The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-06-25
WISE WORDS ABOUT WOOL.
wP. Discusses the Question of
Prices, an Interesting One
Just Now.
. Coupar1son Between the Boston ard
Chicago Markets.

y
huyers in the territory do not come to
time, and what is the price we should
take here?
The writer at the start would like to
cav that he wishes to advise no one and
believes that every grower should form
his views from an individual study of
the questions named and blame no one
but himself, or rather feel that no one
but himself is responsible if the course
that he takes proves in the end to be the
wrong one. 1t must be a matter of iudg-
ment and with the best of apparent rea-
sons for our decision it may prove to
nave been the wrong one.
Our views are taken from observations
and figures gathered from conversations
and letters of wool dealers and wool
growers; our sympathies are entirely
with the growers, and are not biased in
any way either in favor Of the wool buy
ers or commission men. We wish to
get and we need every last cent for our
wool that our wool is worth. Hence we
will give the situation as it appears to
us with such knowledge as we could
gather, and will draw attention again to
the fact that it is only an individual
opinion from one who is not in the
market to solicit consignment or to buy
for himself or for percentage.
Montana wool has been and is steadily
increasing in favor among manufactur-
ers; while eastern woods fell in prices
last year from four to five cents per
pound below the prices obtained the
year before, our wool decreased in prices
obtained but one half that amount.
slo IL, 81 y
such as has reached the market is sell
ing, at ten per cent. lower figures than
that of last year, Montana wool, udg-
ing from the demand for it, and from
last years experience, should bring a
price showing a shrinkage of not more
than five per cent. on last years prices.
Our woods should bring this year a price
about one cent per pound lower than
last year, and at the outside not more
than two cents less. It is in excellent
condition, and on account of cool wealth
er and exceptionally early shearing, is
very light and well worth to the manu-
flcturer, as he will see when he handles
it, the price given last year, the decrease
in prices generally Notwithstanding
We can see no reason why buyers this
year should claim that they cannot give
us as much by twenty per cent. for our
wool as they did last year. If this posi-
ton is maintained by them there will
be much more wool shipped than usual.
Those of us who have always sold here
and who believe that, all things consid
ered it is the best thing to do when we
get somewhere near the value of our
wool, will be forced to ship.
If we ship, the remaining question of
where presents itself. Much has been
said and heard of Chicago of late, re-
sultng no doubt from shipments made
to that point from here last year. Shall
we trust an eastern market, Boston, for
Instance, or a western, such as Chicago?
There is no question but that Boston |
gets the best price, or has done so thus
far, for our woods. Last year little of
our wool sold in that market, we are
credlbly informed, for SOC. per pound, |
some for 29c., quite percentage of the |
medium for 2Sc., much of the fine for |
26c., and the balance all the way from
lie. up.
of growers here and in the cbpy |
It appears that about one-third of the |
small amount that reached that market |
was sold for &c, another third at about |
25c,, and the balance from 15c. up.
The question for us to consider, how
ever, is not how much was obtained, bnt |
now much was net to the producer. |
frelghts to Chicago are fifty cents less4
than to Boston. Chicago sells for cash, |
Boston on 90 days time. Chicago !
charges lc. per pound commission, Bos-
ton per cent. AS near as it can be got |
ten at, it appears that it costs from 1c. |
TO &c. per pound less to market wool |
through the Chicago houses than it does |
through the Boston houses. 1t comes |
very close to 4c. per pound is the case of
The latter and is slightly over 23c. in the |
lormer Hence there was but very little |
dlf1erence in the amount net to the pro-
Queer in either market At Chicago |
The wool was handled for less, the |
freight was less, and cash was received, |
ali OF which compensated for the lower |
price and made the wool net the produ- |
Ger as much as was net in the Boston
market.
:, Boston is undeniably the center of
IA lle chief wool manufacturing section OF |
Ihe country. 1t is to this wool market
mat the manufacturer will naturally go |
IL IL ne wishes to get woods corresponding
III character to our own. Chicago, how
teVer is the center of district contain
ap" aIuS vi OUU SfOOlCh lAAlIAo, AiAooo |
VI which are of course rather small.
These mills give Chicago a local de-
ihand for certain amount of our wool,
which should be handled by her dealers
al much better figure than would be
posslble if it had been sent to Boston. 1t
must be evident that wool could not be
ahlpped to the sea coast and then west
again to compete with that which had
peeI sent direct to Chicago.
Up to certain point then, we cannot