HARDWOOD RECORD 



33 



Ashe-ville. 



Trade in Asheville and western North Caro- 

 lina continues dull, as it lias been foi- more tlian 

 thirty days. While there is not an overalmii- 

 danoe of sawed lumber on the yards and at the 

 railroads ready for shipment, the mills in the 

 mountains have been busy during .luly. anil 

 much sawed hardwood is in the forests ready 

 for haulini;. Lumbermen are not selling at pre- 

 vailins prices to any noticeable extent, pre- 

 ferrins to hold and take chances mi iui iiici-ease 

 in price. 



Bristol, Va.-Tenn. 



There is little change In the market conditions 

 in the Bristol district. There obtains a heavy 

 demand for all kinds of stock, with prices re 

 i;arded as good. 



The export market is declared by local ex- 

 porters to be satisfactory, with prospects prom- 

 ising. Kxportiug is coming more into favor in 

 this sectiun. and many concerns which have 

 hitherto confined their business e.xclusively to 

 the domestic trade are experimentiug, as it were, 

 with the foreign trade. 



There is a good supply of most hardwoods, 

 except some grades of oak and poplar. There is 

 a general scarcity of poplar and dealers and 

 manufacturers are flooded with inquiries for 

 this stock, hut unable in most instances to sup 

 ply the demand. 



Chattanooga. 



A careful canvass of the sawmills and lumber 

 yards in Chattanooga shows the smallest stocks 

 of shippin.-: lumber now on hand since ISSIO. 

 This condition is attributable to direct causes — 

 the growing scarcity of merchantable timber and 

 the unusual demand for all lumber products. 

 T'bere has never been a time when there has 

 been such a great demand for low grade lumber 

 of all kinds in this section. Low grade poplar 

 and hasswood have been slow of sale for some 

 time, but now the box factories are using locally 

 every foot of this grade of luml)er they can get. 

 The unusual amount of building that has been 

 going on locall.y during the past eighteen months 

 has drawn heavily upon local mills. 



There has been a great activity also througli 

 all the mining sections and more railroad build 

 ing is being carried on in the vicinity of Chat- 

 tanooga than at any time within fifteen years. 



Standing timber in this locality is being rap- 

 idly exhausted. Many tracts of land that have 

 been cut over in the past are now being gone 

 over the second or even the third time. In order 

 to get an adequate supply of logs to keep the 

 mills ruiuiiug operators are going back further 

 into the mountains and up the smaller water 

 courses and running out logs from localities that 

 a few years ago would have been regarded as 

 practically inaccessible for logging operations. 

 On account of the scarcity of logs, a number of 

 the (.'hattanuoga mills have already gone out of 

 business or have moved farther south where 

 they will he more accessible to standing timber. 



A few of the mills and lumber yards have a 

 pretty good supply of lumber on hand. One of 

 the largest lumber operators in Chattanooga was 

 heard to remark a day or two ago that he had. 

 for the first time in twenty years, under con- 

 tract and in process of delivery every foot of 

 spare lumber he had in his yard. 



The furniture factories of Chattanooga are 

 drawing upon the local mills and the surround 

 ing territory for great quantities of lumber, 

 especially oak. Poplar that a few years ago 

 entered largely into the manufacture of cheap 

 furnittire is no longer used to any extent, on 

 ;icconnt of the advance in price. 



the limit of their capacity, but they are doing 

 a very satisfactory busiuess. and that the out- 

 look is for a splendid fall and winter trade. 

 Croiis throughout the South and West are ex- 

 ceptionally favorable. The furniture trade, the 

 agricultural implement business, the manufac- 

 ture of railroad equipment, building operations, 

 the steel and iron industry and other Indices of 

 prosperous conditions are very wholesome, thus 

 suggesting large consumptive requirements dur- 

 ing the next few months. 



Conditions surrounding production have been 

 more favorable during the past fortnight, and 

 good headway is being made in getting out lum- 

 ber. However, there is no excess of dry stock 

 in any direction, and for this reason prices are 

 exceptionally well maintained. 



Ash stands at the head of the list in point 

 of strength. It is very scarce, and will not be 

 moved except at very full prices. All grades are 

 wanted and buyers are quite willing to pay the 

 price when they are able to find what they 

 wiint. Cypress continues a ready seller in all 

 grades, though, if anything, the lower grades 

 are imu-e wanted in proportion to the supply 

 I ban the higher. Prices are well maintained 

 and the amount of stock is not burdensome by 

 any means. Plain oak continues to move well. 

 There was some lull in this about a uionth ago. 

 h\it it is picking up again and is wanted steadily 

 at very satisfactory prices for both red and 

 wiiite. The lower grades, especially common, 

 are also wanted. There is no great movement 

 iti quarter-sawed oak, though this wood is hold- 

 ing its own. There is a splendid demand for 

 (ottonwood in all grades, with but a limited 

 supply. The better call is for the lower grades 

 and for box boards. Prices are very firm be- 

 cause Cottonwood is developing into a rather 

 scarce article and is likely to remain so tuitil 

 stmie of the stock now being produced has been 

 III sticks long enough to make it available. Gum 

 1-; in good demand, with a better call, relatively, 

 fcr the lower than for the higher grades, largely 

 as a result of the scarcity and highness of Cot- 

 tonwood and other woods used in box factories. 

 r<.phir is without change. 



Memphis. 



There is further tendency toward Increase in 

 the volume of hardwood business, tlie last two 

 weeks showing considerable gain. Manufactur 

 ers and wl'olesalers say they are not rushed to 



Liverpool. 



Some weeks ago it was stated that buyers of 

 mahogany at prevailing sale prices would obtain 

 good bargains, as the price was certain to rise. 

 This statement was proved to be correct by the 

 result of the late sales held here. A glance at 

 the realized prices shows a sharp advance all 

 .-iround for all classes of this wood. From all 

 appearance at sale yards these seem to be rap- 

 idly going into consumption, and it may be 

 safely prophesied that still higher prices will 

 rule at next sales. 



(leneral trade here, however, remains quiet, 

 and prices generally of .\merican hardwoods are 

 easier. Pitch pine and ash logs have gone all 

 to pieces, owing to excessive import. A quantity 

 c^f the latter have been sold by brokers here 

 as low as $30. Numerous parcels that have 

 arrived are very badly wormed and considerable 

 loss has no doubt been caused to shippers from 

 this cause. Ash and oak planks are very firm 

 and merchants here have difficulty in securing 

 the wood they have contracted for. Several 

 contracts have been made some time ago by ship- 

 pers at old prices and many merchants here are 

 very much annoyed that they are not getting 

 them now that the prices have risen. One con- 

 tract where IMi-lnch firsts and seconds white 

 ash planks was sold about twelve months ago 

 at ^7}0 ex quay Liverpool has not yet been deliv- 

 ered. Needless to say, the merchant in question 

 can see a very nice profit if he could only get 

 same delivered. It is certainly very exasperat- 

 ing when some of the smaller class of shippers 

 plead "a lire or a flood" as an excu-ie until the 

 market has eased in price. We really think the 

 'eading shippers, who arc no doubt above such 

 tactics, should take strong action to prevent 

 this kind of thing. At any rate it does them a 

 great deal of harm, as one repeatedly hears a 



merchant say that all shippers adopt these tac- 

 tics. This, however, we can testify from per- 

 sonal knowledge is not the case, but we simply 

 quote "common gossip" to show the harm that 

 is done. 



Louisville. 



Said a prominent sawmill lunn here in speak- 

 ing of the hardwood situation : "What we need 

 to have brought home to us till we realize it 

 thoroughly Is that stumpage is something that 

 we can harvest only once in a lifetime; not 

 till then can we properly appreciate the neces- 

 sit.v of getting a good value for what lumber we 

 sell." That's the way many millmen are look- 

 ing at the market situation now, and especially 

 those who have been out trying to buy stump- 

 age. As a result the market is naturally very 

 stiff and higher prices are being talked of. There 

 is difference of opinion as to when further In- 

 creases are due. Some think this fall, and in 

 consequence are not willing to sell stock for 

 future delivery, but others do not think values 

 will change much this year. 



It is taking some hustling on the part of local 

 millmen to get logs enough to keep running 

 steadily, but most of them manage to do so, 

 and lumber deliveries from country mills are 

 coming in freely. So, with a good demand, stItT 

 prices and a fair volume of stock moving right 

 along, the hardwood trade is in what might be 

 termed a healthy condition. Ties are still scarce 

 and in active demand ; poplar seems to have 

 more buyers than sellers: hickory is snapped 

 up like live bait, and pretty much everything 

 on the hardwood list is meeting with ready 

 sale. 



Minneapolis. 



The main feature of hardwood trade is the 

 revived activity in buying from factory sources. 

 All summer there has been a fair amount of 

 business from that quarter, but it has come in 

 small quantities to supply immediate needs. 

 Manufacturers got along on short stoi ks till 

 the new cut of hardwood was offered, so I bey 

 could hope for all possible latitude in price and 

 quality of stuff. Now they are beginning to 

 want lumber, and are buying more heavily. 

 The trade Is disposed to buy earlier on account 

 of previous experiences with short stocks and 

 stiff prices in the late fall and winter. 



Oak is firm and selling freely, but very little 

 northern stock is left in sight, and dealers are 

 generally shipping from southern mills. There 

 is an abundance of birch, and fair stocks of bass- 

 wood, maple and soft elm. All these woods are 

 moving in good volume, however, and birch is 

 not going to be a drug on the market, judging 

 liy the size of the orders being placed and the 

 cimtracts being written for delivery later. 

 Prices are firm, and even on birch it is hard 

 to find any concessions made for the purjiose of 

 moving lumber. 



The retail yard trade continues good, and is 

 somewhat improved over a month ago. The crop 

 is so well assured that dealers are no longer 

 hedging against failnre, but are laying" in what 

 stock they expect to need this fall. There is a 

 good demand for oak and maple wagon stock, 

 also for maple flooring. 



London. 



Trade here is still very quiet and is not 

 expected to improve till September. Buyers 

 are slowly beginning to realize that to obtain 

 the stocks they require much higher prices 

 must be paid, but stocks sent by chance on con- 

 signment do not receive much attention. 



Good dry oak is still in fair demand and is 

 realizing shippers' ideas of prices. Prime white- 

 wood is not in great demand, but prices hold 

 firm : culls are in demand at full prhes. Satin 

 walnut is not too plentiful and there is no 

 demand for it. The mahogany branch of the 

 trade hidds to firm prices. Public auctions are 

 '■ell at tended and prices realized show an ad- 

 vance. 



