Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-07-28
The prospect of the wool MAtLst,

Aht NJ Aospect 0A tine WOOL MdfhetS
A correspondent Of the Country Gentle
man furnishes some interesting specuIations
founded on facts, iD respect to the proba-
bilities as to the wool market He quotes
some figures from the New York Tribune as
follows and then continues
La 1860 there was consumed by manufae-
turers in the United States, 80,3S6, 1852 lbs
of WOOL of which 1875, 120 los were i'm.
ported In the same year we imported s 40.
600, 900 worth Of WOODEN and worsleds TO
produce this amount OF goods would require
at least "a, 900, ,o00 lbs of wool In
1860, had we manufactured all the wooden
and worsteds we consume, we should have
required in addition to what we did raise,
a, 100000 lbs Of WOOL Since then our
population has greatly increased, which
would increase the demand, and the short
supply OF cotton has also increased the de-
mand, for in 1860 there was mixed with wool
IN Its manufacture, cotton to the amount Of
SIG, ,06S, ,625 lbs. To supply the place of
this would require about 10000, 900 lbs of
wool, which added to the60, 51I, 343 Of home
production of 1860, would amount In round
numbers to 80, 800, ,0e0. This added to the
81. 100000 referred to obove; win give I64.-
0tD, 900 lbs. This does not include what
would be required by extra population, nor
for the increased demand caused by substi-
tuting large number of articles which were
formerly made of cotton, but now are made
Of wool And as the Southern States be-
come opened, the demand must still increase.
We think we are within the bounds of fair
calculation if we add 36, ,000, 900 lbs to our
basis Of 1860, which would swell the amount
now required to 200000 900 lbs, aud this
amount will never be less, but continue tu
increase
1t was also stated that our "manufactur-
ers have consumed during the year that is
Just past, not far from l30,000,000 lbs of
wool, while not over one-half of this amount
has been produced in this country. Now,
as in 1860 the consumption was 50, 3S6, ,5T2
there was an increase over that year of 3D.
6I3, AS. So that, as there Is large hum-
ber of factoi les changing from cotton to
wool. it cannot be far out of the way to put
the consumption of wool during the present
year at about 0,0O0, 000 lbs. And of this
large amount it is very probable that but
very little. III any, over half viii be produ-
eed in the United States.
| am aware that il has been and will be
said, that there has been great increase IN
the amount of sheep in this country alsd
know that in regard TO the Northern States
this is true But at the same time 1t should
be remembered, that about one third of all
the sheep owned in the United States in
1860, belonged to the Southern States and
as a general thing, the States that-like
Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and MlssOu-
ri-then had the greatest number of sheep,
have been those that have been most oecu-
pied and overTun by the different armies
SO that there can be but few sheep left in
the South As the loss of sheep at the
South must be offset against the increase at
the North, | believe the increase as whole
can be but little, if indeed it is any, larger
in proportion than the increase in popula-
tion.
The amount of cotton that will be LET
loose by peace at the South, will not be like.
| iy to have much effect on the amount Of
wool that win be used as if cotton gets
much lower, it, will most probably be expor-
ted In large quantities while the unsettled
condition of the South must prevent large
increase in the amount of cotton that viii
| be grown for some years te come, as the eul=
| tivation of the soil will probably partake
more of the character of farming than PLAN
| ting, by growing less cotton and more Of
such crops as will be needed for home con-
sumption,
And then the close of the war opens all
the Southern States, with their markets
ing And though it may be said that but
few wooden goods viii be needed at the
South on account of the warmth Of the eli
mate, yet it is well known that much of our
best woolens went there before the war, and
that for considerable portion of the year
they are considered necessary in that eli
mate
At the same time we shall still continue
TO have large army (some $50, 1000 it is
said to clothe entirely with woolens, while
there are other very large armies that, in
laying by the Government blue, will want
new supplies of citizens clothing, to say
nothing Of the well known fact that, in CON
sequence of high prices the people of the
North as a general thing, have only bought
what was needed for present use, leaving
them with very short supplies on hand, all
OF which must continue to make very
large demand for the different kinds of goods
made out of wool.
There Is another reason for a considerra-
bic increase in the demand for wool over
what 1t was before the war. In an article
in the United States Economist, april Isl
it is stated that
We have a large increase of machinery
both for worsteds and woolens the worsted
business having almost entirely sprung up
during the last four years, and is now caus-
ing an enormous demand compared with the
supply of course combing woods, and giving
them value unprecedented in the whole
history of the wool business Last week,
Notwithstanding the severe depression,
coarse Canada wool sold at 81, Is in Boston
which was equal to 76ae in gold. Then we
have large increase of machinery for nous.
de lalnes. This business requires combing
wool, but of a shorter and finer kind than
commonly termed combing. This increase
will require greater quantity than the in
creased production of the past four years,
leaving the increased machinery to be sup
Piled from foreign woods. We have also
reason to believe, from facts that have lately
come 10 our knowledge, that ON account of
our increased tariff, several large English
manufacturers contemplate moving their
machinery to this country, and bringing OPP
eratives sufficient to work it.