The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-25
AT the TOP NOTCH
SPIRITS TURPENTINE ADVANCED
TO FIFTY CENTS.
SEASON NEARING ITS CLOSE.
YEARS BUSINESS ESTIMATED Al
$4,000, 900.

Has Not Been a Profitable Year for
Operators in Spite of the Fact
That Prices Have Been GoOd-POOr
Labor, High Prices of Timber and
of All Farm Supplies, a SetOff to
Prohts-The Crop Estimated From
to 10 Per Cent. short of Last Sea-
son-The New Crop Expected to
show "A still Further Decrease.
After a series of steady advances eN-
tending over several weeks the price
of spirits of turpentine closed firm at
50 cents yesterday, the highest price
for the season of 19O1-1sO2. While there
is a fair demand at the moment it is
said the present rise is largely due to
manipulation, though it is very prob
able that if an active demand were to
develop supplies could not be had for
less than full market prices owing to
the strong statistical position of the
article and the poor prospects for any
large fresh receipts until later than
the usual time for them.
The rise has not been without its
price established for May-August flu
lures, which are now 411hc, and the
large stock quietly unloaded by the
National Tank & Export Co., the larg-
est holder of spirits in the city up to
short time ago. The Tank Company
owned between 5000 and 1000 barrels,
all of which has been sold on the rise
except about 500 barrels. When the
price was in the thirties and forties
the company was liberal buyer TAX
ing all surplus supplies and storing
them in its tanks at the Plant System
wharves. The fact that its first big
transaction has been so successfully
managed is pleasing to the stockhold-
ers, who include all local factors with
the exception of one large firm.
Close of the Season.
The present naval stores season
closes on March 81 with every indica-
ton that it will in many respects be
satisfactory, though not as much so
from the operators standpoint as pre-
vious seasons. Making a reasonable
estimate of the receipts from now until
the end of the season it is pretty GER
tain that the years business, according
to the prices which have been paid, will
be between SO, O00,000 and s10,0O0O00.
This is reached by putting the receipts
of turpentine at $4,000 casks, which
at $50 per cask will be Sc, SOC, 5000, and
i 100 600 barrels of rosin, which at SO
per barrel is $3,300,000, making total
for spirits and resins of s9,60O,0OO. BY
naval stores men this is considered
reasonable estimate of what the years
business at Savannah will very pro-
badly foot up.
Looks Like a short Crop.
IT looks now like the crop will be
considerably short of last season, the
shortage being conservatively estimat-
ed at from to 10 per cent. This Is
having some effect upon the present
upward trend of prices, together with
the fact that it is generally conceded
from the preparations made for the
next crop that it will also be anywhere
from s to 10 per cent. below this sea-
sons outturn. Heavy rains in the tur-
pentine country prevented very extern
sive work in the woods and this to-
gether with the efforts on the part of
operators to curtail production in the
interest of higher prices are what
present predictions of shortage are
based upon. AS confirming the predic-
ton of a decreased output next sea-
son is the 'backwardness of fresh re-
ceipts, practically none having been
received at Savannah to the present.
Factors say the new crop will be any
where from two to three weeks later
than the usual time in starting for
market.
Against the Operators.
While fairly good prices have been
paid this season, conditions have been
against the operator, who has come
out very little ahead from a financial
standpoint. 1t is singular coincidence
that the range between the lowest and
highest. prices paid during the past
three seasons has been 20 cents. The
range for these seasons follows:
TURPENTINE.
1S01-O2. 19O0-O1. 1S99-0O
Low.lHigh. Low. High. Low. High.
81 so 81 53h 50 SAY