The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-09-04
LOGS AND LUMBER.
some Facts Concerning the Recent
Advance in Prices--The Out
I0Ok

Ieok.
An interview on the part of an ARGUS
reporter with prominent lumberman of
Saltwater at the river last evening, elicit
ed the information that although the
prices Of lumber have been so recently
advanced, they have not in all probability
reached the maximum of the present
year. The scarcity of logs and the in
creased cost of rafting them. together
with the Frightening up of the building
interests, are the causes for the advance
in prices.
In reply to the question regarding the
possibility of any relief from the first of
these causes, the gentleman said: From
the present prospect there Is no relief in
sight. Letters received today from up
the river tend TO show that the rains of
recent date have helped the lumbermen
but little. Sawyer & Austin, of La
Crosse, write that Black river is falling
quite rapidly, aud that very few logs are
coming through the booms to be rated.
The Black is the only river which turned
out any RATS on the previous slight rise
Mr. Ingram. of Eau Claire, president of
the Empire Lumber Co.. and of the Rice
Lake Lumber Co, writes that the late
rains have afforded a slight drive on the
Eau Claire river, but nothing has reached
the mouth of the Chippewa. Brown &
Folsom, of Saltwater, report the Still
water river low and still falling, and not
water enough to raft any logs out of the
boom. Along the small streams empty
ing into the upper Mississippi, and their
branches, logs are cut ready for the drive
to the amount of millions of feet. They
are still ready for the drive, and will be
until more water makes its way into the
channels of those streams. One of the
above named firms has over twelve mil
lion feet along the Saltwater and other
streams contracted for, not a log of which
has been delivered. Price lists received
this morning from Hannibal. Mo gives
notice of further advance in prices of
fifty cents per thousand. This is supple
mental to raise of like amount only a
few weeks ago.
What have you heard of markets il
this region?" said the scribe.
Rock Island lumbermcn report an
advance of 5 on all common lumber, aud
the same advance applies to Muscatine
Davenport and Moline No advance Wa;
reported on higher grades as their price,
are already exceedingly high.
Ia years when lumbermen have no
been troubled with low water the supply
is generally RATED before this time Las
year they were little late but the fui
supply was sent ont, This year, howev-
er, but little short of Il miracle will lie
out The supply now ready. An estimate
made about the goth of August shows I,
shortage in the log and lumber market o
about 1000, 0o00o0 feet; since lhel
many of the mills throughout the coun
try have shut down and have remained
so, hence increasing the shortage in thu
market. Lumbermen throughout thu
upper valley are looking for further ad
vance in prices about September Is
They say that the recent advance vii
hardly cover the advance in the cost o
getting the lumber to the mills. Nov
| that the harvest in Iowa, Nebraska anC
Kansas have turned out so much bette
than was expected, they look for large
increase in building and the consequen
rapid decrease III the supply now OF
hand, to be followed by a correspondent:
advance in prices.