, 1885-05-03
THE CATTLE MARKET.
The Past Week Prices Re
manning Firm
And With a Slight Upward
Tendency.
Other Information in Regard
to the Market.
Last week,s cattle Market.

Last Weeks Cattle Market.
Special Dispatch To TUE LRADER.
CHICAGO, May 2,-The live stock mar
ket during the past week has ruled pretty
firm. At the start receipts were rather
large though there did not appear o be
any too many for the demand Still the
trade dragged considerably at first, and
when any change in prices was noticed it
certainly was not in an upward direction,
as one trader remarked, 'the good, solid
quality of the offerings now makes 1000
cattle at this season equal to l,s00 in the
summer or fall. The situation in the
east had undergone a slight change for
the better, but the Liverpool market was
the worst in years. Quotations here,
however, were not materially different
from those at the latter part Of last week.
Extra heavy cattle were the least sought
after. Blocky steers of medium weight
and little shipping steers sold the best
and yielded the most profit to country
shippers. Dressed beef men were liberal
buyers, and got their full share.
Cows and mixed lots were slow in some
respects, but as a rule there was no
change. Gamers and butchers bought in
a generous way, and sales were at about
steady figures. The surplus stock was
mostly inferior, old stuff, and hard to
move at any price.
Stockers and feeders were dull. The
market was rather Literally supplied with
common to medium cattle, and the pleuro-
pneumonia scare made buyers timid. Yet,
as in butchers stock, there was no quota
bic change, and good, thrifty grades com
manded strong prices.
As the week advanced shipping stock
improved. There was a brisk demand ON
seaboard account, and for anything good
enough to send forward sellers did not
find much difficulty in getting an advance
of 0@15c. To exactly what cause the
advance was due it would be hard to say,
as the eastern markets were scarcely
higher than at the close of last week,
while receipts here were nearly equal to
those OF the same time last week, but
buyers were anxious, and up quotations
went, the gain being most noticeable on
nice, fat animals of light and medium
weight. OF strictly choice beeves, not 4
lot came in, and there was a smaller
proportion than usual of the best class
of stock; but there was almost enough,
as exporters could not afford to buy them
while English markets were in so unsatis-
factory a condition, and eastern shippers
and dressed beef operators were turning
their attention to smaller and cheaper
cattle.
In the butchering and canning depart
ment there was an unusually lively trade,
and the offerings of the better grades
sold briskly at slightly higher prices.
The trade in inferior to fair kinds was not
so strong. The market was plentifully
supplied with such, and they were weak.
Offerings included a full assortment of
cows, bulls, oxen, Texans, veals, etc. The
calf trade, by the way, was very dull.
The Texans sold at S4.S7@5.15 for very
common to good fat, corn-fed lots.
In the stocker and feeder trade there
was some uneasiness. Supplies were
large and buyers inclined to hold off.
However, the demand eQualled the re-
ceipts of good to choice young stock, and
it was taken at former rates. Inferior
little cattle were somewhat neglected.
As the week drew to a close shipping
grades became more active than for n long
tina on account of the light receipts and
sharp demand. Buyers were inclined to
hold off a little at first, but when they saw
the situation they pitched in to fill their
orders. bidding up prices another l0c.
Sales were made freely though irregularly,
and the pens were fairly well cleaned each
day. Heretofore the big, heavy cattle had
been neglected, but toward the last they
were scarce and sold stronger.
Butchers stock was active and prices
firm. Good to choice COW and heifers
sold very readily at 5@10c advance, and
even the poorer sorts held their own well.
The market for stockers and feeders
was fairly active for desirable grades,
which were rather scarce. Trade in the
inferior kinds, however, was slow, being
largely confined to yard spectators, and
holders of common, light stock com
planned of the d%ullness,
Closing sales ranged as follows:
Choice steers. 50. 45CaG.00