The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-03-24

are concerned, which have advance,
on some counts A@1d since tn
opening Of the London sales on Tues
day of last week, and that the sup
plies of such woods for months t.
come are likely to be only moderate
Quieter in the West.
Purchasing of wool in the west il
not as active as it was, and buyers
are disposed to move a little more
cautiously. The present lull in trade
has given merchants time to stoI
and think, and many Of them realize
that the woods recently contracted for
cannot be disposed of at a profit ex
cept on a decidedly higher market at
the seaboard than at present prevails.
If the present lull in trade had not
come it is quite possible that con
tracing might have been carried on
Unfortunately on such a basis as
would have occasioned much regret
later on, in case business should fail
to meet the expectations of the trade,
but probably there is not a large wool
merchant in Boston who does not ex-
pect to be obliged to pay for the new
clip as much as he is now selling woods
for and possibly more. The latest adj
vices indicate that in Utah there has
been contracting for new woods at 14c,
and that in one instance 15hc has
been refused. The woods which were
contracted for at lac, brought only
12kc last year. Purchasers of woods
at these prices must have pretty san
guine ideas as to the future of the
wool market.
Texas and California,
Texas woods continue to sell in a
moderate way, and further transac-
lions in eight months fine stock are
reported at 18c, or at a clean cost of
53c. These were choice woods. Woods
not as good are obtainable at
17@17hc. Good, fine years growth
sold at 100 and consumers seem
unwilling to give more than that,
55c, clean, being about their limit,
except for something very choice and
unusually we'll conditioned. The
short woods sell relatively better than
long woods. Fall woods sell in a |
very limited way at about 45c, clean.
California woods have been almost
neglected. A few small lots for piec-
ing out purposes have been sold, but
The business has no Significance.
Prices are unchanged. Defective stock
has sold around a third of a dollar,
clean, and nice northern wool at SIC.
clean. Good free fall has been taken
45c, clean. Sales of new woods in
California are reported at 9@12c for
southern woods. San Joaquin woods
re reported to have sold at 12@13c.
Oregon wool also has attracted but
little attention, and prices are nomi-
in the absence of transactions.
No. l clothing is quoted at soc, clean,
md staple woods about 53c. Eastern
Oregon clothing, good stock, is quot
I'd at 15@16c in the grease.
Territories.
For territory woods merchants re-
'ort a little more looking around, but
consumers are trying to buy at
lightly lower prices, and in some in
tances succeed in doing So, more es-
'ecially on the lower grades and on
taple woods. The demand has been
hiefy, however, for the fine clothing
'ools. Nevadas especially are in good
emand and command pretty full
rices on account of the scarcity of
he supply. They are held at $50
&C, clean, Or about 16 cents in the
rease. Consumers are not SO par
ocular about the length as they are
bout the fineness. and there is less S
Inference than there usually is be-
ween the price of clothing and staple
'ools. Some fine Montanas, very {
hoice, have sold at 10000, the latter '
Dr. staple stock and costing 55c, 6
lean. There is no territorial wool s
cling above 55c, and it takes an ex-
eptionally good wool to bring that G
rice. Some fine medium average
[ontana has sold at 16@17c in the
rease, and some fine medium Wyo- t
ling within the range of 15@16c. S
inc Utah has sold at 15c. The clean c
at which average territory wool O
now selling in this market may be C
uoted as follows: Fine medium cloth c
lg. 4Sc; fine, 52@53c; fine staple, S
3@55c; medium, 43@45c. d
AS before stated, the excitement in j
lie west appears to have quoted