The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-14
Improved Market For Lumber and
Shingles at Hand.
CAUSE or RECENT weAKNs SIS.
DesIers Overlooked when Labor
Troubles and Crop Failures IF
fected suspension of the Demand
-settIement of Eastern strikes
Permits building Operations tn
De Resumed-AnotherC Iose-Down

The outlook for an improved market
FOR tho lumber and shingles Of the North
west Is somewhat better than IL has been
for the last two or three months and
conservative manufacturers and dealers
are now looking for n definite improve
ment and steady advance, though the
latter will probably not amc unit 10 "A res
foration OF the high prices that obtained
prior 70 the downward tendency that
commenced in the spring. This statement
Il made on the basis OF a general con-
imitation with leading authorities In this
city Tacoma and other places on the
found and In Southwestern Washington.
The causes of the weakness that has ex-
is.ed have been many. including the
building labor strikes I'm Eastern cities,
the poor crops In Minnesota and the
DAkofas, the increased output coming
from the establishment of new mills AMI
large manufacture In this state, and the
lateness of the spring season In the Mis-
ssssippi valley and farther East. Consl-
lions were so bright during the winter
and the success attending the early op-
Grafton OF the Washington Red Cedar
ehingie Manufacturers Association was
I'd pronounced that the general expec-
tattsn was that there was going 70 be
. repetition OF the high prices and large
Aemand OF last year. md accordingly the
mills were operated TO their fullest cspa-
city, after the association close-doun Of
isis winter. TO get ready for the antici-
pafed furry. But blizzard followed snow
storm after storm In the East, and 1t was
almost early summer before the con-
etruction work was ready TO fully begin.
Eject Of Labor Troubles.
Then came the troubles between the
contractors and building iaborers which
started In Chicago over the laying II the
cornerstone OF the government building
last fall. and building was 80 generally
suspended that the comparison with the
work OF a year ago showed a deplorahie
condition of affairs. This lasted for
weeks, and on top of " came n somewhat
similar trouble In Kansas City. and again
In 81. Louis.
The result was that some OF the mana-
lecturers who were fnaded up with
shingles and had dry kilns and yards
n they had TO cut prices, SO great was
this necessity. IN some instances. that
the association price-list was temporarily
abandoned, and the market was open 20
anybody that could act II. This cnndi
ton and the fact that there were hun
dreds Of carloads OF shingles In transit
90 the East. and from the centers ready
disrupted the neid. and prices wsn. a
glimmering.
such has been the state Of affairs for
several weeks some Improvement result
ed from the officially enforced idl sncss
hate In May and early In June. but u was
not enough TO overcome the weakness
that seems inherent In this years bust
ness, and up until the last few days
there has not been hope H. any but the
most sanguine that the year was going
10 amount to much.
work Il nm AGain.
Now, however, the strikes that have
Kept building ut such low ebb have
been settled. and work IL again on; the
natural causes resulting In the shortage
Of water in the streams Of Minnesota ami
Wisconsin prevented the regular spring
drives Of logs and forced scores OF large
militia 10 suspend operations indetinlt siy,
ard the approach OF harvest, which.
though u will not be heavy in tho North.
will stiil be harvest. will cause some
building All in all. the outlook In not
had. and though there will be somewhat
Of general congestion Of sellers in the
prosperous Southern Districts, there re-
mains the fact that this In 1900. one OF
the prosperous years " the closing qIas.
renniate and that the lowering of prices
a. structural steel and ironwork. and gen.
erAi activity are To make much building
on Of which meana business Tor the
Washington shingle and mmbermen.
The prices OF shingles at the mills dur