THE HARDWOOD RECORD. 



23 



seqiieiitly buying, as elieap as they can, 

 but are not holding off hojiiug for any 

 laxity. 



Plain oak is as active as ever and one 

 of the most staple properties. It is the 

 one wood that has not reached an ab- 

 normal price and is enjoying a steady call, 

 with a natural strength in price. 



Quartered oak is still at the top of the 

 market. There has been no material raise 

 in price in the last two weeks, but the 

 tendency is upwards. 



The poplar situation is showing some 

 signs of relief, but there is yet more de- 

 mand than supply and no signs of a lower- 

 ing in price. 



Cottonwood and gum are still short in 

 supply, but there is less anxiety about the 

 future, particularl.v in respect to gum. 



There is difficulty in supplying what 

 little call there is for ash and hickor.v on 

 this market. Demand is limited and re- 

 ceipts small. 



The building ti-ade is beginning to show 

 more activity, which causes the demand 

 for yellow pine to be very good. Cypress 

 is also having an excellent call. 



What is true of southern woods is also 

 true as regards northern lumber. The 

 maple market is in better condition than 

 u has been in for .years. Considerable new 

 stock is now arriving in cargoes, all of 

 which is being shipped at a big advance 

 over last .year. 



Elm and birch do not show as much 

 strength as maple, but receipts are likely 

 to be much lighter. The glemand is rather 

 uncertain, but at any rate beyond the sup- 

 ply. 



Basswood is particularl.v scarce and 

 wanted badly. There is not the .slightest 

 fear iu the minds of the most conservative 

 that there will be any weakening in bass- 

 wood. 



Northern red oak is still at a premium 

 over southern red oak, with conditions 

 abotit the same. 



CINCINNATI. 



With the year more than one-fourth 

 .gone, it might not come amiss to make a 

 few comparisons with the same months of 

 ]902. Of course, everybody is aware that 

 stocks of all hardwoods are considerably 

 smaller and prices are correspondingly 

 higher. The demand is just as good, and 

 judging from reports, business is away 

 ahead of last year. Prospects appear good 

 for the future, and if the present lick 

 keeps up the year will go down as a record 

 breaker. The floods wliich recently visited 

 this country may have the result of retard- 

 ing the market to some extent, but this 

 is only a conjecture. 



We have been having .some typical April 

 weather, i. e., all kinds of weather in one 

 day, but this has not to any material ex- 

 tent interfered with business. Inquiries 

 are still plentiful and prices being realized 

 are ver.v good. 



The local dealers who cater to the ex- 

 port trade report a satisfying demand from 

 abroad. Imjuiries from that quarter ari> 

 mainly for (piartered oak, poplar, gum and 

 walnut lumber. 



Of course, it is hanlly to be expected 

 that quartered white oak is any more plen- 

 tiful than at last writing, but it is an as- 

 sured fact that the demand has not let 

 up any, and prices are just as high and 

 just as firm. The scarcity of quartered 

 white oak has had the effect of creating 

 a good demand for (juarterod red. and this 

 wood is also becoming a very desirable 

 asset. In plain sawed firsts and seconds 

 the demand can be classified as fair. Com- 

 mon and cull plain oak are in good de- 

 mand. Common (piartered .-ukI c\iII <|\iar- 



tered are ready sale. In mill cull oak the 

 call is alt that can be desired. 



In poplar there has been practically no 

 change during the past two weeks. Al- 

 though there has been lots of poplar lumber 

 manufactured in this section during the 

 past fortnight, it has had no noticeable 

 effect on prices. It would be a hard mat- 

 ter to state what the present market price 

 on i>opIar firsts and seconds is, as every 

 different concern seems to have a different 

 price. The lower grades seem to be in the 

 best demand. Dry stociis iu any grade are 

 scarce. 



About the only thing that can be said 

 about Cottonwood is that the demand is 

 not letting up any; dry stocks are as 

 scarce as ever, and prices show a rising 

 tendency. Firsts and seconds, in point of 

 demand, are a little behind box common, 

 which is the leader. Mill culls are scarce 

 and have a good call. 



In gum the demand is turning slightly 

 towards clear .saps. There is no falling 

 oft' in the demand for firsts and seconds 

 red gum, but red common is a trifle quiet. 

 The other grades are holding their own, 

 with culls and mill culls as leaders in 

 point of demand. 



NEW YOKK. 



A satisfactory tenement house bill — at 

 least that modifies some of the provisions 

 of the measure that called a halt on buuu- 

 ing in this cit.v a couple of years ago — has 

 been signed by Governor Odell, and were 

 it not for the strikes on hand and threat- 

 ened here and in the suburbs, general 

 trade, as far as the consumption of lum- 

 ber Is concerned, would be unsurpassed. 



But, even if lumber is not moving in 

 great volume, the market continues in ex- 

 cellent shape, and hardwood is the most 

 satisfactor.v stock of any. so far as high 

 prices and good demand is concerned. 

 Everything is high, everything is scarce, 

 and while there ma.v not be a good call 

 for building lumber there continues to be 

 good inquiry for poplar, oak, ash and the 

 rest, and there are no signs that the de- 

 mand or the prices will grow less. 



Wholesale market conditions in hard- 

 woods were, iu fact, seldom better than 

 they are to-day. Shipi>ers are sold up 

 well ahead of the saws, and current pro- 

 duction is going forward to the buyer sim- 

 ply to fill orders placed many weeks or 

 months before. Just now the main point 

 for the dealer here is to secure enough 

 stock to fill orders. .Judging from south- 

 ern reports, practically no lumber is at 

 the railroad mills unsold ready for ship- 

 ment, although the small mills have stocks 

 that they will ship — if the.y can get tne 

 cars — when the roads are passable, about 

 the middle of May. Most of this is, of 

 course, sold for delivery, and the mills are 

 refusing to take orders for the future, 

 selling only what is in sight. 



The most favorable reports are received 

 about poplar. The supply of that stock 

 in fair shape is likely to increase in June 

 about 2.") per cent. The demand is lively 

 and is liable to continue greater than the 

 supply for some months, despite any in- 

 crease. 



I'lain white oak is beginning to forge to 

 the fiont and values are advancing, a mat- 

 ter of satisfaction fd many who fail to 

 see why it should be priced so totally 

 out of proportion to quartered oak, even 

 when it is scarce and hard to get. It is 

 estimated that stock will be scarce until 

 early in the fall, ana recent advances are 

 being well upheld. 



Quartered oak conditions are stronger 

 than ever. Rather than be out of the run- 

 ning altogether, furniture manufacturers 



WANTED. 



FIRST AND SECONDS AND COMMON 



PLAIN AND r\ K t^ 

 QUARTERED W A l\ . 



H. E. CHRISTIAN, 



INDIANAPOLIS, INO. 



The Best of All 



The Shimer Cutter Heads 



Are made like the illustration above, 

 which shows the Expansion feature. 

 Other styles are shown in our catalogue 

 No. 24. A copy tree for the asking. 



S. J. Shimer & Sons, 



MILTON, PENNSVLVANIA. 



INDUSTRIES 



ARE 



OFFERED 

 LOCATIONS 



WITH 



Satisfactory Inducements, 

 Favorable Freiglit Rates, 

 Good Labor Conditions, 

 Healthful Communities, 



ON THE LINES OF 



THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL R. R. 



ANDTHC 



YAZOO & MISSISSIPPI VALLEY R. R. 



For full Information and descriptive pamphlet 

 address 



CEORCE C. POWER, 



Industrial Commissioner, 

 I Park Row, Chlcag*, III. 



