February 10. 1917 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



55 



lijiudlo manufacturers buying freely. Many advertisements arc also run- 

 ning in the country papers for dogwood and persimmon, ti^«^-4a+ter-foT""goir 

 club manufacturers, and the former for textile purposes. The traffic situa- 

 tion Is steadily improviug, and no real fault is to be found with conditions. 



=■< MILWAUKEE >- 



The shortage of railroad cars of all descriptions, which now has reached 

 its most acute stage, is one of the principal problems of northern hardwood 

 lumbermen at this time. Although the lack of rolling stock has been serious 

 for more than three months, the mills were not brought to a full realization 

 of the condition until the sawing season actuall.v was upon them. As a 

 rule, sawmills started on their season's cut during the last week in January 

 and -the first week in Februar.v, and much difficulty is being encountered in 

 keeping up the log supply. Until the spring drives come numerous mills 

 will he obliged to go rather slowly for fear of running out of logs, Log- 

 ging camps have ample supplies, due to the fact that the average timber 

 cut was the largest in six or eight years. The car shortage also works a 

 hardship in the other direction, for it is an extremely difficult matter to 

 move the product of the sawmills. This is peculiarly unfortunate Iiecause 

 wholesalers and jobbers are fairly crying for stocks to fill their urgent 

 requirements and to replenish their badly broken lines. It has been a 

 long time since the demand was so active as now, or prices of all lumber 

 so favorable to all concerned, and to encounter so unfavorable and impor- 

 tant a factor as an acute shortage of cars naturally does not put the trade 

 into the most amiable franv nf mind. 



--<, GLASGOW >.= 



Tlu- timber iiade of the west of Scotland has retlected the upheaval 

 caused by the war to the many industries connected with it. It is re- 

 markable how well the demand has been maintained throughout. As could 

 liardlj' be otherwise under the circumstances, local wood consumers were 

 forced to depend upon employment on orders more or less closely related 

 to war requirements, and for the most part they had all the work they 

 could undertake with the reduced staff of men at their command. Furni- 

 ture woods had a steady rising market throughout the whole year, which 

 may be attributed not so much to any special activity in demand as to the 

 fact tbat the prohibitiun of imports early in the year came at ;t time when 

 The available supplies were unusually meager. Thus mahogany of all de- 

 scriptions has reached record prices, which look as if they would soon be 

 eclipsed if no modification is made in the present embargo on consignments. 

 This equally covers the situation as regards American and Japanese oak. 

 black walnut, canary wood (yellow poplar), satin walnut (red gum), hazel 

 pine (sap gum), cottouwood. and indeed evpry class of furniture wood. Of 

 those hardwoods free to enter into the country, ash and hickory are the 

 most prominent as far as the west of Scotland market is concerned, and 

 botli have been in moderate request throughout the year for purposes con- 

 nected with the war. 



As a direct result of the embargo on imports and the high prices required 

 for what was in stock, attention was directed to the necessity of substitut- 

 ing home woods for the American product hitherto used, and as a result 

 oak, elm. beech, birch and other hardwoods were used in considerable 

 quantities at substantially higher prices than those they used to com- 

 mand. For certain work, where length and freedom from knots is not 

 absolutely essential, they proved quite suitable, but for the many purposes 

 for which they are required in large dimensions without defects, homewood 

 compares unfavorably with the American timber. As was the case last 

 year, the article in greatest demand was box-making material, which was 

 imported in large quantities, while there was also a gratifying improvement 

 in the call for yellow pine, which had been rather out of favor in recent 

 times, and has probably been reinstated by the fact that, whereas up to 

 tbe beginning of the war it was more costly than spruce, prices are now 

 pretty similar. Though there was a rather better outlet for the best 

 quality of pine than was the case last year, it was chiefly the lower grades 

 whicb were wanted. lAkc all other trades, business was very much ham- 

 pered by scarcity of labor, which occasioned at times considerable though 

 unavoidable congestion at the various docks, and as a result quay rent 

 penalties were the rule rather than the exception. 



As regards market conditions, the position is that with one or two ex- 

 ceptions the stocks of timber held here are unusually light, and in no in- 

 stance are they so heavy as to occasion pressure to sell, from which it 

 may be reasonably inferred that prices will advance very rapidly. As 

 regards the amount of timber consumed, the figures exceed those of 1915 

 which under all th*:? circumstances may be deemed remarkable. This mar- 

 ket has been on the whole free from any serious labor troubles, any little 

 dispute which arose from time to time about wages or other matters being 

 amicably adjusted between the masters and men. 



A satisfactory feature has been the absence of any serious failures in 

 the trade an indication that business has been conducted on a safe and 

 sound basis. With regard to timber trade conditions for this year, it is 

 exceedingly difficult to give any reliable forecast. It, however, is certain 

 tbat all shipments of oak will continue to be prohibited from entering any 

 of the ports of this country during the war. Poplar, cottonwood, hazel 

 pine, etc., come under the same category. To make matters worse, freights 

 have gone up to a remarkable figure with prospects of further advance- 

 ments. It may be mentioned in conclusion that just as soon as the war 

 is over the timber trade will be exceedingly busy and will be of more 

 importance than ever. 



Swain -Roach Lbr. Co. 



SEYMOUR, IND. 



White Oak 

 Red Oak 

 Poplar 

 Hickory 



■We Manufacture 



Elm Ash 



Maple Walnut 



Gum 

 Sycamore 



Cherry 

 Chestnut, Etc. 



At Tzvo Band Mills 



STRAIGHT or MIXED CARLOADS 



PROMPT SHIPMENT 



Mutual Fire Insurance 



Best Indemnity at Lowest Net Cost 

 Can B« Obtained From 



Boston, Mass. 



The Lumber Mutual Fire Insurance Company. 



The Lumbermen's Mutual Insurance Company, 



Mansfield, Ohio. 



The Pennsylvania Lumbermen's Mutual Fire Insurance Company. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



The Indiana Lumbermen's Mutual Insurance Company, 



Indianapolis. Ind. 



The Central Manufacturers' Mutual Insurance Company. 



Van Wert, Ohio 



CINCINNATI 



Hardwood Manufacturers and Jobbers 



OHIO VENEER COMPANY 

 Manufacturers & Importers FOREIGN VENEERS 



2624-34 COLERAIN AVENUE 



C. CRANE & COMPANY 



Manufacturers of Hardwood Lumber, Oak & Poplar especially 



Our location makes possible Quick delivery of anything in timber and hardwood 



lumber 



v wil 



The Tegge Lumber Col 



High Grade 



Northern and Southern 



Hardwoods and Mahogany 



Specialties 



OAK, MAPLE, CYPRESS, POPLAR 

 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 



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



