The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12
LUMBER DEALERS ARE NOW HOPEFUL Era of Better Times Believed To
 Be DaWning SMALL ORDERS PLACED It Is Confidently Believed That Strong Demands Will Follow as Soon as
 New Prices Are
 Adjusted.

Hattiesburg, Miss, January 11.-(Spe- cial.)-In the opinion of the wholesalers and manufacturers of yellow pine lum- Der on the Hattiesburg market the era of better times in the trade is about to dawn. In the offices here it is learned that while a number of mills that have been closed down or running on short time have reopened and increased their forces, on receipt of small orders, there is considerable revival of inqury after prices; and though no large orders have been positively placed, it is evident that the interior market is needing material and will be after the goods as soon as prices shall be adjusted.
 The character of the inquiries received shows that the consumers need the ma terial right now, but expect to get the same at a price that the mill men are not willing to consider. The sale of some small lots at ridiculously low figures have served to give the impression that the mills are eager to unload at any price. Sales of decking have been made as low as $9, and bids on sawn timber as low as 27 cents, delivered, have been con sdered.
 Such dealings, however, are not to be taken as the criterion of the market, for the mill men are not reduced to such straits that they have to dispose of their stocks for less than cost prices. There are exceptional cases, of course but as a general rule the mills are closed down and stocks have been reduced, and the bulk of the stocks that are on hand will ha hold for raa aona hla fi11ra
 The most notable indication of the re- vival of the business is found in the re- sumption of cutting operations by the Finkbine Lumber company at Wiggins. This is one of the largest plants in the yellow pine area and it was com pletely closed down for several weeks until last Monday, when it started run ming day and night shifts. It is under stood that it is cutting for the export trade; but the fact that it has resumed shows that there is a revival, and that the export business will help the interior demand to give the mills something to do. At other points on the Gulf and Ship Island road below here there is similar activity. The Ten Mile Lumber company is cutting right along with fairly full force, the Steadman's at Holmes Spur are in full operation, as is the Inda Pine Lumber company of Inda and J. F. Wilder's mill at Epps. There are sev- eral smaller mills down in that section that have been closed down, but several of them are making preparations to re- sume in a small way. The wholesalers here are offering them business on a pay ing basis, but in many cases the amount of the business is not sufficient to war rant them in putting on full crews, and they are, therefore, waiting for an accu- mutation of orders,
 West of here on the Mississippi Central there does not appear to be much talk of a resumption of business, with the single exception of the Newman com derstood to have resumed business this week, though without pretense of run ming at fuA capacity. Among the smaller mills there has not appeared any relief from the depression of the past two months Those mills have not the ad- vantage of the export trade to help out the demand from the interior.
 The lumber jobbers are quite cheerful over the outlook. They point to the number of inquiries they are receiving. and while they have up to this time done little business on the basis that has been proposed by the prospective buyers, they needed or the inquiries would not be out; and since the demand exists it will have to be satisfied even if the purchasers arc compelled to pay living price to the mil1men.