The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-01-19
BOSTON WOOL MARKET LITTLE
LESS ACTIVE.
BUSINESS DONE STILL FAIR
Despite Good Opening Of New Year
Prices Decline to I'm
prove Any.

q Sales of wool On the Boston mar
ket for the week aggregated 5,84O,OOO
pounds. Included in this were $780,
900 pounds of territories, which sold
at 14@20 cents a pound.
The wool market is not as active
as it was a week ago, but a fair vol
ume of business has been done dur
ing the last week. There is a good
general inquiry. which comes not on
1y from the larger mills, but also to
som extent from the smaller ones.
The worsted mills, says the American
Wool and Cotton Reporter, have been
the more conspicuous buyers, and al
though there have not been such large
blocks of wool purchased as was the
case during the preceding week, some
sizeahle parcels have been contracted
for.
One large dress goods mill, which
was conspicuous in the purchasing
during the week covered by our last
review, has, since our last market
report was written, taken on about a
million and a half pounds more, large
1y territories, and another concern
is reported to have token on close to
a million pounds, which, together
with the takings of other concerns,
makes a total volume of business put
through of between five and six mil
lion pounds.
Prices Not Improved.
The year has certainly started in
well as far as the volume of trade is
concerned, the sales since January 1
being nearly twice as large as those
for the corresponding time in 1903.
But, as to prices, there is as yet no
improvement to be noted. There are
just enough holders who are willing
to let their stock go, to prevent any
advance. 1t is claimed that some
concessions were made on some of the
large lines recently moved, but sell
ers deny this. Generally speaking
81 tl0 MdlhSC Hdy UO 4uOCGu 10 oIG0Oy
and on quarter and half blood stock
prices are positively firm, with further
sales of choice quarter and half blood
feeces at 25Rc. 4
While trade has been quieter thar
it was, there are evidences of SOM
big sales Undertaking. before long, il
holder and seller can come together
This statement applies to territory
woods, holders of which will be glat
to see their wool moving as the time
when the new clip will begin to b.
shorn draws carer.
Figuring on New Clip.
Growers will begin to shear tn
earliest woods in Arizona in the latte
part of this month probably, and the
will be ready t o move in February.
The past season has been a disaI
pointing one to wool merchants as ia
as territorial woods are concerned
and they are feeling very conserve
tive. They are disposed at presen
in fact, not to buy the early shor
woods unless they can secure them 9
lower prices thar they did a year ag'
and as growers are likely to be quit
firm in their views, according to pre-
ent indications, it is quite possibl
unless the buyer comes up in h
ideas, that a larger amount of tn
new clip of wool will be consigne
this year than usual.
Hinges on Goods Market.
Much will depend, however, on tt
development of the goods mark
during the next two or three month
II the demand for goods should (
such as to warrant more liberal blu
ing of raw material on the part of tt
manufacturer, an improvement in II
wool market may he witnessed. b
the opening Of certain well-know
lines of heavy weights in New Yol
this week is hardly calculated t
impart much strength to the situatio
Staple Clays,s serges, thibets, Ven
tians, GRANTEES, etc., were opened
prices which showed a material
duction over those of a year ag
On the other hand, advices from fc
eign wool markets indicate a fir
position of affairs.
Foreign Prices Higher.
The sales in Melbourne and Sydn'
opened on Monday of this week, a.
cable advices received here on Tue
day quote prices which We're a |
higher on good desirable crossbre
suitable for America.
A cable from Dunedin says tn