January 10, 1919 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



49 



year this company and all firms doing their own loading wrro overwhelmed 

 with logs. This represents a shortage of more than eighty per cent com- 

 pared with last year and shows how serious the shortage of logs <-on- 

 fronting mills throughout the southern field really is. This company loaded 

 1000 to 1100 cars of logs during December, 191S, which was w?ll above its • 

 record in 1917, but this increase is attributed entirely to difference in 

 weather conditions. In December, 191S, there was almost no interruption. 

 In December, 1917, the ground was covered with sleet, ice and snow to 

 unusual depth. 



Logging just now, according to all reports, is making exceedingly slow 

 progress. Many Arms are attempting to do nothing at all. Others are 

 trying but are making comparatively little headway. "There are very 

 few logs coming out,'* remarked >Ir. Dickson. "The weather is such that 

 little progress can be made in cutting and hauling timber to the rights 

 of way of railroads for some time. There will probably be short periods 

 when headway can be made. But the point I am emphasizing is this : 

 There can be no successful general pi'ogress made with logging operations 

 until well into the spring and in the meantime mills must do the best 

 they can with the logs that are available. We are being offered very few 

 logs for loading and indications are that the bulk of the timber now 

 ottered will be loaded and cleared out of the way within the next thirty 

 days." 



Production of southern hardwoods is well below the average for this time 

 of the year. The shortage of logs is one trouble. Scarcity of labor is 

 another. Indisposition of manufacturers who are carrying full stocks to 

 produce more lumber now, pending developments in the general situation, 

 is still another. But the outstanding fact about production is that it is 

 below normal and that, if an attempt is made to increase it substantially, 

 it cannot be done for the reason that the logs are not ready for immediate 

 delivery to the mills. This is the way members of the trade here see it, 

 and they do not believe there will be much, if any increase, in hardwood 

 I)roducti<jn within the next sixty to ninety days. 



There is comparatively limited demand for southern hardwoods at the 

 moment. There is some business in oak, ash, gum and other staple items. 

 But the call is far from insistent and buyers are displaying no aggressive- 

 ness thus far. Holders are generally indisposed to make concessions, and 

 frankly say they cannot make these without running themselves into actual 

 loss. They point to the big cost of putting their lumber on sticks and to 

 the fact that it is costing just about as much now to manufacture lumber 

 as at any time within the past year. There is a disposition to anticipate 

 material increase in demand as the new year progresses. Almost every- 

 body is agreed that there will be an increase. Some believe it will come 

 in the next several weeks. Others think it may be delayed for sixty to 

 ninety days. But it is believed that the increase will come and that with 

 it will be weU maintained prices. 



The transportation situation is better now than for years at this time. 

 This Is due in part to the ending of the war and to government control. 

 It is regarded as due primarily, however, to the fact that lumber itself is 

 not offered to the roads in anything like the volume it is usually offered 

 in mid-winter. In fact, the transportation situation Is bettered, from the 

 standpoint of lumber interests, by their very failure to offer a normal 

 quantity of stock for handling. 



=■< LOUISVILLE y- 



The general hardwood market is in very good shape, and prices an* 

 being well maintained, due partly to the fact that production has not 

 been especially heavy in the South, and there has been a fair demand 

 for cabinet woods. Oak, ash, hickory, beech, walnut, poplar and several 

 other woods are all showing some demand, although thick stocks are not 

 moving as freely as they were. There is a fair demand for inch plain as 

 well as quartered oak. Ash is moving to the auto trade, and tiickory is 

 in demand for wheel manufacturers. A little beech is going to the chair 

 trade. Veneers and fancy hardwoods such as walnut and mahogany 

 are moving very well to the musical instrument trade, which is at present 

 far behind on orders, especially talking machines. Retailers all over 

 the country oversold on Christmas talking machine business, while the 

 piano trade also had a big inning. The walnut market has had its hands 

 full in disposing of low grades which piled up during the period that 

 manufacturers were cutting gun stocks and airplane stocks, with the 

 result that the market is fairly well loaded with low grades. However, 

 an active demand on high grades and veneers is expected to develop as 

 the furniture trade and cabinet manufacturers get back to a normal 

 stand. 



=-< BEAUMONT >-= 



Sufficient time has not elapsed since invoicing to create any appreciable 

 change in the hardwood market with the exception that inquiries have 

 become more numerous and that the mills are steadily holding to what is 

 considered established prices. Offers to accept shipments at a lower rate 

 have steadfastly been refused and the mill men claim that the low stocks 

 and the demand bound to come will not only stiffen prices, but probably 

 cause a slight advance. 



Inquiries at hand indicate that the demand for oak will exceed all other 

 hardwoods for the present time, with gum a close second. The inquiries, 

 .however, cover all stocks. 



The abatement of the influenza wave has enabled practically all the 



SERVICE 



FIRE INSURANCE SERVICE 

 AND PROTECTION 



Davis Service was organized to furnish to 

 lumbermen in every branch of the trade com- 

 plete and immediate protection for buildings, 

 equipment and stocks. No matter how many 

 yards and plants you have, nor where they 

 are located, v^e can cover you. 



The value of Davis Service consists in the 

 fact that your insurance is placed at one time 

 on all your risks, through one office, which 

 acts as your fire insurance clearing house 

 and insures full coverage everywhere all the 

 time. 



Let our Engineering Department show you 

 how to reduce the cost of your fire insurance. 



Full Coverage, Correct Forms, Lowest Rates 



A. J. DAVIS & CO. 



Speeiatists in Lumber Firm Insuranc* 



[nsurance Exchange, 



Chicago 



SAVE YOUR MONEY BY USING THE 



RED BOOK 



Published semi-annually 

 in February and August 



It conUins a carefully prepared list of the buyert tf lum- 

 ber in car lots, both among the dealers and manufacturera. 



The book indicates their financial standing and manner 

 •f meeting obligations. Covers the United States, Alberta, 

 Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The trade recognizes this 

 book as the aut*:ority on the lino it covers. 



A well organized Collection Department Is also oper- 

 ated and the eamo la open to you. Write for terms. 



Lumbermen's Credit Association 



6M So. Dearborn Street ir,^...„ «,i,j n ._ 

 CHICAGO Mention Thi» Paper 



E*ub. 

 1878 



55 Joha StrMt 

 NEW YORK CITY 



mills to resume operations with full crews, but the continuous rains have 

 seriously retarded logging operations. 



=< MILWAUKEE >>: 



As usual, hardwood trade during the early days of the New Year is 

 quiet and doubtless will continue so until the Inventory period is past 

 and manufacturers and other consumers have definitely settled upon their 

 requirements. A broad industrial demand Is expected to develop with 

 the resumption of the manufacture of furniture, cabinets, talking machines 

 and pianos and similar merchandise requiring the better grades of hard- 

 wood and veneers. The box and crating trade also is expected to be 

 enlivened shortly. 



In some sections of the North, there is plenty of help, both for logging 

 camps and mills. In others, however, complaint still Is heard over the 

 lack of men. This condition probably will be relieved within the next 

 tew weeks, since some industries in the centers of population will release 

 some men who have been retained up to the end of the year to finish up 

 various contracts and are no longer needed. Logging conditions have 

 improved greatly since January 1 by reason of a severe cold snap and 

 some snow. 



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



