The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-22
DEMAND FOR AMERICAN
LUMBER.
1t Has Greatly Increased within Year
And Prices Have Gone Up.
New York sum-


In the fiscal year of 1886 the exports of
forestry products, of which lumber was.
uf course, the chief item, amounted to
SEQ, coo, eco. In 1897, this had risen to
$40, 0O0 OU0, and from present indications
the exports win exceed this year $50, COO.
eco. Lumber dealers every where through
out the country report that the demand
for all grades of lumber is greater than at
any time in the recent years. Yards are
running night and day, with two shifts
of laborers. loading and unloading.
Every sort of a seaworthy vessel that can
be hired or bought has been pressed in 8
service by the lumbermen on the great
lakes, and ocean shipments of lumber
from southern parts are enormous. 49,.
Railroad side tracks are run into all
the large lumber yards and these are
crowded with cars in process of loading,
the demand for fiat freight cars In the
West and South severely taxing the re-
sources of the companies. Some lumber
men, 1t is reported, are Obliged to hold
back their orders on account of the pres
ent obstacles to prompt shipment. The
big demand for lumber is from the coun-
try as well as city districts. indicating
that the farmer is reaping his share of
general prosperity, and Is again able to
build new homes, barns and graneries,
to replace fences and bridges and to gen.
orally improve his property.
Exclusive OF furniture. the value of
which is an inconsiderable item In
American export commerce, the chisf
England and Canada. and OF timber
sawed and hewn, to England and Ger
many. Information has reached WASH
ington that the Canadian iumbermen are
urging the propriety of putting tax on
lumber coming from the United States
into Canada. American logs and lumber
are now admitted free :. On the average
$1,000, 600 feet of logs are cut in Mime
sofa and Wisconsin every year and are
shipped to Winnipeg. The lumbermen Of
wetern Ontario and eastern British Co.
lumbia say that under the Dingley law
Canadian lumber is taxed 90 per thous-
and feet upon entering the United States,
and they ask thu Dominion Parliament
to levy similar duty on American lum
Der entering Canada. The exports of
Canadian lumber to the United States
during the fiscal year OF lS97-98 amounted
to nearly $4,000, 600. including logs and
pulp wood. Canada imported American
lumber (including logs) last year to the
value Of about one-quarter as much.
The chief cause, however. of the en-.
larged American lumber market and OF
the INCREASED prices for American forestry
products does not arise from the exten.
sive trade between this country and Can.
ada, but from the increased local demand
for American lumber for building pur.
poses. There1 has besn a great boom In
building operations throughout the
United States during the first six months
of 1899, as compared with the first si1
months of s16oS. The rates of increase ii
fully 80 per cent. The cities showing
large increase are New York, Cleveland
Kansas City. Boston, New Orleans and
Toledo. Washington, Milwaukee, Chicago
and Minneapolis show a large, but a los
ser proportion of increase, and the only
American citiesI which. to July !. fell of
in the building record of year were
Philadelphia and Louisville.
1t Is estimated that $780, 000 900 was ex-
pended In building operations in Ameri
can cities in the first six months of 1899
considerable Item of such expense being
for lumber. The wood now shipped from
the South Atlantic states-Virginia
North Carolina, South Carolina anc
Georgia--supplies many American re
quirements In building and finds, too. {
ready sale abroad.
Among commercial men, 1t Ia sait
generally that, iron excepted, lumber &
the best business barometer. Bridges
tfestles, cars and houses are built in 6oos
times. With the Improvement OF husi
ness there is an Immediate demand 70
lumber, and 1t need be no cause for sur
prise that the American Lumber marke
Is booming.