The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-28
EFFECT OF DIFFERENCE ON
WOOL MARKET.
WANT Low PRICED STUFF
Outlook for Season Not so Encourage
ing at a Few Weeks
Ago.

Sales of wool last week on the Bos-
ton market totaled 3,973,OOO pounds.
OF this amount 100000 pounds was
territory at from IA to 10 cents a
pound.
Some Of the large manufacturing
concerns, including the American
Wooden company, nave been repre-
scented in the market the past week,
and a few of them have purchased
some woods. A large Rhode Island
.worsted mill is reported to have pur-
chaser quite freely Of f~leeces, and the
combine has taken on some coarse or
low woods, but beyond the takings OF
these two interests, there is not much
evidence of any decided activity in
the market, says the American Wool
and Cotton Reporter.
Are More Interested.
The.iarger mills are more interested
in feeling the market than they
were and it is quite possible that some
Of them are getting ready to take
on some large lines, but the volume
Of business thus far contaminated in
the market is not much above the
average and trade with most houses
is still quiet. There appears to be a
good demand for low quarter-bloods
and braid woods AS well as low Aus
tralians and other foreign stock,
which is taken as an indication that
low worsteds are better sellers than
they we're. There are a good many
Offers in the market for woods, which
offers r on a lower price level than
holders as a rule care to accept. But
manufacturers point out that they are
Obliged to get up a class of goods to
sell at such a price, and they cannot
afford to pay o than a certain
price for their wool.
Want Low Priced Stuff.
They are after low priced stuff
and in some cases have been able to
secur it, but the level OF prices is
no lower than it was, and on the whole
the market is very steady. Manu-
facturers are apparently ready
to take quarter-bloods OF the Missouri
or Michigan type at about 21kc and
Ohio woods at 22h @23c., dependent
on quality; and they will pay 10000
for braid woods and coarse unwashed,
but holders who raise their asking
prices much above the limits given
do not succeed in moving wool unless
they offer an exceptionally choice lot. |
The feeling with reference to quarter |
bloods, however, is certainly no
weaker than it was, in view OF the
latest advices from abroad which are
to the effect that Australian cross
breds are quite likely to open up at
some advance at the next London auc-
tiOns, as compared with the close OF
the preceding series. 1t has been the
very reasonable price al which it has
been possible to sell Australian quar-
tiers here which has operated to pre-
vent domestic stock from advancing,
and now that there are indications
that the foreign woods are to do
slightly better, there are many who
are inclined to look for a slight i'm
prOvement in the trend of prices for
domestic woods of quarter-blood
grade. They are disposed to believe
that at least the bottom has been
touched on this class of sock. The
purchases of the combine are believed
to be confined to the grade of stock
indicated, although there is no telling
to what extent it may have been lay
ing its lines for the securing of some
large blocks of wool. Speaking gen.
orally, a much larger amount of wool,
especially territories, could have been
sold, if holders had been willing to
accept the low offers made by some
consumers.
Wool Merchants Position.
The position of the wool merchant
just at present is not an altogether
enviable one. He is fortunate in one
respect, that he is not as a rule en-
numbered with a large supply OF old
wool. He is not forced to unload any
great amount of wool at a great sac
rifice. But with a dull market at the
seaboard, with seeking to
secure woods at the lowest possible
cost, and with no indication at pres.
emit that consumers will pay ANY more
for their woods, he is confronted, on
the other hand, with the very stiff at