The San Francisco call., 1898-01-08
THE WOOL TRADE.
A HEAVY BUSINESS IN 1897 AND FLAT
 TERING PROSPECTS FOR 1898.

A HEAVY BUSINESS IN 1897 AND FLAT
 TERING PROSPECTS FOR 1898.
 From the exhaustive annual review of Thom- as Denigan, Son & Go. the following interest ing facts are taken:
 The local July market very active one. made more so by reports arriving about this time from Australia, indicating large losses in sheep approximately estimated at g. COG 000 head These losses have been con firmed since that time, and to-day 1t is under stood that there will be a shortage of the next Australian clip amounting to 750O0.000 or 100.- 000 GOO pounds of wool On the 18th of July the tariff bill was sent to the House by the Sen ate and promptly passed. It was returned to the Senate on the 20th, and on the 23d 1: be- came law. A feeling of relief was manifested all over the country, especially among the wool trade, and business of all kinds and descrip- tions assumed a better phase at once. This manifest in wool. that secured stock in San Francisco was notable August |, 1897, at 3S to 40 cents for XXX To-day the quotation for it would be 46 to 4S cents. while on the same date in 1896 the market value of this stock was 28 to 30 cents.
 All through November and at the present writing our San Francisco market has been dull. The stocks held here not unusually large and there is pressure to make sales. Holders consider that they have good property and that it cannot be replaced at similar or lower prices in 1898. therefore, there is strong tone to the markets both East and here. At the last London sales. opening the 18th of No Venlber prices were strong and buying brISA on all choice offerings, which gave our opera tors in domestic wool much confidence in the future outlook. The Boston wool market at the close of the year is considered to be in a very strong condition, and the belief exists there that early in the coming year shall have a renewed and very large demand for good wools and there is no reason to believe that prices will be lower. For the past couple of weeks there has been increased business at that end, and all the late advices from there reaching Cali fornia point to stronger market for 1898 than any we have had during this present. year.
 The local wool market for August and Sep tember was equal to any have had. Scourers commenced to get some orders and all ue By the 1st Of September increased orders for secured wool had been received. Advices from Eastern seaboard points were of the most fattering character which induced dealers to make frantic efforts to secure all the choicest wools of the country. To do this they had their agents in every wool-growing district of the State, and as a result prices ruled ex- Temely high The Eastern market got a big move on again. Prices commenced to rise at that end and strong trade developed espe- ctally for choice Northern wools, Of which con siderable stock had accumulated during the dullness. Shippers paid high as Is 10 IS cents for all the Humboldt and MenGocino Spring they could finds to cents pound more than 1896 prices for similar stock. Since early September +' market has been more uniform. There has been no inclination to fur ther excitement, and market since then has been steady at Well-SuStanei prices.