Lumber Grading Rules and Inspection

Services Cited by \(/orks Progresr Administration

Washington, Dec. 7.-Works Progress Administrator

Harry L. Hopkins has issued a bulletin governing acceptable practices in preparing specifications for the purchase of lumber and timber to be used on PWA projects. "The elementary features of good specifications" are outlined at considerable length.

Regarding inspection, Mr. Hopkins rules that a requisition can specify grade-marked lumber, that is, lumber that bears the grade-mark and trade-mark of the lumber manufacturing association under whose rules it is bought, and the mill identification mark, except that in finished flooring marking is required only for softwoods. Or the requisition can specify a certificate of grading for a lumber shipment as a whole; or it can be specified that inspection will be made by an inspector from the federal agency making the purchase. Association grade-marking or certificate are declared to be the preferable methods. In case of agency inspection, experts from lumber associations or testing laboratories may be engaged if competent inspection cannot be secured through federal government facilities.

The bulletin includes a list of regional and species lumber manufacturing associations, whose grading rules may be used. Included in them are associations covering all the commercial species 'of lumber made in the United States, such as the California Redwood Association, Southern Pine Association, West Coast Lumbermen's Association, Northern Hemlock & Hardwood Manufacturers Association, Western Pine Association, Northern Pine Manufacturers Association, National llardwood Lumber Association, and Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association.

As an aid in the selection of the suitable grade of lumber required for a project, attention is directed to a government publication entitled "How Lumber is Graded" and another useful publication-"Lumber Grade-Use Guide for Softwood and Hardwood Lumber in Building and General Construction" bv the National Lumber Manufacturers Association.

BOB OSGOOD REPORTS CONDITIONS IN AI.I, MARKETS GOOD

R. S. (Bob) Osgood, sales manager for CadwalladerGibson Co., Inc., Los Angeles, is back at his desk after a three months' business trip through the East, Middlewest and South. Commenting on his trip he says-"As you know, I have spent over half the last five years in traveling these United States, calling more or less regularly in every market from California to Florida, from Florida to New England and on up into Canada, and from the East Coast back to the West Coast again. I am happy to say that without exception f have found conditions and prospects in every market more promising than at any time in the above named period. I am confident that a cycle of in,creasing good business for lumber and allied lines is now actually here."

West Coast Ass'n Seeks Trcaty Changes

Seattle, Wash., Dec. 9.-Press stories appearing today, based on continued good business coming to the lumber industry of this area, imply that the West Coast Lumbermen's Associatior.r is now admitting that the reduction of $2 per thousand board feet on 250,000,@O feet of fir and hemlock from British Columbia is not retarding buying and hence that little or no harm will come to the industry from the importation of this lumber.

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association has macle no such statement or admission.

This association has reirained from comment on the trade agreement since its first announcement. The agreement must be ratified bv the Canadian oarliament and will not become efie,ctive uniil ;anuary I,1936.

Our association in the meantime is trying to have the United States government limit, in the interests of market stability, the amount of lumber to be imported under the reduction-25o,000,000 feet-to 25,000,000 feet per month.

At the same time, we are also trying to have the part of this lumber which will move by water restrictecl to either Canadian or American tonnage, to eliminate the lower cost world tonnage now available to 1lritish Columbia manufacturers and denied Washington and Oregon shippers by American marine laws. American shippers must use American vessels between American oorts. Canadians may use any vessels obtainable to the same ports. Frequintly the -difference in cost is several dollais per thousand board feet.

We are also endeavoring to have the administration take an active interest in our loss of foreign lumber trade during the past five years within the British Empire to mills in British Columbia. These losses resulted from discriminatory tariffs.

Our recommendation is that when trade agreements are in process with Great Britain, Australia, or other countries within the British Empire, the United States State Department secure for our mills equality of treatment, country by country, with the mills in British Columbia. Ther-r rve could, through reciprocity, regain foreign trade within the empire to make room for the British Columbia lumber coming in here.

While the quota of 250,000,000 is labeled by ploponents of the treaty as insignificant when applied to British Columbia, this amount of lumber is over three times the 1934 sales of Washington and Oregon mills in all British Empire markets. Our mills sold 550,000,000 feet in these markets in I9D and but 70.000.000 in 1934. British Columbia mills sold 150.000.m0 in 1929, to these same British open the the British

Empire nations, and 625,000,000 in 1934. It is wholly indefensible "reciprocity American markets to Canadian mills and Empire markets practicallv closed to our

'to keep mi11s.

Reopens Retail Yard

The Fred L. Jones Lumber ancl Salvage Yard, El Verano, Calif., Fred L. Jones, Owner, has reopened the old El Verano Lumber Yard at El Verano. Sonoma Countv. Calif.

Back From North Trip

F. G. Hanson, president, West Coast Screen Co., Los Angeles, has returned from a business trip to Lakeview, Ore. On his way home he stopped at San Francisco in connection with sales of Hollywood doors. distributed in Northern California bv Nicolai Door Sales Co.. San Francisco.