The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-29
CLIP OF THE WEST MAY. 60 TO
CHICAGO.
GROWERS FAVOR The PLAN
Flock Owner Of Custer County Re.
counts Advantages That Pro-
ducers Would Secure.

A dispatch from Miles City says:
Wool interests in eastern Montana are
enthusiastic over the proposition to
establish a wool market at Chicago,
While opinions differ as to the
ticability of the project, there exists
a concensus of opinion that 1t would
be a boon. So far as a disposition
on the part of wool men to avail them
selves Of the advantages OF such a
market ne speculation is needed.
Initial efforts have resulted in nego-
tiations between the Eastern Montana
Woolgrowers' association and the
management Of the Chicago stock
yards, which leave only working de-
tails to be arranged. The warehouse
will be erected and speedily at that.
A location will be selected at some
advantageous point adjacent to the
tracks Of the Chicago Junction rail-
road, probably in Thirty-ninth street
between Halsted street and Stewart
avenue. The u. s. II & T.. Co. will
erect the building and wool will be
consigned to an agent Of an associa-
ton Of Montana woolgrowers. He is
to be an expert, the best money can
secure. Financial matters will be at
tended to by the management Of the
u. s.. Y. & T.. Co., which will see that
advances are made on consignments
Of fully as much as is the practice
OF Boston and Philadelphia commits
sion men. All the stock yards COM
pany asks is freight and storage
charges, and all commissions over and
above these charges, insurance and
the salary Of the expert statesmen
will 60 to the growers. At present
Montana is shipping to Boston and
Philadelphia annually about 100000
900 pounds Of wool on the greater part
OF which commission Of IN cents is
paid, SO that 1t will be seen the Chi.
cago proposition will save many
thousand dollars annually to the pro-
ducers.
Frank O'Neill Of Miles City. a lead
er. in wool producing circles, is en-
thusiastic over the project. He says:
Chicago is the grain and live stock
market Of the northwest; why not
send our wool there also? 1t is sent
to Boston now by way Of Chicago.
and, as it is the manufacturers and
eventually the wearers, who paw the
freight, lit might as well change hands
in Chicago. This proposition is the
first that has met with my approval.
Others have made offers but lacked
financial ability to carry out their
promises. Four or five years ago
a number of Boston men proposed to
establish a warehouse there by which
we would be independent of the COM
mission men, but they lacked the nee
essary capital, and as we did not al.
ready possess it, failure was certain
and we did not embark. What is
needed Is strong financial backing at
the other end and a strong growers
association in Montana. These con-
ditions can be realized under the pro-
posed arrangement. The association
can secure consignments and sell the
stuff through its agent advantageous
ly and at minimum expense. while the
stock yard people will furnish ample
funds to insure ucces The associa-
tion will have the same powers as the
Montana Stock Growers association.
1T Chicago becomes the wool mark
ct Of the west and there exists no.
good reason why it should not, l ven
ture the assertion that 1t will also be-
come the center Of a cloth manufac-
turing district. Illinois is a cheap
fuel country and there is nc eason
why wool should be shipped 1900
miles east to New England and the
manufactured product sent back to
the northwest at an enormous outlay
in freight. It is the people Of the
northwest who year the Atwood stuff
and not those living in the east. In
a few years I I'm confident we will
have free wool again and II we are
then obliged to market our output
on the Atlantic coast we will be up
against the foreign grower. whereas
II 1t is marketed and manufactured
in the central west we will have the
advantage Of that much freight
charges over the foreigner. The pop
ulation Of the west is growing stead
lily and should not depend either on
eastern markets or manufacturers.
Boston commission men make a
small fortune annually by handling
Montana wool, and growers out here
do not regard them as friends. That
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