16 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



Lumber Markets in Cuba. 



Most houses of the better class are built 

 of stone or cement, but cottages, stables, etc., 

 are of yellow and white pine and spruce. 

 Annual importations of yellow pine amounts 

 to 150 million feet, 80 per cent, of which 

 comes from the United States. 



It is believed with better business con- 

 ditions now evident, building activity in 

 Cuba during the coming year will be 

 very great. Deputy Consul-General 

 Henry P. Starrett of Havana gives a 

 detailed description of specifications 

 and lumber market conditions of inter- 

 est to all American lumber exporters, as 

 follows: 



Nearly all lumber is bought in cargo 

 lots of from 250 M to 400 M feet, quo- 

 tations being c. i. f., on the three kinds 

 imported — yellow pine, white pine, and 

 spruce. 



Specifications for cargo lots visually run 

 as follows: Two-thirds of cargo from 

 12 to 30 feet in length and one-third 

 from 30 to 36 feet in length; 30 per cent, 

 should be 10 and 12-inch stuff, 1 to 12 



Indies shippers" quality, being from $34 

 to $36 per M, c. i. f., and for "No. 7" 

 quality from $45 to $50 per M, c. i. f. 



Nova Scotia supplies all the 10,000,000 

 feet of spruce imported. Market require- 

 ments are for 1 by 6-inch to 1 by 12- 

 inch stuff, from 10 to 25 feet in length. 

 There is only one grade imported, the 

 price being from $22 to $24 per M, c. i. f. 



Terms of sale are usually sixty days' 

 draft for 90 per cent, of the invoice 

 against shipping docuinents, the remain- 

 ing 10 per cent, being paid at the time 

 of the discharge of the cargo, except 

 in the case of white pine, when draft is 

 usually given for sixty days for the full 

 amount of the invoice, shipping docu- 

 ments attached. There is no duty on 

 undressed, common pine lumber, but 

 harlior dues amount to 20 cents per 

 thousand feet and wharfage about 12 

 cents per thousand. 



It is best to have an agent who is 

 known in Havana, as buyers do not seem 

 to care to purchase direct from the ship- 

 per. The current commission is 75 



Perspectiv.T del Palacio de Ju^ticia ik- la l'r..\incia dc Santiago dc Cuba, Departmento de Obras 

 Publicos Construcciones Civiles, 'oS. 



The new Palace of Justice Building to be built in Santiago de Cuba. The illustration gives a 

 veiv good idea of the scope of the work. 



inches thick, and the balance from 2 by 

 2 inches to 8 by 8 inches. The market 

 price in Havana for first-class (mer- 

 chantable quality) yellow pine lumber 

 is from $21.50 to $22, United States cur- 

 rency, per M, c. i. f., and for second- 

 class quality, from $17 to $18 per M, 

 c. i. f. 



White Pine. — 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 

 feet of white pine is imported, and Can- 

 ada furnishes the most. Market require- 

 ments are for 1 by 8-inch to 1 by 12- 

 inch stuff, from 12 to 16 feet in length. 

 The market price in Havana for "West 



cents per thousand feet. — U. S. Report, 

 Dec. 17, '08. 



Cuban Mahogany and Cedar. 



Mahogany. — Arrivals were represented 

 by two ports only, totaling under the 

 yearly monthly average. Small wood 

 was slow of sale. Large wood secured 

 better prices. 



Cedar. — Receipts fell off fifty per cent. 

 Business depression inade stock in first 

 hands larger than in months. Improve- 

 ment in trade now looked for. — From G. 

 F. Herriman's N. Y. Report, Jan. 1, 1909. 



