The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-03-08
BOSTON WOOL MARKET STEADY
81 AND FAIRLY ACTIVE.
TERRITORIES MOVE FREELY.
Holders Cleaning Up to Make Room
for New cIip-Montanas Es.
peclaIiy Lively.

The wool market is steady and fair
~ active with more doing in foreign
woods than for q long time, says the
Boston Commercial Bulletin.
The feature of the weeK In fact has
been the excellent attention given to
the new Australian wool arriving, es-
pecially c~rossbreds, which have been
taken freely upon arrival at profitable
prices to the importer. The demand
for such woods is still good and con
sumption large, the local stock of do
nestle one-quarter blood OF desirable
quality being practically cleaned up.
There has been no improvement in
prices and none is expected. With
crossbreds coming in freely from Aus
tralia and South America the demand
for woods OF one41uarter gfade is
being satisfied despite the scarcity
of the domestic article, which has not
advanced materially, Notwithstanding
its strong position. There is some
talk of 26c and even 26hc, but on a
bare market it is easy to name nomi-
nal quotations or what woods should
bring il here. The TACT remains that
that the bulk of the years clip of do
nestle one-Quarter blood has been
marketed in the range of PAN to
25hc and that today it would be diff
cult to get more than the latter price.
1t has been the big puzzle of the
| situation in the wool year of 1903
that medium and low woods, while in
undoubtedly strong position, are on
practically the same basis now at the
close as at the opening OF the season.
Holders of territory woods are clean
ing up their stocks in preparation
for the new clip and are doing so with
out any serious sacrifice in the price.
During the past few days there has
been a good liberal movement in
both clothing and staple The sup
ply of the latter is now much reduced.
There is nothing new from the west
and no movement in the new clip as
yet outside OF Arizona, which is now
pretty we'll cleaned up. Boston buy.
ers have been picking up all they
could of the old woolsb left in Ohio
and Pennsylvania.
AZ to the Future.
What of the future is a question
that is frequently asked. at present
the local situation seems steady and
firm with stocks we'll cleaned up.
The demand at the moment is fairly
good and consumption of average ex.
tent. No change is expected in the
conditions ruling here in the imme
date future. The general situation
is a good deal like last year, though
perhaps actually stronger here than
then. It remains to be e e whether
the west will again set the pace. en-
couraged by eastern operators. Al
present the feeling here is conserva
tive as the past years margin OF profit
has been narrow and presidential
year is usually considered an off yeal
in all branches of business.
The Mills.
There is nothing very discouragins
from the mill end. Those plants tina
are not back numbers are very well
occupied and have been right along
The export of the American Wooler
company is the best in its history and
is q distinct encouragement, not only
to the wooden and worsted industry.
hut to the wool dealer and grower
Taken as a whole the industry has
had two good years and bids 1air to
have another one. The troubles of the
Clinton Worsted company have had
no effect upon the situation. 1t is
we'll known that mismanagement is as
much responsible for the failure as
anything else.
Foreign Markets.
The advices from abroad indicate
little change. London advices con
tinue strong, the slight furry caused
by the opening of the val in the far
east and the possibility that other
European countries, outside Russia,
might get actively interested in the
mix-up, has passed without any ap'
parent loss of confidence.
Next week there will be something
more definite to base reports upon, for
on Tuesday the auction sales reopen
for the March series. The amount
available will be 10000 bales, which
is slightly more than last year, when
the offerings were 166. 900 bales. A
number of Boston buyers have started
and will be present at the sale. which,