The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1883-01-18
TIE WOOL TRADE FOR 1859.


TIE WOOL TRADE FOB 1852.
In taking a retrospective view of the |
wool trade during the year just closed,
we find period replete with expert
enccs for those handling the staple,
which, while they may not not have
yielded the most satisfactory results,
may at least be lessons for the future
conduct Of the business, and thus serve
their purpose. The course of the mar
ket during the first five months of 1882
does not show any features strikingly
different from the same period for
many preceding years. Strong prices
characterized the opening month, with
the probability that they would harden
as the season advanced, and this opin-
ion was shared by manufacturer, as
shown by their liberal purchases dur
ing the early weeks of January. The
succeeding month, however, somewhat
reversed this order of things; falling
Oh in the sales OF manufactured goods
was noticeable. and was naturally fol-
lowed by hesitation on The part OF
the consumers of raw material to stock
up heavily: the approaching clip began
TO be talked about, and dealers who
were carrying large stocks had desire
to clear their warehouses, if possible,
before the new woods came forward.
As result, concessions were made the
order of the day, and continued until
the close of May, with sales suffic ient
to reduce stocks to desirable mini |
mum and prepare for fresh influx of
wool.
In deciding upon the policy for the |
new season just opening, dealers and |
spectators carefully canvasscd the pros |
and cons of the future, and much inter-
cs; was manifested in the approaching |
crop of cereals as the surest indication |
of what could be expected for the bal
ance of the business year. "If we have
an abundant harvest we must have a
good fall trade" was the general ver-
dict pronounced by the mercantile COM
munity, and with that opinion strong
in their minds the wool trade was pre-
pared to act upon the first sure sign of
such result. The new shearing was
somewhat retarded by wet spring,
and the abundant harvest was assured |
almost as soon as the woods were ready |
for the market. Confident in their the
DRY, buyers were promptly in the field,
and We'd with one another to secure |
the wcols, in anticipation of an advance
in the early fall. Particularly was this
The case in the States and Territories
west of the Mississippi river, where the
prices paid averaged about Is per cent.
more than for the preceding year.
During the first months of the sum-
mer this feeling of future activity and
general prosperity was shared by man.
ufacturers, who, as the first woods ar
rived, were quite ready to take them at |
the current prices. 1t was not long,
however, before the large purchases
in the interior began to arrive at the
seaboard markets, and with the accu-
mutation of woods came an unexpected |
falling off in the orders for goods. |
Manufacturers found their productions
were not being distributed as freely as
they ought TO be, and, with an increased |
stock of raw material to select from, |
they became more chary OF max ing
offers, and, although the disposition Of
wool dealers TO move their WOODS |
promptly led TO large transactions,
there was wanting that buoyancy to
The trade that was anticipated. How
ever, the fall trade was looked forward |
to as general cure for al this lack of
activity, and, in view of this fact, hold
ers were slow TO part with their woods
at any material concession i'm price.
The fall trade failed to meet the ex-
pectations Of all concerned, and proved |
great disappointment to those who |
had counted OH an active demand with |
advancing prices. A dull and depress-
ed market has prevailed since the be-
ginning of October; manufacturers did |
not succeed in obtaining the expected |
orders for their lightweight goods |
then being produced the money mar
ket became stringent, and, in addition |
to these features, there were several |
failures among mill owners which |
greatly impaired confidence in general |
credits. This state Of affairs was not
confined to the wool and wooden bust |
ness, but extended to nearly every |
branch of industry, and the depression I
was augmented by weak and declin-
ing stock market.
In the face of the prosperity of agri-
cultural districts, as represented by the |
enormous crops secured, an explanation |
is wanting for the condition of general |
business, and nothing remains but the |
bare facts that, contrary to all expecta-
ton and forecast, the general values of |
raw material and merchandise, during |
the closing months Of the year, have
receded and not improved. This is
partly due to the agitation and pros
pective reduction of the tariff, which /
has bad some influence upon the wool |
trade, although it is not anticipated I
that the proposed change in the duty |
will cause any great change in the value
of the raw material.
The general tone of the market dur
ing December has not varied materially |
from that of the preceding month
manufacturers have not been disposed
to buy freely at current rates, and lib
cral concessions were necessary where
1t was desirable to close any large lines
before the new year. The depression
of the past three months has caused a
pts or q little
have been some manufacturers who
think this figure quito as low as can be
reasonably expected, and during that
period they have shown more dispo-
sition to make purchases in advance of
immediate wants. Hence the month