HARDWOOD RECORD 



2Q 



has almost been hushed, though nearly all lum- 

 ber concerns are short on poplar and are con- 

 fronted with a serious proposition. It Is evi- 

 dent that there is not a great amount of poplar 

 standing in this section and the yards are nearly 

 ail depleted. No trouble is encountered in mar- 

 keting the stock, and the lumbermen are not 

 apprehensions of the danger of overproduction. 

 Some of the mills report a shortage of logs and 

 others closed a few days to catch up on logs. 



Cincinnati. 



The gist of opinion among wholesale hard- 

 wood dealers is that the market in its present 

 state is entirely satisfactory, considering the 

 season. In former years at this time mid- 

 summer dullness has existed, but this year it has 

 not appeared, so far at least, and dealers can 

 be found who e.xpress tlie belief that there 

 will be no appreciable falling oft in trade dur- 

 ing the balance of this mouth and next. 



Prices are not yielding In the least, although 

 receipts have increased, enabling some stacking 

 to be done in the yards for future wants. In 

 the last week the weather has been favorable 

 to building operations, after a fortnight's 

 stretch of intolerable conditions. Fair in- 

 quiries are being received from export sources, 

 while road men are sending in good orders, 

 with advices that in the fall there will be a 

 great demand likely from the country trade. 



IMain oak tirsts and seconds have been the 

 market leaders, selling at best prices without 

 urging. Quartered oak is in about the same 

 position as for some time, a fair amount of 

 business being put through, which shades only 

 when compared to the activity in plain grades. 



Cypress sales have been of moderate volume 

 and the same can be said for ash, chestnut and 

 hickory. Prices for these three items are stifl:. 

 Mahogany is moving with customary freedom, 

 the demand being largely from eastern markets. 

 Cottonwood has sold nicely in the last two 

 weeks and red gum has followed it closely. 

 I'oplar hrsts and seconds continue to bring full 

 quotations. 



Nashville. 

 July 1 statements, covering the business in 

 lumber in Nashville during the hrst six months 

 of lt)06, show a splendid increase in volume 

 over a corresponding period of lUUo. The in- 

 crease is said to average as much as 20 to 25 

 per cent with manj' tirms. A good deal of activ- 

 ity is noted in the local market at present. 

 The river is low and few logs are being brought 

 to the city that way, but the railroad lines are 

 bringing in a lot of timber. Good Arm poplar, 

 in all grades in shipping condition, is being 

 picked up readily. The same is true of chestnut, 

 oak and ash. Local stock is reported consid- 

 erably lower than was the case ou January 1. 



Memphis. 



The midsummer season liuds only a moderate 

 demand for hardwood lumber, but it likewise 

 hnds less dry stock than has been held in this 

 section for a number of years, so that the mar- 

 ket displays a healthy undertone. There is an 

 apparent disposition ou the part of buyers to 

 secure nothing beyond immediate requirements, 

 but this is not causing sellers to lose any sleep, 

 as they feel that there will not be any accumu- 

 lation of stock and that, consequently, there will 

 not be any falling ofE in prices. There are more 

 mills in operation than for some time as a result 

 of the favorable weather ; but the receipts of 

 lumber here are not large, and manufacturers 

 say that it will take them some time to restore 

 their yard holdings to the normal condition. 



The foreign demand is only moderate, though 

 it Is felt that there will be some picking up in 

 both the domestic and foreign trade during the 

 latter part of this month. 



Ash is as strong as heretofore. The demand 

 for it is very good and offerings light. The de- 

 mand is good for all grades, though the prefer- 

 ence is given for thick stock. Cypress is another 



ready seller, with only moderate offerings. Prices 

 are firmly maintained at the recent level. All 

 grades are wanted. 



Cottonwood is much wanted in the lower 

 grades by box manufacturers. There Is a pro- 

 nounced scarcity of this lumber, which is an 

 added feature of strength. High-grade cotton- 

 wood, with the exception of box boards, which 

 are in splendid request, is possibly not quite as 

 strong as a short time ago, though there is not 

 much of this for sale. 



There is a moderate demand for red firsts and 

 seconds gum, though sap gum is not much 

 wanted. Low-grade stock is in excellent re- 

 quest. LoW'-grade gum is quite firm, while a 

 steady tone prevails in all other grades. 



Plain white oak continues in healthy position. 

 Demand is good, especially in the higher grades. 

 I'lain red oak may be a shade easier than 

 heretofore, though there is no special difficulty 

 encountered in disposing of high-grade stock. 

 Quarter-sawed white oak is a good seller at 

 fairly satisfactory prices, but there is not much 

 movement in quarter-sawed red. The increasing 

 tendency to cut quarter-sawed oak into veneer 

 is regarded as the principal reason for the 

 small business done in this wood as compared 

 with recent years. 



New Orleans. 



The hardwood market here is dull. Stocks 

 have not been replenished and are still low. 

 The demand is light because the buyers both 

 here and on the other side have practically sus- 

 pended operations. Prices remain practically as 

 they were sixty days ago. Exports are tailing 

 off and not a great amount of lumber is being 

 shipped to foreign countries. This is due to the 

 inactivity on the part of the European buyers. 

 They are said to be holding off slightly In hopes 

 that lower prices will come with the temporary 

 dei)ression which obtains now. The conditions 

 prevailing at present are not unusual for this 

 season of the year and no decided change is 

 looked for within the next sixty days. The first 

 of September, however, will in all probability re- 

 sult in a decided change in the conditions. 



Xoixisville. 



It's the mill man's market In this vicinity all 

 the way around, and every mill is busy. Tliere 

 has been some active moving of cottonwood, 

 with prices of this wood climbing right along 

 with poplar. The local box factory trade has 

 not taken kindly to advanced prices, but those 

 having cottonwood to offer have found no seri- 

 ous difficulty in finding a market at better fig- 

 ures for box factory stock than is generally ob- 

 tained here. Poplar, of course, is leading the 

 list in strength. The demand tor oak, espe- 

 cially for car stock and bill stuff, is very active. 

 The furniture trade, while it is not expected to 

 buy heavily these days, is taking a very nice 

 volume, not only of plain oak, but of quar- 

 tered oak. Good prices on walnut lumber stimu- 

 lated the trade early in the season to gather in 

 all the walnut that could be picked up, and 

 the local mills are still getting in more and 

 sawing it up. There is not a great deal of it 

 that is biff and extra fine, but there has been 

 an unusually large quantity altogether brought 

 in for cutting this season. The local demand 

 for hardwood flooring continues good, In fact, 

 there is more sold here than the trade antici- 

 pated. The hardwood market generally is good, 

 the only variation about it is that now and 

 then some wood will take on an unusual spurt 

 in the way of activity. 



Minneapolis. 



The feature of the market in the Northwest 

 is a revival of buying from the retail yards. 

 Both single yards and line yard buyers are 

 coming into the market for hardwood, the 

 chief item in demand being oak yard stock 

 and wagon material. A good deal of floor- 

 ing is called for. The demand is to a large 



extent for straight cars of liardwood, but 

 there Is considerable also taken in mixed 

 cars. Factory demand in the small towns is 

 taking considerable wagon stock just now. 

 and the volume of business is surprising for 

 this season of the year. 



The city trade is just seasonable. Sash and 

 door factories and furniture people are not 

 stocking up heavily yet. They are buying to 

 a fair extent for immediate needs, all being 

 busy and running rather low on stock, but 

 they will not contract much or buy over a 

 carload at a time till the new stock" of hard- 

 wood is pretty well available or until they 

 know more about fall prospects in the light of 

 the grain crops of the Northwest. There is a 

 brisk demand for such northern oak as can be 

 offered, but the supply is running low. Red 

 oak in nortiiern stock is practically gone. 

 There is some quartered oak offered, but plain 

 oak is scarce, and the main supply will have 

 to come from the South. There is no dif- 

 ficulty now in securing shipments from south- 

 ern mills, and prices are a trifle easier than 

 they were. Birch is ample in supply, ex- 

 cept No. 1 in thick stock. There is a good 

 demand tor all kinds of birch. Basswood Is 

 selling fairly well. The mills have notified 

 buyers of basswood culls that there will be 

 a $2 advance on August 1, and this has stim- 

 ulated buying somewhat. An even greater 

 scarcity of cull lumber Is expected next win- 

 ter than was experienced last winter and 

 spring. 



Liverpool. 



Trade Is still very quiet and does not show 

 any activity. Two mahogany .sales take place 

 shortly and only a small quantity of African 

 wood will be offered, the greater amount being 

 Cuban. Prices should be well maintained. 

 The slackness of trade throughout the United 

 Kingdom may eventually lower prices some- 

 what, but it Is thought they will be well 

 maintained until the end of the year. Buyers 

 are only holding off in the hope of better 

 things in the way of prices. 



The various hardwoods still continue firm 

 In price, but few sales are made for large 

 quantities. The turn of the half-year, which 

 is of course now close at hand, may see better 

 things. Many buyers at the moment refuse 

 to buy on the plea of stock-taking. 



Ash and oak logs and planks would come 

 to a good market, but it is doubtful if buyers 

 would risk buying "to arrive' at the prices 

 shippers are asking. Hickory is much firmer 

 in price and prime parcels are finding a quick 

 sale. Birch is extremely weak and buyers of 

 wood on contract will drop a bit of money if 

 they sell on current market prices. 



London. 



There is little of particular interest to re- 

 port in this market; prices are firm, but there 

 Is very little demand. 



The "war" between the dock companies has 

 terminated by mutual consent and the gainers 

 have been the importers, as the companies 

 have agreed to stand by their rates for the 

 next twelve months. There is a possibility of 

 all the London docks being taken over by 

 one of the local governing bodies, hence the 

 termination of the fight. 



Walnut has been In better demand for cull 

 and medium boards. 



In oak 1%, 2, 3, and 4-inch planks are none 

 too plentiful in any grade, and are in very 

 great request; 1-Inch boards are slow of sale, 

 but stock does not accumulate. 



In satin walnut only medium quality Is 

 asked for at the moment. 



Several parcels of ash planks recently ar- 

 rived on consignment have sold at very good 

 prices and other parcels would sell readily, 

 but this stock Is better sold on contract. 



Mahogany still remains firm and good prices 

 with eager competition is the rule for any 

 parcels which come to public auction. 



