Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-01-23
OUR MEAT SUPPLY.
Rees.r,. a. the Union s,eeA Yards.

Receipts at the Union stock Yards.
1t Is a remarkable fact that the
heavy drain on the cattle stocks In tie
western states during the past year
failed To furnish to the Chicago mar
kets an amount OF meat equal 10 that
sold there in 1881. The report of the
receipts of live stock at the Union
stock Yards shows there were received
in 1882, $3.50 head of cattle more than
in 1881, and an excess of sheep OF 1885,
263 head, while during the same time
there was shortage of 657, $40 head of
hogs and "a ,035 head of calves, reckon.
ing gross weight this would leave &c.
Co., pounds of meat short of the
amount sold there In 1881. Taking
Chicago, the largest live stock center
In the country, as a criterion of all the
markets even with an increasing
population the consumption of meat
was less in 1882 than in the year pre-
ceding. The high prices paid for
meats during the past year had the eff
feet OF stimulating shipments from the
prairie states to such an extent as to
deplete the cattle stocks below the
usual standard, and we must think
that AS there were more beeves and
sheep received than i'm former years,
ana that this excess was caused by
high prices, that the hog crop must
have been drawn on for all IL could
furnish. We know that the grass
states furnished more cattle in 1882
than they can in 1888, and that this
shortage will be fully fifteen
per cent, and unless mutton and hog
products can be very much
increased, the meat supply for the
present year will be still shorter.
While the number of pounds of meat
sold through the Union Stock Yards
was less than in 1881, the money
value was very much greater than in
any previous year.
In 1850 the value of the live stock
marketed was $143, 057 ,626; in 1881 the
value was 1873, 007, ITO, and in 1882, 1896
$40, 22l showing an increase in value
of the receipts in 1882 over that of 1881
| of $l3,662,5ll, which evidences the
fact that just in proportion as the
meat supply of the country grows
short, in that proportion will prices be
| higher. While we do not think we
will have a seven-cent market for beef
this spring, we do think that the
prices for grass cattle through the year
will average better than they did last
We believe that as the question of sup
| ply and demand alone regulates prices,
that as the supply of meat products
will be less in 1883 than in 1882, and
the population greater, we may safely
rely on stronger market throughout
the present year.
In order to keep pace with the in
crease in population, the meat supply
of the country will have to be increased
ut least % per cent. above its present
standard, before we can furnish as
much meat per inhabitant as we did
in 1882, and the present outlook for a
future beef supply, shows no indica-
ton of an increase.
| We have been told that the North
western grass states had large supply
of cattle ripe for market, yet under the
pressure of high prices during the past
year the principal live stock center in
country failed to receive any more
cattle from that source than it did in
1881. We know this from the fact
that Texas furnished to the Chicago
markets more than "a, 900 head of cat
tie in excess of the number marketed
in 1881, and more than the total in
crease in number of cattle received mt
that point in 1882, and we know equal
ly us well that the cattle in those
states were marketed nearly as closely
as they were from Texas. We reiter-
ate that no grass state in the west will
furnish as many beeves in 1888 as it
did in 1882, excepting possibly Wyom-
ing and Dakota, and they have no sur
plus. If we are correct in facts as
stated-if Figures don't lien-we may
safely count on receiving as large an
amount of money this year for n
smaller of cattle IA we did for the
over-run of stock in 1882.