Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-07
Thc Provision Trade from an East.
ern Standpoint.


The New York Bulletin of Thursday. in
an article on the provision trade, saws:
Evidences prevail that the range of VAL
ues on the product of the hog have been
forced up to pretty nearly the highest
notch they will bear for the present. We
referred week or two ago to some fiour-
ing by which the operators for a rise dis
covered that large exports had taken
place, and at the same time gave the other
SIDE OF the question by stating that all
these shipments still lay awaiting distribu-
ZION at the foreign depots, and that shin.
pers were so entirely without MARGINS
that, provided they could obtain markell
for their goods, it would be much cbaaner
70 sen out than to send forward parcels
coming IN on contract, and that, therefore.
the probabilities of the continuation of the
call on foreign must be accepted very can
uonsly. few shipments have since been
made, some on positive orders and some
10 NIL freight room, ETC., but all the recent
most persistent efforts to give the market
an appearance Of excitement and buovancv
nave failed to break the general apathy If
exporters, and the trade begin to carry
their figuring little further to find ont
where the trouble lays. The eoncInsion
arrived at appears TO be about as follows.
First, that the first movement abroad wos
owing to the cheapness of goods. and
that as soon as the advance here took
place the export on fresh orders stopped
though immense amounts continue to 90
forward on back contract; that there is
enough now accumulated in ENGLAND and
Germany to meet an unusually liberal
call, and that buying for themselves tba
consumers OF the different armies will be
more Ike to operate In an economical and
cautious manner than when supplied by
the governments; that the French in mar
tlcular, after having obtained snouob tn
relieve present distress, will, as usual
ignore the flesh of the swine to a great
extent, and that so far as Great Britain ia
concerned, the increase in the home pro-
ductlon will materially lessen the CON
sumption OF American goods, unless the
rates are kept low enough to admit of free
purchases by the very poorest classes
those who in many districts are COMPELLED
to subsist largely on cheese, etc. instead
OF meat. So much for the position abroad
and now let US look at home. The LATE
advance Itself was SO sharp as to make a
considerable reaction almost positive. to
say nothing OF decided curtailment of all
demands except IN the speculative interest
which Is undoubtedly smaller, while every
day gives evidence Of the large increase of
the crop. With ell the goods sent abroad
and yet to 60, and the amounts taken for
home consumption, there is undoubted
evidence Of considerable larger stock on
hand than for the corresponding period
last year, and the last hog is not in yet by
any means, while the arrivals appear to
SHOW increasing weights every day. Ger
tam grades OF bacon, cutmeats, and posi-
bly, prime mess pork may be fairly sus-
tanned, but there are great many of the
most thoroughly posted operators in the
trade who have serious doubts about mess
pork and lard at current values. Put them
low enough and they will undoubtedly sell,
but with high prices large proportion of
the production must undoubtedly be car
ried over. Beef for some time has been in
a dragging condition, but holders again
seem little hopeful A large amount of
barrel stock has lately been sold, supposed
to be on speculation, and tierces it is
thought will soon be wanted for EXPORT.
Pretty full prices are asked, but as a rule
holders seem willing to meet most outlets
without looking for an advance, the stock,
though not large, proving very fair. Beef
hams did well during the week, and are
somewhat higher. AS we close, the general
market for hog products are slow and
somewhat uncertain, but, on the whole.
the tendency in buyers favor, with the
offerings increasing somewhat, though in
most instances rather quietly made, as
much Of pressure to realize would I'M
1oubtedly cause serious break in values.