HARDWOOD RECORD 



51 



materially with UimhiM- mnnul'actiiiing and ship- 

 ping that tho wholisalfi' ami c-onsumor find it 

 almost impossible to ohtain soods to equal the 

 demand. Standard woods generally and espe- 

 cially good chestnut are scarce, and the stiffen- 

 ing of the ion- grades of soft woods is forcing 

 the buyer to seek low grades of hardwoods for 

 box purposes, which will naturally mean an 

 upward move in prices and increased profits 

 in those grades which have been sluggish here- 

 tofore. January trading has been surprisingly 

 brisk, with no diminution so far iu February, 

 and signs are potent for an enlarged spring 

 activity. The ship building industry is kept 

 busy on orders. Itailroads are looking to neces- 

 sary equipments and both railroad and trolley 

 car building plants are employing extra bands 

 to carry out orders. Yard buying has not re- 

 sponded to e-ipectation. Ko.\ makers are rushed 

 and paying advanced prices for material. The 

 whole situation considered, the outlook for con- 

 tinued increased trading is promising. 



PITTSBURGH 



Business is waiting. Everything in every line 

 indicates a partial suspension of buying, pending 

 important developments, especially important to 

 the Pittsburgh district. Chief among these are 

 the threatened coal strike April 1 and the pro- 

 posed reduction of the tariff on steel. The 

 weather, too, has been unfavorable. There has 

 been almost no yard trade, and planing mills 

 have been frozen up tight. Construction work is 

 entirely absent. Most of the trade has been with 

 the manufacturing concerns — good consumers of 

 hardwood — w'hich seem determined to buy more 

 lumber than last .vear. Stocks are uniformly 

 short and everybody expects a slightly higher 

 range of quotations in the spring for this reason 

 and because of the larger buying inquiry that it 

 is believed will be in evidence shortly. 



BOSTON 



Trading in the local hardwood market has not 

 been of an encouraging character for two or 

 three months. Ever since the first of the year 

 an improvement in demand has been anticipated, 

 but buyers still prefer to operate in a conserva- 

 tive way. Consuming manufacturers have been 

 satisfied for a long while to buy only for im- 

 mediate requirements. Dealers complain that 

 some manufacturers of hardwood lumber who 

 have been offering stock direct to the consumers 

 have at times been willing to make slight con- 

 cessions. The large manufacturing plants that 



Checking, Splitting and 

 Rotting Prevented by Lorac 



which at trifling cost protects Logs, Lumber 

 and Dimension Stock against weather and 

 time, A Boy Can Do the Work. 



THE LEAVITT LAND & LUMBER CO., Dermott, 

 Ark., says: 

 "We like Lorac. and are very much in need ot 

 a barrel now, and we trust that you will rush 

 shipment." 



GUARANTEE — No Satisfaction, 

 No Pay; your verdict to be final. 



TRY LORAC NOW 



WRITE US FOR I'll.I, r.VRTU I I,.ARS 



THE GEORGE HENKE CO., 62 Beekman St,, N. Y. 



cut up hardwood luuih.'r are fairly busy and it 

 i.s believed that a better business is not far 

 distant. For some time past there has been 

 quite a spread in the asking prices of maple. 

 I'lain oak is fairly steady with a moderate 

 demand. Quartered oak is still selling in a 

 (luiet way. Cypress has sold in a fait way. 



BALTIMORE 



At last there has been a break in the cold 

 weather which will admit of a freer movement 

 of stocks, a quickening of activity having already 

 been noticed. This applies especially to the 

 yards, which for a time placed orders only for 

 immediate requirements. Some freedom iti the 

 demand is being shown, and millmen and whole- 

 salers report that lu'ders are being placed iu 

 considerable number for delivery as far ahead as 

 the middle of April or even later. This is taken 

 to indieare increased confidence in the future. 



All hardwoods are practically where they have 

 stood for some time. There is no decline iu 

 1. 1 ices, the tendency being upward, and the out- 

 look is regarded as full of promise, uak planks 

 are bringing the highest prices ever noted in the 

 foreign trade. However, exporters have been 

 handicapped by a lack of shipping facilities, and 

 their extra margins are also to a large extent 

 absorbed by the advance in freight rates, hence 

 they are not in much better shape than formerly. 

 Extra wide poplar is about the only grade that 

 does not respond to the improvement that has 

 taken place. Sound wormy chestnut is holding 

 its own, with other woods showing no marked 

 changes. The question now is to get stocks in 

 adequate quantities and millmen incline to the 

 view that there will be a decided advance unless 

 conditions undergo an appreciable change. 



COLUMBUS 



With the approach of spring, trade in hard- 

 woods is improving in central Ohio. The volume 

 of business is increasing, and firmness character- 

 izes prices on all grades and varieties. Stocks in 

 the hands of dealers and factories are not large, 

 and with the opening of spring, they will be in 

 the market for a replenishment of materials. 

 The outlook for building operations throughout 

 central Ohio is very good, which will mean a 

 better demand for most varieties of hardwoods. 

 Dry stocks are not large and there is no ac- 

 cumulation at any place. Kailroads are now 

 able to handle shipments more satisfactorily. 

 Collections are a little slow. 



The demand for the lower grades of oak, pop 

 lar and chestnut is good, and consequently prices 

 are stiff and advances have been announced 

 during the past fortnight. Quartered oak is 

 firm and the demand is good. Chestnut is mov- 

 ing well. I'oplar is strong. Basswood is active. 

 Other hardwoods are unchanged. 



CLEVELAND 



During the past ten days there has been a 

 general lull in buying, but Inquiries are still 

 plentiful. There is a strong belief that as soon 

 as weather conditions permit the resumption of 

 building operation,s, many of the quotations now 

 being made will be fruitful. There has been 

 no perceptible change in prices during the past 

 two weeks. 



Oak, in all items, is holding firm with light 

 offerings. There is a good demand tor No. 1 

 common and better and mill cull chestnut, with 

 little being offered. Sound wormy seems to be 

 plentiful and the price on this grade has eased 

 up a trifie. Inquiries for mahogany are better 

 than they have been for some time. Maple is 

 about the only item that is not holding up to 

 the standard maintained since the first of the 

 year. The easing up in demand and price of 

 this stock is attributed to the weather, as very 



little flooring has been used since the middle of 

 December. Flooring manufacturers are well 

 caught up with their orders, with good stocks 

 on hand. 



TOLEDO 



During the past fortnight a marked improve- 

 ment has taken place in every branch of the 

 local hardwood trade. Manufacturing concerns 

 have been in the market for Increased quanti- 

 ties of hardwoods, and there has been some de- 

 mand from builders. The demand for all kinds 

 of oak has been very persistent, with a limited 

 supply. Considerable export has been done 

 recently, the call being unusually strong for 

 various grades of oak, prices on this material 

 having advanced slightly. Gum has been iu 

 good demand, being substituted heavily for other 

 materials which have not been plentiful. Hick- 

 ory has been in strong demand especially from 

 bending concerns and vehicle plants, and prices 

 have been somewhat varied. There has been a 

 Ijerceptible advance in this material recently, 

 and a scarcity that promises still higher prices. 

 Toplar has also been moving well. There has 

 been some call for poplar siding and the ten- 

 dency has been towards stiffier prices. The 

 demand for hardwood boxing and crating is 

 strong, and stocks are low. Local hardwood 

 yards are well stocked with complete lines, but 

 are losing no opportunity to lay In supplies 

 whenever purcha.ses can !» made on a fair basis. 

 The present condition is most satisfactory and 

 hardwood dealers here are anticipating one of 

 the best years in the history of the business. 



EVANSVILLB 



There has been but very little change In the 

 local hardwood market during the past two 

 weeks. However, the feeling among the trade is 

 normal. Manufacturing is at a rather low ebb 

 at present on account of the scarcity of logs. 

 Fair prices are being obtained for lumber that 

 is moving. Quartered oak is receiving more in- 

 quiries than formerly. Plain oak and ash are 

 still in good demand. 



■r 



NASHVILLE 



3 



A decided improvement has been noted In the 

 local market during the past week. Mills which 

 were Idle for some time on account of the 

 cold weather, are again running full time, and 

 indications point to a prosperous spring trade. 

 Good orders from the East have come In, and 

 some good export shipments have also been 

 made recently. Numerous Inquiries of two weeks 

 or ten days ago have been followed by good 

 orders, and consuming factories are getting into 

 the .game at an encouraging rate. .Stocks are 

 rather low, and this is expected to bring about 

 an increase in prices. 



The market is ruling steady with a good de- 

 mand for oak, chestnut, poplar, ash and hick- 

 ory. High-grade quartered oak, one inch cut, 

 is the only grade that has continued dull. Plain 

 oak is still leadiug in demand, Nos. 1 and 2 

 common moving better than ones and twos. 

 There is also a fair demand for the lower 

 grades of quartered oak at advancing prices. 

 Hickory, for which there is an active demand 

 and which is scarce, shows an upward tend- 

 ency. Low-grade poplar is active, but there 

 seems little demand for the upper grades. Red 

 gum is normal, with good prospects. The hard- 

 w'ood flooring business continues active. 



BRISTOL 



The local trade has improved slightly and 

 the prospects for better business during the 

 spring are very .good. The weather has seri- 



