HARDWOOD RECORD 



45 



though prices are not making any noticeable ad- 

 vance. The buying and placing of orders is 

 being more freely done than for several months. 

 Consumers are placing rush orders for small 

 amounts, which is a sure indication of imme- 

 diate need of the stock. This condition contin- 

 ued will certainly cause an advance in price and 

 especially in the higher grades of oak and pop- 

 lar. It is also a fact that these grades in hard- 

 wood are becoming scarce and stocks consider- 

 ably broken. Several buyers from the North 

 have called on the manufacturers of this city 

 the past week, indicating that there is some 

 little stir in the markets and that stock is 

 needed. Representatives who travel for the man- 

 ufacturers of this vicinity advise they find the 

 stocks of the consumers materially decreasing, 

 and especially with retail yards and planing 

 mills. From the fact that the per cent is small, 

 compared with former years, the amount of 

 lumber that is being cut and put on stick, the 

 demand is sure to far exceed the supply in a 

 few months' time. This is a condition that is 

 confronting the lumber consuming markets and 

 one that will not be realized by them until they 

 are in actual need of lumber and find that there 

 is a great shortage in dry sto k. 



ST. LOUIS 



While the hardwood situation is showing little 

 change for the better as far as the volume of 

 business is concerned, there is a more hopeful 

 feeling. A good demand is reported by recall 

 dealers for red and white plain and quartered 

 oak. These items are the only ones there is 

 any particular call for. There is also some sale 

 right along of ash and poplar and also for 

 gum. The latter item is in request occasionally 

 by boxmakers. Stocks in the local yards are 

 rapidly being depleted. The hardwood cut is 

 very small and the dealers feel certain that 

 higher prices will soon prevail and not only 

 that but lumber will be very scarce. Steady 

 prices are now prevailing and are firm. 



MINNEAPOLIS 



Dealers in the Twin Cities are expecting an 

 improved demand from the factories soon and 

 rather look for business in the large centers 

 to hang on longer than usual. There is an un- 

 usual amount of residence building just being 

 put under way or contracted, due to the feeling 

 that prices of material are at a low point and 

 are to go higher next season. This will give the 

 sash and door factories some late orders to 

 handle and will probably protract the demand 

 for hardwood material. 



There is a better feeling in the lumber trade 

 in all branches, and while the volume of business 

 is not heavy, it is coming now from channels that 

 have been very quiet, and promises better things. 

 The railroads are buying some stock and are 

 soon to be in the market for more. Oak is show- 

 ing greater strength than for some time and is 

 getting stronger right along, prices being marked 

 up again just a few days ago. Northern hard- 

 woods are scarce and stiff in price, with the 

 exception that there are fair stocks of birch 

 still in wholesale hands. Birch has been moving 

 well in proportion to the volume of it, and is 

 thought to be about due for an advance this fall. 



MILWAUKEE 



as farmers are finding more time, business Is 

 again looking up. Wholesalers in the hardwood 

 field are still finding trade to their satisfaction, 

 owing to the fact that dealers are still replenish- 

 ing their low stocks. While hardwood prices 

 in Milwaukee have not materially increased, the 

 market displays a stiffening tendency. Mills 

 and manufacturing plants in the city have been 

 slow throughout the entire season about plac- 

 ing substantial orders, although dealers say 

 that now this class of trade is showing im- 

 provement. The sash and door plants of Mil- 

 waukee, which a few weeks ago seemed to be 

 experiencing a revival of trade, are again rather 

 quiet. The building demand and the call from 

 the retailers seem to be the hopeful factors in 

 the hardwood situation at the present time. 



Oak, cypress and maple are leaders in the 

 trade, with oak still in strongest demand. Maple 

 has been displaying considerable improvement 

 during the past few weeks owing to the increased 

 want. Birch is off somewhat and the call is 

 less than a few weeks ago. Ash and elm are at 

 about the same stage. Basswood, while it is 

 never in very strong request in Milwaukee, is 

 gradually picking up. Poplar is in fair demand 

 and good prices are being obtained. 



Additional improvement and new life have 

 been noticed in the hardwood situation during 

 the past two wei.'ks. Sales are substantially 

 larger and inquiries have increased to a marked 

 degree, which convince dealers that the Coming 

 fall trade will be heavy. Retailers have been 

 finding that local trade is somewhat in excess 

 of country business, owing to the fact that the 

 farmers have been experiencing the busiest 

 time of the whole year, but now report that 



BIRMINGHAM 



One of the large hardwood deals of the sea- 

 son has just been closed by the Oden-Elllott 

 Lumber Company, calling for 1,000.000 feet of 

 poplar. Half the shipment will go to a Wis- 

 consin firm and the other to an Ohio house. 

 Shipments will begin at once. 



Aside from this there has been little activity 

 in the Alabama hardwood market. Oak is In 

 poor demand and the output has practically 

 ceased. Quotations on oak, however, show a 

 slight advance. No. 1 and No. 2 selling around 

 $27.50, No. 1 common at $17.50 and No. 2 com- 

 mon at $9. Poplar is the only Item that shows 

 any strength, and for this wood demand Is fairly 

 active and prices slowly advancing. 



In general, the hardwood market has felt 

 only slightly the increase in quotations noted In 

 yellow pine, which is up from 50 cents to $4 

 a thousand feet. As this market continues to 

 improve it is believed the hardwood cut and 

 hardwood prices will be bettered. At present 

 most of the cut is being made by yellow pine 

 mills, which take the patches of hardwood 

 which crop out in yellow pine areas. 



DETROIT 



General conditions in the lumber trade are 

 improving in Michigan. Speaking especially of 

 western Michigan, trade is fairly good and or- 

 ders are coming in more freely. One of the 

 best indications is the shortage of cars, «nd the 

 railroad men predict that the shortage which 

 is already apparent In the South will cover the 

 entire territory. So the "get busy" and build- 

 ing campaigns are working and will aid in get- 

 ting things started. 



Local manufacturers of hemlock lumber re- 

 port more orders during the last two weeks 

 than for some months past. 



Northern hemlock has been slow for some 

 time, first on account of the cutting of price 

 of yellow pine and again by the depression ol 

 trade in general. With the advance in price 

 of yellow pine and the curtailment of cut of 

 last fall and winter, the chance for hemlock is 

 improved and consequently orders are coming in. 



LIVERPOOL 



Brighter prospects tend to permeate business 

 circles and the hardwood situation is more prom- 

 ising. Shippers, however, should be cautious 

 and not put a damper on the increasing trade by 

 demanding higher prices, as the market is not 

 in a position, as yet, to stand any increase. 



Oak planks and boards remain extremely weak 

 as also is poplar and walnut — consumers here 

 demanding a reduction in price before placing 

 orders. Several good orders for oak scantling 

 cut to dimensions could be obtained by shippers 

 if they could see their way to meet buyers, but 

 at present prices asked no business can possibly 

 be put through, as there is a big glut of home- 

 grown timber at the moment and British saw- 

 mill proprietors are eager for orders at lower 

 prices than are being asked now in the States. 



Some weeks ago I referred to the low stock 

 of hickory and ash and my remarks were ridi- 

 culed In many quarters. During the past fort- 

 night several big consumers have come into the 

 market who have previously been holding back, 

 the result being that there is not at the present 

 moment a single hickory log of prime quality in 

 first hands. I do not know of any first-growth 

 ash of large size on offer, though the small 

 second-growth wood is to be found in abundance. 

 Shippers having hickory or large ash by them 

 should ship to this market as record prices will 

 be obtained. The mahogany situation shows 

 little change, with a slightly firmer tendency, 

 the two sales held last week bringing forward 

 a representative company of buyers who paid 

 slightly higher figures for their purchases. Ash 

 planks and pitch pine should on no account be 

 shipped as both are unsalable. Satin walnut 

 is not finding a ready sale, but we anticipate 

 a rapid revival In the cabinet trade. Birch 

 planks and logs will undoubtedly soon bring 

 better prices, as stocks are low. We advise 

 shippers not to be scared from this market by 

 reports of bad trade, as the noted improvement 

 which has set in has undoubtedly come to stay. 



Later. — Considering the period of the year 

 trade can be said to be fairly brisk. The ex- 

 tremely low prices which have been ruling 

 during the past six months are now a thing of 

 the past, and higher prices are being obtained 

 for all classes of lumber than were in existence 

 five weeks ago. Hickory is badly wanted and 

 high prices can be obtained for wood of any 

 description, while a tremendous rush would 

 follow the import of a prime panel. If ship- 

 pers have any of this wood by them they 

 should ship immediately to this port, as they 

 would realize a handsome profit. The same re- 

 marks may be applied to large white ash, but to 

 a somewhat lesser degree, and good values can 

 be obtained. The small second-growth ash Is 

 also rapidly recovering from the excess of im- 

 port which took place last year, and if offers 

 were made of a reasonable nature, buyers could 

 now be found. Wagon oak planks are still very 

 weak, the market still being far too much over- 

 done in sizes wnlch are quite unsalable. Pop- 

 lar in ail sizes and grades is finding more favor, 

 while the logs should now bring good prices. 

 Round oak logs of good sizes, quality and white 

 in color snould bring fair values. Birch Is also 

 firmer, unaer the reduced import and smaller 

 demand, wnile maple flooring is not in active 

 request owing to the slackness in the Lanca- 

 shire manufactory districts — no mills being 

 built. Mahogany is firmer, with a probable 

 rise In values ruling for this commodity. Eng- 

 lish consumers are far-seeing enough to be lay- 

 ing in large stores of this wood and buyers are 

 strongly advised to buy well ahead, as at pres- 

 ent prices a large purchase could not be much 

 out. Shippers should not be timid or nervous 

 of the state of trade of the past six months at 

 this port, as conditions are nearly normal again. 



POPI-.AR 



Rough and Dressed 



SOUTHERN HARDWOODS 

 M. A. HAYWARD 



1021 Saving and Trust Bldg., Columbus, O. 



