HARDWOOD RECORD 



53 



L 



BUFFALO 



Hardwood luinbei- moves a little slow, but is 

 as good pi-opeity as it ever was. Thei-e is still 

 a little nicf" than tli(> usual amount of distrust 

 of tlie future on the pari of the manufacturer 

 and it is perhaps well, for nothing hurts Inisi- 

 ness much faster than over-production. The 

 amount of hardwood lumber available is small 

 enough to keep it at its best as to price and 

 demand if it is handled riRlit. liuffalo is si-llins 

 con.servatively. at moderate prices, and has her 

 full share of the lumber. 



There is some uneasiness expressed over the 

 price of logs, especially of oak in the South. 

 I'.uffalo dealers who have mills down there are 

 of the opinion that they are going up taster 

 than lumber_is. lor that is pretty nearly sta- 

 liinnry at pi"espnt. Xobody doubts, tliough. that 

 if will go higher early ne.it year. Some dealers 

 here say that oak, poplar and chestnut are the 

 best sellers, while others report that maple, 

 elm and ash. especially black ash. are strong 

 and some dealers tind the same to be true witli 

 birch. The activity of the furniture mills is 

 taking care of the couuuou and lower grades. 



PHILADELPHIA 



'Ihc past fortnight has seen a decided activity 

 in hardwood trading, especially in the higher 

 grades of popiar. ch.'stnut. plain and quartered 

 oak and basswoort ; asli is also gaining strength. 

 The lower grades, although s'.ower in movement, 

 sliow an advance. 'I'he furniture and automobile 

 factories are more active throughout the East. 

 Car Iniilding. railroad and trolley, goes on un- 

 interrupti'diy. The outlook In all the consum- 

 ing districts promises well for lOlii. Complaints^ 

 cnfortunately multiply as to car shortage aud 

 orders accordingly are taken subject to delay in 

 shipment. The stocks of the good end of hard- 

 woods are below normal, consetiuently prices hold 

 lirm and it is predicted a steady advance may be 

 looked for. 



PITTSBURG 



Hardwood men are bus.v. Kvidence of this is 

 seen ever.vwhere. Shipments of hardwood are 

 larger than two months ago and stocks are rela- 

 tively smaller, due to the fact that the demand 

 IS steadily eating into supply. Although mills 

 are running at almost full capacity in most 

 places; they are not able to make any gain on 

 slocks. On the other hand, they are barely able 

 to keep up with current orders. The demand for 

 I he best hardwood from the eastern furnitm-e 

 factories and the carriage atul automoliile manu- 

 facturers is insistent. 'l"he railroad and con- 

 tracting trade is also calling for a large amount 

 of hardwood, chiefly timbers, for use soon after 

 .lanuary 1. To get deliveries of this stock will 

 be no small trouble to many wholesalers. Unless 

 they have mills of their own, they are finding it 

 hard to contract for any largi' (luantity of lum- 

 ber to be delivered so soon. 



Hardwood Ilooring seems to be imin'oving in 

 deiiiaud. Maple stick is wanted at good prices 

 aud much of it is going to tile eastern market. 

 The call for birch and tine oak is very encour- 

 aging. Hickory, asli and poplar continue to be 

 vi'ry firm in market and (piotations rule above 

 list where stocks are choice and customers are 

 lushed for lumber to supply their needs in the 

 immediate future. There is a larger call for 

 pitch than usual, much of it going to the auto- 

 mobile factories for car sills, etc. Kim is selling 

 well and country mills are turning out much 

 stock. Hardwood prices in general are certain 

 to move up during the next two months it pres- 

 ent quotations in this nuirket count for an.v- 

 tbing at all. 



BOSTON 



There has been a steady improvcmeul in the 

 market tor hardwood lumber during I he past 

 few weeks. Large buyers who have not been 

 in tlie market for several months have been 

 operating and salesmen all state they are re- 

 ceived in a better way than they have been. 

 Manufaclurers of interior house finish have had 

 an activi- fall business and are still busy, with a 

 good outlook for a large spring trade. More 

 building is lixiked for in this section next spring 

 tluiu for several years. This, with all of the 

 other work to be started within a few months, 

 will rcsiill in an active call for liiiisb. Furni- 

 lore manufacturers are also very busy. The 

 yard trade has been good and retailers are 

 obliged to replenish their stocks. 



Demand for quartered oak is good aiul stocks 

 are not large Sales have been made at ^Oii 

 for one-inch stock, but buyers as a whole have 

 not been willing to pay tliis figure. I'lain oak 

 is in betler demand and prices rule firmer. Ash 

 and maple have been in very good call of late. 

 Chestnut is firm with demand moderate. A 

 fair call is reported for whitewood. Veneers are 

 ill larger demand and blotter pric.'s are obiaiiuible. 



prices. Makers of furniture in the Carolinas 

 are enjoying the best business they have had 

 lor over two years. .Ml Ihe factories are work- 

 ing full time and full forces. 



Implement manufacturers, boxmakers and 

 other makers of hardwood products report good 

 business. Here in Charlotte hardwood dealers 

 are finding all the business they can handle, 

 anil in every case they report prospects for spring 

 and winter business the best for several years. 



Railroads have been in the markets and car 

 makers have placed numerous orders. There is 

 an unusual amount of building under way, and • 

 demand from the North and West has been 

 strong during the past fortnight. Large vol- 

 umes of goods have been shipped out of the 

 state both by rail and water. There has been 

 little complaint of lack of cars to handle busi- 

 ness so tar. although a few manufacturers have 

 encounti'red some difficulty in this resiject. 



BALTIMORE 



The hardwood trade of this seel ion is mov- 

 ing along without any remarkable developments, 

 but the tone of the market is becoming steadily 

 stronger and such advances as have been made 

 from time to time are maintained. The hard- 

 woods ail along the line have lieen able to hold 

 their own, the demand being sutflciently active to 

 absorb the output of the mills as fast as it 

 could be shipped. Dry weather has continued 

 1,1 favor operations by the manufacturers and the 

 production has made gains, but practic-illy all of 

 the.se have gone to meet the larger immediate 

 rcouiromcnts. Except in comparatively few in- 

 staiu'cs uo heavy restocking has taken place, 

 l^iu- a tioii' the yards were affected by the strain 

 imposed upon them by the depression and deemed 

 it inexpedient to let out, and now, when the 

 silualion has changed decidedly for the better, 

 high money rales are compelling curtailment. 

 Collections are reported to be far from satisfac- 

 tory because of the demand for money, and even 

 though the dealers wanted to expand they find 

 themselves facing limitations imposed by the ris- 

 ing tide of prosperity. After the crop move- 

 ment and the special needs of the luilidays con- 

 ditions are expected to be more conducive to the 

 placing of liberal orders than at present. The 

 current necessities of the consumer are of fair 

 proportions and there is every indication that 

 ihe trade will continue to show gains. 



Furniture manufacturers are buying quite 

 freely and Ihe wholesalers here report alinosi 

 without exception that they are going ahead and 

 that a much better feeling prevails. All the 

 woods in general use are favorably infiuenced, 

 poplar especially being strong and showing no 

 decline. The domestic demand has been of such 

 volume as to curtail the shipments abroad, and 

 prices have improved there. The foreign trade 

 continues to show a marked improvement aud 

 exporters an' preparing for a far more active 

 movement than has prevailed perhaps in years. 



CHARLOTTE 



The. pas! two weeks has witnessed consid- 

 erable improvement in the hardwood markers. In 

 some sections the increase in price of oak and 

 other woods amounts to from .f:! to $4 a thou- 

 sand. It Is said that orders for delivery next 

 year have been turned down at present quota- 

 tions, lumbermen refusing to place future busi 

 I'css at currc'Ut prices because they confidently 

 believe tliere will be still further advance in 



NORFOLK 



1 



The hardwood market of Norfolk is improv- 

 ing, especially in higher grades for the manu- 

 facture of furniture, botli for home markets and 

 foreign. Hardwooii. manufacturers are feeling 

 more enthused over the outlook than they have 

 for several months. All of the local firms are 

 busy, aud looking forward to a decided increase 

 the first of tlie year. 



CLEVELAND 



The call for mahogany for interior finish has 

 increased considerably this fall, according to 

 local hardwood dealers. The reasonable price 

 at which mahogany fan be secured and the con- 

 stantly increasing price of oak is causing many 

 persons to use the former in fine residence work. 

 M-ny of the hardwood dealers ar^ pi'-eparing to 

 carrv larger and choicer stocks of mahogany 

 than ever before. The call for hardwoods is 

 becoming more active as business revives. The 

 vehicle trade, the car works and furniture fac- 

 tories are also investing more freely. Oak still 

 seems to have the preference, both quartered 

 and plain moving well. 



There seems to be a tendency for advanced 

 prices all along the line. Such low prices, com- 

 paratively, have been existing, for the past year 

 or two that the dealers say they feel justified in 

 holding out for better figures. 



Considerable hardwood is being brought down 

 from the upper lakes district by the vessels, 

 as navigation closes early next month. Heavy 

 stocks are being carried by most of the yards 

 in anticipation of a big business this winter 

 and next spring. Manufacturing concerns, which 

 have been running on a short order scale, are 

 a-ain beginning to buy uiorr liberally. 



Increasing strength iu all grades characterizes 

 Ihe market in central Oliio. The demand is uni- 

 form for all grades, which prevents an accumu- 

 lation of stocks, as had been the case several 

 .nonths ago. T'he demand comes from manufac- 

 turing establishments, the yard trade and from 

 car works, and one of the best features is the 

 desire to have immediate delivery instead of 

 stringing it along for some time. In many places 

 Ihe telegraph, is brought inio requisition to hurry 

 111, sliipments. 



Trices are lirm. In si'veral instances l.icre 

 have beiui advances which will probably be fal- 

 lowed bv others b.fore the first of the year. 

 The car shortage which has been aftecting ship- 

 ments is becoming more pronounced. Quartered 

 oak is as scarce as ever and prices are slightly 

 higher. Stocks are small and the seller I'an get 

 almost any figure. There Is also a good <leniand 

 for plain oak. especially for firsts and seconds. 



