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September 8
The market is
fairly active and steady, with less talk of an advance than there was a
week ago. Dealers appear to have come to the conclusion that prices are
high enough for the present, especially as Minneapolis and Stillwater have
not made any advance at all.
The rains have raised the streams somewhat, perhaps a foot,
and with some labor rafts are being run out of the Chippewa and Wisconsin
rivers. There has been quite a free movement all the week of rafts
running below, but very little has stopped here. Stout got in a fleet,
and Burch will have one tomorrow.
Logs continue scarce. The Minneapolis Lumberman says on this
subject: “The vast quantities of logs which were brought out of the
rivers by the June floods, were supposed to be an over supply, which would
necessarily depress prices and leave a supply to carry over. Events have
shown that this fear was not well grounded, as the entire supply which
reached to Mississippi, St. Croix, Chippewa and Black river booms has been
absorbed, and the market is nearly bare of all classes of logs. Prices
had been well maintained, and a considerable advance on spring figures
could now be realized if the stock could be had. This is especially true
of long stuff, which is not to be found on the market. Such a demand for
bridge stuff was never known before. This is to be accounted for by the
fact that an empire is being developed in the Upper Mississippi Valley and
the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, which is a broken, hilly
region, traversed everywhere by streams, which must not only be bridged
for the numerous railroads, but for every wagon road traveled. It will
take ten times as much bridge stuff to supply Dakota for the next ten
years as it did Iowa during the last twenty-five. This accounts for the
scarcity of log suitable for this timber, and makes the prospect for the
market for some years to come a pleasant one for loggers.”
Shipments last week were 189 cars; same week last year 202
cars, and in 1878, 114 cars.
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October 20
The first breath of winter has passed over us, and lumbermen
are reminded that they have only a very limited time to get their season’s
work completed. During the week several overdue lumber rafts have
arrived.
Trade in the yards is still active, and prices firmly adhered
to. The Minneapolis Tribune says: “The demand for lumber is such that
everyone is kept busy delivering. Taken all together, we have never seen
such a rush and push as is going on now among the fraternity. There is
very little dry lumber in the whole West, nearly all the shipments are
only half seasoned, and many sorts are sent fresh from the saws. Stocks
along the Mississippi are rather diminishing than increasing, and are not
so large as they were a year ago, and will be wholly inadequate to
maintain any such trade as we have had for the last three months until
next June even with all the sawing which can be done by the railroad mills
during the winter.”
Shipments last week were 227 cars, against 293 cars the week
previous, 178 cars last year, and 102 cars in 1887.
November 3
The market is
active and prices are firm. The mills are running full time, and are
endeavoring to get as big a stock of sawed lumber as possible on hand.
They will keep the saws going to the last day the weather will permit.
The Minneapolis Lumber man says: “Logging operations are
inaugurated on a large scale in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The snow of last
week set many to hauling logs on the upper Mississippi. Very few western
mills have shut down, but cannot expect to run more than two weeks
longer.”
Shipments last week were 245 cars, against 171 cars the week previous, 210
last year, and 95 cars in1878. |