56 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



their demands foi' good stock just now. The 

 sash, door and blind maimers are active as a re- 

 sult of the building boom. At present the call 

 from furniture and wagon manufacturers is not 

 as active as formerly. The.v are apparently well 

 stocked with finished products. 



LOUISVILLE 



The law of supply and demand is generally 

 regarded as an effective working force and the 

 results are usually in evidence. The hardwood 

 situation is regarded as an excellent example of 

 this condition. The reduction in available lum- 

 ber stocks at many points caused by floods, wet 

 weather and unfavorable producing conditions 

 brought about a reduction in the supply. Ob- 

 viously the market was strengthened, from a 

 technical standpoint, and prices immediately be- 

 gan to advance. They have been about steady 

 for the past fortnight, and the reason is seen in 

 the fact that the demand has diminished. Thus 

 the reduction in the supply has been offset to 

 a certain degree by loss of demand, so that the 

 force of the former as a factor in affecting 

 prices and the general tone of the market has 

 been considerably diminished. "Too much poli- 

 tics" is given as the cause of the slowing up of 

 trade, and it is expected that as soon as the 

 conventions are over, trade will pick up con- 

 siderably. Meanwhile a normally good business 

 is being done, with plain oak, poplar and quar- 

 tered oak leading in demand. Chestnut and ash 

 are also selling well. 



ST. LOUIS 



J 



A fair volume of business is bcun^' duuc by the 

 local hardwood trade and inquiries ccuning in 

 justify the belief that there will be a consider- 

 able increase in the very near future. How- 

 ever, Ihe market is not up to expectations, which 

 has caused considerable disappointment. Con- 

 sumers are buying only for immediate needs. 

 It is the general belief that prices on nearly all 

 Items will advance appreci^ibly in the near fu- 

 ture. Many of the mills are oversold, and be- 

 cause of bad weather conditions during the past 

 few weeks operations have been greatly hanili- 

 rapped and they liud it siuuewhat difficult to 

 (ill orders. , 



Dealers in cypress report a seasonable amount 

 of business. Not only are orders coming from 

 manufacturing consumers, but from yards as 

 well, altbongli the requests from the latter are 

 not as numerous or for as large orders as they 

 should be owing to the fact that the farmers 

 are too busy to use lumber. The local call is 

 fairly good. The sash and door trade is also 

 satisfactory under existing circumstances. Build- 

 ing operations are fairly good and the in-ospeds 

 are bright for them to improve. Special work 

 is mori' active than any olher class, and most of 

 Ibe planing mills are well supplied with ordcu-s. 



^EW ORLEANS 



Low stocks feat\H-e the local hardwood situa- 

 tion. The market is except ionally firm, but on 

 account of a marked scarcity of low grades at 

 the mills, many manufacturers arc refusing to 

 accept orders. Conditions are still generally un- 

 settled in the export market, and while it seems 

 that a revival is due, physical conditions have 

 not yet returned to a normal basis. However, 

 the congestion is being relieved, and delayed 

 shipments are going forward. Some dilhculty is 

 also being experienced in gelling lumber from 

 the interior, and the conllnued high waters in 

 this section of the state are expecled to inter- 

 fere with shipments for some little time to come. 

 The most important and perplexing question .just 

 now is the ocean rate situation, wdiich Is daily 

 assuming greater prominence. Reluctance of for-' 



eign buyers to pay increased prices also has 

 much to do with the situation. Reports from 

 local exporters indicate that this reluctance is 

 due to the ver.v high rates that are now asked. 

 Consequently the export hardwood business has 

 been somewhat restricted. Steamship agents 

 claim that there Is and will be during this year 

 a scarcity of tonnage, and that there is no 

 possibility of the lumber rates being reduced 

 during the summer. 



MILWAUKEE 



New stocks are not arriving as fast as whole- 

 salers and some of the manufacturing concerns 

 would like to see. Some basswood and birch is 

 making its appearance, but not in large enough 

 shipments to relieve the shortage. Dry birch 

 stocks in the upper grades and even plain and 

 (luartered oak are practically exhausted. Dry 

 stocks of low-grade basswood are practically out 

 of the market. Maple is in brisk demand. 



The flood situation in the South still seems 

 to be hindering shipping operations, and the 

 supply of southern hardwoods in the local mar- 

 ket is lighter than it has been in several sea- 

 sons As a result i)rices in all lines are either 

 higher or have an upward tendency. 



The building season has opened with a rush, 

 now that the weather is more settled. This has 

 resulted in a better demand from various 

 sources, including the sash and door and interio!- 

 wood-working concerns. Stocks at practicall.\' 

 all these plants are light and some good orders 

 are being placed as a result. While the general 

 furniture trade is naturally quiet at this season 

 of the year, some fair orders for stock are beini; 

 r'-'-.'-i\-<'d from this source. 



DETROIT 



Conditions in the Detroit hardwood nuirket are 

 very encouraging. There has been a very good 

 demand for practicall.v all lines, with cypress, 

 oak, elm and walnut especially strong. The call 

 for oak, elm and walnut was greatly augmented 

 by the needs of the automobile factories. Maple 

 has also been active. Prices have been very 

 satisfactory and have held steady. Trade in the 

 flfioring industry is steadily increasing in volume 

 and the recent d\ill period has been succeeded 

 by a season of great activitj'. Large shipments 

 ol' hardwood lumber are being received at the 

 local docks. 



OLASaOW 



This market is at present in a ver.v stagnant 

 stall', due no doubt to the ri'ccut coal strike, 

 which is only now making itself felt here. 

 Although values are still very firm, heav.v im- 

 ports would cause a sudden slump in prices. 

 There seems to be no stability about busiuess, 

 and buying is only done in a hand-to-mouth sys- 

 tem. Cabinet makers and others are feeling the 

 effects of the recent trade disputes and inereas:'(l 

 prices asked for all kinds of American lumbiu-. 

 Slocks held in public yards continue to be very 

 light, and in certain commodities, svich as oak 

 and walnut logs, the demand is strong, and buy- 

 ers are willing to give good prices. Shipbuilding 

 continues good, the demand coming lu-incipally 

 from this source. 



The steamship Dongola is expected to arrive 

 soon from New Orleans, I,a., with the usual as 

 sortment of American hardwoods. According to 

 the steamer's manifest, there Is very little oak 

 lumber on board, and the little that has come 

 forward is chiefly 5, 4", 6/4" and S/4". Although 

 buyers as a rule do not care for this southern 

 wood, it is anticipated it will all be sold, as the 

 trouble at Baltimore has delayed the sailing of 

 the steamship Almora. Consequently supplies are 

 very short in these thicknesses. This steamer 

 also carries ash and hickory logs, and these 



woods come to a splendid market. Not a single 

 hickory or ash log is at present in stock, and 

 some of the largest mills that do business In 

 these woods have had to refuse orders, being 

 unable to fulflll same owing to want of material. 

 This is quite an unheard of thing at this time 

 of the year, as usually the stock is more than 

 sufficient for the demand. 



The demand for red gum, prime quality, 6" 

 and up X 1", is fair. However, the market for 

 No. 1 common is very weak. Sap gum is in good 

 request. The market is bare of prime stock, and 

 prices have taken an upward tendency. Prime 

 quartered white oak, 1", 114", 1%" and 2", is in 

 good demand at increasing prices. No. 1 com- 

 mon, except in %", %" and %". is not wanted 

 at present. The demand still continues good for 

 prime plain white oak boards, especially for 

 Ihe thicker stock — 5/4", 6/4" and 8/4". The de- 

 mand for lirst-class quality oak and gum staves 

 is very firm. There is a steady demand for rail- 

 way and wagon oak planks and better prices are 

 being paid for same. 



It must be remembered that although (he 

 above woods are in demand at present on account 

 of a shortage of stocks and the non-arrival of 

 steamers, heavy consignments would quickly 

 weaken the market and bring downi prices. Small 

 lots sent in regularly will sell well. 



THREE STATES LUMBER CO. 



Manufacturers ol 



SOUTHERN HARDWOODS 

 Cottonwood and Red Cum 



SPECIALTIES 

 Main Olllce, Memphis, Tenn. 



IN STOCK THE FOLLOWING 



READY FOR SHIPMENT 



60,000 It. 4/4 No, 3 Common Plain White Oak 

 35,000 ft. 4/4 Miscuts Plain White Oak 

 100,000 ft. 4/4 No, 4 Common or Mill Culls Oak 



34,000 ft, 4/4 No, 1 Common Poplar 

 60,000 ft, 4/4 No, 3 Common Poplar 



75,000 ft. 4/4 No. 2 Common and Sound Wormy 

 Chestnut, 



All the above is graded under the Hardwood Manu- 

 facturers' Association of Uuited States rules. 



Standard 8' 6" White Oak Crosc Ties for quicK 

 shipment. 



Write for ['rices 



Bluestone Land & Lumber Co. 



RIDGWAY, PA. 



Checking 



Splitting 



Rotting 



Prevented by LORAC 



which at trifling cost protects Logs, Lumber and 

 Dimension Stock against weather and time. A BOY 

 CAN DO THE WORK. 



T. B ALLKN Ai CO., (.iatvoston. Texas, say 



"PleftBO sliip us at i<nce two barrels l.onic. Wo are very iiiuch 

 jileased witli th« rosult ubtnioed by iisiDg tbie." 



TRY LORAC NOW 



WRITE US FOR FULL PARTICULARS 



THE GEORGE HENKE CO., 62 Beekman St., N. Y. 



