The Somerset reporter., 1894-01-18
The W DOL Market.

The annual statement of the "Ameri-
can Wool and Cotton Reporter" shows
that the stocks OF wool carried over
January | have been much larger than
usual. 1t gives the amounts held in
twenty markets from Boston to San
Antonio and San Francisco. amounting
to %. os1, Ill pounds against 19,9GS, $50
last year. In other markets ii estimates
10000, 600 pounds against 9,0S0,O00 last
year, which does not appear to be II
statement based upon statistical data,
and there are also estimated % ,00O00e
pounds of fleece from slaughtered sheep
and pulled wool retained otl' the market
until prices Improve. The latter state.
ment is of course merely an estimate
This makes the aggregate 1873, 5S7.I7i
pounds against 100, DDS $50 last vcai .
aud while the increase seems ltigr it is
but fair to say that no smaller increase
would be consistent with what is known
of sales and consumption.
Wool has been, for some months past,
at the lowest price ever known in this
country. These who have access ia
Mauger q Avery's record reaching back
TO 1923, will search in vain through all
those years for a single quotation of
Ohio NN az - to - cents. medium at
- to - cents, and common Ohio at 28
10 - cents, though - cents was once
quoted for coarse wool in the worst of
the panic of 1861 and once in the extreme
depression of 1S46, and - cents was
three times quoted for coarse wool ia
1872 and 1872; the three aforementioned
years, however, afford little ground for
a comparison. Even in July and Au-
gust. lssl, the quotation Tor fine was 10
cents higher than at present, for medium
. to 10 cents, and for coarse } to 3 cents,
and substantially the same prices ruled
in 1850. But Il somewhat better test for
the later years is the average of manv
qualities. since the demand has frequent
~ shifted with changes of fashion from
one grade 10 another. Taking ldi
grades and qualities quoted by Coates
Brothers of Philadelphia. the lowest
average for the Whole number ever
touched until this year WAS u 0 cents ia
April. lss5 though 2l.7 cents was reach
ed in single hloulhs in 1854 and lNSG.
For the last four years the average price
has at no time been lower than 22.5 until
May of this year. II WAS 23.3 in April.
dropped To 22.W7 about the middle Of
MAY. thence declined during the summer
to Ii - september LIST. and to lj.9G
NbNtiiftI Isl, Il Hi III i..l GEMS or ~
per cent in seVen months.
The Russian government i very care
ful to SEE that lis army is well clothed
and well fed, aud provides not only that
the soldiers -haIl have plenty of whole.
some food. hut that it shall be property
cooked. 70 encourage military cooks
to master their art. there i hcId every
year Il culinary competition. This
years contest WIS held at krasuo"- Srlo.
under the management OF the Grand
Duke Vladimir. Arriving in AN open
carriage, the grand duke saluted the
cooks aud, passing along the line of
camp kitchens, he entered the mess
room of the Nicholas Regiment, and the
saucepans with their contents were i'm
mediately brought in. Each of these
saucepans We're numbered. but in such a
way that the tasters could NOT tell To
which particular regiment each one be
longed. The jury, composed Of srrgran:
majors. solemnlv went round and tasted
the food. nscribng on a printed form
the number of points given to each cook
for the quality of his preparations. The
first prize, silver watch aud chain, was
awarded 10 the cook oi the Horse
Guards.