East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-12-07
WOOL MARKET STRONG
AS RESULT OF WORLD
SHORTAGE IN PRODUCT
SCARCITY OF SUPPLIES SHOWN
AT ALL CENTERS MAY
BE ACUTE.
All Grades Are Affected-COndltion
Next Year Promise 10 BE Influenc-
cd by Present SltuatiOn-Embargo
Places Portland Mills In Awkward
Position.


PORTLAND. ore, Dec. THE ex.
treme strength OF the wool market or
the North Pacific coast and in the
Atlantic seaboard markets Is not due
TO any local conditions, but to world
wides shortage OF supplies.
That this shortage will become
much more acute next season and will
probably be severe for many years,
is indicated from the reports received
from various portions of the world.
With domestic wooden interests
eager to contract fleece in interior of
the Pacific northwest at % cents a
pound and even better reports heard,
the price of wool promises to make
entirely new high records during the
1915 sales season.
The following report Of the foreign
situation. which comes from Theodore
Jaeckel. United States consul at Stav.
anger. Norway, is OF vital interest:
The embargo placed upon the ex-
portatlon OF wool by England, which
country prior to the war supplied all
the wool consumed by the wooden
mills in Norway. has placed the local
mills In a most awkward position.
Unless the situation can be remedled
in the near future, either by lifting
the embargo, at least so far as the
expectation OF wool TO Norway is con-
cerned. or by the success of the ef.
forts to procure wool from South Am
erica which are now being made by
the wooden mills. the latter will soon
have to close down. In this district
it is stated that none OF the mills
have a supply in hand sufficient to
last more than two months.
\ meeting OF the textile manufact.
urers Of the country was called to dis
cuss the situation and to take con-
certed action in this extremity. at
Christlania. 1t is believed that the
proposal will undoubtedly be made
to send a representative to BuenosI
Ayres TO purchase wool in large guam
titles for the mills here.
In the meantime the Norwegian
government is endeavoring to per-
suade the British government to lift
the embargo on the expectation OF
wool to Norway The Norwegian
government also has placed an en-
barge on the expectation of wool and
wooden goods, and all wool brought
into the country will therefore be
consumed in Norway. The manufac-
turers have sent to the Norwegian
foreign office their untitled contracts
for the purchase Of wool in England,
in order to facilitate an exchange Of
views between the two governments
concerning the lifting of the embargo
as to exports to Norway.
One of the owners and the man
ager of a Norwegian woolen mill, a
Yorkshire man with generations Of
experience in the wooden industry be-
hind him, and with large connections
in Bradford, states that at the last
sale held in London, some years ago
no Argentine wool was offered. and
very little Australian; that the Ar
gentine clip generally comes into the
London market in September and
october. and usually quite blt'of the
Australian in October, though the
bulk of the latter clip is not offered
until December. At Bradford he was
informed that no reason could be as
signed for the failure of the Argentine
clip to come into the market, nor
could he learn of any shipments from
South America in the near future. He
Expressed 1t his opinion that unless
large shipments of wool reach Eng
land soon the British embargo will
not be lifted until the British clip is
ready for market next summer. He
adds that the Norwegian clip is prac-
tically useless for his mill "a yarn
factory. owing to the uneven charac-
ter of the wool as to length and to
its bristlelike hardness. 1t is used
chiefly in the manufacture of the
cheaper grades of cloths, blankets,
etc. This mill manager himself has
only sufficient wool on hand to last
another six weeks and will be glad
to hear from American dealers who
can supply him with "tops." He Is
prepared to take 100000 kilos (22,'
400 pounds) per week until July. and
will pay cash. The wool should be