flfflwoMRecoM 



Published in the Interest of iKe American Hardwood Forests, the Products thereof, and Logging, Saw 

 Mill and Wood-working Machinery, on the 1 0th and 25th of each Month, by 



THE HARDWOOD COMPANY 



Henry H. Gibson, President 



Burdis Anderson, Sec'y and Treas. 



Entire Seventh Floor Ellsworth Building 

 537 So. Dearborn Street. CHICAGO 



LIBRARY 



NEW YORK 



Vol. XXXIV CHICAGO, MAY 25, 1912 No. 3 



General Market Conditions 



From all sources there is a hurrying and scurrying to cover short- 

 age in hardwood supplies on the part of jobbers as well as wholesale 

 ■consumers. Hardwood Record is deluged with inquiries for sources 

 of supply for many varieties of wood. The hardwood situation is 

 unique in the history of the trade. There is a shortage amounting 

 to a paucity of nearly every variety of all grades of hardwoods, and 

 .as a consequence some very fancy prices have been asked and 

 obtained during the last month for especially desirable stock. 



In the North very little lumber in merchantable shape is in first 

 iands, and a good many advance sales have been made, which will 

 very heavily cut into the season 's output of green lumber. Inch 

 maple flooring stock seems to be the only item in reasonable supply, 

 and sales are increasing on this item. Hardwood shipments from 

 the North are manifestly exceeding the cut, so that the average 

 manufacturer is down to green stock. This situation will probably 

 lesult in an increased summer 's output of hardwoods. 



In the flooded hardwood lumber district of the Mississippi valley, 

 normal conditions are again commencing to obtain, and logging 

 roads are being put back in shape to transport logs. There is a 

 fairly good stock of logs in the woods awaiting transportation to 

 Tuills, and within a short time the hardwood output will not only 

 •come back to normal, but doubtless will be considerably increased 

 an volume. 



There is not as much flood-lumber as was generally credited to 

 be at the time of the height of the Mississippi flood. Still there is 

 enough to cause no inconsiderable damage and loss to many operators. 

 Strenuous attempts are being made to wash and scrub flooded stock, 

 but it is being marketed under the protest of the buyer, and is being 

 accepted only at cut prices. Owing to the general paucity of stock, 

 this character of lumber will soon be off the market, but it will have 

 a damaging effect on the situation for some little time. 



Operators in the mountain country generally have rebuilt their 

 bridges and logging roads, and the output from these mills is prob- 

 ably above normal, although very few mountain operators have any 

 dry stock to offer. It will be late in the faU before any considerable 

 quantity of dry hardwoods develop for general distribution. 



SUBSCRIPTION TERMS: In the United States and its possessions, 

 and Canada. $2.00 the vear: in foreign countries. $1.00 extra postage. 



In conformity with the rules of the postofflce department, subscrip- 

 tions are payable in advance, and in default of written orders to the 

 contrary, are continued at our option. 



Instructions for renewal, discontinuance, or change of address, 

 should be sent one week before the date they are to go into effect. 

 Both old and new addresses must be given. 



Both display and classified advertising rates furnished upon 

 application. 



Plain oak, both red and white, seems to be the leader at advanced 

 values, and prices ha^e been asked and received at from two to five 

 dollars a thousand above prices obtainable six weeks ago. Low-grade 

 lumber of nearly aU varieties is in manifest scarcity and is com- 

 manding a respectable advance over prices formerly obtained. 



The poplar situation is well in hand, and while there has been 

 little advance in price, there is a healthy demand at Ust. There is 

 no likelihood of there being any over-supply in poplar lumber during 

 the year. 



Prevailing conditions have made it possible to secure a substantial 

 advance on southern ash, which is commanding from three to five 

 dollars a thousand more than it did a few months ago. 



Some remarkable sales in lumber are recited daily. In some cases 

 jobbers have succeeded in making profit-turns that were nearly equal 

 to the original price of the manufactured stock at the miU. 



General hardwood trading is active and quick. To the minds of 

 most buyers it is simply a question of whether the stock is immedi- 

 ately obtainable. It is an undisputed fact that hardwood holdings of 

 the majority of jobbers and wholesale consumers are remarkably 

 low, and current requirements are therefore responsible for the 

 present activity. 



Up to a year ago there was an unusually heavj- over-stock in 

 manufacturers' hands of both oak and maple flooring. There has 

 been a gradual diminution in production of these two varieties of 

 flooring for fuUy twelve months, and while prices have ranged very 

 low during that time, there has been a gradual working off of surplus 

 until today in both varieties empty spaces are again visible in manu- 

 facturers' warehouses. It is estimated that there has been nearly 

 a seventy-five per cent reduction in surplus stock since the maximum 

 obtained, and it is thoroughly believable that this surplus will go 

 stiU lower, with the result that considerably higher prices will be 

 very speedily obtained for both maple and oak flooring. On the basis 

 of present values for oak and maple flooring lumber, there is not a 

 new dollar for an old one in making hardwood flooring. 



The veneer and panel business is showing a very substantial 

 accretion in volume, and a little advance in price. There seem to 

 be more inquiries for both veneers and panels at the present time 

 than ever in the history of the trade. This fact is revealed by the 



Advertising copy must be received five days in advance of publlca* 

 tion dates- 

 Telephones:— Harrison 8086-8087^8088. 



Advertising Representatives: Jacob Holtzman, 5254 Larchwood Ave- 

 nue, Philadelphia, Pa. ; E. W. Meeker, 537 South Dearborn Street, Cnl- 

 cage. 111. 



Entered as second-class matter May 26, 1902, at the postofflce at \;h«- 

 cago. 111., under act o£ March 3, 1879. 



