The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-28

far as a decided change in sentiment
 is concerned Large corporate inter-
 ests. which have heretofore been un-
 willing to commit themselves in any way have come out with official an nouncement of large improvements
 which will take from one to five years to complete and which will be com
 menced within the next few months Financial institutions are showing 2 changed feeling so far as making loane
 for industrial operations are concerned
 and there has been a considerable eas- ing up in the financial conditions
 throughout the country. One of the
 most important developments of the last two weeks is the added strengtF
 of the bond market in all the financia centers. and it is now believed thai there will be a gradual upward move
 ment of all securities.
 Steel mills report that although there has been no great increase in opera
 tions during the eek, the prospects for new railroad business, together
 with the activity in building, which has alreaay been planned for, vii cause many of the mills to start up 1T a sh ort time. Large rail orders have been placed by many of the railroads and double tracking and extensions vii take much additional soon as the
 necessary plans have been made He CTOD movement IS HOW DIdCllCdl ly over and the farmers have beer paid for their crops. As a result they are beginning to plan improvements and building for the coming year. anc within a month the entire lumber mar ket of the country should feel the effect of this demand for material iron the agricultural sections. The better feeling among manufacturers of al kinds is also expected to contribute t. n n tho incraa a in the 6p
 mand for lumber
 Yellow pine has shown a decided
 change for the better and the only de- terrent feature in the market seems to be that some manufacturers will
 continue to quote low prices in order to move stocks, and thus put a deter rent on buying, as the prospective pur- chaser is tempted to hold off in order
 to take a chance of getting his lum-
 Der a little cheaper. Many of the man. ufacturers are, however, adhering 2 closely to prices which insure them Q reasonable profit on their invest
 ment and are unwilling to make sales
 at any price under this.
 Hardwoods are hol ling up well and
 in many items, particularly in the oaks there has been an advance in prices
 All the hardwood mills are rum ing full time and are fairly well satisfied with the returns from their business. As
 soon as the demand from the consum- ing manufacturers comes up to former averages there will be little to com plain of. The export demand for all the hardwoods is steady
 Cypress is making steady strides :n popularity as a building material and Is working its way into many sections where it has never before been used.
 The manufacturing demand is steady
 but is expected to improve in the near future.
 The present spring promises to be an unusually active one throughout the country so far as building operations are concerned and as result the sash and door manufacturers are being kept busy stocking up for prospective
 business. As soon as weather condi- tions throughout the north become set tied it is expected that the revival in the entire lumber trade will be the greatest since 1907.