St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-17
DEMAND FOR LUMBER.
Southwestern Lumber Dealers Figuring
With the Railways for This Sea-
sons Shipments.
The Traffic Lines Reduce Their Flour Rates
to Encourage the Shipment Of
Feed Business.
Scalpers Advised Not TO Draw Orders
on Chicago Brokers for East
Bound Tickets.
Rivalry Between Yankton Lines--The
Huron and Duluth Lfnes--News
OF the Track.
The Lumber Traffic.

The one great consideration OF one or
two lines at present is the lumber traffic for
iIext season. Mr.. j. l.. Lane of Kansas.
one of the largest lumber dealers in the
Southwest, has been in the city for the past
few days discussing this important question
with the traffic managers of the railway
and seeing what can be done in the way of
rates for the spring season. Mr.. Lane has
also been in the Lake Superior district, 10
all the logging centers on the Omaha and
Duluth lines and is satisfied that the supply
will not equal the demand. The crop is
short, principally on account Of lack OF snow
and IL being close on to the March
the cut this year will be much lighter than
last, and the demand from lower Missouri
river and Kansas and Nebraska points this
year will be much greater than last. The
Northwestern lumber dealers had tremen-
dous stock last season, some OF which Is
left over. but not sufficient to Offset the de-
ticiency between the demand and supply of
this season. What route the lumber will
take to lower Missouri river points is a
leading question with the railways Two
years ago the greater portion of these
southern markets were supplied from the
pineries of Minnesota and Wisconsin. being
shipped via. St Paul and the Omaha lines
10 Council Bluffs and Omaha. and from
thence by the Southwestern lines. The
amount shipped in this manner was nearly
enough 10 supply the markets and great
complaint was made by Chicago 10 the lines
running from Chicago direct To southern
Missouri river points, Kansas City, Atchi-
son, Leavenworth, ST. Joseph, etc, that
the Omaha was
TAKING ITS BUSINESS AWAY
from them. A pool was then formed
called the Southwestern Railway Associa-
ton, with George NJ. BOyne as arbitrator,
and he imposed an arbitrary or cents per
100 pounds on all lumber coming from
points on the Omaha line. destined to points
named. south of the terminus OF the Omaha
line. This. OF course. stopped this line
from doing business in that territory, but it
soon worked up nearly as large a trade in
Nebraska and Kansas to points reached
by the Burlington IL Missouri
river railroad. This year the
Chicago dealers will be incompetent
to supply the Southwestern market, and
when the demand is so great will this
Boyne arbitrary still be applied? With a
rate cents per 100 pounds than Chicago
ST. Paul is entirely out of the field
as a supply market to Kansas City.
When the Burlington ~ Northern is
Opciicu uD lOI DuSlllcSS W Dl- Idul IL -
anticipated that new era will be in
augurated into the lumber business of ST.
Paul and the Northwest territory. This
company has its own line 10 Kansas City,
Leayenworth. st. Joseph and Atchison.
and the arbitrary with il will be dispensed
with. Ii is thought with the advent of the
Burlington x Northern free access will be
given TO all the Northwestern lines to
Kansas City on lumber, and st. Paul will
be the great supply market for that ter
ritory of which Kansas City is the metropo-
lis. Chicago has been fighting st. Paul on
the lumber question for the past few years.
and not until a year ago did it get the best
Of the tight, and that was by reason OF the
Southwestern railways discriminating in
favor of Chicago. because business originat-
ing there gave them much longer haul.
The prospects for large lumber business
in the Northwest was never better. and
the only unhappy thought is that the sup
ply is no greater than it is.