Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-04-26
Large Number Of Fergus County Clips
Have Been Taken in by the
Boston Buyers.
RECORD PRICES ARE GIVEN
Average Advance Over Last Year ID
About Four cents-Waite, Elliott
4 Peck Clip Tops Market.


ell ever known in Fergus county.
Every sale made has been at a stiff
advance over last years figures, and
the average increase in prices will
run not less than four cents, and in
several cases much more. There are
only two buyers here so far, J, C..
Patterson, representing Jonathan
Williams & Company, of Boston, ana
Fred Putnam, representing Hecht,
Lieberman & Company, of Boston, but
they are certainly setung a lively
pace. The clips right straight through
will average better as to weight and
quality than they did last year, on ac-
count of the exceptionally favorable
winter, and the losses have been ex-
ceesltngly light.
Losses During the Winter.
The department of agriculture has
issued a statement giving the alleg-
ed per centage of losses during the
winter and the per centage for Mon
tana is put at 5.8. It would be in
teresting to know on what these fig
ures are based, so far as applies to
Fergus, the greatest sheep county in
the state, the percentage quoted is al.
together too high. According to the
best informed sheepmen. the loss in
this county was considerably under 2
per cent, and if there have been
heavy losses in other parts Of the
state, no one has heard of them. All
of these factors, with the high prices
now being paid for wool, mean that
the wool growers of the state gen.
orally, and this section particularly,
are in for season of unparalleled
prosperity. The buyers are making
| an advance of five cents per pound
| when desired.
One effect of the heavy buying will
be to reduce the wool market here
after the shearing season to the min
imum, and while it was originally es-
tlmated that about 100000 pounds
sale, it is doubtful if one-third of
that amount will come in, especially
| if the record of sales made this past
Some of the finest and largest
clips in the county have been con-
tracted for, but there are others un-
sold, like that of Bower Bros.
The Banner Sale.
The banner sale for the week, and
one that makes a new mark for wool,
was closed up Monday night, when
Putnam, for Hecht, Lieberman & COM
pany, of Boston, bought the Waite,
Elliot & Peck clip at price gen.
orally thought to be better than "a
cents. This clip will weigh 100000
pounds and samples from these
bands took the gold medal for range
wools at the CT Louis exposition last
fall. The parties to the sale have
agreed to keep the price secret. but
| % cents was freely offered for it Ov-
er a week ago and rejected, so it
seems safe to say that better than
| "a cents was palu the market gen
orally having gained over cent dur
ing that time.
Senator j. D. Waite sold his clip
of 100000 pounds IN the same house
| for 20 cents. 1nis is gain OF five
cents over last year.
The three clips of the Fergus conf
panies, aggregating 100000 pounds.
were sold last week to Patterson and
Putnam at 23 cents, which is just four
cents better than the clips brought
last season.
| me Basin Wool company, of Okla,
sold it's clip to Putnam at private
terms, believed to be % cents. The
clip amounts to about 100000.
| George Ayers sold to Patterson for
| % cents, which is an advance of four
cents over last season. The clip will
weigh 10000 pounds.
Rufus Thompson, of Highfield. sold
his clip to Putnam for % cents, de-
livered at Billings. The clip amounts
to 100000 pounds, and the price Is
about four cents better than last year.
A. C. Greene, of Greene, sold his
clip of 10000 pounds to Putnam for
2211 cents.
S. S. Hobson and BENJAMIN Hill
sold their clips yesterday to Patterson.
for Jonathan Williams & company, OF
Boston, at 23 cents, which is an ad-
vance of about Az cents over last
years figure. Mr.. Hobson's clip
amounts to about 10000 pounds, and
that of Mr.. Hill is about 10000 pounds.