Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-05-10
WOOL MARKET
IS UNCHANGED
Few Sales Made In Fergus County
During the Past Week, But
Prices Are Firm.
SOME FINE CLIPS HELD OUT
Owners Not Likely to Contract at Less
Than Twenty.four Cents-Lamb.
Ing Proceeding Satisfactorily.

The local wool situation remained
unchanged during the past week.
There are still number of large, fine
clips in Fergus county left unsold, in
cluding those of Oscar Stephens, Sam
uel Phillips, Brooks Bros. and the Buff
falo Creek Sheep company. None of
these are likely to be contracted for
at less than "a cents, and just at this
time the buyers are not willing to
give that figure. A few clips we're
disposed of during the week, and con-
siderably over half of the Fergus coun-
ty feeces have now been marketed.
The contracts are estimated to cover
60 per cent of the clip. Outside of
the big outfits named, the clips re-
naming unsold are all small ones,
and they will not bring such high
prices as those previously sold. which
will have the effect OF bringing the
average price for the entire clip down
somewhat. This average will not,
however, be much, If any, under 22z
cents, or a net gain of about AZ cents
over last year.
The most important sale was that
made by the Sage Creek Sheep com.
pany. It's clip was bought by Dewey.
Gould & company. Of Boston, at 23h
cents, the deal being closed up by
telephone by representative of the
company, and Holden, the buyer, who
is at Great Falls.
Some Top Figures.
It is learned on pretty good auth
ority that the Waite, Elliot & Peck
clip sold at "a cents, and the highest
price yet paid was for the Bower
Bros. clip, 24A cents The Basin
Livestock company received about "a
cents.
Lambing is now well under way
and favorable reports are coming in
from all parts of the county. The
lambs are strong and vigorous, and
while the storm that started Monday
night changed conditions somewhat,
yet the cold was not severe enough
| to do much damage, as every provls'
ion had been made for just such
contingency. What little harm re-
suited from this cause was more than
offset by the benefit to the ranges.
where moisture was needed.
Oscar Stephens, one of the heavy
wool growers, was in town yesterday
and stated that conditions were very
favorable in his section. The grass
is in good shape. Mr.. Stephens clip
amounts to about 250,000 pounds, and
he stated that it was for sale at "a
cents. If the buyers wanted 1t at that
price they could take it, but would
not get it at lower figure. If 1t was
not contracted for Mr.. Stephens stat
ed he would ship 1t himself, and he
is fully convinced that he will lose
nothing by this plan.
John Brooks, of Brooks Bros, was
also in town this week and states
that the lambs are coming in splen
did shape. 1t is rather cold for them
but they are unusually strong and are
doing very well.
In the State at Large.
In the state at large, it is estimat
ed that about 24,000,O0O pounds o.
/ WOOl Is UOW ulIuCI COAtAoNC, eAAO SAAs
amount is being added to daily. The
total clip last year was 33,OOO,OO(
pounds, and some buyers estimate tha
it will not exceed 30,0O0,00O this sea
son, owing to the fact that fewer sheer
were run, the number having beer
reduced by previous heavy sales. 1
is agreed that the fleeces will av
erage considerable in weight owe
those of last year, and this will doubt
less make up for the smaller numbe
of sheep sheared. Well posted sheel
men say that the total clip will b.
at least as great this year as last
and perhaps greater.
The American Wool and Cotton Re
j, porter, in it's last account of the maj
ket gives much information that !
of interest and refers to one sale mad
J in Montana at rs cents. That is ev
} IDENTIFY q mistake. It was stated II
, some state papers at the time tn
Bower Bros. clip was sold that
brought 25 cents, and the quotation
is probably based on that. This cliI
) as before stated, brought 24A cents
The Wool and Cotton Reporters n
view is as follows:
: Review Of the Market.
;. There is no denying the increasin
T. speculative tendency in the situation
: The eagerness to get the new wool
: in the interior Is more intense tina
D it was a week ago. Everywhere tn
: new woods are being absorbed rapi'
: ly and at prices which are fairl
l. staggering to those who have bee
o accustomed to the price levels of tn
= last 10 or IL years. Much OF the ne
wool which is being bought will CO..
e fully as much as Australian voc
d which is especially true of the low
Il grades, and yet prices continue
I, climb in the interior and the scraI
e BILE for the new wool is more pr
" nounced than ever. New Texas woo
o are claimed to have been bought
n prices which mean more than 20
d clean, landed, 12 months wool Sc
1t ing in that state at 23@25 cents
the grease.
le Wool has sold in Montana at "a z
in per pound. and one clip is report
le to have changed hands at even q
10 The London sales opened on Tut
H. day of this week, with good atten
Or ance. especially of American buye