The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-03-17
WOOL MARKET SHOWS A LITTLE
MORE LIFE.
GOOD FIGURE FOR new CLIP
Prices Somewhat Easier, but Holders
Continue Firm and Refuse Of
fers of Manufacturers.

Sales of wool for the week on the
Boston market aggregated 2,6OO, 600
pounds. OF this 1,O3O, 900 pounds was
TERRITORY" which latter sold at from
IA to 20 cents.
Consumers have shown a little more
interest in the market, although the
volume of business put through is
still limited and made up mostly OF
small lots, taken by the moderate or
small sized mills. The large mills,
says the American Wool and Cotton
Reporter, are doing practically moth
ing beyond taking on a small line OF
stock here and there to fill out with,
and only a very few of them have
been represented in the market the
past week. There is no snap to the
demand whatever, most of the mills
OF good size being still amply supplied
with raw material.
The Goods Market.
The conditions of the goods market
is not yet such as to warrant large
purchases of wool, although goods
merchants are reported as feeling
rather more cheerful than they were
two or three weeks ago, and more
worsted goods of average grade have
been sold at prices proportionately
no lower than those previously asked
for worsteds. The trend of the de-
mand seems to be, however, for mod
erately priced goods. Manufacturers
are very conservative in their views
as to the value of wool as they do not
NOV what the next year is going to
bring forth. 1t being a presidential
year, more or less uncertainty and
caution will doubtless characterize
operations all around. Consumers
realize this and are moving within
safe and conservative lines. Some OF
those who have been in the market
have tried pretty hard to break prices,
but beyond a slight concession being
granted here and there by holders, ct
forts to hammer prices have not met
with m great degree of success.
Prices are easy, as they would
naturally be after such a long spell
4 OF quiet business, and where sales are
made they are, on the general run OF
stuff, from one-half to n cent below
the top quotations of the past year;
but holders are not forcing the mar
ket at all. On the other hand, they
have in a number of instances turned
down offers of manufacturers, whose
ideas as to values were set pretty low
and in some instances a difference Of
one-half cent in the views of the buyer
and seller has prevented the consum
nation of business.
Fine Short Woods in Demand.
The demand has been quite largely
for fine short wool, although fine sta
pie wool has received slightly more
attention, but no stable sales have
been accomplished. More business
would have been done, if the buyer
and seller had not been SO far apar'
:, in their ideas as to values. The old
err. in view of the small stocks or
hand. sees no reason for pressing
wool for sale, and believes that 1T i!
only a question of time when thu
goods market will develop more &C
tiyity. which will be reflected in al
o-a-~ E0, u,oN1 Tf tho dc
mand for worsteds improves, as SOM
are inclined to think that it will, Their
will be a better demand for stapl
woods; but for the time being it is tn
clothing woods, both in feeces an
territories, which have the call.
In the West.
The latest news from the west il
dictates that there is less contractin
for wool on the sleeps back tina
formerly, but indications are hat tn
clip of the country will not be bougt
at any cheaper rates, to say the leas
than those which ruled a year ag'
and some are inclined to believe ths
they will average, through the seasol
considerably higher. The sale
which have thus far been made in tn
country would certainly indica1
higher prices than last year. TIL
Taylor clip of Wyoming is reported
have been sold at 15k cents, which
said to be 1Ac more than that obtain
ed a year ago. One-half of the eli
of New Mexico has been contracte
for, it is claimed, at prices rangin
from 15c to 17hc, and at Phoeni.
Ariz., one million pounds have bee