44 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



finisliiugs. imd tlio iudications aie that the 

 Duilding iu Nashville in 190G will clipse that 

 of any other year. 



Memphis. 

 The haidwood maikel ciintinues (aiily satis- 

 factory. There is a good average demand and 

 offerings are stenerally light in stock ready for 

 immediate shipment, which is handicapping busi- 

 ness to some extent. There Is no particular 

 rush on the part of buyers to .secure their re- 

 quirements : in fact, scarcely so much as during 

 December, but the holiday dullness is beginning 

 to disappear, and the trade here is confident 

 that there is a good business ahead. Prices are 

 firm in every direction, with the tendency rather 

 higher, if anything, because of the scarcity of 

 shipping dry lumber and the small prospective 

 supply resulting from unfavorable weather and 

 logging conditions. There is a moderate export 

 demand, with the bulk of the business still con- 

 fined to thin quarter-sawed oak. plain oak. thick 

 ash and firsts and seconds red gum and clear 

 saps. The domestic demand is quite generally 

 distributed, though the call for quarter-sawed 

 oak Is still light, especially for red. There Is 

 a further slight improvement noted in the white, 

 but lumbermen make no effort to conceal the 

 fact that there is uot an average call even for 

 the latter. 



Plain oak is in just as strong position as 

 ever and Just as hard to find. Stock is light 

 in both red and white, and everything ready for 

 shipment moves without difficulty. Ash is In 

 good call, with the undertone quite healthy. The 

 demand for cypress runs to all grades, and is 

 quite satisfactory, giving opportunity for dis- 

 posing of practically everything offered. The 

 demand for gum is showing some further Increase 

 and prices on this wood show a hardening 

 tendency, especially for red firsts and seconds 

 and clear saps. Offerings are not as large as 

 generally supposed. The demand for cotton- 

 wood holds up well and this wood is working 

 into still stronger statistical position because of 

 the small supply on hand, the large prospective 

 requirements, the limited production and the 

 small amount on sticks. The mills cutting this 

 wood are making very poor progress. 



There has been less rain during the past fort- 

 night, but reports from the interior are to the 

 effect that there is not much progress being 

 made in the operation of mills because of the 

 limited supply of timber on hand and the wet 

 condition of the bottoms which restricts logging 

 operations. The car situation is somewhat bet- 

 ter and where the mills have quantities of tim- 

 ber ready to be moved they are meeting with 

 greater success in getting it brought In. 



Confidence is felt by the trade in the imme- 

 diate future and It is conceded on all sides that 

 it will be at least six months before stocks of 

 hardwood can he restored to normal, and per- 

 haps considerably longer if the demand continues 

 In Its present volume. 



MinneapoUs. 



The revival of the retail yard trade Is an 

 Interesting feature here just now, but the fac- 

 tory demand Is Improving with every indication 

 of giving dealers all they want, considering the 

 depleted condition of stocks. Inquiry for hard- 

 woods was active during the week of the North- 

 western Lumbermen's Association convention 

 here, and a good many fair sales are reported. 

 The retailers found yard stock higher. I'racti- 

 cally everything on the list has advanced since 

 the first of the year, even basswood, and white 

 oak dimension Is $5 a thousand higher. There 

 was a good trade In flooring, as retailers antic- 

 ipated a possible advance. It came the last of 

 the week, $2 a thousand, but has not checked 

 demand to any extent. 



Southern oak Is still moving freely. Car repair 

 shops are taking It In good quantities, and the 

 general factory trade Is buying far more freely 

 than usual at this time of year. There Is also 

 some demand for gum. 



Birch is the leader among northern stocks. 



Everybody has birch, and the dry stock has not 

 run low yet. There is no surplus, however, and 

 both upper grades and culls are moving at a 

 rate which indicates they will be cleaned up 

 by the time the winter cut is fit to ship. The 

 local factories are putting iu their inquiries, 

 but not buying heavily. There Is a better buy- 

 ing activity in Chicago and the East. 



Basswood Is looking better. The cull stocks 

 are practically out of the market. Since low- 

 grade pine advanced the boxmen have boon using 

 basswood. and they kept buying till there was 

 no more to be had. Tlie price advanced and 

 lots were sold as high as $1.") for shipping culls. 

 If there were any more stock it could be sold 

 for $1G to-day. The light output of the past 

 season was not enough to satisfy the increased 

 demand. 



Keports from the Wisconsin woods slate that 

 the roads are in very bad shape. In some parts 

 the snow is three feet deep, and owing to the 

 warm weather the soil is soft underneath, and 

 logging proceeds under difficulties. Operators all 

 predict a short crop of logs. 



Lotxisville. 



The weather has been lending a hand on the 

 bull side of the hardwood market iu the Louis- 

 ville territory, and as the tendency of prices 

 was upward anyway, the effect has been strong- 

 ly felt. Loggiug operations at some points in 

 the country are practically at a standstill, and 

 they are so seriously handicapped all around 

 that it is curtailing the output of the country 

 mills and making deliveries on orders unusually 

 slow. There is a good demand both for ties 

 and car material, the demand easily exceeding 

 the supply at the present time. In poplar it 

 is a little difljcult to tell just where the market 

 is, except that it is higher than it has been. 

 Prices have been moving up a little right along, 

 but of late the upward movement has become 

 more active and there have been some sharp 

 advances in some grades of stock. In short, 

 poplar is in a state which keeps the buyers 

 guessing, because prices quoted a week or two 

 ago are no criterion for the present day and 

 where a buyer fails to accept quotations 

 promptly he stands a mighty good chance of 

 losing out, or having to pay higher prices later. 

 All this shows that it is the man who wants the 

 lumber who will have to do the hustling dur- 

 ing the next three months. The mills are not 

 worrying any about the value of lumber and 

 are giving a large share of their attention to 

 the matter of getting out logs, which is a more 

 difficult problem now than selling lumber. 



Iionfion. 



As is usual at this time of the year, there 

 is very little real business doing, most of the 

 yard-keepers being busy taking stock, nor is 

 much general activity expected till after the 

 general election, when it is confldently expected 

 that business will wake up. 



Prices for stocks in docks are being (Irmly 

 bold, and arrivals arc light, and in cases where 

 buyers are In want of stocks they are compelled 

 to pay the higher prices asked by shippers. 



Oak planks have the best call at the moment 

 and full prices are being obtained both for 

 wagon scantlings and sill planks. Satin walnut 

 has not been shipped too freely and full prices 

 are realized for stocks to arrive. 



Speaking of the prospect generally for lum- 

 ber In the coining year. If shippers encourage 

 the agents who place firm offers before them, 

 and put a stop (o the consignment business, the 

 evils of which have been felt Just as keenly 

 on this side as on the other, prices will be 

 more satisfactory to all parties concerned. 



Churchill & Sim have admitted A. C. Sim 

 and 11. a. Sharp as partners, while A. H. Sim 

 becomes a sleeping partner. 



From f;illlbrnnil. lleywood & Co., W. C. GIlll- 

 brand has retired, and business will be carried 

 on under the same title. This firm has closed 

 its Liverpool office. 



Of black wahiui the report states that the 

 supply of logs throughout the year has been of 

 the most meager description, and the scanty 

 supplies have been on the whole inferior In 

 quality and condition and poor in size. There 

 has been a good demand for lumber of all grades 

 throughout the year, and prices have been well 

 maintained. 



In oak tliere seems to be less demand for 

 quartered, and prices are lower. During the 

 early part of the year there was a scarcity of 

 julnie iilain oak. and prices sensibly advanced. 

 Since the summer the supply has somewhat Im- 

 proved, hut not sufficiently to cause any appre- 

 ciable reduction iu values. The lower grades 

 have been in steady demand at somewhat re- 

 duced iH'ices. 



In wliltewood, so far as can be estimated, the 

 volume of business transacted during the year 

 has been ou a parity with that of 1904. It is 

 impossible to arrive at anything like a close 

 figure, as a large portion of the trade has been 

 done by means of overside and "ex-quay" deliv- 

 eries, of which no public records are kept. Prices 

 during the year have continued firm, and the 

 only tlu<'tuations luivc been momentary and have 

 occurred now and then when particular grades 

 or sizes were in short supply. 



There has been a steady business done In 

 maple Mooring, the merits of which are becom- 

 ing more and more appreciated by all classes 

 of users. I'rices have slightly advanced during 

 the year, and it is not unlikely that they will 

 go higher in the near future. Ivven a moderate 

 rise in price would not make maple an expen- 

 sive flooring, when the lasting iiualitles of the 

 wood are taken into account. 



In American staves the report says that ship- 

 pers have sent but limited supplies to the mar- 

 ket, apparently finding a liettcr outlook al home. 

 Stocks are small and firmly held. 



i'oy, .Morgan & Co.'s report on mahogany and 

 other hardwoods for the year 190") states that 

 the mahogany market for the year has been 

 particularly uneventful, the total quantity of 

 mahogany Imported into London i)eing a few 

 thousand tous less than in 1904. There Is very 

 little change in prices. 



Liverpool. 



.Vll'i'cd I_)oheil ^V: Co. report as follows regard- 

 ing the Liverpool market: In Canadian woods 

 there have been no arrivals of oak : rock elm 

 stock is light and the demand limited, but iirices 

 are firm; birch is in good demand willi prices 

 well maintained. 



Of woods from the United States the import 

 of round southern oak has been moderate and 

 prices are good. Baltimore waiiey logs, strictly 

 prime, can be recommended for shipment. 'l"he 

 stock of wagon planks is still light and full 

 prices will be paid for consignments. Inquiry 

 for coffin planks is brisk, provided specifications 

 are good ; the stock of medium and Inferior Is 

 excessive. 



Walnut logs of prime quality will be received 

 gladly at full prices, but no small and Inferior 

 wood is wanted. The same may be said of 

 whitewood logs: planks and boards are still 

 plentiful. Ash and hickory Importation has 

 been moderate and good prices may be had. 

 There Is a lively demand for staves and values 

 are firm. The aucllcn sales of mahogany dur- 

 ing December were well attended. Competition 

 for logs in sound condition and large size was 

 keen, and full values were obtained. Kigured 

 wood was In strong request. The same condi- 

 tion prevails this month, with regard to the 

 .\frlcan variety. Cuban figured logs of large 

 size would realize extreme prices, but for small 

 sizes small prices are paid, and the market Is 

 quiet. First arrivals of cedar would show good 

 returns, for the demand for .sound, straight logs 

 of medium to large dhnensbuis Is strong. Prime, 

 round, straight and Iblii supped llgnumvitro Is 

 In rcfpiest and wouhl reallzr' excellent prices. 

 Inferior wood Is unl wmiled. 



