64 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



volume of business as they could were stocks 

 available on a more liberal basis. Everything 

 points to a prosperous local trade for fall, and 

 it is anticipated lumber will be in more ample 

 supply, and hence available later in the season. 

 Plain oak is especially short in this market 

 aud is demanding a high range of values. 



NEW YORK 



The local lumber market shows a considerable 

 improvement, particularly in the wholesale 

 branch. Prices on good hardwood lumber and 

 on the better grades of lumber are very fair 

 with an upward tendency. Available supplies at 

 mill points are limited. These facts, plus the 

 car shortage which is already imminent, assure 

 a very firm fall market which will be pretty 

 much in the hands of the seller. It is certainly 

 no time to sacrifice stocks, particularly in the 

 good grades, and manufacturers and wholesalers 

 who are in possession of any amount of good 

 lumber should secure full returns as against 

 making an.y concessions. 



The consuming trade is also picking up in 

 some channels and while there is not the normal 

 \-oIume of consumption, neither is there a nor- 

 mal supply of lumber. Hence, such trade as is 

 being enjoyed and will undoubtedly be forth- 

 coming in the fall trade, should give satisfac- 

 tory returns to the sellers of lumber. 



BUFFALO 



The hardwood trade has been a little stronger 

 at some of the yards recently, but as a general 

 thing it is not brisk. However, with the return 

 of bu.vers from vacations, better conditions are 

 looked for this month. Prices generally hold 

 firm. 



JIuch of the activity is in plain oak. and yards 

 which have this slock have no difficulty in dis- 

 posing of it. Firsts and seconds are getting 

 very scarce. Some dealers report a fair demand 

 for poplar, except in the wide stock which has 

 been a slow mover for a long time at former 

 prices. Low-grade holds very firm. Birch is in 

 excellent demand, and maple sells well also. 

 Ash and chestnut are in fairly active demand. 



PHILADELPHIA 



The July and August trading in the hardwood 

 field, which generally is of a comparatively mea- 

 ger showing, has exceeded the usual reckoning, 

 and there is strong indication of a magnified 

 business in the fall. The wholesale consumer 

 shows more zeal in buying and the railroads are 

 in the market for a larger supply than for some 

 time. If the volume of hardwood moved does 

 not prove a record breaker, it is more owing 

 to the inability to obtain the goods than to the 

 lack of demand. The man who has not wisely 

 filled his yard with desired stock for winter 

 consumption, will beyond a doubt have a hard 

 row to hoe in the near future, as he will not 

 only have the depleted pile at the mill to con- 

 tend with, but an inconvenient car shortage 

 also. 



Although there is no important change in the 

 respective positions of the hardwoods during the 

 last fortnight, it is generally stated that in all 

 standard woods there is a shortage, and the low 

 grades are practically cleaned up. Chestnut is 

 showing new life, sound wormy chestnut moves 

 forward : ash is gaining ; poplar holds steady ; 

 cypress finds a regular market, and beech and 

 birch are strong. 'Oak keeps the front rank, and 

 quartered oak is moving up. Prices all along 

 the line are well sustained. 



PITTSBURGH 



not hesitating to pay the prices asked for first- 

 class dry lumber. Available stocks in sight are 

 so low that they realize in order to keep up 

 their plants they must get their orders in early. 

 Shed stocks are also being bought more freely 

 by the yards as considerable late summer and 

 fall building is starting. Inquiries from the 

 railroads are heavy. The railroads have bought 

 more lumber the past few months than they have 

 in any similar period for five years. White oak 

 people have shared very largely in this trade. 

 Throughout the hardwood list there is a very 

 firm tendonc.v in prices, and likewise a very 

 healthy tone in the market. The worst that is 

 feared for the market this fall is that it will be 

 impossible to get shipments with anything like 

 promptness when the fall crop movement begins. 



BOSTON 



There has been a firmer tone in the market 

 for hardwood lumber since the first of the month. 

 Buyers are home from their vacations and are 

 showing more interest in the market as the fall 

 demand is starting up. All reports from manu- 

 facturers of hardwood lumber show that stocks 

 of dry lumber of good grades are not large and 

 most holders are firmer in their views than 

 they have been for months. Stocks in the bands 

 of retail merchants are not large. Many of the 

 retailers, instead of buying right along, have 

 held off using their stock on hand until now 

 when they often find themselves short of the 

 proper stock. Dealers state that the car short- 

 age is beginning to make itself felt now. Buy- 

 ers are being urged to place orders for prompt 

 shipment. 



The market for plain oak is very firm and 

 offerings are small. Buyers have been willing 

 to pay top asking prices where they are sure 

 that they are getting the quality they pay for. 

 Quartered oak has been selling in larger lots 

 and prices are well held. Stocks are not large. 

 Of late there has been a rather light call for 

 chestnut in this market, and elm has been sell- 

 ing slowly. Brown ash has attracted but a small 

 volume of new business. 



BALTIMORE 



have been unable to make contracts for the next 

 season on a satisfactory basis and are entering 

 into any temporary arrangement possible. This 

 keeps the trade in a state of uncertainty and 

 may interfere with the movement. Much encour- 

 agement is found by exporters in the slow but 

 stead.v improvement in the domestic situation. 

 With the demand at home growing constantly, 

 there will be less lumber available for export 

 and any prospect of congestion on the other side 

 of the Atlantic will be dissipated. 



The time has come when purchasing agents, 

 especially of good hardwood using plants, are 



While no marked change is reported in the 

 hardwood trade, the situation is favorable. Such 

 gains as bad been made are retained, and the 

 movement of stocks continues sufficiently active 

 to take up the lumber turned out by the mills. 

 The mills appear to be increasing their output 

 but all troublesome accumulations are being 

 avoided, and there is no sagging in the quota- 

 tions. The trend of values continues upward, 

 though no really decided advances have been 

 recorded in the last two weeks. Hardwood men 

 here state that orders are coming in with con- 

 siderable freedom and that they are able to show 

 increases in the volume of their business. There 

 is every indication also that the movement will 

 keep up. All hardwoods are in demand, and the 

 stocks in the yards are by no means excessive. 

 Apparently the needs of consumers have ex- 

 ceeded the expectations of the yards, the latter 

 being drawn away from their policy of conserva- 

 tion aud induced to let out. 



Perhaps the most uncertain factor is the 

 export trade. Some of the exporters are getting 

 advices from Liverpool that heavy shipments of 

 oak planks have resulted in pressure upon prices 

 there, these advices being accompanied by warn- 

 ings that unless there is a curtailment of for- 

 wardings. a material decline may be expected. 

 Other foreign markets, however, appear to show 

 a touch of firmness, the quotations being well 

 sustained and the receipts finding prompt dis- 

 tribution. The indications are that the foreign 

 receipts will be able to absorb all the lumber 

 forwarded. One troublesome development is the 

 upward tendency of freight rates. Exporters 



COLUMBUS 



The demand for all varieties and grades of 

 hardwoods in central Ohio has been strong dur- 

 ing the past fortnight. The volume of business 

 transacted has been good and decidedly larger 

 than usual for this time of the year. The 

 movement is somewhat interfered with by the 

 car shortage, which is expected to grow worse 

 as the season advances. 



One of the best features of the trade is the 

 good demand for the lower grades, especially 

 chestnut and oak. There has been no accumu- 

 lation of stocks in any grade and in most sec- 

 tions there is a scarcity in dry stocks. The 

 tone of the market is satisfactory in every 

 respect and every change in quotations has been 

 toward higher levels. Prices are ruling firm in 

 every particular and lumbermen are united in 

 the opinion that prices will go higher without 

 exception. Building operations are still active 

 and this affords a market for considerable hard- 

 woods. Trade in yards is good and the retailer 

 is still following the plan of buying only in small 

 quantities, which keeps his stocks at a low point. 

 Factories are buying better now and in larger 

 lots. There is considerable prosperity shown in 

 the implement, vehicle and furniture manufac- 

 turing lines. 



Oak is good in ever.y respect and there is a 

 better demand tor quartered. Red and white 

 plain oak is moving well and prices are strong. 

 Poplar is also strong and there Is a good de- 

 mand for the wide sizes. Chestnut is one of 

 the strongest points in the market. Ash Is 

 moving better and other hardwoods are un- 

 changed. 



INDIANAPOLIS 



There has been a good hardwood trade In 

 Indianapolis and vicinity during the last two 

 weeks. Prices continue steady and the demand 

 is quite brisk. It is reported that dealers are 

 taking advantage of an opportunity to replenish 

 their stocks before the expected car shortage 

 begins. 



The automobile manufacturers during the 1912 

 season bad the best business in their history, 

 and are planning to build a largely increased 

 number of cars during the season just starting. 

 This fact and the healthy condition of other 

 industries using hardwoods give hardwood manu- 

 facturers and dealers considerable encouragement. 



TOLEDO 



The demand is entirely ahead of the normal 

 for this season of the year, and prices are 

 higher than they have been for years past. No 

 materials are dragging on the market. Toledo 

 is in the midst of the heaviest building opera- 

 tions ever known in its history, and the class 

 of the buildings being erected are of a high 

 order. The heavy local demand as well as that 

 irom the immediate out-lying territory has cut 

 down supplies very materially and local stocks 

 are extremely low. Dealers have been able to 

 supply all demands but stocks in the Toledo 

 .vards are very low. Despite this fact, however, 

 buying is light as local dealers are loathe to tie 

 up their money in heavy stocks, especially at 

 the present high prices. Many have decided to 



