l-'ebrviHlw 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



61 



t(i iinii-h yi't. When the rut nf 10 cents :in limir ii 

 ainiMiimi'ii tin' im-n tiilkrd of strikiuj;. but thf.v havi 



('iiilirntcis pay was 

 nut done so yet. 



PITTSBURGH 



Things are bouiiiniiif; to look np n vuiy little in llio liiinhvood hiisincss, 

 nltliouRli conditions are a long ways from satisfactory. Some railroail 

 inijuiry is manifest the last week or two. Only one or two large orders. 

 Iiowcver. have been placed. Manufacturing concerns have evidently given 

 their buyers orders not to purchase hardwood until after March 1st or 

 l.'ith. as they apparently think prices will come down still further. In 

 the yard trade there is nothing doing. Inventories of retailers were largei 

 than was expected and as a result and also because of the almost entire 

 lack of Imilding, retail yards are not taking on any more stock at present. 

 The coal mining situation is very slow. For this reason, low and medium 

 liriced hardwood, usually sold to the coal companies, are a drug on the 

 market .just now. All in all, it looks like another month or six weeks 

 before there would be any satisfactory business in the line of good hard- 

 wood lumber. 



BOSTON 



Trade is a little better than it w-as, and a better feeling prevails on the 

 part of some. Others report that it is quite a bit better. There are, how- 

 ever, some wholesalers in Boston who stoutly maintain that trade in hard- 

 woods has not improved. As far as house construction and interior trim 

 fur dwelling houses is concerned, there is no improvement in either 

 demand or inquiry. The building trades' strike, which has lasted tor more 

 than ii month, has completely tied up all building construction of whatever 

 kind ami all repair work in the city and environs, despite several con- 

 ferences between builders and contractors and the union men, in some of 

 which Mayor Peters has takefi a part. The piano people are not very 

 active in the market at present, but it is equally true that they are buying 

 some. A better demand for poplar is noted and also increased inquiry for 

 it. it being considerably used here by machinery manufacturers, as well as 

 by cabinet, specialty box and store fixtures makers. The automobile and 

 truck body people are really not buying anything in this market at the 

 piesent time. Of improved demand noted in this market proi)ably a good 

 third is frt.ni the furniture people, as an analysis of ilail,\' orders received 



fr. 



a few firms the past fortnight shows 



BALTIMORE 



The situation in the hai-dwood tiade lore is muc-li as it has been for 

 some time past, with the difference that at least some members of the 

 trade see an improvement in the inquiry. The number of hardwood men 

 who -have begun to feel that the turn in the tide has been reached, has 

 undergone a notable increase in the last two weeks, and the feeling has 

 now become fairly general. Of course, a large portion of the inquiries do 

 not result in actual business, but quite a number of them bring out orders, 

 and to this extent there is ground for feeling encouraged over the develop- 

 ment. Evidently, quite a number of potential buyers have reached the 

 conclusion that the reaction in prices has proceeded about as far as it 

 will go. and that they cannot well go wrong in making provision for some 

 of their needs, which have been held in abeyance for an indefinite period. 

 In this they would seem to be well advised, for numerous mills are still 

 shut down or are being operated very much under their nornml capacity, 

 so that the additions made to the supplies of lumber are neces-sarily 

 liniiteil. Even in the face of the small distribution stocks have decreased 

 rather than increased, so that with anything like a fair ilemand a positive 

 shortage in assortments is likely to develop. 



COLUMBUS 



There is more strength and activity displayed in the hardwood trade 

 in central Ohio territory during the past fortnight. This is shown by a 

 large increase in the number of inquiries which have been received both 

 from retailers and manufacturing concerns. A distinct improvement in 

 the tone is reported and it is believed that the worst of the slump is over. 

 Optimism is taking the place of pessimism and it is thought that the 

 improvement will be more rapid after the spring building season starts. 



Retail stocks are rather low and dealers are expected to come into the 

 market soon. They are making inquiries as to what items are available 

 and prices asked and a few orders are being placed. But the majority 

 are still playing a waiting game to see what turns up. Building is 

 expected to start earlier than was formerly expected, .ludging from archi- 

 tects and contracts who are busy figuring on construction work. 



Manufacturing concerns are buying in limited <|uantities but many 

 inquiries are received from that source. 



Prices are fairly steady at the levels which have prevailed for some 

 time. The higher grades of oak and poplar are the strongest features. 

 With nmnutacturlng reduced there is a steady reduction in dry stocks 

 and some items are showing scarcity. 



CLEVELAND 



Considerable speculation as to the amount of new small building work. 

 and a good dejil more figuring, is being done by hardwood interests here 

 as February wanes and March approaches. This indicates that while 

 actual orders in any goodly size or number are lacking, inquiries are on 

 the increase, and tends to prove that the beginning of the spring building 

 movement is close at hand. While considerable commercial construction 

 is going on. local hardwood dealers are not getting in on this, the conten- 



VESTAL LUMBER 

 & MFG. COMPANY 



INCORPORATED 



Soft Textured Oak 



Poplar 



Black Walnut 



Tenn. Red Cedar 



KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 



BAND MILLS AT VESTAL 



A SUBURB OF KNOXVILLE 



FONDE, KY. 



:^|||||||||||||||||||iiiiiiiiiiilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllirilllllllllllllllllllic 



I Plain & Qtd. Red & White i 



OAK 



Even 



Soft 



Color AND OTHER Texture 

 HARDWOODS 



MADE (MR) RIGHT 



I OAK FLOORING | 



I PROMPT SHIPMENTS | 



I The MOWBRAY I 



I & ROBINSON CO. I 



^ ( I NCOBPOB ATED I ~ 



I CINCINNATI, OHIO | 



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