December 25, 191T 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



47 



Id the futuri'. The past year has brought a mixture of good business 

 and of bad. It brought radical changes, the substitution of many now 

 markets. (oUonlng the elimination or curtailment of normal movements. 

 The course of business done, however, has been good and lumber concerns 

 close their books with records for the most part of a prosperous twelve 

 months. The feeling locally Is that factory curtailment may continue 

 after the first of the year, especially with difficulties In shipments and all 

 realize that the big flght will be to get lumber through. There Is not any 

 definite promise of extended factory requirements but Chicago the lum- 

 ber clearing house Is doing its share to fill newly developing needs for 

 lumber, particularly as they come from the manufacturers of accessories 

 to indirect war work. Local prices hold well and promise well for the 

 futiirr. 



:< PITTSBURGH >-= 



Wholesalers in hardwoods arc doing n very good business with industrial 

 and manufacturing concerns, which have great trouble in getting the lum- 

 ber delivered. Embargoes prevail everywhere and priority orders only 

 add to the troubles of shippers. Hardwood mills in tri-state territory do 

 not have large amounts of stock on hand. Many of them l»ave been 

 handicapped by a lack of men and teams, while others find shipping con- 

 ditions so had that they are not stocking up with lumber. The furniture 

 buyers are pretty nearly out of the market. Furniture trade is reported 

 to be very dull. Manufacturers are not buying because wholesalers and 

 retailers are not selling, and In the final analysis because the ordinary 

 family can get along without furniture for the present. Desk manufac- 

 turers are doing a big business and manufacturers of chairs and cheap 

 furniture arc fairly active. Plate glass manufacturers are out of the 

 market. There is very little buying on the part of automobile concerns, 

 due to the fact that the production of pleasure cars will probably be cut 

 down more than one-half next year. Yard trade is very dull this month 

 because of inventory. 



=■< BOSTON >-= 



The holiday season, closing of accounts, a very early and severe start 

 of winter may now be added to the already well known obstacles to busi- 

 ness in New England. The gross result of all factors disclosed no argu- 

 ment for reducing prices to get business, and evidently this is a general 

 belief by all holders, quotations being In fact firm to very high, according 

 to immpdiate conditions. 



.< BALTIMORE >-- 



The holiday season is at hand, and with it has come the quiet that 

 usually prevails at such time. Even the hardwood men who have 

 been optimistic in their views until now, admit that the movement has 

 begun to narrow, and It is generally conceded that the general situation 

 presents a decidedly uncertain aspect. It would probably be quite pos- 

 sible for a dealer to get enough orders to keep him going full time, but 

 the business Is more than ever complicated by freight embargoes, lack of 

 cars and government regulations which make It very difficult to get cars 

 or permits, or to have the cars moved If they happen to be forthcoming. 

 In addition, the severe weather of the last two weeks has interfered 

 seriously with operations at the mills. Some of the plants have shut 

 down altogether, while others have been working at greatly reduced rates 

 with the result that the output of hardwoods is materially reduced. 

 All this would naturally tend to stimulate the Inquiry for hardwoods if it 

 were not for the disturbed conditions due to the war. Apart from all 

 this, however, the approach of the end of the year makes for delibera- 

 tion, if not for actual holding back, and the volume of business done may 

 be expected to show no impressive proportions. As for the returns, they 

 are good enough. So far as the lower grades arc concerned, they have 

 undergone a further advance, a development directly traceable to the 

 calls for enormous quantities of lumber suitable for boxes. So great is 

 this demand that the woods ordinarily used for the purpose no longer 

 suffice, and various other species are Included In the Inquiry. These 

 woods are gum, poplar, cypress, birch and even basswood. The low- 

 grades of all of these are sought with much freedom, and as a conse- 

 quence of the enormous government requirements of packing boxes In 

 which to ship military supplies abroad as well as to distribute such sup- 

 plies In this country, these box grades receive a measure of preference 

 on the railroads, so that the business of supplying the lumber possesses 

 certain advantages. The hardwood men, of course, are making every 

 effort to aid the government, though as far as the higher grades are con- 

 cerned, they are less affected by the war than other divisions of the 

 trade. 



On the whole, good feeling prevails among the hardwood men and 

 they are looking to the future with confidence. They never have much 

 business ahead, but new orders come out In sufficient volume to keep 

 them going. Not a few of the dealers, consequently, are quite ready to 

 take up desirable stocks whenever they reach the market. These dealers 

 take the view that the offerings later on may be still smaller than they 

 are now, and that there is little prospect of an Improvement In general 

 conditions. Consequently, they want to be In a position to take care of 

 future wants. 



E. A. Mercadal Lumber Co. 



WHOLESALE AND COMMISSION 



953 National Life Bldg., CHICAGO 



Northern Hardwoods Southern Hardwoods 



3 cars 8/4 No. 1 Com. & 



Better Birch 

 2 cars 6/4 No. 1 Com. & 



Better Birch 

 5 cars 1" No. 3 Maple 

 1 car 1" No. 2 Birch 

 1 car 6/4 No. 2 Com. Oak 

 1 car 4/4 No. 2 Com. Oak 



1 car 4/4 Fas Tupelo Guni 



1 car 4/4 No. 1 Common 



Tupelo Gum 



2 cars No. 2 Merchantable 



Hemlock 

 2 cars 1x4 Merchantable 



Hemlock Strips 

 1 car 1" Fas Bcuswood 



Strips 



Jackson & Tindle 



ELM and BIRCH 



4/4 to 12/4 All Grades 



Well assorted stock 



4/4, S/4, 6/4, & 8/4 No. 3 

 Hardwood 



IMUls at PELLSTON, MICH. 

 MUNISING. MICH. 

 JACKSONBORO, ONT 



Main Office 



BUFFALO, N. Y. 



Send your inquiries to 



SALES OFFICE: 303-304 Murray Building 

 Grand Rapids, Mich. 



CINCINNATI 



Hardwood Manufacturers and Jobbers 



OHIO VENEER COMPANY 

 Manufacturers & Importers FOREIGN VENEERS 



2624-34 COLERAIN AVENUE 



C. CRANE & COMPANY 



Manufacturers of Hardwood Lumber, Oak & Poplar especially 



Our location makfts poulbU aulcit delivery of anyttilns In timber and hardwood 



lumber 



The Tegge Lumber Co! 



High Grade 



Northern and Southern 



Hardwoods and Mahogany 



Specialties 



OAK. MAPLE, CYPRESS, POPLAR 

 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 



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



