HARDWOOD RECORD 



33 



Saginaw. 

 The hardwfod market is in toleiably good 

 form and prices for stock are fully up to the 

 close of last year ; in some instances an im- 

 provement has been recorded. Some local manu- 

 facturers have contracted a good portion of 

 their cut for the season, and one or two other 

 concerns have sold blocks of lumber that run 

 into the million feet. Maple is looking better, 

 while bassnood, elm and ash are very firmly 

 held at shipping points. Prices range from $14 

 up to §22 and for choice stock even better. 

 There is considerable lumber in the hands of 

 dealers and some manufacturers have stock on 

 hand but not in large quantities. There is 

 more maple than anything else and it is mani- 

 festing a good deal of firmness. So far as ascer- 

 tained, dealers are going to be provided with the 

 usual quantity of lumber for the year's busi- 

 ness. The local output will approximate 40.000.- 

 <iOO teet this year and a good deal of hardwood 

 is shipped in from interior mill points. It 

 comes by rail and is moved out in the same way. 



Baltimore. 



The hardwood situation in this section could 

 not well be stronger than it is at the present 

 time. Stocks have been reduced to a level 

 where a positive scarcity prevails in some di- 

 rections, while the demand promises to be ma- 

 terially in e.^cess of last spring and summer. 

 A brisk trade seems to be assured for the re- 

 mainder of the year. Local plants are just be- 

 ginning to get down to work after much inter- 

 ference by the weather, and the local stocks 

 on hand are very light. An active local inquiry 

 prevails, as the manufacturers of furniture and 

 office fixtures are over their heads in work. 

 Local plants cannot turn out supplies fast 

 enough to meet the needs of business firms 

 which are moving into new locations and re- 

 fitting their places of business in accordance 

 with modern requirements. In addition, the 

 needs of the surrounding country are larger and 

 more comprehensive than they have been in the 

 past. 



The export movement shows some snap and 

 the sawmills tributary to Baltimore are being 

 called on for large quantities of hardwoods. It 

 is thought not improbable that high prices will 

 so Stimulate production that after a time the 

 selection in all directions will be ample. At 

 the present time available cak plants for export 

 are entirely short of requirements, with ash 

 and several other woods not tar behind. Prices 

 are firm and high, depending to some extent upon 

 the urgency of individual necessity. Even lib- 

 eral terms will not always serve to bring out 

 lumber in desired quantities. Stocks on the 

 other side of the Atlantic are now of .fairly 

 manageable proportions, and the foreign buyers 

 show a greater disposition to meet the terms 

 of American shippers than in the past. The ex- 

 port outlook is therefore very encouraging. 



Evansville. 



Now that the ice is out of the river the river 

 mills have all resumed operations and the water 

 is at a high stage. All boats are now operating 

 and business seems quite encouraging with the 

 river mills. 



Owing to the heavy rains in the past few 

 weeks little has been doing in the way of ship- 

 ping and there has been a great scarcity of logs. 

 The heavy rains south have made logging opera- 

 tions out of the question, but with the continu- 

 ance of the present clear weather business will 

 liven up. Inquiries are plentiful and prices are 

 being maintained in all kinds of stock, and some 

 good orders have been placed for early ship- 

 ment. 



Kansas City. 



Reports from the various hardwood centers 

 Indicate a firm demand generally. The Kansas 



rity hardwood people assume a satisfied ex- 

 pression of countenance when speaking of de 

 mand conditions, present and prospective, and 

 it is evident that the hardwood trade in this 

 section of the country is fully as active as in 

 other markets. There are do discouraging re- 

 ports whatever as to the volume of March busi- 

 ness, and the requirements are on some things 

 too heavy to be supplied with sufficient prompt- 

 ness to satisfy would-be purchasers. There has 

 been an immense increase in the call for all 

 kinds of railroad stock since the first of the 

 year, and the situation is in direct contrast 

 with that of last year when the railroad com- 

 panies were retrenching on all sides and reduc- 

 ing their reserve stocks to the miuimum. Req- 

 uisitions for railroad oak have been so numer- 

 ous and liberal since the first of the year that 

 the southern oak mills that make a specialty 

 of this kind of business have already booked 

 contracts which will keep them busy for from 

 four to six months. It is hardly necessary to 

 add that the demand has stimulated prices on 

 railroad stock to a noticeable degree. 



The call for factory stock of various kinds is 

 fully as pronounced as that for railroad ma- 

 terial. Wagon stock can hardly be supplied fast 

 enough to suit the buyers and the price is any- 

 where from $2 to $7 per thousand higher than 

 last fall. Wagon manufacturers came into the 

 market with a rush for stock during the past 

 thirty or sixty days, and buying has been more 

 active than for a year. Furniture and imple- 

 ment manufacturers are also liberal buyers, and 

 planing mills and sash and door factories have 

 added materially to the demand for factory 

 stock since the first of the year. Country deal- 

 ers are beginning to place orders for bridge 

 plank and timbers, and while fir is cutting into 

 the bridge trade to a noticeable degree, oak 

 still has the call where the rate is not too high, 

 and the demand for oak bridge stock promises 

 to be as active this season as in the past. 



The hardwood men here had a brisk local 

 demand last year, and are preparing for as 

 active a denand this year as they had last. 

 Building in Kansas City has started up with a 

 rush, and as much of it is for good structures 

 requiring hardwood interloi*s, the local demand 

 is very promising. 



The southern hardwood mills are facing an 

 active spring season in poor shape to handle 

 the business to the best advantage. The usual 

 bad weather has prevailed in the South, only 

 more so, and it is estimated that the mills have 

 not averaged over half time since the first of 

 the year. As they entered the year with short 

 stocks of dry lumber which were quickly bought 

 up, the present supply of stock not already con- 

 tracted for, and in anything like shipping condi- 

 tion, is far too small to be satisfactory. At the 

 majority of points the mills are cutting a fair 

 amount of lumber this month, but the woods are 

 still in bad condition for logging and the mills 

 are not geting in logs as fast as they need them. 

 There has also been a more or less pronounced 

 car shortage in some sections this month, which 

 has retarded shipments. This is unusual at 

 this time of year, and it is believed that the 

 >;\v shortage is a spasmodic one and that there 

 will be no serious trouble in this direction this 

 spring. The manufacturers will do their best 

 to increase their stocks from now on, and as 

 good, weather is likely to be the rule in the 

 South during the next few months, the supply 

 should steadily improve, although it will be 

 sixty days or more before there will be much 

 new stock ready for shipment. 



I'rii'es are steadily firm, and there are no in- 

 dications of any weakness in the near future. 

 Plain oak is easily the firmest thing in the 

 hardwood line at present, as there is a general 

 scarcity and a heavy demand not only in this 

 territory, but in all hardwood markets. The 

 dealers here are as well pleased with price con- 

 ditions as with the demand situation, and think 

 that the business of the spring and summer will 

 be done on a firm and steady basis. 



WaatedandropMe 



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 the advertisement. 



EMPLOYES WANTED 



MANAGER WANTED. 



Manager of retail sales and wholesale car 

 lot shipments, also purchasing of supplies for 

 Southern Hardwood Saw Mill. State age, ref- 

 erences, different capacities, salary and all par- 

 ticulars. Address 



M. 22, care Hardwood Record. 



WANTED— -YOXTNG MAN. 



Wanted — Young man (under 25) who has 

 good knowledge of hardwoods, grading and mar- 

 keting, as assistant in wholesale hardwood of- 

 fice, "salary moderate to start, good opportu- 

 nity for advancement. Must have good educa- 

 tion, habits and ambition. Write, giving refer- 

 ences and salarv expected at the start. Address 

 P.i)X 744. Pittsburg, Pa. 



EMPLOYMENT WANTED 



POSITION AS A MANAGER. 



Capable man. thoroushly experienced in the 

 manufacture of hardwood" lumber, wants posi- 

 tion as manager of sawmill. References gladly 

 furnished. Address 



BOX 33. care Hardwood Record. 



BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 



PLANING MILL FOR SALE. 



Planing Mill about fifty miles from Chicago, 

 fully equipped for interior finish. Forty H. P. 

 stea'm plant. Excellent condition ; reasonable 

 terms ; good reason for selling. Address 



B. C. C, care Hardwood Record. 



SAW MILL FOE SALE. 



Well equipped, first-class mill, good location, 

 must be seen to be appreciated. Exceptional 

 opportunity for a wide-awake lumberman. Prop- 

 erty must be sold at once to close an estate. 

 F. 28. care Hardwood Record. 



TIMBER LANDS WANTED 



Choice Southern and Northern Hardwood 

 timber tracts and stumpage. Buyers can learn 

 of attractive offerings by stating requirement* 

 in this department. 



Hardwood Record. Chicago. III. 



TIMBER LANDS FOR SALE 



HARDWOOD TRACTS. 



We can place you in touch with parties own- 

 ing, controlling or handling hardwood tracts 

 containing oak. gum, hickory, ash, cottonwood, 

 cypress, from 160 to 20,000 acres, also loca- 

 tions for saw mills, factories along the Cotton 

 Belt Route. Some good openings for small 

 mills — acreage or stumpage, with ready market 

 tor output. Now is the time to get located, as 

 good timber is advancing. Write us your re- 

 quirements and we will submit you some prop- 

 ositions. E. W. LaBeaume, 

 G. P. & T. A., Cotton Belt Route. St. Louis, Mo. 



