THE CALIFOR}.IIA LUMBERMERCHANT JackDiorrne,fultXltu How Lumber Looks

Douglas Fir-Cument new business of 216 mills reporting to the Vest Coast Lumbetments Association for the week ended September 17 was 66.8 per cent over production and 35.9 per cent of their weekly capacity. This increase in new business was due mostly for forward purchases made for Atlantic Coast delivery, with buyers placing orders now to avoid a price advance in freighting charges by intercoastal steamers. To cover for October loading at present cargo ratesr specifications had to be in by Septembet 2O,

The good showing during recent weeks, the Association reports, is a combination of low production with a slowly rising line of orders, et e time when stocks at the mills are badly broken. The buying is for stock making mostly and refects t{re scarcity of stocke in the yards of retailers and wholesalers. ft is believed that a continuance of low production schedules and unbalanced mill stocks will result in more demand.

Unfilled orders for the week increased 27r787ro0o feet from the previous week. New expott business was 4r434rOO0 feet less, new domestic cargo otders wdre 1113511000 feet over, and new rail business increased 807r0oo feet as compared with the previous week.

Production, orders and shipments for the week ended September 17 at these 216 mills were reported to the Association as follows: Production 5t,1621217 feet, Orders 85;3631610 feet and Shipments 55,136,289 feet.

321 mills for the week ended September 17 operated at 20.9 per cent of capacity, as compared to t9.7 per cent of capacity

E. H. Case With Seal-Tite Products Co.

Edward H. Case of Los Angeles is now connected with the Seal-Tite Products Co. and is calling on the lumber and building material dealers in the Los Angeles and Southern California territory. Mr. Case has been identified with the lumber business for many years, and is well known to the Southern California lumber trade. The Seal-Tite products are manufactured in Los Angeles and have headquarters offices at 647 N. Virgil Ave.

for t{re previous week and 35.2 per cent for the same week last yeat. During the week 2O6 oL these plants were reported as down and 116 as operating.

Unsold stocks on the public docks at San Pedro totaled 2r 098'000 feet on September 24, which the California Vholesale Lumber Association rePorts as the loweat they have on record' Cargo arrivals at San Pedro for the week ended September 24 included 11 cargoes of Fir totaling 6'260'000 feet and I catgo of Redwood with 290'000 feet. Loo Angeles building permits up to Septembet 24 amounted to $lrlQ4r978, which is a considerable increase as compared to the August permits for the same period. 47 lumber vessels were operating in the Cali' fornia service on Septembet 24; 6l vessels were laid up.

The California lumber siuation showed little change in the last two weeksl the yards are teported to be doing a reasonable amount of buying and mill prices are firm. Some improvement has been noted in the*consumi"g*d"*Td.

For the week ended September 10, the Southern Pine Asso' ciation reported new business from 122 mills as 3515881000 feet, shipments tSrTO2rOOO feet, and production 22r4O5rOOO feet' Orders were 59 Per cent above production and about the same as shipments. Shipments were 59 Per cent above production.

The Vestern Pine Association for the week reported new business from 102 mills at t7r767r000 feet, shipments 31'4441000 feet, and production 281356.OOO f.eet. Orders wete V3 Per cent above production and 2O Per cent above shipments. Ship' ments were 1l per cent above production.

186 hardwood mills for the same week give new businesc as 15,6911000 feet, or t79 per cent above production, and ship' ments were 1-2r487r}(/J feet, or 122 pet cent above ptoduction' Production was 516211000 feet.

Milton Rhodes

Milton Rhodes, for many years manager of the retail yard of the Hobart E,state Co., Reno, Nev., died in St' Luke's Hospital, San Francisco, September 25, after he hacl seemed to be recovering from an operation performed r about a week previouslY.