The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-07-25
WEDNESDAY, JULY Is, 1906.
THE WOOL MARKET DEADLOCK.

Advices from the several Montana
points where large sales OF wool are
usually held al this time OF the year.,
indicate a wide difference of opinion
between growers and buyers as TO the
marke: value OF the clips. The grow
ers are asking a much higher price
than eastern buyersare willing TO pay, |
and i. is openly charged in some quar-
tiers that the eastern WOOL dealers are
in a combine for theI purpose OF pur.
chasing Montana wool at a lower
price than it is actually worth.
As 20 the existence Of such a CON-
bine, there is no conclusive evidence.
The buyers. of course, expect to Sc.
cure wool at a figure that will yield
them at least a fair profit: whether the
offers they have! beenc making on
the various clipsiare such as will give
them more than a reasonable profit is
. question to be determined by so
nan considerations that a newspaper
is 10. competent to: give a fair and
impartial decision. Some weeks ago,
the growers were advised by certain
newspapers that.their wool would be
worth % to 80 cents per pound, and a
few sheepmen-without stopping to
consider market conditions-were dis
posed to expect a veritable boom in
their business.
II is the understanding OF the River
Press that the principal factor in de-
termining the price OF wool in its nat
ural state is ts.shrinkage or loss OF
weight in the securing process. In
statements prepared by the national
association of.wool manufacturers, it
is claimed:that the average shrinkage
of Montana wool is 63 per cent: that
is to say, in the securing process u
hundred pounds of Montana wool
loses 63 pounds of dirt and grease.
and yields 81 pounds of clean wool.
It is alleged by wool buyers that most
OF this years northern Montana wool
clip is Of greater shrinkage than that
of average seasous: some of the clips,
it is claimed, will shrink IS per cent,
and others possibly q little more II
their view of the matter is correct, it
remains for the grower to do a little
figuring and see what his wool is
worth upon a certain shrinkage basis.
The Boston quotations for territory
wool in a secured condition are at
present as follows:
Stap.e-Fine. ia 13c.
" Fine Medium :. .6S(0 zoe.
" Medium ....... ..65(d66c.
Ordinary-Flne $50 zoe.
Fine Medium. .66(d6Sc.
Medium ...... .62(d64c.
If one hundred pounds Of Montana
wool in its natural state, will yield 81
pounds of secured wool, the grower
car apply that weight to the quota.
tions named and ascertain what his
grade ~ofswool is worth in Boston on
today's market. II his wool shrink.
more than d5 per cent, or less than s.
per cent, a similar arithmetical prob
lem may be solved with little trouble
The bone OF. contention, however. il
the s%hrinkage. The Boston buyer,
are supposed to be experts in the mat
ter Of estim ating the shrinkage OF an.
wool clip after devoting a few minute
to examination of it. The grove
generally has little knowledge of til
subject, and cannot successfully cha|
lenge the shrinkage estimate made b
the buyer. These unsatisfactory con
ditions suggest the ~desirability Of es
t%ablishing small securing plants at
few places in Montana, in which sam
pies from the various clips may |
c!eansed and their shrinkage a.
curately determined. With sue
knowledge in his possession, an
eastern market quotations availabl
a: all times, the Montana wool grow.
would then know whether or not |
was getting a square deal.