Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-27

The prevailing high prices of meats in the
markets, especially of beef. cause bitter COM
plants among housekeepers and retail butchers.
In conversation with Tribune reporter. 7. C.
Eastman. who is one of the largest shippers of
cattle from this port to England, made this ex-
PLANTATION:
''The effect of the present high prices will be
to stop the exporting of cattle, for the reason
that steer is worth to-day more money in New
York than he is in London, and until change
takes place there will be no cattle sent abroad
except by shippers who have contracts to fill
and can't help themselves. / think the
price OF cattle is largely due to the
scarcity Of corn. Every spring, between
nay and grass, there is an advance in the price
of stalled cattle, but several causes have COM
bned to put the rise this spring far beyond that
OF previous years. The west is the great reser-
voir from which we draw our meat and the sup
ply wanted by New York and the seaboard cities
mas 0een greater this year than ever before, not
only for home consumption, but also for expor-
tation. The states east of the Mississippi.
which in former years have raised q surplus of
cattle. (Which they sold in this market). do not
now raise more than is sufficient for their own
consumption. and they have 40 Stalled cattle,
except few fancy lots that reached here from
Ohio and Kentucky-not drop in the bucket.
There were driven through on the trail from
Texas last year nearly 100000 head of cattle
Usually the stock cattle from these sum-
mer drives from the southwest are bought by
the ranchmen of Wyoming. Montana, Colorado
and the northwest. and the three and four-year-
old beeveS are taken by farmers in Missouri.
Illinois, Iowa. Kansas and other corn-producing
states. fed through one winter and sent into the
market In the spring. This Is the source from
which We have in previous springs drawn our
cattle. Last summer the drOuth nearly de-
stroyed the corn crop in those states, and what
the drouth left the Spectators bought I'D and
cornered, and the result was that drives from
Texas were taken almost entirely BY packers In
ST. Louis and Chicago and the ranchmen, while
the farmers, to whom we are looking for our
Stalled steers, shake their heads and point to
empty corn bins aud empty stalls. There is the
history of the rise in nut she'll"
when will relief come In the shape of lower
prices?"
g had expected when the demand for expor-
tation had ceased that prices would fall, but
they have not done so to any great extent, and
| suppose from that that no relief can be looked
for before the grass-fed cattle begin to come In
which will be in about q month. Prices are
bound to go lower, and think the result will
be giut after the scarcity-at least that is
usually the case. / shall begin exporting again
when the grass cattle come In. The cattle from
the distiileriee viii be coming in also. The cat
tie that have been reaching here lately have been
OF inferior grades. Steers that should dress $50
There will be some; but not very great, fall in
prices, until good crops come. and every farmer
can feed cattle properly and put good cattle on
the market. do not think the supply of cattle
is running short In this country. There are
plenty OF stock cattle here, and it win not be In
my lifetime or yours that the price of beef in the
market will be influenced by the scarcity Of cat
tie to be bought It is scarcity OF corn"
The tug OF war, said a retail butcher, 'falls
on Us with the present high price OF meat. The
drover and the wholesale butcher 60 along up
with the price and reap their percentage, while
we, who deal directly with the consumers. feel
the effects. There are from $50 to 900 pounds
OF choice cuts on a beef and the only way we
can save ourselves is to put up the price on
these parts; for the class Of trade that buy them
must and will have them at any price, although
they do great deal Of kicking The
poorer people who buy the neck ends of the
ribs aud inferior cuts must either pay the old
price eat less meat, or go without entirely; so
we let them have their meat at the usual rates
and make it up on choice cuts, which are conse-
quently One-third higher than they were at this
time last year. Even at that we are losing
money, and If the market should keep up many
Of the retailers scattered throughout the city
will be compelled to 60 out OF the business
Last week was lucky to get off S6 short"