The sun., 1919-04-29
DOMINION LUMBER
PRICES STAY FIRM
Dealers Predict There Will Be
No Slump Before
1921.

TORONTO, April 26.-Builders here
ing lumber orders, with the hope that
the market would break and that stocks
could be secured at lower levels. are
doomed to disappointment, according to
local dealers.
Apparently there is now little hope
for cheaper lumber during the balance
of this year and probably during 1920.
1t Is said that in Toronto there will be
as much lumber used this year as dur
ing 1915. 1917 and 1918 combined.
Should the Admiralty place shipping
space at the disposal OF the lumber mills
there will probably be a big jump in
quotations, practically the entire lumber
In sight being required for work now
being undertaken or anticipated in the
Dominion Viewing the situation from
various angles, the dealers say emphau-
cally that lower levels are now almost
out of the question. The following sum-
mary OF tho situation has been compiled
here:
Enormous lumber orders are now
available. Building and reconstruction
work in general are using up quickly
tho meagre supplies on hand. British
Columbia firms are sending vast guam
titles Of fr hemlock and other woods
east for use In the hydro electric devel-
opment work, the Welland Canal and
railway improvement and extensions.
Very large orders are being placed also
for Ohio. Cleveland and Toledo. where
tho building trade seems to have taken
on sudden squirt. The Windsor dis
trict is also looking for large shipments
in the near future. In fact. several
largo shipments are already on their
20 nd
THE British Government order for
"a, OOO, 900 feet of British Columbia tim
Der Is practically ready for shipment,
but It Is impossible for the dealers to
procure ships to convey the product over
seas At the present rate OF handling
lumber the British Government order is
merely a drop in the bucket to use a
dealers expression. The British Column
bia output Is just now on basis of ap-
proximately 1900. 900, 900 feet annually.
"In the last three or four years the
railways have neglected repair work as
far as possible. This work is now being
taken UP In earnest. Ties In large NUM-
bers are required, many of which are
coming from British Columbia. The
railway extensions are calling for practi-
cally all sorts of lumber.
The work on the Welland Canal Is
calling for several million feet OF VARIOUS
kinds of lumber, large percentage of
which is to be delivered immed ately.
The development and building activity
on the Niagara Pen 'nsula is drumming
up lot OF business for the lumber mills
This activity, coupled with the short
cut OF the last winter and the small sup
plies on hand, tended to give the market
a very firm tone. Prices have turned
from their downward trend and are now
slightly higher than during the last
month.
British Columbia stock had been Of
fered in Ontario at 81 and SO n thousand
feet below the quotations for the Ontario
cut. but now the prices are on practi-
cally the same level-that is delivered in
Ontario.
Until a short time ago the lumber
trade was looking anxiously for the
Admiralty to ease up on the shipping
space. This would have permitted large
quantities OF lumber to be shipped for
reconstruction work in the devastated
parts Of Europe. Now this outlet is not
nearly so essential. owing TO the work
being undertaken in Canada"