ftiilwoojl RocoM 



Published In the Interest of Hardwood Lumber. American Hardwood Forests, Wood Veneer Industry, Hardwood Flooring. 

 Hardwood Interior Finish, Wood Chemicals, Saw Mill and Woodworking Machinery. 



Vol. XXII. 



CHICAGO. AUGUST 25. 1906. 



No. 9. 



Published on the 10(h and 25th oF each month by 



THE HARDWOOD COMPANY 



Henry H. Gibson. Presidem 



Frank W. TUTTLE. Sec-Treas. 



OFFICES 

 Sixin Floor Elisvvorth Bldg.. 355 Dearborn St Chicago, 111., U.S. A, 



Telephones: Harrison 4960 Automatic 5659 



TERMS OF ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 



In the United States, Canada, Philippine Islands and Mexico . . $2.00 



In all other countries in Universal Postal Union ..... 3.00 

 Subscriptions are payable in advance, and in default of written orders to the 

 contrarj- are continued at our option. 



The entire contents of this publication are covered by the general copy- 

 right, and articles must not be reprinted without special permission. 

 Entered at Chicago Postoflice as Second Class Matter. 



Adyertisine copy must be received five days in advance of 

 publication date. Advertising rates on application. 



General Market Conditions. 



With the general uudeiiiable shortage of several varieties of 

 southern hardwoods the expected result has followed — an advance 

 in prices. The market condition eonmiittee of the Hardwood Man- 

 ufacturers' Association of the United States has suggested for 

 immediate eiifect an advance on poplar, 7 to 17 inch firsts and sec- 

 onds, of ^1^ a thousand, making the current price of inch f. o. 1). 

 Ohio river points, $i9 a thousand. No. 1 common jioplar is also 

 advanced $2 a thousand, or from ^30 to .$32. Selects are advanced 

 $1, or from $36 to $37. Saps, $1, or from $36 to $37. No. 2 

 common is advanced $1.50, or from $20..50 to $22. No. 3 common 

 is advanced $2, or from $17 to .$19. The same advance in prices 

 prevails on thicker than inch. Poplar squares are advanced in 

 price from $i to $.5 a thousand. Box boards $1 a thousand, making 

 the price $43 for from 8 to 12 inch, and $54 for 13 to 17 inch. No. 

 ] and select 6 inch drop siding is advanced $1 a thousand, or $43 

 and $37 respectively, and No. 1 common is advanced $.50, making 

 the current price $28.50. 



Basswood in firsts and seconds and No. 1 common takes a $2 

 advance, showing $36 and $26 respectively, f. o. b. Ohio river points. 

 No. 2 common basswood is advanced $4, or to $20. 



No. 1 common, 1^4 and ll'o inch walnut is advanced $2 a thou- 

 sand, or to $58. while No. 2 common, same thickness, is advanced 

 $1, or to $32. 



No. 1 common chestnut is advanced $1, or to $35 a. thdusainl. 



Soft elm and soft maple show an advance of from $.50 to $1. 



The price on Cottonwood is advanced $1 on box woods only, 

 which makes the current price on 8 to 12 inch, $40, and on 13 to 17 

 inch, $46. 



Firsts and seconds jjlain white and red oak are advanced i)2, or to 

 $49. No. 1 eonmion is advanced $1, or to $32. No. 2 common is 

 advanced $2, or to $21. No. 3 common is advanced $.50, or to 

 $16.50. Oak strips in all grades are advanced $1, or to $37 for 

 clear face 2% to 5% inch, and $26 for No. 1 common 2iL' to oli; 

 inch. No change is recommended in the price of quartered white 

 and red oak. 



Nos. 1, 2, and 3 common red gum are advanced $1, which makes 

 the price f. o. b. Cairo or Thebes respectively $17, $14 and $11. 



Both hickory retiches and axles are advaticed $5 a thousanil. 



which makes the current price .fSll for reaches and $55 to $70 for 

 axles. 



The demand for all these items of stock, being in excess of the 

 siqiply, the ancient law therefore prevails and the prices suggested 

 are undeniably warranted, and it is contidently ex])ected that they 

 can be obtained. 



I'^-diu tlie ]>revi(>us lack of organization among hardwood ope- 

 rators of the North there is no indication cjf a very material ad- 

 vance in these woods just at the present time, although they fully 

 deserve a manifest accretion in price. The extreme shortage of 

 poplar and Cottonwood in the South is helping basswood values 

 somewhat, but still it is comparatively cheap. The price being re- 

 ceived for gray elm and birch is still much lower than the merits of 

 ihese woods warrant. The hard maple of the North— that sterling 

 wood — is comparatively low in price. However, it is now definitely 

 l:no\vn that the stocks of northern hardwoods in sight are remark- 

 ably low, probably twenty-five per cent less than they were a year 

 ■\go, and the only reason northern operators are not getting more 

 i'or their hardwood product is because they have not yet awakened 

 to the situation, organized thorcuighly and asked the price. On 

 the basis of relative value northern hardwoods are anywhere from 

 $5 to $10 lower than the prices being obtnineil for southern woods. 



Denatured Alcotiol Proposition. 



Congress at its recent session passed an act jiciinitting the use 

 of alcohol in the arts and industries free of tax when denatured, 

 which law will go into etfect .Ian. 1 next. The passage of the act 

 has created much interest in industrial circles, and in reply 1.o 

 the numerous inquiries that have been received by the several exec- 

 utive departments of the government, regulations for denaturing 

 alcohol are in process of jjreparation by the treasury department. 

 OtHcers of this department are also investigating conditions under 

 which the work is carried on in foreign countries. The Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture has engaged a Columbia University expert 

 to analyze and report on the possibilities of alcohol as a fuel. 

 Legislators prominent in securing the passage of the bill, which 

 was carried through both houses of Congress as a piece of ' ' good 

 politics," allege that they expected that large quantities of de- 

 natured alcohol would be used for fuel in small engines, automo- 

 biles and motor boats, and furthermore that the demand would 

 enable the farmer to utilize the by-products of the farm in the 

 manufacture of alcohol. The government proposes to publish the 

 result of its expert's experiments as well as those that have been 

 carried on in foreign countries, and it invites persons who have 

 patented vaporizers, carbureters or complete engines which it is 

 desired to test, to send their ajiparatus to New York, where the 

 tests will be conducted witlioiit expense to the owners, save ftu" 

 transportation. 



In the tlaily consular and trade report of a recent date, pub- 

 lished by the government, are printed replies from several of our 

 consular officers located in the principal continental cities, covering 

 what information they have been able to collect concerning dena- 

 tured alcohol and its uses abroad. 



The Milan consul reports that nictliyl (wood) alcohol has no 

 market in Italy, and it is impossible to quote prices from manufac- 

 turers to first hands. He says there is no demand for alcohol as 

 fuel in engines, autos, etc., in Italy. 



The consul at Marseilles says that the last word in regard to the 

 industrial uses of alcohol has not vet been said, nor does he antici- 



