The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1901-04-19

year ago, anu prices VIII NC wen iii''1
tanned. According to the advance
proof sheets of the Pacific Lumber
Trade Journal for April, the lumber
manufacturers have an abundance OF
orders in hand, and there is no heavy
accumulation of stock at any OF the dis
tributing points. Much of the building
postponed last year on account of labor
strikes and the uncertainty attending
a presidential campaign Twill bel done
this year, and as there are no prospects
of serious labor disturbances, building
in the large cities promises to be active
AS far as the agricultural sections are
concerned, the recent heavy snowfalls
and rain in the middle West are assur-
ances of heavy yield of cereals, which
necessarily carries with it the promise
of large consumption of lumber. In
deed, the farmers have money, and are
using it to make needed Improvements,
and are building better barns. The
demand for shop lumber also promises
to be as good, if not better, than at any
time within the last four years, while
the demand for railroad construction
material will exceed that of one year
ago.
Of the situation in general, the Lum-
Der Trade Journal makes the following
comment:
The rail demand is very good and the
recent advance in prices was participa-
ted in by the large and small mills of
Washington and Oregon. There will
be no difficulty in maintaining the list.
Most of the mills have orders ahead for
from thirty to forty days. Cedar and
spruce are in good demand, although
but little of the fir uppers are as yet
moving, the demand being principally
for dimensions and railroad material.
The shingle market is firm, and prices
are stiff. The mills have all the orders
they can take care of for the present,
and indications point to steady de-
mand through the entire year. The
new territory opened in Texas and the
Southwest is taking care of the surplus
shingles, and the demand in that Sec
ton is improving daily. Some of the
mills have had trouble with their crews
which have struck for an advance, but
the strikers have not been successful.
The high prices of logs preclude any
advance in wages, which are high
for the amount of money secured for
red cedar shingles.
The log condition on the Sound is
about the same as it was at this time of
last year, with little difference in prices
and plentiful supply. The mills have
no trouble in getting logs. A. HI. And
erson, secretary of the Puget Sound
Timbermen's association, quotes the
same prices that prevailed a year ago,
which were as follows: Merchantable,
S.; select merchantable, $3.50; flooring,
$3.50; decking, $3.50. Shingle logs are
selling at $3.50 to 81. Efforts are being
made to combine the local association
with the Columbia River Loggers' as
ISOLATION.
One of the large iron manufactures
of Pennsylvania has come to this state
for fir to be used in the construction of
it's plant. 1t needs l 100000 feet for the
work, and has let the contract for fur
nishing it to the Union Lumber COM
pany, which has offices 1t the Califor-
mia building, Tacoma. Most of the
wood is to be timbers ranging from
eight to ninety-three feet in length.
The contract was awarded to the Taco
ma company after competitive bids.
The king of the South Sea island OF
Tongo is to have palace of Douglas fiji
The native monarch of this jurisdiction,
who serves under British protectorate,
was recently married, and has found it
necessary to make an addition to his
palace. This will be made entirely OF
fir, as the lumber that is shipped from
New Zealand is not adapted to the eli
mate. The schooner Lillebonne, load
ing at Gray's Harbor will take cargo
OF material for the imperial domicile,
and bring back copra and pearl shell.
While the last legislature did not pass
all the bills that the lumbermen want
ed, there were several of varying degrees
of Importance adopted. The chief one
of these was that requiring railroad
companies to weigh cars of products at
this end, and basing their charges on
such weights. This will save mony to
the shippers. Other bills that became
laws were these: Making it a misde-
meanor to destroy marks or brands on
logs, spars, timber, etc.; making, it a
misdemeanor for any person to interfere
with or injure log booms; authorizing
boom companies to make maximum
charge of 81 per /, 900 for booming, sack
and driving logs through improved
courses; providing that the land COM
missioner must sell timber separate
from state land where there is at least
q, GOO, 600 feet to the section, and provid-
ing further that such timber must be
removed in three years: prohibiting the
selling and disposal of strayed logs by
other than the Owner.-P.-I.
Spreads Like Wildfre.
/ When things are 1.-THE best' they be-
come THE best selling" Abraham