so 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



lumber is turned out and that no large\accumu- 

 lations are to bo found anywhere. The wide 

 stocks arc less active than they have been, 

 the needs of consumers evidently liavin? been 

 met for the time being. Prices, however, keep 

 up quite well and attractive margins o£ profit 

 are realized. Common oak is also in moderate 

 request. Supplies have been moving with some 

 freedom ot late, and there is no piling up of 

 lumber at the present time. Some ot the miils 

 are letting stocks accumulate so that when win- 

 ter and bad weather sets in they will be prepared 

 to take care of all wants likely to develop. 

 Business in the better grades leaves something 

 to be desired, but it might also be less active. 

 In point of quantity, at least, there is little 

 cause for complaint as to the better grades of 

 oak, ash and other woods. Common chestnut 

 continues to rule very low, with the demand in- 

 different. The export situation is still regarded 

 with favor, and seems to improve as time pro- 

 gre.ssos. Numerous inquiries from abroad are be- 

 ing received, and many of tbem result in deals. 

 The foreign buyers arc less exacting, and no 

 longer insist so strongly upon their own in- 

 spection and their own terms. The shippers are 

 getting to have some say in the matter, which 

 is always an indication that stocks are run- 

 ning low and that the selection has ceased to be 

 so large as to permit a buyer to take his pick, 

 leaving the rest. The foreign movement is fair, 

 and exporters think that further improvement 

 may be looked for soon. 



CLEVELAND 



Hardwoods are moving well in the Cleveland 

 territory according to the dealers here. There 

 is a good call for both kinds ot oak, the furni- 

 ture factories making a stronger demand than 

 for some time past. The volume of flooring and 

 Interior trim is also heavy as there are many 

 buildings which are being completed for winter 

 occupancy. 



Mahogany tor interior trim and cabinet pur- 

 poses is selling well according to the dealers 

 who handle it extensively. There is also a fair 

 call for Circassian walnut for window trim and 

 fixtures for some ot the big mercantile buildings 

 which are being finished up in this section. 



COLUMBUS 



Strength is the chief characteristic of the 

 hardwood trade in central Ohio. Manufacturers 

 and shippers unite in the statement that the 

 demand is better and that prices have strength- 

 ened materially in the past fortnight. One of 

 the best features is the fact that many manu- 

 facturing establishments are buying more freely. 

 This is especially true of furniture and agricul- 

 tural implement and vehicle factories. Auto- 

 mobile factories are also in the market for 

 larger stocks. 



Prices have advanced both on the higher and 

 lower grades of oak, poplar, chestnut and other 

 varieties. The supply appears to be shorter and 

 the volume of business is larger. One of the 

 worse features is the growing car shortage, 

 which affects shipments from West Virginia and 

 which is expected to grow worse as the season 

 advances. As a result hurry orders are now in 

 style. 



Quartered oak is strong in every section and 

 quotations for firsts and seconds are firm. Plain 

 oak Is In active demand at good prices. Pop- 

 lar still continues strong In every branch of the 

 business. Automobile factories are again in the 

 market for the wide stocks and as a result quota- 

 tions are better. 



Chestnut is also stronger and prices have in- 

 creased to a certain extent. The volume of busi- 

 ness is satisfactory. 



.\sh is still low and prices have not recovered 



from their weakness. The volume of business is 

 larger. There is a good demand for basswood 

 and prices are firm. Hickory and walnut are 

 also being wanted. Other hardwoods are un- 

 changed. 



CINCINNATI 



The general condition of the hardwood mar- 

 ket at this point is one of slow improvement. 

 During the past fortnight there is a steady 

 growth in the number of inquiries and tl^e 

 volume of orders being received at the various 

 lumber offices of this city. In the activities of 

 the market the most noted change is the grad- 

 ually weakening position of the demand for 

 high-grade, wide quarter-sawed oak. The de- 

 mand is more equal now for all grades of 

 quarter-sawed oak. Conditions which govern 

 the furniture raanufncturing industry is re- 

 f.ponsible for this change, as highly-figured oak 

 furniture is now being superseded by Circassian 

 walnut and mahogany. Heavy car and bridge 

 stock in oak and special dimension stutT are 

 fairly active, with prices holding steady. Chest- 

 nut continues to be quiet, with stocks on hand 

 showing steady increase in the upper grades, 

 while there is a fair movement of the lower 

 grades. Sound wormy is selling fairly well for 

 good stock, but there is no apparent advance in 

 the prices, wbicli are considered low by the lum- 

 bermen. There is an abundance of low grade 

 sound wormy, which is offered at low rates, but 

 is not selling well, as this class is not well 

 fitted for built-up stock, the manufacturers of 

 which are the heaviest buyers of this grade. 



Red gum is meeting with a better inquiry, 

 especially for manufacturing consumers' grades. 

 Ash is in good demand, especially for high-grade 

 while, as well as for thick, heavy stock for 

 wagon manufacturers. The stock of heavy white 

 ash which is bone dry and ready for manufac- 

 ture is light, and brings good prices. Other 

 grades of ash for general manufacturing pur- 

 poses are meeting with a fair demand, with no 

 inclination to weaken on prices. Hickory is in 

 good request for carriage, wheel, pole and shaft 

 manufacturers' grades, while the stocks are re- 

 ported light. Poplar is again moving up into 

 the limelight, though the demand for high-grade, 

 heavy stock is not so strenuous. There is every 

 confidence in the future of this class of lum- 

 ber for the automobile trade, as evidenced by 

 the fact that tliere has been no noticeable reces- 

 sion in the high prices demanded, which during 

 the early summer placed it on the same pianc 

 with mahogany. Medium grades of poplar tor 

 general manufacturing purposes are showing 

 more animation. Low-grade lumber of all classes 

 is still a problem of the market : there is con- 

 siderable movement, but the transactions are 

 generally unsatisfactory. Birch, basswood. buck- 

 eye and Cottonwood are meeting with a fair 

 volume of sales. The export trade, while not 

 altogether as slow as during the early months 

 of the year for hardwood, is certainly very far 

 from satisfactory The stocks of walnut and 

 cherry continue to grow, but the holders express 

 general confidence in the future and do not fr:ii- 

 a break in prices. 



TOLEDO 



A healthy condition prevails in the hardwood 

 market here. The volume of trade holds up 

 well and prices have not deteriorated. Oak is 

 in splendid demand. There has also been an 

 active call for furniture grades of chestnut, 

 maple, cherry, ash and some walnut. Sound 

 wormy chestnut has proven a favorite, moving 

 at about .fin. The poplar market shows con- 

 siderable improvement recently, there being not ■ 

 only a stronger demand, but firmer prices. Half- 

 inch bevel poplar siding is very scarce and 



juices are unusually firm. Dealers say they are 

 unable to secure enough to meet the demands 

 of customers. Wide poplar is also looking up. 

 Prices which earlier in the season soared as 

 high as $150, dropping later down to $115, are 

 again on the incline, but it is doubtful if the 

 former figures will be reached in the immediate 

 future. Other grades of poplar are moving on 

 a more regular basis. Maple is scarce, as are 

 also the better grades of birch, which fact has ■ 

 stimulated prices. Manufacturing concerns here 

 are consuming their normal quota of hardwoods 

 and the building business is also calling for 

 large quantities. Dealers are buying commen- 

 surate with the active demand and show no dis- 

 position to permit stocks to run down. 



INDIANAPOLIS 



There have been some developments in the 

 local hardwood market during the last two 

 weeks. Trade has beene fairly steady and prices 

 practically unchanging. The outlook for the 

 late fall and winter trade seems to be bright. 

 Shipments arc moving with reasonable prompt- 

 ness, there being no complaint of car shortage 

 or delayed shipments. On the whole, business 

 is said to be considerably better than it was 

 one year ago at this time, with every reason for 

 greater improvement soon. 



MEMPHIS 



The demand for hardwood lumber is moder- 

 ately active. Some members of the trade say 

 they are doing a good business, while 

 others complain that they are finding trade 

 rather slow, which would seem to indi- 

 cate a continuance of the irregularity which 

 lias been noted lor some time. But, 

 while there are complaints regarding the slow-, 

 ness of business, almost every lumberman here 

 reports greater activity than at this time last 

 year or the year before, increases being esti- 

 mated at from 1.5 to 25 per cent. There Is 

 some difference of opinion as to the outlook, but 

 the fact remains that all manufacturers are 

 going steadily ahead with production and that 

 both manufacturers and wholesalers are pro- 

 ceeding on the theory that there will be plenty 

 of demand to take care of all the lumber of- 

 fered. There is rather more irregularity as to 

 prices, there being an apparent disposition in 

 some quarters to shade prices in order to se- 

 cure business. As a rule, however, most of 

 the trade are inclined to ask full prices and 

 are refusing to sell when these are not forth- 

 coming. The demand for the higher grades 

 continues better than that for the lower, a 

 feature which has been prominent for some 

 time. Oak, c.vpress, red gum and Cottonwood 

 box boards are the better sellers in the higher 

 grades, while gum and cottonwoood occupy 

 the same position with respect to the lower 

 grades, though prices on the latter are generally 

 rather unsatisfactory. Ash is one ot the poor- 

 est sellers. 



NASHVILLE 



While some of the liimberuien are complaining 

 that the demand for red oak is not what they 

 would like it to be, nevertheless conditions are 

 said to be better so far as the general tone of 

 the market is concerned. The demand for red- 

 oak seems to have let-up somewhat and this is 

 said to be occasioned by the fact that the hard- 

 wood fiooi-ing people are not using as much of it 

 as heretofore. 



There is a big demand for wide poplar and it 

 is bringing top prices ; No. 2 hickory is in big 

 demand : other grades are a bit slow. Ash is 

 slow, but chestnut is brisk in all grades. 



