The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-01-12
WOOL.

Total. 5s,5ss| 2,1aO 1906 2,2osl IS 1876
WOOL.
The course of the market FOR vool and
wooden goods during the last year has been
such that regular dealers and spectators, as
manufacturers, have realized much smaller
profits than were expected. About the lt
of April prices begin gradually to recede and
the course of values was steadily downward
all summer. Since September there has been
q rather better trade and an increased move
ment, which has tended to stiffen prices up
somewhat, though there has been no very
marked improvement. To wool-growers
the season of 1880 was a quite prosperous
and satisfactory one. The clip was rather
larger this year than last, but the movement
at the opening Of the market for new wool,
in June lest, was very slow, as holders were
in anticipation OF high prices, and this tended
to retard the shipn-e nt from interior points. A
very firm feeling, in fact, has prevailed all
| along the country up to the present time, and
without doubt there is a great deal more still
in first hands than usual at this season of the
year.
THE ENTIRE CLIP FOR 1880
is estimated at about $50, 900, 900 pounds, and
for the previous year it was placed at $780,
900, 900 pounds, which shows an increase of
nearly s per cent, in the production. BY the
most conservative and experienced dealers in
this city it is thought that when stocks at the
eading centres are taken, at the beginning of
the new year, there will be showing of
available supplies much larger than ayear
ago. The consumption of wool in this coun-
try in 1879 was only q little less than 300, 000,-
900 pounds. The imports Of wooden goods
this year have been so per cent. larger than
in 1879. For the seven months ending Aug.
l, 1880, the imports Of Woolens amounted to
1913, 800, 600, against s14, 700, 600 for the cor
responding period last year. AS previously
stated, this has been an ''off' year for man.
uffacturers and the larger dealers, as goods
have been relatively cheaper than wool most
of the time, and prices for wool relatively
cheaper in the east than the west. Both
clothing manufacturers and jobbers were
compelled to sell their winter purchases at q
heavy loss during the past summer, and in
preparing for their trade Of next spring they
are going very slowly, it being the earnest
desire of most of them that there shall be no
more ssbooms' in the market for a long time
to come. There are now, as nearly as can
be computed, about /, 500, 0O0 pounds Of wool
in store in this city, against 500, 900 pounds
ON the January l, 1880. The increase in TIE
production was general throughout the ooun-
try, but it is q notable feature of the trade
this year that dark western woods from west
ern Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska have so far
this season met with less favor from man
ufacturers than formerly, the brighter woods
of the older states being plenty and consid-
cred cheaper at the difference made in prices.
With the latter getting less plenty, however,
western woods may be moved naore freely
during the winter and spring. Coarse domes-
tic feeces have been very much neglected q
great deal of the time, the cheape Tgrades of
the territorial woods having taken their place
to a great extent, where coarse wool was
wanted, but the prevailing styles in goods
cow call more than ever for the finer quail
ties. The principal manufacturing states
that draw upon this market for supplies are
New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan,
| Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, and
not far from one half of all the wool received
here is sold to strictly western mills direct.
There are nine large and exclusively wool
houses engaged il business in this city, there
having been no important additions to the
trade, and no failures, during the year.
The following table exhibits the prices
ruling at this point on the dates named, for
medium unWashed, fine unWashed, and me-
dunn fleece wool, during the year 1880: