The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-16
Firm Prices and a Growing Mar
ket Go Hand in Hand.
MILLS ARE FULL OF ORDERS.
Cali for Railroad Buiidfng Material
Coatfaaes to Expand to such an
Exse.t That Plant. Are Taxed to
Their Capacity-ShIngie Mills
oat the state-Log Market Active.

The March number OF the West Coast
and Puget Sound LumbeFnan Will state.
among other things. that the sningie
mills are generally starting up. The tosal
shipments Of lumber for the month ot
February, as returned by the railways
were - ears or shingles and So cars Of
lumber.
Generally speaking the lumber conai-
tons along this Coast are in fairly good
condition. with the exception of califor-
MIA. where the need Of rain is making a
gloomy feeling with a tendency to hold
on hoping that rain may yet come. This
unfortunate condition of drontn is most
dettlorabis In the southern half OF the
state. which would with good rains have
enjoyed almost building boom. The for
etsn cargo trade promises WELL though
tfae advance III prices made by most OF
TIE nllis may have a tendency To check
trade until foreign buyers are convinced
OF the tirmness OF the market. The bright
EST feature in the trade is the heavy East
ern demand that is already pronounced
and assured. Mills that cater to this
branch OF the trade are full Of orders.
with a. surplus OF buyers.
The call for lumber for railroad building
and for car building continues TO grow,
and the years trade along this line will
tax the mills to their capacity. Tile build
ing OF several short lines in the Northwest
is calling for a large amount OF ties while
the Eastern roats are demanding big oils
Of ssrfngers and bridge materials.
The condition of the white pine markets
warrant the BELIEF that the Eastern buyer
VIII pay better prizes for Coast products
than ever before.
Shingles have reached a point, though
not high. whore they are not bought as
readily as they would Ge al a lower figure
The climatic conditions in the East are
not conducive to selling shingles, and IL is
but reasonable TO expect "A moderate de-
fnand untIl winter is over In the East
The log market Will be active all along
the Coast, bat there Is everything TO in
dicate that the supply will be ample and
prices are not apt 10 rule higher than last
year. There is an evident rush to open
logging camps. and u large output is as
surssd.
The statement is made on good author
ity that the Port Madison mill Will soon
be started up by men with ample capital.
No date has been set for starting the mill
at Port Hadlock but If the trade In Cali
fornia had developed Well IL prom
Used the FIRST OF January 1t would have
been started ere this.
The Lumberman among other things
will say;
One branch OF the lumber trade from
the Pacific coast has been worked hut
little in the Eastern states, but will
bear much attention. The manufacturers
OF all kinds OF agricultural machinery are
large consumers Of lumber. Fir would
make ii wood suitable for the vast ma
iority of this machinery. Ash and oak
have been the principal woods used for
difficult TO overcome the prejudice of the
manufacturers who have never handled
fir do not know its value. The tests
that have been made of its strength and
durability are sufficient TO warrant it's use
In any kind Of agricultural machinery.