The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-02-03
Better Market Is Evil
dence in Recent
Sales of Raw
Product
ORDERS INCREASE
Decided Spurt in Orders
Noticeable in Recent
Months

slight improvement in the market
for raw WOOL says the federal re-
serve board in it's monthly summary
of business conditions. Going into
detail, the report continues:
"To be sure, it is estimated that
over 70 per cent of the wool clip Of
the San Francisco district is still in
the hands of the growers or held for
them on consignment in the eastern
markets or at Portland, but the late
December wool movement was re-
ported to be heavier than for many
weeks and it was significant that
disposition to make further price
concession was then lacking. A
slight increase in prices Of raw wool
was noted in the Boston market at
the end of December, where the gov
ernment auction of carpet woods
brought prices from to 10 per cent
above those Immediately preceding.
On the other hand, the English gov
ernment auctions during the middle
of January resulted in the sale of
only 25> per cent at open market
rates. There has been an increased
importation of wool tops made in
England, which at current exchange
rates can be imported into the
country and sold in competition with
the domestic products.
There has been no particular
change in the goods market and no
new developments to report, as mills
are still running much below capa-
city. The total amount of wool con-
sumed by manufacturers In the
Boston district in November was only
3S.3 per cent Of the amount used in
January, 1920, the high point of the
period of activity. The Philadel-
phia district woolen yarn mills are
operating at approximately SO per
cent of capacity with about half the
usual number Of employees.
"About the middle of January
hosiery mills in the Philadelphia dis
trict began to receive orders from
jobbers for immediate delivery with
the result that prices of particular
numbers advanced somewhat. Thirty
firms selling to the wholesale trade
reported production for December
(selling price) to be 70.3 per cent
below December, 1919, but 29.4 per
cent greater than in the preceding
month of November. Finished pro-
ducts on hand at the end of the
month (selling price, were also 1873
per cent less than in November, al
tho 57.5 per cent greater than they
were at the end of 1919. Unified
orders at the end of the month (sell-
ing price) were 1874 per cent below
the totals for last December and
23.3 per cent less than at the end OF
November. One of the largest hosiery
manufacturers in the United States,
in the Richmond district, states that
in the first two weeks of January he
secured more orders than during the
entire three months preceding.
"In the underwear industry like
wise some increase in orders for
both immediate delivery and for
early spring shipment have been re-
ceived. The orders for spring de-
livery are very we'll limited, however,
Notwithstanding the fact that the
stocks held by retailers and jobbers
are very small. Eighteen underwear
firms located in the Philadelphia dis
trict report production in December
(selling price, to be 42.6 per cent
less than during the preceding month
and 74.7 per cent less than during
the same month a year ago. Finished
products on hand at the end of the
month, altho showing a slight de-
crease of 81 per cent from the pre-
ceding month, were 474.S per cent
in excess of stocks held in December,
1919. Orders booked during the
month, however, had increased 1873
per cent as compared with November,
but were 1913 per cent below the
totals for December, 1919. Unified
orders on hand at the end of the
month were 5S.6 per cent greater
than in November, but 93.4 per cent
less than the amounts outstanding in
December, 1919.
Carpet and rug mills in the Phila-
delphia district have so far exper-
fenced no revival of demand. A very
few mills are operating at full
capacity for stock. About one-third
of those reporting have retained
their full working force on part time.
The rest are either completely shut
down or else maintaining a skeleton
working organization, but doing
practically nothing. Statesmen sent
out in November and early December
are reported to have been unable to
secure orders"