58 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



fhelps-Ilonnell Company, is I'xpoctod home 

 April 2') from an t'xtonilcrt liiisinoss trii) to the 

 Nouth. 



The local hoard of trade lias cmated a spoak- 

 c-rghip liiir^'an,. selecting competent meii to talk 



on various municipal and business topics cither 

 here or in outside towns. Carroll F. Sweet of 

 the Fuller & Uice Lumber & Manufacturing Com- 

 pany has been assigned the topic. "Transporta- 

 tion." 



PITTSBURG 



Hardwood Market. 



(By HARDWOOD B£COBD Exclusive Market Beporters.) 



V, I'ak :in(l sli..\v no iniinoiliato tendency to pick 



CHICAGO 



The Chica«:o market has allowed itself to sub- 

 side into one of those more or loss periodic 

 slumps which come from no one knows where 

 and are caused by nothing in particular : tbey 

 just come and are likely to come as Ions as there 

 Ik a lumber business. The present fluctuation 

 downwards is probably more far-reaching than 

 the usual ripples of disorder Ihat make them- 

 selves evident once in a while, but will un- 

 doubtedly right itself in the course of a couple 

 of weeks, and is certainly no cause for any 

 serious alarm. Chicago wholesale buyers report 

 that the manufacturers arc displaying a much 

 more lively interest in sales than they did a few 

 weeks ago. and are sending out more salesmen 

 and showing a greater desire to follow up the 

 stock list than previously; they seem anxious to 

 sell. Reports from the South indicate an over- 

 abuadauce of No. 2 common, a fact that is 

 already felt in the Chicago market. While the 

 general local trade is far from bright at the 

 present, different reports come from different 

 quarters ; some houses report no orders at all. 

 and others, that while they can book plenty of 

 orders, the buying and selling prices are botli 

 unsatisfactory. Few are pleased with the situa- 

 tion as it now stands. 



There has been no very evident change in oak 

 of any kind to date. Heavy construction stuff 

 Is Still a trifle slow, and buyers are unwilling to 

 meet the prevailing pricesi Good red oak of 

 tbfs class, as in all others, is a scarce article, 

 though riiost concerns are well supplied with tbe 

 lower grades. Quartered white oak. while not 

 generally actually sold at a lower figure than 

 previously noted, has begun to show signs of 

 Weakening. Good stocks are not uncommon, now, 

 Iq the local market, and this fact coupled with 

 the high price will have results In the near 

 future. 



The slight lull in cypress, last reported, has 

 continued to this issue, and will probably be 

 evident as long as the general unrest lasts. 

 Prices have not been, and will not be effected. 

 nor Is there likely to be a generality of long 

 Stock as a consequence. All thicknesses of tank 

 are scarce, and i!-ineh selects and firsts and 

 seconds are selling rather above stocks im hand. 

 All tank manufacturing concerns are doing a 

 llrely business and will probably continue so. 

 through the spring at least. 



The scarcity in firsts and seconds birch con- 

 tinues to harass the trade, thougli the lower 

 grades are in abundance as before. Trices re- 

 main practically without fluctuation. 



The trade in maple is consistent as to prices 

 end orders, as the flooring people have not been' 

 materially affected by ihe general disinclination 

 Of the market. 



All grades of poplar have felt a slight infla- 

 tion on the general market. Box-hoards in par- 

 ticular are improving in demand and stiffening 

 In price; panel stock continues to sell for almost 

 anything, and apparently has not been affi'cted 

 by the ti'iidency to substltule other materials in 

 atltomobile manufacture. 



While giim. as last report"-d. was spi-uciiig up 

 111 good shape, it has gone the way of the other 

 woods, and is slightly weaker in orders, but 

 prices remain unchanged. Ked gum has a pref- 

 erence over sap. Cottonwood continues along a 

 parallel course of trade. 



Bas-jwood and rock elm stocks are apparently 

 long in all quarters, as these items are gem-rally 



up. Vehicle manufacturers have let up slightly 

 on orders and other consumers are apparently 

 in the same mood. 



The hickory consumers do not seem to have 

 felt the same influences that governed the other 

 lines of manufacture, as that trade is a brighter 

 spot in the Chicago lumber business than almost 

 any other. 



Walnut is still dull and the mahogany I)usiuess 

 is following the popular trend. Prices show no 

 tendency to advance but at least have not re- 

 ceded, which is a source of gratification. 



Railway supplies in general are little called 

 for at present, and what inquiries c<mie in are 

 usually considerably below the prevailing prices 

 asked. The railroads seem perfectly satisfied to 

 play the waiting game. Prices last cpioted on 

 piling and ties hold good in- a general way now. 

 though some liouses have tried to advance even 

 in the face of the general depression. 



r 



NEW YORK 



The hardwood market at New York is in a 

 rather peculiar state. Whole.sale prices a'"e stiff 

 with an upward tendency on good grades and 

 low-grade stock moving along in sympathy, but 

 the retail trade reports a little falling off in 

 business thus far this month as compared with 

 March, which is rather remarkable because of 

 the more advanced season. The general opinim 

 seems to be that the year is going to round out 

 a very fair run of business, but no boom. On 

 the other hand, buyers generally seem to have 

 settled down to the fact that prices as a general 

 rule are going to be stiff under any conditions 

 which might develop, as there is unquestionnbly 

 a marked scarcity in hardwoods of the better 

 grades, which in turn will give increased sale 

 to the lower grades and they in turn most be 

 benefited as a logical solution in the matt -r of 

 prices. The call at the present time runs largely 

 to poplar, oak, ash and chestnut, with the bal- 

 ance of the list in very fair call. 



BUFFALO 



All sorts of lumlifr at the sawmills is ad- 

 vani_ing in price. As a rule there is plenty of 

 common lumber of any sort at former prices. 

 Lumber buyers come back from the lake district 

 and say that the asking prices are often so high 

 that they prefer to wait and take their chances 

 in the Southwest. There are no prices here to 

 meet advances of $7. 



The oak. chestnut and birch situation does 

 not change much. It will lake all of them to 

 satisfy the demand for hardwood, for the rail- 

 reads are buying liberally and it looks now as 

 if the furniture factories would take enough of 

 the common to relieve that situation, though 

 these grades are plenty. Maple is becoming a 

 scarce wood. It always used to be so plenty and 

 cheap that little attention was paid to it. I)ut 

 now it is hard to get any in the old maple dis- 

 tricts at any price. The flooring mills are get- 

 ting round prices for their stock and they will 

 need io if they are to keep running. 



Confidence in the future of the lumber trade 

 continues very evenly all along the line, though 

 it is found that there is more and more need 

 of stock from far distant points to keep up the 

 yards. Buffalo will continue to carry the for- 

 mer assortments, but will show more different 

 woods to do it. 



Hardwood affairs are in pretty good shape 

 here, although improvement the past two weeks 

 has not been as marked as was expected. Thiq is 

 partly due to the coal miners' strike, which has 

 cut off some big pay rolls, stopped construction 

 operations at many mines and also caused a lay- 

 off of large numbers of men. Hardwood supplies 

 for these buyers have l)een in less demand ac- 

 cordingly. The yard trade in the East is very 

 active, but it is concerned more with hemlock 

 and pine. Manufacturing trade in general is 

 good. In some quarters there is a little apathy 

 manifest since April 1, due, it is believed, to a 

 slight overloading of stock. The prices received 

 by wholesalers, however, are good. There is a 

 big demand for oak bill stuff for general con- 

 tract work, especially govetnment contracts on 

 the river. The call for beech and mixed hard- 

 woods for piling and mining purposes is also 

 good, poplar continues to be a strong leader in 

 the market. Spring bus4ness in the immediate 

 Pittsburg district is coming in steadily, hut not 

 in such volume as to warrant any advance in 

 quotations or any prophecy of a boom in the 

 lumber business here this summer. , 



BOSTON 



I'^irther improvement is noted in the hard- 

 wood market and prices continue to gain in 

 strength. Some dealers state that to them the 

 outlook for the coming summer is favorable to a 

 large business while others feel that the high 

 prices will tend to keep demand down to as 

 small lots as possible. Few buyers at this time 

 are anticipating their wants to any extent, 

 although ,there has been a little business of this 

 nature. Offerings of dry and desirable selec- 

 tions of nearly all classes of hardwood lumber 

 are small. Manufacturers of furniture have 

 been operating their plants fairly full of late. 

 Pew have large stocks and must buy as they 

 receive orders. Some of the piano manufac- 

 turers have been very busy since the first of the 

 year while others are only moderately so. One 

 of the Boston plants has kept its departments 

 running overtime in some cases. Interior house 

 finish people are doing more than they were and 

 all look forward to a good business this season. 



The market for quartered oak is very firm 

 with the tendency of values -toward a still 

 higher level if anything. Offerings of dry lumber 

 are small and' holders are independent at this 

 time. For one inch, one's and two's, there has 

 !)een a fair call at about $88, but few dealers 

 ( an sell at this figure. There are lots that can- 

 not be purchased at less than Sf^OO. Plain oak is 

 well held and prices are even firmer than a few 

 weeks ago. Maple is stronger with more interest 

 reported. Ash and birch are also in more call. 

 Demand for elm is not very active but prices are 

 well held. Cypress and whitewood are both 

 firmly held in this market. 



BALTIMORE 



Developments iu the hardwood trade during 

 the past two weeks are of an encouraging char- 

 acter. Manufacturers as well as dealers report 

 a good demand, which has in numerous instances 

 become urgent. Many firms state that they are 

 selling more lumber than ever before in their 

 history and at satisfactory prices, while with 

 regard to poplar it is doubtful if such figures 

 have ever been realized as at present. Wide 

 stocks of good quality are particularly sought 

 and buyers do not stop to ha;:cgle about prices. 

 With respect to poplar a veritable boom is on, 

 and the good feeling also extends to other 

 woods, such as oak, ash, chestnut, beech and 

 gum, though somehow the feeling prevails that 

 trade is not on a permanent basis and that 

 expectations have hardly been realized. The 



