February 25, 1921 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



63 



furuiture, then certiiinly tlu- hardwood men are suffering through the hick 

 of housing facilities. 



Figures made public here this week by the St. Louis lumbermen's 

 exchange show that there is no necessity for anyone to hold back from the 

 building of houses due to high prices of lumber of all descriptions, as these 

 prices have returned to near pre-war levels. 



LOUISVILLE 



There is no denying the fact that business in local hardwood circles 

 is dull, and that the trade is feeling a little disheartened over the fact 

 that there has not been much improvement in February, and business right 

 now is not quite as good as it was during the first few days of the month 

 or late January. Orders are for small lots, and one case is reported of a 

 large order taken two weeks ago, which was cancelled by wire on Feb. 22. 

 This would indicate that the buyer lost his nerve. Other buyers are plac- 

 ing orders for small amounts and looking as if they would go ahead and 

 purchase steadily, and then quit again, apparently not having confidence 

 in prices, or in financial arrangements. Collections continue very fair, and 

 there is a little easing in the tinancial market. Poplar and gum are two 

 of the very best bets. Plain oak is fair in white, but dull in red. Quar- 

 tered oak is dull. Walnut is better than it has been, and ash is showing 

 some little improvement. Veneers and panels continue dull and are not 

 showing much just now. Furniture factories are operating part time and 

 buying conservatively. I'roduction is lower than for some weeks, due to 

 bad weather, bad roads and heavy snow. One bright spot is that operators 

 have good dry stocks and are in position to supply a good demand, when 

 it breaks, and that is expected at an early date. 



MILWAUKEE 



While the process of readjustment continues slow and tangible evidence 

 of improvement in business is rather halting in development, nevertheless 

 conditions in the local hardwood market are regarded as being more and 

 more encouraging. The furniture trade is again becoming a factor in the 

 market, and although the volume of purchases remains limited, the situation 

 is growing better steadily and much is expected in the way of a sustenance 

 of demand from this source within the coming four to six weeks. 



Production by mills in the North is increasing, as many concerns are 

 able to resume operations after a temporary suspension since the holiday 

 season by reason of an accumulation of orders. The depletion or ware- 

 house and yard stocks by demand since production was checked, and cur- 

 rent business as well form a requirement which makes possible a con- 

 tinuous run for an indefinite period. 



It is noticeable, however, that woods operations have suffered an ap- 

 preciable curtailment in recent weeks. This is due to a number of causes. 

 In the first place, the winter has been the mildest in many years and it 

 is extremely diflScult to prosecute logging work. In the second place, the 

 condition of business is such that the input already effected is deemed 

 adequate to carry mills along for the time being. There ITas been prac- 

 tically no snowfall, and temperatures have been far above normal, which 

 has retarded especially the transportation of logs from the forests to 

 railways. 



The prices of hardwoods remain steady to firm, although some sales 

 are steadily being made at more or less nominal figures, depending upon 

 the anxiety of producers to move stocks. It is confidently believed that 

 prices will be steadily maintained from this time forward, in view of the 

 slight reduction of groduction costs. Sacrifices, of course, are l>eing made 

 right along to reduce stocks, but there seems to be no particular haste on 

 the part of the larger operators to take deep losses which the views of 

 buyers would make necessary if their bids were accepted. 



BEAUMONT 



Hardwood men in this district are reniaiuing in the optimistic class 

 without being able to point to anything that would justify such a feeling 

 to a great extent. While in the late tall they expectiMl the middle of 

 February to see them well on the way toward normal lomiitions, the mar- 

 ket remains in practically the same condition. The mental attitude of the 

 manufacturers is practically the same and they have another date when 

 conditions will ijiprove. .\11 of these opinions do not coincide, but it would 

 be hard to find a saw mill man in the district but who will say that be is 

 satisfied with the outlook. 



One plausable reason for this condition is the fact that the market for 

 several weeks has been down to a level where further demoralization is 

 practically out of the question. Manufacturers have become accustomed 

 to the situation as it now exists, are successfully weathering the storm, 

 and he has to be an optimist — there Is do place for the pessimist. 



Buying has been very light in all woods, odd thicknesses and higher 

 grades probably moving more freely than anything else. Apparently there 

 is no one thing that will bring about an improvement in conditions, and 

 the future of the industry rests almost entirely on a general resumption 

 of buying and business activity. 



There has been no change in production in this district and unless there 

 is an improvement within the near future it may be further reduced. Hard- 

 wood men have had the most favorable winter logging conditions in years, 

 but have been afraid to pile up stocks at higher labor prices, with the 

 probability that they would be left on their hands during the summer 

 season when there is more danger from damage by worms. 



WISCONSUN OAK 



BROOKS & ROSS LUMBER GO. 



SCHOFIELD, WISCONSIN, {Sales Office and Mill) 



The Tegge Lumber Co, 



High Grade 



Northern and Southern 



Hardwoods and Mahogany 



Specialties 



OAK, MAPLE, CYPRESS, POPLAR 

 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 



JACKSON & TINDLE 



INCORPORATED 



Sales Office 

 GR.-VND RAPIDS, MICH. 



Main Office 

 BUFFALO, N. Y. 



Complete stock of 



Dry Northern Hardwoods 



HARD MAPLE 

 SOFT MAPLE 

 BASSWOOD 



BIRCH 



BEECH 



ELM 



UP-TO-DATE BAND MILLS Now OPERAT- 

 ING at PELLSTON and MUNISING. MICH. 



LIVERPOOL 



Except for the arrival of small shipments of mahogany, hardwood import 

 has in general been unimportant for the past fifteen days. There is very 

 little business of any kind in lumber. Consumption is very light, due 

 chiefly to the lethargic state of the cabinet industry. 



The use of English oak i^ being further promoted by the difficulties and 

 increased cost of obtaining oak from the states, particularly in plank form. 

 There is little demand, however, for native oak from the cabinet indus- 

 tries, or even for joinery work, but it is being largely utilized in construc- 

 tion work. 



An increase in inquiries for hardwoods is noted, and in general the tone 

 is improved, and the wave of depression seems to be giving way to a 

 tendency to carry on. Values of hardwoods continue moderately firm, and 

 it is hoped that the enterprise of consumers will soon result in much better 

 conditions. 



