HARDWOOD RECORD 



particular), gum, and in a lesser degree plain-sawed eastern oak, owe » * 



their depression to other than general causes. Indications point to an ^* 



inherent strength in nearly every item which will be promplly realized ^ 

 as soon as the present suspension of business is removed. 



E N E E R 



< BALTIMORE >■= 



That the hardwood trade does not show improvement under existing 

 conditions will excite no surprise, but to assume that any decided setback 

 has occurred would be erroneous. All things considered, the demand for 

 hardwoods is far more active than might be supposed, and there are a 

 numlier of wholesalers and producers who say not only that they have 

 been holding their own, but that the demand is better in certain direc- 

 tions. It is common enough to and Arms and corporations which state 

 that they are doing better this month than they did in .Tuly, and what 

 this means for the vitality of the business can be readily realized. The 

 furniture manufacturers report that they are doing more than earlier in 

 the summer, and that of late they have experienced an appreciable gain 

 in the volume o£ their trade. As a consequence they are induced to 

 place orders for stocks with greater freedom, so that the temporary 

 diminution in the export movement is at least in part made up. In a 

 general way it is to be said that orders are more numerous, but the 

 average call is for smaller quantities, which Indicates that the buyers 

 actually need the lumber but do not want to lay in larger supplies than 

 they have immediate use for. 



Prices in the domestic market are about holding their own. Here and 

 there accumulations at the mills are being noted, but they do not appear 

 to be of troublesome proportions, so that the trade is devoid of extra- 

 ordinary pressure. To be sure, the quotations are relatively low, with 

 the offerings sufBclently free to check any real advance. In a way 

 quotations are relative only, much depending upon circumstances In 

 individual eases. Sellers will consider offers that promise to net them a 

 profit, even though that profit does not come up to what they should 

 get. But so far it has not been found necessary by the manufac- 

 turers to suspend operations, and there is a fair prospect that the 

 present exigency can be tided over without real unsettlement. Certain 

 grades of chestnut are not only very quiet, but extremely low in price. 

 This wood appears to have gotten back to where it was a year or more 

 ago. Oak, ash, gum, poplar and basswood are relatively satisfactory, 

 some divisions of oak in particular having developed a comparative 

 revival of late. The inquiry for gum keeps up, in consequence of the 

 needs of makers of interior finish, while basswood shows spurts every 

 now and then. The export movement, naturally enough, is In a state 

 of suspension, but with the ocean lanes free, as far as the Atlantic is 

 concerned, it should not be long before the forwardings are resumed. 

 In the most extreme case there is a fair prospect that the stocks pre- 

 vented from going abroad can be absorbed by augmented domestic 

 requirements, and the members of the hardwood trade, therefore, are in a 

 hopeful frame of mind. 



--<, COLUMBUS >•- 



-■<, TOLEDO >-= 



Despite the war scare and the general business depression the hard- 

 wood trade in Columbus and central Ohio is holding up fairly active. 

 Demand appears to be steady and prices on the whole are well maintained. 

 The best buying is being done by dealers, although some orders are 

 received from factories making furniture and implements. The lone 

 of the market is fair and future prospects are not considered bad. 



One of the best features is the demand for stocks to keep building 

 operations going. Activity in building circles prevails not only in Colum- 

 bus but also in the cities and towns in central Ohio. Dealers are not 

 accumulating any stocks but are buying only wiiat they need for the 

 present. Dealers' stocks are generally light. The same is true of dry 

 stocks in the hands of mill owners. Shipments are coming out promptly 

 and this means that most of the orders are for immediate delivery. Col- 

 lections are not very good in most sections. Some shading of quotations 

 is being done, but this is not sufficient to demoralize the trade and, on 

 the whole, the price list is steadier than a month back. 



Quartered oak is in good demand and prices at the Ohio river are 

 firm. The same is true of plain oak, which is moving well. Chestnut is 

 still strong and there is an especially good demand for sound wormy. 

 Basswood is one of the strong points in the market. Ash is in good 

 demand. Poplar 'is rather quiet, but there Is some demand on the part 

 of retailers. The wide sizes are rather quiet. Other hardwoods are 

 unchanged. 



The hardwood situation remains about normal. There is little change 

 in the situation as the result of the European war. Buying is not par- 

 ticularly active, yet there is considerable buying for present needs and 

 the present needs are as great as usual, outside of the railroad companies 

 which are buying very little. Railroads are very conservative and are 

 buying few ties and making but few repairs on cars, this, despite the 

 fact that the crop movement is soon to make an unusual demand for cars, 

 according to the big yields reported from all sections. Furniture factories 

 are operatiug at their usual capacity and are in the market for their 

 usual supplies of lumber. Cooperage stocks are exceptionally strong, owing 

 largely to the immense apple crop harvested in the United States this 



We will make attractive sales 



on the following if we hear 



from you Immediately: 



1 car 3 8 FAS Quartered 



White Oak 



2 cars 3 8 FAS Plain Red 



Oak 



2 cars ^" FAS Quartered 



White Oak 

 1 car %" No. 1 Common 

 Quartered White Oak 



3 cars Yz" FAS Plain Red 



Oak Rotary Veneers — 

 our own manufacture 



Stimson Veneer & Lumber Co. 



Memphis Tennessee 



•"THESE fine logs waiting 

 ■*■ to be cut for you. Send 

 us your specifications — our 

 price no higher, while our 

 quality is better than most 

 cutters'. 



ADDRESS INQUIRIES TO 



Merrill Veneer Company 



Merrill, Wisconsin 



