Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-01-13
WHAT ARE WE
GOING TO DO?
Some Of the Things Necessary Before
lewistown Can Hope to Become
a Wool Market.
MEANS VERY MUCH TO TOWN
Thousands Of Dollars Spent Else
where Will Come TO This City
Woolgrowers Favorable.

NS'A NSfH6 bo
wool season." asked a prominent
woolgrower from the southern part
of the county last Saturday.
The question revives from its tenn
porary lethargy a matter which is Of
the greatest importance to this city.
Last fall there was considerable dis
satisfaction expressed among the
woolgrowers with the condition Of
things at the Great Falls and Billings
markets. The buyers then said that
as there would be a railroad into Lew
istowA by the time 1904 season opens
up, they are willing to come to this
city for a few days and establish a
market here. The matter was dis.
cussed among the woolgrowers contig'
uous to Lewistown and found great
favor with all of them. At that time
there was no doubt that a market
would be established here. There Is
still no doubt, but in order 10 make
II an improvement over other markets
or even as good as other markets,
work must begin very soon to that
end. 1t is still several months before
the wool season opens up but a great
many things have to be done by the
people of this city between now and
then.
The woolgrowers themselves are
anxious to see some tangible evidence
that a market IS to be established
here. They start to figure In the
spring on where they are going to
take their wool and II Lewistown is
to be considered she must show some
sign Of being able to handle the wool
II II is brought here. A warehouse.
or several of them. must be built.
II should be capacious and conven.
lent and also possess at least one
good sized apartment with al abun-
dance of light to be used as a sample
This Is really a matter for the
railroad and every inducement should
be brought TO bear upon the com
pany to build the warehouse. But
whether or not the railroad company
puts up the building. one should be
built. At present there are certain
obstacles but II the proper pressure
is brought TO bear they can very like
ly be removed.
No one questions the manifold advan
tages which would accrue to Lewis
town II a wool market could be estab
lished here. II Is in the center of one
Of the greatest woolgrowing sections
in the world. Approximately FIVE mil
lion pounds are produced in Fergu.
county each year. Not only Is this {
great amount but in quality IL occu
pies first place among all western
woods. The highest price received fol
Montana wool last season was by &;
Fergus county grower for wool grown
within thirty miles Of this city. Whil'
not all of the Fergus county cliI
would come here, the greater part o
1t certainly would. Many Of the larg
est growers In the county have beef
personally interviewed on this sub
ject by the Argus representative with
In the past few weeks. and all are II
NV vi biiiHihh Nl'll NbOl utIt DID
vided the proper arrangements 70
handling IL a be made. As the WOO
grower mentioned above stated. thi
a be he highest priced market II
the state. He says that at least two
thirds OF the wool grown between
Lewistown and the Musselshell rive
will come TO the basin market. II 4
an undeniable fact, and woolgrower
know IL. that the inferior woods iron
Wyoming, depress the market in Bill
ings. BY bringing the wool here tn
growers will not have to suffer from
this unfortunate condition. All OF I'll
wool will be of a good quality, goo,
prices will be the order and even tn
very few inferior clips. which woul
be brought here would be borne ND In
stead OF the good ones borne down
as at the southern market. The WOO
grower figures It that he would b
benefited in this manner What ben
efits would Lewistown derive?
One grower. who markets ABOUT 80
900 pounds Of wool each season, say
that II he brings his wool TO this mai
ket he will leave from $4,000 to IS
900 in the city for supplies. He j
not extravagant. It is reasonable I
think that others who now load tbei
wagons In Billings and Great Falls
when they haul their wool to thos
points, would load them in Lewistowl
II they brought their wool here. Tn
fact that Fergus county possesses n
market means that thousands of do.
lars, which rightly belong to the bus
mess men OF this city, go TO the bus
ness men Of other cities outside of tn
county.
II is, therefore. incumbent upon tn
business men of this city to get Il
gether and make a bid for this bus
ness. BY united action it can b
done. II can do no good TO procrast
nate. They buyers are ready to com
and the growers are anxious to com
II is UP to Lewistown 10 prepare fo