HARDWOOD RECORD 



6i 



aSaii'S should insui'e the local lumber trade bet- 

 ter prices, as the buyers are almost everywhere 

 short of stock and when they do need anything 

 they need it in a hurry and arc willing to pay 

 unusual prices in many cases. 



The condition of the various woods remains 

 about the same as It was two weeks ago. Firsts 

 and seconds oak of good dimensions is always a 

 safe investment, though southern buyers are 

 reporting less difficulty in getting hold of good 

 stock. There is, however, no difficulty in dis- 

 posing of tile same, when well dried, in t'hicago 

 territory. On the other hand quarter-sawed oak 

 has shown a decrease of from two to three dol- 

 lars in the last thirty days. Another item which 

 is not as good as might be desired is cypress, 

 some of the big companies reporting a drop of 

 about one dollar on the general run of cypress 

 lumber. While this condition exists in a ma- 

 jority of cases, it is not true in every instance, 

 one large dealer in town stating that he is get- 

 ting just as mtich as he ever did for good 

 cypress. Stocks as a rule are good, though tank 

 is at present in considerable demand and shows 

 a consequent shortage. 



Nothing noteworthy is apparent in the condi- 

 tions of marketing either northern or southern 

 hardwood. Maple is still in good demand and 

 promises a shortage of dry stock in first hands. 

 The slight depression in the birch market evi- 

 dent a short time ago has Ijeen again supplanted 

 by favorable sales conditions and prices. Trav- 

 elers in the South report that southern stocks 

 are more plentiful than they have been for some 

 time, while news from northern points indicate 

 more or less of a shortage. 



The total lumber receipts in the local market 

 for tlie past week were 49,092.000 feet, an in- 

 crease over the previous week's figures of 4.S,- 

 948,000 feet, but considerably lower than for 

 the same week in 1000, when there were received 

 35,532,000 feet. 



NEW YORK 



The hardwood market at New York shows a 

 lair run of trade, although the market is not 

 what might be termed active. Good grade lum- 

 ber continues to hold its own, with prices com- 

 meusurately steady, but low-grade stock is still 

 more plentiful in supply than the actual market 

 can take care of, and prices are naturally in 

 sympathy with such conditions. Poplar, oak 

 and ash are in good call, and maple aud birch 

 show some strengthening of late. The hard- 

 wood flooring market is firm and there seems to 

 be a fair amount of business doing. From 

 present indications it is not believed that there 

 will be a heavy fall trade, but, on the other 

 hand, there is every indication that there will 

 be sufBcient business doing to keep the market 

 steady. Of course, the falling o£C in automobile 

 manufacture is cutting off considerable demand 

 in that particular, and the piano aud furniture 

 and manufacturing trades do not .seem to be 

 planning for anything but almost a hand-to 

 mouth business. Of course good grade hard- 

 wood is largely in strong hands, and the real 

 problem of -the future market is in relation to 

 low-grade stock. However, if the general busi- 

 ness situation improves, as there are some indi- 

 cations, any weakness in the market will be 

 readily corrected, by reason of the fact that 

 wliilo perhaps there is at present some excess of 

 supply in low-grade stock over demand, it would 

 not take much of an increase in the demand to 

 quickly equalize the market. 



BUFFALO 



L 



Lumber remains quiet. Dealers say that Sep- 

 tember is the only month they have had this 

 year that was not decidedly more active than 

 the year before. It takes hard work to sell 

 lumber, the encouraging feature being it is going 

 Into consumption about as fast as ever, and there 



is no sign of a falling off. It would be hard for 

 the people who refuse to buy lumber ahead to 

 say why they are holding ofC, but they have a 

 notion that they should not buy, so they have 

 taken a course that keeps the seller wondering 

 what they are going to do next. The fact is 

 that the sawmill owner and the jobber will never 

 be satisfied with a band-to-mouth trade, even if 

 it is large. They want to sell in blocks. 



There is not much difference in the condition 

 of any one wood as compared with the rest. 

 Stocks are pretty good, assortments are rather 

 Iwtter than they were, and prices are not oCC, 

 even if buyers are. The prospect is that things 

 will go on in this way until people wonder what 

 they have been afraid of, and then It will be 

 easy again. 



oak leads, quartered being not so much 

 scarcer than plain as it used to he. Birch is 

 not plentiful, but with chestnut it mauages to 

 keep the oak (rade in shape. People seldom 

 Iry to distinguish white oak from red oak In 

 the way that they used to and it appears that 

 the real difference is not as great as it once 

 was. Prices on about all lumber are about 

 stationary. It takes an extra effort, either by 

 way of work or of price, to get a supply of 

 basswood or elm, and maple is not in any sur- 

 plus. The demand for cherry and walnut is 

 light. Dealers who are pushing gum say that 

 it is being handled more in the North every 

 year. 



PHILADELPHIA 



There has been an obvious improvement in 

 trade conditions during the last fortnight, and 

 reports coming in from the eastern states indi- 

 cate an advance all along the line. A fair pro- 

 gression has been noticeable for some time in the 

 nearby territory, but in the large cities con- 

 taining the extensive consuming industries 

 things have Ijeen at comparative standstill, and 

 although beginning to show more life, there still 

 remains a diminished snap in buying. Evidently 

 a waiting game is being played for lower prices, 

 which, judging from the depicted pile in first 

 hands, will not materialize. The remanufac- 

 turing plants in the E'ast are getting busy in all 

 lines, and stock heaps are diminishing ; conse- 

 quently buying has become compulsory, which 

 state of things the least optimistic can but inter- 

 pret as the forerunner of a general resuscita- 

 tion of business. All hardwood prices in stand- 

 ard grades are well sustained. Railroads, al- 

 though strictly conservative in the buying of 

 supplies, have shown a decided increase in vol- 

 ume of business during the last fiscal year, and 

 there is reason to believe they will soon be in 

 the market for the requirements for repairs of 

 the rolling stock. All empty cars are employed 

 and complaints are being heard of an incon- 

 venient car shortage. Taking the eastern section 

 all together, things arc considerably more prom- 

 ising than a month ago and signs are not wanting 

 to show that a fair prosperity is a near even- 

 tuality. 



PITTSBURO 



Virginia plants. These, however, have not cur- 

 tailed production and do not anticipate any 

 serious effect from the present conditions. 

 Maple, dry and good lumber, is almost out of 

 market. Prices are going up and the demand 

 is rather above the average for this season, as 

 much Is being used for finishing high-class office 

 buildings, etc. The hardwood mills of western 

 I'enn.sylvanla and West Virginia are busy, some 

 of them running overtime and very few of them 

 having more than a bare average stock of the 

 better grades of lumber. It is likely that at 

 least ten per cent less low-grade hardwood is in 

 their yards than two months ago. Shipments 

 arc being made pretty promptly, and, with the 

 exception of some car shortage on the short 

 southern lines, mills as a rule are not com- 

 plaining. The situation in Pittsburg has changed 

 but little, outside trade being enough better to 

 justify wholesalers in looking for a good late 

 fall and winter business. Pittsburg building 

 operations are slow and, aside from a few big 

 structures which are well advanced, there is 

 nothing to suggest a boom market locally this 

 year. 



Quite a little improvement is manifest in 

 certain lines of hardwood dealing. The lower 

 grades are moving much better. This Is due in 

 part to the resumption of activities in some 

 mining districts and the large purchases by the.se 

 mining concerns of low-grade hardwoods for 

 mine timbers, ties, etc. Some hardwood is also 

 being sold for river operations, such as piling 

 and general contracting work. The sales to im- 

 plement and vehicle people remain about the 

 same, a little Improvement being the general 

 rule. Prices are stiffer, however, in these lines, 

 and the best grades of hardwoods are selling at 

 list freely. The trade with the automobile peo- 

 ple has fallen off and as a result wide poplar 

 is showing itself more plentifully at the West 



BOSTON 



Nothing has developed in the hardwood mar- 

 ket here to bring about a more cheerful report. 

 There are some dealers who are In receipt of a 

 fair volume of new business, but reports from. 

 these are offset by others who state that the 

 tall business has not yet started up with any 

 snap. The demand is not keen enough to give 

 all dealers a chance with the entire consuming 

 trade. Interior bouse finish manufacturers are 

 fairly busy, but little activity Is reported among 

 manufacturers of chairs and general furniture. 

 The wholesale merchants, who are fairly busy, 

 do not report any real large sales, but state they 

 are receiving a rather satisfactory amount of 

 orders only by hard work. 



Maple is in fair demand and prices are well 

 held. Birch is in larger call. Prices are firm, 

 with offerings moderate. The demand tor cypress 

 has fallen off somewhat and lower prices are 

 noted in some instances. Whitewood of good 

 width is reported as easier in some cases. The 

 call for quartered oak has not been large of late. 

 Prices are still held on a high level, which ac- 

 counts in part for a smaller demand than for- 

 merly. Substitutes are being used in place of 

 the more expensive woods that are in common 

 use. Walnut is attracting a little attention and 

 some export demand has been received of late, 

 offerings are not large. The call for ash, elm, 

 cherry and chestnut is not large at present. 

 I'lain oak has been in fair call ; in fact, some 

 dealers state they have been doing a larger busi- 

 ness than for some time past. 



BALTIMORE 



The feeling among hardwood men is distinctly 

 better than it has been tor some time. While the 

 higher grades of lumber are being called for 

 with as much freedom as before, the low-grade 

 stocks in some divisions of the business are in 

 better request and accumulations are prevented, 

 though it cannot be said just yet that prices 

 have moved upward to any marked extent. Com- 

 mon oak, for instance, has entered into distri- 

 bution in such volume that the large holdings 

 In the hands of millmcn of the past months have 

 wcllnigh disappeared and manufacturers are now 

 in a position to take advantage of any further 

 increase in the Inquiry to mark up the quota- 

 tions. Common chest uut is not so strong as It 

 might be, the demand for this grade being slack 

 :iud the offerings decidedly free. Prices remain 

 at figures that will not enable the producers to 

 come out, but even here some evidences of Im- 

 provement are manifesting themselves, and the 

 Indications are that common chestnut will be 

 favorably influenced by the stronger tone in 



