November 25, 1916 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



53 



demand for labor for the past several months. Sawmill owners say that 

 it Is hard to pick up good men who are fit for the work to which they 

 are assigned. Lumber prices are holding firm with no indication that 

 there will be any reduction during the coming winter. There is a good 

 demand for all the best grades of hardwood lumber. Quartered white 

 oak remains strong. Taking this year as a whole, It has brought in a 

 larger volume of business than last year. Logs are coming in rapidly 

 and many manufacturers say they now have enough logs on hand to run 

 their plants all winter. Prices on logs are higher than they were this 

 time last year. The various wood consuming plants in Evansville and at 

 Jasper, Ind., Tell City, Ind.. Henderson, Ky., and Owensboro, Ky., In the 

 main, are being operated on time. Furniture factories continue to buy 

 a great deal of gum in this market, more gum being used in the making 

 of furniture than in former years. Collections are reported good. Plow 

 factories are busy and veneer manufacturers expect a busy winter. Yellow 

 pine dealers say prices are advancing and the market is strong. Building 

 operations remain quite active. Sash and door men and planing mill 

 men report a steady trade. 



=•< LOUISVILLE >- 



Things are coming satisfactorily with Louisville hardwood dealers, who 

 report market conditions in excellent shape at the present time. With 

 the exception of the delays in shipping, due to the car shortage, every- 

 thing is in good shape, with prices well in line, and giving every indica- 

 tion of going higher. Gum continues to be the best seller, while the de- 

 mand for red and white oak, in plain and quartered stock has picked up 

 materially. All grades of poplar have shown improvement, there being a 

 good demand for thick stock and box boards. Ash, elm, hickory, cotton- 

 wood, walnut and mahogany are all getting a good play, ash and elm 

 continuing to sell from the saw, and the demnnd for cottonwood being 

 greater than the available supply. The veneer plants are handling capac- 

 ity business, and report the demand to be greater than the supply in 

 mahogany. Furniture factories and talking machine cabinet manufac- 

 turers are buying heavily of the better grades, and buyers who in the 

 past have purchased cheap grade veneers have been forced to bu.v quality 

 production, due to the fact that manufacturers of cheap grades are over- 

 loaded with orders and unable to supply the demand. The scarcity of 

 labor is causing some of the plants a great deal of trouble securing 

 sawyers, and there is a general scarcity of cabinet makers all over the 

 Central West. Business already handled this month has shown a large 

 gain over November of 1915. 



=-< ST. LOUIS >■- 



A fairly satisfactory condition prevails in hardwoods. There have 

 been but few receipts from the mills because of the continued scarcity of 

 cars. Local distributors are getting quite a few orders on this account, 

 and while the orders are small the aggregate is fairly good. These are 

 for immediate needs. All grades of gum are in excellent demand and 

 prices on all items are quite firm. There is an active request for ash 

 and prices obtained for this item are firm. Poplar is in fair movement 

 at good prices. A quietness prevails in the oak market and the demand 

 Is rather light. The future prospects, however, are quite good. The 

 cypress situation shows little change. 



=-< MILWAUKEE >- 



The hardwood market is experiencing brisk business and orders are 

 plentiful. The weather has been favorable for building operations. 

 Activities at lumber manufacturing plants continue. It is merely a 

 matter of obtaining sufficient help to produce either the raw or finished 

 lumber and also cars to move the same, as there are sufficient orders for 

 everybody. 



Although woodworking concerns begin to, decrease their orders at this 

 season usually, with the approach of the end of the year and the annual 

 inventory time, the decrease has not been very noticeable thus far this 

 year. All these concerns are rushed with orders and are having trouble 

 enough with the labor and car shortage to take a chance and run out of 

 raw material. For this reason they are buying heavier than usual. Then, 

 too, everything points to a higher market without much chance for a drop 

 for some time. Buyers realize that they can save money by taking in 

 stocks now. In fact, basswood and birch have already advanced a dollar, 

 while other kinds of wood are very firm. 



Most of the lumber concerns of the uppei section have already put 

 their logging operations under way. This season promises to bring 

 about very extensive logging operations, probably as large as ever before. 

 Prices are such as to encourage the manufacturers, who are making 

 every eff'ort to put in as many logs as possible and derive some benefit 

 from the present market condition. There is practically only the labor 

 shortage to consider as limiting the logging work. 



One of the principal activities in the hardwood market in this vicinity 

 to center the attention of lumbermen is the announcement of the Chicago, 

 Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company tliat the West Milwaukee car 

 shops will begin assembling material for the construction of 1,250 coal 

 and ore cars. A recent order for 1,066 new bos cars is keeping the shops 

 operating at full capacity so as to complete the work by January 1, and 

 get started on the new order. About half of the old order has been 

 completed. The new coal and ore cars will be of wood and steel and be 

 of the most modern design of any cars used by American railways. 



pmniiiiiiiiiiioniiiiiiiiic]niiiiiiiiii[]iiiiiiiiifii[]iiiiiiiiiiii[:iiiiiiiiiiii[]iiiiiiiiiiioiiiiiimii[]iiiiiiiiiiioiiiiiiiuiinm^ 



I Writing Us Last Month j 



I The general manager of one of the largest Arkan- | 



I sas operations said in regard to our Inspectors : = 



= "Their practice of Incorporating In their reports 3 



= exactly what they have found, and of furnishing g 



5 us copies directing our attention to those con- = 



s ditions which require correction, suggesting § 



= ways and means of remedying them at a MINI- B 



Q MUM ■ COST — together with the Bulletins and | 



= Special Letters sent out by your office offering = 



= suggestions along lines that have been found = 



S practicable and effective by others for FIRE = 



I PREVENTION, have enabled us to greatly im- | 



= prove our own service." = 



I If You Will Place an Insurance Policy | 



y virith the g 



I Lumbermen's | 



I Underwriting Alliance | 



j NOW I 



= You will secure the benefits of this service 



= during- the most hazardous part of the year, = 



g when fires are most frequent and losses = 



g heaviest. A representative will visit you g 



= promptly if you will wire or write s 



I U.S. EPPERSON UNDERWRITING COMPANY I 



g 1116 R. A. Long Building 



Kansas City 



^iiiaiimiiiiiii[]iiiiiiiiiiii[]iiiiiiiiiiiK]iiiiiiiiiiii[]iiiuiiiiiii[]iiiiMiiiiii[]iiiiiiiiiiii[]iiiiiiiiiiioiiiiiiiiiii[]iiiiiiiiiiioiiir; 



Over 



One Million Dollars 



in savings has been returned its memberi bj the 



Manufacturing 

 Lumbermen's Underwriters 



and there remains to the credit of members OTcr 



Nine Hundred Thousand 

 Dollars 



The membership, which is constantly increasing, 

 is now composed of nearly four hundred and fifty of 

 the best saw mill plants in the country. Insurance in 

 force exceeds thirty-five million and nearly three 

 million dollars has been paid in losses. If you have 

 a first-class plant adequately protected and are inter- 

 ested in low cost fire insurance, correct policy fortns, 

 an inspection service which may save you from a dis- 

 astrous fire, vnth the certainty of a prompt and 

 equitable adjustment in case loss does occur, aiid 

 wish a list of members and annual statement we will 

 be glad to hear from you. 



Rankin-Benedict Underwriting Co. 



HARRY B. CLARK 



Western RepreseDtatlve 



Portland, Ore. 



Attorney in Fact 



KANSAS CITY, MO. 



AU Three of Us Will Be Benefited if You Mention HARDWOOD RECORD 



