HARDWOOD RECORD 



retailers are trying to make out with smaller 

 stocks than usual this year, and are buying 

 only for immediate needs. They know that 

 as hardwood goes into consumption their 

 trade will soon become normal, and may even 

 take a big boom when there is probability 

 of a shortage in stock. Prices in some woods 

 are not what dealers think they ought to 

 be, and so they are not pushing sales. They 

 are satisfied to hold the stock at firm prices 

 for a while, feeling sure they will find a mar- 

 ket during the fall and winter, and that prices 

 will probably advance by that time. There 

 is a good deal of inquiry, and some large 

 buyers are endeavoring to lay in a supply 

 at low prices, but this is a difficult matter. 

 The best price deals are as usual to be had 

 from those who hold very little stock. Heavy 

 operators in hardwood are not willing to sell 

 any large quantity at low prices, and some 

 of them will sell a car load at a lower rate 

 than they will ten or twenty. Birch seems 

 to be stronger, and basswood is holding up 

 to fully as high prices as last year. Northern 

 oak is scarce and held at fancy prices, and 

 southern stocks do not seem to be plentiful. 

 Ash and rock elm are practically out of the 

 market already. The flooring trade continues 

 good, and both birch and maple are in good 

 demand for this purpose. 



All indications now seem to be for a steady 

 increase in volume and grade of business. There 

 is an increased amount of activity among the 

 eastern and western cities as well as among all 

 railroads. Several of the roads which two 

 months ago employed but one crew have now as 

 many as five, with indications for more. In- 

 quiries are increasing and more orders have 

 lieen placed this month than any month since 

 last October. 



With few . xr.-iitiMii. ],ii.ii,i;> no prepara- 

 tions are li.-in- iiiii^l' i i I ■- iipllcs in this 

 section, anrl alii;Ml\ iii ihr largo band 



mills arc entirely s:,«.M "in . mliiKirily at this 

 season of the year the timbermen are busily 

 engaged getting out logs to have them ready for 

 winter and spring tides, but at present the con- 

 ditions are almost the reverse. This can be ac- 

 counted for in that timber stumpage cannot now 

 be lx)ught on a ratio with the present market 

 prices for lumber, and while the conservative 

 millman has every confidence in higher prices, 

 yet he is not disposed to load up on high-priced 

 timber unless some actual assurance for so do- 

 ing is offered. 



Chestnut oak is a great factor In the produc- 

 tion of tan bark, as the logs must be cut In 

 .luly and August in order that they may be 

 peeled. From the fact that there is being no 

 logging done at this time, the bark industry, 

 which is one of Importance in eastern Kentucky, 

 surely will sufiFer a great shortage. The large 

 tannery located in this city uses larse amoimts 

 of the bark each year. 



There is a slight stimulation in the foreign 

 trade, according to some of the local exporters, 

 although quite the reverse is the opinion of 

 others. This, of course, means that trade is 

 about as it has been for the past few months 

 and the improvement Is contlii 1 • for- 



tunate concerns. There hav. ms 



to domestic markets from tin iid 



there have been some snri'i i _ u\\t- 



ments of consignment stocks in spii.' <ii' ilir de- 

 moralized condition of the markets across the 

 sea. These shipments were exceptionally large 

 for the month of June and swelled that month's 

 exports to a surprising total. With most of the 

 trade In this city, however, little of this Is be- 

 ing done, and the shipments being made come 



more largely from outside operators who are 

 using Norfolk as a shipping port. From portions 

 of Virginia and North and South Carolina come 

 omens of better trade conditions in the shape 

 of a few requisitions for car oak from the rail- 

 roads, and other hardwoods. 



From a local viewpoint there is an improve- 

 ment in the demand for hardwoods because of 

 the tremendous strides being made by this city 

 in building operations, the city being rated sec- 

 ond in the percentage improvement list recently 

 compiled by Bradstreet's agency of building op 

 erations in the country. Approximately $5U0.- 

 IJOO in building permits were granted during the 

 month of June, and July has secured a good 

 start : -for last week alone permits were issued 

 for close to «100,0()0. Large furniture men, sup- 

 plying territory contiguous to this city and por- 

 tions of North and South Carolina, report busi- 

 ness as unusually dull and profitless. 



With the mills in this territory operations 

 are not as healthy as it is thought by manufac- 

 turers will be the case after the two dull months 

 of July and August are passed. There have bi'en 

 one or two plants established along the line of 

 the Virginian railroad which will eventually 

 mean much for this porfs hardwood future, but 

 these during the existing dull period are cutting 

 little lumber. 



1 here has been a marked improvement In local 

 conditions within the past few days. Some of 

 the factories arc running at capacity, notably 

 Ihc agricultural implement concerns and vehicle 

 plants, and they are consuming more than their 

 usual quota of oak, hickory and ash. Suitable 

 material to meet their needs is not so plentiful 

 and more or less difficulty is had Itf furnishing 

 certain grades required. Other manufacturing 

 establishments are operating about as they have 

 been for some time, with a slight increase In 

 the output of a few. None of them seem to be 

 lurtalling. Box materials are In good demand 

 and orders for this lumber have been liberal re- 

 cently. Oak flooring has been quite active and 

 considerable other finishing Is on the move. Pop- 

 lar Is In good demand. The past week has shown 

 a better tone to building operations and many 

 of the structures planned will consume consid- 

 erable hardwood, a thing which has been rare 

 here this summer. Trices have not declined 

 and stocks are not large. On the contrary, the 

 market is very sensitive and has responded to 

 the general strengthening process which for some 

 days has pervaded the market. Local dealers 

 feel much encouraged under present prospect'.; 

 and fully expect to do some creditable busine-s 

 before the season closes. 



LITTLE ROCK 



There is a lieridedly brighter outlook In the 

 lumber business in this section than was the 

 case a month ago. despite the fact that some 

 lumbermen still take a rather gloomy view of 

 the situation. The manager of one of the largest 

 local hardwood planis stated recently that he 

 looks for an almost unprecedented business the 

 coming fall and winter, as conditions, he be- 

 lieves, will require It. For months the markets 

 have been dull, little Interest shown In timber 

 deals, many plants operated on a curtailed 

 schedule, and some shut down for months. In 

 the meanwhile the consumption of materials, 

 from resources hoarded at the time of the panic, 

 has been going on, until It is evident that any 

 aitive l.iiyiiii,' wnulrl soon exhaust the low stocks 

 I'll ii I : ! - Ihc condition of the market. - 



'I I i 1. too, by the evident revival 



i'l v In this section. It Is now 



mil lil.vay offlclals themselves that 



they will praclitally reopen their shops in this 

 city the latter part of this month. They have 

 already restored large numbers of men In the 



car repairing and other departments, which tends 

 to indicate the revival of confidence on the part 

 of the transportatiim companies. 



SAN FRANCISCO 



llu- ( nnsumers and dealers are all opti- 

 mistic, and the latter report that money con- 

 tinues to be more plentiful every day. All 

 kinds of lumber are moving in larger or 

 smaller quantities, and although the mills do 

 not complain of overwork they are, as a rule, 

 satisfied with conditions and with prospects 

 of the near and distant future. 



Building continues quite active and many 

 new projects are being taken up and pushed 

 to completion. For the first time in its his- 

 tory San Ftancisco has been lately a borrower 

 and eastern financiers have not been slow in 

 realizing what an excellent opportunity this 

 city offers for the profitable use of their 

 money, either in large or small quantities. 

 The money coming from outside sources is 

 naturally used for improvements on real 

 estate and as so far it has been loaned on 

 the best of properties and the principal 

 streets, it has gone into handsome structures 

 of all sizes. These expenditures have kept 

 building operations quite beyond expectations, 

 although they are not to be compared with 

 operations of the last two years, when we 

 were all working under extraordinarj- condi- 

 tions. The building now is done on a sensi- 

 ble, substantial and reasonable basis; that 

 is. there does not exist that feverish anxiety 

 to throw a building into place as quickly as 

 possible and without regard to cost, such as 

 was done heretofore since the fire of 1906. 

 Buildings now are costing so much less that 

 the property owners who waited with their 

 construction are reaping the benefit of a 

 very substantial reduction In their expendi- 

 tures and they are thereby able to make more 

 attractive rentals to tenants. This condition 

 will no doubt prevail for some time and will 

 be the cause of a continuance in all kinds 



ROPLAR 



Rouch and Dressed 



SOUTHERN HARDWOODS 

 M. A. HAYWARD 



1021 Saving and Trust Bldg., Columbus, O. 



CORRESPONDENCE SOLICITED 



When you haveanrthlng to sell, or wlgh to 

 parchaae anything m the way ot 



HARDWOOD LUMBER 



CROSS TIES OR PILI:<0 



Norval Osburn, Seaman, Ohio 



