3C- 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Philadelphia. 



without exception tile hardwood dealers re- 

 port more business for them at this time of 

 year than ever before, and no cessation in sight. 

 The building now going on is unprecedented in 

 the history of I'hiladelphia and with the labor 

 organizations at peace between themselves the 

 outlook from the lumbermen's standpoint is 

 most satisfactory. The inquiry is heavy for 

 large lots of interior finish and prices are Arm 

 at every point. Factories report that they are 

 overrun with orders. 



Both red and white oalj are reported ex- 

 tremely scarce, as has been the condition for 

 some time. Tlie market for spruce is growing 

 stronger, as much of it is used at the summer 

 resorts along the Atlantic coast. There is con- 

 siderable activity in cypress and it is held firm 

 to the lists. The dealers report the market as 

 being barren of one-inch stock, with the price 

 at $2, and 5/4 and 6/4 a little under .$2. 

 Flooring is particularly active owing to the 

 large number of dwellings in the course of 

 erection. White ash is scarce and good prices 

 are reported. There is very little birch at the 

 mills, but basswood is reported plentiful. 



A fair apiount of business is being done in 

 poplar, and stock is scarce at the factories. 

 There is no accumulation of stock at the yards. 

 I'rices obtained are entirely satisfactory. Red 

 cedar is having considerable call among the 

 dealers through the country districts. The yard- 

 men are gradually replenishing their broken 

 lines and all say business is in a most satis- 

 factory condition with prices firm and much 

 buying being done. 



Baltimore. 

 Hardwood dealers and manufacturers here are 

 almost unanimous in representing the lumber 

 trade conditions as very satisfactory. A brisk 

 demand for the woods in general use prevails 

 and stocks are hardly large enough to meet the 

 wants of customers. Information from the mills 

 is that all the lumber on hand and all that can 

 be turned out within the next few^ weeks has 

 been sold, and that every plant is running when- 

 ever the weather and other conditions make 

 operations possible. Supplies are firm as to 

 prices, with the tendency upward, and though 

 some dealers assert that quotations for oak and 

 poplar cannot be maintained at the present fig- 

 ures, no weakness has so far developed. The 

 recent high water has enabled the various man- 

 ufacturers to get a plentiful supply of logs into 

 booms and the output is likely to attain ex- 

 tensive proportions during the next few mouths. 

 But the demand, too, may be expected to expand 

 for the reason that the stocks available recently 

 have not suBiced to meet the wants of the trade. 

 This accounts for the present advanced prices, 

 particularly on oak. Even at present rates 

 planks are none too plentiful and more or less 

 delay is experienced in filling orders. Ash is 

 in urgent demand, and the mill men are getting 

 very satisfactory returns, while chestnut is 

 moving witu comparative freedom at values 

 that encourage production. Rather uncertain is 

 the poplar situation. At the present time stocks 

 are relatively small and the inquiry is fairly 

 active, but prices hardly comport with these 

 conditions, being proportionately lower than 

 tiiose for other hardwoods. The supply of 

 logs is large, though until the recent freshets 

 they could not be gotten to the mills. Now, 

 however, no obslacle in the way of a maximum 

 production seems to present itself, and the out- 

 put of lumber Is likely to be large. Whether 

 this will make an appreciable difference in prices 

 remains to be seen. Some dealers believe that 

 such will be the case, while others take the 

 view that values will continue to rule high, as 

 the trade is in a condition to absorb much larger 

 stocks than have entered into distribution of 

 late. The export situation is slowly but steadily 

 improving. Foreign buyers seem to show a 



more marked disposition to meet the terms of 

 American shippers, which are of course fixed 

 by the ruling quotations here : and as freight 

 rates are favorable the movement this summer 

 may attain fairly extensive proportions. Oak 

 stocks are said to be reduced on the other side 

 of the Atlantic, while the requirements of con- 

 sumers are gradually expanding. 



Pittsbuig. 



There is a general scrambling among hard- 

 wood firms just now to get hold of more good 

 stock. "Sold up to the green lumber" is a 

 very common complaint heard. All varieties of 

 hardwood are rather scarce at the mills in 

 this vicinity, and local firms are looking about 

 for new sources of suppiy. The fine weather 

 of the last two weeks has relieved matters 

 somewhat, for it has dried the ground and 

 enabled lumbermen to get heavy skidding done 

 and start the mills. The output of the latter 

 by April 15 will be very materially increased, 

 but there is good prospect that it will not be 

 enough to supply the demand even when it is 

 dry several months hence. 



The only feature of the price situation is that 

 quotations are holding very firm, with a stiff 

 upward tendency. This is very likely to result 

 in higher prices in some W'Oods as soon as the 

 building season is fairly open. Although there 

 is a large amount of house building in pros- 

 pect, very little of it has been started, and the 

 local yards are slow to buy heavily on this 

 account. The big firms are "stabbing" at 

 higher prices even now, but on big orders 

 are glad to get down to a competilive figure. 

 Oak is the strong leader in the market. 



The most encouraging feature of the situa- 

 tion is the broadening inquiry. In all lines 

 and on all sides requests are pouring in fjr 

 figures which indicate big business in the im- 

 mediate future to most lumjbdr forecasters. 

 Itoad men are doing exceedingly well and col- 

 lections are no longer a matter of uncertainty. 



Memphis. 



Healthy coudltlipns prevail in lumber circles 

 here and the trade, generally speaking, is quite 

 cheerful over the volume of business being put 

 through, as well as over the amount In pros- 

 pect. Close questioning does not reveal any 

 large amount of dry lumber either in Memphis 

 or vicinity and the demand is large enough to 

 absorb practically everything offered. Trices are 

 slightly higher than they were a month ag-) 

 and generally firm. The foreign markets are 

 improving and more lumber will go into that 

 channel_ as the season advances. The strong 

 feature is still plain oak, which is much wanted 

 and which is offered in relatively limited qua"- 

 tities. All the efforts made to Increase produc- 

 tion have proven unavailing, and there Is con- 

 siderable difficulty encountered in securing 

 enough to fill orders. Quarter-sawed oak is in 

 good demand, with the tone steady. There is 

 good movement in gum, with prices well main- 

 tained. Ash is excellent property, finding ready 

 sale at full prices. 



Buffalo. 



There is all of the former rush for p'.ain- 

 sawed oak, white or red, and all of the old 

 scarcity of it, with no prospect of any change 

 of conditions right away. The mills all over 

 the country are doing what they can to meet 

 the deficiency, but the demand is increasing fast 

 enough to carry off all they can do in that line. 

 There is a fair demand for quartered oak, but 

 the price seems to be considered high and there 

 is no other wood quite good enough to take the 

 place of plain oak, though chsstunt sells mod 

 erately in that line. 



All other hardwoods are in gool demand but 

 basswood, which somehow refuses to Join the 

 rest in the general activity. It Is lookej upon 

 as a good wood to hold, as It will certalnli- 



M, R. CHIiZiZIS 



Succesisor to B J. Ehnts 



wante:d and for. sale. 



HARDWOOD LUMBER 



ASH, OAK. POPLAR, CYPRESS, 

 AGRICULTURAL AND WAGON STOCK, 



WALNUT AND CHERRY 



LESPERANCE STREET 



: AND THE 



IRON MOUNTAIN RAILROAD TRACKS, 



ST. LOUIS. 



TheF.J.BIackwellCo. 



INCORPORATED 



BROWNSVILLE, 



TENNESSEE 



Write us for Pricas on 



HARDWOODS 



OAK, POPLAR AND GUM LUM- 

 BER AND DIMENSION STOCK 



JNO. M. SMITH 



WHOLESALE HARDWOOD 



LUMBER 



DIXON, TEINN. 



II you wan! straight grades, good 

 lengths and widths, lirst class stock in 

 every particular, write me lor prices. 



Yards at NASHVILLE. TENN. 



T. F. McGEE & 

 COMPANY 



Manufacturers and Dealers In 



POPLAR LUIVIBER 



We have the Lumber Write Us. 



ACKERMAN, HISS. 



