H A R D VV Q O D _ K E C O R D 



47 



up with the demand and that prices would decline have not been realized, 

 the inquiry being, on the contrary, more active than ever and the outlook 

 most encouraging. The postponement of transactions in the last fort- 

 night must bo made up by a correspondingly more urgent request for 

 stocks, and in the absence of extensive accumulations at the mills there 

 is every prospect that the quotations will go still higher. It does not 

 .seem to be so much a matter of price now as of ability to fill orders, the 

 mill or wholesaler who has the lumber being the one to get the business. 

 This applies to practically every division of the trade, with perhaps the 

 single exception of extra wide poplar, which remains sluggish and is not 

 responding at all to the activity that prevails in other divisions. As for 

 chestnut, even sound wormy is being taken up with decided freedom 

 and at values which are very satisfactory. 



The outlook tor the export trade is very promising. Foreign buyers, 

 finding that they cannot buy lumber at the old prices, are inclined to 

 meet the new tiguros, and in the main the basis of doing business is 

 decidedly acceptable. Stocks are going forward in large quantities and 

 there is every indication of a continuance of the movement. Shippers 

 to foreign countries have learned by experience that there are many 

 pitfalls in the export trade, and there is a general disposition now to 

 i-nuduct business upon a sounder basis than has been the case at dif- 

 ferent times in the past. Foreign dealers are still coming over to deter- 

 mine for themselves just what there is in the reports of higher quota- 

 tions and of advanced freight rates, and the interest in supplies is almost 

 acute. 



=-< COLUMBUS >-= 



Despite the holiday period, which is usually dull in the hardwood trade, 

 business in most lines has been active. Prices are ruling firmer and 

 inclined to advance, and strength is the principal feature of the trade. 

 There is apparently not the usual lull attending upon the semi-annual 

 inventories of retailers and manufacturing establishments. Demand has 

 been good from factories and from dealers. The former probably has 

 developed the best demand because of the great expansion in manu- 

 facturing during the latter months of 1012. Factories engaged in manu- 

 facturing furniture, implements, vehicles and automobiles are perhaps 

 the best buyers in the hardwood field. 



Stocks are light in every locality. Mill owners are manufacturing fast 

 in an endeavor to increase stocks but the demand has been insistent 

 and the car shortage is mitigating an accumulation of stocks. Retailers* 

 stocks, as has been the case for some time, are very light. The car 

 .shortage is interfering with shipments although some improvement in 

 that direction is reported recently. Collections are good. 



Quartered oak is in good demand and advances have been made until 

 firsts and seconds are nov*' selling at the Ohio river at about $83. Plain 

 oak is also in good demand and recent advances are recorded. Poplar 

 is another variety which has developed considerable strength. The wide 

 sizes are wanted by automobile factories. Chestnut is strong and all 

 grades are higher. Ash is improved and the same is true of hasswood. 

 Other hardwoods are unchanged. 



>< CINCINNATI >- 



The hardwood situation is in very good shape, and prospects tor a big 

 year are most promising. Dealers view the situation with more confidence 

 than for several years, and unless the unforeseen happens, one of the 

 best years in the hardwood trade is before us. There are a number of 

 reasons for the existence of this optimism. In the first place there is 

 only a very limited supply of dry stocks at this time, and the present 

 demand, except during the holidays, has been quite up to the production. 

 All wood consuming factories in Ibis section are bus.v and have plenty of 

 business in sight to keep them running for some time to come without 

 new business, and with the country generally prosperous, it is only rea- 

 sonable to suppose that they will be able to secure considerable new 

 business. This applies to the furniture trade especially, and the planing 

 mills, implement works and the box factories have nice business in sight 

 and are busy at present. Lumber dealers all over the country are having 

 more or less trouble in securing their requirements, and as the season 

 advances will be up .against a more serious lumber shortage than existed 

 last year. Manufacturers in the producing field are well supplied with 

 logs, and are putting forth every effort to increase the output. They are 

 well supplied with orders and anticipate plenty of business. Top prices 

 are being asked for every item on the list. Dealers who are forced to 

 place orders at the big mills are up against stiff prices which are none 

 too high when the ever increasing cost of stumpage together with the 

 increases in cost of labor of all kinds is considered. Prices are not too 

 high : they are right and not at all likely to go any lower. 



riain oak is in best demand in years ; quartered oak is selling readily, 

 Xo. 1 common grade being very much sought after. Good grades of 

 poplar seem to be stronger and moving better, while the low grades are 

 very scarce and high in price. Low-grade cottonwood is very hard to 

 find, and the same ^rade of gum and other hardwoods suitable for box 

 making and packing is in much demand. Thick ash is hard to get and 

 stiff prices are being obtained for this stock by those who have it. 



=-< TOLEDO y 



The Aristocrat of Woods 



MAHOGANY 



In Veneers and Lumber 



C There is mahogany and mahogany. Sundry woods are 

 sold for mahogany that are not mahogany, and much 

 mahogany that is sold is of an inferior c|uality. 



C The Willey system of mahogany production involves sta- 

 tioning at every foremost fancy log market in the world a 

 competent buyer, with instructions to purchase only the 

 largest and best figured zvood, which purchases constitute 

 but a small percentage of the total offered for sale. Quality 

 is first consideration — price secondary. 



C These logs are shipped to the big Willey plant at Chicago, 

 and each of the big sticks is carefully analyzed for surpass- 

 ing figure, and such as are suitable for high-grade veneers 

 are painstakingly Hitched for this purpose. 



C Of the nearly five thousand mahogany logs handled at the 

 Willey plant during 1912, less than three hundred and fifty 

 were counted of such a quality as to be up to the standard of 

 the Willey veneer product. The remainder were manufac- 

 tured into lumber. 



C This system simply means that the Willey mahogany 

 veneer product is the best that e.vists, and that the greater 

 portion of the Willey luahogany lumber is high-class figured 

 wood. 



C The best in figured mahogany veneers or lumber costs 

 the buyer little more than the ordinary product of the aver- 

 age mahogany producer. 



^ Users of mahogany visiting Chicago are earnestly invited to 

 call and inspect the Willey plant and veneer and lumber ware- 

 houses on Robey Street, near Blue Island Avenue. Take Blue 

 Island .\venue car at the Postoffice to Robey Street. 



Owing to the exceedingly heavy drain made upon local lumber yards 

 Ihroughout the season and until the past week, together with the hand- 



C.L. WILLEY, Chicago 



Largest Mahogany Veneer and Lumber Producing Plant in 

 the World 



