The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-01-06
YEAR BEGINS WITH LITTLE
WOOL ON HAND.
PRICES HOLDING UP STRONG
Market characterized by Honest Buy.
ing and Spectators Are Not
in Evidence.

The weeks sales of wool on the
Boston market aggregated 4,61O,OO(
pounds, including 1,7SO,O 900 pounds
territory ranging from IA to 21 cents
per pound.
Trade continues to hold up remark
ably we'll for this time of year, SAYS
the American Wool and Cotton Re.
porter. The business of the past
week has of course been INTERRUPTED
by the Christmas holiday, which is
reflected in somewhat smaller sales
than were recorded in our review OF
a week ago, but there is more than
a normal business in progress for this
time OF the year, and there is a good,
healthy, steady demand for all kinds
OF stock, although the feature of the
market for the time being is the per.
sistent inquiry for woods Of medium
and lower grades. These woods are
especially strong and have further ad.
vanced in price the past week, sales
being reported of choice Ohio three
eighths at 24hc, the top price thus
far touched. These woods are appar.
emily strong the world over. In view
of the abnormal advance in the price
of fine woods, this increased attention,
which is being given to woods of low.
err grades, is not surprising. Woods
of a bright character, those with a
lustre effect, are meeting with an in.
creasing demand, and prices on such
stock are slowly but steadily harden.
ing. Latest cable advices from
Buenos Ayres indicate that Ameri.
cans have been keen buyers in that
market, and large amounts of English
and Irish woods are reported to have
been taken on the other side for
America, for both manufacturers and
dealers account. These woods are
usually taken when consumers cannot
get better woods at favorable prices,
and this tendency is indicative of the
increased disposition on the part of
production.
Some of the large mills have been
purchasers of medium woods the past
week. Last week we reported sales
of over 10000 900 pounds of medium
fleces and during the week under re
view about three-quarters of a million
pounds more have been disposed of.
South Americans have been well
cleaned up and indications are that
the recent purchases made in Buenos
Ayres will be readily taken.
Strong Prices.
The tone of the market is strong
throughout and sales have been made
the past week at the top figures of the
year. Ohio delaine has sold at 34c,
medium unwashed woods at 24@24kc,
fine unwashed Ohio clothing at 23c,
Texas fine at 60c, clean, and fine sta
pie territory at $4,000, clean. Prices
have been declined for woods, which
would have been gladly accepted six
weeks or two months ago, and the
market is in excellent condition from
the dealers point of view. While the
market is quoted on a high basis, it
is nevertheless, as me merchant eX-
presses it, an honest market, one
whose course is governed by natural
conditions and circumstances. Prices
of commodities generally are higher
in response to the operations of the
law of supply and demand. This state
ment applies to wooden goods, and
consumers are willing and can afford
to pay higher prices for woods than
were quoted a year ago, and the
scarcity of supplies of many grades of
market. There is no speculation in
progress, no excitement; what pur-
chasing there was done recently by
dealers being for the actual wants
of their business and the woods which
they bought have passed into onsum
ers' hands. The year closes with the
market in a sound and stable condi-
ton, with indications of a good bust
ness for the month of January, and
with a record for the month of De-
cember seldom if eel surpassed in
point of sustained steadiness of bust
ness and strength of prices. There
is and has. been no artificial demand
in evidence. Woods have been bought
because they have been needed to fill
orders for goods taken by the manu-
%facturers.
Well Cleaned Up.