The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
MUCH ACTIVITY IN LUMBER INDUSTRY All Mississippi Mills Will Re-
 sume Operation GOOD MEN IN DEMAND Strong and Steady Advance In Market Quotations Are Noted During Past
 Three Weeks-Ralroads
 improving Facilities.
GOOD MEN IN DEMAND
By A. c. AYlEsWoRTH.

By A. c. AYLESWORTH
 Hattiesburg. Miss, September 12-(Spe- cial.)-Capt. J. T. Jones, president of the Gulf and Ship Island railroad, writes that he expects to see every sawmill on the line of his road in operation inside of the next month. His expectations are justified by the preparations that are be- ing made at the various mills that have been closed down. During the past few days machinsts have been in considera- ble demand at the various milling plants to put the machinery in repair. Logging engines that have been standing under the sheds for the past year have been brought up to the different shops in Hattiesburg to be overhauled and the em- ployment bureau that is maintained in this city as Q cooperative institution of the lumbermen has had rush of orders for mill men of every grade.
 It has been discovered that the mills are going to have considerable trouble to fill out their forces with desirable men. great many Sd wmill men have deserted the business and have taken to the simple life of the farm The opening of the big Bobalusa mill has drawn a large number Of opera tives from this section and others have moved elsewhere. There has been a general reduction of wages throughout the lumber territory during the summer, and the prices now offering are not such as to attract from the farms those who have taken to the agricultural life, or to bring back those who have moved away.
 The advance in market quotations on lumber during the past three weeks has been quite constant and steady and even rapid. This is true as to all the higher grades of lumber, and, while quotations at this time are unsettled and irregular. bit is the assertion of manufacturers and buyers alike that the prices now offering are such as to assure the mllmen fair profit on all their output. This, however, does not apply to the lower grades of lumber for which the demand has not kept pace with the higher grades This pecularity of the market accounts for the fact that the idle mills have been in no hurry to reopen, up to this time. The smaller mills which have been closed need a market for all their output in order to make profit, and the lower grades have not been saleable mp to this time. But the marketing of the agricultural crops of the country is generally believed to mean the opening of a brisk demand for all dimension stuffs, and the small mills will get in shape to meet that demand.
 Great encouragement for the lumber trade is taken from the fact that the railroads of this immediate section are all arranging for the overhauling of their rolling stock, and are opening their ma chine shops with that end in view. The Illinois Central on the west is working double shifts at it's McComb city and Water Valley shops and It's shops at Jackson, Tenn, which have been almost out of use for several years, have been reopened on full time and with full force, so feYerish is the haste for repaired cars. The New Orleans and Northeastern, which runs through this city, has snot only filled its own Meridian shops with cars for repair, but some 900 additional cars have been scattered out between two shops in this city and another shop at Birmingham. The cars that have been brought to this city for repair are, in many instances, in the last stages of di- apidation-such cars, in fact, as would be sent to the scrap heap under ordinary conditions of railway management. How ever, they may be patched up and made to do service through another busy sea- son and help to staye off the car famine which is now anticipated as the next mis- fortune to encounter the lumber trade
 The prospective revival of the lumber business has already brought about sev- eral large deals in timber property and others are in the air. It is generally be- 1ieved that as soon as the big syndicates get in shape to purchase they will find the market glutted with timber holdings which they will be able to take in at very low prices. The effect of this will be to still further concentrate the business in the hands of the large syndicates and to eliminate the small manufacturer. It Is already an established fact that the small wholesaler and commission buyer is elim- mated from the market. It is no longer possible for the fellow with a rate sheet, roller-top desk and a little credit at the bank to do a profitable business.
 The largest deal yet reported is that whereby a New York syndicate becomes the owner of the property at and near the town of Collins, heretofore operated by the Williamsburg Lumber company, but the buyers take a lease on the lumber plant and appurtenances for a term of years. The mills will be continued In operation as in times past and will prob ably be enlarged 50 as to be able to make larger cut per day. MT. Shelby sold an- other s250000 of timber just before the panic came on.
 Emmett McInniss, president of the Me- lHiliS LuHlDer company, mas recently closed dead for the timber on 15,0O0 acres of land just across the river from this city. It is the finest body of virgin tim Der left standing in south Mississippi con- yenient to a railroad. His mill is already in operation adjacent to the tract, and he will enlarge the capacity of his mill and proceed to put this lumber on the market.
 The board of directors of the J. J. Newman Lumber company has been in session this week at Scranton, Pa, hay ing up for consideration the details of the new plant which is to be erected in this city Work on the mill buildings will be commenced on the first of next month The mill will have a capacity of 100000 feet every "A hours, being in that respect O,OO0 feet per day greater than the mill which was destroyed by fire last spring. The mill will have a double -band-saw system, with q resaw. It will be equaled in capacity in the southern pine territory only by the immense plant of the Good years at Bogalusa.
 It is stated on good authority that in all probability the big mill of the North Lum- l,ax.