The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-03-15
LITTLE ACTIVITY IN. WOOL AT
BOSTON.
PRICES HOLDING OUT WELL
Not Much Change Looked for Until
New Clip Begins to Arrive
Bearish Talk Heard.

of the movement in foreign crossbred
woods there has been no activity, says
the Boston Commercial Bulletin.
These are coming in freely and selling
sfreely, and importers are pleased.
They have come on a comparatively
bare market and the opening strength
of London helps their sale.
In domestic wool a relatively small
business has been accomplished,
though one house, with better luck
than it's neighbors, managed to get
rid of 0 $1,000 pounds in all during the
week. There is not much chance to
do a large business in such woods as
are the most wanted. O~ne-quarter
/. blood and below, either in territory or
fleece, would sell quickly, but it is
not to be had in any quantity. Fou
buyers, all after o%ne-quarter blood
fleece, we're in one office at one time
; this week.
Holders Are Firm.
In territory wool of fine and fine
medium grade there has been a fair
business, but only fair. 1t is in larger
stock than other domestic woods and
not in active request. Yet there is
no great pressure to sell and offers,
low ones, made on comparatively
large lines, have not been accepted.
Bids within hc of asking prices have
been rejected. Holders do not ex-
pect an advance, but they are as yet
unwilling to part with their wool even
at fractional concessions.
There is a strong undertone to the
market despite the moderate sales.
But it is scarcity NOR than anything
else that is the principal influence.
There is not much in the present
demand or future prospects of the
same that calls for exceptional
strength in wool values. There is abb
solutely nothing in the situation on
which to put faith in an advance.
A conservative opinion is that
prices will rule steady and not bulge
in either direction during the coming
few weeks. What will happen when
selections are made larger by the ar
rival ON the market of the new clip
it is useless to speculate about. How
ever, here and there bearish talk is
heard as usual on the v OF the mar
keting of the clip.
Mills Fairly Busy.
The initial heavyweight mems wear
season is practically over. 1t has been
generally satisfactory and there is ex'
cellent reason for the hope of a good
duplicate business. In most plants
machinery is fairly we'll occupied and
there are no serious labor troubles.
The dress goods mills are also hav'
ing a satisfactory season. Taken as
a whole the industry is in good shape,
even if there is no occasion for run
ming machinery overtime.
In Foreign Markets.
The features of the foreign situation
are the frmness at London and the ad
vance within a week of zee at Buenos
Ayres, where, as local importers have
received notices of shipments, it il
understood that the labor troubles
have been at least partially settled.
The London auction sales opened
last Tuesday. One private cable says
that the attendance was good and com
petition active, with merinos from pal
to 5 per cent lower, fine and medium
crossbreds unchanged and coarse
c%rossbreds 5 per cent higher. Othel
advices say that with the exception
of low crossbreds, which are up
per cent. opening prices were on
par with the January sales. Messrs
Richard Rhndius 4 &c. Of Antwer
cable as follows: Merinos opened a
a decline of 8 per cent, fine crossbred
at unchanged prices with good compe
tition. Australian coarse crossbreds a
an advance of 5 per cent.
So far as merinos are %concerne
the opening selections were poor an
the decline is no criterion of whs
will happen when better woods al
offered, woods suitable for this countr,
There are several Boston buyers
attendance at the sale, their intereI
being largely in the offerings of eros
breds.
The latest mail report from Bra
ford says:
"The market continues very firm
tone. A fair amount of business h
been done during the past 10 day
and there is perhaps more dispositi1
to await the opening OF the sales ne