The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-05-19
HOPEFUL OF
THE FUTURE
OUTLOOK FOR WOOL MARKET is
BRIGHTER.
new CLIP SELLING STRONG
Prices Paid in Wyoming and Idaho
Show Confidence is Not
Lost.

The weeks sales Of wool on the
Boston market totaled 3,4O2, 900
pounds, Of which 100000 pounds was
territory at from il to 1917 cents.
The market has been decidedly
quieter the past week. There have
been fewer manufacturers in the mar
ket and those who have been in have
taken only small lots of wool, with
one or two exceptions, says the Amer
lean Wool and Cotton Reporter. One
large house is reported to have dis
posed of between 1000 and 5000 bags
OF secured wool, and another is said
to have made a sale of a sizeable line
Of territory, but aside from these two
sales there are few transactions in
the entire market which call for spe-
cial mention.
New Clips Going Fast.
The attention of wool merchants
and manufacturers alike is concentrat-
ed largely on the country, where the
new clips are opening up and in a
number of sections are bought as fast
as they are offered at prices which
indicate confidence in the future OF
wool. In Idaho there are reported to
have been big transactions, woods sell.
ing at a price equal to SOC, clean, land
ed. Some big clips in Wyoming have
been moved at a clean cost, landed,
of 48@50c, and eve above, the grease
prices ranging from 12k to lac.
Manufacturers will buy woods at a
price which, in many cases, is below
the ideas of holders of wool.
The Goods Market.
The former still report an unsatis-
factory goods market, put latest re-
ports from dry goods commission cir
cles indicate an improved condition of
things in mems wear fabrics. The
clothing statesmen have been among
the retailers and as a result of their
contact with them recorders for heavy
weights have been received by the
mills, in some cases OF quite stable
volume, and sellers in a number OF
instances express the belief that the
tide is turning and that from now on
for some time to come business &C.
tivity will increase. There is certain
ly a distinctly better feeling in dry
goods circles than there vas and this
has been reflected in an improved feel
ing in the wool market, so that it is
safe to say that, for the time being at
any rate, the downward tendency in
prices has been arrested. Certainly
the trade are not inclined to make any
further concessions in prices. Sales
have been put through the last week
at practically as low prices as have
been seen, but they are no lower and
in some cases they are just a shade
better, though hardly enough so to be
noticeable.
Continued Advance in London.
Another factor in the situation
which tends to sti1fen the ideas OF
holders OF wool is the continued
strength and further advance in
prices at the London wool auctions.
Since the opening competition has
been spirited and prices have hard
ened SO that, at this writing, average
and low crossbreds are quoted 1920
per cent above the rates current at
the close of the March sales, and me-
rinos are strong at an advance over
the March sales OF 712 percent. With.
drawals since the opening of the sales
have averaged only about 2 per cent.
There has been a brisk inquiry for mo.
rinos, and although Americans are re-
ported as having secured a fair sup
ply of the latter, woods of this class
cannot be bought in London at prices
which would allow them to compete
with the merinOs which r now on
this market. Latest advices from
Australia are that rain has continued
to fall freely in Queensland and New
South Wales, and on the whole 1t
looks as il the worst had been passed.
1t will have no effect, however, as far
as any increase in the production OF
wool the coming season is concerned.
In fact the coming season is expected
to show less shipments than the pre-
vious season.
Domestic Woods in a Healthy Position.
The situation in domestic wool is
regarded as a neal by one. N.oois
cannot .c imported from abroad at a
rri.3 which will re likely to cause