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May 14, 188? The Record and Guide. 665 ^1 lar. Demand fluctuates somewhat bufc not enough to materially curtail the general volume of trade even temporarily, and business as a whole is progressively active. Walnut sells well, especially such stock as can be picked out for tbe export trade, though there seems to be an outlet for all dry culls, etc., and at times it looks as fchough a larger quantity could be placed. Ash retains tbe favorite position to which we have before called attention, and anything nofc inferior in quality is pretty sure to find an early, prompt place upon the market. Oak is coming more into favor, and seems to be a little scarce. Cherry sells well, and seems to be more generally selected for trim. Poplar holds its own at a full valuation. Cypress grows in favor in response to tbe more determined effort to place it upon the market. Dea,lers in ma¬ hogany are getting an excellent share of the trade, and feel well satisfied with matters. Interior demand has revived to a considerable extent within a few weeks, aud it is expected that shipments will be large this season. We quote at wholesale', rates by car load as follows;: Walnut, $60@110 per M ; white ash, $30 @41do.; oak, $320^40 do.; quarter sawed clear, $51 ©55 do.; maple, $25@32 do.; chestnut, $3('@,35 do.; ctierrv, $67@90do.; white wood, $23@33 do.; elm, $20@23 do.; hickory, $38®52 do. GENERAL LUMBER NOTES. THE WEST. Saginaw Valley. Lumberman's Gazettr:, ) Bay City, Mich. ( The lumber business at this point has afc last as¬ sumed such a characteristic as to warrant the asser¬ tion that it bas flnally come to stay for the remainder oC the seeson. Although there is no particular boom; yet sales are steady, and buyers are showing up quite plentifully. The market is characterized by firmness, and although reports of slight shadings on the asking prices occasionally crop out, yet there is nothing which indicates a break, or any material reduction. The large proportion of the sales are made on last fall's prices, and straight measure or inbpection seems to be no particular bar to business, all the resolutions which have been passed evidently going for naught. Owing to the fact that the low stage of water in the streams will probably hang up from 75,000,000 to 100,- 0jO,000 feet of logs, the holders of lumber are extremely confident of the maintenance of price*. Nearly every mill on the river is now at work, and shipments sre active. A local firm last week sold to Buffalo parties 565,000 fsot of lumber as follows: 150,000 1x8, 225,GO0 S-4 Nor¬ way; 90,000 6-4 extra and IOO.OCO 5-4 extra. The firm also sold 1,863,000 feet to Eastern parties. Lumber sales: 6C0 M coarse box to cut at $1U; 700 M Norway on« inch and one-and-a-quarter to cut at $11. Aaother firm sold 850,000 feet of box lumber at $10. Tho sale is reported of 300,000 shingles to Cleveland parties at $2.25, $3.25. The sale is noted of 1,000,000 feet at $14 50 straight. Sibley & Bearinger sold 5GO,000 f set of East Tawas stock, Norway, at $10. Tho sale is noticed of aSO.OOO feet of box lumber at $16. The sale is noted of 700,000 feet of Bay City stock at $9.50, $19 and $88. Also oOO.COU feet of selected boards on pri¬ vate terms at straight measure. The Timberman as follows: The tone of the general distributing market for pine, if not its actual condition, appears this week to be a trifle better than it lately has been. The change may be more in the feeling among sellers than in the business doing, but it is definite enongh and sufiac- iently positive to warrant the hope that the reaction which followed the unusual activity of the early weeks of the spring season has about spent itself, and that the movement of lumber from wholesale to retail yards will again take on its customary aspect of ac¬ tivity. A moderate good trade is about the best that can be expected during the next ninety days, which covers the quiet season when country users of lumber are busy with work in whieh this important staple is not required. The fact that there is an evident tendency afc dis¬ tributing points toward a slightly higher range of selling values is significant ot a growing conviction that lumber is on the upward ratner than the down¬ ward turn. At Chicago there is no disposition appa¬ rent to put lumber up, but at other and in some cases competing markets mention is beginning to be fre¬ quently beard of the possibility of sueh a change in the lists.? -.The course of the market in this respect is likely to depend altogether upon the prices of lumber at the mills. Chicago. Thk Cargo Market.—Lumber has been arriving rather freeiy for a day or two, and there is on hand a number of piece stuff cargoes still unsold. As a matter of fact, buyers and sellers are apart in their views of prices, in spite of the weakening of the mar¬ ket fully twenty-flve cents since Monday. For average lots of short green dimension the commission men are holding for $10, with most buyers unwilling to take hold at that figure. It cannot be called firm at that, though it is claimed that a lower price has not been actually made. Buyers want the stuff at from $9.50 to $9.75, whicb tbey claim to be offering. Dry piece stuff sells' rather better than green, but is still slower than sellers like to see it. From $10.50 to $11.50 covers tbe range of value. Inch lumber is in lighter supply and better demand, and is firmer. No. 2 dry boards and strips are held at $13 to $14 ror average lots, vnth medium i-Anging from $15to$17, andNo. lfrom$17up. So much depends upon the quality of such offerings tbat precise quota¬ tions cannot be given. One lot of mill run which ran about 22 per cent, to C and better brought $14.50. The value of inch lumber averages much better as compared with last year than dimension stock. The difference has been about $1 on most sales. The Northwestern Lumberman of Chicago as follows: In this city the dealers are nursing the opinion that green lumber, when the mills get to running full time, will take a tumble in price. They base all their hopes for the season on this. Earlier they seemed to figure on a higher range of values ail around, in the yards as well as at the mills; but since they cannot see how margins are to be widened as long as the manufac¬ turers rise a dollar when the yards rise a half they have settled to tbe conclusion that they would like to see the market go to pieces. It is noticeable tbat tbe noise about the Interstate Commerce law as affecting freight rates is subsiding. In the Saginaw valley, where tbe dissatisfaction was and is still very pronounced, dealers are finding tbat where the law has caused them loss in certain locali- ■ ties it las givem theni advantage in others. For this reason they are looking more cheerf idly at tbe situa¬ tion than when the law flrsfc went Into force. In this city there has been very little complaint, and most of that was about not being able to procure schedules at all on some lines. That has almost entirely ceased since tariffs have been fixed on the majority of roads. In the lake markets and along the Mississippi River stocks are so low that '.dealers are not urging trade, competition is light, and thus freight rates are not as important a factor as when opposite conditions prevail. It is gratifying to say that the outward movement of hardwood lumber from this market is increasing in volume, and that sales both for local and shipping accounfc are on the increase. In spite of the unfavor¬ able railway conditions under which April opened, the month is reported by most of the dealers to have been a good one, better, at any rate, than April, 1886. Receipts of hardwood during April were somewhat limited in amount, but as the freight rate tangle gon straightened out somewhat, matters improved until there is now a fair amount of lumber coming in. Re¬ ceipts cannot be cut oft' entirely, for the simple rea¬ son that so many of the local dealers keep stock for their car load trade at the mills and order out as wanted. This stuff has to be moved when sold, be rates favorable or unfavorable. Another custom ot some of the dealers, tending in the same direction, is to order certain lines from the mills as wanted. The dealer will, for instance, contract the poplar, oak, or gum of a certain mill with the understanding that it is to be put on sticks at the mill and shipped as wanted. This method saves shipping green stock, aud also saves storage roam and taxes here. Lumberman anb Manufacturkb, I Minneapolis, Minn, f There are so few new features in the lumber bus¬ iness of the West that it is hard to make a point in a revie%v of the week's trade. Old stocks of lumber are reduced to a minimum and no one cares to bunt a customer to close out the remnants. A few who have a fair assortment leffc are accepting orders for such as they have, but trading ia stocks bas about ceased. Prices are firm and many of the mill men are asking an advance on present list on long or large sized special bills, and we anticipate a still further advance in this line of lumber. The extraordinary amouut of railroad building is having its effect on the market, and nearly all the mills that havo spe¬ cial ^facilities for making and shipping this stuff have already taken in all the orders they can handle this season. A few flrms tell us that they refuse the«e gpeciftl bills because it leaves them with a poor as¬ sortment at the end of the season, as they get only the side boards. The shingle trade is especially active and prices firm. The stock i;-> about exhausted and builders are much averse to using green shingles, which they will have to do wifnin a month. There is very little grumbling about railway tariffs in Minneapolis and bt. Paul, but several correspon¬ dents from Wisconsin have written in a strain that in¬ dicates an early appeal to the Interstate Commerce Commiasion on thair part. They are getting the cracker end of the whip on th© long and short haul clause. The log market is fairly active and pricea ruling flrm at $1 advance ©n last year's flgures, with no surplus in sight anywhere. Driving is progressing very favorably, except on the Red River waters and the Upper Mississippi, where all streams are very low. The United States Reservoir dams are discharging only the ordinary flow whicb is not sulflcient for driv ing purposes. SOUTH AMERICA. This week's mail from Rio Janeiro reports: Pitch Pine—Receipts have been 354,919 feet per Nor from PensacoU, which are reported told at S7$000 per doz. At this price brokers report the mar¬ ket firm, and 410,795 feet per Heros from Bruns¬ wick arrived yesterday. The large cargo of Oregon pei\CarrIe Delap, referred to in our last, was retailed at ,30$000per doz., the consignees preferring to dia- fcributa ifc rather tlian sell toons purchaser. Receipts in March were 2,178,600 feet, against l,i61,678 feet in the same month last year. White Pine—The L. M. Smith brought about 11,000 feet, part cargo of Signal from New York, which have been sold within quotations. Brokers report the market steady afc 115©1'20 rs. per foot. Receipts last month were about 20,0t0 feet, against 413,725 feet for March, 1886. Swedish Pine—Nothing whatever to reporfc. No receipts last month, against 1,265 doz. in March last year. Spruce Pine—No receipts. The cargo ex St. Jobn, referred to in our last, will be stored. A part of this cargo, estimated at some 80,000 feet, was jettisoned. Deducting this, receipts last month were 250,000 feet, against nil in the same month 1886. METALS.—CoppBR—Ingot has relapsed into a quiet condition again since the placing of the pool contracts as noted In our last report. The Record was one of the very few journals giving the correct estimate of the amount then taken (about 28,000,000 lbs. as a mat¬ ter of fact), and this supply bas so well met tbe wants of tbe large consumers that beyond here and there an odd invoice now and then the chances for further immediate demand are slim. Lake may be quoted at about 10c., and from thence tbe price ranges down to 9c. for other brands. Manufactured Copper flnds good average demand and the market retains a generally steady tone for leading descriptions. Manufactured Copper has been a little slow of sale at times lately, but on the regular line of values former flgures were very well sustained. We quote as follows: Sheets, not above 30x72 in., 16 oz and over, 18©—; do, 14 to 16 oz, 19®—; do, 12 to 14 oz, 20©-; do, lo to 12 oz, 20@21; do, 8;to 10 oz, 24@—; do, under 8 oz, 26©—. Sheets longer than 72 inches add Ic. for 12©14 oz, 2c. for 10@13 oz, and 3e. for 8@10 oz. Sheets, not above 36x96 in., 16 oz and over, IS©—; do, 16 to 31 oz, 18©19; do, 14 to 16 oz, 20@21; do, 12 to 14 oz, 22©23; do, 10 to 12 oz,26©27; do, 8 to 10 oz, 29@31. Sheets longer than 96 inches add Ic. for under 16 oz. Sheets, not above 48x60, 33 to 64 or 18®19; do, 16 to 31 oz,23©24; do, 14 to 16 oz, 25©—; do, 12 to 14 oz, S0@—; do, 10 to 12 oz, —©—; do, 8 to 10 oz, —©—. Sheets longer than 73 inches add Ic. for 16 oz and under. All bath tub sheets, per lb., 16 oz, 21c.; 14 oz, 23c.; and 10 oz, S8c. Bolt copper, % inch diameter and over, 18c. Circles, 60 diameter and less, 3c. above price of sheets of same thickness; circles, 60 to 84 do do, 4c. do; circles, 84 do and over, 5c. do. Segment and pattern sheets, 3c. above price of sheets required to cut them from. Cold or hard rolled copper Ic. per lb. above the foregoing prices. Copper bottom, 20@31c. per lb. Iron—Scotch Pig has not changed much on the general lun of cost, but evidences of a steadier tone developed and somewhat better demand came out for small lots. We quote at $'Oi).00@2a.CO per ton, according to brand, size of invoice, etc. American Pig has also received rather more attention from buyers of small invoices to be delivered this month and next and the effect lis beneficial in bringing prices to a steadier position, but buyers resist all attempts to induce them to pay an advance and are ver.v indifferently inclined toward inferior brands. We quote at $21.003531.35 per ton for No. 1 X foundry; $19.50@2O.0O for No. 2 S do, do.; and $18@19 for Gray Forge. Old material meets with a somewhat spasmodic demand, but on the whole is finding a rather larger movement in the aggregate and the influence upon values is beneficial, though not as yet leading to any decided advance. We quote at $2^@23 for old rails; $2i@23 for No. 1 wrought scrap; ^■■iS.00@23.5O for crop ends, and $19.50 ©20.00 for car wheels. Steel rails meet with occa¬ sional attention aud some sales result, but the move ment is not free or general aud buyers iu many cases appear ralherincliued to hold off as though expect¬ ing to gain something in the matier of eost. We quote at about $3S®3y per ton for standard sections, according to location of mill. Manufactured Iron without any very new features except that the movement is probably somewhat disappointing in volume to a portion of the trade. Cost varies but little on the general range. We quote as follows: Common Merchant Bar, ordinary sizes, at 2.00©2.10c. from store, and refined at 2,20@2.60c.; Rods, round and square, 2.30@2.50c.; Bands, 2.5C@ 2.60c.; Norway Nail Rods, 5@6c., and domestic sheet on the basis of 2 60@2.70c. for common Nos. 10@16. Other descriptions at corresponding prices, with 1-lOc. less on large lots from cars. Lead—Domestic Pig after quite a period of neglect appears to be find¬ ing a better general demand. So far as indicated tbere is iittle or nothing speculative in the movement, but the trade evidently want stock, and as they come upon the market to invest flnd that holders are awake to the situation and looking for a fuller line of prices throughout. Wt quote $4 40©4.50 as to quantity. The manuf actures of lead are steady and quoted: Bar, 5^@i;c.; pipe, 7c.; sheet. TMc less tbe usrjal discount totbetraae; and tin-lined pipe, 15c.; block tin pipe, 40c., OD same terms. Tin—Pig bas no more than tise ordinary trade demand so far as actual consumption is concerned, and the majority of buyers restrict themselves closely to wanes of the moment. There has been, however, a so.Tnewhat " bullish" sentiment in the speculative line, with the natural effect on val¬ ues. We quote Straits 22%@23i^c.; English L and F at 23)4©-^3%c.; Banca, 2d}^@23%c. on the spot. Tin plates are not much wanted tor future delivery, but spot lots sell fairly, and with the desirable supply well in baud prices are generally well main¬ tained on most sizes. We quote prices as follows: I. C. Charcoal, }^ cross assortment, Melyn grade, $5.15@5.20, eacb additional X add $1.50; 1. C. Char¬ coal, 14 cross assortment, Allaway grade, $4.65© 4.70, each additional X add $1; Charcoal terne—M. F. grade, 14x20, $6.82i^®6.35; M. F. grade, 30x28, $12.65@13.70; Worcester, 14x20, $4.50©4.52J^; Worces¬ ter, 2Cx«8, $9.00@9.05; Deangraae, 14x20, $4.22ir^©4.25; Dean grade, 80x28, $8.45©8.50; Allaway grade, 14x 20, $4.15©4.20; AUaway grade, 20x28, g8.30©8.35; I. C. Coke—B. V. grade, $4.373^©4.30; J.B. grade, 14x20, $4.85©4.37J^, I. 0. Bessemer steel, squares, $4.55© 4.67}4; I. C. Siemens steel, squares, $4.62i^©4.65. Spelter, without showing any great animation, haa sold fairly, and the market retained a general flrm tone throughout, with offerings careful. We quote at $4.50®4.75 for Western, according to brand. Sheet Zinc meets with fuller sale on regular outlets and shows steady prices at 6®7c,, according to brand, size of invoice, etc. NAILS.—Reports indicate a great deal of dissatis¬ faction still prevaUing on the market, and operations conducted under more or less feelin.^ of perplexity. Some manufacturers advocate a general and deter¬ mined resistance to the ruling line of bids, others hes¬ itate and still others appear inclined to accept, so that actual trading runs over an uneven scale and valua¬ tions are wide. There seems to be an idea entertained in some quarters, however, that cost bas worked down pretty well to hard pan, and that as soon as a few remaining stocks have been worked off a steadier position can be obtained. We quote at $2.15©2.25 per keg, aceording to size of invoice. PAINTS, OILS, ETC.—About former claims are made regarding the general condition of the market, and on the whole the situation may be] caUed satis¬ factory. On flrst-band goods some fluctuations in value has at times shown itself, but nothing to weaken the position of jobbers, and on all really standard de¬ scriptions full former valuations are sustained with comparative ease. The general accumulations iu hand are ample but well controlled. Linseed Oil has a very good market and rules steady in price at 40© 41c. for Western, and 42@43c. for City. Spirits Turpen¬ tine has made a further considerable decline, at which business was for a time free, but the market closed quietly. Quoted 34@35c., according to quantity, de¬ livery, etc. TAR AND PITCH.—The movemenfc is fair in mosfc cases and buyers pay former rates, so far as natural wants are concerned, but no evidence of increasing demand. We quote Pitch at $1.50@1.75 per bbl.; Tar at $3.00@2.25, according to quantity, quality and delivery. For Tables of Building Material prices see pages X., XI. and xii. SALES OF THE WEEK. The following are the sales at the Real Estate Ex- shange and Auction Boom for the week ending May 13: ♦ Indicates thut the property described has been Md in for plaintiff's account: EICHARD V. HARNETT & CO. King sfc, Nos. 39 and 37, n s, 348.7 e Varick st, 51.9xl0