HARDWOOD RECORD 



7Q 



year and the general business situation. Witli 

 low supplies in tlie hands of the yards as well 

 as the manufacturing trade there is a constant 

 inquiry for and buying of stock for actual wants 

 In hand. The aggregate amount of such busi- 

 ness is sufficient to keep the market steady and 

 prices firm on good lumber. The low-grade mar- 

 ket is a little easier by reason of more plenti- 

 ful supplies, but in good-grade lumber the lim- 

 ited supplies occasion cautious dealing, and or- 

 ders are bringing very firm prices. There has 

 not been the usual tendency to stock up or 

 anticipate wants, but this feature of the mar- 

 ket is not without its advantage to the wliole- 

 saler and the manufacturing trade in that it 

 enables holders of good hardwood lumber to sell 

 "at the market." which is always a desirable 

 feature of trade to the seller. 



The demand is pretty general throughout the 

 list, with oak. birch, maple and chestnut slightly 

 more active than other woods. Poplar is hold- 

 ing its own, and the general outlook seems to 

 point to an active and firm market between 

 now and spring on good-grade lumber, with a 

 future for low-grade stocks dependent primarily 

 upon the volume of the consuming trade which 

 develops with the opening of spring. 



BUFFALO 



The hardwood trade has been rather slow 

 during the past fortnight. However, it is now 

 showing some improvement and orders are com- 

 ing in a little better. Prices on the whole have 

 continued firm, with various woods continuing 

 to show strength. 



Quartered oak and white ash are slow, while 

 plain oak, birch and maple are strong. The 

 price of maple has gone up in the South within 

 a short time. Jlichigan maple prices are al- 

 ways high for this market. The difference be- 

 tween plain and quartered oak is so wide that 

 quartered oak is much harder to sell. There 

 is some sale for elm but basswood, especially 

 low-grade, is slow. 



Buyers throughout the state are holding off 

 on their purchases of lumber in the hope that 

 by so doing they may be able to get new stocks 

 at lower prices than those prevailing at pres- 

 ent. However, the figures asked for lumber are 

 now low enough and no decline is looked for. 



PHILADELPHIA 



While it may not be said that there has 

 been any positive advance in hardwood trading 

 during the fortnight, there are strong indica- 

 tions that an enlarged activity may be looked 

 for as the spring advances. Reports coming In 

 from the railroads, steel plants and other large 

 industries are favorable. Stocks at mill ends 

 are below normal and there is no inclination 

 to increase the pile until there is a greater de- 

 mand. Consumers will soon need to replenish 

 vacant spots, and prices, both in standard and 

 lower grades, hold firm. The feeling through- 

 out the East is optimistic, but at prevailing 

 prices the wholesalers find it difficult to make 

 desirable connections for future delivery. 



PITTSBURQ 



The local hardwood trade is in better condition 

 than it has been for some time. The higher 

 grades of hardwood are in good call, and stocks 

 at the mills are below the average in many 

 places. Medium grade hardwoods are selling 

 better than for several months, although they 

 are not bringing the prices that were antici- 

 pated. The yard trade is buying considerable 

 lumber in mixed carload lots. Apparently, the 

 only thing needed to put a stiff brace in this 

 business is some good weather. The country 

 mills are running full time, some of them over- 



time. However, deep snows and high water have 

 hindered operations quite a little at some of the 

 plants, but shipments on the whole are fairly 

 prompt. 



BOSTON 



The demand for hardwood lumber has not 

 shown the improvement during the past two or 

 three weeks that was expected. There has been 

 a fair yard trade, but the demand from manu- 

 facturing consumers Is not as large as usual at 

 this season of the year. There has been but 

 little change in prices. There is a wider range 

 in most cases than usual. Manufacturers in the 

 West and South appear to hold prices with con- 

 siderable firmness and at a level too high to 

 attract buyers in this market. 



There is an inquiry for plain oak, but there 

 is a scarcity of desirable stock at prices buyers 

 will pay. Quartered oak has not attracted a 

 great deal of new business, due to the high price 

 being asked. Consumers have been turning to 

 something else in place of quartered oak. The 

 lower priced hardwoods have been selling better 

 and with the increased call a hardening ten- 

 dency in values is developing. Birch is now in 

 larser demand and it is coming Into greater 

 call for interior finish. Chestnut is also selling 

 more freely than for some time, and maple is in 

 better request. 



The furniture manufacturers are using more 

 veneer than for some time. The manufacturers 

 of veneers are fairly busy. Black walnut is in 

 moderate call. There is more inquiry for the 

 better grades of cypress and dealers are holding 

 with more firmness in some cases. 



BALTIMORE 



Although the local hardwood trade in the past 

 two weeks has not been satisfactory, some re- 

 cent developments have given rise to mueli 

 gratification among the manufacturers and 

 dealers. While no pronounced expansion in the 

 movement has taken place, some gains have 

 been made, and the general situation is decidedly 

 promising. A fair demand for stocks prevails, 

 the tendency among yardmen being to place 

 more liberal orders than was the case during 

 the latter part of 1910. The woodworking fac- 

 tories are as a rule in greater need of lumber 

 than for some time. Mill men are enjoying 

 some prosperity, receiving numerous inquiries, 

 and being called on to take care of enlarged 

 needs on the part of the exporters, who are 

 receiving many requests for quotations. There 

 is a brisk demand for desirable stocks at pro- 

 ducing points, the resultant competition hav- 

 ing forced values to higher levels. 



The whole range of prices is firmer except 

 common chestnut, which shows no recovery, and 

 continues to rule about as low as at any time 

 Tvithin the past six or eight months. Sound 

 wormy chestnut is about the weakest item in 

 the market. The high-grade stocks show far 

 more strength proportionately, and satisfactory 

 prices are as a rule being realized. Oak, ash 

 and other woods are holding their own or ad- 

 vancing to higher levels. The exporters are, an 

 important factor in thus pushing up values. 

 They find the foreign situation sufficiently im- 

 proved to expect a decided gain in the move- 

 ment, and i>reparations are being made accord- 

 ingly. The present status of the rate ques- 

 tion is not such as to cause the railroads to 

 buy with decided freedom, but many of the 

 other consumers appear to feel that the de- 

 mand for their products will be active, and 

 they are buying lumber accordingly. 



CLEVELAND 



been, but for the most part it has been steady, 

 and dealers here are fairly well satisfied with 

 results shown. The main demand has been 

 for oak, both plain and quartered moving 

 well. There is a tendency to strengthen prices 

 on both lines. Mahogany is in fair demand 

 for interior finishing and furniture purposes, 

 and there is some call for Circassian walnut 

 for fine cabinet purposes. Dealers believe that 

 with the opening up of the spring season the 

 call for hardwoods of all kinds will become bet- 

 ter than it has been for some time. 



COLUMBUS 



The hardwood trade in central Ohio has been 

 satisfactory for the past fortnight and orders 

 have been coming in fairly good. There is a 

 good line of orders for hardwood flooring and 

 in fact the general line is moving satisfactorily. 

 Prices have been strong In every variety and 

 grade and lumbermen generally are very opti- 

 mistic over the future. Factories engaged in 

 making vehicles, implements and furniture are 

 buying more freely, and dealers who have been 

 short of stocks are also buying in larger volume. 

 The whole tendency of the market is upward. 

 Lower grades are moving good and there is no 

 accumulation of stocks, as was the case earlier 

 in the season. 



Quartered oak is in good demand. Plain oak 

 Is wanted in many localities and the supply is 

 not large. Chestnut is in excellent request and 

 the volume of business is larger than for some 

 time. Poplar is active and sales are frequent. 

 There is little demand for the wider sizes 

 owing to the inactivity of the automobile trade. 

 Ash is still weak, but there is a good de- 

 maud for basswood at the usual prices. 



EVANSVILLB 



The local hardwood manufacturers and deal- 

 ers are greatly encouraged by the trend of the 

 market the past two weeks. Inquiries have 

 been received in good volume and orders are 

 fairly numerous. Plain oak is in excellent de- 

 mand and quite scarce. Quartered oak is in 

 good demand, especially in thin and flooring 

 strips. The demand for thick poplar is greatly 

 improved. In fact, poplar in all grades and 

 thicknesses is coming into its own. However, 

 not much improvement has yet been shown in 

 automobile stock. Prices are firm on all woods 

 with a slight improvement on plain oak and 

 the better grades of poplar. 



r 



MEMPHIS 



The demand for hardwoods during the past 

 month has not been as brisk as it might have 



The demand for hardwood lumber here is 

 moderately active, but there is still a lack of 

 .snap to the market. A fair progress in sales is 

 being made, but the volume of business is hardly 

 as large as expected. Prices are holding their 

 own. but there has been no appreciable advance 

 in any direction. There is no disposition on tlie 

 part of either wholesalers or distributors to 

 shade prices in order to move lumber, because 

 such action is unnecessary. At the same time 

 those who are holding for higher prices arc 

 meeting with but a limited demand,' owing to 

 the fact tliat buyers are able to buy to better 

 advantage from those who are offering lumber 

 around the present level. 



Plain oak is in good demand in both the 

 higher and lower grades and the same is true 

 of red gum. So far as quartered oak is con- 

 cerned prices are steady, but the volume of 

 business is not particularly heavy. Ash is in 

 but moderate request, the best call being for 

 2-inch and thicker. There is a pood movement 

 in cypress in all grades with the exception of 

 No. 1 and No. 2 common. Sap gum is moving 

 a little more readily, but prices are not showing 



