The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-06-02

those of a year ago, they are fully q
per pound higher. Woods are being
bought in the territories today tic
cost SOC, clean, landed in Boston
which woods could not possibly be
sold at that price on today's market
II the woods shrank as much as they
did last year, they would cost consid
erably than that price. But
much of this years wool shrinks 20:
per cent less than last years wool SO
that the grease prices as quoted in
many sections are not so excessively
high, as compared with those of a
year ago as would appear on the sur
face, when reckoned on the secured
basis. One thing is certain, however:
the price of wool must either ad.
vance from it's present level at the
seaboard, or there will be some losses
in the wool tra.ie.
Inquiries Restricted.
The inquiry from manufacturers the
past week has been principally for
the medium and low woods, and for
| carpet stock to be used for clothing
purposes, as these woods, at the prices
at which they ere selling. can lie used
in certain lines of worsseu at some
profit by manufacturers. The demand.
however, is to fill only immediate
needs, there being little disposition
among manufacturers to stock up
very freely in anticipation of future
requirements. There is a considerable
amount of worsted machinery idle.
Some OF the spinning mills are re-
ported as running only four days in
a week, and there are prospects of a
strike in Philadelphia June /, which
will be general among all the mills
in that textile center. There are, in
short, too many contingencies ahead
to justify a very liberal degree of
purchasing on the part of the mills.
Texas, California and Oregon.
In Texas woods, the quietness pre-
viously noted continues. There is
not much wool here and prices are
firmly held-in fact, asking prices, al
though somewhat reduced from for
mer figures, are too high for buyers to
consider. Good years growth wool
car be obtained at 18@1Shc, and
eight months at TIC. In Texas along
the line of the Southern Pacific, buy
ers have been paying recently 15hc
for six to eight months stock. The
best wools-those at Kerrville and
San Angelo-have not been sold yet;
in fact, they have not been offered up
to this writing. Advices from Sui
phur Springs, dated May 20, state that
the Hopkins County Wool Growers
association sold its spring clip at pub
lie auction. 10000 pounds being taken
at II 1-3c.
California woods continue inactive,
but the tone of the market is firm, the
best northern woods being held at 500
SIC, clean. In the grease these WOODS
are quotable at 10000, while middle
county woods are held at about Ice.
Defective stock sells readily at about
a third of a dollar, secured.
In Oregon wool there is but very lit
tie doing, but these woods have been
in such small supply for some time
that they have cut but little figure in
the market. Some eastern wool is re-
about 48c.
Territories.
For territory woods the demand has
been generally quiet. A few stable
lines have been moved, however, and
the prices at which they were sold
certainly do not reveal any weakness,
although, on the other hand, it has
been very difficult to secure any ad-
vance. But holders are not making
any concessions in prices, and we
note sales of fine medium, strictly
clothing, at 48c, clean, fine at 500
SIC, clean, and fine staple at 52@53c,
clean. There is still a good call for
fine woods of the Nevada type, but
there are scarcely any Nevada woods
here now and they readily command
53c, and very likely a choice stable.
line would bring more. Medium terri
TORY wool sells at 45c, clean, and
slightly better, according to the
amount of staple in it and it's general
condition. Thus among the sales of
the week may be noted one of $4,000
pounds of medium Montana at 16c,