HARDWOOD RECORD 



35 



Buffalo. 



Business In Buffalo liiuilwood circles is good, 

 nnd there is more claim of improvement now 

 tlian there was last month. Even some hard- 

 wood dealers who have been complaining of low 

 prices now say that they are better and they 

 see nothing in the way of a fine year. February 

 was especially good as to sales as a rule. It 

 does not appear that any hardwood is slaclilug 

 off in the least and there is reason for believ- 

 ing that some that have_ been slack are begin- 

 ning to do better. 



Of course there is never enough chestnut or 

 black ash. Some dealers lind that they will sell 

 even when but half seasoned, so that the market 

 is bare of them a great part of the time and 

 is not .going to be much different right away. 

 It is odd that no other wood will answer for 

 (hem, especially as there is a good supply of 

 white ash, and plain oak is better than chestnut 

 for the same use and costs no more. 



Some report of an improved movement of 

 quartered oak comes in, and as birch is no 

 pientier than it was there is nothing to use in 

 its place more than formerly. Quartered oak 

 has been much of a disappointment right along, 

 as it costs more to produce it than almost any- 

 thing else, so that it has to be held at a higher 

 price than some otlier woods according to its 

 actual value and then the trade will use some 

 thing else In its place and let it languish in 

 yard. 



There are occasional reports of movement in 

 basswood and elm. so that the old stocks must 

 be about gime. Some dealers are venturing to 

 buy Ihem again and the day is not far off when 

 they vv'ill be in full demand once more. Poplar 

 improves, but can liardly be higii so long as 

 basswood is not. 



Toledo. 



Toledo stocks of hardwood lumber are well 

 assorted and ample to meet the re(]Uirements 

 of the local demand. While prices have ad- 

 vanced, however not as much as in the case of 

 soft lumber, the demand is quite strong. The 

 advance on all kinds of hardwood lumber 

 Iiandled in this market ranges all the way from 

 10 to 20 per cent since the first of the year. 

 Oak and ash have made the strongest advance, 

 being close to 20 per cent higher than be 

 fore the holidays. The better grades of ash 

 are selling S2 higher than a year ago. Oak has 

 made an equal advance, and the demand for 

 both is stronger. Basswood is from .|1 to $2 

 higher than a year ago, while poplar is about 

 $1 higher. Trade in basswood, although rather 

 quiet and inactive for the past couple of years, 

 is picking up. 



The local box factories have advanced the 

 prices of bo.'ies about 10 per cent since the first 

 of the year, the increase following on the heels 

 of that in raw material. 



Saginaw Valley. 



The market is healtliy and reasonably strong 

 with a satisfactory movement for this time in 

 the year. There is not a great quantity of dry 

 stock in the hands of dealers and manufacturers. 

 Prices are much more satisfactory than a year 

 ago. Maple has been largely sold ahead, the 

 llooring manufacturers having arranged for 

 ample stocks for the year. The flooring situa- 

 tion is very satisfactory, the plants are ail in 

 operation and the demand and prices give no 

 (ause for complaint. There is a fair business 

 being done in basswood, and ash, though limited 

 in supply, is strong and active. 



There will be considerable beech manufactured 

 this season. It goes into screen doors and win- 

 dows and is used for flooring, and makes a 

 serviceable article. The slow demand for cooper- 

 age stock let a lot of elm out into lumber, and 

 that commodity is not up to other hardwoods 

 either as to demand or price. While there are 

 reports from the western side of the state of a 

 prospective log shortage by reason of the open 

 winter, in eastern Michigan the usual quantity 



will be secured. A number of the larger firms 

 operate the year through, and owing to the go( d 

 trade and prospects for activity many small con- 

 cerns will continue work in the woods longer 

 than usual. Some firms have already secured 

 their complement and are quitting operations. 

 The weather conditions (he last month have been 

 satisfactory and great progress has been made in 

 putting In stock. Buyers are thick in the log- 

 ging districts picking up every available log. 



Cincinnati. 



The demand for hardwoods continues (o In- 

 crease and during the last two weeks a heavy 

 volume of business has been transacted. Dry 

 stocks in nearly all kinds of lumber are light, 

 and delivery is being interfered with l)y llie 

 car shortage. 



The inquiry from export sources is improving 

 and in the last fortnight several deals of large 

 proportions were closed with foreign dealers. 

 The bulk of orders, as expected, however, is 

 coming from domestic sources, with furniture 

 and interior finish factories leading. Advices 

 from Kentucky and West Virginia mill points 

 are to the effect that mill men are holding 

 their stocks for higher prices. They have not 

 had sufficient tides in the last 30 days to send 

 logs from the mountains, according to reports 

 received by local firms. 



Plain oak in the last two weeks maintained 

 its position as the leading item. The call for it 

 is steadily growing and with stocks decreasing 

 correspondingly, prices are advancing further, 

 tjuarter-savved white oak, which is improving 

 in other markets, remains without change. The 

 outlet is fair for first and second grades, but 

 common is inclined to dullness and prices, while 

 steady, are not keeping pace with values of 

 other woods. The same thing can be said in 

 regard to quarter-sawed red oak. Poplar in 

 all grades has moved freely and been a close 

 second to plain oak in its activity. 



Dry stocks are at a low ebb. Firsts and 

 seconds have been in better request than the 

 common and culls, but the last two grades have 

 proved very desirable assets. Ash, cypress, 

 chestnut and hickory have been absorbed as 

 quickly as the limited supplies were ottered. 

 Prices are stiffening for all grades and thick- 

 nesses. The inquiry for Cottonwood continues 

 excellent, but some hesitancy is reported on the 

 part of large consumers in making heavy pur- 

 chases, as tliey believe that the next month or so 

 will see the supply considerably augmented, 

 lied gum is moderately active and without price 

 deviation. 



Indications are that (here will be enormous 

 building operations in this city during the spring 

 and summer montlis and hardwood lumbermen 

 are preparing to reap their share of the benefits. 



Chattanooga, 



Hardwood lumber continues to soar upward in 

 prices, and (he scarcity of dry stocks is becom- 

 ing more pronounced. Lumbermen here expect 

 to pay higher prices for their lumber supplies 

 hereafter, and it is growing more difficult every 

 day to find the necessary stocks. Inquiries are 

 increasing rapidly and it is often difficult to fill 

 orders. The prospects are that prices will con- 

 tinue to advance and stocks will become scarcer 

 from month to month. Contractors are com- 

 plaining about the scarcity and attendant high 

 prices. Furniture manufacturers are handicapped 

 because of the lack of material, and dealers in 

 all grades of hardwood are somewhat alarmed 

 at the situation. It is conceded by all that the 

 prices now in vogue cannot be maintained very 

 long. Lumber is selling for more now at whole- 

 sale than it was a year ago at retail. 



Js'os. 1 and 2 jjopiar are very strong and are 

 maintaining high prices. There is no stock of 

 the higher grades and the lower grades find 

 ready takers. The quality of logs is depreciating 

 every year. On account of the great demands 

 of the car works, the furniture factories and for 

 house finishing purposes prices on the highest 

 grades of oak are advancing rapidly. Local 



lumbermen say that these conditions not only 

 exist here but they prevail all over the country. 

 There are a good many logs ready to be floated 

 down the river as soon as there is sufficient 

 tide, but this is not expected liefore (he early 

 spring freshets. 



Bristol, Va.-Tenn, 



Hardwood dealers and manufacturers in this 

 section are well pleased with the present coudi- 

 (ions of trade, and believe (lia( spring will bring 

 even better business and a heavier demand than 

 has been experienced during the past winter 

 months. 



The mills in this city and section broke the 

 record this year and almost everyone has been 

 operated at its fullest capaciiy daily, little or 

 no time having been lost on account of bad 

 weather as is usually the case. 



The car supply has for the past several months 

 been verj' bad, in fact, more trouble has been 

 occasioned from this source than from any other. 

 The railroads are ail making an effort to get ad- 

 ditional equipment and augment their supply of 

 cars as quickly as possible. 



It is reported that there are a number of mills 

 in this region which will soon be started and the 

 supply of stock increased in this manner. 



St. Iiouis. 



A brightening up of prospects has character- 

 ized the hardwood market the past week or ten 

 days throughiuit this territory. While the move- 

 ment of lumber has been not to say large, still 

 it has been of fairly seasonable proportions. 

 Plain oak is decidedly the leader in the demand, 

 while ash and poplar have developed strength. 

 There is an improved call for gum, firsts and 

 seconds, and Cottonwood is brisker in movement 

 than for some time. Box boards are in especially 

 good demand at firmer prices. While receipts 

 liave been comparatively reduced by reason of 

 curtailment of operations, it is believed that 

 increase of incoming stocks of hardwood lumber, 

 at mill points will shortly be reflected in an 

 settled weather and more continuous operations 



Local lumbermen could do a land office busi- 

 ness if they had the stuff on hand to suppl.v 

 orders, but dry lumber is exceedingly scarce, and 

 some grades are entirely sold out. Orders are 

 being turned down at all mills. Dealers are 

 getting $1.00 above list price for some hard- 

 woods. 



A fourteeu-inch snow is just going off, and an 

 early rise in the river is predicted which will 

 put an immense quantity of timber out. 



Kansas City. 



The spring demand for hardwoods is getting 

 an early start in this territory. L'ealers here 

 say that the demand for the past thirty days, 

 and, in fact, since the first of the year, has 

 been heavier than ever before for a corre- 

 sponding period. Trade is stimulated by the 

 fact that buyers know stocks are light and will 

 be harder to get as the season advances. The 

 fundamental reason for the good demand, how- 

 ever, is the general prosperity of the territory 

 at large. Building operations are active, witli 

 excellent prospects. Manufacturers of all com- 

 modities into which hardwoods enter are antici 

 pating a heavy demand, and the railroad and 

 <.ar trade is as active as it has been at any time 

 during the past few months. 



The question of getting enough lumber during 

 the next few months is the most important one 

 with dealers at this time. Dealers here have 

 contracted for considerable stock since the first 

 of the year, and expect to maintain a fair as- 

 sortment. At the same time the supply in sight 

 is way below normal, and this is by no means 

 a satisfactory condition with a heavy spring 

 demand in prospect. Stock is slow in arriving, 

 owing to the car shortage, and many of tlie 

 mills report the situation as serious today as 

 ever. Not only are cars scarce, but their move- 

 ment is slow after leaving the mills. From 

 reliable authority it is learned that the south- 

 ern hardwood mills have long ago sold what 



