The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-10-08
GREAT WOOL MARKET OF THE
WEST.

New Orleans gathers its millions of
bales of cotton annually to be distrib-
uted to waiting markets, st. Louis
has its immense tobacco warehouses,
and Kansas City is a great food cen
ter. The names of Great Falls and
Billing have less significance, never
theless, the former, in the year 1909.
marketed over 100000 pounds of
wool and proved itself the greatest
wool market in the world with Bill
lings close rival, and Montana,
the leading wool State of the Union,
produced 6,796, 0S9 pounds in 1901,
and in 1909, over 33, 100000 pounds.
The season just closed maintains this
increase with nearly twelve per cent
better showing than last year. AS
high as 17S cents pound was paid
for the clean long staple article while
the average price in the two Montana
markets mentioned was 1911 cents.
Fergus county, the second among
sheep counties of Montana, has been
opened as wool market by the opera
ton of the Lewiston railroad and the
industry is rapidly growing. The
average price paid this season is the
highest in four years and will bring
into the State $4,000, 600 in round
numbers.
AS there is no securing market in
Montana the uncleansed feeces are
shipped to Boston and Philadelphia
and large freight bill is paid annu-
ally for the transportation Of several
million pounds of dirt and grease, the
shrinkage in securing being about
sixty-three per cent. The secured
wool sells at AZ cents per pound.
All these facts are told in an interest
ing article in September issue of
Golfers Weekly with much more con
corning the phases of sheep raising in
Montana, the difficulties which the
wool grower must face having to
deal with lambing crews and shearing
crews, herders, freighters, wool buy
ers, mutton markets and often to bat
tie with cattle men for possession OF
the range;'' and the life of the sheep
herder, an important factor in the
promotion of this industry
it would be hard to imagine more
lonely life than that of the herder who
spends the long summer months when
the sheep are pastured i'll the hills,
in watching his hocks. There is not
so much for him to do for they must
be allowed to feed slowly and are
guarded by the faithful collies, but
he must be ever on the alert for enc
mics in the shape OF poison weeds or
wolves So through the long days he
stays with them, his only other com
panions his horse and dogs-tempora-
rily, veritable Crusoe. Not infre-
quently men go mad from the enforced
idleness and the dreary monotony OF
it all. The arduous labor comes il
fall and spring when in times OF
severe storms lives are often lost il
the attempt to rescue the fiocks and
lead them to a place of safety.
May and early June, the Landing
season, are busy months when thu
lambing crew is at hand; in July the
shearing crew appears, having made
the circuit from Texas i'll Apri
through California and the northwest
reaching Montana last, Seven ant
three-fourths cents they get for eacf
fleece, and the gatherer accompanying
them gets one-fourth cent each TO
trying and delivering to the sacker
Then there is weighing and cartinl
and branding done by salaried men a
from $35 to $50 per month with boar'
the same as the crews and herders
Good shearers may average over on
hundred sheep in day and CAL
double that, it is said, for day O
two on wager, though for the mos
part they are satisfied with ninety t
their credit.
The wool buyers follow in thei
wake and then the freighters who's
teams must haul the sacks Of woo
over the hills and long stretches {
sandy plains, the longest haul bein
100 miles and requiring a month fo
the round trip. The buyers, havin
visited the shearing plants, meet an
appoint sales day when grower
present their samples and the forme
secretly write on slips of paper tn
price per pound they are willing t
pay for each lot. The bids are M
opened until the close of the day
business and the following mornir
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