The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-16
oulErER WEEK ON BOSTON
WOOL MARKET.
RESULT OF REDUCED STOCK
Small Holdings Cause Prices on All
Lines to Remain Firm-New
Clip Defective.

Boston's wool sales for the week
aggregated 3,O25,OOO pounds. OF this
amount 1,4OO,OO pounds was terri
tory, which sold for 1000 cents a
pound.
The wool market has been decidedly
quieter the past week, says the Amer
lean Wool and Cotton Reporter.
There has been a conspicuous alb
sence of any large buying, the de-
mand coming mostly from the small
er mills, and more from the cer
making woolens than formerly, the
worsted manufacturers being less
conspicuous in the market. The lat
ter have, it is believed, supplied their
demands pretty we'll for the time be-
ing, but they may be in the market
again before long, if the demand tor
goods warrants it.
GOODS Selling More Freely.
Latest advices from dry goods
agents are to the effect that goods are
selling rather more freely, and that
the outlook is not as bad as some
would paint it, although some of the
mills are complaining of a lack of or
ders, and are running or reduced time.
or have shut down a portion of their
machinery. A certain manufacturer
remarked to a wool salesman recently,
that if the latter would get him some
orders from New York for his goods,
he, the manufacturer, would buy all
the wool which he had for sale.
There are many manufacturers who
are waiting to see if they can sell
their goods, and a number Of the mills
which are running apparently have
enough or hand for their immediate
needs, the demand for wool rules
quiet.
Wars Possible Effect.
The possible effect which wal in the
east may exert upon the wool situa-
ton is being freely discussed; but
the consensus of opinion in the trade
is that it will not exert a very marked
influence on the wool situation.
The interruption to wool shipments
from the eastern coast of Asia, which
would be a natural result of hostili-
ties, might affect the prices of carpet
stock, but aside from this, wool mer'
chants do not see how the trade can
be affected, except through the infu'
ence of the money market, which
might become decidedly irmer, as the
result of the financial needs of the
two countries. OF course an event
of this kind naturally makes for con.
servatism, but there is nothing in the
outlook which indicates the POSSIBLE
ity of developments of a decidedly
unfavorable nature, as far as the
wool market is concerned. Stocks o.
wool are now in such small compass
that the trade can stand up agains'
a quiet demand for some time to come
on most grades of stock.
The Bes. Sellers.
Fine medium territory is still il
larger supply than anything else, bu
the amount of this kind of stock OF
hand is steadily becoming reduced
and it has lately moved with compare
tive freedom, although the best sell
ers today are woods of three-eighth
and quarter-plood grade, both in tel
ritories and feeces.
AS a result of the long continue
demand for medium and low stock
the supply is very small and prices ar
very firm; and it looks now to me-
chants as though the new wool {
this grade would be moved very raj
idly when they come off the sheep
back. For such good woods as renal
in Missouri and Indiana holders wal
&c per pound and in Wisconsin the
want Csc. In Kentucky sales are III
derstood to have been made at 2f
and in. Ohio the woods which still r
main are held at prices which al
considerably above the level Of tt
seaboard market. Australian eros
breds are firm, both in London ar
in Melbourne, and latest cable a
vices from South America are th'
prices in Buenos Ayres are firm, th'
the season will close there in fo1