48 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



tinue very bright, the feeling being that there 

 will be a good demand for hardwoods in all lines. 

 So far as high-grade lumber is concerned, its 

 raarket seems assured. Prices are very stiff 

 right now ; stocks are scarce and hard to get in 

 any large amount at any one given point. Such 

 stocks as are available seem to be in sufficiently 

 strong hands to assure a permanency to values 

 with every indication of an upward tendency 

 when the spring demand commences to be felt. 

 Jluch interest is shown in the low-grade market. 

 While prices on these grades show some fluctua- 

 lion and competition in many lines, there seems 

 to be more freedom in buying and an improved 

 tone to consumption in all branches which bids 

 fair to be materially increased with the opening 

 of the spring trade. It is therefore felt that it 

 the production of low-grade hardwoods is not 

 overstimulated, the spring and summer market 

 should absorb all offerings at very fair and firm 

 prices. To these conditions might be added one 

 word of advice, and that is in the matter of any 

 inclination or effort to force the market. It is 

 no time to do so, and if the market be allowed 

 to take its natural course there will unquestion- 

 ably be a very satisfactory condition in hard- 

 woods for at least the spring and summer sea- 

 son. Poplar, oak, ash, birch and chestnut seem 

 to be moving most freely, but the whole list is 

 enjoying more or less demand. 



BUFFALO 



The deep snow and after that good business in 

 lumber is still the feature. As a rule everybody 

 is doing much more than would be expected in 

 any winter with a^ many drawbacks as there are 

 now. One lumberman recently said that it costs 

 at least 50 per cent more to handle lumber in 

 Buffalo now than in the summer. 



There is not a weak spot in the hardwood 

 situation. At one time white ash was rather 

 dull, but it is improving. Agricultural imple- 

 ment factories are in the market for a considera- 

 ble amount of this stock. Quartered oak and 

 inch birch are scarce. Prices on all hardwoods 

 are firm, showing an upward tendency. 



PHILADELPHIA 



There has been a perceptible diminution in 

 activity in the general lumber business during the 

 fortnight, attributable to the recurrent storms, 

 which have seriously interfered with building 

 operations and hauling facilities. The hardwood 

 end, although not up to expectations, has held 

 up fairly well. Orders are increasing and, 

 although not rushed, trading is satisfactory and 

 prices are stiffening. Reports coming in from 

 most of the eastern hardwood fields are to the 

 effect that it is easier to obtain orders than to 

 fill them. The good ends of oak, chestnut, ash 

 and all of the standard woods, especially of the 

 dry quality, are scarce. A sincere optimism ob- 

 tains throughout the trade in spite of the handi- 

 cap of a harassing season, and it is believed that 

 1010 will prove a good year for the hardwood 

 business. 



PITTSBURG 



Pittsburg has been afllicted with the worst 

 series of doses of winter weather that she has 

 ever known. Since December 15 the ground has 

 been covered with snow. Several times since 

 January 1 snows have fallen to a depth of twelve 

 to eighteen inches on the level, which has 

 seriously crippled lumbering operations and lum- 

 ber shipments. Many mills have been down be- 

 cause of no water for months. Others have been 

 forced to stop running because their logging 

 operations in the woods were proceeding so 

 slowly that they could not get their yards filled 

 up. Shipments have been slow. In fact, many 



mills for the past month have been shipping 

 entirely on old orders. The retail yards also 

 have been doing almost no business in the way of 

 getting lumber out of their yards. Building 

 operations have been at a standstill and all kinds 

 of outside contracting work has been so much 

 delayed that contractors and others who had 

 purchased lumber have failed to take it away 

 from the retailer. Collections are also backward. 

 Prices, liowever, are holding well, and wholesalers 

 believe that just as soon as the weather breaks 

 there will be lumber business in plenty. 



BOSTON 



While demand for hardwood lumber has not 

 l>een really active in all its branches this month, 

 tlae market has lost none of its strength and 

 every sign points to continued firmness through- 

 out the list. Although trading is not brisk, there 

 has been a slight improvement and all dealers 

 anticipate a further strengthening of values, if 

 r.nytliiug. There have been many inquiries whicli 

 will lead to good orders. All advices from hard- 

 wood manufacturing centers show that stocks of 

 desirable lumber are not large — in fact, oft'erings 

 are much smaller than usual at this season of the 

 :. ear. The yard trade is still rather quiet, 

 although larger sales have been made. The bet- 

 ter grades of lumber have had the largest call, 

 but low grades have come in for more inquiry 

 ,".nd it is the consensus of opinion that if business 

 this spring develops as it should there is no 

 reason why the latter grades should not sell 

 freely. Holders are not trying to force sales at 

 this time. They are content, in most instances, 

 to wait for the buyer rather than to seek him it 

 by taking the latter course it means accepting a 

 lower figure than they are holding at. 



Reports from the manufacturers of furuiture 

 iu the East find most of the factories running 

 fteadily, although many could take care of a 

 larger volume of business if they had it. It is 

 reported that desk manufacturers are in receipt 

 of a larger business. Office furniture has not 

 been in large demand for a long time, but now 

 that general business is slowly gaining this class 

 of furniture is moving better. The piano trade 

 has been fair and the automobile industry is 

 rather actively engaged in the East. 



The call for quartered oak is good and dealers 

 have been experiencing difficulty iu obtaining just 

 w hat they want. Prices are daily growing firmer. 

 I'lain oak, ash and maple are also firm. The 

 advance in maple flooring, it is said, will help 

 nut the demand for southern pine flooring. 

 Whitewood is firm and higher prices have been 

 asked. But little change can be reported in 

 Xorth Carolina pine. 



BALTIMORE 



While the zenith of prosperity for the current 

 year has perhaps not been realized as yet, there 

 oppears to be a gradual upward movement in 

 general trade conditions. AH stocks show an 

 increasing demand and a scarcity in some lines 

 at the mills, lends a decided firmness to prices. 

 Accordingly the prospective buyer is slow to place 

 orders and contents himself with what business 

 is already booked, hoping that he will be able 

 to fulfill future necessities at a better figure. 

 Manufacturers, however, confidently predict an 

 advance in all values. 



Mills along the Appalachian chain have been 

 greatly interfered with by the weather conditions 

 of the past two months, and the output has been 

 very moderate. Southern plants have fared much 

 better in this respect, and have managed to keep 

 going most of the time. Most of the wood- 

 working establishments that consume hardwoods 

 have had enough work to keep them going full 

 time and the yards have been called on to 

 furnish about as much lumber as they could well 

 e:cpect to dispose of. The Middle West iu 



particular continues to be a large buyer in all 

 lines, and at good prices. 



Oak. ash, beech, chestnut and other woods are 

 in very fair demand, and a quickening of the 

 movement as the season advances is looked for. 

 Some of the eastern yards are reported to have 

 extensive supplies on hand, and to be placing 

 orders only as their present holdings are dis- 

 tributed. - aers, however, are buying with 

 greater freedom, and in the aggregate the busi- 

 ness done attains impressive proportions. 



The feeling among the exporters is growing 

 better all — e time. They report increasing in- 

 quiries from abroad and predict that foreign 

 buyers are getting into a position where an 

 extensive replenishing of their assortments will 

 become essential. Already there is noted a 

 growing tendency towards better prices, and 

 while they are not yet satisfactory to the ship- 

 pers, the instances where the terms of the ex- 

 porters are met have ceased to be rare. The 

 exporters are in search of stocks and continue 

 to buy with considerable freedom and at figures 

 that indicate expectations of good returns. The 

 activity in poplar seems unabated, and even the 

 stocks of low grade do not at present exert 

 heavy pressure upon the market. 



CLEVELAND 



Business, while unsatisfactory, is not as brisk 

 as it should be, owing to the unfavorable 

 weather conditions. The winter has been a long 

 and hard one and building operations have been 

 tied up for the past three months. The hard- 

 wood end of the industry is not being as hard 

 hit as other branches, but the effect is being felt 

 nevertheless. 



It is believed that with the opening of spring 

 and the resumption of navigation that there will 

 lie a decided improvement iu all lines of busi- 

 ness and that the hardwood dealers will come 

 to their own. 



Oak and poplar are in good demand. Quar- 

 tered stock is readily disposed of and plain oak 

 does not have to go begging for buyers. The 

 market for good wide clear poplar is as good as 

 ever among the automobile concerns, while the 

 narrower stock is also selling well for building 

 purposes. Birch is in good demand with little 

 stock being offered. 



COLUMBUS 



Despite the contiuucd unfavorable weather, 

 which has practically stopped all demand- in 

 retail lines, the market for hardwoods in central 

 Ohio remains steady. Manufacturing establish- 

 ments are in the market for a large amount of 

 stocks, and this has the effect of counteracting 

 tlie dullness in the yard trade. Taking it all iu 

 all the demand is good, when the conditions are 

 taken into consideration and prices have not suf- 

 fered as a result of the lull. One of the best 

 features of the trade is the good demand for car 

 stocks. Factories making furniture, agricultural 

 itiplements and vehicles are also in the market 

 for a larger amount of material. Factories are 

 taking a larger amount than the maximums con- 

 tained in their contracts, and this condition has 

 the effect of keeping up a strong appearance. 



While no advances of any consequence have 

 been announced within the past fortnight, all 

 quotations hold firm. Manufacturers and shippers 

 unite in the belief that just as soon as the winter 

 breaks there will be a rush of orders, which will 

 mean substantial advances in m.any varieties and 

 grades. Red oak continues strong, and prices at 

 the Ohio river are ; Firsts and seconds, about 

 $50 : No. 1 common, $32 ; No. 2 common. .$20. 

 Qi.artered oak is one of the strongest points in 

 the market, with the supply limited. 



Poplar is still in good demand from all sources. 

 Chestnut is firm ; small advance is recorded in 

 sound wormy. .\sh is moving along well, with 



