The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-20
A GREAT WOOL MARKET,


The attention Of the people of Great
Falls hasshrcn called several times to
the importance Of taking steps to make
this city the wool centre of Montana.
Her location is such that the greatest
wool producing districts OF the state are
tributary to her, and it Is beyond 9ucs-
ton that IL properly directed effort could
make The Cataract city the centre of the
wool trade. With this concentration
would come Il number Of concomitant
benefits too important to be ignored.
The rRTBuNE has been investigating
the wool question a little and has inter
viewed several gentlemen more or less
interested in the matter. Without men
tiOning names il il sufficient to say that
hcRc gentlemen are thuIoughly in
formed on the subject and one and all
express the opinion that this question of
concentrating the wool product Of
northern Montana at Great Falls is ty
far the most important one now affect
ING the interests Of the city. The wool
clip Of that portion Of Montana natur-
ally tributary to Great Falls, or which
can be made tributary, is about 1.NuOOO
pounds. II that wool was brought here
to be handled it would bring into this
city every year S2,0OU.on. 1t would at
tract to this city the great army ri wool
buyers who are now scattered over the
state. Competition would be ke"ncr and
the wool producers would receive a much
better price for their product. They in
turn would purchase their supplies Of
Great Falls merchants giving trade here
an immense impetus. There would, too.
be an advantage To- the buyer in that
they would find here all grades and
classes If wool so that each could select
the grade particularly adapted 10 his
needs.
In order that the formation of ii wool
market here should bring with it the
best results. arrangements should also be
made for sorting and securing. Each
fleece contains eight grades of wool. No
two manufactures use exactly the same
! NTHttt. anu IL Wool was DloDtIiN SIbNitNl
and then cleaned there would be a great
saving in freight in shipment To the east.
Great Falls has the water and the water
power for operating IA securing plant at
a very small expense. On the other hand
the eastern wooden mills lind it no small
inconvenience to carry on the securing
process, and would willingly pay an in
! creased price for the secured wool.
Moreover, in order to make the wool mar
kct a permanent thing, some such ar
rangemcnt must be made to attract the
product. II. as is more than likely, the
Burlington road is built To Great Falls
through Fergus county, the company
will try to make Lewistown its wool head
quarters for the Judith country. This
would take way half the product from
Great Falls unless something is done to
attract il here.
Another proposition closely connected
with that of u securing mill is the
proposition 70 put IN Il small WOODEN mill
for the manufacture Of tiannrlS. blankets.
yarn and knit goods. There ~ a great
demand for such articles in northern
Montana and they could be made here
in quantities to supply This demand
cheaper than anywhere else. thanks to
our cheap power. Such a Factory started
on a small scale would grow with the
growth Of the country, 70 Il mighty in
dustry.
Bur these things won't come OF them
selves. There must he an effort made
to get them. There seems Ia he a dis
position on the part uf a great majority
of the people Of Great Falls TO let things
be lone for them. That is no way To
build up a city The board Of trade can do
and is doingg good work but its efforts will
amount to but little unless il is backed
up and supported 10y the people. Ger
tainly this matter Of making the city the
wool centre of northern Montana is of
the greatest importance to Us. II proper
representations are made tn the Great
Northern railway suitable stel will un-
doubleday he taken by the company to
concentrate the wool product here.
United effort on the part OF our business
men will bring it.