Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1872-11-28

DooplUo Tue low pflce6 ruu0g lot
hog products the past two years, the
crop for this season promises to be the
largest on record. The incoming corn
crop is pronounced the largest and
best ever produced, indicated by the
fact that all the States in the Union
except i've, and these not among tho
leading producers, return yield Of
eight per cent. above the average. In
addition to this il IL to be noted that
there 10 IN unusually large quantity Of
last years corn crop still in the hands
Of the farmers; and when it is consid-
cred that they are enabled to realize
more money BY feeding Il to hogs than
BY selling the grain, 3 ready explains
ton Of the magnitude Of The pork crop
Under these circumstances contin-
suation Of low prices would seem to be
. foreg0ne conclusion. Very few Of
the packers, Il Il said, have made fair
profit the last two seasons, the compe.
titioh between the wcStern packing
centers having been 30 sharp that high
et prices were paid to the farmers
than was warranted by the condition
OF the market Most of the hackers
name four cents per pound gross %
the extreme limit that il likely 70 be
paid at the western csnters thia season,
while some think three and + half cents
,ts All thAt the conditions Of the trade
warrant Anything over the maxi
mum price, Il u claimed by the best
auth0ritie9 win prove ruinous to the
packers, since the crop 10 30 over
whelmingly large that the hogs will be
forced OF II any event; while the
money pressure and the new system of
summer curing, win compel packers
to turn oyer their products as soon q
resdy. Heavy contracts have already
been made for bacon for the English
and Continental markets, and most Of
the available steam room 1t this port,
devoted to that class Of freight, has
been secured for the next two months,
at 40s.and 50s. per ton, according to port.
While the sales Of bacon for future de.
livery have been large, both here and
,at the West the tendency OF prices
has been downward, AZ the the season
has advanced. Barrel pork. on the
other hand, has lately ruled higher !;
but this has been largely because OF
cornering operations In connection
with Chicago, facilitated by = reduced
stock Of old moats. Tho circular of 4
Chicago packer says that the shippers
Of stock from the interior to that cen-
ter are completely under the control
Of the commission merchants there,
who can produce . scarcity ora giut,
40 they consider most desirable vet
II the hog crop is so large as 1t is
claimed to be, Il will be impossible to
force up prices beyond the point war.
ranted by the inexorable law Of sup
ply aud demand. Chicago however,
must have her .scorners.S Her enter
prd11ng merchants are nevel entirely
happy nniess TAI. .hsye sosne eieantic
enterprise on hand for The cnrickment
Of themselves and the discontinue or
the rest Of the world, II is true, the
Board of Trade Of that city, seized
with fit Of spasmodic virtue, resolv-
ed, last summer, against Corners" !"
generally, and provided for the admin-
istering of wholesome discipline to
such of its members as should engage
therein; ; but these paper resolves are
esteemed Of small account by the spec.
ulator who thinks that he sees an op-
portunity for making money. If he
can pocket snug pile, even the ex-
treme penalty of expulsion from the
Board has no special terror for him.
In point Of fact, Pork corner in Chi.
cago has been successfully maintained
for several months; but when the new
crop begins to come in, in large quanti-
A. 2 n q