54 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



ax, are advising their salesmen to go slow for a 

 while. The interior finish concerns report a 

 copious fall business and future outlook promis- 

 ing. Poplar is holding a good position, with 

 fair prices, quartered and plain oak is strong 

 and ash is running close ; chestnut commands a 

 steady call with (irm prices ; maple, birch and, 

 in fact, all the standard woods, maintain good 

 status. Veneers are showing better and mahog- 

 any gives promise of an abundant activity and 

 advancing prices. Although the hardwood situa- 

 tion has not improved in the same ratio with the 

 cities farther west, it is confidently predicted 

 that a rush in buying in the near future will 

 force the values upward with a rapidity that 

 will cause an unfortunate stampede for those 

 Who persist in pinying a waiting game. 



PITTSBURQ 



The line weather of the past few weeks has 

 helped lumber sales much In the way of build- 

 ing operations, for yards have been forced to 

 stock up which otherwise would have held off 

 until after the inventory serson. The average 

 dealer, nevertheless, would much rather see cold 

 weather now, for he believes its effect upon 

 liusiuoss in general would be I'Uough better to 

 more than offset the ill effect which it would 

 have on building operations. All tendencies in 

 the lumber market at present are toward larger 

 orders and higher prices. The hardwood market 

 in this respect is particularly favored, and hard- 

 wood men as a result are feeling mighty good. 

 They have profited much lately by the enor- 

 mous gain in operations of railroad and manu- 

 facturing concerns as well as by the larger pur- 

 chases made by the contracting trade. It is 

 safe to say that at least 25 per cent more hard- 

 wood was sold in November than in September. 

 Many wholesalers claim that their November 

 sales will be almost normal compared with the 

 average months of 1906 and the first half of 

 1907. Prospects for 1910 business are fully 

 normal in every respect. 



The feature of the market during the latter 

 part of November was the rapid and steady in- 

 crease in the movement of low-grade hardwood. 

 Sales the past two weeks, however, show that 

 the pendulum has swung the other way and that 

 so far as quantity, at least, is concerned, medium 

 grade stock was much the better seller. This 

 is bringing much business to the country mills 

 and stocks there are being reduced rapidly. It 

 is probable that mill inventories taken the lat- 

 ter part of this month will show at least 40 

 per cent less stock on hand than one year ago. 

 Local car shortage on branch railroads has been 

 reported frequently lately and the fear of a 

 freight handlers' strike has also done much to 

 hasten purchasing agents to get in their orders 

 since December 1. 



BOSTON 



Z} 



Mahogany dealers report a larger demand and 

 anticipate higher prices owing to a short supply 

 the world over. The production was materially 

 reduced during 1008. An advance of $5 to $10 

 a thousand is not unlikely, and it is reported 

 that the supply is only about sixty per cent of 

 normal. Veneers have been selling well to the 

 furniture trade. Quartered oak continues very 

 firm and prices tend upward. Dealers state it is 

 becoming more difficult to find dry lumber. Sales 

 of one-inch, ones and twos, have been made as 

 high as $90, but few buyers have been willing 

 to pay more than .$88. Plain oak is firmer, 

 (.'ulls that sold as low as $2-1 are held by some 

 now at $30. Itaple and ash are firm with a fair 

 demand. The better grades of cypress have been 

 marked up. 



The market for hardwood lumber has ruled 

 a little less active since the first of the month. 

 The falling off in demand is no doubt due to the 

 fact that buyers try as far as possible to keep 

 their stocks down so as to have as little on hand 

 at inventory time as they can. Prices on all 

 grades of hardwoods are firm, with an upward 

 tendency. Stocks of lumber on hand are smaller 

 than usual at this season. The piano trade has 

 been fairly active for the past three or four 

 months, biit now a falling off is reported. One 

 Boston manufacturer continues busy, however, 

 and is producing seventy-five pianos a week. 

 Chair manufacturers are rather busy and are 

 good buyers of lumber. Furniture manufacturers 

 in general are doing a larger business in this 

 vicinity. Manufacturers of interior house finish 

 have had an active fall and most of them are 

 still to be found with a good volume of orders 

 on hand. 



outlook for a big trade in the new year is un- 

 usually bright. 



BALTIMORB 



With the approach of the close of the year it 

 is .not to be expected that there will be a marked 

 increase in the movement of hardwood stocks. 

 If the demand keeps \ip as it has done, it must 

 I)e regarded as conclusive evidence of the 

 strength of the market, and every manufacturer 

 as well as dealer has ample reason to feel satis- 

 fied. The movement has continued to grow 

 notwithstanding the nearness to the holiday sea- 

 son, which shows still more strikingly the im- 

 provement that has taken place in the business 

 situation. That the gains keep up is attested 

 Iiy all who have had an opportunity of late to 

 get a comprehensive view of the situation. The 

 same reports are made by those who have been 

 in the Middle West, by those who took in the 

 northern territory and by the millmen, who 

 state that their plants have been and are still 

 kept busy. 



Prices are advancing not less than the con- 

 sumption, and the increases are firmlj^ main- 

 tained. Oak. ash and other woods have been 

 marked up lately, and the manufacturers seem 

 to experience no difficulty in getting the raise. 

 Poplar still heads the list in point of activity, 

 but the other woods in the hardwood list are 

 not far behind. Stocks at the mills are small, 

 as a rule, and the car shortage interferes mate- 

 rially with delivery. Comparatively few yards 

 have laid in extensive stocks. The general re- 

 plenishing of supplies is still to be done, so that 

 default in delivery may easily give rise to em- 

 Itarrassment. A growing preference for hard- 

 wood floors is one of the developments of the 

 hardwood trade in this section. The exporters 

 are in an expectant mood. Stocks abroad have 

 lieen decreasing, and the large home require- 

 ments have made the manufacturers somewhat 

 indifferent to the foreign market. Another fac- 

 tor in checking the exports has been the discon- 

 tinuance of the practice among brokers of ad- 

 vancing not less than three-quarters of the value 

 of a shipment on the bill of lading, which was 

 formerly a strong incentive, especially for the 

 smaller mills, since they could get a prompt 

 return on their output. The new year is looked 

 to for a big improvement in the foreign business, 

 which would have expanded before now, but has 

 been restricted by the political situation in Eng- 

 land, where the budget fight has affected all 

 branches of commerce. 



CLEVELAND 



COLUMBUS 



The chief feature of the hardwood market in 

 central Ohio during the past fortnight has been 

 increasing demand for all grades. Reports re- 

 ceived from traveling salesmen indicate a gener- 

 ally good demand from practically every section 

 of the country. The only drawback to the 

 market at the present time is the increasing car 

 shortage. Shipments have been delayed to a 

 certain extent and considerable complaints have 

 been heard, especially from Michigan shipments. 

 Lumbermen are of the opinion that the car 

 situation will be one of their greatest problems 

 during the winter season. 



I'rices have strengthened materially under the 

 better demand from manufacturing establish- 

 ments and the yard trade. Mills which have 

 contracts are calling for a larger amount of 

 stock and in some instances the manufacturers 

 and shippers are having a difficult time to fur- 

 nish the extra supply. In practically every case 

 the maximum figures in the contracts have been 

 exceeded. Advances are reported in the better 

 grades of quartered and plain oak. Poplar is 

 strong, especially in the wide sizes. Chestnut Is 

 in better demand and slight advances have been 

 made in the higher grades, particularly No. 1 

 common. Ash is moving better and the market 

 seems to be broadening. Hickory is also in good 

 demand and prices are firm. Other varieties 

 are steady. 



CINCINNATI 



The hardwood market o£ the Queen City, 

 while still active, is showing the decline that 

 precedes the closing of the year. While a few 

 of the prominent hardwood concerns maintain 

 a showing of great activity, the majority are 

 willing to concede that the figures for the year 

 1909 are about complete, and are now patiently 

 awaiting the opening of the year, when it is 

 anticipated there will be a great awakening in 

 all lines of business. There is a general feel- 

 ing of confidence among the lumbermen that 

 the opening of the year 1910 moans continuous 

 prosperity until the closing days. 



Poplar seems to be the leading feature of the 

 market at present, the transactions continue to 

 he heavy, and there Is a strong tone to the mar- 

 ket, prices being well maintained. Quarter- 

 sawed white oak is in good request, with a 

 fair demand for plain. Plain and quarter- 

 sawed red oak is in good supply, with a fair 

 volume of trade. Ash is moving slowly, but 

 prices are strong, with a good stock on band 

 and in sight. There is a fair volume of trade 

 in hickory for wagon and carriage makers' stock, 

 with a good supply on hand and available. Red 

 gum is still an attraction for furniture manu- 

 facturers and the volume of sales shows a 

 steady growth. Walnut stocks are accumulat- 

 ing, owing to the weakness of the demand for 

 export. Cherry is accumulating and the stocks 

 on hand and available are greater than for 

 several years past. 



The hardwood trade in this section is in an 

 exceptionally healthy condition. There is a good 

 movement of plain oak, although prices are 

 scarcely any higher than six months ago. The 

 call for quartered oak is also brisk at even 

 prices. Poplar is moving well, some trouble be- 

 ing experienced by the dealers in securing suf- 

 ficient quantities of high grades to go round. 



The month preceding Christmas is always more 

 or less dull, but the dealers say that they are 

 experiencing a good line of orders and that the 



TOLEDO 



The greater widths of poplar are in strong 

 demand and holders of that kind of material 

 are in position to demand fancy prices. The 

 enormous operations of automobile concerns 

 which use wide poplar in automobile bodies are 

 fast exhausting the supply. Widths of 24 inches 

 and over are extremely scarce. Other grades of 

 poplar show signs of weakness, with a plentiful 

 supply on hand. Oak is still in big demand, 

 not only from builders but from factories as 



