The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-03-19
Build a Home First. Build Now
LUMBER is NOT HIGH.
Some Reasons Why We May Not Ex'
~ pect a Decline in Price of '@'s:f'
,.......v-.. Lumber. ,s,l...,.,,..s,,
.LUM Der is :

LUMBER has never been high in
price but because Of the gradual adj
vance in price ,of this leommodity since
1914, some people are OF the opinion
that the price of lumber now is abnor-
mally high, when as amatter of fact,
the advance in the pricesof lumber has
been slight as compared with the ad-
vapces in price of other accommodates
as shownin part, blythe following
table q 10y - tst.& XXI
Clothing has advanced 1910. II
t$ House furnishings have advanced;
], 4. s1279o. l,z 8:#z9aiAS ~ i!
Farm products have advanced 1279o.'
Food products have advanced 500. Il
Lumber and Building Material advanc-
ed but 439o.5 T. VI III IA \.
Y ii you nave thought Of building a
home or other needed buildings, DO
NOTSWAIT for a decline in prices.
- The Situation.
There are very little stocks Of lum-
Der at the mills and, in many cases
absolutely none. The mills are. not in
a position to produce anywhere near
their capacity because Of the lack OF
labor at any price, and it takes special
labor to mill lumber. The labor which
the mills are able to get is high priced
and owing to the cost of living labor,
cannot accept much if anything, less
than it is now getting.
The demands of the government
made the manufacturers Of lumber In
crease their investments to a very
great extent, many of them putting In
new machinery and equipment which
was necessary only for the production
of war material and TREY were COM,
PEELED to go far into the forests, cut
ting out their trees at a tremendous
increase in production costs. The cost
of stumpage increased amazingly about
the time of the beginning Of the war.
The great increase in the cost Of oil,
fuel and machinery Of all kinds has
added to the cost of lumber production
and the enormous increase in taxes
has practically taken all the profit the
lumber manufacturers have made. The
increase in freight rates has added to
the cost also, and even if the manufac-
turers were able to produce large
quantity of lumber at this time, they
would not be able to ship to the dealer,
and the dealer to put out to the con-
sumer, as the lumber would be green,
and certain time is required for lum-
Der to become seasoned
The fact that the president, before
sailing for Europe, gave absolute in
structions that government owned
surplus lumber should not be sold for
less than prices fixed during the war
period, indicates that government Off
Gals feel that the price OF lumber is
not too high.
Lumber is some cheaper than it was
last fall, but no further reduction in
the cost of lumber is expected for a
long time, and there is no safe ground
for postponing building operations in
the hope Of a price reduction in build
ing materials. In addition to the or
binary increase in demand that is eX-
pected on account Of government re-
strictions having been recently lifted
(these restrictions having held up
much Improvement an unusual call
for lumber for export to Europe
will soon begin to have its effect on the
situation. Logging conditions have
been unfavorable the present winter,
and lumber production will be appar
emily less than that of recent years.
There is only one possible conclu-
sion, and that is as far as the market
is concerned, NOW is an advantageous
time to buy lumber.
Work is starting here at home in
good shape, and we expect good
building year, and it will be to the adj
vantage of those contemplating build
ing to start NOW before the rush.
Chef L.. SMITH,
Manager Green Bay Lumber Company.
4 $500 3 & /, : ~ s..,. Adv. 12-1t.