The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-06
'B|G MILLS ARE
 HOLDING STIFF

Report Of Yellow Pine Clearing House for April shows cut for that month for 3l6 mills reporting of 425. .630,57s feet against shipments from the same mills of 402, ,9S1 ,091, an excess of cut over ship ments of 22,649 4S2 feet, or 562 per cent.
 The report Is arranged to show cut and shipments of these 316 mills rated ac- cordng to capacity and this portion of the report discloses some surprising con- ditions. Thirty-three of the mills are rated less than 25,Oo0 daily capacity, and these show cut of approximately four and half million feet, with shipments of slightly more than six and a.. half mil- lion feet or an excess of shipments over cut of 4S.4 per cent. Forty-nlne mills are rated 25,O00 to 10000 feet daily capacity, and show a cut of a little less than twen- ty-three million feet, with shipments over cut of 6.9S per cent. Eghty-one mills 1 rated 50,000 to 75,000 daily capacity show cut of little more than seventy-seven
 million feet, and shipments of about seventy-six and half million feet. Here the difference swings to the other side, and cut is shown to exceed shipments by 1.03 per cent For 153 mills rated 75,- 000 and over capacity the cut is 321 .030, ,096, against shipments of 295,397 736, or an ex- cess of cut over shipments of S.6S per cent.
 Viewed in the right light, these figures are encouraging. They show that the larger mills are turning down orders when prices are not satisfactory, where as the smaller mills must be selling at lower prices. No other explanation of the difference suggests itself. The larger mills undoubtedly have the most perfect selling methods and are in position to command a full proportonate share of the business going. The conclusion seems safe that in the judgment of the larger operators prices will be higher, and that they are willing to back that judgment and accumulate considerable stock.
 Absence of comparative figures for previous months of this year and for corresponding months of last year robs the present report of some of it's in terest but this is more than made up by a summary of trade conditions issued May 3l, compiled from 9i replies received from inquiries sent out about May 20. Of tue J4 HILLS cONeIeQ Dy lnlS summary Sf report inquiries heavy, 42 light. 26 normal, with two mills not replying to this ques- ton. Thirty-three mills report that they are making special efforts to secure or ders, while 59 mills reply in the negative, 2 mills not replying. Fffty-nine mills report orders on hand will keep shipping department busy for one to 20 days; g from 25 to 50 days, and s, 51 days and over-4 mills not replying. Forty mills say that present orders will keep saw mill busy 1 to 20 days; 24 mills, 25 to 50 days, and 10 mills, 51 days and over, 20 mills not replying to this query.
 As to whether order file is increasing or decreasing, 27 mills answer yes, and put the increase at 10f4 cars, presumably over same date last month"; 54 report de- crease of 1269 cars, while mills indi- cate that order file has about held its own, mills not replying. This shows a net decrease of 225 cars in orders on hand at S7 mills.
 Eighty-four mills report net business booked in last two weeks to be 2S11 cars, 10 mills not stating. Twenty-six mills report stock above normal and place the surplus at 621OO,000 feet, while 27 mills report stock below normal and place shortage at 32,7OO,O0o feet 30 mills report stock normal, and Il mills do not reply. Replies to this question show net amount above normal stock of %, 100000 feet at S5 mills.
 As to whether stock has increased decreased since May 1, 29 mills say there has been an increase and put the amount at F, ,936O0O feet 20 mills report decrease of S,922O0 feet, 20 mills report no change in stock, with 20 mills not replying. This data shows net increase of 4,0l4000 feet at "A mills.
 The same question as next above ap- piled to stock of finishing develops the following: Twenty-four mills say stock is above normal by S.950OOO feet, 29 mills below normal 10,575,000 feet, "A mills re- port neither shortage nor surplus, with F mills not replying. Net results here shows stock of finish to be below normal by 1,625000 feet at 77 mills.
 The last question is as to prospect for future business. F'orty-five mills say the prospect is good" % that it is flair" and that it is "slow'-16 mills not hazarding any expression
 The most gratifying feature of the sum- mary is the large number of mills report ing over-sold on various items, scattered all the way from 3-inch edge grain floor ing down to No. common lath. The summary on the whole reflects about the condition indicated in our trade reports from all over the country. Yellow pine Is more than holding it's own in matter of price with good volume of demand for this season Of the year, with the large operators firm in the conviction that further advances will OccIr.