The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-05-01
BUYERS ARE IN ouEsT or SMALL
LOTS AS A RULE. a.
DUBIOUS PROSPECTS
One Firm UnIoads Rig Lot Of Wyo-
oming WooI-Prices Favor Buyers
on All Grades Of Domestic Produce
Mills Need Contracts.

Commercial Bulletin. Few buyers
have been in and those present have
been in quest Of small lots as a rule,
the only transfer of size being an ex-
ceptional transaction. One tlrm sue
ceeded in unloading a line of about
1900 bags Of Wyoming wool in the
original bags. Most sales have been
in small lots of 10000 to 25,OvO pounds
each. A few Of $4,000 pounds each
are included. For the moment the
necessities of manufacturers are
small and there is not courage enough
to lay in supplies in anticipation Of
an improvement. in the mill situation.
Low prices are no temptation, for the
feeling among buyers is very con
sentative and there Is no immediate
prospect Of a Strengthening Of values,
supplies from the new clip being in
sight and making the selection better.
The goods market is depressed. New
York reports price reductions and
cuts in the effort to move stock goods,
and no improvement in the demand
from clothiers for fall fabrics. Manu-
,facturers have completed the deliv-
cries Of sample pieces and are now
waiting for duplicate orders. Should
these be long IN coming forward fur
Their curtailment of production is in
evitable. Many mems rel mills are
in need Of contracts and will be
obliged to shut down unless they get
them pretty 500
Situation Depressed.
Both for. the manufactured product
and the raw material the prospects
are to say the least dubious. It is q
disappointment that the Improvement
noticeable early in the month has not
been maintained, The situation is
again depressed and there is more or
less uncertainty as to whether current
prices are on the bottom. The gen
eral list Of quotations is not changed
from last week, but we lower several
grades of f1eeces, the most important
change being that made in washed
delaine to IS cents, at which small
sales have been made this week apd
/ which compares with SO cents, at
which the grade was selling early in
the year.
Prices still favor buyers on practi-
cally all grades Of domestic produce.
Stocks Of foreign clothing woods are
small and for Australian fine merino.
which is in particularly limited sup
ply, there is a show Of steadiness.
The supply of foreign cross4bred stock
has been materially reduced by the
transactions Of the previous fortnight,
but the clearance was only affected
by the sacrifice Of prices, and in all
cases the loss to importers was Sc.
we're.
Conservative Dealers.
Dealers talk very conservatively
about the new clip. Most buyers have
now gone, but their instructions call
for cautious action. Some small clips
in southern Utah are reported to have
been sold at prices ranging from II
to 1874 cents. Experts place the
secured landed cost in Boston al
about As cents, and consider it too
high. Good wool from the 1907 CLIP
is selling here at As to As cents. I'm
less the deadlock between buyers and
sellers is broken the season is certain
to be a long one. 1t will take decided
Improvement here in the east to en-
courage merchants to buy heavily.
The most favorable features Of the
situation are the small mill stocks, the
limited engagements in foreign pri
mary markets Of our importers, and
the fact that the curtailment in the
production OF goods now in progress
is preventing any serious accumula
lions Of the latter. When, therefore
there is q change for the better it II
likely to be quickly reflected in
fairly active demand for both goods
and wool.
Territory Wool.
The aggregate transactions Of thu
week are less than a million pounds
which In normal times would be. con
sidered a moderate amount. The onl.
large transfer is that in Wyoming
wool referred to above, amounting t
about 100000 pounds. The terms ar
private, but it is understoc- the basi
is not far from Soc clean. The WOO
was in the original bags. Anothe
trade in Wyoming wool amounts t
$4,000 pounds half blood on the scoul
ed basis OF, 52kc. Small lots OF Utal
and other clothing woods, fine and fin
medium, have changed hands at price
in the range OF 14@17c, the best sell
ing on the secured basis Of 50@53e
and pood average at 45M48c.