50 



HARDWOOD RECORD 





cure 



LUMBER 



in net results means 



Better Lumber 



Quicker Time 



Low^er Cost 



11 The only difference between a 

 groove and a grave is a matter of 

 depth. 



T[ Keeping out of the groove com- 

 mercially means keeping out of the 

 grave. 



^ Just because grandfather didn't 

 know how to season lumber quickly, 

 accurately and cheaply is no reason 

 you should continue to employ his 

 system. 



T[ In higher quality of product and 

 lower cost we can save you from $3 

 to $4 on every thousand feet of lum- 

 ber you produce. 



Tl Let us tell vou about the KRAET- 

 ZER STEAM CYLINDER PRE- 

 PARATOR, and send you a list of 

 all users, to every one of whom we 

 confidently can refer you for en- 

 dorsement of the svstem. 



The Kraetzer Company 



537 South Dearborn Street 



h 



CHICAGO, ILL. 



(feoeteer- 



civ) cOluw 



cure 



LUMBER 



on Iiiiiid tliat many <»f tlii-m find it necessiiry to run overtime. Condi- 

 tiiins in tlio tlitt'ei-ent industries calling for hardwood stocks are sucIL' 

 as to indicate t'.iat tlie present year is likely to be a prosperous one for 

 the lnml>ernien. Trices hold firm and in some varieties are strong. 

 Dealers who handle lake stocks are looking forward to an active season 

 in the way of receipts from that direction. 



Plain oak has been about the best seller, and the scarcity of stock 

 li.is kept prices stiff. There has been an active demand for this wood 

 for some time, and dealers could have turned over quite an amount in 

 excess of their sales it they had had the lumber. Ash also has Ijeen 

 in active demand, while birch and maple have been doing well, and 

 Hnoring has been commanding high prices. Poplar and basswood have 

 lieon selling at a good rate and are holding firm. 



•< PHILADELPHIA >• 



The hardwood situation remains unchanged from that of a fortnight 

 ago. The buying market continues stroug and prices are well sustained. 

 A vigorous activity is noticeable in building worl< of all kinds with the 

 ciirly advent of spring weather. The wholesale consuming industries are 

 buying freely and the railroads are contemplating extensive improve- 

 ments in the near future, which promises well for an increased pros- 

 perity. Stocks at mill ends, especially in hardwood centers, are far 

 from accumulating, and buyers are beginning to think a break in values 

 unlikely, and consequoutly are making every effort for future supplies. 



Plain oak heads tho list in hardwoods: quartered oak holds a firm 

 position : high-grade chestnut and poplar are about the weakest quoted: 

 at this time ; sound wormy chestnut and low-grade poplar are in good 

 demand; aMi is stronger; birch, beech, cherry and basswood maintain 

 good places ; the mahogany and veneer market is strong. 



-< BOSTON y- 



Thero has I>eeu :i fair vnlume of new Inisines?: reported in Ihe market 

 for hardwood lumber. Both manufacturers and dealers are firm in their 

 demands for full prices. The tendency upon the i^art of manufacturers 

 is to ask higher prices. Some buyers admit that they look for further 

 advances as soon as they begin to purchase in larger lots. The stocks- 

 of dry lumber at the mills are not large, according to reports that are 

 received here weekly and large wholesale dealers are not over-burdened 

 with supplies of desirable stock. Dealers in this market state that tbey 

 find it harder to locate lots of desirable hardwood lumber this spring 

 than ever before. Manufacturers show no anxiety to make sales. The- 

 large consuming manufacturers in this market are fairly busy. 



There has l>een a good- demand for veneers at good prices. Demand 

 has been unusually brisk this spring and a further increase in business 

 is looked for. One of the features of the hardwood market is the strong 

 demand for plain oak and the strong prices at which it is held. During 

 the past few months the position of this lumber has been growing 

 stronger until today prices are higher than they have ever been. Quar- 

 tered oak has also Ix'en enjoying a very good demand with a larger vol- 

 ume of business than for some time past. Walnut is very firm with 

 offerings small. Maple has been in fair demand in this market. 



=■< BALTIMORE y 



There is no reason whatever tor changing the verdict on the hardwood 

 trade which was passed a month ago, except in so far as to state that 

 prices are either very firm or still on the advance. Because of an active 

 demand throughout Ihe winter, or in consequence of a restricted produc- 

 tion, stocks at the present time in nearly all divisions of the trade are 

 far from plentiful and dealers find it ditflcult to provide for their wants. 

 Th'' experience of a hardwood man here will serve to illustrate the 

 situation. He had occasion to send out some letters of inquiry, and, 

 receiving a reply from one of Ihe correspondents, he promptly accepted 

 b.v telegraph, onl.v to be informed b.v return mail that his message came 

 too late and that the lumber had been placed with another firm. 

 Instances are related of dealers .sending out tenders and getting accept- 

 ances from every (me of the concerns written to. L'nder the circum- 

 stances it is only natural that the quotations should continue to advance. 

 But for the fact that lumber is about as high as it can well go, there 

 would be practically no limit to prices. A further advance has taken 

 place in sound wormy chestnut, which grade is from .$3 to !p5 higher than 

 it was last summer. The higher grades of chestnut are also in very 

 good refjuest, and the same can be said of ash and other woods. Poplar 

 is about holding its own, with wide stocks just a little more active, but 

 with the list in the main unchanged. Some of the exporters report an 

 easing off in the demand for boxed hearts on the other side. They say 

 Ihot the short lengths have declined decidedly more than the regular 

 sizes, the former bringing perbajjs .1.5 per 1,000 feet less than they did 

 with ■ prices at the top notch, while the decline of the long lumber 

 amounts to about $1, with an average of $2.50, For a time boxed 

 hearts brought an average of 2s 7Vjd, but now stocks 15 feet G inches 

 are quoted at 2s 7d, with planks under 15 feet at 2s iVi^- The decline 

 is attributed to inordinately heavy forwardings of short lengths, the mills 

 sending such stocks over itnd taking a chance on them, together with the 

 long lengths. The foreign trade does not take kindly to the short lengths 

 and has seized the opportunity of liberal supplies to depress prices. 



