The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-30
THE WOOL TRADE.
H,W REASONS WHY THE BUSINESS IS
SO DULL.

EW REASONS WHY THE BUSINESS IS
SO DULL.
rhe private circular of Jacob Wollner says:
our local Wool market is still dull. Fail
woods arriving quite freely The sales at
Red Bluff, Ukiah and Cloverdale post
poned until the middle Of November, the
buyers and sellers could not agree on price.
From the Eastern markets the latest re-
ports that there is wool selling, more
inquiry, and that there is no doubt but that
there viii be large sales and a good demand
shortly, especially II the cold weather, which
has set in in the Eastern and Western States,
Will continue so that people viii have to buy
heavy clothing.
There are Several reasons for the wool mar
kets OF the United States being unsatis
factory. The principal reason is the after
math OF the free wool tariff. 1t paralyzed the
wool industry for four years and good deal
Of wool accumulated; then, on the eve Of the
Dingley bill going into effect, millions Of
pounds OF foreign wool and millions of dollars
worth Of foreign manufactured goods, espe-
cially the cheaper grades, were brought into
operation d lot of spectators went into the
market and advanced wool from 10 TO 100 per
from % 10 ~ per cent IN 1act, from the nrst
of August until the first OF December, 1897,
there only q speculative market, some
woods being turned over three or four times at
a good profit Manufacturers laid in large
supplies OF wool, many of them at enhanced
values, dlscountlng the future by % TO AZ per
cent. Then came an open winter with milo
weather, So of course, heavy weights would
not sell and although the year 1897 was very
prosperous for the Western farmer he thought
more Of paying off his mortgage than of buying
new clothes or blankets, and the consequence
that manufacturers and jobbers accumu-
lated large stocks besides the imported goods
AT Shearing time this year. the growers
asked high prices, in instances 100 per
cent more than prevailed druing the previous
three years. and so most of the clip went into
dealers hands at high figures. When the light
weight season opened in August last everybody
expected q move a demand at good prices
but they counted without their host, as then
the cheap manufactured goods of Europe i'm
ported last Year came into play and knocked
the manufacturers out of business, they
could not get orders for light weight goods.
Wool still continues TO accumulate, with no
demand.
Although. the country is prosperous the pep
PIE. after four years of hard times, have
learned the lesson Of economy. and although
they bought clothing during that time II was
Of the cheaper and poorer quality, and they
have not Vet come to buying better goods and
stu want suits OF clothes from SIS TO IS and
ladies dress goods from 20 TO 80 cents per
yard.
After the tariff went into effect last year
most of the wooden mills which had reduced
wages raised them again they were before
course it added to the price Of manufactured
Wool statistically is in good position, and
anybody who wants to sell at from p to 30 per
cent of prices prevailing during the free wool
tariff viii easily find customers. Although
dealers well loaded up with high priced
woods, it is only question OF time when
prices realized Will be. most satisfactory to
both growers and dealers.
stock sheep raised from 81 in 1897 to 81 50
and IS per head, owing TO the competition
among the sheep men who driven out OF
the business during the reign of the free wool
tariff, and who want to restoClI their ranges.
There is also more demand for lambs ana
mutton. Sheep raising To-Day is one of the
most prosperous industries in the United States,
and Will remain so as long as there is protec-
ton for WOOL