REAL   ESTATE   RECORD.





491





for finishingT North River, 65c. ^ bbl. for common, and
$1 do, for flnishing.

LUMBEE.—^Without reaching a point of "decided im¬
provement," for which some of the city blanket sheets
are inclined to give it credit, our market commences to
show an occasional sign of a change for the better.
Dealers have in some cases been enabled to secure fair
orders for domestic shipment, the local con.sumptlon
picks up a trifle on all outlets, while a few exportera are
looking around in a manner to indicate that they really
want stock, and where no attempt was made to add to
cost negotiations frequently came to a succesatul issue.
In short, while the volume of business is far behind
what it should be at this season, and there is nothing
upon which to base calculations of a material increase,
the excessive dull tone is in many cases apparently
broken, and the Trade who have experienced the change
for the better are correspondingly cheerful. As we have
before noted, a considerable amount of stock must be
used during the opeu season both for new building and
repairs, while the manufacturinginterest.if only produc¬
ing enough to keep desirable hands at work and machin¬
ery in motion, will afford a fair outlet, as their stock
of material is unquestionably almost entirely exhausted
through the long continued hand to mouth policy of
purchasing. Prices too are generally admitted as rea¬
sonable on most of the standard grades. Commencing
thus upon the second ha)f of the year, we find many of
our operators calculating upon moderate, healthy trade,
provided the marKet is kept upon a conservative basis,
and all speculative tondencies are ignored. During the
past week there has been nothing of maguitude done in
the way of sales from stocks here; but agents have ob¬
tained a lew titir orders for '•specials'' coastwise, and we
understand that sellers from the interior have at last ar¬
ranged their terms so as to close one or two contracts.
Arrivals trom the interior also commence to make their
ajipearance more frequently, but not in sufficient quanti¬
ty to greatly add to accumulations.

Eastern spruce sells quick or slow according to qual¬
ity. Good, ftiU sized stock is wanted to lair extent, both
in this cit.v and in Brookl.yn, and when receivers have
anything of this kind to offer they find customers wil¬
ling to pay a reasonable price without much "higgling;"
but irregular and sh ort lengths are set down as a nuisance
and have to be offered very low before they can be
placed. An effort has been^made to secure a demand for
this undesirable stock from the "country trade," but
without much success. About the top for the best ran¬
dom is $14, but down at about $12(^13 a great many have
from necessity been sold. At $14.50@15.50 orders are
still received for specials, with the extreme figure not te¬
naciously insisted upon.

White pine has gone out to some extent to meet con¬
tracts on which consumers are now calling for delive¬
ries, and this we find is construed into an "increase of
business." The fresh demand, however, has not been
remarkably lively, and though now and then dealers
make a fair sale for tho times, a liberal addition to at¬
tendance of buyers could be made without exhausting
the energies of salesmen in waiting upon them, even
during the heated term. Stocks are lair in quantity
still, and the assortment admits of a very good average
selection, while of late some few additiouts have be^n
made as cargoes commence to work through from points
ot production. Values hold their own, and are steady
on leading grades. We quote at $20 ^ M for shippers,
10-iuch aud upwards; S17@18 do. for do., 10 and 12 inch;
and $U@16 ^ box, 8 and 12 inch.    Building timber.





yellowpine remains in much the same general condi¬
tion, with probably a slight increase in the demand for
special cuts, some new work recently projected calUng
tor these. There is, however, considerable competition
to secure the orders, aud the close figuring keeps advan¬
tage mainly witb buyers. Random cargoes, however, are
still unsalable, except at a liberal reduction from the
nominal quotation. Freigut room is not offering lib¬
erally, but there appears to be enough available tor all
present wants. We quote random cargoes at $18(^20 ^p
M.; ordered cargoes, $21(^25 do.; green flooring boards,
$23 do.; and d^ do. do., $25 do.; step plank, as step
plank, at $24@25 ^ M. Cargoes at the aouth, Sli@l6
•^ M.

Hardwoods are about steady; and in some cases the
demand has been rather better. There is nothing ap¬
proaching activity to be recorded, however, and we fiud
dealers showing Httle faith in anything except choice
black walnut, and in this only to the extent ot a sort of
retail aistribution to local dealers. Stocks and receipts
are kept moderate. We qnote: Wholesale value by car
load at about $75@80 ^ M for the flnestwalnut; $50@60
do.for common do.; S3o@40 do. for ash; $38@40 do. for
whitewood; $35(g38 for oak, and $53(^65 for cherry; $55
@65 for butternut, and $35<®40 for hickory.

At the yards there is a moderately active distribution
on the ordinary outlets, and no new features worth
noticing. Dealers say there i« no particular kind of
stock receiving attention; but the small selections of
buyers take a little of everything, and now and then ad¬
mit of running out cullings, etc.; accumulated for years.
Prices show the usual irregularity and quantity. De¬
livery terms of payment, etc., all have to be taken into
consideration before a positive figure is decided uiDon.
As a rule terms are cash. Dealers propose when they
commence laying in supplies to move with great caution,
both as to quality and cost.

Among the recent lumber charters we note the follow¬
ing: A Br. bark, 430 tons, from St. Mary's to Biver Plate,
lumber, $20 net; a schr., 385 tons, from Savannah to
Malaga, and back from a Spanish port north of Hatteras,
about $6,000, sublet for 325 M lumber out, $15 gold; a
Br. brig, 311 tons, from Darien to Kio Jan eiro, lumber, $19
gold and primage; an Am. bark, 395 tons, from Brunswick
to La Palmas, lumber, $15 gold and primage; an Am. brig,
332 tons,from SackvUle, N.B., to eastcoastIreland, deals,
76s. 3d.; one, 331 tons, from Calais to Rio Janeiro, lum¬
ber, $16 gold; a schr., 327 tons, from Milbrldge to Rio





Janeiro, lumber,$l6 gold net; an Am. brig, 425 tons, to
Jamaica, general cargo, 30c. "'^ bbl.; and lumber $4 gold,
and baek, terms private; a schr., 175 M lumber, from
Jacksonville to Martinique, $9 gold; one from Mo¬
bile to New York, cedar, lie. per cubic foot; a schr., 400
M resawed lumber and boards, from Pensacola to New
York, $8; a schr.. 200 M resawed lumber, from Bruns¬
wick to New Yerk, $6 60; two. 180 and 200 M do., from
Jacksonville to New York, $1; one, 190 M do., same
voyage, $7.25; one, 175 M dry boar-^.s, from Union Island
to Phiiadelphia, S6; one, 130 M resawed lumber, from
Pensacola to New York, Providence or Fall River, $8.50:
one, 216 tons, from Charleston to Hyde Park, railroad
ties, $5 "^ 1,000 feet, and North River towage.

Joseph M. Wright & Co.'s circular, just at hand with
advices from Rio Janeiro to May 24, reports as follows:

Pitch Pine Deals.—No arrivals and no traRsactions
since our last, but dealers in general are supplied and
prices are nominal.

White Pine Lumber.—^We have had a fair inquiry, the
various parcels arrived having found buyers at 80—85
reis for common, and at 95—100 reis per foot for superior
wood.   Receipts, 255,152 feet.

General Iiiimlhei' Notes.

—The following is from the Bay City Lumberman's
Gazette :

There is a noticeable difference of opinion among
operators throughout the valley relative to the available
log supply contiguous to this manufacturing section.
Considerable effort has been made on the part of the
Lumberman's Gazette to secure reliable figures relative
to the amounts at the several booms, so far as such a
task can be accomplished at this time. We had also in¬
tended to make quite an extended review and cnmpari-
son from the figures reported, but many of them com¬
ing to hand too late in the week, we can simply present
the estimates thus far reported.   They are as follows :

Booms.                                                1876.                1875.

Rifle River..................... 58,000,000       92,128,200

BadEiver...................... 32,000,000       41,854.900

FlintKiver.....................    8,000,000         9,000.000

Swan Creek..;................    2.000,000         3,000,000

Cass River..................... 17,000,000       56,000.000

Au Gres River.................. 54,000.000       10,000,000

AuSableRiver.................. 35,000,000      55.000.000

Tittabawassee Eiver........... .290,000.000     307,000,000

Kawkawlin River...............10,000.000      15,000,000

J.,L. & S. Railroad............. lO.OCO.OOO        .........

P. & P. M. Railway.............    8.000,000      24,000,000

Stmdry points.................. 15.000,000      20.000,000





Total.....................539,000,000     632,983,100

The figures of 1875 represent the amount run out. If
the lett-over loga of the Tittabawassee, amounting to
130,000,000, which are included in 1876, be added to the
former year, as they should he, the figures would stand
at 539,000,000 in 1876, against 769,983,100. Tho same al¬
lowance should be made in some other cases, but iu the
main, as showing the amount of this season's stock, the
flgures for 1876 will be found reasonably correct.

—The following from the Montreal Journal of Com¬
merce was omitted from our last:

The long-continued Inactivity in the lumber business
still remains, aud there appears little prospect for any
immediate revival. The Ottawa mills will lose at least
six weeks' sawing on account of high water, and tnis
will materially diminish the supply for the season; but
even at this reduced quantity there is little doubt that
it will be fully equal to the demand. Prices are almost
nominal and purchasers buy only in small lots. J.
Bell Forsyth & Co.'s circular of June 2d states that since
the opening of navigation the market has been dull,
and the demand for timber very limited. ' A few
sales have beeu made, bnt with little if any improve¬
ments as yet, and it is difficult to give quotations. The
arrivals from sea are in excess of last year, but so far
very little progress has been made in the loading of
ships Owing to the late spring, we learn that the en¬
tire quantity of white pine manufactured during the
past winter has been hauled out of tbe woods, but with
the high waters at present in the Ottawa Biver and its
tributaries it is impossible to calculate on the quantity
likely to reach market. Many of the dams and slides
have been more or less injured, the extent of which ctn
only be known when the waters abate. It is generally
admitted that the timber will be at least a month later
iu reaching Quebec than usual. The demand at pres¬
ent is chiefly for choice wood, which is scarce. A
couple ot good rafts have been placed at 243^ to
25 cents. Common and ordinary is very difficult
of sale unless of good size and girth, for which
there is some inquiry. As shippers are, generahy
speaking, well supplied, the demand for red pine is ex¬
ceedingly limited, particularly for small average, which
is more plentiful than large wood. Some inquiry and
sales of oak have oeen effected lately at 34@36. Choice
Ohio of about seventy-five feet was placed some days ago
at 45 centa. There is rather a better demand for eim,
and lots have changed hands at 27@30c. for forty-seven
to fifty-five feet. Small is not inquired for, and there
are no sales to record. Por lourteen inches and up in
S. O. ash 25@27c. is asked, and nothing required under
that size, irom the lateness of the season, as well as
the high waters on the Ottawa, the sawing term will be
curtailed, which mast materially lessen the manufac¬
ture of deals this year. Pine deals have sold at £22 10s.
and £25 for firsts, and, as there was evidently an abund¬
ance, two-thirds for seconds, and one-third for thirds,
according to specification, time ot delivery, &c., &c. The
transactions in spruce deals have been at our quotations.
Freights Irom Quebec to Liverpool, 29@30s., according
to proportion of hardwood, and 80s. deals. Loudon, 80a.
deals, and to the Clyde, 27s. 6d.@29a., according to car¬
go.   Prices at Montreal unchanged.

—The NortJiwestem Lumberman ot June 17 reports as
follows on the Chicago market:
Operators at the wholesale docks are feeling decidedly





cheerful at present writing over the past week's busi¬
ness. The number of cargoes offered has been about up
to the average, and sales have been made with a facility
which makes one almost believe that business has re¬
vived again. Cargoes which a few weeks since laid at the
wharves several days before they could bs disposed o',
are now reaOily sold within a few hours after their arri¬
val, and tbe supply of some grades of dimension stuff is
said to fall short of the demand. It is impo.ssible to
make any predictions as to how long this state of thinss
will continue, and the only thing to do is to make the
most of it now. Lake freights have not changed, with
the exception of the rate from Alpena, wbich has ad¬
vanced a trifle. The total receipts and shipments to
this date since January 1st are as lollows:

KECEIPTS,

Year.                                               Lumber.          Shingle?,

187ti..........................242,152,3n0       188,750,000

1875..........................  268,563,102       211,663,700

SHIPMENTS.

Lumber.       Shiusles.

1876..........................194,61(;.'246       92,507,2.50

1875........................... 202,077,004      110,533,225

CAE.GO QTJOTATIOSS.

Good joist and scantling..................$8 00(g)--------

Common to fair joist and scantling........  7 ir^®--------

Commou to fair boards an d strips.........    8 00(a 10 00

Good boards and strips....................11 OOOi 13 50

Lath......................................  115®   125

Shingles...................................  2 00(2}  2 25

LAKE FEEIGHTS.

G. Haven and Mnskegon to Chicago..... $1 12J^(a)l 25

Ludington to Chicago.................-------®l 25

Manistee to Chicago..................    1 12}i®l SIX

Menominee........*...................--------@1 25

Alijena........................        ___--------(ail 50

EASTERN FUEIGHTS.

There is no change to note iu the rail freights to east¬
ern points. The flgures for carloads of 20,000 pounds
are aa follows:

New York......................................$40 00

Albany..........................................  40 00

Boston and New England points..................  50 00

Philadelphia....................................  03 00

Baltimore.......................................  61 (^0

Washington......................................   61 00

Richmond.Va...................................  77 00

New York points................................  60 00

—The Williamsport (Pa.) correspondent of the Lumber
man writes:

There is nothing of interest transpiring in this regipn
at present—that is, nothing connected with the lumber
business. As near as I can le.irn, tbem is no Improve¬
ment ia the market; shipments continue about the same
as they have been for the past two weeks. Every induce¬
ment ia offered to purchasers, but, under the existing
state of aff.iirs, they are very cautious about buying.
Some lumbermen are slinging on considerable style,
sending out nickle-plated postal cards and gilt-edged
circulars, but it don't appear to have much effect. The
mills are all in active operation, and are running full
timo. How long this will continue Old Probabilities
alone knows. It he gives us some water, there will
probably be enough stock g)t iu to last the entire
season.

—^The Northivestern Lumberman says:

There has been rafted out of the Beef Slongh boom to
June 1st, for the Mississippi River Logging Company
and others, 75,000,000 feet of logs. The work now pro¬
gresses at the rate of 3,000,000 feet per day. There waa
(June 3d) about 100.000.000 feet in the boom, vfith from
25,000,000 to 30,000,000 feet yet to come down,
making 200.000,000 feet to be handled thiough the
booms this year as against l29,0G8 630 feet in 1875. Dur¬
ing the late high water ou tiJe Cbippewa the damage
suffered by this company in loss of logs was slisiht.
Only three or four million feet went astray, they being
nearly all recovered, the damage amounting only to the
cost of picking them up. The loss on the works vir¬
tually amounted to nothing.

—The London Timber Trades Journal of June 10th
gives us the foUowing extracts:

London, June 9,1876.—With reference to foreign tim¬
ber, we are now in the very middle of the importing
season, and can no longer plead that the trade is retard¬
ed by the late opening of the northern ports, which, if
they expect to do much this year, should now he in full
activity. Bnt the fact is, there is. as we said, a feeble
demand, the Inquiry being intermittent and irregular
on this side, while on the west coast the continued tor¬
pidity of the coal and iron works in South Wales has
rather disconcerted the large importers in that neigh¬
borhood; and we understand that, through this stagna¬
tion of the local trade, they are pressing sales at the
adjacent ports and throughout the western districts
generally. The inclination in all large branches of
cummeroe seems to be to import as little as possible till
some more decided stir in the market gives them an op¬
portunity of effecting sales to advantage. In the retail
busiuess there is doubtless more activlt.v than has pre¬
viously been noticed, and the continued increase and en¬
largement of the fashionable seaside resorts of our
ploasure-seekers, with the accommodation required by
the large crowd of followers who natni;^lly congregate
round about these haunts of luxury, keep the outports
from experiencing, except in a lim ted degree, any of
that depression so general in other parts of the country,
and which is participated iu by all the northern mining
oistrict, and by Wales aa well.

In a country where such immense quantities of for¬
eign wood are required, even a slack demand is not sat¬
isfied without a consideraWe importation; and the care¬
less observer, perhaps, is hardly conscious of the dif¬
ference between a good and a bad season; nor do we
wish to intimate that there is not a very considerable
business still doing; neither are there wanting localities
Which are absolutely busy; and as we have observed be-