48 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



lield in most instances at outside figures, and 

 offerings of desirable grades are not large. 

 Cypress is firm with the call moderati. Xo one 

 is trying to increase his business Ijy offering 

 lumber at concessions. Dry stock is not plen- 

 tiful. Mahogany is in fair call and firm. 



New York. 



The general tone of the local market for the 

 liast fortnight has sliown improvement and re- 

 ports throughout the district indicate a very 

 lair volume of both present and prospective 

 business, with prices well maintained. There 

 is less complaint heard regarding conces- 

 sions in prices and a forcing of the market than 

 is usually the case. The yards are in possession 

 of a very fair assortment of stock, but buying 

 is active and good stock is rapidly snapped up. 

 .\ll reports received from those who have made 

 recent visits to producing points are along the 

 same lines, namely, a scarcity of good, well 

 manufactured hardwoods in shipping condition. 

 In the manufacturing fields a large percentage of 

 the mills are behind on their orders and those 

 having any accumulation of stocks have all sold 

 out weeks ago. with the result that those whole- 

 sale houses having at the present time any 

 amount of good hardwood stocks in hand real- 

 ize their value and are holding out for the 

 best price possible. Tile hardwood situation is 

 certainly in very fair shape as regards this 

 part of the country. 



The stocks enjoying the most activity at this 

 writing are ash, birch, chestnut, poplar and plain 

 (.ak. Stocks are only in nominal supply and 

 prices are very firm. IJuartored oak. while 

 showing some improvement over its midsnmmer 

 <ondition is still not up to the mark, although 

 prices are tending to more firmness. Maple 

 seems to be more plentiful than demand and 

 prices are a little off. Red gum is moving 

 in larger quantities right along, and cottonwood 

 is also active in this part of the country. 

 Beech is enjoying a good run particularly in 

 thick stock for temporary plankiug or construc- 

 tion work. The rise whicli this latter wood 

 had had in jiopular favor is really remarkable. 



the same month of li)0.j. the Bureau of Build- 

 ing Inspection reports that the last nine months 

 show an increase of over .fy, 000.000 over the 

 corresponding period of last year. 



Philadelphia. 



As the fall season advances, a decided im- 

 provement is noted in the general market. Yards 

 which have been somewhat backward are be- 

 ginning to buy more actively. Good hardwoods 

 are in demand, with prices stiff and climbing 

 upwards. Prices are better on all but red cher- 

 ry, birch and ash. while quartered oak has been 

 slightly lowered. Chestnut and number one oak 

 are somewhat scarce, while plain oak is more 

 plentiful. Gratifying reports are coming in 

 from the eastern Pennsylvania furniture fac- 

 tories, which are all busy and buying more 

 freely ; conditions in this line having conse- 

 quently a briglit outlook. As was feared, the 

 shortage of cars is already being felt here, ship- 

 piTS receiving but one-half their allotment, and 

 being anxious to get out back orders. In the 

 Pennsylvania district a great many cars were 

 leased to the coal mining companies until Oc- 

 tober 1, and after this date the tension should 

 be relieved. It is, however, up to the railroad 

 companies, who are allowing loaded cars to re- 

 main standing In yards, with no certainty as 

 to when they will be moved. 



The terrific gales passing along the southern 

 coast during the last few weeks, wrecking somi' 

 of the mills located upon the coast line and 

 sinking lumber vessels, have given rise to new, 

 luiexpected, and xmavoidable conditions. Xo 

 general report has been received as yet as to 

 I he extent of damage, but local lumbermen in- 

 terested in mills exposed to coast storms, have 

 become uneasy and await anxiously definite tid- 

 ings, which they fear will prove detrimental to 

 speedy shipments. Building operations are ac- 

 tive, and a better grade of hardwood finisliings 

 is used than has been the case for some .vears. 

 Though Sepiember shows a decrease in the value 

 of building permits of 5>10S.!)0.">. compared with 



Baltimore. 



No decided eban{;e lias taken pbice in the 

 hardwood situation. All the leading woods 

 continue in good demand, while the range of 

 \nlues is very satisfactory. Heavy rains in 

 man.v of the hardwood producing states have 

 interefered m.atcrially with the operation of 

 mills, so that the output has not exceeded mod- 

 erate figures, while the requirements of tlie 

 trade have been unabated. This ims served to 

 keep the market in fine shape and has contribut- 

 ed not a little to keeping up. prices. The large 

 needs of the railroads and other heavy consum- 

 ers have done the rest. Some lumbermen main- 

 tain that values are quite certain to' ease off in 

 consequence of an accumulation of stocks, but 

 the great majority incline to the view that the 

 quotations will be sustained and tliat even an 

 advance is not among the improbai)ilities. Dur- 

 ing recent weeks tlie feeling has been a shade 

 easier, tiiough no decided decline in prices has 

 taken placi*. In some directions an advance 

 is to be noted, sucii being the case with poplar. 

 It was possible during the summer to buy mill 

 culls for .flO or thereabouts per 1.000 feet, but 

 latel.v the holders of stocks have received as 

 high as .'S21 and $22. Furniture manufacturers 

 and other users of hardwoods are in the market 

 buying with comparativi- freedom, and the out- 

 l"(.)k is very promising. 



Oak is moving freely. .Nearl.v all the mills 

 have plenty of orders ou hand, and the tendency 

 in values is upward. Stocks in the hands of 

 local dealers suflice to meet current wants, but 

 no great surplusage is reported and the receipts 

 are not gaining on the distribution. Ash is a 

 strong second to oak, being in urgent request 

 and bringing remunerative returns. Chestnut 

 and other woods are likewise buoyant, the move- 

 ment keeping up with the production. The ex- 

 port business is without any special features, 

 (juiet continues to prevail as to oak and some 

 of the other woods, while poplar is being 

 shipped in fairly large quantities, though at 

 prices that are relatively lower than those in 

 the domestic market. Walnut is still in active 

 demand at home as well as abroad, the revival 

 in (he use- of this wood among American con- 

 sumers having so far shown no abatement. 



Pittsburg. 



.\s the fall market opens Pittsburg hardwood 

 men see further indications of a brisk business 

 ahead for the coming year. 



Since September l."i the most noticeable im- 

 provement in market conditions has been the 

 inquiry from manufacturers. Every hardwood 

 firm in the city reports a better trade, larger 

 orders from the furniture, handle, spoke, car- 

 riage, wagon and implement factories through- 

 out the Central West as well as in the Eastern 

 cities. In the Pittsburg district the glass fac- 

 tories whose fires started Septimiber 1. are 

 also active liuyers cliiefl.v of box and crating 

 stuff. The trade in lieavy timbers and ties has 

 not fallen off to any appreciable extent, but 

 it has been sidetracked temporarily by the more 

 urgent business from the factories. 



I'riees are firm throughout the list. Oak con- 

 tinues to be the favorite seller and all grades 

 with the possible exception of No. 2 common 

 arc in first class demand. Chestnut is showing 

 up better on the books and .iudgiug from inquiry 

 spruce and poplar are going to be big sellers 

 this month. Among the minor hardwoods there 

 is noted, a scarcity of hickory and a conspicu- 

 ous increase in inquiry for ash and basswood. 



Buffalo. 



Hardwood lumbermen are ver.v iuisy this 

 fall and will be until there is some change in 

 the state of general business to sliut off tlie 

 di'uiand. 



There is very little trouble with prices, for 

 fliey have not changed much of late and do not 

 promi.se to change much right away. It is all 

 a question of how to get a supply of stock. 



There are some special drawbacks just now. 

 Dealers with southern interests are afraid that 

 the late storms there will cut down the supply 

 of oak and possibly of some other hardwoods, 

 at least for a while. At the same time they are 

 speculating over the chances of lumber being 

 plentier and perhaps lower when the forests 

 tliat have been thrown down by the late hurri- 

 cane are worked into lumber to save them. 



Another diffleulty is the scarcity of men and 

 cars. It is almost impossible to get the men 

 needed to keep the yard business in shape and 

 the cars are growing more and more uncertain. 



The dealer who can get his lumber in by lake 

 is very fortunate. He may have to pay a good 

 freight, for lake rates are going up, but the car- 

 goes come in promptly when loaded and they 

 turn out stock fast. Shipments from Canada are 

 also pretty prompt, .as compared with other di- 

 rections. The supply of birch comes from that 

 direction as well as others, but not much else 

 now in hardwoods. 



I'oplar is scarce, but may be helped by the 

 southern rains. Basswood is doing better, but 

 elm remains quiet. 



Saginaw Valley. 



No fiuctuations of note are recorded in the 

 hardwood list. Beech and birch are in greater 

 demand and a little firmer in price. Maple is 

 steady and basswood is doing very well. Elm 

 is in fair call. There is enough stock coming 

 I'lu-ward to take care of the demand and not 

 luucli complaint is being lieard as to trade in 

 hardwood, whicli is generally regarded as 

 healthy. The great handicap just now that 

 cimfronts the trade is the famine in care. It is 

 impossible for shippers to get even one-third of 

 the cars wanted. 



Asheville. 



Trade conditions in western North Carolina 

 (ontinue to improve and the lumbermen in this 

 section are looking forward to another prosper 

 ous season. Business shows marked improve- 

 ment lint dealers in this city and on the Murphy 

 branch of the Southern Kailway are hard put 

 for cars, and many shipments are in arrears. 

 The Asheville Lumber Exchange has taken up 

 in serious manner the question of car supply, 

 and is making effcu'ts toward a solution of the 

 liroblem. A meeting of the exchange was held 

 late in September, when reports of committees 

 were presented and accepted and resolutions 

 concerning the situation passed. Just what ac- 

 tion was taken relative to the car supply ques- 

 tion has not been made public. The officials of 

 the exchange deem it wise to withhold this 

 information until defiuiti- action is taken. 



Tlie failure of the railway company to give 

 adequate car service in this territory has been 

 a source of continual annoyance this year. It 

 is a fact tliat the lumber business in western 

 Nortii Carolina has grown beyond even the ex- 

 pectations of the lumbermen and the railroad 

 ofliciais. While this is true lumberiHen take 

 the position that three years is a sufficient 

 length of time to enable the railroad company 

 to place its shipping facilities on a par with 

 the requirements of the tratfi<- and iielieve that 

 the time has come when it is expedient to force 

 the railroad to provide better service. Lumber- 

 men say that it is impossible to secure a regular 

 and dependable supply of cars. When they 

 ask for 125 or 1.50 cars they are given 25. 

 Though they have complained bitterly for a long 

 time that tliey have been ' given no relief or 

 even promise of relief. T"nder the present con- 

 ditions it is not unusual for loaded cars of lum- 

 ber billed and ready for shipment to remain 

 on the sidetracks unmoved for days. In many 

 instances more tlian a week's time has been 

 lost in this manner. The lumbermen of this 

 section of the state have become tired of the 



