5° 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



fine lumber is wanted. Tbis is particularly true 

 of white oak. 



Tbe furniture manufacturers are making 

 heayy call upon wholesalers for good stock and 

 every bit of lumber of this kind is being grabbed 

 up quickly and paid for with a vengeance. Pur- 

 chasing agents are taking no chance on leaving 

 their plants exposed to a shortage of consuming 

 lumber this winter, and are making hard efforts 

 to overcome the car shortage by getting in 

 enough orders to assure their employers of plenty 

 of material until spring. The yard trade has 

 been good but easing off a little as the inventory 

 season approaches. Mixed hardwood has been a 

 big factor with the coal mining industry and Is 

 likely to continue so for a long time. 



BOSTON 



Opinions differ somewhat as to the condition 

 of the hardwood market in Boston. Some deal- 

 ers state they are in receipt of a good volume 

 of business while others claim they have not 

 been doing as much as they should. Although 

 the shortage of cars is still a serious problem, 

 the average buyer has not been willing to antici- 

 pate his wants in any way. Some large buyers 

 in this section who placed orders some months 

 ago, calling for from two to six cars of lumber 

 a month, have not been willing to take in more 

 than one-half of the lumber they contracted for. 

 While this condition is found, it is also true 

 that some buyers are asking for larger lots than 

 they had previously placed orders for. 



Generally speaking, furniture manufacturers 

 are not l>usy, although a few of the plants are 

 working full. The piano manufacturers in this 

 section appear to be running full. They have 

 been fair buyers of lumber. All reports from 

 manufacturing centers indicate a small supply 

 of hardwood lumber. Holders are not anxious 

 sellers and insist upon asking prices. Tbe offer- 

 ings of plain oak are light and the demand has 

 ruled rather active of late. In some cases for 

 ones and twos, one inch, as much as sixty dol- 

 lars is being asked, but buyers are not willing 

 to pay this price with any freedom. Quartered 

 oak is firm with a very fair demand. A fair de- 

 mand is noted for both brown and white ash. 

 Some manufacturers are asking slight advances 

 but buyers do not appear willing to pay a higher 

 price. 



BALTIMORE 



None of the favorable conditions that have 

 developed in the hardwood trade in recent 

 months is in the slightest degree modified. On 

 the contrary, all the advantages gained are be- 

 ing maintained, and there are indications that 

 the improvement will become even more pro- 

 nounced, for the headway scored of late was 

 made in the face of relatively small require- 

 ments, while the next few months are certain 

 to bring out calls to meet the wants of the 

 spring trade, when even greater activity may 

 be looked for. The movement might be larger 

 still but for the fact that high freight rates 

 and other circumstances compel the millmen to 

 adjust the quotations upon a new basis, which 

 causes some of the intending buyers to hold ofE 

 in the expectation that they may be able to get 

 better terms. The millmen, on the other hand, 

 express the fullest confidence in the future, con- 

 tending that the range of values ;s likely to be 

 higher than it is at present, and that the deal- 

 ers are malting a mistake when they wait. 

 Oak and other woods in general use are in 

 brisk demand. Even the lower grades of chest- 

 nut are sought and the distribution is rapid 

 enough to dispose of the output of mills with- 

 out the slightest difficulty. 



With regard to the exports, the preponderance 

 of opinion is favorable. Shippers report that 

 they are getting many orders and that the cur- 

 rent figures are such as to encourage shipments. 

 The heavy forwardings to some of the foreign 



ports due to a raising of the freight embargo, 

 caused a slight easing off for a time, but the 

 quotations have worked back to the former 

 figures. What continues to trouble the export- 

 ers is the rise in the foreign freight rates. The 

 advance cannot be absorbed by the shippers and 

 must be borne by the buyers. The latter, of 

 course, object to paying the artvauce, and there 

 is some holding off, but the increasing require- 

 ments are forcing this element into the market, 

 and there is every reason to expert that a good 

 liusiness will be done. Inability of the export- 

 ers to make contracts with the steamship com- 

 panies for the next .year tends to augment the 

 uncertainty and has its share in retarding 

 the movement, but this question must be settled 

 before long, and as there is every prospect that 

 the range of values in the domestic market will 

 remain high and the demand free, the foreign 

 buyers must come to terms or do without Ameri- 

 can liardwoods. 



COLUMBUS 



Activity in every variety and grade of hard- 

 wood still prevails in central Ohio, while the 

 demand is good both from manufacturing estab- 

 lishments and retailers. Considerable incon- 

 venience is caused by the lack of cars, and lum- 

 bermen believe there is little or no hope for 

 an improvement in the situation. The pleasant 

 weather which has prevailed for the fall has 

 aided building operations, and as a result there 

 is considerable activity in that line, which 

 creates a good demand for many varieties of 

 hardwoods. Manufacturers engaged in making 

 furniture, implements and vehicles are in the 

 market for larger stocks. Dry stocks in every 

 locality are short and the outlook for the future 

 is good. 



The demand for the lower grades is good and 

 sound wormy chestnut is especially strong. 

 There is also a good demand for the lower 

 grades of oak and basswood. Automobile fac- 

 tories are now buying the wide sizes of poplar 

 for bodies. Quartered oak is in good demand 

 and prices are fair. There is a very good de- 

 mand for plain oak, both white and red, and 

 firsts and seconds are quoted at the Ohio river 

 at about $52. Chestnut is one of the strongest 

 points in the market. Basswood is moving well 

 In all grades. The demand for ash is better and 

 prices are firmer. Poplar is becoming better 

 w^ith the result that accumulated stocks are be- 

 ing exhausted. Other hardwoods are unchanged. 



TOLEDO 



The hardwood situation has not changed mate- 

 rially during the past month. Prices remain 

 high with an upward tendency but dealers, al- 

 though compelled to use up their yard stock 

 moi-e closel.v than is generally considered expe- 

 dient, steadfastly refuse to buy more than 

 is necessary for present needs, holding 

 fast to the belief that priers will drop. 

 Local yards are shorter than usual owing to 

 this hand-to-mouth policy and the extremely 

 heavy drafts that have been made upon their 

 resources, but are still able to take care of 

 orders in fair shape. The car shortage is being 

 severely felt by local lumbermen, shipments com- 

 ing in slowly not only from the South but from 

 all points, even in local territory. 



Toledo is still maintaining its good record 

 of the summer in the building line and, regard- 

 less of the lateness of the season, new allotments 

 are being opened and residences built. Houses 

 arc under construction in all parts of the city 

 and somf enormous investment structures are 

 being projected which will be started this fall. 

 The homes under construction are all of a high 

 order and require large quantities of hardwoods. 



Furniture and vehicle factories are running 

 well and sending in good orders for hardwoods. 

 This is also true of sash and door concerns. 



Taken altogether there is little cause for com- 

 laint among local hardwood dealers. 



INDIANAPOLIS 



Trading has l>fen active in the local hardwood 

 market during the last two weeks, but there 

 has been some delay in shipments and receipts 

 owing to car shortage. The car situation is 

 becoming acute, although the railways appear tc^ 

 be trying to keep cars moving promptly and to 

 obtain as much efficiency as possible from each 

 car. 



Hardwood prices are stiff, particularly poplar 

 and all grades of oak. Practically all lines are 

 in fair demand. There is a good demand for 

 hardwoods and veneers for interior finish, the 

 building season being quite active owing to the 

 excellent weather prevailing. 



MEMPHIS 



The hardwood market continues in a healthy 

 position. Manufacturing operations have been 

 on a somewhat elaborate scale during the past 

 few weeks but the large amount of lumber 

 shipped out has resulted in little or no accumu- 

 lation. Consequently the market is well main- 

 tained as to prices and the tone is good. The 

 demand is very satisfactory for the lower grades 

 of Cottonwood and gum which are being used 

 extensively in box making as well as in other 

 lines. The upper grades of gum, both red and 

 sap, are in very good call and no particular 

 difficulty has been experienced in effecting sales 

 of the higher grades of Cottonwood. Ash is in 

 active call and prices are good. The automobile 

 manufacturers as well as the makers of other 

 vehicles are showing quite a preference for ash. 

 A considerable portion of the local output is 

 being shipped before it has had time to thor- 

 oughly dry. The quartered oak market is in 

 satisfactory shape. Plain oak is in good demand 

 and values are firm thereon. There is no big 

 supply of either plain or quartered oak for sale. 

 Activit.v in buHding circles throughout the West 

 and Northwest as well as throughout the Cen- 

 tral South are resulting in a good demand for 

 c.vpress. The market on this lumber is in good 

 shape. The lower grades, however, are relatively 

 firmer than the upper. The export demand is 

 good but the handicaps imposed upon lumber ex- 

 porters by the transportation companies, in- 

 cluding those handling freight by both rail and 

 water, have restricted this business to some 

 extent. 



NASHVILLE 



The demand for hardwoods continues good in 

 the Nashville market, and manufacturers and 

 shippers are kept bu.sy taking care of the wants 

 of their customers. The car shortage on all 

 railroads is interfering with the inbound and 

 outbound movement of logs and lumber. There 

 is a good demand for the various lines of oak, 

 the main difficulty being in securing supplier 

 to meet demands of customers. Ash, hickory, 

 chestnut and other hardwoods are in fair de- 

 mand. Poplar is moving better. Prices are 

 steady. 



BRISTOL 



Hardwood lumbermen of Bristol report trade 

 somewhat brisk. Tliere is a scarcity of stocks 

 and many of the mills are oversold. It Is be- 

 lieved that prices will now steadily advance and 

 that much better conditions for the lumbermen 

 are just ahead. About all the mills are running 

 and shipments are fair. The railroads say that 

 traffic is now heavier than it has been for sev- 

 eral years and all are getting more transporta- 

 tion equipment as rapidly as possible, to avoid 

 serious car shortages, but new equipment is 



