The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-01
TRADE GOOD
CONDITIONS THE PAST YEAR BEST
IN HISTORY OF PORT.
DEMAND TAXED THE SUPPLY.
NOT UNTIL COAL STRIKE DID 1T
DECREASE.

A Review of Conditions Reveals
Satisfactory Prices, With the Mill
Men Running on Full TIme-Ex-
ports for the Yenr-AnnuaI Bust
ness Put at OO,O0O-Strike In
terfering With Demand-Transfer
Charges on Lumber Cars After
Sept. L.
Lumber dealers unite in pointing to
the past seasons lumber trade as the
most prosperous and satisfactory in the
local history of the industry to their
knowledge. Never was the demand
better, schedules for supplies were
plentiful, the mills were kept busy
throughout the year and are still 60
ing.
These conditions apply particularly
to the first six months of the past
year, or from September through Feb
ruary, after which conditions were
somewhat changed. During the first
six months one large firm exported
by steam and sail freight $4,000, 900
feet.
While the lumber business continued
good and with promising future up
to the time the coal Strike started it
has since then fallen off very mate
rally. This was due to the general
arrangement in freights as result of
the coal strike, and a curtailment of
operations in other lines at the North
which interfered with the demand for
the yellow pine. The result is that the
opening of the new year finds the trade
in an uncertain state, owing to the
strike and its probable effect upon
general trade, and especially the
branches upon which lumber dealers
are dependent for business. During
the past few weeks prices are report
ed to have declined from 81 to So.
This brings about peculiar state
of affairs" said an exporter. From
the consuming centers ideas as to val
ues have been lowered, and buyers are
holding aloof pending an acceptance
of lower prices by the interior. The
mills in this section are not disposed
to give the concessions asked, and
here matters rest. We are in COM
petition with Florida points and the
Gulf, and the effect may be felt later
on. However, aside from the superior
quality of lumber, mill men in this
section have always got better prices
for lumber than those at other ports
for the reason that the port facilities
and other advantages here made it
easy for them to contract for quick
shipments. These mill men are nat
urally not now disposed to retrograde,
notwithstanding the strike, which is
developing into a sort of calamity, is
the cause of it
Prices for minimum class saving
fob. cars, Savannah have ranged
during the past year from $1,000 to
$11.00, and for the larger sizes, up to
$25 per M.
Lumber Freights.
Freights during the year were fairly
well maintained until the coal strike
when there was a weakening. A fall
ing off in business has caused de-
cline. Vessel owners are not inclined
to come South at present, owing tc
| the danger from hurricanes Ruling
rates at present are for Baltimore $425
Philadelphia IS, New York SO rs, and
Boston IS. so.
The lumbermen of Savannah are
much interested in the increase in the
transfer charges on cars, which are to
take effect on Sept. l.. Under the old
arrangement the charges seem to have
been very satisfactory, as in some cases
under an interchange agreement cars
were transferred without charge to
the shipper. Now the report is that
the River street track is to be
abandoned, and cars for the
Coast Line transferred around the old
Charleston and Savannah belt which
lumber exporters say is a distance of
eight to ten miles, against one mile by
the River street track OF course the
railroads have their side of the case
Under the new schedule of charges
transfers of lumber cars from the Cen
trail Railroad to the Atlantic Coast
Line and wise versa will be 3d.
whereas formerly this service was free
From the Seaboard to the Coast Line
the charge viii be 1920, whereas for
lnerly it was SLIGO per car. From the
Central to the Seaboard the charge
will be $1.50, where it was formerly
free. But the free horse" has his
back skinned apparently, and is now
on the lookout for healing balm.
The facilities for handling lumber
are unexcelled here. The Georgia
Lumber Company have large docks,
with capacity to load many vessels at
the same time. e. B. Hunting & Co.,
have just leased the Gordon wharf at
the Coast Line docks, which was re-
paired for them. 1t gives a frontage Of
1850 feet, with a depth of 10 feet at
low tide. All the lumber docks. in fact.
are models for convenience and faeil-
tiles.
CoastWise Lumber Exports.
Reports of coastwise lumber exports
not all being received in time for com
pilation, these figures will appear later
in a local article on coastwise lumber
shipments.
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For Your sumnner Trip.