Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-31
LUMBER TRADE.


gratifying exhibit of the business of the
past year. Statements given by dealers
based on mere estimates, have been care
fully revised and placed within the bounds
of possibilities of each case, and the
GLOBE exhibit of the cut, sales and in
crease of the business of St. Paul firms
during the past year, may be accepted as
being as near accurate as care in gather
ing the statistics and the preparation of
the annual statement by the attaches of
the paper could make it.
The cut of the mills represented
by the various st. Paul dealers during
the year aggregate 1868, OlO feet of long
lumber, 1851, $50 shingles, and $780,
$50 lath. In this aggregate is included
the cuts of the large firms of Nelson &
Co., Reed & Sherwood, and John Martin
& Co., of this CITY, Of the years cut
Reed & Sherwood have Is, 100000 feet of
long lumber in stock-the largest held by
any one lumber firm in the Northwest.
This firm purchased $3.50, 200 worth of
logs during the season Just closed, and
paid out monthly to employees in the busy
season 5000, and gave employment to
about one hundred and fifty-five men.
The sales made in this city during the
year aggregate SO, 1OO,O 900 feet, an excess
of about 10000 900 feet over the cut of
St. Paul firms during the year. This is
due, doubtless, to the firm market which
has prevailed during the year and which
has drawn heavily on last years drying
stock, and also to the fact that large
sales have been made here through agen-
cies representing Wisconsin firms. MIR.
Sumnalt alone, of the latter class, has
sold 100000 feet OF shingles
there was sold during the year 63, 3O7 $50
and 81, 186,950 lath. The sales made by
large number of firms being inaccessi-
BILE, we are only able to give the aggre-
gate cash sales made by firms whose books
we found open to inspection, which
amount to 81, $50. 03750. This represents
about one-third of the actual cash bust
ness of our dealers during the year.
Averaging the increasein business report
ed by grms, and as shown by railway re-
ceipts, we find the increase in the lum-
Der business of St. Paul during the last
year to have been about Al per cent over
the business of $780, There was employ
ed in the business represented by st. Paul
lumber firms, during the last year, 1,473
men.
The favorable prices which have ruled
on all grades of lumber during the year
have encouraged dealers to make prepar-
atoms to extend their business during the
coming season. We were unable to get
the details concerning Nelson s. Cox
intended extensions, but the advent of
Mr.. M. M. Dorr, of Chichgo, as member
of this extensive firm, will doubtless be
followed by ample preparations to meet
the business of the coming year. Messrs.
John Martin g. Co. and j. p Gribben are
making extensive preparations to meet
their increasing trade, in the way of adj
ditional yard facilities and central ship
ping and receiving yard with side tracks
and other facilities to expedite business.
The Knife Falls mills, represented by Mr..
G. A. Moore and the mills represented by
Col. John s. Prince, have been during
the past year run to their full capacity,
and these firms anticipate an increase in
Messrs. DeGraw & Son have purchased
an extensive stumpage and mills, with
facilities to increase their present bust.
ness. Messrs. Keller, and Miller, and
Flfield, and others, who are doing con-
sentative and safe business, report salts
factory sales during the past year, but we
note no anticipated changes or extensions
in these firms during the coming season.
The seasons business, as whole, has
been very satisfactory to dealers, and
prices have ruled from three to five dol
lars higher than last season on all grades
of long lumber. The present mild weather
is unfavorable for the logging camps, but
as Minnesota has never yet failed to con-
tribute her share toward making winter q
success, we apprehend the next three
months will give life and activity to log
ging operations. The bulk of the lumber
sold in this market comes from Northeast
Minnesota and West Wisconsin, and is
generally shipped by rail to Northwest
Minnesota, and west by the Northern
Pacific to Dakota, with 6. very fair de-
mand from Nebraska and Kansas. The
great advance during the year in pine
lands, taken IN connection with the fact
that dealers, as rule, have no stock to
carry over the next season, gives promise
of an active and buoyant market during
the coming year, and very decided ad-
vance on present prices.