HARDWOOD RECORD 



45 



The Hardwood Situation in London 



Advices from tlie leading lir.ikei-ige lirnis of 

 London generally state tbat an unusually high 

 level of values in mahogany was maintained 

 during the past year. This strengthening of 

 the market is ascribed primarily to an active, 

 persistent demand rather than to the usual 

 shortage of supply. One firm reckons that the 

 total increase in imports of mahogany into 

 London was fully twelve per cent above the 

 average of the past decade. Gaboon mahogany 

 is mainly responsible for this increase, as the 

 supply from all other parts is very little above 

 the average. It is reckoned that the total 

 mahogany cut during 19H was one of the 

 largest on record. A feature of the mahogany 

 trade during the year was the voracity of the 

 buyers. They seemed to be anxious to get hold 

 of the wood at any price, and of any quality. 

 With prospective supplies, as far as can be 

 seen, but moderate, and a continuance of this 

 vigorous demand, there is no visible sign of any 

 weakening in the market. There is every reason 

 for shippers to believe that the favorable condi- 

 tions which prevailed during the past year will 

 continue. 



While the supply of walnut logs during J 1)11 

 was the largest for some time, this stock was 

 of an inferior quality. While most of the 

 shipments were disposed of at fairly . satisfac- 

 tory figures, there is an accumulation of stock 

 at present, owing to the excess of deliveries over 

 demand. The trade in walnut planks and boards 

 has been conservative during the year, w-ith the 

 result tbat there was no great suffering in 

 prices, for while the lower grades were some- 

 what weak, the better quality of stock was 

 usually disposed of at good figures. The import 

 was less than usual, but this did not cause any 

 shortage, as most of the buyers were well stocked 

 by purchases during 1910. 



While the import of American oak logs 

 amounted to practically nothing, the trade in 

 quartered planks and boards was fairly satis- 

 factory, especially during the first half of the 



mand, the market will return to its highly satis- 

 factory conditions of a few monlhs ago. 



The supply of American ash was as a rule in 

 excess of demand, and as a consequence prices 

 have remained weak and fluctuating. There has 

 been a noticeable improvement, however, in the 

 last month or two, especially for the best grade 

 of stock. 



There was a steady supply of red gum on 

 hand during the .year and a favorable market 

 with easily maintained values. It is reported, 

 however, that buyers are giving increased atten- 

 tion to hazel pine on account of good widths 

 and attractive prices. 



The inquiry for maple planks during the year 

 was but limited, and easily met by the supply 

 on band. The business in flooring boards was 

 somewliat less than 1910, and most of the im- 

 ports were on flrm orders. It is likely that any 

 increase in the quotations will result in further 

 reduction of consumption in the Tiondon market. 



The Berailler Sawdust Blower 



A now ad.junct for sawmills, and especially 

 lor small mills, is the Be'miller fan bl.ower, manu- 

 factured by the Bemiller Fan Blow-er Company 

 uf Butler, O. An installation of one of these 

 equipments is illustrated herewith. 



This device is said to be the only complete 

 and successful one ever manufactured to elim- 

 inate sa\Ydust from a mill. It is ad.iusted so 

 that it cannot clog, choke or become displaced. 

 Those who operate small sawmills, and know 

 the nuisance of having a mill blocked up with 

 sawdust, will appreciate this new apparatus. 



The equipment weighs only one hundred and 

 thirty pounds, and very moderate power only is 

 required, as it is run with a two or three inch 

 belt. It is guaranteed to blow sawdust from 

 thirty to eighty feet from the saw in any direct- 

 ion desired, and the direction can be changed 

 with less than five minutes' labor. The Machine 

 is sold on approval, and it is recommended that 

 operators of portable sawmills ask the company 

 fr^r one of Its illustrated catalogues. 



THE BEMII.LKl! SA«'IH Sf 

 year, when the supplies were but moderate. 

 Towards autumn, however, shipments became ex- 

 cessive, with a consequent weakening of the 

 market, which has not yet fully recovered. The 

 strongest demand was for high-grade stock, while 

 there was some difliculty in disposing of the 

 medium quality. There was a heavy importa- 

 tion of plain planks and boards, especially of 

 the lower grades, throughout the year, but a 

 consistent and spirited demand prevented any 

 excess of logs until toward the latter part of 

 the year, when unusual arrivals weakened the 

 market somewhat. There is not an accumula- 

 tion of stock, particularly in the low grades. 

 The demand for three- and four-inch sills took 

 care of all stock immediately upon arrival. 



The import during 1911 was in excess of the 

 previous year and more than enough to cover 

 the demand. The strongest market prevailed 

 during the first part of the year, hut the sum- 

 mer dullness, accompanied by heavy arrivals, 

 broke the market somewhat, and caused an ac- 

 cumulation which still is maintained. The de- 

 mand for cull stock is steadily weakening with 

 the increased use in the English market of three- 

 ply wood. But the demand for the better grades 

 and for wide stock was brisk. While at present 

 a dullness is noted all through the poplar de- 

 mand, there is every probability that with de- 

 <.-reased otTerings and a steadily maintained de- 



Bi.ii\vi:i; IN ciri:u.\Tii i.\ 



Purniture in Russia 



Leading furniture dealers in Russia, wholesale 

 and retail, say there is practically no demand 

 for American goods, for the reason that repre- 

 sentation of European manufacturers lose no 

 opportunity to obstruct its sale in the interest 

 of their own products. Its solidity and fine 

 workmanship are highly spoken of, but so many 

 objections are raised against it that dealers 

 will not handle it. 



The American consul at Moscow, John H. 

 Snodgrass, is authority for the statement that 

 excessive cost of transportation, high import 

 duty, bad packing and refusal of American manu- 

 facturers to grant long credits are the reasons 

 advanced by Russian dealers for their reluctance 

 to handle American-made goods. Furthermore, 

 the lack of knowledge of climatic requirements 

 is an obstacle in the way of American manu- 

 facturers. The long, severe winters make neces- 

 sary constant and extreme heat in the houses, 

 which causes warping and disjointing, and the 

 furniture has to be made with that condition in 

 view. 



The prejudice created by European competitors 

 in this way will be difficult to overcome, and it 

 is not at all likely that American manufacturers 

 will soon find ready sale for their product in 

 Russia. 



To Tap Haytl's Forests 

 A new enterprise that gives promise of im- 

 portance Is the organization of a company for 

 the development of an extensive tract of timber 

 in the island of Hayti that embraces mahogany 

 and other valuable woods. W. H. Grannis, Bal- 

 timore, Md., former representative of the W. 

 M. Ritter Lumber Company, Columbus, O., but. 

 now a member of Furst Bros. & Co., is a prom- 

 inent figure in the undertaking. The project 

 will call for the erection of mills, construction 

 of logging railroad and the necessary appur- 

 tenances of such an operation, and will entail 

 the investment of a large amount of capital. The 

 intention of the corporation is to make Balti- 

 more the distributing point in the United States 

 for its timber and lumber. 



Timber in Canada 



The forestry branch of the Dominion Depart- 

 ment of the Interior, Ontario, states olBcially 

 that, omitting semi-treeless lands, the original 

 timber area of Canada was approximately 

 1,900,000 square miles. Of this 98,000 square 

 miles have been cleared for settlement, and 

 100,000 square miles have been cut over by 

 lumbermen, leaving 1,702,000 square miles of 

 timber land still untouched. 



Figuring on an average of 3,000 feet to the 

 acre, a conservative estimate, it is assumed 

 that the timber still standing in Canada will 

 approximate 3,279,000,000,000 feet. The Con- 

 servation Commission estimates the amount of 

 saw timber still standing at 494,600.000,000 

 feet and the amount of pulpwood at 1,100,000,- 

 000 cords. The timber consists almost wholly 

 of pine, spruce, hemlock and other soft woods. 



The above figures are regarded as the most 

 accurate ever issued by the Canadian govern- 

 ment on this subject. 



Miscellaneous Notes 



The Grant Lumber Company, Dry Ridge, Ky.. 

 has decreased its authorized capital stock to 

 .$15,000. 



The Maxon Case Lumber Company, Gary, Ind.. 

 has been incorporated with a capital stock of 

 .f40,000. 



The McDonald Lumber Company of Coving- 

 ton, K.V., has been incorporated with a capital 

 stock of $20,000. 



The Herculaneum Lumber Company. Ilercu- 

 laneum. Mo., has increased its capital stock from 

 •flO.OOO to .$20,000. 



The Zenda Lumber Company, Zenda, Wis., 

 has been incorporated with an authorized capi- 

 tal stock of $20,000. 



The Geo. Delker Company, carriage manufac- 

 turer of Henderson, Ky., has increased its capi- 

 tal stock to $100,000. 



The Zielinski Lumber Company, Rochester, 

 N. Y., has been incorporated with an authorized 

 capital stock of $25,000. 



C. E. Stewart of Atlanta recently purchased 

 4,000 acres of timber land on the Alabama river, 

 near Mobile, for $25,000". 



The hardwood flooring plant of Bliss & Van 

 Auken, Saginaw, Mich., was recently destroyed 

 by fire, entailing a loss of $15,000. 



The Spies-Thompson Lumber Company, Me- 

 nominee, Mich., has been incorporated with an 

 authorized capital stock of $100,000. 



The American Lumber & Wood Company, 

 Philadelphia, Pa., has been incorporated with 

 an authorized capital stock of $500,000. 



The Carter Lumber Company, Riverside. Ark., 

 has decreased its capital stock from $20,000 to 

 $10,000. 



The Campbell-Smith-Ritchie Company of Leba- 

 non, Ind.. has increased its capital stock to 

 $80,000. 



The Arpin Hardwood Lumber Company has 

 started a night and- day force of about 200 men 

 as a beginning of the season's operation at 

 Atlanta, Wis. 



