The Portland daily press., 1895-04-03
=. >. & ST. O G =
THE OUTLOOK FOR THE LUMBER
TRADE.

THE OUTLOOK FOR THE LUMBER
TRADE.
The Domestic Demand Likely to be Better
Than the Average-Only the Regulation
| Number of Revolutions and the South
American Trade will be good Many
| Maine Manufactures to be Started up.
BetterFeeling all Along the Line.
| There are many indications of improve
ment in the lumber business. There is
better demand for lumber for South
America, and if only there can be a
fairly settled state of things politically,
| that is to say not more than one revolu-
tion every six months, there will be
marked improvement in that line. just
now S. Dyer & Co. have two schooners
to load for there, and another firm has
one. Other orders are expected, making
the outlook in that respect much better
than it WAS a short time ago. 1t will GER
| tainly be better than last year, and
probably more than a good average year.
| The demand for spruce promises to be
good. The managers OF the great lumber
mills along the Grand Trunk are not at
all inclined to take a depressing view Of
the water question. To be sure the An
droscoggin river and the lakes are very
low, and have reached the lowest point
known for 20 years, but as was remarked
yesterday, "The Androscoggin never did
give out, and a good rain will make it
all right for the summer" The dealers
in spruce look for good business this
year.
| Rufus Deering & Co. are disposed to
believe that the pine lumber business
will be good this year. Mr.. Ripley of
| their firm has been out among the trade
for the past week or two, and is encour-
aged to believe that there will be good
business. He found yerybody disposed
to take that view of the case. L
Deering, Winslow & Co. are taking
the same view of the business outlook in
their line. The firm is of course largely
interested in the erection of blocks and
large buildings and there will be some
|
this year. They do not know of any
cotton mill that is to be built in the
State this year, but there are nuInb Der
of wooden, wood pulp and paper mills
that are now under way. The new and
extensive paper mills at Rowland Falls,
will be ready for the machinery soon.
The large mill of the Sulphite Fiber
Company at Rumford Falls, is approach
ing completion, but iron was mostly
used in its construction. A large paper
mill is now being built at Jay bridge,
and the paper mills of the Otis Falls
| Pulp Co. have been so completely remod-
eled and improved as to have been practi-
cally rebuilt. .Other large structures are
contemplated, and the prospect is that
there will be brisk Maine demand that
will mean a good home business. The
firm has stocked up we'll for the spring
trade, but must of course receive other
cargoes in the near future. They are in
clined to look forward to good business
| this year.
In fact that seems to be the spirit of
the entire trade in all it's branches. That
there is to be a decided revival of bust
ness is believed by all, and there is likely
to be- more building this year than last
| take the state as a whole, and that
means that it is to be a much more than
an average good year, 1t will be remeni-
bered that "a few days ago the veteran
Portland builder, Mr.. Spencer Rogers.
gave it as his opinion that there will be
more local building than was the case
last year, and advices received by the
leading lumber firms indicate that this
will hold good very generally throughout
Maine.
One very important feature of this
line OF business this year, is the general
disposition manifest by the owners OF
summer resort property to improve and
enlarge their buildings. This will make
an active demand for labor III the build
ing trades through the spring months,
and will greatly help out the lumber in
dustry in all branches.
/ The additions to be made to the num-
her of pulp mills in this State may make
it unnecessary in the future to send to
NOVA Ocdtla Iof pup IN Order TO heep
New England paper mills running. The
Nova Scotia pulp is only taken when bet
ter cannot be had, the trouble with it
being that tits not ground as well as
the New England pulp, and does not
reach here in as good condition. Take it
all in all the outlook may he regarded
as very encouraging not only for the
lumber business, but for the building
trades as we'll, and the many and impor-
tant additions being made to the indus
tries of the State and to the number of
is manufactures is very gr atifying.