TO 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



anil northern woods, notably birch and basswood, 

 are in better demand than ever in the past. 



Boston. 



There is no abatement in the strength of the 

 hardwood market. All dealers report a fair 

 inquiry and firm prices. Stocks in the hands of 

 retailers are not large. Consuming manufac- 

 turers have been buying in a fair way. although 

 many have very good sized stocks on hand or 

 bought "to arrive. Furniture manufacturers an' 

 busy. Considerable inconvenience is still caused 

 by the unsatisfactory way railroads are handling 

 freight. While the demand for hardwoods is 

 better in this market than it was a few weeks 

 ago. by far the bulk of the demand is coming 

 from points in New York and Pennsylvania. 



A good demand for oak is found here and high 

 prices are obtainable. Plain oak, one inch, is 

 quoted at $55 to sf.'iT, with sales reported on this 

 basis. Thick stock is also wanted and is com- 

 manding correspondingly high prices. Stocks of 

 oak at mill points are said to be small. Besides 

 a good home demand there is quite a little 

 inquiry for oak for export. There is also a 

 demand for quartered oak for foreign markets. 

 and the home demand for it is of fair propor- 

 tions. A decided scarcity of ash is found. 

 Desirable offerings And a ready market at full 

 asking prices. 



Birch is in very good request and the small 

 offerings of native chestnut find a satisfactory 

 market. Maple is firm and in demand. Cypress 

 at present is moving slowly here, but prices are 

 firmly maintained. Consumers have been satis- 

 fied to buy in lots large enough to supply imme- 

 diate wants, but few have anticipated then- 

 wants to any extent. Whitewood is very firm 

 under a good demand and small offerings of 

 dry stock. 



New York. 



Advancing prices and a firm demand for the 

 better grades of hardwoods continue to be the 

 salient features of the local market. The hard- 

 wood trade of the Metropolitan district is active 

 in all branches and prices are bullish all along 

 the line. The demand is increasing as spring 

 approaches and while buying has been active for 

 the past sixty days, there is a large volume of 

 wants still unsatisfied, which is keeping tho 

 wholesale and manufacturing trade guessing as 

 to how to supply the full wants of the spring 

 trade. The demand for plain oak, ash, birch, 

 beeeh, chestnut, poplar and maple is. free, par- 

 ticularly in the better grades. While there is a 

 greater supply of low grade hardwood, even that 

 is holding firm in price and in some items 

 advances are noted. The car shortage and gen- 

 erally unsatisfactory shipping conditions are 

 holding up deliveries to quite an extent, which, 

 together with the general shortage in dry lumber 

 of the better grades, is handicapping the normal 

 expression of the real volume of business which 

 is offering, hence it simply resolves itself into 

 to the ability tojDuy and the ability to ship as 

 against the question of price. 



Philadelphia, 



There is no material change in the condition 

 of the hardwood market at this time, and though 

 the severe weather during the fortnight has 

 affected somewhat the volume of business the 

 spring-like days ensuing have again started up 

 active buying. Opinions on the status of the 

 railroad service at the mill districts vary accord- 

 ing to .location,. and while some of optimistic 

 turn believe they can see a slight improvement, 

 others claim that not only has there been no 

 betterment noticeable but a considerable aggra- 

 vation, owing to the recent floods in some sec- 

 tions. It is true, in the Pennsylvania mill 

 centers, that a few more cars have been re- 

 ceived, but in the small logging territories goods 

 have been lying for months waiting for cars. 

 The eastern Pennsylvania furniture factories 



keep among the busy concerns and are buying 

 freely. For the first time in years the mills 

 have continued active throughout the winter, 

 and at the present time they have orders on 

 hand to keep them going for months to come. 

 It is apprehended that a continuation of the 

 present favorable weather w-ill cause a rush for 

 material far above immediate supply. 



All values have held firm, while the leading 

 woods, on account of the great scarcity, have 

 commanded exorbitant figures. Ash, basswood, 

 poplar and chestnut are hardest to obtain. Oak 

 of all kinds has been more plentiful, with fixed 

 prices, but the knowing ones predict a rise dur- 

 ing the next thirty to sixty days on account of 

 the great demand for this wood here and abroad. 

 Cherry, birch and maple drag a little, but maple 



11 ing is in good call, with prices steady. 



Gum is in demand with well sustained prices, 

 ami is regarded a valuable substitute for poplar 

 and basswood. if properly treated. Veneer and 

 cigar box lumber keep old standing. 



Baltimore. 



No changes of importance have taken place 

 in the lumber trade of this section during the 

 past two weeks. Stocks are still very much 

 in demand, while the ability of the mills to fur- 

 nish supplies is very limited. They have been 

 hampered more or less in their operations by 

 the bad weather and the condition of the roads, 

 while the car shortage would have interfered 

 with distribution even if no other impediment 

 had presented itself. As a result of the pre- 

 vailing state of affairs the lumber supplies in 

 the hands of producers are very low, while the 

 requirements of the trade have kept up, the 

 result being a rise in values. The tendency is 

 still upward and the range of prices may be 

 expected to remain stiff unless there should be 

 exceptionally heavy offerings in the near future, 

 which is not to be expected. Oak still heads 

 the list, the demand being urgent and the offer- 

 ings relatively small. All the indications point 

 to a continuance of the present advanced values, 

 the competition at points of production being 

 very keen. 



Ash is almost as active and relatively as high 

 in price as oak, while all the other hardwoods 

 are likewise affected by the prevailing situation. 

 Complaints about the ear shortage continue, aud 

 protests to railroad companies are of frequent 

 occurrence. A marked improvement is being re- 

 ported in the export business. The demand 

 from foreign points is increasing, and the Euro- 

 pean buyers have evidently reached the con- 

 clusion, that the range of values here is based 

 upon substantial considerations and that no de- 

 cline is to be looked for in the immediate future. 

 Stocks on the other side of the Atlantic are 

 running low and the supplies from sources other 

 than the- United States are inadequate. This 

 country continues to be the chief source of 

 supply, and the consumers abroad have become 

 decidedly less exacting in their requirements. 

 They seem quite willing now to accept the 

 American inspection, and this has caused a 

 falling off in the number of complaints on the 

 score of insistence upon vexatious conditions. 

 Altogether the prospect is very encouraging. 



Pittsburg. 



Hardwood men are entering upon the spring 

 trade with smiling faces. Stocks are low and 

 mills are running day and night. Prices are 

 very satisfactory. In some lines, notably oak, 

 sound, wormy chestnut and the better grades 

 of poplar, the matter of price is at the seller's 

 option. Buyers must have the lumber to go 

 into factories or to complete contracts on 

 which they have posted heavy forfeits, and 

 it is not for them to say what it shall cost 

 if it is what they want and can be delivered 

 promptly. There are many small buyers in 

 the market who are just now very particular 

 as to the stock they get for factory use and 



they are having their own troubles in getting 

 dealers who can supply them. Among these 

 may be mentioned the furniture factories, 

 many of which are running low on dry stock, 

 the coffin manufacturers, and the novelty 

 works. Local dealers report a brisk trade 

 with all these concerns and say that it is only 

 a scarcity of dry lumber that keeps them 

 from doing a much larger business. 



In spite of firm conditions in the market 

 the hardwood list has not changed materially 

 in the last two weeks in Pittsburg except in 

 the points named above — namely, that for 

 certain woods sellers have the upper hand in 

 naming prices. There is no disposition on 

 the part of hardwood men to force prices up 

 to an exorbitant point, for they recognize 

 that this would be folly such as has often 

 been exemplified in the lumber business. But 

 they are contented to take advantage of sup- 

 ply and demand. 



Saginaw Valley. 



The local market is firm, with no material 

 fluctuations in price during the last two weeks. 

 Stocks in the hands of manufacturers and 

 dealers are comparatively small and the call 

 for lumber is fairly good. The difficulty in 

 obtaining cars has been a serious detriment 

 to the trade this winter, but general condi- 

 tions are nluch improved as compared with 

 last spring. There is an active demand for 

 ash, oak, and basswood. The low grades of 

 nearly all hardwood stocks are going into 

 the box factories. A number of mills, both in 

 the valley and on the lines of the railroads 

 north, are in operation, and when the car 

 famine loosens up there should be a fair 

 rno\ • ment. 



Bristol, Va.-Tenn. 



"Business was never better," is the answer 

 given by nearly all of the lumbermen to the 

 request for information as to trade conditions. 

 The mills are nearly all running and the weather 

 continues tine. Stock is moving rapidly and the 

 car supply, while not what it might be, is 

 fairly satisfactory. 



The lumbermen all prophesy that this spring 

 and summer will see even better business than 

 1900. The output of lumber from this section 

 will be materially augmented by many new 

 mills and new operations. A vast amount of 

 timber land is changing hands aud this is 

 taken to foreshadow increased activity in manu- 

 facturing. 



Cincinnati. 



Tie- general hardwood situation throughout 

 this district and vicinity continues to show 

 strength. Prices are very steady with an up- 

 ward tendency on the better grades, while the 

 tower grades are holding their own nicely. Ash, 

 birch, chestnut aud oak are all selling well, aud 

 the supplies of well-manufactured stock in the 

 better grades are by no meaus plentiful. Offer- 

 ings of the lower grades are larger, but there is 

 no weakness noted in that line. The general 

 situation is most satisfactory, considering pre- 

 vailing conditions. The flood has hampered 

 business slightly, but this will allow lumbermen 

 to put some lumber in stock awaiting the rush 

 of spring which promises to be a record-breaker. 

 Poplar continues to be the best feature in the 

 market, with stock low. Prices are expected to 

 take another rise. A good demand is noted for 

 mahogany and prices are well sustained. 



Chattanooga. 



The market in this city is strong and every- 

 thing in the way of ary stocks of hardwood 

 finds a ready market. Oak is in active de- 

 mand with prices firm and chestnut is also in 

 good call. In fact, all kinds of hardwood in 

 shipping condition are sought for. Building is 



