48 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



PHILADELPHIA 



COLUMBUS 



There has boen no radical change in the har^V 

 wood situation during the last fortnight. Stocks 

 at mill ends continue low and until the weather 

 becomes settled are likely to remain so. Dealers 

 And it easier to sell than to buy. Although the 

 volume of business for the fortnight is some 

 lighter than during the early part of March, 

 trading holds steady and prices remain firm. 

 Standard woods continue scarce, and in demand, 

 and low grades and culls are being cleaned up. 



Gum leads in demand and price. Red and 

 white oak are good sellers, and quartered oak 

 keeps well to the fore. Chestnut continues a 

 leader, followed closely by ash. Poplar is im- 

 proving. Birch and beech show more life. 

 Cypress has many calls, and maple keeps a good 

 reputation. Taking the situation as a whole, the 

 outlook is encouraging for a profitable season. 



BOSTON 



Some improvement has been shown in the de- 

 mand for hardwood lumber. Reports relative to 

 prices vary, as they have for the past few 

 months. Manufacturers of hardwood lumber with 

 a surplus of certain kinds and grades are said 

 to be seeking business by reducing prices, while 

 others who are short are firm holders. A few 

 good orders are being placed. However, buyers 

 have been conservative in their operating methods 

 for so many months that it will take some time 

 jet for them to change their policy. Plain oak 

 is held with more firmness and the demand is 

 large. Quartered oak is in better shape than it 

 has been, but the demand is not active. The lower 

 grades of whitewood are selling freely, hut the 

 best selections are still inclined to move slowly. 

 Cypress is moving in a fair way. although the de- 

 mand is not active. Veneers are in fairly active 

 demand and a larger demand is expected there- 

 for. 



BALTIMORE 



The hardwood situation presents the peculiar 

 condition of small stocks and comparatively low 

 prices. Prices are higher than they were last 

 year, except in some items, though there is a 

 decidedly firmer tone throughout the list. Un- 

 favorable weather has greatly reduced the pro- 

 duction of lumber. Most of the mills have been 

 idle for months, and even of late heavy I'alns 

 have prevented a resun]i)tion of activity. The 

 heavy roads have prevented the hauling of lumber 

 to railroads and logs to the mills. It does not 

 nppear that there is any shortage of logs. How- 

 ever, stocks of lumber ready for the market ari- 

 se small that quotations might be expected 1" 

 go appreciably higher. The demand during the 

 past two weeks has shown a gratifying evidence 

 of expansion, though salesmen slill find deter- 

 mined efforts necessary to get orders. No impor- 

 tant changes In quotallons have taken place, the 

 chief a<lvance Iwlnp in export lumber, which Is 

 considerably absorbed by the higher freight 

 charges. The foreign outlook, clouded for a time 

 by the nrltish coal strike. Is more encouraging 

 now that every prospect of an early resumption 

 of work at the collieries exists. Good dry oak 

 Is In brisk demand both here and abroad, and 

 the holders of such stocks are certain of fair 

 returns, though no record prices are being real- 

 ized. All other stocks are in mo<leraIe re<iuest. 

 with the range of prices steady and the tendenc.v 

 toward higher levels. Wagon oak planks arc 

 bringing record prices and would be In still more 

 urgent request but for the labor troubles In Eng- 

 land and on the Continent. However, as far as 

 the Continental markets are concerned, those of 

 Germany afford an attractive outlet for American 

 hardwoods. 



Trade during the past fortnight in local hard- 

 wood circles has been more active, due no douI>t 

 to improved weather conditions. The tone of 

 the market is satisfactory. Prices are still rul- 

 ing high and firm, and advances have been made 

 recently in the lower grades of oak, poplar and 

 chestnut. Indications are active for building 

 operations during the coming season, plans and 

 specifications having been prepared for a large 

 number of structures in Columbus and vicinity. 



Dry stocks in the hands of manufacturers and 

 jobbers are not large, and stocks in the hands of 

 dealers are only fair. Manufacturiug establish- 

 ments are now buying better, and for prompt 

 shipment. Oak is in good demand in every loca- 

 tion. All sizes and grades of poplar are selling 

 well, with the exception of the wide sizes which 

 are a drag on the market. Chestnut is firm, and 

 advances have been made in No. 2 common aud 

 sound wormy. Other hardwoods are steady. 



CINCINNATI 



The hardwood market has assumed the color 

 of the sellers' market. There Is a scarcity of 

 hardwood boards, while the demand is good. 

 Highly figured white oak is in light request 

 from furniture manufacturers and builders of 

 bar-room aud bank deposit interiors. Heavy oak 

 of tie and like dimension Is In good demand. 

 Chestnut is In good call, but heavy and rough 

 stock Is in an unfair light. Low-grades are plen- 

 tiful, and prices are low. Sound, wormy chest- 

 nut is active in wide, clear stock. Ordinary 

 sound wormy is plentiful but prices remain low. 

 Red gum is In good demand. Poplar in manu- 

 facturers' grades, is in active call as also are 

 lioplar box boards ; low grades are moving freely. 

 Red and white birch is plentiful with prices 

 equal to the demand. Mahogany is active. 

 Koreign buyers are in the market for oak boards, 

 tliick white ash, red gum and American walnut. 



TOLEDO 



There has been no great change in the hard- 

 wood situation here in the past month. Most 

 dealers are looking forward to a record breaking 

 season, basing their judgment on the plans now 

 under way fuv large investments of various kinds 

 in Toledo during the coming sumnn'r. Spi'iug 

 stocks are arriving daily, and local yards are 

 fairly well stocked up, although hardwood lumber 

 is none too easy to secure. The heaviest demand 

 just at present is for factory consumption, all 

 kinds of hardwoods being in demand. 



- INDIANAPOLIS 



The local market has been a little stronger 

 during the last fortnight, largely due to improved 

 weather condjtions. Inquiries luive been coming 

 In more freely and a few fairly good contracts 

 have been placed. Prices are still steady, with no 

 indications of an early advancement. It Is the 

 general belief that a few weeks of good weather 

 will develop a good trade. 



r 



MEMPHIS 



The growing scarcity of hardwood lumber Is 

 resulting In Increased Independence on the part 

 of selh'rs, and also in higher prlci-s. It was 

 piedlcted several months ago that there would be 

 i(n acute scarcity of southern hardwoods before 

 the end of spring. However, the combination of 

 a largely Increased demand, and very much re- 

 duced production, resulting from heavy rains and 

 the overflow of the Mississippi, have brought 

 about this condition earlier than was anticipated. 

 Meantime, there has been a more Independent at- 

 titude on the part of sellers, who are asking 

 higlii'r prici's for tlielr lumber than have been 



obtained for several years. There is a splendid 

 demand for plain red and white oak at any 

 price, and red gum is selling very readily at 

 higher prices than a short time ago. Sap gum 

 is also moving with considerable freedom. The 

 lower grades of gum are getting scarcer and cor- 

 respondingly firmer. The upper grades of cotton- 

 wood are moving at pretty full prices, but the 

 strongest feature of the cottonwood list is low- 

 grade stock, which Is in urgent demand, and 

 which Is bringing unusually good values. Ash 

 Is moving reasonably well, and the movement of 

 cypress Is improving somewhat. Quartered oak 

 is bringing better prices than a short time ago, 

 and there has been some increase recently in 

 the demand therefor. 



NASHVILLE 



There has been a noticeable improvement In 

 the local hardwood market during the past two 

 weeks. Buyers are manifesting Increasing in- 

 terest, and orders in encouraging volume are 

 coming in, including a number for export. 

 Hardwood flooring concerns are meeting heavy 

 demands for their products from domestic and 

 foreign points. Consuming factories and rail- 

 roads are actively on the market. The retail 

 trade is doing all possible to augment their 

 stocks preparatory to the spring and summer 

 demands which, according to all indications, will 

 be ver,v heav.v. Hardwood stocks appear es- 

 pecially broken, and are not generally adequate 

 to supply the demand. The long continued 

 general and heavy rains have been a serious 

 drawback to mill operations and logging Inter- 

 ests, and heavy losses have resulted from the 

 high waters in this territory. There is a strong 

 demand for all the grades of hardwoods, both 

 high and low, but the latter are especially active. 

 Higher grades are firm. Red and white oak, and 

 low-grade poplar and chestnut are In good de- 

 maiKl, There is a fair sale for hickory and ash, 

 (Quartered oak shows little change, but the higher 

 grades are In somewhat better demand. There 

 are good calls from the box manufacturers, 

 who are using more cottonwood than formerly. 



BRISTOL 



The lumber trade in this city and section 

 continues about the same. Prices are no better. 

 However, the general belief is that prospects are 

 now brighter than for some time past. The 

 movement of stock will be heavier this month 

 than since last year, unless more serious trouble 

 develops In the car situation. 



LOUISVILLE 



Underlying business conditions are excellent, 

 as far as the hardwood trade is concerned, but 

 actual business Is greatly restricted on account 

 of the physical conditions under which lumber 

 has been handled. In the first place, wholesalers 

 have been uualile to get lumber in from the mills, 

 a car sliortage in tills section, as well as bad 

 weather, which limited manufacturing operations, 

 having been responsible for this. Yard work has 

 naturally been held back by frequent rains, and 

 shipments which have been made have been de- 

 layed In transit by the congested condition of 

 lines north of the Ohio river. Thus, while the 

 opportunity fiu' business Is excellent, lumbermen 

 as a rule are not in a position to make the most 

 of It. 



Plain oak continues to hold the center of the 

 .stage, thick i)laln white being very scarce Plain 

 red oak Is more plentiful as a rule, although 

 certain Items are short. I'rices on plain red oak 

 are somewhat lower than quotations on while 

 oak, which have advanced. Poplar has been less 

 active recently, especially the tipper grades. Com- 

 mon poplar is still In excellent call. Quar- 

 tered oak is expected to improve in demand and 



