The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-07-12
FIRMS THAT SELL LUMBER.
THEY HAVE DONE A GOOD BUsIN Ess
BUT PRICES ARE Low.
Where the Lumber for Washington
Buildings Comes From and the Prin-
cipa1 Kinds Used--The Trade Affected
by Changes I'm Interior Decorations.

by ChangeS In Interior Decorations.
The fact that the erection of frame dwellings
within the fire limits of the District is prohib-
tied by law, apparently has little or no effect
on the lumber trade. There are located in
Washington twenty-three firms engaged in the
lumber business. Most of these are large com
panies, employing many men and boys at good
wages, and representing, at the lowest estimate,
an investment of over $500, 900. To obtain an
accurate statement of the amount of business
done by these dealers each year would be diff
cult, but those well informed place the sum
total at from $l,0OO,000 to $1,50O,000 The
majority of the local lumber dealers have yards
which cover large areas, some of them being
in localities which, since they were started
there, have been built up and improved to
such an extent that the land has become of
great value. Though these firms are, almost
without exception, prosperous, it is now be-
lieved that the field is about filled up, and the
limit to the number of firms that can carry on
a profitable business in Washington has been
reached. Those who hold this view say that
competition has brought prices down to fig
ure which is as low as any city in the United
States, and that, consequently, some firms are
selling lumber at price which they cannot
afford. On the other hand, well-known
dealer remarked, "The more, the better.
When firm advertises itself and its business
it aids mine as well, and believe the more
firms there are here, the better business will
be.'
The lumber business in Washington this
year, as far as sales are concerned, has been
up to the standard, but the prices have been
low The prices for lumber in the rough have
been little higher, and consequently the per-
centage of profit to the dealers has not been
so large as it was in 1890. The lumber busi-
ness, too, has felt the stringency of the money
market Money is scarce and collections hard
to make, and, as member of one firm ex-
pressed himself, "We would rather make
small sales to those whom we are certain to
receive our money from, than to make large
sale and run the risk of never obtaining
cent?
The principal dealers who supply this city
with lumber are E. E. jackson lC Co., Thir-
teenth street and Ohio avenue; Barber & Ross,
Thirteenth street and Ohio avenue; Grayson &
Cain, Fourteenth and Q streets; w. ID. Camp
bell g. Co.. 1911 Eleventh street southeast;
Church & Stephenson, Eighth and G streets
southwest; Gallagher & Bro. Twelfth street and
Maryland avenue southeast; Libbey, Bit
finger, ~ Miller, Sixth street and New York
avenue northwest; II. j. Mclean, 204 Thir-
teenth street northwest; Thomas w. Smith,
First street and Indiana avenue northwest;
Joseph Thomas & Sons, 1419 street; Wheat
ley Brothers, Rhode Island avenue and Seventh
street northwest; K. II. Willett, Fifteenth and
b streets; j. ID. Kitch, 431 Ninth street south
west; E, j. Libbey, 30lS Water street, George
town; w. w. Mccullough, Fourteenth and
q streets; G. w. Shiles, 346 Maryland avenue
southwest, and SO Maine avenue southwest;
Henry L. Biscoe, Tenth-street Wharf; C. l..
Bullard & Co., 425 South Capitol street;
Cross Brook, Fourth street and Georgia ave-
nue. southeast johnson ~ Wimsatt, 1919
Water street southwest; Burnet l.. Nevins,
Fifteenth street and Maryland avenue north
east; Thomas j. Shryock & Co., Cos South
Capitol street, and Wimsatt tG Uhler, Ninth
street wharf. Besides these firms there are a
number of Others, who, though not techni-
cally recognized as lumber dealers, are actively
engaged in the use of lumber These are the
planning and sash and blind mills, whose plants
are extensive and employ large force of men.
The lumber used here is brought from all
parts of the United States. The dealers limit
IuSluSolNCb W uO lOCdlibl, pub purchase Jlo
lumber wherever the best and cheapest can be
obtained, The variety of wood desired, of
course, has considerable to do with where it
can be obtained. 1t is transported here by
whatever method is the cheapest Where the
lumber can be forwarded by water It is gener-
ally done as time is not as a rule an i'm
portant factor, whereas the cost of transpor-
tation is. Owing to the situation of this city,
however, most of our lumber comes by
rail. When it reaches here it is gen
orally in the rough state, though part
of the supply comes in the dressed con-
dition. 1t is cut into the dimensions desired,
as when dealer sends his order to those from
whom he purchasers he specifics the dimen-
sions into which he desires the logs cut. OF
the many varieties Of wood those which find
sale In the city are chiefly white and yellow
pine, oak, cherry, ash, birch, maple, walnut,
and mahogany. The last is the most ex-
pensiVe wood and at present brings $50 foot.
The demand for 1t is very small and is con-
tinually decreasing. The Government used to
be the largest buyer of this variety Of wood
but 1t uses very little now 1t formerly bought
snad -, hI.-