HARDWOOD RECORD 



53 



The automobile industry perhaps affects the 

 demand tor poplar more than for any other 

 wood. Increased activity on the part of the 

 automobile people is immediately felt in the 

 poplar market. 



BRISTOL 



There is considerable complaint among the 

 lumbermen of Bristol and this section over 

 prices. They do not think that lumber is 

 bringing what It should, despite some slight 

 Improvement in the trade since the first of the 

 year. Shipments are light again, and the yards 

 are being stocked up. Not a great amount of 

 new business Is being booked, the lumbermen 

 say, though there are many encouraging features 

 to the present condition of the market, which 

 Justify the belief that things will be better 

 along toward spring. 



LOUISVILLE 



Though business was rather slow in opening 

 up immediately after the first of the year, orders 

 now are being received in volume and a marked 

 stimulation of the demand Is noted. Consumers 

 are more cheerful as to the outlook and are 



IN THE TIMBER DISTRICTS 



The Best Locations for Wood 

 Using Plants, near to Good Supplies 

 of Hardwood and Pine, are to be 

 found in the cities and towns along 

 the Southern Railway. Mobile & 

 Ohio Railroad, Georgia. Southern 

 & Florida Railway and Virginia & 

 Southwestern Railway. Other con- 

 ditions are advantageous. Informa- 

 tion furnished and assistance given 

 to manufacturers seeking locations. 



M. V. RICHARDS 



Land and Industrial Agent, 



Southern Railway, 



1367 Penniylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 



Greenbrier Lumber Co. 



Manufacturers 

 White Pine, Hemlocit and Hard- 

 woods, from our own lands. 



Pine and Oak our specialty 



NEOLA, W. VA. 



BLUESTONE LAND & LUMBER GO. 



White Pine, Oak, 

 Poplar, Chestnut 

 and Hemlock Lumber 



WHITE PINE km OAK TIMBERS OIV 

 SHORT NOTICE 



RAILROAD TIES 



We own our own stumpage 

 and operate our own mill. 



Mill: GARDNER, \V. VA. 



Sales Office: RIDGWAY, PA. 



stocking up freely. The effect of the furniture 

 exhibits will be considerable and a good deal of 

 interest attaches to their outcome. 



Quartered white and red oak are moving freely, 

 and plain oak is a big seller. Gum is in excel- 

 lent demand just now, and It is reported on 

 good authority that a single sale of 1,000,000 

 feet was recently made. Poplar is in good call. 

 Cottonwood is selling well, the box factories 

 being the largest consumers. Prices are about 

 steady and are expected to stiffen during the 

 next few weeks. 



ASHLAND 



While there have been no changes to speak 

 of during the past week, yet prospects seem 

 a little brighter. Some little business has been 

 booked at better prices, but the majority of 

 the business is on the old scale of prices. The 

 continued bad weather has handicapped outside 

 work to some extent, but the mills are rapidly 

 pushing their repairs and expect to get started 

 as soon as a good supply of logs comes in. Money 

 is plentiful, and the banks will be in good con- 

 dition to take care of their customers. Cars 

 are plentiful. 



KANSAS CITY 



The dealers have increased their requisitions 

 for such items of hardwood as they handle.^ 

 having apparently reached the conclusion that 

 prices will not go any lower. From a general 

 standpoint the hardwood market has remained 

 quite firm, but the one cause for complaint has 

 been the lack of a brisk demand. The furni- 

 ture factories have continued in the market 

 for a fair amount of stock, while the call from 

 wagon factories has not been so good, although 

 this source of consumption has furnisheiJ some 

 business right along. There is no little con- 

 jecture as to what the railroads will do in the 

 buying line this year, but reliable reports have 

 been received that they will require large quan- 

 tities of material to put their many disabled 

 cars into proper condition for service. Mill 

 stocks of oak are low and badly broken, and 

 even the lower grades are not so plentiful as they 

 sometimes are. Number two oak is finding a 

 ready market with the hardwod flooring facto- 

 ries, who, owing to the constantly increasing 

 use of hardwood flooring, are increasing their 

 output. Bridge plank is on the active list at 

 present, and prices are firm. 



ST. LOUIS 



2 



It is almost too soon in the year to predict 

 the future in the hardwood lumber trade. Thus 

 far conditions hare been seasonable. Quite a 

 nice trade has been done in the leading woods 

 and an active trade with better prices is hoped 

 lor when spring opens up. The cypress trade 

 is satisfactory under the circumstances. The 

 demand usually coming from Iowa and northern 

 Illinois has not yet started, the yard line people 

 not coming in as was expected. Small order lots 

 are the rule from yard line and also the factory 

 trade. 



NEW ORLEANS 



The hardwood business is not up to the aver- 

 age, due largely to the absence of factory buying. 

 Sales that are now made bring better prices 

 than usual, and the hardwood men are opti- 

 mistic regarding spring trade. 



A steadier tone is noted in the export demand, 

 inquiries continuing in good volume, with the 

 tendency on the part of foreign buyers to meet 

 more freely an upward trend of prices. The 

 log trade has within the last month shown the 

 marked improvement usually experienced at this 



time of the year, and starts out with excellent 

 prospects for an active season's business. The 

 stave market has developed a satisfactory degree 

 of strength, and with the decrease in yard stocks 

 abroad and the large consumption, shows a prom- 

 ising condition. 



MILWAUKEE 



Inquiries in the local hardwood field show more 

 life, and dealers .ind jobbers feel that by the 

 close of the present month business will display 

 much improvement. Just at the present time 

 the furniture factories are placing large orders. 

 The sash and door concerns are not buying 

 heavily, as this is their dull season. Stocks 

 are low at all these plants, however, and good 

 orders are expected later. Most of the smaller 

 manufacturing concerns have completed their 

 inventories, but many of the larger establish- 

 ments are still busy with their annual figures, 

 another reason for a quiet trade. The demand 

 is fairly good for high-grade stocks, but low- 

 grade stuff is quiet. Hardwood flooring is meet- 

 ing with a good trade. 



DETROIT 



The local hardwood market shows increased 

 strength since the last report, and hardwood 

 men generally believe that the extremely dull 

 period is safely passed. There is a much better 

 volume of trade and a good demand for oak, 

 maple, poplar and hemlock is reported. Re- 

 newed activity in automobile manufacturing 

 circles has meant increased demand for poplar. 

 Prices are a shade better. Inquiries and orders 

 are more plentiful. Trade in the veneering, box 

 and flooring trades shows improvement. 



LIVERPOOL 



The outlook for business for the new year 

 seems far more promising than for many years 

 past, and everyone is looking forward to a 

 really good year's trade. 



The mahogany business is keeping on much 

 the same basis as previouslj'. The poorer quali- 

 ties of mahogany remain strong and flrm in 

 price, but there is no large demand at present 

 figures. The prime stocks for panels and 

 boards are weaker and at the last sales were 

 selling at lower figures. Ash lumber is flrm and 

 bringing good prices. The parcels to be shipped 

 are No. 1 common, 1%, 2, 2%, 3 and 4 inches. 

 All these sizes are certain to And a ready sale. 

 Round ash logs with the large wood is a flrm 

 spot, but shippers are not recommended to send 

 second growth wood here in any large quan- 

 tity. The market has been overdone and prices 

 are not ruling high. Hickory is firm and ship- 

 pers should have no hesitation in shipping with 

 all speed any prime stocks they have ready. 

 The market is absolutely bare. Oak is not as 

 flrm. Prime stocks are weak, although No. 1 

 common qualities are fairly good. Birch finds 

 favor with buyers just at the moment. The 

 stock is scarce and the quality offering for 

 winter shipment is smaller than usual. Birch 

 is also selling well, good prices being realized 

 for billboards now in stock. Prices on poplar 

 stocks are so high that they are diflacult to sell. 

 Everyone seems to be seeking a substitute and 

 much satisfaction is being expressed with white 

 elm for this purpose. One concern is about to 

 place a big order for prime white gum "isxlO 

 inches and up. It shippers have any of this size 

 for disposal, they should be able to obtain good 

 orders. Cottonwood is also better, but shipments 

 are not adTi.sed except against orders, as the 

 stocks are still heavy. Walnut seems better 

 than when last reported, and though the stock 

 is still heavy the position gives greater confi- 

 dence. Maple flooring is weaker and should not 

 be shipped here in the immediate future. 



