Demonstrates F'ireproof Lumber

E. K. Wood Lumber Company Proves Claimed Qualities of "Somozided" Fireproofed Lumber

A gathering of over 250 men, including Fire Chiefs, Fire Commissioners, Building Officials, Leading Architects and tsuilders, and railroad construction men rvatched a convincing demonstration on November 6 of the qualities of "Somozided" lumber, a patented process of treatment that renders all lumber products absolutely fireproof.

The demonstration was held at the E. K. Wood Lumber Company's yards at 47Ol Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, and rvas held under the direction of Mr. Frank W. Plane, manager of the sales promotion department. The E. K. Wood Lumber Company has the exclusive distributing rights for the materials.

Three small buildings had been prepared, built of Fir frame, hemlock siding and cedar shingles. They lvere about ten feet square in size and were placed about ten feet apart. The center building r,vas built of ordinary lumber, ceiled inside with tongue and groove, and was painted inside and out with the commonly used paints, of the highest quality. This was building No. 2.

Building No. 1 was constrncted of the same materials, but instead of ordinary paint, this one had been painted, two coats, with the Somoza Fire Preventer Paints.

Building No. 3'r,vas built entirely of "Somozided" lumber and shingles, and painted lvith the same materials that were used on No. I building.

The first act of the demonstration was to set fire to the center shed, No. 2, after it had been filled with kerosene soaked excelsior. This building burned readily and fiercely, of course, and was a mass of cinders in about twenty min- utes. It had been anticipated by Mr. Plane that the building on the left, No. l, would ignite, but would not burn readily, but contrary to these expectations, the fire retardant paints held the flames in check, the only damage done to this shed being a severe charring, on the side next to the blaze.

Building No. 3 was not harmed in any .ivay, and later rvhen an attempt was made to burn it, with the same preparations as used on the first fire, the gathering was loud in its praise when the fire died out, in about six minutes, leaving the building absolutely intact, and without damage of any kind, barring the ordinary charring of the paint that would result from a heat estimated to have risen to 3000 degrees. A small window in this building was twisted out of shape, attesting to the extreme high heat.

The demonstration was held to convince fire officials and others of the practicability of the Somoza products and it is expected that the material will be in general use before long.

Mr. Plane states that at a recent meeting of fire chiefs in the east, a slogan was adopted, "IJse Less Lumber," and that it behooves all lumbermen to shoulder arms to combat any such action. He has been in communication with numerous officials in districts where legislation has been proposecl or adopted, against the use of lumber, particulirly wood shingles, and has succeeded in convincing these gen- tlemen of the practicability of directing their activities

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(Continued from Page 37) against inflammable lumber, and has interested them highly in the Somoza goods.

The E. K. Wood Lumber Company was host to the entire gathering, at a luncheon preceding.the demonstration. I\fr. Plane introduced Mr. Frank Curran, general manager of the company in Southern California, and Mr' Curran in turn presented Col. Somoza, inventor of the process, and his aJsociate, Mr. Smith. Both of the gentlernen spoke at length on the process, explaining it in detail.

NIr. Smith stated that the lumber to lle treated was any ordinary lumber stock, rough or dressed' The material is dipped into large vats, for a stated time, the vat containing a solution of soluble minerals that respond only to hot water. This chemical bath, after the proPer penetration, renders the wood absolutely fireproof, and, according to Mr. Smith, the treatment is good for the life of the wood. The treatment does not affect the material in any other way, excepting adding slightly to its weight, but does not render it unfit for any desired painting or staining. He stated that Somozided lumber had a greater tensile strength than ordinary stock of equal'dimension. The process can be applied on old buildings with a spray, and while it is not as effective as the bath treatment, according to Mr. Smith the spray treatment will be practically 90 per cent efficient.

There is an added advantage to the material in that it is made immune to attack from all the common pests of lumber-ants, borers, etc.

He stated that before long the American public will witness a film now being made at the Goldwyn Studios, dealing with fire hazards, and directed very forceably against the use of lumber products. This film is being made under the direction of the Fire Chiefs' Association.

An interesting statement was made by Mr. Plane concerning the use of wood shingles in Europe. He states that there are no wooden shingles in any country in Europe, with one exception, that in France, during the World War, the ban was temporarily lifted. He said that statistics credit wooden shingles for the cause of 6O per cent of the fires in the United States. Another interesting comparison is that Los Angeles suffered over four thousand conflagrations in 1924, while London, England, with seven times the population, had but four hundred. Sixteen thousand people died in this country, in fires, 1924.

Further demonstrations were conducted inside the offices, which, incidentally, have been painted with the Somoza Fire Preventer Paints. A gasoline torch was directed against a stick of 3x6, the lire being turned on at 11:45 a.m., and at the conclusion of the meeting, about 3:30, the blaze had penetrated about one and one-half inches. Shingles, lath, various sized pieces of wood were all subjectecl to severe fire tests, and all held up.

As stated above, the E. K. Wood Lumber Company will act as distributors of They intend erecting a Preventer stains, after all Somoza products in California. shingle staining plant, to apply Fire the shingles have been fire-proofed.

Northwest Millwork Association Appoints Advertising Committee

At their quarterly meeting held in October at Tacoma, the Pacific Northwest Millwork Association appointed an advertising committee consisting of the following: C. E. Cowdin, Nicolai-Neppach Co., Portland; H. W. Hansen, Gray's Harbor Mfg. Co., Aberdeen, and P. A. Warrick, Guarantee Millwork, Inc., Seattle. This' committee will r,vork out a plan for market extension and advertising and will report at the next meeting which will be held at Portland in February,1926.

Major Griggs, St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co., addressed the meeting on the subject of "Co-operation," and C. L. Thompson gave a talk on advertising.

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