How Lumber Looks

Lumber looks strongstrong asthe proverbial horseradish.

The last report of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association came in as this is being written. lt is dated February 7th at Seattle, and shows that for the last week previous tire mills of that association cut 88 million feet, shipped 106 million feet, and. sold 112 million feet. This is a trifle milder than for the previous several weeks, but still shows orders well above shipments, and shipments con' siderably above production, so trhat for a string of weeks the mills of the Northwest have been reducing their stocks very materially.

This would be a good time for the states of Wash' ington and Oregon'to t'cound noses.t' They would show -ightv strong on popuLation, aince that whole territory is flooded with lumber buyers from all over Calitfornia, and from all over the rest of the country.

There are wise men in California who believe that conditions in this state will offset to some extent general con' ditionr, and that lumber is not likely to go up in the next hrvo or ttrree weeks in California.

We are not going to venture any predictions, but simply etate facts, and let the reader make his ovm deductions.

Throughout the entire United States the mills of every species, both softwoods, and hardwoods, are fairly rwamped with orders, and the demand seenra to be increas' ing rather than diminishing.

,The millc of the South have been deluged with an avalanche of buying. So have the cypress folks, and the northern hemlock manufacturers' and the white pine folks of the North.

It is the atrongest market we have ever seen, not even excepting the palmiest dayc of three years ago.

Redwood gives us the news feature of the hour.

Redwood up-)ers went up one week ago from $5 to $7 a thousand.

Redwaod shop went up from $4 to $6 a thousand.

But Redwoocl "shorts" did the big stunt. Effective at that time 8 and 9 foot Redwood in 1x3, 1x4, 1x6, and lx8 items became "long lumber," classified and shipped qr long lumber, and taking long lumber prices. ln other items and thicknesses also, 8 and 9 foot Redwood was advanced greatly in price, so that the big advance in Redwood is in 8 and 9 foot lenihs. The fact that these lengths have been selling as ttghortstt at short prices, has placed them in great demand recently, and caused their sharp advance.

C.alifornia white and sugar pine show no indications of excitability, but all items are in good healthful demand, and the feeling among the pine mills is splendid.

Red Cedar Shingles, water shipment, are just about holding their own. Kiln dried stars, rail shipment, have advanced just a little, and are showing more rtrength. Reports from the shingle mills show ttat the average shingle price is low'er than the excellent volume of business would reem to justifu.

Fir lath are strong, holding firm, and doing no pyrotechnics jurt now.

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