The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-12-02

Melbourne and Geelong large sales
will take place during the next four
weeks.
Buenos Ayres news is scarce, the
latest being that the market is easier,
buyers getting their second wind. So
far 1000 bales have been bought for
this country.
The latest mail report from Brad
ford says:
! We have again an active market,
with a general hardening of prices.
Most things are making at least a
farthing more than could be obtained
on Monday. In merinos topmakers
are chary about committing them
selves forward, and some of them
have withdrawn quotations altogether
for futures. English woods are selling
more freely, and, in some cases, hold
ers are asking I'D more than last
week. Mohair has also been more act
i've. Business has been done in Con-
stantinople, largely on American &C.
count, but at prices which cannot yet
be made here. The tendency OF val
ues, however, is against the buyer.
"In the export yarn trade there has
been more doing during the past week,
and spinners are able now to get
something more nearly approaching
their W quotations, although, owing
to the movement in the raw material,
the margin is not today any better.
Particularly on all contracts are COM
ing more freely, and there is not quite
so much machinery standing. In mo-
hairs also there has been business,
though not of a very extensive char
acter, both in 32s and 4Os, at slightly
better rates.
"In the home piece trade a more
hopeful outlook prevails, and some
manufacturers are finding business a
little better to get, though this is not
yet the universal experience for ex-
port some makers are keeping very
busy"
Territory Active and Firm.
Territory woods have been rather
more active. In lots of 200, 900 to 3OO,.
600 pounds there has been quite a
movement in Idaho woods, one house
selling lei to a million pounds. One
line of 100000 pounds of Utah has
been cleaned up, and there have been
several other stable transfers of Utah
and Wyoming vols.
The market is very firm. 1t will
cost 63c to 64c to get up halfblood
Montana. Idaho h%alf-blood sold at
26c and one-quarter and three-eighths
at &c. The former costs 6Oc, clean,
and the latter about as much. The
secured cost of fine and fine medium
Idaho and Utah is believed to be Csc.
High grade fine staple will cost, in
the opinion OF some dealers, well
above zoe, clean. Nothing good in
secured territory can be touched at
less than Csc. A bid of 62hc for one
line of several hundred bags was
turned down. 1t would have been
gladly accepted three weeks ago.
There are more and more stories
about contracting, though it was
thought last week that there was an
end of it for the present. In northern
Wyoming 100000 pounds have been
engaged by a Boston operator. One
well known clip was cornered at
16%c. Around Casper from 14Ac
to Ice has been paid. 1t is said that
all of the 1905 clip of Utah has passed
to the control of st. Louis and Boston
firms. There has been a little doing
in Montana also at Saco and Malta,
300, 900 pounds being contracted at zoe
for hne medium clips.
Texas, Oregon and California.
Texas woods are quiet with little on
the market. A little fall sold at 1sc
to zoe. 1t costs fully 55c clean. Eight
and IL months woods are in short sup.
ply and nOminally firm.
Oregon woods are firm with a con-
siderable line sold at 22c during the
week. 1t was staple. The secured
cost is known only to the buyer.
California wool is selling right
along in small quantities, the weeks
business including good northern at
26c to &c, middle county at 19c to
zoe and fall at 19c.
Receipts and Shipments.
The receipts on the Boston market
for the week ending November %, in
elusive, were 1,292,653 pounds domes-
tic and 1,614,651 pounds foreign, max
ing a total of 1907, 304 pounds. For
the corresponding week last year the