The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-12-12
TIMBER FOR
RAILWAYS
LARGE BUYING MOVEMENT
STIMULATES THE
MARKET.
I owest Estimate of Orders Placed
Put at Is, 100000 Feet---Harri-
man and Milwaukee Big Pur-
chasers---Large Shipments to Be
Made to Alaska.

Seattle, Dec 5.-The Post Intelli.
,oncer prints the following in regard to
thp lumber situation:
What is said to be the greatest lum-
bor buving movement ever known in
+ba Northwest is now in full swing.
Tha orders and inquiries are so large
ond numerous and so quietly are they
heipg placed that lumbermen are un-
ollie accurately to estiamte the volume
Of business being placed at the mills.
The low estimate is not below %, 900, :
400 feet and several place the amount
at 30, 900. 900 feet.
The railroads are in the market for
tips and other construction materials.
In addition to the demand for rough
Inmber the railroads are after millions
Of feet of fir lumber for siding, roof
ING, lining and car stills and other lum-
her used in car shops.
Within ten days nearly all of the
large railroads have sent out inquiries
looking to the purchase of lumber. So
quietly have the agents for the rail-
roads worked that no one knows just
how many orders have actually been
closed. but lumbermen believe that the
Milwaukee railroad is in the market
for 5000 900 feet Of fir lumber to be
used principally in construction work
along the Pacific coast extension for
new stations and for passenger and box
car construction at the car shops in the
East.
The Hartman system is credited
with being in the market for 10000,
900 feet, and the Hill roads are cred
tied with wanting like amount.
One Road Takes Is, 100000 Feet
Orders aggregating $4,000, 900 feet
are said to have been placed by the
Santa Fe system, 100000 feet of
which is yet to be shipped. The Van
derbilt roads are reported to be after
1000, 900 feet of fir, to be used in Car
construction.
The railroad demand for lumber is
not confined to the Northwest, for re-
Gently orders aggregating 20, 900, 600
feet were placed for yellow pine, pirn-
cipally with Georgia, Florida and Ala
bama manufacturers. An Eastern rail
road publication, shortly after election,
announced that the railroads of the
United States were in need of 200,
900, 900 feet of lumber. Whether all
of this lumber will be purchased with
in the next few weeks is not known, al
though Seattle lumbermen believe the
fact that prices are bound to advance
under the heavy pressure will likely
stimulate the placing of as many or
ders as can possibly be handled at this
time.
Cargo Trade Very Active.
The railroads are not the only lum-
Der purchasers in the local market. On
Tuesday, the Catalla company placed
an order for 200, 900 feet of fir lum-
Der to be shipped north early in the
spring. This lumber is to be used for
cribbing purposes, principally at Ca
ITALIA, and will be framed at the mills,
ready to be used Immediately on ar
rival in the North A Tacoma concern
was the lowest bidder on this order.
The Great Lakes Dock and Dredging
company, Of Gary, Ind, has just placed
an order for 2, 500, 900 feet of fir.
The Atlas Lumber Company on
Tuesday closed a contract for 1 800, OOo
feet Of lumber to be shipped to South
America A 1000, OO0-foot order fol-
Australia shipment was also closed this
week
The Isthmian canal commission is
III the market for various kinds OF lum-
Der, including big timbers and shor,
common lumber, as we'll as some small
quantities of uppers, and is said either
to be asking bids or about to do SO fo1
100000 feet. The commission OBJ
1ects to paying the high price no"
asked by the Northwest lumbermen.
although several cargoes were taken al
the old $40 price.