The times., 1891-06-19
WOOL TALK.
Pertinent Advice by a Vetern Michi-
gan Buyer.
Michigan Tradesman.

Michigan Tradesman.
W. II. Lamoreaux, the veteran wool buyer,
sends out the following circular letter to his
buyers
have but recently returned from the east,
where went on wool business. / regret to say
that i found matters in a very unsatisfactory
condition, and universal feeling against Michi-
gan ana Ohio woods, arising wholly from the
way in which our woods have been put up, and
bought by the interior buyers in former years
Since 1886 it has seemed as If the farmer tried
TO see how poorly he could wash and market his
woods and the buyer has been willing to pur-
chase it as offered taking, in many instances,
the farmers 'say-so whether the woods were
washed or not. We have allowed this condition
of things to exist until now the manufacturers
will not buy our WOOL unless he can first take
samples and cleanse IL to see what the shrinkage
is, and then offer US to z cents under what 1t
would be worth II in good condition Our Mich
igan wools in 1885 cleansed out 3315 per cent,
in 1890 81 per cent. That shows how we have
let our wools come into bad repute. Then again,
compare the manner in which we do up our
wool with that of Australia: The weight of
twine used in doing up the fleeces is about 40 to
in favor OF Australia. To tie up q fleece Of
wool properly 1t just requires twine enough to
hold the fleece together and no box should be
used-not twirfe enough to hold inside the fleece
all the tags and sweepings from the barn floor.
How would any OF these same farmers feel II
they were to go into store to buy pound Of tea
II the merchant was to put to ounces of un-
necessary twine and paper on the package to do
il up, which cost 2 or cents per pound
The writer saw, while in Boston, two fieeces
of Michigan wool that were returned from the
factory to show their condition, which had six
teen strings on each fleece, weighing ga ounces
to the heece, and the twine was such as Is
usually known as wool twine
There Is no use in talking, the buyers Of Mich
igan have let our wools get into this condition,
and until this is removed our wool on Eastern
markets will be drag The writer knows of
no way out Of the dffculty but to put none but
experienced buyers in the market and buy all
these ''unconditioned'' woods at their value.
AtRA fl.. lNfia flanfE
wools to market In bad condition, they must be
bought at their value.
Our woods should bring the very top of the
market, as there is no wool any better If in the
same condition as other wool, but we have lost
our standing, and until we can recover Ii we
must bring up the rear In price and take what
we can get for IL when put upon the market.
Eastern buyers who have been coming into
Michigan and buying from one to two million
pounds OF wool % year for the past twenty years
say they will not take pound OF Michigan wool
this year, as they can make no money on IT,
wholly on account OF It's condition: While the
farmer and the buyer may say when they see
this, '''taint me-" the writer wants to say that
in most cases "'tis you," and until we try toput
up our wool as IL should be, we must be willing
to abide by the consequences.
The writer has been buyer OF Wool eao IN oo MEN, nc
10000 lbs year, but shall go into the market
in ls9 with the idea OF buying Michigan washed
wool at from ~ 70 "A cents, when when II tne & wooi tn
1885, would be willing to pay for these same
woods, 2s to so cents. The wools are worth to-
Ing the condition OF 1880 TO go by, the woolo will
n this should reach the eye OF any new men In
90 sIow' Buy the wools carefully, and when
You come across any lots of wool which are out
OF condition, either from excessive twine. poor
washing, or stufings buy the wool at1ts value
II good In quality for IL will not. When the
factory man comes to buy this same wool, he