The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-09
CONCENTRATING WOOL
Fully Nine Million Pounds Will
be Marketed at Billings
This Year.
THE PLANS OF THE N. P.
VIII Close Warehouses at Townsend, i,
Columbus and Merrill to
Help This Market.


li0n Of wool at central points IN Mon,
lana has been such as to cause the
Northern Pacific railway to decide on
a further extension Of the custom, and
with this epd, In visw u oommodious
warehouse will beehuilt OH the location
Of the presduty freight warehouse at
Billings. In addition TO the wool ware.
house now existing, which will afford
storage space considerably over double
that which has heretofore been pro-
vided, A sample room will be built.
with facilities for examining sample
bags Of wool, with ample light and
arrangements for resaoking; additional J
Weighing facilities andsgWool. ressing
facilities will be inyt&lled to insure
prompt and satisfactory handling ol the
increased volume of receipts and ship
snents. The present freight warehouse
will be removed TO new location, and
thu present ldoal freight yard devoted
exclusively to the handling and storage
Of wools shipped In from other railroad
points, thus providing ample facilities
for taking care Of such shipments IN a
systematic manner.
II Ia the intention to abandon the use
Of the wool warehouses at Merrill,
Columbus and Townsend. az points
where wool will be held for sale, and
to give the growers at these points, as
we'll as at all points west Of Billings
Oh the Northern Pacific In the state Of
Montana where no warehouses are
operatsd, the option and privilege of
shipping these wools to Billings. to be
stopped IA transit, for sale and baling.
at a charge Of cents per hundred.
with minimum Of ab.0 90 per Cur over
and above the through rate from initial
points TO cover the extra switching and
handling charges, and tho usual charge
Of q cents per hundred for baling. The
Montana railroad. heretofore reaching
tho wools Of the Smith river district,
has been extended to Martinsdale, and
will be completed to Merino early in
the spring. thus giving rail oommuni.
cation to the woolgroweys on the Mus.
selahell, and reaching the gateway Of
tho judith basin, bringing II by one.
half Of the wagon.haul distance nearer
than " has ever before been to any rail.
road, and Ii Ia confidently expected as a
result that many Of the Judith woods
will seek this outlet.
II Ia the intention to arrange with
the Montana railroad to handle these
wools. with privilege OF stopping at
Billings, on the same basis az wools
from Northern Pacific railway points
west Of Billings. There was marketed
at Billings In the season Of 1890, ap.
pr0ximutely 6,000,0O0 pounds of wool,
II growers avail thepselves Of the
option above given, based on the wool
handled from such points west Of Bill.
inRs In \he seasoy6f 1899, the total
receipts kt this /foint will aggregate
between s,00Qi000 aud 5000, 900
pounds, apd ay>the wool clip last seas.
on In M0Ataya was unusually light In
weight. aAHas there Ia every reason to
helieva- that the number OF clips from
the Big Hora basin, Wyoming. and the
Judith basin, In Montana, will be con.
aentrated at Billings in the coming
season, " will be greatly increased; 1t
Ia felt that tho above estimate will be
considerably exceeded, The success of
this plan will make Billings the largest
market In tho state of Montana, and
the possibilities at the amount praati.
cable tn concentrate at this point are
greater than at any single point In the
state.
II Ia certainly to the interest of the
growers and the buyers to cooperate in |
thia plan to a successful issue,
a market which will Insure
active competition, and which will at
tract the greater number Of buyers.
who In turn will be able, at the least
expense, TO secure the best selection Of
wool, and TO obtain, withaut the neees-
sity of travelling AZ M expense and loss
Of time, such quantity Of Montana wool
Rs may al! their requirements,
The hotel aepommodstiops at Billings
have been gySatly impsoved and on,
layaed, and aHplst6 mmodatiQns Of a
uupaFioE ahaIdot6T will be found here
f0v both wQ0lgy0wags and buyers,