The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-11-24
ARE NOT FORCING SALES
Holders Probably a TrifIe Anxious, but
Make No Great Concessions
to Buyers.

pounds. Included in this were LOO,
900 pounds of territory, which sold al
5000 cents a pound.
Trade still continues quiet, al
though one or two houses report thai
they have transacted a fairly sizable
business during the past week. One
Philadelphia concern has purchased
about 10000 pounds OF $-blooo
feeces, and another has taken a fail
amount of territories, and a New Eng:
land flannel and dress goods mill has
bought a fair amount of wool, but
generally speaking, there is very little
activity to the demand, says the Amer,
lean Wool and Cotton Reporter.
Prices Fairly Steady.
While the market is quiet, prices
hold pretty steady. There may be a
concession here and there, more es-
pecially on fine medium territories,
but on ~fieeces, pulled woods and fine
secured woods, prices are pretty we'll
maintained. Holders of fine medium
territories are in some cases reported
as Offering their woods on somewhat
more favorable terms than they were
a month Or six weeks ago, but the &C.
tual business accomplished where
buyers want the stock does not reflect
any marked falling off in prices. Thus
sales of fine medium territory are re-
ported at exactly the same prices as
those quoted last week, but if a wool
merchant were to attempt to force a
large line of wool on a consumer who
was not particularly anxious to buy,
doubtless it would have to be sold at
a somewhat lower price. But holders,
as a rule, are not forcing their woods,
although some of them are naturally
becoming a little more anxious as time
goes on without bringing the long
looked for improvement in the de-
mand; and this anxiety OIL course is
not relieved by the reports received
from abroad as to the condition OF
the markets in Melbourne, Antwerp
and South America.
Slight General Decline.
Taking the worlds markets as a
whole, the tendency for the time be-
ing seems to be towards a slightly
easier position as far as wool is con-
cerned. At the public auctions in Ant
werp there was a decline of 5 per
cent or fine woods as compared with
September rates. In Melbourne cross
breds are I'D. lower than they were
at the opening, although merinos are
unchanged. Latest advices from South
America received this week are that
low woods are I'D. off, ana that buy
ers are bearing the market"
And yet there is a good demand for
our crossbred woods in bond here Tor
Bradford account, and negotiations
are at this writing on foot for amounts
OF crossbred woods here for Bradford
top makers.
The latter are Obliged to buy wool
on the basis of the prices ruling at the
last auctions and as they had sold
their tops short some time previous,
IN the basis of lower prices thar are
now ruling, being obliged to deliver
the tops contracted for, they are be-
ing squeezed" The Bradford top
maker, however, is not making a
pound more than he is obliged to, as
he is losing, it is claimed, on every
pound that he is delivering. He finds.
however, hat he Ia buy crossbred
woods in bond here relatively as
cheap as he can elsewhere, and as
the latter can be sold by the holder
at a good profit, it is very likely that
further business in this direction VIII
be put through.
Further Advance Arrested.
The result of the easier feeling
reported abroad and the absence OF
an active demand for wool at home,
has been to arrest any further adj
vance, eve on medium and low woods.
Three-eighths and half-blood WOODS
are somewhat easier than they were.
and quarter-bloods are certainly no
higher; but the members of the trade
argue that in view of the small-sized
stocks of these woods that are being
carried and the length of time that
must elapse before there car be any
material addition to supplies OF domes-
tic medium and low woods, prices OF
the latter cannot recede very far. But
for the time being it is difficult to
get over csc for the best quarter and