the Steel Fofks Go After Business in These Depression Times

Yes, Sir ! It really looks as though the only thing for building folks to do in times like these is to quit trying to sell anything, and justwaitfor business to pick up. At least, that's what a whole lotof building materials people are doing.

But these steel building folks seem to think very, very differently. They seem to have the idea that when times are hard the thing to do is make it easier for folks to buy.

For instance, right before us as we write these lines there is a circular that went out to their trade from a big steel tank manufacturing concern. A lot of good sales effort, and good psychology, and direct appeal to short pocket books that is bound to bring results, because the effort fits present conditions. It is an appeal to the grain growers of the country who can't sell their grain for a living price, haven't storage room to hold it until prices get better, and haven,t any cash to buy storage room with. Here's what this circular says:

"To those grain growers who are in distress on account of the low price of grain, we gladly ofier our special time payment plan on Grain Bins-NO DOWN PAYMENTnota cent to be paid for sixmonths-six months grain storage free-then one-third of the purchase price dorvn and another one-third in twelve months, and the final payment in eighteen months.We have set aside 500 grain bins-all styles-all sizes-for this unusual propositi6n.,, Sounds helpful, and intelligent, and timely doesn,t it? Really looks like a great merchandising stunt to fit the times and the occasion.

And further along they announce a new circular fixing big reductions in the price of all these metal storage tanks, grain bins, silos, etc. The circular advises the farmer to hold his grain for higher prices, and store it in their binsat long time payments.

No use talking, folks, that's merchandising. Such merchandising as has been coming slowly to the lumber induitry, but must and will come faster in the days to come.