The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-09
FAvoRiTE AMONG TERRITORY
WOODS At BOSTON.
PRICES REMAIN VERY FIRM
Demand Less Active Than Last Week,
But Fair Volume Of Busi-
ness Done.

Boston's wool sales for the week ag
gregated $685. 900 pounds. Included
was 2,77O,O 900 pounds of territory. The
latter sold at an advance over the
previous week, the price ranging
from 14@20 cents, a cent higher fol
the best than was quoted last week
The demand for wool is not as &C
tive as it was, although a very fair
volume of business has been transact
ed the past week. including about
every grade and variety OF wool.
Some of the large consumers whom
we noted a week ago as being free
buyers of wool have taken OF some
additional lines, but they have stop
ped buying, and at this writing the
demand is comparatively quiet, says
the American Wool and Cotton Re-
porter. The large purchasers noted
have been supplemented by those OF
some of the smaller concerns, COM
prising dress goods, as we'll as mems
wear manufacturers, makers of both
woolens and worsteds. The dress
goods and blanket mills have been
among the largest buyers in the mar
ket.
Good Demand for Staples.
The demand the past week has been
especially good for staple woods, and
selections of the latter are steadily
growing less, so that available sup
plies of these woods are now within a
comparatively small compass. There
are ample supplies of clothing ter
ritorial woods on the fine order, but
low woods, both staple and clothing,
for which there is still a good, steady
demand, are in small stock.
Prices Are Firm.
Prices are very firm on almost ev-
erything. On q%uarter-blood feeces
they are especially SO, and the same is
true of qua~rter-blood territories and
medium pulled woods. The advancing
tendency in crossbreds abroad, both
in London and South America, in
tensifies the strength of the local sit
uation, and holders of what few woods
of this grade are left here have, in
some instances, pretty exalted ideas
as to prices.
On the finer woods, while the sit
uation is felt to be a strong one from
a statistical point of view, it is still
impossible to secure any actual ad-
vance in prices, Notwithstanding the
somewhat improved inquiry for these
woods noted from time to time in these
columns. ~ =
The demand still runs to the coarser
fabrics, which has resulted in the
marking up of prices on the latter by
certain large manufacturers since
'CAOy WOtC OpCuCu d CIV WCChS dSO.
Watched With Interest.
The course of the goods market
will nov be watched with anxious in
terest by holders of wool. While the
lower grades of fabrics have, as just
stated, met with a ready call, the
goods market, as a whole, has not
been characterized by what might be
called a lively demand, the volume OF
business nus far put through not hav-
ing come Up to the expectations en-
tertained by many.
The clothing trade are still pur-
suing a conservative course and claim
that they are warranted in doing so
by the quiet demand from the retail
ers, Notwithstanding the stimulating
influence which the severely cold
weather which we have had this win
ter has presumably exerted on the
~overcoating and suiting business. II
the demand for goods is only moderate
not a very active wool market is
looked for. especially in view of the
fact that some of the large consum-
ers must now be pretty well stocked,
as the result of their recent large
purchases.
Bought Montanas Freely.
Among the buyers in the market
the past week, in addition to the
combine. have been two well known
Rhode Island concerns, a we'll known
Philadelphia mill, which is understood
to have purchased freely of Montanas
and OregOns, and a New England
dress goods concern, which has con-
&racted for crOssbred woods to arrive.
OF the Sm01ler,SiZed mills have