The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-04-26
TRADE STILL
\" VERY QUIET
BOSTON WOOL MARKET DULL
AND FEATURELESS.
ACTIVITY IN The WEST
Buyers Numerous and New Clip Nov
ing Lively at Stiff Prices
Everywhere.

ASpoAC oDouC LIN DOoIoA WOS4 L40Ah SC
says the Commercial Bulletin. 1t has
been dull and uninteresting with few
buyers around and fewer sales. The
mederateSoutward movement, less than
100000 pounds, shows how very
quiet things are here. The trouble
seems to be with the goods market
and the unsatisfactory condition at
the mills. Manufacturers are not heav.
lily stocked, but they evidently have
enough to draw from to supply their
wants, without coming o n the market
for fresh supplies. A change for the
better in the goods situation would
be heartily welcomed all around. In
sure to sell wool. Here and there
is found a weak holder of fine fleeces
and fine medium territory, but the I'm
dertone of the market is quite strong
on the basis of values recently estab-
lished and which shows that there
has been a gradual recession from the
ui6u pO1lC VI last ytdl.
Such a decline is the natural re-
suit of a dull period extending over
many weeks and a desire to clean up
as closely as possible at this time OF
year. There has been no great break
in values and none is likely, for the
statistical situation, with stocks on
hand much smaller, is stronger than
a year ago., and foreign advices are
bullish.
Lively in the West.
f. If the Boston market lacks interest
in point of sales there is enough &C.
tivity in the growing sections to make
amends and to show that there are
plenty of operators with confidence
in the future. Buyers are numerous
in Utah and Wyoming, which are the
centers of life just now. The new
clip is moving lively at stiff prices.
lat Casper, Wyoming, 1874 to IA cents
Ihas been paid, choice clips having
been contracted for at the latter price
that were bought last year at Ii to
1914 cents.
In Utah nohing less than last years
prices is acceptable to growers, the
range being from 13 to Is cents, what
are called medium clips selling at
14@15c. The secured cost landed in
[Boston is 45@47c In Idaho there
have been sales at 13@14c, or 45c,
clean, for fine medium clothing. The
early shorn Nevada woods are pretty
well gone.
Many of the leading Boston houses
are operating and paying the price.
Some few, as usual, are holding back.
1t would seem, however as though
the value of the new clip had been es-
talished, and that prices in sections
yet to open would be on the same
high level as those in which the woods
are now coming off and selling.
The Mills.
The gaiety of the situation is not
enhanced by the reports from the
mills. Shutdowns are numerous.
While very few plants are in complete
idleness all the time there are many
that are running only a few days in
time. The reports from Philadelphia
are not at all cheerful. New Eng
land mills are doing the best, and
hereabouts there are plants that are
running full time and will not have
TO shut down even in part. Low
prices for goods have succeeded in
good features are the absence OF i'm
portant cancellations and serious labor
troubles. With a larger volume of dup
licate orders, as expected, much idle
machinery will start up.
Foreign Markets.
There is ont a weak spot in the
foreign situation. Advices from Lon
don this week are very strong, with
~crossbreds especially firm and a firm
er feeling on merinos. The auction
sales reopen a week from ext Tues
day, May 8, and predictions are made
that prices of crossbreds will rule
higher than at the March sales and
that merinos will probably advance.
Bradford is notably bullish, with the
opinion expressed that crossbreds are
better property than British consols.
Through the medium of the auction
sales the statistical situation is felt
abroad more than here. Just at pres
ent this situation is bullish with a
resultant advancing tendency.
The United States will be well rep