56 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



iint'ii of stock, notably plain oak. ash, birch 

 and certain grades of cot ton wood. 



The pleasing feature of the local market is 

 ihc growing tendency of the factory trade to 

 ^et bark into the market. Several concerns 

 report having marketed fairly large orders 

 at a material advance without any great dif- 

 ficulty. This increased activity on the part 

 of factory buyers is. of course, partly due to 

 the fact that their stocks had gotten to the 

 diminishing point, but it is also due to a gen- 

 eral improvement of tht- furniture, piano and 

 other factory business. Yard trade is gratify- 

 ingly active, which activity is stimulated by 

 the unusual building operations going on in 

 the city. 



There is no question but that the pleasing 

 demand now evident locally will continue 

 throughout the summer and that all trade will 

 be brisk as to the number of orders, and prices 

 lirm. 



There is no comijlaint whatever on the local 

 market outside of a few straggling kickers who 

 will always be found. The statement is fre- 

 c|uently reiterated by the local lumbermen that 

 the chief difficulty right now is in buying and 

 shippins. 



PITTSBVRQH 



NEW YORK 



Tin- hardwood market at New York shows 

 a fair volume of business being booked, con- 

 sidering the season. Good lumber continues 

 scarce, and prices firm, while the lower grades 

 appear to be enjoying a fair call all along the 

 line. Stocks of good lumber are not over- 

 plentiful at mill points, while supplies in the 

 hands of local buyers gennrally, and notably the 

 local manufacturing trade, are not at all plenti 

 ful. This of itself will create a firm fail market. 

 with every likelihood of higher prices. 



BUFFALO 



The hardwood ti-adc runs along steadily, the 

 chief features being the strength to prices 

 and the lack of stock. Lumber offerings an- 

 numerous enough, but in some kinds of stock 

 the supply shows a marked deficiency. Tb<' 

 lower grades have been pretty well picked up 

 here, and the supply is much less than usual. 



The largest trade continues to be in plain 

 oak. with stocks running about as short as 

 ihi'y have been. llirch continues in good de- 

 mand. Elm is a ready seller, while ash has a 

 larger sale than a short time ago. Other woods 

 are fairly active, with the exception of cherry 

 and walnut, which havi- bei-n quiet. 



PHILADELPHIA 



'lYade reports all agree that considering the 

 season of the year business has been well sus- 

 tained. Tonditious at mill ends, however, are 

 still far from normal, and with the increased 

 flemand for material, especially dry stock, it 

 will be months before the orders can be supplied. 

 Tli'-re is an increasing activity among the 

 whfdesale consumers, and calls for stuff from 

 tin- railroads are more frequent. There is prom- 

 ise of a good fall and winter trading, but. as 

 enormous crops are predicted a car shortage is 

 feared when their transportation begins, and an 

 upward movement in prices is expected. 



Hardwoods show no material change in posi- 

 tion during the fortni)j:ht. Oak of all kinds, 

 espicially quartered oak. is scarce, with prices 

 well maintained. There is a steady call for 

 chestnut, with satisfactory prices. Ash holds a 

 good position and poplar has not changed during 

 the fortnight. Cypress continues active with 

 the market growing stronger. Beech, bin-h and 

 <herry find ready sale, with prices firm. 



The liardwood trade is very encouraging in 

 this locality, and everything points to a big 

 'fall trade. The business has not come in the 

 way of a boom, but inquiries, requisitions and 

 orders have been coming in steadily since last 

 May. There Rcems to be a determined effort 

 on the part of business men to show politi 

 eians that business is going ahead this year 

 in spite of all presidential uncertainties. Rail- 

 roads are ordering largely and bid fair to stay 

 in the market all fall. Hardwood using fac- 

 tories have never placed contracts earlier or 

 made larger ones. All recognize the extreme 

 shortage of hardwood stocks at the mills, and 

 fear that prices which have been going up little 

 by little will go still higher after September 

 15 because of this shortage and the certainty 

 of a big car famine. 



BOSTON 



The g^-neral tone of the market for hardwood 

 lumber is very firm with a tendency toward a 

 higher level. Practically all reports from manu- 

 facturing centers indicate small stocks of dry 

 lumber. Prices are firm and even better prices 

 are expected- when the fall demand begins. 

 Interior house finish manufacturers are doing a 

 very good business. Veneers are in very good 

 call. One dealer says he expects a much larger 

 call for veneers this fall, due to the higher prices 

 of lumber. 



The market for quartered oak is firmer than 

 it has been for several months. There is quite 

 a range of prices quoted for inch stock due to 

 the difference in quality. Plain oak has been 

 soiling freely, although during the past week or 

 ten days dealers have not spoken of the demand 

 in quit'- as favorable terms as previously. Maple 

 is very well held with a fairly active demand. 

 White ash keeps in fair call. Whitewood is 

 well held but the demand is not active. Cypress 

 has been selling in a moderate way. 



BALTIMORE 



All accounts rogardlng the liaithvood business 

 are still to the eflfect tliat the volume of busi- 

 ness is expanding. Local firms are running 

 ahead of the corresponding montbs of last 

 year, and each successive month shows an im- 

 provement over the preceding one. This result 

 is apparently not attained by price concessions, 

 but solely by reason of the fact that the re 

 fiuirements of the trade are on the .increase. 

 So far the presidential election year has proved 

 a great surprise. Previous experience had led 

 the trade to expect a contraction in activity 

 and a narrowing of wants, with its accompani- 

 ment of lower prices and increased competi- 

 tion. Instead, developments quite the contrary 

 have talien place. 



Manufacturers are increasing their produc- 

 tion. So far they have been able to dispose of 

 their output easily enough, the demand keeping 

 up with the ability of the mills to furnish 

 stociis. The trend of prices all along the line 

 is upward rather than in the opposite direction, 

 and hi>re and there a stiffening in quotations 

 has taken place within the last two weeks. 

 The apprehension of some of the exporters 

 that there would be a marked slump in the 

 foreign demand has not been realized. Instead, 

 there has been some improvement, which sug- 

 gests gratifying probabilities for the future. 

 Yards at home are buying with greater freedom, 

 and the tendency among consumers is to place 

 orders in larger volume. 



Oak remains at what may \v called record 

 figures, with the offerings of desirable stocks 

 not in excess of the demand. It is much the 



same with most of the other woods, except as 

 to prices, which in the main are moderate, con- 

 sidering the increased cost of production. Extra 

 wide high-grade poplar is almost alone in the 

 absence of a rise commensurate with quality, 

 the needs of the trade for this kind of lumber 

 being evidently much curtailed. Sound wormy 

 chestnut is in excellent shape, and the cjills for 

 stocks have been so numerous that accumula- 

 tions at the mills are fairly well disposed of. 



According to the latest advices from London, 

 the dock workers' strike there has been called 

 off, and the better feeling caused thereby has 

 been reflected in the lifting of the embargo on 

 lumber shipments at Norfolk and Baltimore for 

 London. The situation, therefore, is certain to 

 improve steadily, and the foreign movement is 

 likely to be materially augmented, though gome 

 diversion from other ports may take place. 

 Shipments from Baltimore are going forward 

 with a large measure of dispatch and the out- 

 look for a good export business is decidedly 

 encouraging. 



COLUMBUS 



strength has been the chief feature of the 

 hardwood trade in central Ohio during the past 

 fortnight. There has been a .good demand from 

 both manufacturing I'Stablishments and retailers, 

 and the volume of business has been good. Prices 

 are ruling lirm and there is no tendency to 

 decrease prices in order to force the market. 

 There has been a good demand for the lower 

 grades of all varieties of hardwoods, with no 

 accumulation of stocks. Building operations are 

 still active. Dry stocks in the bands of mill 

 owners are light, and the same is true of stocks 

 in the hands of dealers. Collections are reported 

 somewhat better. 



Quartered oak is lirmer and the volume of 

 business is increasing. There is a good demand 

 for plain oak and prices are strong. Chestnut 

 is in fair demand and this wood is one of the 

 strongest points in the market. Ash is growing 

 stronger and basswood is moving well. Poplar is 

 gaining in strength, especially in th'- wide 

 sizes. Other hardwoods are unchangeil 



TOLEDO 



The loc.al hardwiicKl market is about normal 

 for this season of ilie year. There is a fair 

 demand from the l)iiilding trades from al' por- 

 tions of the country and retail men are en- 

 .ioying a splendid call for flooring and finish. 

 There has never been a time when there has 

 been such a spurt to the building business in 

 this city as at present. Local dealers have 

 iH'en buying all the available dry stocks, con- 

 sequently stocks are in fair shape, and not 

 muih depleted notwitlistanding the heavy drain 

 upon local resources. Factory orders are not 

 very strong .iust at present. The usual summer 

 htisincss is being done with vehicle concerns 

 but furniture factories are running a trifle low. 

 Taken altogether, howevi'r, the situation is 

 highly satisfactory and lumbi.nncn feel they have 

 no cause for (.omplaint. 



MEMPHIS 



The hardwijcMl market e.iutinues in a very 

 bealtliy i>osition. Although there has recently 

 liien a lonsiderable increase in the amount of 

 lumber being put on sticks, shipments have been 

 much heavier than the average at this date 

 for the past few yi'ars and the process of accu- 

 mulation has been particularly slow. This applies 

 with greater force to plain oak. cottonwood, gum 

 and ash than to the other principal items han- 

 dle.l here. The demand f<u- these has been par- 

 ticularly good and it has been rather difficult 

 inv buyers to secure their full requirements. Cot- 



