HARDWOOD RECORD 



41 



in all lines of industry. Hardwood prices are 

 holding up unusually well for tlie summer sea- 

 son. In fact, it is said that a gradual im- 

 provement of conditions is expected throughout 

 the month of July. It is expected that quite a 

 number of mills and factories that have heen 

 shut down for months will resume operations 

 in the no distant future. There is quite a lot 

 of building going on in and around Nashville 

 just now and the demand for hardwood flooring, 

 interior finishing of chestnut, oak, cherry and 

 beech is quite active. Quartered oak continues 

 to be the leader in the local marker. 



CLEVELAND 



Price cuttin,.; has Ijeen reported among the 

 hardwood concerns during the last two or three 

 weeks. While more building has appeared and 

 conditions are gradually but surely becoming 

 normal, there is still a wild race for orders. 



roplar leads in the woods called for, with 

 oak a close second. Quartered oak is becoming 

 quite scarce and is active. There is not much 

 call for the other list of hardwoods, with the 

 exception of maple flooring, which is in good 

 demand. 



Considerable optimism exists among the trade 

 as to the outlook. It is admitted on all sides 

 that the month of June has seen a distinct im- 

 provement in conditions, which, however, do not 

 begin to approach the volume nf businc-^.s done 



COLUMBUS 



The lumber trade in Columbus at this time 

 is decidedly quiet, but in the month of June 

 it was much better than in May, and the pres- 

 ent dullDi'ss is largely due to inventory time, 



Trade in hardwoods was active during the 

 first two weeks of June, hut in the latter part 

 of the month there was considerable falling off, 

 due to the fact that retail dealers refused to 

 buy much until they had taken an invoice of 

 stock on hand. The present lull, however, is 

 regarded as only temporary, and after the mid- 

 dle of July it is believed that business will re- 

 sume a more active scale. The building per- 

 mits taken out during the past two weeks show 

 that there will be a good demand for hardwoods 

 in the near future. Work is being resumed on 

 the new Federal building at State and Third 

 streets and the excavation is alwut complete for 

 the new I,azarus block : a large corporation is 

 figuring on erecting a fine structure at Spring 

 and Fourth streets, and work on the skyscraper 

 to be built at High and Gay streets will prob- 

 ably begin in the near future. Work on the 

 Tracy Wells building and several others will be 

 rushed during the fall months. The building 

 situation in Columbus is fairly satisfactory and 

 from present indications an immense amount 

 of lumber will he required in this city later in 

 the year. 



Local lumbermen are now more confident re- 

 garding the future than they have been at any 

 time since the October panic. They are encour- 

 aged over the favorable reports coming from 

 other lines of trade and the large number of 

 men that have been put to work during the 

 past . week in different shops and factories 

 throughout the country. Another good feature 

 of the situation is the fact that people coutem^ 

 plating building of any kind seem to be con- 

 vinced that material will never be cheaper than 

 It is now. The latter condition is reflected in 

 the increased number of building permits that 

 have been taken out since the middle of June. 



General trade In Columbus seems to be on the 

 mend, even in the face of the hot period of the 

 year. Hank clearings show improvement, and 

 for the mouth of June the total was nearly up 

 to that for the corresponding month a year ago. 



That the bottom level of the market for 

 hardwonilH bii^ 1 n rea<b.(| seems to be the 



general opinion of Columbus lumber dealers. 

 The hardwoods, especially, show strength and 

 in some cases an advancing tendency. This be- 

 ing inventory time, the supplies are light, which 

 is decidedly in favor of a higher market within 

 a short time. First and second poplars are the 

 strons;est item on the list. In some cases gum 

 and Cottonwood have been substituted for pop- 

 lar, because of the prevailing high prices of 

 the latter. 



The oaks are decidedly scarce and, relative to 

 the future of the market for poplar, local deal- 

 ers are very optimistic. The market is in good 

 position and will give a good account of itself 

 when business conditions Ijecome normal. 



INDIANAPOLIS 



The local hardwood market showed increased 

 activity during the last two weeks following a 

 slight temporary depression, probably due to 

 the recent decrease in building operations. The 

 present improvement is due to an increased de- 

 mand for hardwoods from local and state furni- 

 ture factories and other woodworking plants. 



All grades of oak remain firm, with an excel- 

 lent demand. Other hardwoods are still a trifle 

 weak, although there has been no break in 

 prices. On the whole conditions are very satis- 

 factory for the season of the year, although 

 they are not equal to those that prevailed dur- 

 ing the same period last year. 



MILWAUKEE 



Little change has taken place in the Milwau- 

 kee hardwood market during the past fortnight. 

 The improved trade has been holding Hs own 

 and prices are being well maintained, although 

 there has been no decided gain in any one wood. 

 There is a feeling of optimism among the leading 

 dealers and there is every indication that prices 

 will be higher during the summer, as prospects 

 for a growing trade are bright at this time. 

 Reports from dealers about the state say that 

 building demand is gaining now that better 

 weather prevails. It is felt that with increased 

 building in the rural districts the hardwood 

 trade in general will take an upward turn. 



roplar is. in steady demand and there is a 

 marked tendency toward advance in prices. 

 Stocks in quartered and plain oak are low as 

 usual and prices are firm. Hasswood is holding 

 its .i«ii :iii^l III- .l.n.nnn In tin- llii.. has showed 

 con-hl' ■ ' II !■■ -\ . II . iM A-1, :nhl hickory are 



bein- M 'I hi, 111:1,1 1 1.. .Mii>.. 1,1 111,, fact that 



thin-.' Ii:i- II :i ^1.. Willi; il. ■mil 11,1 ii-,)m the im- 

 plement manufacturers in the city. Crop pros- 

 pects in Wisconsin were never better and the 

 result has been that implement manufacturers 

 are running their plants at full capacity. The 

 hickory supply in Milwaukee is never equal to 

 the demand and many dealers are much con- 

 cerned as to the future in this wood. Demand 

 for maple flooring has fallen off somewhat dur- 

 ing the past week, due to the advance in build- 

 ing that is under way in the city. Box manu- 

 factuLors of the city are reporting that business 

 is on the gain, and the result has been the plac- 

 ing of better orders from this line. 



BRISTOL 



irket 



There has iircn little change in 

 here, except that more inquiries are being re- 

 ceived and. in the opinion of most of tlie lum- 

 bermen, there Is a slightly better tone to trade. 

 Stocks are getting low and there is a general 

 feeling prevaleut that prices will be better 

 during the coming fall. While the demand is 

 now somewhat restricted, there is a fair volume 

 of business being done, with excellent prospects 

 for a continued Increase during the remainder 

 of the summer, fall and winter. The hardwood 

 men are now more optimistic than before and 



extensive improvements and planning to take 

 care of a large business. 



The export market is said to be considerably 

 off, due to the large consignments to foreign 

 markets. However, it is believed that matters 

 abroad will soon be adjusted and conditions will 

 improve. Poplar is certainly holding its own, 

 while the demand for oak, with the exception of 

 quartered oak and special bill stock, is weak. 

 Walnut and chestnut have fair call. 



CINCINNATI 



That the liardw,),),! sUuauou has improved is 

 evident by the figures just completed by the 

 Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, concerning 

 lumber receipts and shipments during the past 

 month. These figures show a handsome in- 

 crease over those of the month previous, and 

 only a small decrease over that of the year 

 previous. The demand locally for hardwoods is 

 the best this year, and dealers are of the opin- 

 ion that the best six months of the year are yet 

 to come. The latter part of June, which is 

 usually the beginning of the dull season, proved 

 altogether different this year, and instead of 

 being a drag on the market has developed in- 

 creased activity, and there seems every reason 

 t« believe that the market has seen its darkest 

 clouds and that sunshine is due in the very 

 near future. 



The demand for poplar is as good as ever, 

 and while the shipments of that stock are not 

 as heavy as they were some time ago, this is 

 perhaps explained through the .firm prices being 

 asked by dealers. Quartered oak, plain white 

 and red oak have all recorded increases in de- 

 mand, and prices on them have been held firm. 

 Other hardwoods are holding their own. 



BVANSVILLB 



The market for hardwood remains about the 

 same in this territory. Some manufacturers re- 

 port a slightly increased demand ; however, 

 prices remain about the same. This is usually 

 the dull season with the lumber trade as well 

 as other lines of business, and a great many 

 of the furniture factories are looking forward 

 to the semi-annual sales which are held about 

 the middle of this month and are not trying to 

 do much buying until after this date. In view 

 of these facts it is not sui'prising that the lum- 

 ber business does not show any very marked 

 improvement. The scarcity of good logs is more 

 noticeable now than at any time this year. 



The hardwood lumber situation is becoming 

 better all the time. Prices have stiffened con- 

 siderably and there is little or no cutting In 

 prices. The most called for item on the hard- 

 wood list is plain sawed red and white oak, 

 and it is being called for freely. Quarter- 

 sawed plain white oak is also quite strong and 

 very scarce. Quarter-sawed red is not moving 

 as well as it should, although there is not a 

 great deal of it In the market. Gum and Cot- 

 tonwood, lower grades, are in good supply and 

 are only in fair demand alter Iji'ing quiet for 

 some time. The ivx imii rii- imvc recently, 



however, been buyin- i n ;i than they 



did. Poplar and ash m ■m- ; .1 for freely. 

 Thick ash is most iu .Mn.iiid. !i.\scv,-r. It is 

 getting rather scarce. -Vs all items on the hard- 

 wood list, or nearly all of them, are getting 

 pretty scarce at the producing centers, the 

 supply is becoming exhausted and those who 

 have a fairly good supply on hand will be 

 benefited. Manufacturers l-.ave a light supply 

 on hand, particularly upper grades. Cypress 

 conditions are getting better but slowly. In 

 quirics are coming in fairly well and the pr,.^^ 

 pects look bright for a helterment In trade on 

 this item. 



