The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-14
BREAK IN MEDIUM AND QUAR-
TER-eLoops.
MONTANA HOLDING up WELL
New Western Clips Sold at Figures in
Excess Of Last.
M Year.

for the week amounted to 2,880,000
pounds. OF this amount 100000
pounds was territory, which went at
from IA to 1917 cents a pound.
The feature of the market was the
activity in quarter and ~three-eighths
blood fleece woods, particularly quar-
tiers, says the American Wool and
Cotton Reporter. Some large sales
of these woods have been made, one
house %disposing Of about 100000
pounds, another house about 10000
pounds, and still another house about
$4,000 pounds. Other sales made by
other houses, in addition to these,
make up quite a respectable total
for this class of wool.
The Sales Of Quarter-BIoods.
1t is perhaps not necessary to say
that these woods were sold, some of
them, at any rate, at pretty low fig
ures, as it has been evident for some
time that they could not be moved ex-
cept at prices lower than those which
were previously ruling. The bulk of
these woods, which were Missouris,
Wisconsins, and Indianas. were taken
within the range of 21h @22hc, quite
a large amount changing hands at
21k@22c. In Philadelphia, it is re-
ported here that even lower prices
were accepted, quarter-bloods selling
at 21c. Many of these woods sold at
a clean cost of not exceeding 4Oc,
some of the better woods bringing Al
@42c, it is reported, which prices GER
tainly look cheap as compared with
what it costs to land Australian woods
of similar grade and quality. The
latter would cost to land, 45@46c, and
as this class of wool abroad shows
no further weakening, but, on the
other hand, shows a Strengthening
tendency, there are many persons who
now feel as though the bottom has
been reached on quarter-bloods and
some houses have been actually buy
ing these woods on speculation where
they a get them under the recently
current prices.
Worsted Manufacturers Buying.
The worsted manufacturers have
been the principal buyers of these
wools. They are willing to take them
freely at a price, which is apparently
between 21@22c for M%issouris and
that class of quarters and between %
@23c for Ohios. From some sources
comes the report that the worsted end
of the goods market is just a trif1e
better, one manufacturer being au-
thority for the statement that there
is quite an improved business doing
in the lower priced worsteds, but be-
cause of the inability of the makers
to use substitutes freely, they have
been relegated to the background,
compared with woolens. in which
shoddy, cotton and wool can be used
without detection except by a profess
sional test. But, with the compare
lively low prices now ruling on quar-
textbooks, it is stated that manu-
facturers see their way to a freer use
of wool in these goods. and it is quite
likely that if the demand for this
class of stock continues. quarter
bloods and medium woods generally
may continue to improve.
Market Generally Quiet.
Aside from the activity in the
class of stock referred to. there is but
little business to report for the past
week in the local market. Manufac-
turers have been in looking around
for wool and trying to buy territories
at low prices, which holders generally
refuse. Some instances are cited, how
ever, where holders have improved the
opportunity to let some wool go by
making some concessions. but taking
the market as a whole, with the ex-
ception of medium and quarter-blood
stock, manufacturers do not find it an
easy matter by any means to break
prices. Statistically wool is in a
strong position, and in almost every
place where wool has opened in the
interior, transactions have been at
higher prices than last year. In New
Mexico the clip is reported as largely
contracted for at prices which are
fully &c per pound higher than last
year. In Nevada the Taylor clip is
reported to have sold at 2@2kc above
last years prices. In Utah sales
have been made at 14@14kc, which
is higher than last years prices. The
fail to see how they will gain anything