Evening star., 1924-04-02
WOOL STOCKS SEEN
! ABNORMALLY LOW
Factories Apparently Making
No Effort to RepIenish.
| Situation Unusual.
BY j. c. RoYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, April Wool stocks
in the mills of the United States to-
day are abnormally low. But manu-
1acturers seem to be making no un-
usual efforts to replenish them. a
decided difference of opinion exists,
9S is natural, as to what this policy
portends. Makers of wooden goods
assert their attitude is due to a de-
termination to avoid speculation in
raw wool and to let demand for
cloth dictate their wool purchases.
Growers, on the other hand, feel that
the policy i'll itself constitutes specu-
lation.
Stocks Of wool at Boston, tho lead
ing wool market of the country, are
down TO approximately 10000, 900
pounds, an unusually low amount. 1t
is estimated that the total supply in
the United States, including mill
stocks, amounts to 26O 900. 900 pounds
The domestic clip this year is esti-
mated by some authorities at $50
100000 pounds. This would make
available for manufacturers this year
about 510,00O,000 pounds, without
considering imports and exports.
against normal consumption of
600, 100000 pounds.
Low Level of Goods Market.
In spite of the prospect of a short
age, as indicated by these figures, the
level Of prices in the domestic mar
hets IS still far below those of other
countries. The activity in the mar
Gets abroad also exceeds the trading
here This has led to the reship-
lnent abroad OF a very considerable
amount of foreign wool, arriving
hero in bond, which had been bought
by American dealers at advantageous
prices.
The Australian and South American
SeSSOnS now are practically over, and
with the exception of the woods
which have been shipped TO England
to be sold at the English auctions,
american consumers will turn to the
domestic wool growers for supplies
ior some months. This fact already
The power clippers now are ripping
through the fecceS OF the Arizona
sheep. and in short time the Texas
woolies' will be running around
without their winter coverings The
wool clipped so far in the southwest
has been shipped largely on con-
Elgnment and these supplies have
been readily absorbed. More than so
per cent OF such woods are estimated
70 have passed already into manu-
facturers' hands Contracting for
wools on the Sleeps backs also has
become slightly more active.
Contracts Let in Boston.
Boston buyers have contracted for
100000 of 1924 spring woods in SUIT
ton and SChleicher counties, Tex.
paying an average of about 40 cents
in the grease for eight months clips
and 40 cents for the twelve months
nyxyfh rs
above prices named there earlier this
YEAR, but the poundage involved is
much greater than in former con-
tracts.
Some contracts also have been sign
ed in southern Utah and even as far
north as Montana at prices only
slightly above the levels of the Bos-
ton market when losses from scour-
ing and freight charges are taken
into consideration. Nevertheless, the
growers feel themselves to be in a
very strong position. This attitude
has been strengthened by the growth
OF cooperative marketing organiza-
tions throughout the wool-producing
states. This move. il is felt, will aid
materially in making Portland, Ore,
p much bigger factor in the trade
than heretofore. The position of the
growers is emphasized by the fact
that the number of spring lambs mar
keted this year probably will show
= decided falling off. owing to the
strong position of wool.
Movement Is satisfactory.
Woolen goods for their part, are
r1ovinG fairly satisfactorily. Mills
are by no means at capacity and the
vorsted plants are far below that
point, but the demand for certain
classes of goods notably thos. for
women's wear, has been steady ard
active.
The influence exercised by the
style for women's suits this spring
has been thoroughly apparent.
A further factor in the wool mar
kets is seen in the announcement
that the British Australian Wool
Reali2ation Associations surplus
stocks, which have been in proce SIS
OF marketing for nearly four years,
now have been practically closed out,
80 that the British cloth makers now
arc dependent largely on the new
woods