October 25. 191S 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



47 



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The Hardwood Market 



-< CHICAGO >• 



The Chicago trade is getting more or less accustomed to the cmliargo 

 and is linding ways and means of handling the gear so that permits are 

 coming along more smoothly. At the same time the trade is falling into 

 a more or less acceptance of the desirability of spending the major effort 

 on cleaning up odds and ends and in developing war business as it appears. 

 The general verdict here is that trade is rather slack and will pretty much 

 continue in the usual line. At the same time there is a consistent con- 

 tinuing strength in prices, no very startling quantities of lumber being 

 offered. 



=•< BUFFALO >= 



The hardwood trade is quiet, the railroad embargo having cheeked a 

 good deal of buying. Some business is being done under permits, but it 

 is much below the normal. Dealers have found it fairly easy to get per- 

 mits, though the delays involved are considerable, and it is hoped that 

 some better method of granting permits may be worked out. While the 

 loan campaign has been on trade has naturally shown some diminution. 

 The influenza epidemic has also had a detrimental effect. War orders have 

 continued to make up the great bulk of the orders. 



The talk of the war ending soon has led to a good deal of discussion 

 as to the future of trade. Dealers expect that a good deal of readjust- 

 ment will be necessary during the next few months, and they are hopeful 

 that regular lines of business will soon be in the market again. As it is 

 scarcely anything is being done in the building or furniture lines, while 

 an abnormal trade is being done in lines which before long will not be so 

 active. Confidence is felt that hardwoods are going to be wanted in large 

 quantities and that prices will continue strong. 



= < PITTSBURGH >-. 



Hardwood men are feeling pretty blue. They miss the automobile trade 

 especially. They also feel the lack of business from the furniture con- 

 cerns. These two lines have always been big features for the Pittsburgh 

 wholesaler. Railroad trade is very indifferent, except for white oak, and 

 yard demand is almost unheard of. As a result the market in general 

 lags badly. Prices are fairly well held because production at the mills 

 is only about 50 per cent of normal on account of labor conditions. Whoh'- 

 salers say that if the mills were producing anything like their full output 

 prices would drop with a thud. Mining operations arc slightly better 

 and a fair amount of lumber is being sold for this purpose. 



-.-<, BOSTON >.= 



The hardwood trade of this district, while deeply settled into war work, 

 shows an unexpected demand for domestic work. The inquiries of the 

 latter nature are numerous but not large, and taken with the heavy mili- 

 tary, naval and marine requirements, available stocks are being kept at a 

 low ebb. Transportation conditions are considerably improved, as both 

 single^road and Car Service Section permits are obtainable locally and 

 are being granted freely at the present moment. 



-< BALTIMORE >•= 



Hardwood trade conditions continue to be in fair shape, with the inquiry 

 sufficiently large to take up stocks in quantities that prevent troublesome 

 accumulations, and with the range of prices high enough to insure 

 attractive returns. It cannot be said that further increases have taken 

 place of late, but recessions of a material sort have also been avoided, 

 and such business as can be done yields very acceptable margins of profit. 

 Information from the mills, especially those in the far South, is to the 

 effect that the manufacturers show much concern as to the future, being 

 utterly unable to read the signs of the times, and feeling that no trust- 

 worthy forecasts are possible. Some of the plants are shut down, while 

 others operate at reduced capacity, which naturally serves to impart firm- 

 ness to the list of prices. Labor is scarce and very expensive. Doubt 

 prevails as to length of time such a condition may be expected to con- 

 tinue. Announcement of freight embargoes caused many of the producers 

 to feel rather blue as to distribution, and the readjustment of indus- 

 tries to meet war needs has done much to upset markets as far as the 

 demand is concerned. None of the elements of uncertainty has been 

 eliminated of late ; they may even be said to have become more pronounced. 

 Buyers would be receptive enough if they were able to calculate with the 

 future to any degree, but the absence of all reliable indications imposes 

 caution as far as entering into commitments is concerned, while the pro- 

 ducers, for their part, are disposed to go slow on account of the general 

 business situation, which makes for conservatism. The hesitancy is per- 

 haps more pronounced now than it has been because of the indications 

 that^ the war is m-aring its end. Thus, while war conditions <;innot 

 be counted upon to continue for any length of time, the means of estimat- 

 ing what to expect with the country on a peace basis are still too meager 

 to serve as a foundation for positive conclusions. It is the period of 

 greatest uncertainty with the exception of the first days or weeks after 



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SHOOT IT AT US | 



Your Inquiry for 



4/4 to 8/4 Plain Red and White Oak. | 



4/4 to 12/4 Cypress. j 



4/4 and 5/4 Gum. ! 



4/4 to 12/4 Ash. I 



6/4 to 1 0/4 Hickory. I 



6/4 and thicker | 



Oak and Hickory Dimension Stock | 



LET us DEMONSTRATE THE t 



REAL MEANING OF SERVICE S 



Memphis Hardwood 

 Flooring Company 



AMERICAN LUMBER 

 & MFG. COMPANY 



PITTSBURGH 



PENNSYLVANIA 



Exclusive Selling Agents 



Lenox Saw Mill Company 



Lenox, Ky. 



PRODUCERS OF 



LtiftJ A ^mf LumDcK 



SOFT ▼ TEXTURE 



WHITE OAK and POPLAR 



AH Three of Us Will Be Benefited if You Mention HARDWOOD RECORD 



