50 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Hardwood Market, 



(By HARDWOOD BECOBD 



CHIC AGO 



A\'itU regard to the VdUinie of trade, the local 

 market conditions remain practically unchanged. 

 The demand for the better grades of certain 

 woods is showing some signs of improvement. 

 Men traveling in the outside territor.v bring bacls 

 word that no notable depression is felt, gener- 

 ally, and the local concerns are beginning to 

 take the same view of the situation. Wliile 

 trade is not up to the expected standard, still 

 there is more selling, and indications point to a 

 steady increase as the season advances. The 

 number of inquiries received every day con- 

 tinues to keep on the increase. 



A majority of local manufacturing concerns 

 are doing a fair volume of business in most 

 lines. Possible exceptions to this rule are in 

 the cases of hardwood flooring, interior finish 

 and furniture lines, which will probabl.v remain 

 below normal for some time. However, wagon, 

 carriage anH automobile factories, implement 

 plants and the various other lines of manufac- 

 ture which constitute the bulk of the hardwood 

 consuming trade, are encouragingly active. 



Quartered white oak has weakened somewhat, 

 but firsts and seconds plain red are in active 

 demand and continue short in supply. The 

 prices on oak as a whole remain firm and have 

 their usual influence for good on tlie general 

 market. Cull oak has experienced a better move- 

 ment also. 



A slight recession in the sales of birch has 

 been felt, but it is only of momentary conse- 

 quence, and cannot be taken as an indication of 

 anything permanent. Low-grade stuff is as 

 usual long, while high-grades are disposed of 

 without any unusual effort. 



Gum seems to be active in most quarters, witli 

 red glim in the lead. Gum seemingly has come 

 to stay and will not be denied its market. 



There have not been any noteworthy fluctua- 

 tions on prices in poplar boxboards and panels. 

 Good stuff is. as always, hard to secure, and 

 when bought is disposed of without trouble. 



As a whole the situation appears favorable 

 to the local merchant, in fact some concerns 

 report a doubling of last month's sales. Con- 

 ditions at out of town points should certainly 

 tend to bring the local market down to the level 

 of common sense, and this condition seems to 

 be already partially effected. 



Ezclnsive Market Seporters.) 



A'ili has li.'cn iu lieltiT call at some yards, as 

 also have the better grades of chestnut. Beech 

 is reported strong in price. Poplar has not 

 moved so freely, the automobile demand being 

 small on account of ample stocks in the pos- 

 session of buyers. Maple continues to be a lead- 

 ing seller. 



NEW YORK - 



The local hardwood market shows a fair run 

 of ordinary business. Tlie volume is not up to 

 standard, but prices are holding firm, con- 

 sidering the general situation. Stocks continue 

 below normal at the yards and buying is still 

 largely of a hand-to-mouth order. Stocks are 

 light in this direction as well as among the 

 local manufacturers, which causes more or less 

 buying, tlie volume being sufficient to keep the 

 general market steady. Reports from mill points 

 indicate that supplies, while a little better than 

 several months ago, are still below normal, par- 

 ticularly on good-grade lumber, which gives fur- 

 ther evidence of a strong price situation for 

 some time to come. 



BUFFALO 



In the hardwood trade the effort is being 

 made to increase slocks vvliere the recent de- 

 mand has created shortages, as in maple, birch 

 and plain oak, in which the better grades are 

 showing much sraroity. Sales have been fair 

 in the aggregate, although the individual yards 

 still call business only moderate. The blame is 

 laid largely to the weather. However, the pros- 

 pects for a fair amount of selling riglit along 

 are considered good. 



PHILADELPHIA 



There has lieeu but little variation in the hard- 

 wood situation during the last fortniglit, with the 

 exception of a slight slacking up iu buying, due 

 probably to the stiffening of values in certain 

 grades of wood. Good stocks are in demand and 

 standard woods are commanding firm prices. 

 There is a general disposition to take an optimis- 

 tic view in the East, and a sound and well- 

 sustained business throughout the year is ex- 

 pected. Building work is showing new life in 

 this section. Permits for the erection of the 

 lietter class of small dwellings are increasing. 

 Building lumber and indoor finish supply houses 

 are confident of a big season, and signs point 

 to extensive work supplied by the municipal au- 

 thorities in improvements, which will very ma- 

 terially affect the general commercial situation. 



PITTSBURG 



The hardwood market during the past mouth 

 has shown a little improvement. Up to the last 

 trn days gains in hardwood orders had been 

 stead.v and very encouraging. The tendency of 

 hardwood prices is upward, particularly in oak 

 and poplar. Oak is in much better demand than 

 it has been for months. White oak especially is 

 a splendid seller and stocks at the mills are low. 

 -Ml kinds of good furniture lumber is moving 

 better and at higher prices. The yard trade is 

 hampered considerably by the fear of retailers of 

 overstocking. They are extremely cautious along 

 this line. Some little complaint is heard of car 

 shortages, but in general shipments have been 

 moving promptly except where floods and ex- 

 cessive bad weather interrupted operations at the 

 country mills. 



BOSTON 



There have lieen few changes in tlie hardwood 

 lumber market during the past few weeks. Buy- 

 ers appear to be making more inquiries and for 

 larger lots, but actual transactions, taking them 

 as a whole, are still small. The call from the 

 yard trade has been fair only. Uetailers as a 

 whole are not carrying large stocks, and few 

 of the large consuming manufacturers are in a 

 position where they can stay out of the market 

 if business should start up with any snap. 



The market for quartered oak is rather quiet. 

 Many former users have substituted some other 

 wood, due to the high prices asked. Plain oak 

 is fairly steady. There has been a very good 

 call for birch. Smaller offerings are reported 

 and holders feel that they should get better 

 prices. A very good demand for maple has also 

 been reported. Higher prices are predicted by 

 some for both birch and maple. Cypress has con- 

 tinued in quiet demand and whitcwood is not 

 selling very freely. 



BALTIMORE 



There was some slowing up in the hardwood 

 movement toward the end of March, and the 

 present month is not yet sufficiently advanced 

 to furnish au indication of what may be ex- 

 pected. The yards, proceeding on the supposi- 

 tion that trade would open up briskly with the 

 advent of spring, placed liberal orders some 

 time ago and most of them now have fairly large 

 stocks on hand. However, weather and other 

 Condi! ions act as a check on the movement, so 



tliat members of the trade are disposed to wait 

 for future developments before entering into ad- 

 ditional commitments. The political situation 

 also has its effect in retarding business. .\s long 

 af, there is a prospect of tariff tinkering activities 

 generally proceed with caution, and hardwoods 

 are affected like other commodities. Neverthe- 

 le.ss, manufacturers as well as dealers have good 

 reason to regard the results attained of late 

 v.'Ah satisfaction. There has been a decided im- 

 provement in various directions, and the millmen 

 especially are coming by their own. Values have 

 advanced in various departments, and the com- 

 petition for stocks holds out the prospect that a 

 further increase will take place before very long. 

 Common poplar has been called for with suffi- 

 cient freedom to take up the production and avert 

 further accumulation. No rise in price is to be 

 noted, but tlie millmen are no longer troubled 

 by the fact that these stocks are piling up, with 

 almost no prospect of moving them. The bettor 

 grades of poplar are practically unchanged, with 

 the calls for stocks not especially spirited, and 

 with prices relatively easy, though the range 

 of prices is fairly steady. 



Oak is in very good request. No. 2 common 

 bringing acceptable returns. This wood shows 

 a marked improvement in tone, and the gains 

 recently made are being maintained. Oak planks, 

 however, are less active, because of the liberal 

 shipments for foreign points, which serve to 

 make buyers there captious. Ash. chestnut and 

 other woods are moving with comparative free- 

 dom, and prices are either firm or somewhat 

 liigher, with the exception of sound wormy chest- 

 nut, which continues to be the weakest feature 

 in the trade. The offerings are entirely too free 

 for the demand, and the prospects are not en- 

 couraging. 



Exporters as a rule make good reports as to 

 the foreign business. The stocks abroad are ap- 

 parently reduced, and a lively interest is re- 

 flected in the numerous inquiries received here. 

 Man.v of these inquiries result in the placing of 

 orders, and as a consequence the exporters are 

 '^n the hunt for stocks at the mills, which latter 

 are prompted to hold up their prices. As a rule 

 the range of values at the producing end is very 

 firm, with the tendency still toward higher 

 figures. 



CLEVELAND 



There has not bi.M.'n much chanj;;e in the hard- 

 wcod market during the fortnic,ht. Common and 

 quartered oak is holding the attention of the 

 local market, being at present the most sought 

 for hardwoods. Common stock is moving better 

 than was expected, while the call for the com- 

 mon grades of quartered oak is also good. With 

 the automobile trade becoming more active there 

 is an improved demand for wide poplar for body 

 making, much of this stock being used in Cleve- 

 land and vicinity. Mahogany is moving only 

 fairly well, and oiher hardwoods are about sta- 

 tionary. 



COLUMBUS 



Despite the unfavorable wen I her which has 

 prevailed for some time, trade in hardwoods in 

 central Ohio has been good. The volume of 

 Imsinoss has been satisfactory and prices have 

 been well maintained in every variety and grade. 

 I'^actorics engaged in manufacturing furniture, 

 implements and vehicles have been in the mar- 

 ket for a larger stock. The movement of hard- 

 woods is general in all varieties and grades. 

 The best demand is still for the higher grades, 

 but the movement of the lower grades is also 

 good. Prices are strong in every locality. What 

 changes have been made in quotations have been 

 towards higher levels. Collections are easier 

 and there arc no complaints of delays in ship- 

 ments at this time. 



Plain and quartered oak is in good demand. 

 The demand for poplar is increasing as the sea- 

 son advances and prices remain strong. There 



