The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-13
WHAT THE LUMB. R TRADE HAS BEEN
DURING THE YEAR Of 1912
From the Spruce Lumbermen's Point of View 1t
Was Satisfactory. Demand for Lumber

There was. however, another justi-
fication for the change. A buyer often
got what short lumber he wanted from
Canadian mill and then applied to a
manufacturer in Maine or New Hamp-
shire for the long. In other words
the mill men here got the milk with
out the cream. The retailers at
first were very much incensed by the
Sc changes In the schedules and some
of them declared very positively that
they would offer so stern a resistance
that the manufacturers would be OBJ
liged to change their minds. In so
far as dimension is concerned sellers
have found it quite practicable to adj
here steadfastly to the change. From
the very beginning, however several
large houses have been very lax in
their observance of the rule when
random was concerned and at
this writing it Is not easy to say how
much business is being done on the
new and how much on the old basis.
The high prices commanded by the
boards has been one of the remarkable
features of the market for northern
and eastern lumber. So urgent has
been the demand that manufacturers
have seldom had time to properly dry
their stock. Customers ordinarily in
oil m no c
whose sojourn on the sticks had been
too brief, took half dry and paid hand
somely for them without a murmur.
So scarce have hemlock boards been
that buyers have paid for eastern clip
ped as much as they were being asked
for matched spruce. This has been one
of the happenings that proves that in
the market for lumber as elsewhere
truth is sometimes stranger than fict-
ion.
The story of the market for short
lumber has been encouraging. Spruce
clapboards have more than held their
own in price las much as $52 having
been obtained for really choice. In the
value of white cedar shingles the i'm
proyement has been decided. Extras
and clears are selling today for at
least sixty-five cents more than at the
corresponding date year ago and
manufacturers generally seem hopeful
about the outlook. For the red cedar
shingles from the Pacific coast the de-
mand increased as the year progressed
and there were times in the autumn
when the manufacturers thereof, en-
couraged no doubt by the figures rul-
ing for the white, advanced their prices
to higher level than could be obtain
ed for the eastern product. So heavy
however, We're the shipments from
Washington that the market became
top heavy and there was a rapid de-
cline. These violent fluctuations did
not seem, however, to influence the
views of value entertained by the man.
ufacturers in Maine and New Bruins
wick who refused to concede.
Laths varied in activity as usual but
laths in the year sold for as much
probably as ever before in their his
tory.
The interesting events in southern
lumber occurred in the Autumn. Whe1
so many cars were required for the
movement of the crops that few were
left for the carrying of lumber re-
tailers suddenly became more or less
painfully aware that they were in
urgent need of pine flooring and par.
tition. AS a result the demand fol-
prompt shipment proved much more
active than 1t was possible to salts.
fly and prices advanced by leaps ant
bounds. From manufacturers there
came word of sheds full of lumb Der bu
! they could not be moved with suspend
ed operations the result The ten,
sion, however, slackened and betort
the actual close of the year the fancy
prices had become matter of history
Hardwoods were firm throughout TIL,
activity of the demand for plain oal
I was noteworthy Characteristic o
| business.