The New York herald., 1872-11-21
"BOSTON'S BURNED WOOL."
A Great Cry Of the Spectators Afoot-A Little
Wool-The Wool Ring Endeavoring to Make
Mill Owners Run on. Halt limo
in Order to Raise the Price Of
Winter Overcoats and Blankets

AS great many exaggerated reports have been
published OF a highly sensational kind Of the es-
timated quantities OF wool which have been de-
stroyed in Boston, In the late great conHagration,
we are induced to publish the following facts to
show those interested
IN THIS IMPORTANT sTArLE
how little reliance con be placed on the stories
which spectators have circulated. 1t has been
claimed that the loss Of domestic wool was from
100000 to 1896 600 pounds.
The clips OF this country for the past three years,
according to the carefully prepared statistics OF
the United States government, have been as fol-
lows:-1s7o, 1oo,o36,s25; 1871, 95,ooo,oo7; 1872,
1Oe, 1853.
or this quantity there has been received at the
three principal Eastern markets-Boston, Phla-
delphia and this city-up to this date on each of
these years the quantities as below: :-18t0,
74,soo,22l pounds; 1871, 8S,513,soo pounds 1872,
AZ, 1855, 200 pounds.
THESE FIGURES ARE RELIABLE,
having been accurately kept from daily reports OF
arrivals at each point over all transportation lines.
or these total receipts at the United States sea-
board for 1872 there went TO Boston II 098, 200
pounds. The stock OF domestic wool in Boston on
January 1, 1872, was 100000 pounds, making
total OF q 200 pounds available Or sales during
this year, and, although the sales there have been
FROM TWO TO FOUR MILLION
pounds each and during the last five months they
have averaged two and half millions per month.
1t been confidently asserted in the interest of
the spectators in wool that there remained about
seven million pounds III stock In Boston, which
was consumed.
There can be no DOUBT but that the facts were
stated IN the circular of a
WELL KNOWN WOOL MERCHANT
OF that city, under date OF the 2Sth OF october last
when he he said :-"There is scarcity OF fleece
wool and straight lot is difficult to ind at cur
rent rates, the purchases the past two weeks hav-
neeces.o
Owing to the disappointment Of the wool rasers
IN the country at not being able to obtain in July
THE PRICES EXPECTED,
o very large portion Of the farmers did not sell
their wool, and careful estimates made lately in
the principal ool-growng States show that there
Still remains In the hands OF the
FARMERS AND THE COUNTRY sToREKEEPERs
at least thirty to forty per cent OF the entire years
RECEIPTS AT THE EASTERN MARKETS,
as given In the table above, amply confirm this
statement.
We are, therefore, forced to conclude that the
statements which have been widely published, that
from 100000 to 15 0OO 600 pounds Of domestic wool
were burned at Boston, have been wild exaggefa-
ti0ns OF some wool spectators to stimulate and
excite the market and that the truth is that there
THAN THE AVERAGE SUPPLY,
and not more than two million pounds at the
most.
stored in United States bonded warehouses, out
side OF the fire district has nearly entirely escaped
from the connagratlon and 1t is considered by lair
TWO MILLION POUNDS
would cover the small quantity OF bonded wool and
the sample lots in owners stores which were act
ually destroyed. Besides 1t is being ascertained
daily, now that the first excitement Is over and
the debris are being cleared away, that there is
large salvage OF this as well as other kinds OF mer-
chandise in the burned districts and the streets in
Boston which were principally occupied by wool
houses for the past few days have been blocked up
with wool bales, blackcned and charred on the out
side, but whose contents On opening arc found to
be IN good condition.
No doubt a very large quantity
OF WOOL WILL YET BE FOUND
when the ruins arc all cleared away, which had
heretofore been considered by the owners as en-
ttrey destroyed. With the importatiOns OF wool TO
TwENrY-oNE MILLION POUNDS
in OF those OF last year for the same time and
almost double those OF 1870 as shown by the state
ments below, and with the actual loss OF foreign
wool by fire in Boston, ut the highest estimate OF
the airest judges in that city, about two million
pounds clean wool, il Is easy to place proper
estimate On the loose stories abroad of the vast
reduction OF the wool stock OF the country from the
late fire.
Importations OF wool to date each year:-1s7o,
4s,eeo,57o pounds; 1871, 74,5o2,477 pounds; 1872,
95, 24S, ,024 pounds.
turned the serious attention OF manufacturers
throughout this state and New England to the
best way OF meeting
SUCH RuINoUs ATTACKS ON THEIR INTEREST
and the subject OF running on half or lhtee-quar-
ters time Is being discussed as the best course OF
proceeding.
There can be no doubt but that the present ex-
cited tendency OF the wool market is simply the
result OF the baseless statements OF q greedy ring
OF spectators, but It seems to be equally certain
That there Is an ample stock OF both foreign and do
mestic wool still IN the country, which manulac-
turers can again buy, before their necessities for
making spring goods press them, at prices which