May 25. ir»17 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



41 



have advanced and the sellers are aide to obtain attractive returns on lum- 

 ber they can supply. It is chiefly a case of being able to get lumber, the 

 price being a secondary consideration so long as it is not out of all reason. 

 Inquiries for stocks are numerous and urgent. Users of hardwoods who 

 placed orders some time ago are insistent in their calls for delivery, having 

 used up their previous surplus. But efforts to get the railroads to move 

 shipments meet with very indifferent results, if they have any effect at all. 

 Cars are weeks or months in transit, and the situation seems to be getting 

 worse. From Norfolk comes the cheering information that the committee 

 to be stationed there to expedite the forwarding of cars up the peninsula 

 was to resume its sessions last Wednesday, and almost at the same time 

 was received the disconcerting news from New York that the representa- 

 tive of the Pennsylvania there would allow only about twenty cars of pop- 

 lar a week to come in. This quantity, members of the trade point out, is 

 so utterly insignificant as not to meet the situation at all. The mills find 

 it difficult to get labor. Much of the labor of the South has been diverted 

 north to work in the munition factories and other establishments at rela- 

 tively high wages, and the lumber mills, which cannot afford to meet the 

 competition, experience serious shortage. 



Advances of from $2 to $5 per 1,000 feet have been made 5ately in prices, 

 and there is no certainty that the quotations will remain there. The fig- 

 ures are advanced every few days, and price lists are of no value at present, 

 a condition which has resulted in the withdrawal of many of them. One 

 thing is certain : The hardwood man who possessed the foresight to lay 

 in large stocks last year is reaping large benefits, and is able to hold out for 

 advances which will yield very handsome rates of interest on his invest- 

 ment. The foreign situation has undergone no changes. Shipping facili- 

 ties are restricted as before, and the freight rates on steamers are all but pro- 

 hibitive, being around $3 per 100 pounds to Liverpool with other ports in 



proportion. 



■<, CLEVELAND >■ 



Cleveland lumber business is again normal as the result of virtual peace 

 in the building trades. Demand for all hardwoods is exceptionally good, 

 especially for oak flooring anil gum lumber. 



Freight service has Increased slightly — that is, hardwood jobbers report 

 that as much as two-thirds of their normal shipments are getting through. 

 All shippers and dealers are protecting themselves against proposed in- 

 creases in freight rates, which are looked for by some as early as June 1. 

 Advanced freight rates will cause advances approximately as follows : $1 

 per thousand on red cedar siding : 25 cents on red cedar shingles ; 50 cents 

 on Idaho lath : 25 cents on Canadian lath ; 50 cents on maple flooring, and 

 75 cents on West Virginia hardwoods. No. 1 oak flooring is hard to get and 

 advancing, as is also maple flooring. Cars in transit are still in demand. 



In practically every line the market is strong and the tendency is up- 

 ward. 



=-< COLUMBUS > 



strength is the chief feature of the hardwood trade In Columbus terri- 

 tory. Buying on the part of retailers and factories continues brisk. 

 The only difficulty at this time is the inability to make shipmeuts promptly. 

 Thousands and even millions of feet of hardwoods are lying at the mills 

 awaiting movement to the North, on orders, which were booked weeks 

 ago. The tone of the market is generally satisfactorj- and higher prices 

 are confidently expected for the future. 



Retail stocks are only fair and quite a few of the dealers are making 

 strenuous efforts to accumulate stocks in view of the expected summer 

 rush. Building operations are not so active as formerly, due to higher 

 prices of materials. But there are quite a few building projects going 

 ahead and others are being planned. Rural dealers are especially short 

 of stocks at this time. 



Factories making boxes and furniture are good customers and the 

 same- is true of implement concerns. Factories are buying only for the 

 present as they are loathe to accumulate much surplus stocks under 

 present conditions. Prices are inclined to advance and premiums are 

 freely offered where deliveries can be assured. It is not a question of 

 price at this time so much as promise to deliver in a week or two. Collec- 

 tions are rather good. 



Quartered oak is one of the strongest points and plain oak is also in 

 good demand. There is a good demand for poplar stocks of all sizes. 

 Chestnut, ash, basswood, and other hardwoods are strong and in good 

 demand. 



=-< CINCINNATI y 



PUZZLE 



WHERE AAE THE NARROW BOAR03T 



PAVSON-SMITH LBR^. CO. 



MINNCAPOL^. MINN. 



With a noticeable gain in evidence throughout the hardwood market 

 in this section, local lumbermen are Inclined to take a more optimistic 

 view of the situation. True, the spring building season has not been up 

 to expectations but some items have shown enough strength under 

 adverse conditions to warrant a prophecy of better times during the 

 summer and early fall months. Oak in particular has held up remarkably 

 well and continues to lead the list in sales. Stocks are in bad shape for 

 the most part, some items are very scarce and in other cases depleted, 

 and it is very difficult to meet demands v. ith any degree of certainty or 

 regularity. This has had the effect of giving the market a rather spotty 

 appearance. The values of practically all grades of choice stock have 

 advanced considerably during the past few weeks, but little benefit is 

 being derived generally from the advance owing to the uncertainty and 



DRY STOCK 



PLAIN RED OAK 



4 cars. .3/4 No. 1 Com. & Bet. 



5 cars. . 3/4 No. 1 & No. 2 Cora. 

 10 cars 4/4 No. 1 Common 



5 cars 4/4 No. 2 Common 



PLAIN WHITE OAK 



5 cars 4/4 FAS 



5 cars. . . .4/4 No. 1 Common 



5 cars. . . .4/4 No. 2 Common 



5 cars. .5/4 No. 1 Com. & Bet. 

 .5 cars .... 8/4 No. 1 Common 

 3 cars 8 '4 No. 2 Common 



QUARTERED WHITE OAK 



2 cars 4/4 FAS 



2 cars. . . .4/4 No. 1 Common 



6 cars 6 '4 FAS 



// orders sent gtiick, 

 CAN SHIP QUICK 



Payson Smith Lumber Co. 



MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 



CHICAGO OFFICE 

 1665 Old Colony Bldg. J. C. Moffat, Rep. 



DETROIT OFFICE 

 Henry Clay Hotel. P. M. Youngblood, Rep. 



BEAUTIFUL 



WE MEAN THE OAK NOT THE aiAII 



PAYSON-SMITH LBR. CO. 



MINNEAPOLIS. MINN. 



The following stock is in excellent 

 condition, ready for immediate shipment 



4/4 No. 3 Elm & Ash 24,000 



5/4 No. 3 Elm & Ash 35,000 



6/4 No. 3 Elm & Ash 74,000 



8/4 No. 3 Elm & Ash 3,000 



4/4 No. 1 & Btr. Birch 51,000 



4/4 No. 2 Birch 250,000 



4/4 No. 3 Birch 202,000 



5/4 No. 3 Birch 28,000 



4/4 No. 3 Basswood 25,000 



6/4 No. 3 Birch 8,000 



4/4 No. 3 Maple 1,000,000 



5/4 No. 3 Maple 387,000 



Ideal 



Hardwood 



Sawmill 



Are putting In pile every month 

 two and one.half million feet of 

 choicest Northern Michigan Hardwoods 



Stack Lumber Company 



Masonville, Michigan 



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



