Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1903-05-14

COuSuWcIS are DUE 10 pay. "A numOcr
of manufacturers are said to be max
ing some pretty good stuffs out of the
low foreign wools which they have
been recently buying, and are likely
to continue on these lines as long AS
they can make them at prices which
makes them salable. This position of
affairs is easily understood. The ne-
cessities of life have advanced so SUBJ
stantially in price that the people cam
not and will not pay higher prices for
clothing than they did last year.
Rather than do so, they are willing to
take an inferior article or put off pur-
chasing. OF course this places the
manufacturer in an uncertain and very
unsatisfactory position, in which he is
very 10th to buy wool except when he
can see immediate use for it in fabrics
which can be sold without loss to
himself. He will not anticipate his
wants largely in advance; and in the
meantime the wool merchant, facing
an unsatisfactory goods situation on
the one hand, and stiff markets abroad
and in the country on the other, is in
anything but an enviable position.
Country Markets Quiet.
He is afraid to purchase wools liber-
ully in the country, and it is not sur
prising to learn therefore that the coun-
try markets are quiet. Much less wool
of the new clip has been bought this
year than was taken during the corre-
spending time last year, although the
few sales which are made continue to
be at advanced prices as compared
with year ago, which means that
either the purchasers of these wools
will have to take a loss on them, or
that the markets at the seaboard are to
be quoted on materially higher basis
than at present. The latter alterna-
tive is certainly not now indicated by
the outlook for the goods market, for
the recorder demand is slow in materi-
alizing and the lightweight season is
as likely to open on lower as on a
higher price level, it is believed by
many, than year ago.
Montanas Are Lower.
The weakness in the market has been
most pronounced on such wools as are
in plentiful supply, and as Montana
wools are in the most liberal supply it
has been on these that prices have SO
decidedly favored the buyer. This
condition is in marked contrast with
that prevailing abroad, where decid-
edly more cheerful feeling prevails.
The Antwerp sales op ned April % at
5@8H per cent advance.
London Sales.
The London series of auctions OPEN
ed on Tuesday of this week, with good
competition and number of buyers
represented. AS compared with the
close of the preceding series, merinos
and fine crossbreds showed an ad-
vance of S per cent, and average
and Lincoln crossbreds, 10 per cent.
1t would seem as though the effect of
this would be to stiffen the price of
domestic stock of corresponding grade.
What effect this will have upon the
western grower remains to be disclosed.
One trouble in the local markets is
that the wools, of which there are any
large supplies here, are too good for
what the consumer wants them for.
Texas and California.
Texas wools are practically lifeless.
Eight months wool are reported as
selling in Texas along the line of the
Southern Pacific at IA a 15c. Nothing
has yet been done in San Angelo and
Kerrville. The new wools are said to
be bright and attractive, and are fully
as good as those of last year. Local
supplies of Texas are limited with
buyers and sellers apart.
OF California wools there are
scarcely any here and no business
worth referring to has been done.
Prices are enomlnally unchanged. Ore
gon wools are likewise quiet, with
good average eastern staple not quot
able at over 1910.
Territories.
Territory wools have been in larger
movement, holders, especially of Mon
tanas, accepting manufacturer ideas
and letting some of their wools 20.
We have already referred to the sale
of Idaho wool, in addition to which it
is estimated that about 1000, 900
pounds have been sold, including