52 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



ously hampered business for several months. 

 Mills have been unable to operate full time 

 and shipments have not been heavy. However, 

 the weather is now much better, and many 

 mills that have been idle are resuming opera- 

 tions and will soon be running regularly and 

 to their full capacity. 



LOUISVILLE 



A marked improvement in conditions has been 

 made evident during the past two weeks. In- 

 quiries have been coming in freely, and these 

 have been followed by orders in a suiBcient num- 

 ber of instances to show that consumers really 

 want to buy. While a number of quotations 

 are unchanged, the market is certainly stronger, 

 and higher prices are predicted in the next few 

 months. Plain oak has continued to lead in the 

 demand. No. 1 common white having risen in 

 price. Poplar and ash continue to sell well. 

 Quartered oak is in better demand, with prices 

 unchanged. Gum and cottonwood prices have 

 been rising and seem likely to advance still 

 more. Chestnut is rather scarce. Mahogany is 

 in good demand and owing to stocks being 

 light, prices are advancing. 



ST. LOUIS 



3 



There is a satisfactory volume of business 

 being done in hardwood in this market, consider- 

 ing the fact that winter weather still prevails. 

 The market remains firm and steady. It is gen- 

 erally believed that as soon as the weather be- 

 comes more settled business will show a decided 

 improvement. While logging conditions have 

 improved slightly it is still difBcult to get out 

 legs. Logs at the mills are scarce and unless 

 conditions improve within a short time, many 

 ntills will be compelled to curtail operations 

 until logs can be obtained. Thus far little cut- 

 ling has been done except by those mills well 

 situated to get out timber. 



Plain red oak still leads in demand and an 

 advance may be looked for on this item. Quar- 

 tered red oak is in better request at the present 

 time than it has been for several weeks. Red 

 gum first and second and No. 1 common is a 

 tirst-class seller. Cottonwood shows increasing 

 demand. Poplar selects, especially in wide and 

 fairly wide stock, are in good demand. White 

 oak is dull. Some betterment is noted in the 

 demand for cypress. A good business is looked 

 for in this item when the weather breaks, and a 

 fine trade is expected from line yards and factory 

 consumers. 



MIL WAUKBE 



Steady and gradual Improvement is taking 

 place in the local hardwood market and there Is 

 • very Indication that a good volume of trade will 

 be experienced this season. I'robably the most 

 hopeful sign is tbat manufacturers in all Uses 

 arc placing much better orders for stock. The 

 hardwood flooring plants are in the market. 



Dry stocks In No. 1 common and In other 

 grades are getting unusually light for this sea- 

 Fon of the year. In fact, it Is almost Impossible 

 to get anything in birch at this time, and a 

 genuine shortage is sure to be experienced after 

 the building seaaon Is fairly opened. Low-grade 

 stuff In most lines seems to be In better demand 

 and prices here seem to be higher in this line. 

 Very few advances have been made In uppers, 

 despite the fact ilmt sinrk'i nrf low and demand 

 Is Increasing. 



LIVERPOOL 



steamer which arrives brings practically no 

 lumber of any description, and freight rates 

 are almost prohibitive for most classes of 

 lumber. Several large orders remain unexecuted 

 owing to the impossibility of obtaining freight 

 room, and there is considerable congestion of 

 lumber for this market at shipping ports. 

 Naturally this is Improving the spot position 

 of the lumber generally held in stock here. Al- 

 ready there has been a considerable depletion of 

 stock, and prices have shown a large advance. 

 Ash logs, which three months ago were an abso- 

 lute drug on the market, are now realizing 

 profitable figures. There is a big demand for 2 

 inch prime white ash at the present time. Really 

 tough ash if white in color always has a good 

 opening here, and good prices will be paid there- 

 fore. Shippers should never hesitate to send 

 forward I14, 2. 2V6, 3 or 4 inch stock if really 

 good, but the inspection is always severe. 



Hickory is in a deplorable position. No decent 

 logs are to be had, and there is only a small 

 stock in consuming hands. A quick rise in 

 value is anticipated for logs arriving within the 

 next few weeks. 



Birch is also a bare market, both ir lumber 

 and logs. Prime logs are finding firm sales, but 

 there is little or no stock to offer in the yards. 

 Oak scantlings are selling well, and buyers 

 are anxiously awaiting the arrival of each ship. 

 Wagon specifications are particularly firm, sev- 

 eral railway companies haying recently placed 

 large orders for several hundred wagons, which 

 of course will consume large quantities of tim- 

 ber. Several orders were recently placed for 

 No. 1 common cottonwood of wide average for 

 forward delivery, and it is possible that future 

 deliveries could be secured for the same specifi- 

 cations. 



The mahogany position remains as firm as 

 previously reported. In view- of the rising 

 freight market, which is bound to affect the 

 ^^'est African trade, it is expected that sooner 

 or later the future prices will go higher still. 

 The position is bound up with so many diffi- 

 culties that it is extremely difBcult to arrive 

 at a safe estimate of future price. It would 

 be advisable for ' buyers on the other side to 

 keep their stocks well up in case of eventuali- 

 ties. Prices are not expected to fall to any 

 appreciable extent, and there is a big chance of 

 a considerable advance. 



The consensus of opinion here is that prices 

 will steadily advance to a much higher figure. 



QLASaOW 



The market has undergone little change since 

 last reported. The freight situation Is still 

 causing much anxiety. Each saccceding 



The feature of outstanding importance this 

 week has been the strike of dock laborers. How- 

 ever, the men seem to be adopting a more con- 

 ciliatory attitude, and it is expected that mat- 

 ters will be straightened out within a few days. 

 Meantime all work at the various docks is at a 

 standstill. The steamship Atbara arrived from 

 New Orleans a few days ago with the usual 

 cargo, but as yet no attempt has been made to 

 discbarge same. Lumber supplies are getting 

 scarce. Deliveries are going on from the public 

 yards, but the stocks held are being quickly de- 

 pleted, especially plain oak in all thicknesses. 

 There is no doubt but that the strike Is having 

 a very bad effect on the timber trade of this 

 section, and Is causing much uneasiness. The 

 volume of business, therefore, Is poor, the smaller 

 buyers only taking up stock for Immediate re- 

 quirements, which are not large. Generally 

 speaking, higher prices are being asked by Im- 

 porters for stock to come forward, and there Is 

 no doubt but that the advanced prices asked are 

 absolutely necessary, in view of the freight situa- 

 tion, and the extra expense involved in discharg- 

 ing and handling on the quay. Besides this, the 

 f. o. b. cost is almost higher In nil cases as com- 

 pared with a year ago. Sales reportid during 

 the past week include birch planks and boards. 

 wagon oak planks, oak boards, mahogany lum- 

 ber and pine and canary wbltewood boards. 



MANUFACTURERS 



OF REFRIGERATORS 



will be accorded every assistance and 

 free sites for the establisliment of plants 

 on tlie banks of the Ohio River, 



We offer a profusion of high-class raw 

 material, electric light, heat and power 

 at a minimum of cost. Labor troubles 

 unknown. 



The saving in rental and the fact that 

 you can be established with a growing 

 community, with every logical, natural 

 reason for a remarkable development, 

 should be sufficient inducement for you 

 to write Roy N, Adams, secretary, The 

 Commercial Club, Mound City, Illinois. 



Get Our Advice First 



As to the Best Location for Your Business. — 



Along- the 10.000 miles of the Southern Railway. 

 Mobile & Ohio R. R., Georgia Southern & Florida 

 Ry.. and Virginia & Southwestern Ry. lines are 

 many desirable vacant factory buildiogs suitable 

 for nearly any kind of manufacturing enterprise; 

 there are towns and cities wishing new business 

 houses; there are undeveloped resources, as tim- 

 ber tracts, waterpower, and minerals. But great- 

 est of all are the wonderful agricultural possi- 

 bilities which are everywhere apparent. The 

 Southeast Has Locations for Every Kind of Farm- 

 ing:.— Cut- over tracts from $5 an acre upward: 

 run-down lands, which by scientific cultivation 

 are made very valuable, from :510 an acre up. 

 The most improved, highly cultivated lands, with 

 modern buildings, from $30 to $50 an acre. It 

 is an open winter country — its summers are en- 

 joyable. There are good schools, churches, roads, 

 rural delivery, and all other advantages. The 

 Southern Railway and associated lines will help 

 you find the location you desire. Our several 

 publications, free on application, give full infor- 

 mation. M. V. RICHARDS. Land and Industrial 

 Agent, Southern Railway. Room 1367, Wash- 

 ington. D. C. 



JUST OUT 



A Great Book 



—FOR— 



TIMBER 



LUMBER MEN 



This book entitled "Timber 

 Bonds," by T. S. McGrath, ex- 

 plains clearly how the stump- 

 age owner, timber operator 

 and mill man can borrow 

 money for long periods of 

 time. 



Price. 353.00: by Mnll. y3.25. 



Craig-Wayne Company 



38 Sonth Dearborn St.. CHICAGO. ILL. 



BLUESTONE LAND & LUMBER CO. 



White Pine, Oak, 

 Poplar, Chestnut 

 and Hemlock Lumber 



WHITE PINE AND OAK TIMBERS ON 

 SHORT NOTICE 



RAILROAD TIES 



We own our own stumpaee 

 and operate our own mill. 



Mill: GARDNER, W. VA. 



Sales Olflce: RIDQWAV. PA. 



