58 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Prices have not changed much yet, but quar- 

 tered oak is scarce enough to command almost 

 any price. The rule is getting to be, though, that 

 the buyer has about given up loolsing for quar- 

 tered oak and is using plain oak, chestnut and 

 birch instead. There is all of the former firm- 

 ness and activity in poplar and the other south- 

 ern woods, cypress and yellow pine, cypress be- 

 ing firmest but yellow pine getting over the un- 

 steady state of that market last fall. The lesser 

 hardwoods, maple, elm and basswood are doing 

 well, though only maple is at all plenty. Black 

 ash is strong. 



BOSTON 



There has not been much activity in tbe mar- 

 ket for hardwood lumber since the middle of 

 last month. Consuming manufacturers have 

 been small buyers for several weeks and the 

 retail yard trade has ruled quiet. Large buyers 

 have l>een busy taking account of stock. How- 

 ever, beginning with February, an improvement 

 in demand is anticipated. A very firm tone has 

 bc?n maintained in the market even in the ab- 

 sence of active trading. It is expected that the 

 spring demand for hardwoods will be large. Fur- 

 niture manufacturers are doing a fair business 

 but at present are not in the market for very 

 large lots of lumber. Manufacturers of interior 

 house finish have a fair amount of business on 

 hand and look forward to a good trade when 

 tbe season opens. 



The market for mahogany has developed a 

 little more strength, but demand has not im- 

 proved much. The local market for veneers is 

 not active and prices have been cut in some 

 cases. It is reported that more trouble over the 

 cutting of prices has been encountered in the 

 West tban in the East. The market for African 

 mahogany is firmer. The call for quartered oak 

 has developed more strength. It is reported 

 that one-inch, one's and two's, has been sold at 

 .$92, but the genera! price for business ranges 

 from about .$8S to $90. The call for plain oak is 

 moderate, but prices are well held. Ash and 

 maple are in good demand with firm prices. 

 North Carolina pine has not been in active call, 

 but it is predicted that an' advance will he seen 

 in the market before long. 



PITTSBURG 



Hardwood men are feeling good. The trade 

 is opening up for 1910 in a way which gives 

 them great hopes of a busy season. The total 

 sales so far this month exceed those of the 

 entire month of January, 1909. The attitude 

 of purchasing agents and contracting firms, as 

 well as retailers, indicates a very pronounced 

 improvement in the general hardwood situation. 

 Inquiries are sharp and spicy. There is no hes- 

 itancy about what buyers want. They realize 

 that stocks must be replenished and increased 

 if they are to profit largely by 1010 prosperity. 

 Manufacturing concerns especially are beginning 

 to worry about tbe situation and are keeping 

 their buyers busy getting stocks in line which 

 can be turned into finished material between 

 now and spring. Tbe furniture, carriage, handle 

 and implement trades are well aware that there 

 will be an enormous demand for their product 

 and they are getting ready to turn out by far 

 tbe largest year's stock that they have ever 

 produced. Especially favorable Is the situation 

 with automobile manufacturers. Hardwoods are 

 going to these plants in larger quantities than 

 ever before and woods which have never been 

 used to any large extent are now being substi- 

 tuted for old time stand bys. Mills in Tri-State 

 territory have been hampered by the heavy 

 snows recently, which have prevented logging to 

 a considerable extent. Their stocks are only 

 fair and all these plants have orders on their 

 books to take practically all the logs they 



will have cut by March 1. Price relations are 

 being more firmly established every day and 

 there is no doubt in the minds of Pittsburg 

 wholesalers but that a substantial increase in 

 the level of hardwood quotations will be made 

 very soon. 



PHILADELPHIA 



- Notwithstanding the usual lull in the eastern 

 .ield at this time, which permits of the necessary 

 stocktaking and the striking off of balance sheets, 

 reports coming in from all sides show consid- 

 erable animation in trading. The year 1909 has 

 closed with a satisfactory showing .and every in- 

 dication points to a bulging prosperity for 1910. 

 Building work is being planned for the near fu- 

 ture to the extent that, if allowed to materialize, 

 will make the coming year a record breaker. Fur- 

 niture factories, carriage and automobile body 

 makers and flooring men are active and every- 

 where there prevails a strong optimism as to the 

 promise of a prolific and enduring business 

 period. In spite of these encouraging features, 

 however, reports from the mill centers show a 

 scarcity of stock in the standard hardwoods with 

 very little prospect of accumulation for some 

 time to come. 



Very little is heard in this section concerning 

 the possible outcome of the controversy between 

 the allied engineers, trainmen and switchmen, 

 and the railroad operators, which has been go- 

 ing on for some time, but those who are keep- 

 ing in close touch with the affair are appre- 

 hensive that a strike is not only a possibility 

 but likely to become a dismal verity if an amic- 

 able agreement is not effected in tbe near future. 

 .V. disaster of this kind would tie up nearly all 

 industries, especially the shipping of hardwoods, 

 consequently it is deemed advisable to urge upon 

 the buyers the extreme necessity of securing their 

 stock before it is too late. 



BALTIMORE 



The year has now been well starieil .m its 

 way and the hardwood men have had an oppor- 

 tunity to get an idea what the future is likely 

 to bring forth. The quiet during the holidays 

 has been succeeded by a measure of activity 

 which is encouraging, and while the trade can 

 hardly be said to have entered upon a stage of 

 exceptional demand, the results are regarded as 

 eminently satisfactory. Prices have held firm, 

 various in.stanccs of advances being noted, and 

 the tendency seems to be toward still higher 

 figures. Manufacturers are beginning to push 

 operations in the expectation of an inquiry which 

 sh:!ll exceed the ability to supply lumber. 



The virtual removal of the car shortage has 

 aided the distribution of lumber, with the result 

 that the stocks at the mills are perhaps even 

 smaller than they were at the beginning of the 

 winter. Low-grade oak and other woods, though 

 still plentiful enough to take care of such needs 

 as are likely to develop, have ceased to be a 

 troublesome problem, and where one dealer re- 

 ports that .January so far has been rather quiet 

 with him, two or three others say they are do- 

 ing much better than they had anticipated. The 

 inquiry has become decidedly brisk, from domes- 

 tic points as well as from abroad, and an in- 

 terest in supplies is shown such as has not been 

 exhibited for a long time. The holdings abroad 

 have been stripped to a large extent of their 

 good stocks, and buyers who would get more of 

 them arc compelled to meet the prices of the ex- 

 porters. The furniture factories and other plants 

 here are very busy, and are buying in liberal 

 quantities, though some hesitancy prevails about 

 paying the current quotations. The bidding for 

 lumber in the milling sections is said to be quite 

 spirited, and the prices paid indicate unmis- 

 takably that tbe exporters entertain high hopes 

 of good returns. Such of the local yards as 



laid in extensive stocks state that they are haT- 

 ing many calls and doing a very acceptable busi- 

 ness. 



CLEVELAND 



The Cleveland market is not quite as active as 

 it was a short time before the holidays, but the 

 dealers say they are well satisfied with the 

 volume of business and the outlook generally; 

 Many local and suburban yards are getting their 

 liearings preparatory to stocking up for a heavy 

 spring business. 



Quartered oak and poplar are leaders in the 

 hardwood market. Poplar is in great demand 

 by the auto body makers, while choice oak and 

 mahogany for interior finish is also moving well. 

 Other hardwoods have not changed much in the 

 past month. There is a tendency, however, to 

 strengthen prices as the spring season advances. 



COLUMBUS 



The market in hardwoods in central Ohio has 

 recovered from the dullness incidental to the 

 holiday period for inventories and orders, and 

 inquiries are actively coming in from every 

 direction. Prices in all grades rule stronger 

 and advances have taken place in certain grades 

 of oak and poplar. The entire list has been on 

 the advance and lumbermen in every depart- 

 ment of the trade believe that prices will grow 

 higher as the season advances. 



The car situation has Improved. Jobbers are 

 getting caught up with their -orders and dealers 

 and manufacturers are not caused any Incon- 

 \enience waiting for deliveries. 



Traveling salesmen who penetrate every part 

 of the country report a healthy condition among 

 dealers. Stocks generally are short for the sea- 

 son of the year and they believe that a much 

 better demand will develop in a few weeks at 

 tbe most. Manufacturing establishments are 

 running on full time and their supply of mate- 

 rial is also short. Agricultural implement fac- 

 tories are in the market for a larger supply of 

 hardwoods and the same is true of automobile 

 concerns and car works. In fact, every branch 

 of the trade, including the furniture industry, 

 show decided gains. The demand for Both quar- 

 tered and plain oak is strong and the supply lim- 

 ited. Red oak. firsts and seconds, advanced $1 

 per thousand in the past week. Chestnut is 

 also stronger and the same is true of the vari- 

 ous grades of poplar. Hickory is wanted in 

 many places. 



CINCINNATI 



During the past fortnight the hardwood mar- 

 ket has shown only a fair volume of business. 

 Still, there is a confidence in the future that 

 adds good spirit to the general trade conditions. 

 The weather has interfered seriously with out- 

 door operations the past two weeks and in many 

 cases mills have been forced to close. A few 

 days of fair weather, however, have worked won- 

 ders in the outside operations, and the delayed 

 shipments have caused an apparent activity 

 about the yards. 



White oak, both quarter-sawed and plain, is 

 still playing the star role in the hardwood mar- 

 ket. Select quarter-sawed white oak of good 

 figure and ten inches in width or over is being 

 quoted at the century mark ; some transactions 

 at if 90 and close to that figure are noted, while 

 the average run of quarter-sawed in the market 

 is bringing about .$80. Red oak is in good sup- 

 ply for both quarter-sawed and plain, and a 

 good volume of trade is being transacted. Chest- 

 nut is not showing much animation at present, 

 but there is a steady inquiry for good lengths 

 of one's and two's, with a wide difference between 

 buyers' and sellers' views. Sound wormy chest- 



