52 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



how things actually are and how they will be 

 in the future. However, if the fact that the 

 railroads are ordering cars and rails in consider- 

 able quantity is any indication whatever, the 

 lumber trade should feel encouraged. 



NEW YORK 



The hardwood market at New York continues 

 firm on good lumber with a slight upward tend- 

 ency on well manufactured, high-grade stocks, 

 and indications point to a firm range of prices 

 on good hardwood lumber for some time to 

 come. Low-grade stocks are more plentiful, but 

 the consumption is not up to the mark, which 

 subjects prices to more or less competition on 

 sales. 



Birch, beech and maple are active on No. 1 

 common and better grades. Prices show an 

 upward tendency. Hardwood flooring is in good 

 shape. No. 1 maple flooring being in very heavy 

 demand at advanced prices. Stocks in the handa 

 of buyers here are below normal, and the manu- 

 facturing shops are practically bare. This is 

 bound to give quite a volume of hand-to-mouth 

 business for actual wants right along through 

 the winter season. 



PITTSBURG 



Things are beginning to take on life in Pitts- 

 burg, and hardwood men are accordingly feeling 

 better. This year's business is being sized up 

 now on a very conservative basis. The tendency 

 is toward larger buying and higher prices, and 

 if general business improves in a moderate way 

 from now until spring, hardwood men will have 

 no reason to complain. Stocks of hardwoods in 

 the hands of the retailers, manufacturers and 

 purchasing agents are low. This has been shown 

 conclusively by inquiries received since January, 

 1, and it is evident that a slight gain in general 

 business, which is expected after the freight 

 rate matters and the Supreme Court decisions are 

 settled, will do much to boost business for th» 

 hardwood men. 



BOSTON 



There has been a moderate volume of new 

 business reported in the market for hardwood 

 lumber during the past fortnight. The manufac- 

 turers of interior house finish have been fairly 

 busy, but they are not running as full as for- 

 merly. Veneers have been in moderate demand. 

 Furniture manufacturers have not been operating 

 their plants to their full capacity. 



There has been no change in prices. The 

 price of quartered oak while lower in some 

 cases is still considered too high for most 

 buyers. Several who formerly used large quan- 

 tities of this lumber have used very little of 

 late. Plain oak has been in fair demand and 

 prices are steady. Maple has had a fair amount 

 of business and prices are well held. Basswood 

 is in demand, and there is a very fair call for 

 ash, although all dealers do not find this to be 

 the case. There has been rather a quiet de- 

 mand for cypress. Some manufacturers off 

 southern lumber have been a little more anxious 

 for business and have been willing to make 

 slight concessions, but the majority are holding 

 prices in a fairly steady way. 



BALTIMORE 



While the hardwood trade has not yet gotten 

 back to a point of activity which might be 

 regarded as normal, decided progress in that 

 direction has been made, and the movement is 

 now of sufHclent volume to easily take care of 

 the lumber which reaches the avenues of dis- 

 tribution. Most of the mills, which shut down 

 over the holidays, have resumed operations. 



The general range of prices is sufliciently high 

 to enable the manufacturers to realize fair 

 margins of profit The outlook for the exporters 

 is regarded as very promising, and preparations 

 are made on a comparatively large scale to take 

 care of the expected requirements abroad. Stocks 

 on the other side of the Atlantic have appar- 

 ently been reduced to a point where the re- 

 plenishing must be done on a more than ordi- 

 narily large scale. Foreign buyers are showing 

 a more pronounced disposition to meet the 

 prices of the exporters and to abate some of 

 their arbitrary exactions, an unmistakable indi- 

 cation that stocks have been reduced to a point 

 where the shipper is again in a position to have 

 some say as to the grading and inspection. The 

 prices paid here by the exporters for lumber 

 makes it necessary for them to ask figures that 

 seem high by comparison, but the milimen are 

 evidently able to get them, and the foreign 

 buyers must do business on the basis thus fixed, 

 or do without the lumber. 



The domestic situation has not changed mate- 

 rially, beyond the prevalence of a more active 

 market. Furniture factories and other wood- 

 working establishments are placing orders with 

 greater freedom, and the hardwoods generally 

 are in good shape. The yards are placing orders 

 with somewhat greater freedom. Their assort- 

 ments had been allowed to run very low before 

 the holidays, so as to keep down obligations, and 

 the deficiency to which this policy gave rise, 

 is now being made up. Even low-grade poplar 

 is being moved in moderately large quantities, 

 and while the prices obtained do not mark an 

 advance, it is something to place stock without 

 much difficulty. The wide poplar of good grade 

 still halts because of the uncertainty of the 

 outlook for the automobile manufacturers. Other 

 woods are being called for in sufficient quanti- 

 ties to keep the trade in fairly good shape, and 

 the prospects are regarded in the main as 

 encouraging. 



COLUMBUS 



The hardwood trade in central Ohio since the 

 new year has been satisfactory to most of the 

 shippers and manufacturers. The tone of the 

 market shows considerable improvement and 

 there is a freer movement of all varieties as 

 well as most of the grades. Dealers and factories 

 are buying more liberally and lumbermen are 

 practically united in the belief that the trade 

 in 1911 will be ahead of that of the previous 

 year. 



Prospects are excellent for an active building 

 season, and architects and material men are 

 already figuring on construction work for 1911. 

 Money is easy, and, as a result, collections in the 

 lumber trade have been better. There is now 

 little trouble over the car situation and few 

 complaints are heard regarding a lack of trans- 

 portation facilities. 



Quartered oak is in fair demand. There is 

 a good demand for all kinds of plain oak. and the 

 volume of business is satisfactory. Poplar is in 

 good request excepting from automobile factories, 

 which are still a little slow in buying. Chestnut 

 is wanted in many places and the movement is 

 good. Ash is still weak, while there is a good 

 demand for basswood. Other hardwoods are 

 unchanged. 



CINCINNATI 



During the past fortnight the condition of 

 the Cincinnati hardwood market has wavered 

 between hope and fear. At times the mails 

 brought most encouraging returns, while at 

 others they were rather discouraging. Houses 

 with a regular clientele of consumers have tared 

 satisfactorily, but those depending upon their 

 ability to hustle and letter-writing, complain of 

 rather slow business, especially during the past 

 week. The year opened up favorably, but again 



became conservative, and the orders being re- 

 ceived are for small lots, few of any bulk being 

 noted. Plain sawed white oak in manufacturers' 

 grades seems to be growing scarce, and there is 

 considerable inquiry. Quarter-sawed white of good 

 figure, is in fair demand, with the bulk of the 

 operations in narrow stuff. Red oak and red 

 and white mixed, both quarter-sawed and plain, 

 are leaders in the demand and sales. Chestnut 

 is showing more animation than at any time 

 since the early fall, there being a fair inquiry 

 for the top grades, with some promising inquiries. 

 Medium grades and heavy rough stock are mov- 

 ing fairly. Sound wormy is in good demand for 

 the manufacturers of built-up stock witli ready 

 sale of all the good grade offered ; prices, how- 

 ever remain low and unsatisfactory. Ash is show- 

 ing improvement for wagon and carriage makers' 

 stock, with a fair movement to the furniture 

 trade ; heavy, white ash, which is dry, is very 

 scarce, wagon makers requiring the stock to 

 be at least three years air dried. Hickory is in 

 fair demand for the wheel and shaft trade, with 

 a good inquiry for hickory boards of good 

 lengths ; most of the stuff offered being short. 



Poplar may be said to again be the leading 

 feature of the market, inquiries for good, wide, 

 clear stock for the auto trade coming to the 

 front. The slump of last summer has resulted in 

 the stocks accumulating and being put in better 

 shape and the transactions will be on a saner 

 basis than during the rush tor this class of stock 

 a year ago ; prices will not reach the high figures 

 of that time, and the buying will be on a safe 

 basis. A number of transactions are noted 

 among the buyers for the auto trade, while the 

 outputs of several mills have already been con- 

 tracted for. Wide, clear panel stock is in fair 

 request, with excellent prospects for the future. 

 Box boards are in limited supply, with a fair 

 demand for the wagon industry. Manufacturers' 

 grades are meeting with a fair movement, and 

 low-grade poplar is moving more freely, with 

 a good diminution of the stocks at this point 

 reported. Walnut is showing signs of returning 

 life, with a fair movement for the foreign trade. 

 Cherry is also receiving some attention. While 

 the representatives of foreign houses are prone 

 to admit that the foreign trade is improving, 

 the regular exporting houses say that the export 

 trade is good with prospects of getting better. 

 Hardwoods of all classes are being shipped more 

 freely than at any time within the past two 

 years. Cottonwood is becoming a strong element 

 in the operations of this market. Birch, bass- 

 wood, buckeye, and other hardwoods, are re 

 ceiving a fair volume of attention. 



INDIANAPOLIS 



There is little stirring in hardwod circles just 

 now on account of the weather. It has been 

 snowing for several days and there has been 

 little demand for immediate deliveries. Quite a 

 few inquiries are coming in, however, for early 

 spring deliveries. Prices are holding their own 

 and there may be a slight advance on some 

 grades when the spring trade opens up. Ve- 

 hicle and furniture factories are continuing to 

 have a heavy run, but the automobile factories 

 are doing little just now. 



NASHVILLE 



The local market shows no change of impor- 

 tance. The mills are all running on the regular 

 routine schedule. Dealers are showing no dispo- 

 sition to make any concessions in prices in order 

 to get business. A brisk trade is confidently 

 expected to open up by the arrival of spring, and 

 the general feeling is one of pronounced op- 

 timism. A big building season is anticipated 

 with the arrival of good weather. 



Quartered oak is showing improvement, with 

 both plain and quartered in good demand. A 

 brisk demand is also noted for high-grade poplar. 



