Estimated Softwood Lumber Consumption for 1929Shows Slight Increase

Preliminary returns to the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association from the nation-wide survey of estimated softwood lumber consumption for the current year indicate generally a moderate increase in demand. On the basis of aplroximitety. t500 reports from retail lumber yards an average rncrease ttt consuhption of 3-.5- per cent is estimated for thi first six months of I9D and 5.9 per cent for the second six months.

Railroads having an annual consumption of softwood ties and lumber of ove-r 1,600,000,000 feet estimate a decline of 2.6 per cent in tie requirements and an increase of O.3 per cent for softwood lumber.

Millwork manufacturers having an annual consumption of approximately 575,000,000 feet-estimate an increase of I per iint during ihe first six months and 2.3 per cent during the last six months.

Box manufacturers who consumed 396,000,000 feet in 1928 estimate consumption of 414,000,000 feet in l9D, or an increase of 10 per cent. Trade officials, however, express doubt whether this fairly reflects conditions for the intire industry. Previous reports have indicated an increased demand by the box industry in 1928 ovet 1977 and the general prediition is that consumption this year will approximately equal that of 1928.

- Softwood lumber exports in 1928 increased 6 per cent in quantity over 1977. Prospects of foreign business for the current year as good as f.or 192F.

A summary of the results by districts and the details of the survey follow:

Southwest

Retail lumber yards requirements for Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas first half of 1929 estimated' at 2.7 per cent greater and last half 6.4 per cent greater than 1928. An increase in requirements of retail yards in Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico of 4 per cent during the.fir,st haif and 8 per cent during second half of the year is indicated.

Softwood tie requirements of railroads 3O per cent less than last year and softwood lumber requirements 4 per cent less.

Increase in softwood lumber requirements of mill work manufacturers 3.9 per cent during first half, and 5.4 per cent during second half of I9D as compared with 1928.

Reports from box manufacturers show an estimated consumption of 334 million feet of softwoods and 355,000 feet of hardwoods by the 39 firms reporting.

Northwest

Estimated requirements of retail lumber yards 4.7 per cent greater during first half and 7.8 per cent greater during second half of l9D as compared with 1928.

A decrease of approximately 12 per cent is indicated in softwood tie requirements and 7rl per cent in softwood lumber requirements.

Mill rvork manufacturers report a decrease of 1.3 per cent during first half of the year and an increase- of 1.9 per cent during last half of the year as compared with 1928. ohio report, i'ir""r3r"if?:i#T:rd requirements- of 5.6 per cent ana +.S per cent for the first and second halves of ihe year, Indiana reports 2 and 4 per cent and Wisconsin an increase of ?.9 and. 2.2 per cent.

Rep--orts from 38 box-mills indicate consumption of 527,000,000 feet of softwoods.

Central Western railroads report a decrease of less than one per cent in softwood tie requirements and an increase of 3 per cent in softwood lumber requirements.

Central West mill work manufacturers estimate an increase of .8 per cent during the first half and l'1 per cent during the second half of I9D. Lake States mill work manufacturers report increases of 2.4 and 3.3 per cent and central eastern manufacturers increases of 1.3 per cent and 1.1 per cent during second half of the year.

- Twelve Prafuie States box mills rePort estimated consumption of 15,000,000 feet of softwood and 32,000,000 feet of hirdwood and thirty Lake States mills consumption of 139,000,000 feet of softwood and 80,000,000 feet of hardwood' southern States

Florida Retail Lumber Dealers report a decline of 4 per cent in their requirements for the first six months of. l9D and no change for the last six months. North and South Carolina report an increase of 1.8 per cent and 9.6 per cent for the first and second halves of the year. Virginia dealers report an increase of 11 and 12 per cent.

Southern railroads report an increase of approximately lfu per cent in softwood tie requirements and an increase of less than 1 per cent in softwood lumber requirements.

Mill work manufacturers report an increase of 2 per cent for the first half and 1.5 per cent for the second half. ol l9D as compared with 1928.

Nineteen box mills indicate consumption of 93,0@,000 feet of softwoods and 32,000,0@ feet of hardwoods.

No direct ,"o.r..TlTliTetn"1*3t..:eT rrom the northeast lumber dealers. Reports collected by the Atlantic Shippers Advisory Board comprising the first quarter of 1929 with the last quarter ol 1928 and the first quarter of 1928, however, indicate a decline in requirements of 3.9 per cent and 4.8 per cent respectively.

New England railroads report a slight decline in the use of softwood ties and softwood lumber. Great Lake carriers report an increase of. 17 per cent in softwood tie requirements and an increase of. 12 per cent in softwood lumber requirements. Central eastern carriers report an increase of ibout 3 per cent in softwood lumber requirements.

Mill work manufacturers in the northeastern states report an estimated decline of 1.6 per cent during the first half

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