The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-06-02
STATISTICAL POSITION or WOOL
INFLUENCES BUYERS.
UPWARD TENDENCY in WEST
Manufacturers Continue to Hold OF
and Order sparingIy Of
Lower Grades.

Sales of wool in the Boston market
last week aggregated 4,545,0 900 pounds.
OF this amount $4,000 pounds was
territory. which sold at from IA to
1914 cents q pound.
The market for domestic wool has
been ~quieter, hut in foreign woods,
notably carpet stock, there has been
a much more active trading. In do
nestle wool the only sizeable transac-
tons especially worthy of note have
been in medium unwashed f1eeces,
one n two large worsted mills taking
on some good sized lines, notably of
three-eights and halt-blood. In other
lines of domestic woods the trading
has been much below the average.
says the American Wool and Cotton
Reporter.
There has been more or less looking
around on the part of the manufac-
~turers. but beyond a few sales made
here and threre, subject to approval,
consumers have taken on but little
wool. KIT
The New Woods.
Some interest has been shown in
such new woods as have come upon
the market here, but there has been
nothing done in this class of stock to
speak of. Manufacturers do not talk
in a very optimistic way as to their
future, although this statement ap-
plies more to the worsted manufac-
turers than the wooden manufacturers.
The new woods are held at higher
prices than the old woods have been
and are selling for, but manufacturers
will not pay any advance for the sim
pie reason that the present condition
and outlook for the goods market do
not warrant it, and local wool mer-
chants who have paid such high prices
for the woods in the interior are not
finding it an easy matter to dispose
@ them except at a loss.
The Goods Markets.
Reports from the goods market
are not as favorable as they were a
week or two ago. Duplicate orders on
heavy weights are not of the size.
which many manufacturers had ex
pected. and as time goes on and the
size of the recorders fails to make up
for the lack of the first orders re-
ceived at the beginning of the season,
the impression increases that the
heavyweight season, as far as wors-
teds are concerned will, as a whole,
pass into history as a disappointment.
A number of the wooden mills have,
however. done a good business and
are running full. The prospects for
the lightweight season which is now
not far off, are naturally engaging the
attention of all, and opinions differ as
to how the season will open. There
is none Or very few at any rate who
are looking for any advance on light
weights. and quite a number who are
anticipating lower prices, while quite
a large number r expecting that the
season will open on about a parity
with last year. But until the pros
poets for the approaching season are
more clearly defined, onsume are
quite likely to move cautiously in the
purchasing of wool. They will GER
tainly he very slow to pay an advance
in price.
Statistical Position of Wool.
There is another factor in the sit
~uation, however, which wool mer-
chants believe is destined to count
for much. That is the very strong
statistical position of wool. Old stocks
on hand are exceptionally small, both
at home and abroad, and indications
are that the yield of Australian wool
will again show a decrease, especially
in fine wool. In Australia some spots
have been favored with rains, but
there are still large areas suffering
from the want of rain, especially in
New South Wales, where the size of
the focks has been reduced so per
cent. The large losses of sheep in
the territories of the United States
are being reflected in a somewhat re-
duced yield already, and it is estimat-
- #N
clip of the United States will be no.
ticeably smaller this year than it was
last year.
Effect on Territories.
Influenced by such considerations
as these, representatives of eastern