HARDWOOD RECORD 



41 



Especially Is this noticeable in the large cities. 

 The yardmen in all the smaller towns in New 

 York State, New Jersey and the eastern district 

 of Pennsylvania have been obliged to readjust 

 their stock and fill in vacant corners, as orders 

 now cover only actual requirements. 



The building work already started, and that 

 for which plans are being arranged, insure con- 

 siderable activity in the mill work and flooring 

 factories. Work in the furniture manufactories 

 In this and other eastern localities lags some- 

 what on account of the slow movement of the 

 retailers' stock, the result of so many mechanics 

 being thrown out of work. The boxmakers re- 

 port business far below normal, while cigar-box 

 manufacturers speak of a slight change for the 

 better. The hardwood stocks both at mill dis- 

 tricts and in consumers' hands are not over 

 heavy, and at this season the usual freshets at 

 mill centers will retard considerably the work 

 at the mills. 



Values remain practically unchanged ; quar- 

 tered oak holds firm, but is extremely scarce : 

 No. 1 and 2 poplar keeps steady, the lower 

 grades are somewhat off, and ash has been 

 losing reputation, but taking the hardwoods as 

 a whole the situation is far more satisfactory 

 than that of the soft woods. Collections are 

 noticeably slow and unsatisfactory. It Is the 

 general opinion that the present seasonable 

 weather will give a new impetus to building 

 work, a very important factor as regards a 

 pronouncement upon the market for trading 

 during the next few months, but nothing really 

 decisive can be hoped for until after the presi- 

 dential nominations and election. 



Baltimore, 



The hardwood trade has been without any 

 marked changes during the past two weeks. Busi- 

 ness is still reported quiet, with the offerings 

 liberal enough and a somewhat larger inquiry, 

 but with the actual movement much the same. 

 Spring has proved a distinct disappointment, and 

 the expectations entertained earlier In the year 

 have fallen far short of realization. The range 

 of prices is still decidedly lower than the level 

 that obtained last year, and this, notwithstanding 

 the fact that stocks seem to be by no means 

 e.xcessive. As far as can be learned supplies at 

 most of the mills are small and many of the 

 plants are still shut down : those in operation 

 usually have some special reason for activity. 

 At the prevailing quotations lumber ought to 

 prove attractive, and yet buyers are not disposed 

 to place orders beyond immediate needs. It is 

 the opinion of most hardwood men now that no 

 extraordinary activity Is to be looked for until 

 after the election, and that while a moderate 

 amount of business may develop. It will not be 

 difficult to meet the wants of the buyers. 



Foplar is In much the same condition as the 

 other divisions of the hardwood trade, the de- 

 mand having declined in the last few weeks. 

 Values are not as strong as they were, and the 

 absence of a brisk foreign movement is felt more 

 than ever. Stocks seem to be going forward to 

 Liverpool and other transatlantic points in con- 

 siderable volume, but the business is not profit- 

 able, the large accumulations abroad and the 

 pressure to sell at home having forced prices 

 down to a low notch. Quiet also prevails In 

 the other divisions of the export business, the 

 accumulations of oak operating against this wood. 

 Not a few of the exporters have stopped ship- 

 ping because of the unsatisfactory conditions, 

 and the entire trade leaves much to be desired. 



Buflfalo. 



The lumber trade Is still unsteady and re- 

 ports have to be averaged from wide differences 

 of opinion. One dealer reports that there is 

 nothing doing and Is afraid that things will 

 be worse before they are better, a second is 

 doing very well and a third has sold a lot of 

 stock at good prices. Again the same dealer 

 win find he Is doing well or otherwise and will 

 suddenly strike the opposite side of the trade. 



Buying is still uncertain, but a fair consump- 

 tion is going on that has to be met somehow, 

 and as there is not demand enough to keep 

 everybody busy the trade goes In streaks. It 

 will keep on in this way till there is a more 

 genuine revival of ail sorts of business. 



The city building reports here and elsewhere 

 in the country are very favorable, as compared 

 with other business, and there is going to be a 

 pretty good consumption of lumber in this di- 

 rection this year. 



As to the various hardwoods there is improve- 

 ment, though, small, in plain oak. Elm and 

 basswood continue to be better property than 

 they were, basswood no doubt coming in to 

 take the place of poplar, which is not any more 

 plentiful. Quartered oak is as strong as ever 

 and black ash moves, but white ash is quiet 

 and chestnut and birch do not improve. The 

 plan is still to keep stocks down to a good 

 working size and to run sawmills enough to 

 make sure of plenty of stock that is in demand 

 and not let the mill force scatter, so that when 

 the demand is large again there will be stock 



to meet it. 



Bay City and Sagina-w. 



Hardwood stocks are light as to dry material, 

 and there is an increased movement. In fact, 

 manufacturers and dealers state that trade is 

 picking up, some good lets having been disposed 

 of in the last ten days. There will be many 

 small lots cut at interior mills this season. 

 The market is steady. Ash, oak and basswood 

 are firm. Maple is also quite firm, but if con- 

 cessions are made they will be confined to maple, 

 owing to the proportionately large stocks of that 

 timber. Orders for flooring are coming In, and 

 some European shipments have been made. The 

 domestic trade Is also showing symptoms of 

 material Improvement. 



Cleveland. 



A steady improvement In conditions In the 

 lumber industry has been noted during the last 

 two weeks In Cleveland, and a nui<h more op- 

 timistic feeling prevails. Win: ih. . I. ■11:111.1 

 does not compare at all favi it 



year, still most of the lumtun 1 1 



that a sufficient volume of bn-in - aM k.' 



Itself apparent to make up for the last few 

 months. 



roplar still holds the top rung of the ladder, 

 the demand being quite heavy, with the supply 

 light. Quartered oak Is also In strong demand, 

 with no fluctuation In price noted. Plain oak 

 has failed to show much activity, much of the 

 stock offered In this market being of poor qual- 

 ity, although there Is plenty of good oak pro- 

 curable If a search Is made. 



Dealers in maple flooring expect a good sea- 

 son In view of the activity In residence build- 

 ing. 



Most of the factories and mills using hard- 

 woods in quantities are operating In Cleveland: 

 some, however, on short time schedules. A 

 fair season is looked for. Inquiries indicate 

 that mill stocks are getting low and that pur- 

 chases will have to be made soon if many 

 concerns are to be kept moving. Little price 

 cutting has been noted here and less is looked 

 for now that the revival is making Itself ap- 

 parent. A decided Improvement has been noted 

 in the way buyers bargain for trade, and the 

 close of a month or two ago Is being replaced by 

 a more liberal attitude. 



Cincinnati, 



During the month of April transactions In 

 hardwoods showed improvement over those of 

 March, and the sixty-five per cent of normal 

 trade predicted for spring has been about ful- 

 filled. 



The demand for the lower grades of poplar 

 has shown a decided Increase over the previous 

 month, and there Is some talk current of a pos- 

 sible increase in prices, owing to the apparent 

 scarcity of that wood. The better grades of 



poplar, which have been in demand for many 

 weeks, still keep up, and sales are being made 

 at firm prices. The furniture trade is gradually 

 getting into the market, and this element are 

 frequent inquirers tor walnut, oak, cherry, ma- 

 hogany and chestnut. The recent meeting of the 

 hickory association here and the talk of the 

 shortage in that wood led lumbermen to hold 

 their stocks more tightly, and naturally they are 

 not willing to dispose of it, unless they secure 

 what is in their minds — a good price. All in 

 all, the hardwood situation is at its best so far 

 this year, and lumber dealers in general are al- 

 most certaiu o£ improvement in all grades. 



Columbus. 



While the improvement in the hardwood mar- 

 ket in central Ohio during the last fortnight 

 has been slight, it is nevertheless certain. One 

 of the best features is the fact that stocks in 

 the hands of manufacturers are now at a low 

 point, and if they continue operations pur- 

 chases of lumber will be necessary. Prices are 

 stationary. Poplar is the wood on the mar- 

 ket and quotations are unchanged. 



Firsts and seconds are held at $53 f. o. b. 

 Ohio river. 



There is a good demand for oaks of all kinds. 

 Inquiries have been fairly numerous for ash, 

 hickory, chestnut and other hardwoods. Manu- 

 facturers as well as jobbers predict a better 

 market soon. Collections are improving In al- 

 most every quarter. Mills are being repaired 

 for operation in the near future. 



Indianapolis. 



Hardwood prices are remaining quite steady, 

 with a good demand in practically all lines. The 

 demand is heaviest for quartered oak, and these 

 prices will undoubtedly take an upward course 

 before long. However, business is not yet up to 

 the average of this time last year. 



Southern Indiana mills are complaining of an 

 Inability to get logs, and one or two mills have 

 been compelled to shut down for a short time. 

 This is due to the numerous floods along the 

 Ohio river. In this vicinity, where the river 

 is not depended upon for transportation, logs 

 are coming in to meet demands. 



The unusual number of large buildings being 

 erected here, or contemplated, is making a nice 

 demand for hardwood finish and floors. At least 

 half a dozen skyscrapers or large public build- 

 ings are under way or the contracts have been 

 let for them. 



Milwaukee. 



Although there is little change In the Mil- 

 waukee hardwood situation, the leading lines of 

 lumber are holding their own and dealers are 

 receiving Inquiries that denote improvement in 

 trade a little later. There have been more 

 building permits Issued this spring in Milwau- 

 kee and about the state than for a number of 

 seasons, and the effect is already evident to the 

 hardwood men In the city. All of the dealers 

 are well stocked preparatory to resumption of 

 activity. 



Maple Is holding up well and there is consid- 

 erable demand for flooring. Cypress Is said to 

 he a little weak, but a change Is expected as 

 the demand Increases. Basswood is keeping up 

 well and the supply is limited, while the same 

 may be said of hickory. The price of quarter- 

 sawed oak Is unchanged at present, but the indi- 

 cations are that prices are to rise. Ash Is 

 maintaining Its own and there Is considerable 

 demand for this lumber, there being no signs of 

 weakening in the market. 



Evansville. 

 The market In this section has shown some 

 signs of Improvement in the last two weeks. In- 

 quiries are numerous, and while the volume of 

 business does not compare with that of last year, 

 manufacturers are optimistic and believe that 

 business will continue to Improve until It reaches 



