The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-22
GOOD TIMES COMING.
Signs of Revival in Lumber
and Single Trade.
BLOCKADE PROVED A BLESSING.
IL Forced Mills to shut Down and
Indaeed Increased Demand-Logs
Are Rising Also


lumber and shiHglemen are becoming
baIiish in theiT- discussion of prices and
trade prospects. The Port Blakeley mill
is running night and day on export orders
and the cedar Eumbermen on the east side
of the Sound are refusing orders because
the stock accumulated during the two
! months enforced shutdown is already
sold, and are preparing 10 resume opera
tons as soon as they can secure cars. The
railroad blockade caused by the floods
and the strike has done what no amount
of argument could accomplish. enforced a
two months shutdown. during which
the demand has caught mp with the
supply.
The railroad washouts and tie-ups of the
past two months, cutting off trade with
the East, are pointed out by several hope
ful, far-seelng milimep as a blessing in
disguise for the trade in this section. As
long as there we're cars there were some
mills, operated at small cost, that stood
ready to finnish Eastern buyers with
shingles and lumber at the purchasers
own price, even if those prices were below
all reason-beIow the actual cost of manu-
facture. For months the mills Of Puget
sound have been operated at a steady loss
surely was, accrued TO the middlemen
and 20 the dealers. As long as dealers
would buy, no matter how ridiculously
low was the price, they could secure all
the stock they desired. But the strike and
washouts have done for Puget sound what
nothing else could have done-it has kept
the panic-strieken mill owners from sell
ing, and therein lies the secret cause of the
~ l. 80
When the railroads became unable to
furnish the mills with cars TO ship the
output the mills were run until lighthouses
and warehouses were filled ND with stock,
and then they closed, awaiting transporta-
| ton facilities. With the cessation of ship
| ping the demand in the East became
strong and is growing stronger every day.
| Mills all over the Puget sound district are
| receiving orders which they cannot fill,
| simply owing TO the fact that they cannot
ship. Many Of the mills have declined
orders, giving as an excuse that the prices
| quoted are too low, and as a result the
market is stiffening and wise policy on
the part of the mill owners now will pre-
vent another decline of prices. A we'll
known and successful mill owner said the
| other day, in an interview with Posr-
ANfElLAoENSEk EepOEteE.
I'VE have now reached a point where
1 we are refusing orders at prices that have
i been current for the past two months.
/ Eastern people have had everything their
own way so much that they have said:
1 Here, you give US forty or fifty cars at
| sueh-and-such price We don't con-
| slider such orders any more. We have 100
/ cars OF shingles ready To ship ar the list
/ prices current in the country, and a month
4 aH
| 1000 lower than we will sell for today. A
month ago We sold at prices set by dealers,
/ and now We are setting our own prices.
| We are receiving orders directly from
Eastern lumber yarts that are 10 cents
higher than quoted by local dealers, so
can safely say that there has been an ad-
vance of 10 cents.
The mills have been selling at prices
| lower than reason: the manufacturers are
| waking up and If they keep awake there
will be steady advance in prices 1t is
the same with every line of business, with
railroad stocks. etc. The quotations go
i down until they are ridiculously low.
| Then the change sets in and the bull be-
comes rampant. That's the way with the
mills here. The bear has bad his day and
| now the bull appears on the scene. The
| dealers need stock for their fall trade and
| they Will be willing TO come up TO the
| price quoted by the manufacturers"
All along the Missouri river the stock of
shingles has become exhausted and the
| demand is now coming from as far east as
Buffalo. Orders have been refused, and
now the dealers are on the anxious seat.
/ The conditions have changed. No more
are the mill owners on the defensive
/ Chicago Is also setting up clamor for
shingles aud the next move will be to in
/ auire the price. aud heretofore they have
set the figure. IL anything is wanted to
more clearly illustrate the hopeful change
/ OF conditions. the following letter, sent by
local manufacturer to a Middle state
| dealer, will certainly All in the gap:
Responding to youc favor of July 10
We would state that owing 10 the large
| number of orders We have received during
| the week, We are compelled TO decline To
! receive any more at s. - per !, 200, based
on your rates. You are doubtless aware
that shingles are ridiculouslY low and are
being al present sold below cost of manu-
/ faoture."
IN the lumber trade the change for the
better Is unmistakAbly a fact. Fir logs
+ have advanced 81 within the past few days
! Heretofore the ruling price has been from
! 81 TO s. per ! geo, according to quality, and
now the prices quoted are s. 10 So. Less
+ than a week since one logging firm sold a
big order OF nrst quality logs at $40 per
/ loco The next two months promise a
decided revolution IN prices in the shingle
/ and lumber trade.
The low prices which have been ruling
for shingles are also causing a change OF
policy among the manufacturer. Many
/ Of them have been saving up their best
+ cedar lumber into shingles. though thev
could have obtained far better price for
+ u ia the form Of siding, and conld have
/ used the small scraps for shingles. This
+ vas due 70 the fact that many men have
/ engaged IN the business WHO had only
f enough capital 10 baila a small single
t mill, though shingles are naturally only a
/ by-prodUcg OF lumber. and are 50 regarded
Ia the white pine district The cedar
lumber business is nos falling into the
{ hands Of men OF larger capital aud more
experience IA the lumber business. and
/ they make II their principal business 10
manufacture cedar siding and cut m
( slabs aud stamps into shingles. siding
+ has alvays sold ST good prices aud mAnu-
I Lecturers contEiye 70 sell Il With shingles
F SO that they are more likely 70 Gene gu,
7 ahead on 4 mixed order than one for shin.
+ g.es alone. They are also aided By the
railroad Companies in allowing theui -
, ship mixed car loads OF the Two article.
ana In in uciog the lake steamer com.
pantes 10 sake such shipments
/
NGw CALfFoRSIA ROAD.