Maximum Prices for Fir Dimension and Boards Increased--Ceilings for Timb ers and Plank Reduced

To facilitate production of the light construction type of lumber now in heavy demand as a result of changing requirements of the war program, the Office of Price Administration increased maximum prices for Douglas fir dimension lumber and boards and reduced ceilings for heavy timbers, plank, and small timbers, December 1.

"These price changes could bring a slight decrease in mill realization if present production ratios of the items involved ar€ maintained," OPA said, "But it is expected thit increased production of the types of lumber for which increases are authorized, particularly dimension, will tend to preserve the prevailing level of over-all mill realization."

The price changis, which became effective December 6, are as follows:

Maximum prices of Douglas fir dimension lumber, surfaced, are increased $1.50 per 1,000 board feet.

Maximum prices of Douglas fir boards in grades No. 2 and lower are increased 5O cents per 1,000 board feet.

Maximum prices of heavy timbers in grades under "Select Structural" are reduced $1.50 per 1,000 board feet.

Maximum prices of plank and small timbers, in grades under "Select Structural" are reduced $2 per 1.000 board feet.

"There have been changes in the requirements of the war economy," OPA said, commenting on the price adjustment. "\Mhereas Government procurement programs formerly called for great quantities of heavy timbers,' plank and small timbers to be used in construction of cantonments and off-shore facilities, the emphasis has now swung over to a tremendous demand for boards and dimension lumber. Great quantities of boards and dimension lumber now are wanted for boxing and crating war goods, and for construction and repairs necessary to the upkeep of farms and essential manufacturing industries."

To enable producing mills and distribution yards, including retail yards, to switch emphasis to gutput and distribution of the lighter types of lumber, the price changes announced today were drawn. The changes, before decided upon, were discussed with both the War Production Board and OPA's Douglas Fir Industry Advisory Committee.

In another Douglas fir pricing charrge OPA announced that the premium of $3.50 per 1,000 board feet formerly allowed mills producing boards in compliance with WPB Cirucular No. 31 is no longer applicable to boards of lr/a

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Maximum Prices for Fir Dimension and Boards Increased

(Continued from Page 22) and. ll inch thicknesses. "Footnote 14" is deleted in its entirety. The former premium on one-inch boards is worked into the board price table itself.

Two other pricing changes in connection with Douglas fir also were announced. They are as follows:

1. Beginning December 6, all Oregon Douglas fir mills with freight rates to California destinations lower tharr the rate from Portland, Ore., may use the Portland rate in computing delivered prices to California destinations. California mills were authorized to base freight on Portland in May, 1943.

2. Also beginning December 26, Douglas fir mills mav convert Government bills of lading into commercial bills of lading in a manner that will secure for the shipper the same freight rate advantage as though shipment had moved originally on a commercial bill of lading.

OPA pointed out that Douglas fir delivered prices are computed on the basis of estimated weights per 1,000 board feet of lurnber which sometimes are greater than the actual weight of a shipment. The seller thus makes a small profit on the transportation allowance figured in the delivered price.

The new method of computation permits a mill to ob' tain the same return in making sales f.o.b. mill in cases where the Governrnent desires to take advantage of the lower land grant freight rates, as the seller would enjoy by taking unferweights in an ordinary commercial transaction on a "delivered" basis

(Foregoing price changes are made in Amendment No. 4 to Revised Maximum Price Regulation No. 26, Douglas Fir and Other West Coast Lumber), and became effective December 6, 1943)

Allbcction oI Wood Pulp Plcrced on Quarterly Bcsis

Issuance of amended General Preference Order M-93 to place the allocation of wood pulp ott a quarterly basis beginning January l, 1944, was announced by David Graham, administrator of the order and chief of the Office of Pulp Allocation, War Production Board.

Heretofore,WPB has allocated wood pulp on a monthly basis. The changeover to quarterly allocation coincides with a revision'of the reports received from the paper industry to include an analysis of the business done by each manufacturer in certain broad classifications of end uses and end users. This analysis is expected to provide the basis of a program determination for pulp and paper for the first quarter of 1944.

Home on Lecve

Lieut. (j.S.) Ed La Franchi, IJ.S.N., recently visited his family in Oakland on a 10-day leave. He has been stationed for some time at Gulfport, Miss. Before the war he was associated for some years with Hill & Morton, Inc., Oakland.