THE CALIFOR}IIA LUMBERMERCTHNT JackDionne,fultblw

How Lumber Looks

Threat of a tie-up of coastal steam schooner service was averted on December 7 rvith the settlement of a "hot meal" dispute between the Shipowners' Association of the Pacific and two maritime unions, the Sailors' Union of the Pacific and the Marine Firemen, Watertenders, Oilers and Wipers' Association. Working relations between the Shipowners' Association and the unions were resumed after a threeday suspension. 46 of the Coast's 89 similar vessels, most of which are engaged in the lumber trade, were affec,ted until the agreement was reached.

The lumber industry during the holiday week ended November /7 stood, at 43 per cent of the l9D weekly averag'e of production and 41 per cent of average 1929 shipments. The week's reported production was 7 per cent greater than new business booked, and 8 per cent greater than shipments. Due partly to the Thanksgiving holiday, production and shipments were appreciably lower and new orders were slightly less than in the previous week, according to reports to the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, from regional associations covering the operations of important hardwood and softwood mills.

During the week ended November 27, 536 mills produced t46,I97,ffi feet of hardwoods and softwoods combined ; shipped 135,379,ffi0 feet, and booked orders of 136,887,000 {eet.

Production ol 177 down and operating mills in Oregon

and Washington reporting to the West Coast Lumbermen's Association for''the rveek ended December 4, totaled 61,234,83 f.eet. This was approximately 11,500,000 feet less than the volume reported by these mills for the week ended November N, the last previous week without a holiday.

At the rate of cutting at the reporting mills, the entire industry produced 38.8 per cent of its average weekly cut during 1926D. Orders taken by these mills totaled 72,698,859 feet, an increase of approximately 8,300,000 feet, when compared with the volume for the week ended November 20. However, the Association said the increase does not show enough change to indicate a market improvement.

Shipments totaled 62,80,634 feet, or about the same level as those .reported for the past three full weeks. The unfilled order file stood at ?49,423,595 feet.

The Western Pine Association for the week ended December 4, 118 mills reporting, gave new business of 40,938,000 feet, an increase of one per cent over the previous week. Production dropped from 46,950,000 feet to 43,032,000 feet, and shipments were 45,975W feet, nearly 5,000,000 feet more than the week before. Orders, production and shipments were below the corresponding week of 1936.

The California Redwood Association for the week ended November 27 repofted. production of 13 mills as 5,752,ffiO feet; shipments 4,681,000 feet; and new business 4,520,000 feet. Orders on ha.nd at the end of the week totaled 26,117,000 feet.

Grade-Marking Given Approval C. l. O. Wins Pordand Sawmill Election

Wide acceptance of lumber grade-marking was one of the features of the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association convention at New Orleans recently, according to Col. W. B. Greeley of Seattle, secretary-manager of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, who during the past week was in conference with Kenneth Smith, secretary of the Lumber and Allied Products Institute.

Stopping off in Los Angeles, where grade-marking has been pioneered by the Institute, Col. Greeley expressed the opinion that the plan would sweep into every section of the nation during 1938.

Continuation of its promotion of small-home construction and furtherance of grade-marking of lumber were designated major objectives of the National group next year, the Seattle lumber executive reported.

Lumber Used For Barrel Rack At Large California Winery

Western Timber Structures, Inc., and the Timber Engineering Company of California have designed and sold the lumber and hardware for a barrel rack with a capacity of.6,200 barrels for the Stewan-Jones Winery at Lodi, Calif. Erection of the rack was started on December 6.

The lumber was entirely prefrabricated at the Wendling, Oregon, plant of The Booth-Kelly Lumber Company. Designed for the use of timber connectors, holes, rings and grooves were made at the mill before the lumber was shipped, resulting in a great saving of time and cost in erection.

Portland, Dec. 10.-The A. F. of L. were beaten in a test of strength with the C.I.O. for control of employees at the fnman-Poulsen Lumber Co. sawmill, one of the eight big plants in the Portland district shut down 121 days by a union jurisdictional dispute, at an election called yesterday by Governor Charles H. Martin to allow the employees to choose their bargaining agency. There were 559 good ballots cast. The count was: For the C.I.O., 376; f.or the A. F. of L., 183.

Governor Martin ofiered the same election facilities to other mill owners and promised state and local protection to returning workers. He announced that Inman-Poulsen was abiding by the results of the vote. Inman-Poulsen officials said the mill would open Monday, with 250 to 30O men in one shift; the mill's operations will be curtailed until its order files can be built up.

Purchases Hardware Stock

Davis Lumber Co., Davis, Calif., recently purchased the stock of the Anderson Hardware Store, Davis. The stock will be moved to the lumber company's hardware department.

In Northwest

H. F. Vincent, vice-president and general manager of E. K. Wood Lumber Co., San Francisco, will be back in the Bay City about'Deceruber 15 from a two weeks' visit to the Northwest. He made his headquarters at'Bellingham and spent considerable time at the company's mill at Anacortes.