The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-04-03
LARGEST SALES FOR ONE WEEK
FOR LONG TIME.
PRICES ARE NO BETTER
Prices Are ia Favor Of the Buyers
Boston Merchants Are Showing :
Lack Of Interest in the New Clip
Buyers Ia No Hurry.

BEW&M&4 %gHAg @&&E4t AII MGa@fs5H
The volume Of wool business is the
largest Of any week for some time and
the increase in shipments over last
week shows that manufacturers are
ordering out more wool on old con.
tracts, says the Boston Commercial
Bulletin. Further than these encour.
aging features, it is remarked that
there have been a good many buyers
on the market and that more interest
has been shown, interest of a sort that
leads dealers to believe that the time
is near at hand when operations on a
comparatively large scale will be in
augurated Reports from the New
York piece goods market are better.
To be sure business is not what It
should be, either in volume or va
riety, but there is evidence that i'm
prOvement is imminent. Clothiers'
statesmen will soon be on the road and
satisfactory results are expected from
their canvas. II EssS5
The price situation is no better than
1t was end in this respect the market
needs a stimulant much stronger than
any it has yet received. All the. inn
portant transactions of the week have
been at low prices, the selling basis Of
good clothing territory being very
near half q dollar. Quarter blood,
fleece has sold at no higher than 27k
cents, and a fair demand for three
eighths fleece has found sellers at %
to 80 cents. Secured B super Of the.
best quality cannot be sold at better
than 40 cents.
Prices Favors Buyers.
While no lower than last week the
tendency of prices is in favor Of buy
ers. Still in the opinion Of many
holders the bottom has been touched,
and no further material decline is ex-
pected. It is thought that a trading
basis has been arrived at which will
hold till the requirements Of manufac-
turers force them to buy more freely,
after which a somewhat firmer tone
may be anticipated. The markets
abroad are still weak, the develop
ments at the London auction sales
Encouraging the belief that the Europ-
can decliGe has been checked. The
trouble over there seems to be too
much wool Of q certain kind and an
entire absence Of speculation. Owing
to the uncertainties OF the outlook no
one can be induced to buy for future
delivery. Much the same conditions
prevail here 80 far as domestic wool
Is concerned. The supplies in the
hands Of q few dealers are large, a
good percentage being Of grades for
which there has been very little de
mand since the first Of the year. Then,
too, the new clip Is approaching read,
mess for market, Notwithstanding
largely reduced engagements for i'm
portation OF foreign wool. manufact
urers feel that supplies OF raw ma
terial in sight are s%uficiently large a.
to give them no alarm as to future
scarcity.
Boston merchants are showing 8
lack Of interest In the new clip in di
rect contrast to the situation at thi,
time during the previous two years
Buyers are In no hurry to start west
Many Who went away IN February and
March Of last year are still in the city
awaiting instructions from head
quarters to - on the move. Mex
month, however, : larger exodus viii
take placs.
Nrcspt for s6od mertnos. which ars
aoazoes ard Ans crcssbseds Tor the
HTAT x - ~ - '&E ~ zNI