Review Of The Saginaw Lumber Market

The soasen of 1871 opened with a largo stock of lumber on tho river, loss thon liulf iif which was BOld. It was thon understood that the stock of logs would ic small, but tho outsidb markets ware tulorably wcll suppliod, and tho (Iemand for lumbOTwaa comparativoly light. It v,-;is not until about tho middle of the season that any chango was experienocd. Tho inarket began'to tighten, and a few farsightod individuáis mado their appcaranco in market with a view of buying up the stock so far ::s tlic-ir meará wouid adinit. It is told of ono man, au Eastern man, by t:ij way, who, aftcr looking over the situation, said in a conlidontial nianncr to liis Mends, that if he could control a fow thousand dollars ho could put Saginaw lumber at a highcr price tlian it ever was bofore or over will bo again. Bat ho lacke 1 ene esscntial. He had brains but laoked moncy. This was unfortmiate - for hun. He did howoyer, secure the coniidence of several operators, bought u 15,000,000 or 20,000,000 feel (wc aro no certain as to the amount) and has madi a great lot of monoy. This was the con dition of the market at that time. Fraight rere dull, and many of the inanul'acturors who liad held their stocks for somc timo vrere anxious to sell. In Soptcnibe tho market began to brighten. Vrevious to that time 6, -;1 -, and $3,3 was tho average prico paid Loï lumber, m-iny salís, even, being m;wl at loss than theso figures. In Octobor tlic Chicago lire took plaoe. MUlions of feet of lumber wore dostroyed, and tho groat lumber trade at that point was partially suspended. Stocks in Eastern yards had run down close. Tho pine forests were swopt by fire, and hundredsof mille werodestroyod. This state of affairs tendel toinoroa rise in the prico of lnmbor that ha l alrcady oommenoed. Prices soon reached 7 l'.L -,,, 1 Slll :i.i;1 I,.m,.1,...! SS !li UJ Sinoo navigation closod, prices havo boon quoteitiiomiiiaUyat $7, :5l 1 an" $40. Xherc: is but littlo doing, as tho stock on tho rivor is vury light, and tboso wko hold lumber show no particular anxiety to soll. According to the e t' matea mode by the Iiiíp ;ctor Gj:e.al, thore is now on tho rivor (oxclusivj of the stocks on MoGraw's, S;ige's and Folsooi & Arnold's docks) 49,0-20,000 fcot of lumber, all oi' whieh is iold oxcept 16,235,000 ieet. Fdlowing is a statement of lumber on rivor attlioeiOSO ot tilo suasuiis n;tnu:,i : On Doek. On Doek, Bal. sold. misold. 18G5 41,453,000 22,352,000 19,091,000 1866 44,415,700 11,211,000 30,204,700 1867 09,970,200 19,435,671 50,534,200 1868 57.401,017 13,402,9W 53998,027 1809 93,331,614 14i)2(,ü00 78,805,014 1870 130,422,190 47,802,000 82,560,190 l'rom this it will bc scan tliat the stock of lumber on tlio riveris lighter than it has been sinco lSüO, and the unount unsold is loss than it has been for thu past eight or ton years. Of tho markot lor 1872 we can no more than coiijuuturc, und any conjectnresare likcly to be wild. Ke' amoiuit of snow, the extent of tho spriiijj freshet and many other Üiinps aro to be taken into msiileration. Tho stock of loga will ondoabtodly bo greatfir than ever beforo. ïhe iigures at which oontraotB for next soason's lumbor are being made ara au intiuiatiou that tho opening prico will not show ík diiolino. Should buyen show a (lisposition to run down the market ;it the oueniiiii, thev will find lots of boui!