The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-09-22
TRADE IS HAND TO MOUTH
Little Better Inquiry from Manufactur.
ers Hopeful Sign for Immediate
Future-Smal! Sales.

pounds was territory, which sold at
is to q cents a pound.
The wool market continues quiet,
although here and there may be dis
cerned evidences of an improved in
quiry, says the American Wool and
Cotton Reporter. The volume OF bust
ness actually done, however, shows no
increase. AS far as the finer grades
of wool are concerned, it is still large
ly a waiting game. There is no snap
to the demand, but on the other hand,
holders are not unduly forcing wool,
although it is possible for cash GUS
toners to secure slightly better terms
on some grades than they could have
done a few weeks ago.. and here and
there can be found a house which is
a little more disposed to press sales.
This applies more to woods of the fine
medium order than to other grades.
r lWSOSWVI anu 6VW 0SSaVys
Medium and lows are very steady,
and the firm feeling prevailing with
reference to the lower grades has
been intensified naturally by the char
-acter of the opening of the London
auctions on Tuesday of this week,
F. when medium and low crossbreds were
I quoted at a ~ per cent advance
over the close Of the preceding auc
lions.
Ruling conditions in the goods mar
ket have not essentially changed and
it is still the woods grading below
half-blood which have the call. Fine
and fine medium woods are not alto
gether neglected, but manufacturers
ideas in a number of cases are SO low
that holders-even those who are anX-
ious to sell-hesitate to make the con-
cession which would be necessary to
enable them to meet the consumer.
Some sales have been put through
of fine medium territorial woods at
a clean cost ranging from 48 to SOC,
as noted further on in this report,
but such woods, as a rule, are still slow
at the currently quoted prices.
No Large Sales.
Manufacturers, however, are watch
ing the market very closely, and are
occasionally taking out sample bags,
but the demand is largely for small
lots, individual sales of as much as
100, 900 pounds being the exception
rather than the rule. That the woods,
which are being bought, are needed
by manufacturers is made evident
by the quick delivery which is, in
most cases, asked for. This is particu'
larly true with reference to medium
fieeces, pulled woods and foreign woods
We called attention last week to the
fact that some good-sized business in
territorial woods was pending; this
has not yet materialized, but in the
case of one large deal, it is likely
to. -r
On many lines of wool buyers ant
sellers are too far apart to permit Of
their coming together. Consumers
Of course, dislike to buy raw materia
at, a price which involves a loss OF
the manufactured article, the bushes!
during the past several months hav
ing been conducted on a very marrow
margin; and at the same time a mum
Der of the dealers have paid such
material concession on their par
means the elimination of all prof
for them in the transaction.
Hoping for Better Things.
All members of the trade are hop
ing for an improved demand as tn
weeks pass by, and while this ha
not materialized as yet, it is pointe
out that last year at this time tn
market was likewise quiet. This wi
be seen from our reports of sale!
those reported for the correspondent
week last year being only very Sigh
ly in excess of those now reported
while the aggregate of the bushes
done since the beginning of the prese1
year is actually in excess of that CO
summated during the correspondent
portion of the year 1902, the total sale
since January /, 1908, being over 154
900, 900 pounds, as against about 144
900, 900 pounds in 1902. But, last yea
before the end of September a d
cidedly active business had set
and during the last week of Septemb'
a tremendous business was consu1
mated. Whether history will repes