THE HARDWOOD RECORD. 



33 



BoYNE City 

 Lumber Co. 



BOYNE CITY, MICH. 



Michigan Rock Maple and 

 other Michigan Hardwoods 



LARGE CAPACITY. 



PROMPT SHIPMENTS. 



RAIL OR CARGO. 



"THE NE.W MILL" 



HOTEL WALTON 



PHILADELPHIA 



THE HOME OF VISITING 



xrOUR commendation in the past, inly make; reneived 

 1 efforts for your comfort and pleasure the endeavor of 

 the management. 



Situated on South Broad Street in the midst of Phila- 

 delphia's commercial palaces, less than 300 feet from the 

 Bellevue-Stratford. where the meetings of the National 

 Hardwood Lumber Dealers' Association will be held on 

 Thursday and Friday. March 2d and 3d. 1905. 



Vour patronage solicited. Rates lor this occasion as 

 follows: 



Single Rooms, without bath, $1.50 and up 

 with " 2.50 



Double '* without " -.00 

 with " 4.00 



Reservations made at once wilt insure the best in ihc 



house, and will be promptly acknowledged. 



CEO. W. SWETT, Manager. 



Williams & Voris Lumber Co. 



Manufacturers of 



Hardwfooti 

 Lumber ana 



QUARTER SAWED OAK VENEER 



We guarantee our oak to be equal to 

 Indiana oak in quality and figure. 



CHATTANOOGA, 



TENN. 



local market conditions to warrant any par- 

 ticular comment. Being the opening of the 

 year the trade has turned its attention to 

 the taking of inyentories, with the result 

 that while the general market is in good 

 shape and prices holding firm, there has 

 been but small movement of lumber, and 

 but little buying other than that for imme- 

 diate wants. "All is quiet along the Poto- 

 mac," and everybody is feeling exceed- 

 ingly optimistic o%-er the outlook for 1905. 

 t'nless &11 signs fail the Metropolitan Dis- 

 trict will be an enormous producer of busi- 

 ness to the wholesale and retail lumber 

 interests during that period. Particularly 

 is this so in the outlying sections, where the 

 subway has opened up a large district of 

 new residential space, and where the activ- 

 ity for present and prospective work in 

 building circles is nothing less than marvel- 

 ous. 



Both the wholesale and retail hardwood 

 dealers are planning for a very aggressive 

 campaign, and the general talk is of big 

 things in a business way during the next 

 year. This opinion seems to have substan- 

 tial backing. The past year might have 

 been better, bvit taken as a whole both the 

 wholesale and retail hardwood dealers had 

 a Merry Christmas and a Happy Xew Tear. 



Philadelphia. 



The demand for poplar is light, made so 

 partially by the lull over the hoUdays. The 

 yards are carrying small stocks, there hav- 

 ing been but little bought during the fall sea- 

 son. The market is expected to develop 

 strength as the season advances, and prices 

 are firmer today than they were two months 

 ago. For inch ifirst and seconds $-1-1 to $46 is 

 being gotten, and $46 to $48 for 5-4. 6-4 and 

 8-4. Culls are quoted at $21 and $22. 



There is not much to be found in plain and 

 quartered white oak and some of the whole- 

 salere have been scurrying around trying to 

 pick up desired stocks. The opinion is held 

 that the increasing demands of the season 

 will necessitate an advance in oak, and but 

 little future business is being booked. Local 

 stocks are light. On inch first and seconds 

 quartered $48 to $52 is easily obtained, with 

 the other items at the same level; culls fetch- 

 ing $33 and $34. First and seconds plain 

 white oak in 5-4 and 6-4 is bringing $44 to 

 $47, though some choice stock has been sold 

 higher. Inch common is quoted at $32 to 

 $34, and culls at $21 and $22. 



Chestnut is having some call and the whole- 

 salers are on the hunt for available stocks. 

 The market is firm and lively buying is ex- 

 pected before the season is far advanced. 

 A price of $38 and $40 is being gotten for 

 4-4 fii-sts and seconds and $40 to $44 for 5-4 

 and 6-4. 5-4 and 6-4 common is selling at 

 $30 to $32; culls bringing $17 and $19. 



Ash is another scarce article on the list, 

 and comparatively little is being offered. Fac- 

 tory inquiries are fairly heavy and 4-4 firsts 

 and seconds are selling easily for $40 and 

 $42, and 5-4, 6-4 and 8-4 for $45 to $48. 

 Culls are sold for $16 to $18. 



Baltimore. 



The .year 1904 ended vrith the hardwood 

 market in relatively good shape. The demand 

 had not yet attained the volume desired liy 

 many of the lumbermen, but the inquiry was 

 good and values generally showed marked 

 fii-mness. Locally large quantities of lumber 

 were being called for at acceptable figures, 

 and the movement promised to continue brisk 

 for an unlimited period. A sharp rise had 

 taken place in some of the woods, poplar 

 being notably higher, and an excellent feel- 

 ing prevailed. The passing of the holidays 



has not changed the situation. For the 

 time being, of course, a lull ensued, but 

 this did not in the least indicate a weak- 

 ening in the hardwoods, and the new year 

 found everybody hustling for business. 

 Those dealers who made extensive con- 

 tracts before the winter set in with its 

 heavy snow are congi'atulating themselves, 

 and take the view that they will find plenty 

 of takers. In fact, the stocks at the mills 

 seemed to be at a very low ebb, and the 

 unfavorable weather, which caused many 

 saw mill plants to suspend operations, will 

 cause something of a scarcity. 



The foreign market is showing some signs 

 of improvement, though the accumulations 

 abroad are still too large to enable the 

 trade to recover its accustomed snap. Cau- 

 tious brokers continue to advise that ship- 

 ping on consignment be stopped, while those 

 exporters who have the lumber required 

 find the market appreciably more receptive. 

 There has been no material rise in oak 

 abroad, for the reason that planks always 

 commanded good figures if they could be 

 disposed of at all. The improvement in 

 poplar is decided and justifies agreeable ex- 

 pectations for the future. Ash is a close 

 second to oak, standing well at home and 

 abroad, and bringing fair returns. This is 

 also to be said in a measure of chestnut, 

 though the wood is in less active request. 

 Walnut is holding its own, and the mar- 

 ket is ready to take all lumber as well as 

 logs that come up to specifications. Prices 

 vary with quality, which holds good of 

 walnut more than of any other wood. 



The reconstruction of the burnt section 

 of the city has created a large local demand 

 for hardwoods, many of the plants running 

 after hours to meet the requirements in the 

 way of office and store fixtures. There 

 never was a time when the needs in this 

 direction were so large, and even the active 

 competition of the western plants has 

 proved powerless to check the prosperity of 

 the plants here, .\ceording to all indica- 

 tions this condition will hold throughout 

 the whole of the present year. 



Buffalo. 



It is too early in the year to speak of actu- 

 al lumber movement, as the present slackness 

 is not indicative of the demand that is prom- 

 ised before long. Nobody pushes business 

 during inventory taking, but there is every 

 promise of a satisfactory year. Those who 

 have looked over the building situation are 

 certain that there will be more activity in 

 that line the country over than there was 

 last year. There is some advance reported 

 of plain oak and it now looks as though 

 there would not exist the difference between 

 that and quartered this year that there was 

 last year. There is a good demand tor ash, 

 birch and maple, and where there is elm in 

 stock it goes off fast. Chestnut has become 

 more active of late, but basswood is still 

 quiet. Cypress is more active and appears 

 to be quite past its late slackness. The pop- 

 lar trade is quite light. 



Bristol, Va.— Tenn. 

 In regard to the hardwood conditions, 

 values and prospects since the election, it is 

 thought that the trade in general is looking 

 up. A good many buyers have visited this 

 market recently and all are ready to buy at 

 the prices held at the close of the year. Some 

 orders have been taken for future shipment 

 for a large amount of stock in this immedi- 

 ate territory, but the wiser element of the 

 trade is refusing to make advance sales at 

 present values. The average manufacturer 

 and dealer in this section has stiffened up on 



