The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-28

initial demand for light weights may
SO improve as to lead consumers to
come in later in the a when the
new woods are being offered and pay
higher prices than they are willing to
pay now, but this is not at all certain,
and some of the merchants are at a
loss, therefore, to know what to do.
The disposition, therefore, is to oper-
ate in the country with conservatism
and care, and although some sales are
reported here and there, including
about a million pounds in Nevada and
some wool in Wyoming, there is for
the time being but little doing in the
country, and it is reported that some
of the new clip woods have been
bought at propOrtionately lower prices
than those which were paid for wool
on the sleeps back in February and
March. But the prices which have
been paid within the past two weeks
have been in nearly every ISL above
those paid last year. In Nevada a mil
lion pounds are reported to have been
bought with the past week Or ten
days at prices ranging from 1871 to
14Ac, which are claimed to be 1O@15
per cent above those paid last year.
In Texas they r holding eight
months woods at 16@17c and twelve
months at 18W20c, which is all that
the woods can be sold for here. In
Wyoming and Idaho 46@4Sc, clean,
landed, has been paid for bunch lots
of wool as they run, and some woods
have been borght in Utah to cost A
@45c, clean, as they run. Growers
and buyers as a rule ARE apart, the
ideas of the former being in most
cases altogether too stiff for the lat
ter. The season is not as yet fairly
under way, however, shearing in a
number of sections having been de-
layed by cold weather. In the courss
of the next three weeks the trade will
be in a position to know on what basis
the wool market is likely to establish
itself.
Texas and California.
Texas woods have been somewhat
o active. Included in the sales OF
the week are 10000 pounds, which
were really sold the previous week,
but which were not given out at the
time. These were years growth
woods, and sold at 17hc. 1Sc and
1SAc, costing 53@55c, clean, it is
claimed. There has been a little do
ing in eight months Texas at 16@17c,
the woods costing about SOC,
clean. Woods are selling here at just
about the same quotations as the new
woods are held at in Texas. The latter
cannot be bought and the freight paid
on them and sold at the seaboard
market except at a material loss.
Shearing is now pretty we'll under
way in Texas. Along the line of the
Southern Pacific the asking prices in
many cases r 10000 for years
growth and 16@17c for eight months.
California woods are still quiet, with
10 furthern sales worthy OF note. Nice
about SOC, clean, middle county at
47@48c, and good fall woods at 400
45c. There is little doing in these
woods in the west.
Oregon woods continue inactive,
though one sale is reported to have
been put through. This was a fair
sized lot and commanded, it is under
stood, 16c, the wool costing about
half a dollar.
Territories.
territorial woods, but offers are so low
that holders are not disposed to ac-
cept them, otherwise quite a sizeable
business would have been put through.
Quite a number of manufacturers
have been sounding the market on
these woods, and it would not be sur
prising il some good-sized transac-
tions were put through before long.
But manufacturers ideas are low set,
and if sales are made, it looks now as
though they would have to be made at
attractive prices, although a number
of holders are confident that prices
will be higher between now and next
September, as a good demand for light
weights is anticipated. Included in the
sales of the past week we're one or
two good-sized lines OF Montanas
which were sold at a clean cost OF