The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-19
LUMBER IS STEADY
Cold Wave Had No Effect on the
Trade.
STATISTICAL POSITION is GOOD
Hardware Prices Continue to Harden
and Shortages Are Lead
.... ing Feature. -4

Despite the cold wave Saturday and the
early part of the week the lumber trade has
not suffered any and the volume of business
Is reported as heavy us 1t was for the previ
Gus week. There some interruption to
construction work for few days, hut this
mad no appreciate effect on the demand for
white pine from retail dealers and consum-
ers Demand in North Dakota where the
storm was the worst suffered slightly on
Monday and movement was interrupted to
some extent owing TO inability to get
through to their destination, but this is
more than made up by the orders coming
forward now
Temporarily, too, saving operations which
were expected to commence in one. of the
local mills Monday were delayed. During
cold weather logs are handled with extreme
difficulty, and for this reason the mill did not
commence saving. 1t is expected, however
that work will be under way before Satur-
day. There are sufficient logs on hand, re-
ceiVed by rail, and with milder weather they
can be handled under favorable conditions
River work has also been delayed which will
undoubtedly postpone the commencement of
the regular. saving season. Well posted lum-
bermen said yesterday that this delay would
continue until the weather turned warm again
and the ice began to go out. after which pre-
parat1OnS can be resumed This puts the
commencement Of the saving season ahead
ten days II fortnight and makes it i'm
probable that 1t will commence much before
April l. If it commences on that date it will
be the earliest ever known at Minneapolis.
The price situation on white pine is firm,
with individual lists used by practically all
the large firms. No change of any Importance
Is anticipated till after new lumber is on the
market in sufficient quantities to be some
thing of a factor. At that time there will be
an adjustment Of prices to meet existing con-
ditions. White pine is further stimulated as
to value by the report that yellow pine manu-
facturers shortly expect to advance their lists
on leading descriptions. Another feature ex-
lists in the building boom which pertains to
all the leading Cities Construction News puts
the increase in building permits issued during
February at Minneapolis as compared with
the same month a year ago at 65 per cent and
all of the leading cities show big increase,
which Is taken as an indication of increased
consumption of white pine and other lum-
bers throughout the spring and summer
Shortages in Hardware.
Shortages in the available supply of hard
ware staples continue to be the feature.
Steel goods are so heavily sold up that many
orders which should have been filed long
ago have not been shipped. Poultry netting
and wire cloth strong and in short supply.
Bolts and nuts are not available in iobbing
way in complete assortments. Notwthstand-
ing the increase IN capacity 1t is predicted
that when the heavy buying season arrives
barb wire factories will be in a worse posi-
ton than last spring. Some shortages have
already developed. Wire nails are in short
supply and further embarrassment has been
caused the trade by the fact that the eastern
floods necessitated the retunbling of much
stock hand at factories at that time,
which will cause delays in filling orders.
Steel express wagons have advanced 75c6D$1 a
dozen, due to the higher price of sheet steel
There is a shortage III shOves, which is
causing embarrassment to the trade; prices
are firm. Cordage Is firm with sisal rope 1aC
higher; lath yarn 1c higher and cotton rope
1c higher. Commercial Irvine is strong anC
unchanged. Angle and channel iron and 7
rails are per cent higher.
Glass Is, Steady.
Window glass prices steady with
rumor in circulation to the effect that job
bers will shortly advance prices nominaily.
Paints and Oils.
Volume of business during the first hal
of March was unusually large, due to dn'
weather. Prices prepared paints ar
steady. Linseed oil is firm at an advance o
lc in some quarters. Turpentine rules firm
and is held at slight advance with jobbers
White lead in oil is steady on NOR
regular basis. +