The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-03-11
Lumber Prices Higher.

lie luulNeT luteTcStS vi w deiiiii > VIZ
are booming. Nut since the days OF
the booms on the Sound have the
mills of the state been running at any
thing lfke-their present cutting sched-
ale, and not since those days have the
prices been so satisfactory and the fu-
ture outlook so encouraging. In sup
port of thest statements Geo. Lawler,
of the Sunset Shingle Company, and
member of the rate committee OF
the state association, last evening quo
ted few figures to the Tacoma Ledg-
err:
"But first, to let you know that the
Alaska rush is not responsible 70 any
great extent for the. improved co1dl-
tons ofthe trade" said Mr.. Lawler, |
want to tell you tina there is in the
city now a San Francisco lumberman
who has been sent to Skagway and
Dyea by number of San Francisco
firms and Sound mills for the express
purpose OF looking over the Alaska
field, and his report is not very en-
couraging in that direction. The gem
tleman / refer to is Mr.. Perry and he
reports that there is already on the
ground and on the way to the North
lumber in quantities very nearly SUI
ficient for the demand of the coming
season. So that element of the trade
can hardly be taken into account.
"But about shingles. Compared
with a year ago there is very heavy
increase, and yet the high water mark
of LAO, reached last fall has not yet
been reached There was a raise OF
five cents on the first of the present
month, however, which brings the
present quotations up to S1.2O and
$1.25, and large number of mill have
already notified Eastern correspond
ents of similar raise to take effect on
the Goth. 1t is not disputed that by
July l, the price will reach $3.50 pei
thousand. The price of last fall was
the highest that has brought in over
four years. The recent advance I'M
like those Of the past few months wa;
not accomplished through the assocla
ton out was a raise Of the market o
its own accord. The demand now
from the East is so great that 1t is al
most impossible to supply orders ane
yru must remember that in that sect
ion the season has not yet opened. L
is still winter in the Middle states
For the first time in months all of tn,
shingle mills are in operation. Fol
lowing the overstock of last tall The
millmen agreed to shut down. Abou
the first Of February they began t.
open and now all are running full
blast.
"The most extraordinary increase i.
in the common grades, lumber com
, monty known as yard stock. TIVE
years ago, owing to the rapid accumu
lation of this class of lumber and tn,
small demand, it was almost unsala
BILE. The raise in price since tina
time has been So, roughly, or between
40 and 80 per cent. The demand nov
is greater than the supply. l thlnl
that the most potent factor in the in
creased demand for this class OF stool
is the fact that the farmers of TIN,
eastern part of the state have none,
to spend as the result of their bi,
wheat crop and they are now begin
ming to erect new buildings. Will
the heavy advance is more marked il
common, the upper grades still show
healthy forward movement, probabl
a raise of 10 to Is percent the las; 81
months"
There is another factor at wor
tending to still further force upwar,
the rising market ard one whic
brings JOY to the hearts of Puget Scum
, lumbermen. That is the somewha
, tardy but none the less gratifying rec
: OgnitiOn of the merits of fir as CON
pared with the yellow pine of tn
r South. 1t is not many months sine
fir did not, except in rare cases, eros
: the Mississippi River. Now the Mic
S die states are awakening to the fac
e that in lasting qualities the fir is i
e every way the equal of the pin,
e Bridge timbers and car-building MI
e terial of all kinds are now asked fc
: even from Kansas City. For iy
s years rail shipments from this stat
4 have increased steadily if somewhs
d slowly. This year estimates of thos
b best posted say the rail shipments wi
IS exceed those of last year by % DE-
n cent.
II WITH SO much good blood now g,
ing in to the Yukon country the bree
10 of mosquitoes that abound in summt
u ought to be very greatly improved tt
coming season says the Olympian.