z^ 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



suburbs has not shown much activity as yet. 

 owing to the almost impassable condition of the 

 roads. Stoclis are reported smail and the as- 

 sortment is poor at the mill points, but the 

 manufacturers demand high prices for their 

 lumber. The yard .supplies are gradually grow- 

 ing smaller and shipments received are gener- 

 ally sold ahead. 



Plain oak is in demand in excess of the sup- 

 ply. Maple and- maple flooring is being ordered 

 in large quantities at the strong prices aslied. 

 Cherry is not sought after and few quotations 

 are asked for. Quartered oak. red and white, 

 is having a good call on a strong basis and an 

 advance in price is not unlikely. Ash. especially 

 white, is scarce and will probably bring good 

 prices throughout the season. Basswood is said 

 to be improving and chestnut is selling well. 

 Poplar is selling freely and several large con- 

 tracts have been placed lately. 



Grand Kapids. 



Dealers are still being sorely tried by the ear 

 situation, though the I'ailroads are now promis- 

 ing speedy relief. The railroad yards are badly 

 congested, so that it is hard to get cars placed. 

 A general scarcity is reported of the better grades 

 of rock elm. this wood entering largely into 

 sleigh runners and in other places where white 

 oak was formerly used. The log harvest has 

 been the largest in i*ecent years, largely because 

 of the favorable winter for lumbering. 



Minneapolis. 



Conditions in this section are somewhat mixed. 

 Most of the dealers are running very low on 

 northern oak. elm and birch, and are holding 

 back stocks to take care of customers. Others 

 have on hand or contracted for some good sized 

 quantities of stock, and complain that it is mov- 

 ing slowly. One thing is certain, while stocks 

 are light compared with last year, there is no 

 real danger of famine. If demand should slacken 

 for a while some dealers might even have dry 

 stock on their hands when the new cut comes ip. 

 Prices have not advanced, and on some stuff 

 ai-e a little weaker than a month ago. 



The factories are not buying heavily, but only 

 for present needs, trying to make out until the 

 new stocks are dry and on the market. How- 

 ever, those who have kept track of operations in 

 the woods do not expect prices to go off any. 

 for the log input from the northern woods has 

 been from .30 to 50 per cent less than intended. 

 The camps were hampered by deep snow during 

 the winter, and postponed their heaviest haul- 

 ing for March, but the early thaw put them 

 out of business with a large share of their logs 

 still in the woods. 



The demand for hardwood sash and duojs and 

 finish is going to be excellent, according to pre- 

 liminary indications, and the factories are tak- 

 ing in a nice line of orders now. 



The country yard trade continues good. The 

 yards are buying mainly in mixed car quantities, 

 and calling principally for wagon stock. Oak 

 stock is scarce and hard to furnish. Maple 

 axles and flooring are in demand. Birch is a 

 »ood .seller, especially to the factories, and is 

 not in heavy supply. Basswood. which was sell- 

 ing rather briskly a short time ago. is dull again. 



Nashville. 



The feature of the local market at this time 

 is the unexpected manner in which the poplar 

 trade is looking up. There is a considerable de- 

 mand for this wood from St. Louis and other 

 western markets. Usually St. Louis. Chicago. 

 and other western cities, when not flooded, draw 

 their stock from west Tennessee. Local lum- 

 bermen, however, from the fact that many in- 

 iiuiries and orders for poplar are reaching here 

 from the West, take it that the supply in west 

 Tennessee is by no means plentiful at this time. 

 Dealers are getting the full list on all firsts and 

 seconds in poplar. Plain oak continues stiff in 

 price and Is still scarce. Quartered oak is bring- 

 ing good prices. Ready sales are reported in 



both white and red oak. The volume of in- 

 quiries is on the increase and advances are ex- 

 pected. There is a heavy tide in the river and 

 lumbermen expect to get much timber out in 

 the near future. Big cross tie orders are being 

 shipped out. The stave market is reported quiet. 



Hamburg. 



I\ W. Burchard in his last trade circular 

 says concerning walnut logs that the demand 

 set in rather late this year, so that the slocks 

 taken over from 1904. swelled by fresh arrivals, 

 had at one time accumulated to over 11.000 logs. 

 .Suddenly, however, several important inland buy- 

 ers, who are accustomed to purchase by private 

 contract, appeared and during the two weeks 

 preceding the last auction took over 2,600 logs 

 out of the market. The auction itself was not 

 so well attended as could have been desired, so 

 that holders had either to make concessions or 

 to withdraw their logs. Only about 1.500 logs 

 changed hands. About 6.000 logs remained in 

 the Hamburg market unsold. 



The pertinent fact has devloped that notwith- 

 standing the imports of other woods, notably 

 mahogany, the consumption of walnut logs 

 has not decreased. During 1904 it amounted to 

 about 32.000 logs and promises to equal this 

 quantity during 1905. 



It is asserted that nicely assorted shipments 

 of walnut logs at reasonable first cost w-ili f.nd 

 a ready sale, and that walnut boards, deals and 

 squares in current dimensions and of good qual- 

 ity are always in demand. 



In whitewood logs nearly 600 changed hands 

 by private contract and on the auction day, leav- 

 ing about 800 logs unsold. Shipments of good 

 dimensions find prompt buyers at fair prices, 

 while secondary and defective lots are difficult 

 to move at any price. 



There is little demand for white oak. satin 

 walnut, hickory or ash logs in this market. 



In mahogany the consumption has greatly In- 

 creased, but the favorite kinds remain the Mexi- 

 can — that is, Laguna and Tobasco — on account 

 of their fine color and grain. 



London. 



Churchill & Sim's March wood circular says 

 that February has been a quiet, uneventful and 

 lather d'sappolntlng montli for the London wood 

 trade. The dock deliveries have been better than 

 they were in January, but are still some 1.500 

 standards less than the very moderate figures 

 for February. 1904. and when compared with 

 1902 they show a reduction in the first two 

 months of the ,vear of some 5.000 standards 

 per month. There has been practically no 

 change in prices in London during the month. 



In mahogany there was scarcely any change 

 in the market during .lanuary and February. 

 The auctions were well attended and competi- 

 tion generally good, but without any material 

 advance in values. 



In walnut logs the demand continued very 

 quiet and only prime, sizeable wood is wanted. 

 In planks and boards stocks are very moderate, 

 the demand is limited and only light shipments 

 should be made. 



In American whitewctod logs are in very lim- 

 ited demand but small lots of prime, large logs 

 would find buyers at fair prices. Of planks the 

 stock is suflicient. but of boards moderate ship- 

 ments might be made at profit. 



Shipments In black walnut logs sluuld 

 be confined to first-class timber of large dimen- 

 sions, which is worth from 3s to 4s 6d a cali- 

 per foot. There is a healthy tone in lumber, 

 especially In medium and cull grades, quotations 

 range from 5s to 7s per cubic foot, for first 

 quality : 3s to 4s for medium and 2s to 2s 6d for 

 culls. The market is dull for quartered oak. 

 with prices ranging from 2s 6d to 4s 9d a cubic 

 foot. Plain Is in good demand at fair prices 

 and should continue so if consignments are kept 

 within a reasonable compass. In whltewuod 

 there Is a fairly active market with prices rang- 

 ing from 2s 3d to 3s 6d. 



WILLIAMS & BELL, 



MANUFACTURERS OP 



Hardwood Lumber. 



Quartered Oak Our Specialty, 



Prompt Shipments. 



MURFREESBORO, TENN. 



WE MANUFACTURE 25,000,000 

 FEET BAND SAWED 



COTTONWOOD, 



POPLAR AND 



CYPRESS 



PER ANNUM 



Are always in position to supply the 

 trade. 



National Hardwood Association 

 Qrades Quaranteed and certificates 

 furnished when requested. 



JEFFERSON SAW MILL GO. 

 Ltd. 



Front and Robert Streets 

 NEW ORLEANS, LA. 



Honecker & Sumniers 



Public Accountants 

 and Auditors. 



References from prominent lumbermen, 

 leading capitalists and finan- 

 cial institutions 



145 La Salle Street, 



Room 201 Roanoke BIdg. 



Tkletuonk Ce.ntrai. "2959. 



CHICAGO 



