HARDWOOD RECORD 



I ii> .Maiatboii Lity Lumber Company at pros- 

 I'ut has on liaiid the largest stock of logs ever 

 hauled to the village o£ Marathou. about three- 

 fourths hardwoods. 



All of the country hardwood mills are at 

 present running overtime to get out their cut 

 before the breali-up of sleighing. They all have 

 large stocks. 



.\dolph Couley of Marinette was recently paid 

 •?I,000 reward for finding llie limly of tlie bile 

 Duncan McGregor, the Marinette hardwood lum- 

 berman who mysteriously disappeared the niglit 

 of July .■) last. Mr. Gouley found the body in 

 the log pond last fall. As some books and 

 papers which Mr. XfcGregor was known to have 

 in his possession llio day of his disappearance 



were missing from his pockets when the body 

 was found, it has been generally believed that 

 he was murdered. 



Sheboygan's entire manufacturing district was 

 threatened with destruction by Are recently and 

 millions of dollars worth of property was saved 

 by hard and prompt work. The losses aggre- 

 gated ?9J,000. distributed as follows : Sheboy- 

 gan Couch Company, .$.")0.000 : Northern Furni- 

 ture Company. $30,000; McAnsh, Dwyer & Co.. 

 .SIO.OOO: minor losses, lumber yard. etc.. $5,000. 

 The fire started in the plant of the Sheboygan 

 I'ouch Company and spread to the large ware- 

 houses of the Northern rurnlture Company, 

 formerly the Sears-Koebuck Company, and the 

 warehouse of McAnsh, Ilwyer & Co.. a hranrli 

 of Montgomery Ward & Co. 



further upward tendency in the market. Tin r. 

 is absolutely no cutting. Some of the largcsi 

 local dealers, however, look on the market with 

 distrust, feeling that prices arc abnormally high. 

 and are buying with great care in fear of a 

 break. 



Hardwood Market. 



(By HABDWOOD RECORD Exclusive Market Reporters.) 

 Chicago. 



'Vhii local situation still remains very strong. 

 Tliere are comparatively few large trades noted. 

 but there is a multitude of small transactions 

 which makes the aggregate liandling during the 

 past fortniglit very large. The foregoing state- 

 ment is true of both northern and southern hard- 

 woods. Oak still maintains the foremost posi- 

 tion in the market. Kveryone is seeking it, and 

 few turn down any stock they consider 

 a reasonabli' offer. It is generally recognized 

 that oak is in very short supply and that there 

 will be very little more dry stock offered before 

 midsummer. .Some few concerns are well in- 

 trenched with good stocks of this wood, but the 

 majority are dealing from hand to mouth. There 

 is a good deal of trading being done between 

 jobbing houses at advanced prices to supplement 

 broken lines, and it is probable that more lum 

 lier is being moved to eastern trade centers from 

 Chicago jnst now than for a long time. 



Boston. 



During the past two weeks the hardwood mar- 

 ket has sliown improvement. Inquiries with 

 most wholesalers are more frequent and for lar- 

 ger quantities than a month ago. In a few cases 

 wholesalers state that they have not noticed a 

 great Increase in the actual business transacted 

 as yet, but all are confident that the spring 

 business wiJI be fully up to expectations. The 

 furniture manufacturers in this section are busy 

 ana are frequent buyers of hardwoods. The 

 manufacturers of doors are also in the market for 

 supplies. The export demand has shown a mate- 

 rial Increase during the past month, in some 

 instance." larger than it has been for several 

 years. 



There is a good demand for plain oak and of- 

 ferings arc small. Prices are firmly held. Mate- 

 rial improvement in the demand for quartered 

 oak is reported, and prices on inch ones and 

 twos have advanced over those of a few months 

 ago. Brown ash Is in excellent demand and of 

 ferlngs arc not large. Prices on southern white 

 ash are firmly held and stocks ready for ship- 

 ment are reported lower than those of brown 

 ash. The offerings of cherry are small witli the 

 demand brisk. Walnut has been in good request 

 from the dome.',tic trade right along, and during 

 the past two weeks there has been a decidedly 

 better inquiry tor export. Plain oak is also in 

 d'-mand from abroad. 



The call for maple flooring corresponds very 

 favorably with the usual demand for this season 

 of the year, and prices are firmly held. White- 

 wood Is firmer, but the demand Is not large. It 

 Is reported that there Is an Inquiry for cotton- 

 wood squares as a substitute for whitewood. 

 The reports from the southern whitewood mills 

 show scarcity of logs of desirable grades. The 

 mills have been handicapped In getting logs dur- 

 ing the winter, owing to bad weather. Stocks in 

 the local yards are of fair size, but If they were 

 to replenish higher prices would be demanded. 



Cypress is very firmly held at the recent ad- 

 vrincc. but the higher prices have checked the de- 

 mand. 



New York. 

 It is reported here that the demand for bard- 

 woods has increased steadily during the past 

 fortnight and the outlook for a large and proflt- 

 ablo spring trade is excellent. While February 

 is ordinarily not an active month in building 

 circles (he volume of projected work filed shows 

 a considerable increase over that of February, 

 100.J. 



In regard to hardwood stocks, poplar, oak, ash, 

 chestnut and birch seem to be in greatest de- 

 mand, but the whole list is moving very freely 

 with offerings only nominal and prices very firm 

 with an upward tendency. The supply of plain 

 oak is by no means plentiful. This same applies 

 to birch and chestnut. There seems to be suffi- 

 cient poplar, but no excess which might lead to 

 crowding the market. Birch had a phenomenal 

 demand last year, and the steadily increasing de- 

 mand for mahogany is forcing birch along at a 

 rapid rate. Tlie mahogany and foreign cedar 

 market has never been on such a high price level 

 as at present, cedar running up as high as 1(1 

 and 11 cents a foot with available supplies very 

 short. Basswood is only in fair call, and .it 

 prevailing prices it would seem (hat buyers are 

 missing an opportunity in not laying in gootl 

 stocks of this wood. Ash Is active and prices 

 firm, both brown and white bringing the same 

 price. Quartered oak is still slow, and there is 

 ample stock for current wants. Maple is only 

 in fair call, the greatest demand being for thick 

 stock. Beech is increasing in use right along 

 for heavy jilank purposes. 



The wholesale local hardwood situation is In 

 good shape. From the conditions at mill points, 

 as reported by returning buyers, everything 

 seems to point to a stiff and advancing market 

 for the balance of the year. 



Philadelphia. 



The local hardwood market continues good. 

 .Mthoiigli It is between seasons, prices are firm 

 and conditions better than at corresponding 

 limes in former years. Most of the local dealers 

 have their yards well supplied, but, compared 

 wllh other seasons, there is a noticeable scarcity 

 of hardwoods, especially good chestnut. A 

 heavy boom Is expected In the spring, and there 

 Is a tcnd.^ncy on the pari of many to hold back 

 for higher prices. .\ll the mills controlled by 

 Philadelphia dealers are running at full cajiaclty 

 and, In spite of the recent severe storm, no com- 

 plaint Is made about shipments. 



Cheslnut and red oak lead, and cypress Is also 

 In good demand. There has been a general stiff- 

 ening In iioplar, and an active call for maple 

 flooring. Considerable Interest has been caused 

 by Inquiries coming through the retailers for a 

 big order of stock to be used at Bristol. Pa. 



The high prices at this season of the year arc 

 generally looked upon as n prediction of a still 



Baltimore. 



The hardwood tradi' of this section was never 

 better than at the present time. A most ac 

 five demand exists and lumber Is being taken 

 up as fast as It is turned out. Just now the 

 condition of the country roads is such as to 

 make hauling almost impossible, and the de- 

 livery of stocks at points of distribution is re- 

 tarded. The indications are that business will 

 continue brisk throughout the year. Prices ari' 

 ilrmly maintained all along the line, oak show 

 ing up as strong as ever, and good luniher being 

 in sharp request. Furniture manufacturers and 

 other consumers are buying freely. Kven the 

 lower grades of lumber have been affected by 

 the general price advance. The foreign market 

 is receptive, and while as a general rule prices 

 are relatively lower than on this side, a notice 

 al)le advance has taken place and consumers an- 

 buying with greater freedom. Ash is active, 

 linding many takers at home and being alsn 

 sought in the foreign market. Present value- 

 stimulate production, and mills are turning oiii 

 large stocks of It. The competitiou among buy 

 ers is still brisk, many firms having men out in 

 search of supplies. 



One of the most striking developments in (in- 

 hardwood trade is the advance made by poplar, 

 both as to demand and price. The demand from 

 abroad is also reported quite active, although it 

 is alleged that manufacturers are shipping luiu- 

 oer abroad at relatively low figures in order to 

 steady the market .at home. 



The domestic demand for walnut is still quite 

 active. Of course, the supply of desirable stocks 

 is never ahead of the demand. Prices are firm 

 enough to stimulate the holders of lumber and 

 logs to bring them out. The foreign trade con 

 tinues to absorb large quantities of walnut, with 

 prices rather Improved and the consumer in a 

 mood to make concessions. The local require 

 nienls for mahogany continue. ,\ll oilier dhi 

 sions of (he hardwood trade are in satisfactory 

 sliape. while the future presents a very promis- 

 ing aspect. 



Pittsburg. 



t.'ontinued bad auil snowy weather has put a 

 damper on the local yard trade. The yards were 

 liretty well slocked before March 1. and the 

 weather has held back building operations so 

 that retail trade has been small : and they have 

 bought little. This is a purely local feature of 

 the niarkel, however. Behind the enormous val 

 lime of inquiry that is pouring In upon whole 

 salers a big year's business is anticipated by 

 every well-posted wholesaler In the city. 



The feature of the bulldiug situation is the 

 largo number of houses which are scheduled for 

 spring building, a large proportion of which are 

 of \\w bc(ter types costing from $8,000 to $40, 

 000. 



Four skyscrapers have already been announced 

 for this summer, and the contract for three of 

 them has been let, A consUlerable amount of 

 warehouse building is on the boards, and the 

 prospects for a good trade in heavy oak timbei 

 for such s(ruc(ures are excellent. .lust how 

 much buying the railroads and coal companies 

 are going to do depends largely on the settle 

 meiit of the coal strike question. As it appears 

 now there will he no strike and Pittsburg whole 

 salers are jubilant. 



The market for hardwoods is being sustainiMl 

 much better than for other lines of lumber. 

 Prhes are firm. The variety of Inquiry Is large 

 and Indicates a broad Held of buyers. For several 

 weeks oak has led the market. The minor hard- 

 woods are, however. In active demand, wllh 

 chestnut and maple deserving of special men- 

 ilun. Both these woods have been selling well. 

 Hie I'oniier at the seller's own price. 



