REPORT OF THE STATISTICIAN. 



227 



The raDge of prices per cental on the first day of each month for the 

 last four years was as follows: 



Montlia. 



January . . 

 February . 



March 



April 



May 



Julie 



July 



Au}>'i&st . . . 

 September 

 October. . . 

 November 

 December . 



1873 



60 to 

 00 to 

 00 to 

 00 to 

 50 to 

 00 to 

 50 to 

 25 to 

 £0 to 

 flO to 

 00 to 

 75 to 



p5 25 



5 25 

 (i 00 

 fi 75 



6 50 

 4 25 



350 

 4 12i 

 :{ 6SJ 

 4 25 



|3 75 to $5 00 



2 50 

 4 25 

 4 00 

 2 50 

 2 50 

 2 00 

 2 25 

 2 50 

 2 25 



4 50 



5 00 

 5 00 

 10 

 00 

 G 00 

 (i 00 

 4 25 



4 25 



5 25 

 4 75 



S2 25 

 2 25 



2 50 

 4 00 

 :i 75 



3 75 

 3 75 

 3 75 

 2 85 



2 85 



3 00 

 2 75 



to |4 



4 75 



5 00 

 G 25 

 () 25 

 C 25 

 C 25 



6 25 

 4 25 

 4 25 

 4 75 

 4 90 



1876. 



75 to $4 90 

 75 to 5 50 



75 to 

 75 to 

 75 to 

 75 to 

 75 to 

 50 to 

 50 to 

 50 to 

 50 to 

 50 to 



5 50 

 5 50 

 5 23 

 5 25 

 5 23 

 4 50 

 4 50 

 4 50 

 4 50 

 4 CO 



» 



Sheep products.— Wool. — The wool trade of Saint Louis during 187G was 

 quite satisfactory to dealers. Ellbrts have been made of late years to 

 provide facilities for marketing and storing this commodity. The result 

 has been that this trade has risen from comparative insignilicauce to 

 aggregates surpassed by only one or two eastern cities. The clip of 

 1876 found a stagnant and comparatively demoralized market, the wool 

 manufacture being in a very depressed condition ; 15 per cent, of the 

 looms were idle, and the remainder, with very few exceptions, were run- 

 ning either on short time or at a dead loss. Woolen goods were a drug 

 in the market, and were selling below cost of production. Bankruptcies, 

 in which creditors realized but small percentages on their claims, were 

 of frequent occurrence, while several important mill properties were 

 sold under the hammer by legal process at less than one-fourth of their 

 value. The prospect of marketing any great proportion of the clip with 

 the slack demand then prevailing was gloomy indeed, unless producers 

 would accept of prices low enough to warrant an extensive export to 

 foreign countries. Samples of the better grades were sent to England 

 and Germany for comparison with the ruling grades in those countries, 

 and for designating the limit of safety in purchase of supplies for those 

 markets. Eastern dealers were also solicited to send orders, but they gen- 

 erally declined, alleging that the v/ool interest was in a more demoralized 

 condition than even in 1860, when unwashed wools sold as low as 16 

 © 17 cents per pound, and tub-wools 25 ® 27. Supposing that the con- 

 ditions producing the depression were of a permanent character, they 

 expected to hold the dictation of prices ; but Saint Louis dealers, 

 knowing that ruling rates wore below cost of production, believed that 

 sooner or later those causes of depression would be removed, ami that 

 trade would resume its normal course. They made extensive purchases 

 at market-rates, almost exclusively for cash, and accumulated quite ex- 

 tensive stocks during the period of low prices. The wisdom of this 

 policy demonstrated itself as the season passed on. About the close of 

 June, eastern operators appeared in the Saint Louis market, purchasing 

 at a slight advance upon opening prices. In spite of all efforts to mask 

 their operations, the real state of the general markets soon became 

 known, holders became firmer, and prices went up. IJuring the remain- 

 der of the season an active, steady demand caused a brisk movement of 

 stocks. In May unwashed wool was quoted at 20 © 21 cents, and the 

 best tub-washed brought only 31 ® 33 ; but in October unwashed had 

 reached 29 © 34 and tub washed 42 ® 43, an advance of 25 © 40 per 

 cent, upon the opening figures. The receipts amounted to 6,025,108 

 pounds, against 4.249,307 pounds in 1875, 4,963,417 in 1874, 3,956,212 in 



