HARDWOOD RECORD 



59 



sition of any wood sold in this market. The 

 call for Cottonwood is strengthening and 

 prices are firm. The market in plain oak, 

 maple and birch remains unchanged, but 

 prices are firm, while the demand for white 

 ash and cypress is only fair. 



Coffin manufacturers report a fairly good 

 current business and a decided increase in 

 inquiries, but they are buying only sparingly 

 of sound wormy chestnut, their chief line of 

 lumber purchase, and values are showing no 

 enhancement. 



The call for poplar in panel stock for the 

 automobile and delivery wagon trade has im- 

 proved somewhat. 



The one notable feature of the local trade 

 is that there has been a decided improve- 

 ment in the marketing of the lower grades 

 of hardwoods in general. 



There is every confidence that the present 

 period of uncertainty will give place to steady 

 and satisfactory trading in hardwoods as the 

 season advances, but right now with an im- 

 pending new session of an uncertain Con- 

 gress, with equally uncertain legislation, with 

 unsatisfactory weather conditions, with the 

 insurrection playing havoc at our southern 

 border in Mexico, and with the proposed 

 reciprocal measures with Canada still in abey- 

 ance, it is no wonder that the present com- 

 mercial hesitancy prevails. 



Chicago hardwood dealers, in common with 

 all Chicago business men, maintain their 

 full quota of optimism, and there is a firm 

 belief that before the year 1911 is finished it 

 will prove a very good one for the trade. 



NEW YORK 



y 



The hardwood market showji; considerable in- 

 crease in trade with the approach of spring. No 

 big business is offering but the ag:gregate of 

 medium-size orders is fully Tip to expectations, 

 considering the season of the year, and the out- 

 look seems promising for a very fair sprinj: 

 trade. Prices on good grade lumber continue 

 very strong. Stocks in many directions are 

 scarce, which fact is tending to keep prices firm, 

 with a slight upward tendency. The low-grade 

 market is also improving considerably but is 

 not as strong as the good grade branch. How- 

 ever, if the spring demand materializes, as it 

 now seems likely to, the low-grades should re- 

 ceive considerable benefit. The local manu- 

 facturing trade is buying more freely and, 

 while prices on good grade stock militate 

 against large purchases, the general run of 

 trade is satisfactory. The demand at the pres- 

 ent time runs largely to oak, poplar, ash, birch, 

 beech and maple. 



BUFFALO 



Business is rather quiot with most of the local 

 yards, although it is about what many have 

 expected for the season. Prices in the hard- 

 wood trade are keeping firm in spite of the 

 fact that there has not yet started any strong 

 call for lumber. Birch and maple are still 

 strong and manufacturers are not always well 

 supplied when inquiries come In for these two 

 active kinds of lumber. Most of the lumber of 

 good quality of the South and Southwest is 

 scarce and high. Oak, both plain and quar- 

 tered, is in fair demand, the price of the for- 

 mer especially being firm. Chestnut and pop- 

 lai are also in good request at prices about as 

 they have been. Some larger sales of cherry are 

 reported. Other hardwoods are only fairly 

 active. 



PITTSBURG 



business conditions. Bad weather is still hold- 

 ing back building operations to a considerable 

 extent in the outlying industrial towns, where 

 a large amount of house building is assured for 

 the summer. Yards on this account are buy- 

 ing lumber carefully, as they do not intend to 

 stock up heavily until the season appears to 

 demand it. The city yard trade is confined more 

 to furniture and manufacturing stock than to 

 business with the planing mills. In fact, the 

 demaud £ov lumber from manufacturers has been 

 the encouraging feature ot the trade the past 

 two weeks. Furniture manufacturers are look- 

 ing for a good year, as are also the makers of 

 implements, carriages and wagons, and the planls 

 in this vicinity have commenced to take on a 

 heavy stock of good dry lumber. Railroads 

 have encouraged wholesalers the past few days 

 by their inquiries and orders for heavy stock, 

 chiefly bridge timbers. Ties and poles have also 

 been sold to good advaatiige and the demand 

 f(U' these is apparently much better tlian it has 

 been for some two years. Hardwood mills are 

 not piling up stock to any extent, and the trade 

 in general anticipates a good business this spring 

 and summer. 



BOSTON 



Reports relative to the hardwood market 

 continue to vary considerably, so far as the de- 

 mand is concerned. There are dealers in this 

 market who have been favored with a satis- 

 factory volume of new business, while others 

 have encountered a rather moderate volume of 

 orders, and a few still refer to the demand as 

 dull. Asking prices have tended to check the 

 call in some cases, and the fact that so many 

 nianulacturers of hardwood lumber are making 

 offerings direct also lessens the scope of the 

 wholesale dealer. Consuming manufacturers are 

 not buying hardwood lumber of any description 

 with the freedom customary at this time of the 

 year. 



There has been a fair inquiry for jilain oak 

 from the yard trade. The demand has been 

 largely for five-eighths inch stock. Quite a de- 

 mand has developed for plain oak in the straight 

 or comb grain. Considerable of this style is 

 wanted for interior finish. The demand for 

 quartered oak has ruled rather quiet, due in 

 part to the high level of prices. The demand for 

 birch has increased and pi'ices are held with 

 more firmness. Maple is well held. Cypress 

 moves in a moderate way only. 



BALTIMORE 



The trend of affairs .here in hardwood mat- 

 ters is very satisfactory, considering general 



The feeling among the hardwood men of this 

 section is distinctly optimistic. An increase in 

 activity is being noted, which, it is tbouKhr. 

 will soon become more pronounced. No. 2 com- 

 mon oak maintains the gains it has made in 

 price, being called for with comparative fre- 

 quency and in such volume that stocks at the 

 mills are being reduced rather than increased. 

 Of course, at this season of the year millmen 

 have various obstacles to contend with, the 

 roads being in no condition for hauling and 

 operations at times suffering a halt : but not- 

 withstanding these impediments, headway is 

 being made. The furniture factories and other 

 wood-working establishments consuming hard- 

 woods are increasing their requirements and 

 local salesmen have secured a considerable num- 

 ber of orders latel.v. The out-of-town trade is 

 even better. Dealers are reported to be recep- 

 tive and a general disposition exists to augment 

 slocks. The previous depletion of supplies is 

 also to be made good, and the combined effect 

 of these considerations is to impart a degree of 

 buoyancy to the trade which has not been 

 reached for some time. 



Perhaps the only really weak feature is sound 

 wormy chestnut, which continues very low in 

 price. The production of this grade has run 



ahead of the requirements, and an exceptional 

 demand for a curtailment of the output will be 

 necessary to restore the balance. Common pop- 

 lar is about holding its own, with the move- 

 ment of fair proportions. The wide lumber of 

 good grade is relatively easy, owing to the ab- 

 sence of a spirited demand from the automo- 

 bile makers. The foreign outlook is considered 

 very promising. Buyers on the other side are 

 placing orders with comparative freedom and 

 the range of prices is moving up to figures more 

 in harmony with values current here. The 

 competition at points of production for stocks by 

 the exporters serves to give a firm tone to the 

 lumber available for export, and there is every 

 indication that the movement will be upward 

 rather than downward. 



CLEVELAND 



Business with the hardwood dealers in this 

 territory is steadily improving with the approach 

 of spring. An unusually good year of building' 

 operations is looked for. Manufacturing estab- 

 lishments using hardwoods extensively are busy 

 and there is a strong demand from this source. 



Quartered oak is in strongest demand just 

 now. Hardwoods all along the line are strength- 

 ening in price, and some readjustments will 

 probably be made during the spring months. 

 There is a fair call for mahogany and some Cir- 

 cassian walnut is in demand. Other hard- 

 woods remain about as usual. 



COLUMBUS 



Improvement has developed in the hardwood 

 trade in central Ohio during the past fortnight. 

 On the whole, the trade is in excellent condi- 

 tion and the prospects for the future are bright 

 to the extreme. One of the best indications is 

 the better buying en the part of manufacturing 

 establishments. Factories engaged in making 

 furniture, implements and vehicles are in the 

 market for larger stocks. Yards handling hard- 

 woods are also buying better. Prices are firm 

 in all varieties and grades and there appears to 

 lie no overstocking at any point. There are no 

 complaints of car shortage and collections are 

 reported easier in most sections. 



Quartered oak is in fair demand and prices 

 remain firm. There is also a good demand for 

 plain oak and the volume of business is larger 

 than earlier in the year. There is a good, stead.v 

 demand for poplar and firmness rules in all 

 grades. Chestnut is also In good demand. Ash 

 is still a little slow. There is a good demand 

 lor basswood and other hardwoods are un- 

 changed. 



CINCINNATI 



Business in the hardwood market is now ex- 

 pected to become at least satisfactory. Some of 

 the larger concerns report a fair condition of 

 business, while others say that trade is very 

 slow. The reports from the men on the road 

 have been unsatisfactory, and collections have 

 been and are slow. The reports from the hard- 

 wood producing regions tributary to this market 

 show that the log tides in all the rivers have 

 been heavy in February, and the run of logs 

 has been greater than for many years, giving 

 sufficient logs to keep all the mills running 

 steadily through the summer. This will put 

 the stocks of hardwoods available in better 

 shape than has been the case in years. 



Stocks of white quarter-sawed oak are rather 

 light, while plain sawed white oak is scarce. 

 This refers to the top grades, as most of the 

 stuff offered is narrow. Manufacturers of furni- 

 ture and interiors, who are the leading buyers 

 of quarter-sawed oak, are not buying as freely 

 as formerly. The great volume of the transac- 

 tions in the market for oak are in red or red 

 and white mixed, both for quarter-sawed and 



