Things Are Happening in Florida!

Judging from the reports that are sifting up out of Florida, the wildness of the wild cat has suddenly become less wild, and everyone is trying to keep the boat from rocking. The following is from a recent bulletin issued by the Lumbermen's Credit Bureau, at Miami:

"Twenty-five lumber laden vessels on bar and forty more now unloading in harbor something like fifty million feet. Several boats without consignee causing some grief among those pursuing such tactics. Most all legitimate retail dealers have rvell balanced stocks.

"Building slightly off as is the case at this time of year but February sales now above same period of last year. Collections very slow, money being tight, but consider building prospect good which dealers expect to increase starting within period of sixty days and to continue good balance of year. None of dealers here are alarmed over present situation of temporary slump in building and prices can not be reduced very much as most of lumber here bought at high cost and they can not afford to sacrifice and sell at a loss.

"My idea is that market will not be reduced more than five dollars per thousand feet as even that amount will take dealers' margin of profit. Item of demurrage on account of blocking of port increased the cost several dollars per thousand feet. Also unloading of boats difficult account of large number docked.

"Returned from Key West today and noticed two large steamers of fir unloading totalling eight million feet for points as far north as West Palm Beach."

Appeals are being made openly to the mills not to quote any reduced prices to the lumber dealers irf Florida, and in fact it is being suggested that in order to prevent too much mental stress, the mills stop quoting Tampa and Miami, and stop sending them stock sheets for a while, until they get things readjusted.

One authority reports that on March first there was 25O000,000 feet of lumber being unloaded in Florida ports, or on the way to those ports, which is SOME lumber.

All reports from Florida agree that there is a considerable slump in building. What it will amount to, and what its effect will be. will soon be determined.

The rvorld is rvatching Florida now with more than usual interest-more so even than during the past two years of boom.

One authority reported several months ago that if an average family settled on each lot that has been subdivided and sold in Florida in the past two years, the state would have a population bf 60,000,000 people.

So there are a whole lot of people financially interested in the Florida slump.