56 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Over 



One Million Dollars 



111 sa\in,n.- Iia^ luen returned its members by the 



Manufacturing 

 Lumbermen's Underwriters 



and there remains to the credit of members over 



Eight Hundred Thousand 

 Dollars 



The membersiiip. which is constantly increasing, 

 is now composed of over four hundred of the best 

 saw mill plants in the country. Insurance in force 

 exceeds thirty-one million and nearly three million 

 dollars has been paid in losses. If you have a first- 

 class plant adequately protected and are interested 

 in low cost fire insurance, correct policy forms, an 

 inspection service which may save you from, a dis- 

 astrous fire, with the certainty of a prompt and 

 equitable adjustment in case loss does occur, and 

 wish a list of members and annual statement we will 

 be glad to hear from you. 



Rankin-Benedict Underwriting Co. 



HARRY B. CLARK 



^Veste^n Representative 



Portland, Ore. 



Attorney in Fact 



KANSAS CITY, MO. 



WANTED 



All Kinds of High-Grade 



HARDWOODS 



S. E. SLAYMAKER & CO. 



Representins 



WnST VIRGINIA SPRUCE LUMBER CO., 



Cass, West Tirginia. 



Fifth Avenue Buil<linKi 

 NEW YORK 



a desire for good Ijusiness, aad consequently seems to be in order. For 

 one thing, the fact that big business has ceased to fear untoward develop- 

 ments In the policy of the national administration is maliing for general 

 conlidence. For another, the winter wheat crop appears to be safe, and 

 a good foundation for early season business is therefore laid. The furni- 

 ture shows, it is true, did not produce as much business as usual, but 

 this is being rapidly made up for by post-exhibition orders. The manu- 

 facturers are really getting tired of so many furniture shows, and the 

 unsatisfactory results are rather welcomed as showing the need for a 

 change in the method of handling the business. January hardwood trade 

 in this market was a good deal less than was handled in the big month 

 III' January, 1913, of course, but February has been pretty close to normal. 

 March is expected to show considerable life, and if demand does not 

 iHjcome much more active next month, the lumbermen will miss their pre- 

 dictions. 



=-< MILWAUKEE y 



The Tegge Lumber Co. 



High Grade 



Northern and Southern 



Hardwoods and Mahogany 



Specialties 



OAK, MAPLE, CYPRESS, POPLAR 

 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 



Wholesale lumbermen met with a decided increase in business last week, 

 as a result of the liiieral orders placed by dealers who were in the city 

 to attend the annual convention of the Wisconsin Retail Lumber Deal- 

 ers' Association. There was an optimistic feeling among the dealers 

 present, which was reflected in the manner in which orders were placed 

 for spring stocks. The general impression was conveyed that stocks In 

 most retail yards are light and that it will be necessary for dealers 

 to order rather freely i£ they expect to be in readiness for the spring 

 trade. Wholesalers have been impressing upon dealers the fact that there 

 is no better time to order than at the present, before stocks are decreased 

 further and before prices advance. Local manufacturing concerns are 

 taking more interest In the market and are making good inquiries, but 

 the sash and door, interior woodwork and other factories are not buying 

 as freely as jobbers would like to see them. There is still a tendency on 

 the part of the factory trade to buy only enough to meet present require- 

 ments. Stocks on band at most of these concerns are light, however, and 

 it is only a matter of time Irefore a better business will be secured from 

 this source. 



Hardwood prices are holding firm and there is an upward tendency 

 iu most northern lines, especially in birch and maple. The general im- 

 pression is that there will be a shortage of available dry stocks before 

 the spring rush is over with and this is a strong factor in keeping up 

 prices. It seems to be making its influence felt, even on southern hard- 

 woods. Low-grade hardwoods are in better demand, as the result of 

 more activity on the part of local box manufacturers. 



A decided decrease in the cut of northern hardwood is anticipated this 

 season, due to the late arrival of winter weather. There has been plenty 

 of cold weather and snow all over the northern lumber country since the 

 first of February, and jobbers and lumbermen have been giving their 

 entire attention to the work of getting their logs to the sidings, while 

 hauling conditions are favorable. Logging camps were opened earlier 

 than usual last fall, but logs piled up when winter weather failed to 

 arrive and cutting has been suspended in many localities. Stocks were 

 rather badly reduced during the past season and it was anticipated that 

 the log output would be large and it undoubtedly would have been larger 

 than in several years had the weather conditions been favorable. 



February, up to the present time, has shown a remarkable increase 

 in the building activity in Milwaukee. Up to the middle of the month 

 there had been issued 56 permits for the erection of buildings to cost 

 .fl.55,177, as compared with 31 permits for structures costing only $42,760 

 during the corresponding period in 1913. 



-^LIVERPOOLy- 



'J'be market for hardwood lumber has been exceedingly quiet and seldom 

 have legitimate dealers here experienced such bad times. Prices ruling 

 for stock are lower than they can profitably be imported at. Consign- 

 ment shipments still continue very heavy and as one wit put it "we can 

 only assume that shippers have not lost all their money yet." It would 

 sppm, however, to outside observers that some shippers were trying their 

 lirst to pour some of their superfluous cash into the melting pot. Hickory 

 lin>' been the worst spot. A shipment of 2,000 logs was recently brought 

 in. closely followed by another shipment of over SOO logs. Could any- 

 thing be more foolish? Where is the buyer who is going to handle 2,000 

 logs in one line? If the shipments had been spread over the season the 

 market could have swallowed the amount with ease, but tactics of this 

 kind frighten buj'ers away. How can dealers here be expected to make 

 contracts at profitable prices to shippers when there is the danger that 

 big consignment shipments will compete with their stock at pence below 

 the proper price. 



The mahogany position is also weak. There have never been so many 

 logs on the Liverpool quays as there have been during the past fort- 

 night. Judging from the reported demand and the existed supply at 

 recent sales mahogany values cannot be expected to keep on the present 

 level, and general opinion among keen observers here seems to favor a 

 considerable reduction. Round ash is one of the firmest spots, though 

 here again dealers are threatened with heavy consignment shipments 

 which would soon knock the bottom out of the market. Quartered oak 

 is one of the firmest markets. Shipments of rock elm would also be 

 favorably received. Wagon oak is very weak. 



