Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-07-14
WOOLGROWERS
ARE SANGUINE
Think Prices Will be Just as Hjoh
Next Year as They Have Been
This Season.
LARGE SALES OF SHEEP MADE
Figures Offered Induce Some Flock.
masters to Reduce Their Bands
The Local Wool Market.

1t is estimated by one of the best
informed wool growers of the Judith
basin that not less than 10000 head
OF sheep will go out of Fergus coun-
ty this fall, including the 10000 head
sold by Oscar Stephens recently. The
immediate cause for these heavy sales
IS, OF course. the high prices being
offered at present. Many of those who
have sold expect to buy lambs to make
up for the depletion of their flocks but
1t is more than likely that they will
find it very difficult, if not impossi.
BILE, to secure what they want at prices
that will bring their transactions to
close on what would be considered
profitable terms.
Lambs Not Very Plentiful.
According to the same authority.
lambs are scarce. Those engaged in
the BUSINESS have already sold off near.
ly all the lambs they care to. as the
wool growing business looks pretty
good to them just now and they are
inclined to increase their holdings in
stead OF selling. Then, too, with so
many buying sheep for WOOL there is
bound to be a scarcity of muttons on
the market, and it seems reasonably
certain that there will be no falling of
IN prices. Among the large growers
who have increased the number of
thelr sheep is Senator j. D. Waite,
VINO has purchased several thousand
head
Outlook for Next Year.
Although no contracts for next sea-
sons wool have been made in this
section, as reported in other localities
the general opinion among sheep men
is that wool will be at least as hich
next season as it is this summer. B.
Z. White. the commissioner for Fergus
county, can find no reason for suppos-
ing that there will be any change for
the worse in the big industry. With
yearllng Wethers bringing from $3.50
TO $2.75; lambs from 50 up, and mighty
hard to find: stock ewes from $3.50
to $o, depending on age and quality,
and 2-year-old wethers from $3.50 to
S3. and some as high as 1926, Mr..
White is inclined to take very
cheerful view of the future.
shearing Progressing Rapidly.
Shearing is progressing rapidlv all
over the county now. L. II. Hamilton,
head Of the Sage Creek Sheep com.
In,
says that up to Tuesday night they
mad sheared about 225,0OO pounds at
his place, and had about 100000
pounds more to shear. He expects
that the work will be finished there
before the end of next week.
Good Railway Service.
Mr.. Hamilton states that the Mon
tana railroad has given excellent SER
vice in handling the wool from Moore
to the local warehouse, but there has
been much difficulty in securing
freighters to take the wool from the
ranches to Moore.
His company wintered 400 head in
the Flatwillow district, Woodson G.
Son handling the sheep. They were
driven to Glendive and sheared, and
the returns received showed a little
over So head for wool, which is a
record to be proud of. Mr.. Hamilton
says that while the range is pretty
well taken up, his company will be
able to handle lot of breeding stock.
as plenty of hay will be raised, and
next year he expects to handle more
sheep than ever before. He raised s.
900 lambs this year. and hopes to do
even better than that next season. So
far as prices are concerned, he does
not believe there will be any falling
off from this years figures next sea-
son.
Dun's Current Wool Review.
Following is Dun's current wool re-
view:
According to Coates Brothers the
average of one hundred grades of do
mestic wool rose on July / to 27.S3
cents per pound. which far surpasses
all high records for recent years, and
| is about five cents pound above the
position at the corresponding date last
year. Trading is less active, as i'm
| mediate requirements OF manufacture
| ers are we'll supplied, and the posi-
| tion of prices is not calculated to stim-
| ulate speculation among dealers or en-
! courage consumers to provide for re-
mote needs. Although domestic mar
kets were closed on the 4th, the auc-
tion sale at London opened most aus
piciously. many grades being advan-
ced 5 or 10 per cent above quota
tions prevailing at the previous sale.
| "Boston-The wool market is quiet,
owing to the holidays. but the tone
is very strong and further advance
in values is talked of, owing to the
higher basis established at the Lon
don auction sales. With the light
weight goods season in full swing a
better demand for raw material is ex-
pected, as many mills are short of
stock. The receipts of the week have
been 6.760,627 pounds, and the deliv.
cries 3 3,495,667 pounds.
"Philadelphia-Ma as a
rule. are buying only for immediate
needs, and dealers are holding woods
firmly, believing that manufacturers
will be forced to come into the mar
ket at an early date. Transactions
during the week have been small"
The Local Wool Market.
Locally. the wool market is strong
but not very active. Only one trans
(C0nfinuod IN mage aiYl