HARDWOOD RECORD 



SI 



less of this lumber has been bought in Nash- 

 ville. 



LOVISVILLB 



Business continues active with hardwood con- 

 cerns in this market. With plenty of iuquiries. 

 stocks fairly well filled, and prices satisfactory, 

 conditions generally may be said to be pleas- 

 ing. At the same time there is plenty of evi- 

 dence indicating that conditions will be less 

 comfortable in a short time, and that vrith cars 

 harder to get, and customers pressing harder for 

 deliveries, the life of the lumberman will not 

 be a bed of roses. Tolitical conditions have 

 had remarkably little effect thus far, and since 

 August turned out to be the best summer month 

 in years, and September is rounding out a top- 

 notch trade period, those who have insisted that 

 all that was necessary to get rid of the national 

 election bugaboo was to get rid of It, are hav- 

 ing th:ir ideas nicely verified. 



There is a good demand for oak of all kinds, 

 car stock being especially active. Quartered 

 oak is selling well, and plain oak, as heretofore, 

 is scarce and high. Poplar is hardly as brisk 

 as it has been, firsts and seconds having been 

 slower during the past two weeks than for 

 some time, though the common grades continue 

 to sell with less effort. Cottonwood, chestnut, 

 gum and ash are in good demand, and hickory 

 is selling as well as usual. 



ST. LOUIS 



The hardwood situation has improved consid- 

 erably during the past couple or weeks, and 

 quite an activity is now being experienced in 

 the market. The hardwood consuming industries, 

 such as the furniture and implement factories, 

 are taking most of the woods on the list. Quar- 

 tered oak is in excellent demand. Ash is also 

 being called for quite liberally and leads in the 

 items in request. There is a steady demand for 

 gum. Cottonwood and poplar. Cypress is hav- 

 ing a steady call and some good sized orders 

 have recently been placed. Stocks here are quite 

 large and well assorted and for this reason a 

 big fall and winter business is anticipated. The 

 sash and door people are fairly busy. Con- 

 siderable special work is being done, and the 

 outlook is most encouraging. 



THREE STATES LUMBER CO. 



Manufacturers oi 



SOUTHERN HARDWOODS 

 Cottonwood and Red Cum 



SPECIALTIES 

 Main Office, Memphis, Tenn. 



BLUESTONELAND& 

 LUMBER COMPANY 



MANUFACTURER S 



West Virginia Hardwoods 



SOFT WHITE PINE 

 OAK POPLAR 

 CHESTNUT HEMLOCK 



BAND SAWED STOCK 



Complete Planing Mill Facilities 



RIDGWAY, PENNSYLVANIA 



NEW ORLEANS 



u- 



Hardwood prices on nearly all the grades 

 have advanced somewhat in the past two weeks. 

 The demand for all varieties is strong, and there 

 is a scarcity in the lower grades. Some mills 

 in the outlying sections of the state are run- 

 ning night and day in an efifort to keep up with 

 the demand. Factory trade, too, is exceptionally 

 active. 



In exports, the Sailing off is noticeable. New 

 business is practically at a standstill, and the 

 shippers seem to be unable to make any deliv- 

 ered prices on goods wanted abroad. Lumber 

 is increasing in value too fast to permit any 

 substantial volume of trading as long as there 

 is enough left of the stocks that were brought 

 at lower prices and at lower ocean rates to keep 

 going. 



The cargo business seems to be in a better 

 way than the parcel trade, notwithstanding the 

 charter rate situation which would naturally 

 seem to affect it more seriously. While the high 

 rates are limiting trade to a considerable extent, 

 it is still a fact that shortage of vessels is the 

 principal diiBcult.v. 



MILWAUKEE 



Business in the hardwood market is increas- 

 ing steadily, and wholesale lumbermen are pre- 

 dicting that trade vi;ill be unusually brisk this 

 fall. The shortage in stocks is still causing no 

 little concern and wholesalers say that it is 

 almost impossible to secure prompt shipment 

 from either the northern or the southern mills. 

 The heavy grain movement from the Northwest 

 is resulting in a car famine in some sections of 

 the state and is adding to the troubles of the 

 lumber shipper. 



The demand from the local factory trade is 

 being well maintained. Sash and door concerns 

 are bu.ving at a much better rate than at this 

 time a year ago. Stocks on hand at these 

 plants are unusually light. Furniture manu- 

 facturers are meeting with the usual active fall 

 business and are placing some good orders. The 

 bumper crops all over the Northwest have re- 

 sulted in genuine activity in the farm imple- 

 ment field and implement plants here, at Racine, 

 Kenosha, Janesville, Beaver Dam, Horicou and 

 other points about Wisconsin are buying stocks 

 at a brisk rate. 



All the northern hardwoods are strong, with 

 birch and maple in the lead. Low-grade bass- 

 wood is in brisk demand. In fact, low-grade 

 stocks in all lines are wanted, as a result of 

 the shortage of dry stocks in upper grades. Firsts 

 and seconds plain oak and quartered white oak 

 are wanted. Maple flooring is moving briskly. 



DETROIT 



Very fair conditions have existed in the local 

 hardwood market during the past two weeks. 

 While some dealers complain that trade was 

 rather quiei, others are more satisfied and de- 

 clare that they are enjoying a very fair volume 

 of business. Prices are very satisfactory and 

 there are indications of an advance in the near 

 future. There has been a good demand for 

 maple, ash and oak. Automobile factories and 

 auto body companies placed good sized requisi- 

 tions for maple, ash. poplar, walnut and ma- 

 I'cgany. But little call was noticed for poplar 

 outside of the demand from automobile com- 

 pany sources. 



The hardwood flooring industry is in a boom- 

 ing condition, many of the factories working 

 overtime to fill orders. The eastern demand in 

 this trade has shown a very healthy increase. 

 The freight condition has been relieved to some 

 extent. Fear is expressed among dealers, however, 

 that unless railroad facilities and terminals in De- 

 troit are improved before winter, intolerable 

 shipping conditions will again prevail. 



LIVERPOOL 



Shipments have come forward in fairly good 

 quantities but prices have been maintained at 

 high levels — in fact, they have been based on 

 a higher level than previously. Round ash in 

 particular is very good at present. Several 

 good orders are waiting to be placed, but they 

 cannot be placed until fresh arrivals come for- 

 ward. The position can readily be understood 

 that shippers can adopt a very firm attitude to 

 advantage. Several good orders have been 

 placed for prime white ash planks. Shippers 

 should be careful not to offer stock which can- 

 not be guaranteed white in color. 



Hickory logs have arrived in good quantities 

 and fair prices have been realized for all quali- 

 ties of goods which have arrived. 



The mahogany position is exceedingly firm, 

 quite the firmest spot on the market. Those 

 readers who followed the advice given in this 

 section some weeks back will be feeling very 

 pleased when they read the results of the auc- 

 tion figures at the last three sales. The stock 

 was completely cleaned out, and with the in- 

 creasing freight charges from the west coast 

 of Africa to this port, prices will probably go 

 even higher. Shippers from Africa seem very 

 loath to ship even at present prices, as the in- 

 creased charge for freight leaves very small 

 margin. Some very fine figured logs were in the 

 recent sales, which are making their way to 

 the States, and which from an inspection seem 

 to be excellent purchases. Poplar stocks are 

 very low and there is a big inquiry for 

 %"xlSx23 panel and No. 1 stocks. Wagon oak 

 specifications are being heavily imported but 

 the bulk of those now landing are old orders 

 which have been overdue for delivery. Prices 

 all round keep exceedingly firm. 



OLASaOW 



The timber trade in this section still con- 

 tinues on modern lines and prices are satis- 

 factory. The shipbuilding industry is in a 

 very brisk condition and still further improve- 

 ments are looked for. Contracts being placed 

 just now are taken on conditions that delivery 

 is to be given within the next three years. 

 Bos and packing case makers are busy and the 

 limited supplies of spruce coming in are readily 

 taken up at highest prices which have been 

 paid within the last ten years. Some large 

 parcels of spruce have arrived but these are 

 all on contracts made some time ago. Cabinet 

 makers are exceptionally busy. 



For a long time a great many merchants 

 have been pursuing a policy of the utmost cau- 

 tion in buying, restricting their purchases in the 

 main to immediate requirements only. They 

 have followed this course in the belief that a 

 set-back in values was inevitable but are now 

 realizing the fallacy of this contention. 



With even higher values threatening they are 

 evincing more disposition to increase their stock 

 to a normal level. The demand for pitch pine 

 logs and timber and large sized walnut logs is 

 good. Small grown walnut wood should not be 

 shipped as there is a sufficient quantity on the 

 market to satisfy immediate wants. It is ex- 

 pected that the high level of prices will be kept 

 up as long as the freight rates continue as 

 they are at the present time. 



The supply of oak logs has been limited for 

 some time and consequently the few which have 

 arrived have been sold readily at enhanced prices. 

 This applies to northern wood only as very 

 unremunerative prices can be obtained by ship- 

 pers for the southern variety. Oak boards con- 

 tinue in satisfactory demand although prices 

 are not up to the standard. The demand for 

 oak planks is brisk and recent arrivals have 

 been quickly disposed of at good prices. 



