Omaha daily bee., 1888-03-25
SATURDAY MARKET FIGURES.
Big Wheat Bears Make Themselves
Conspicuouely Absent.
SHORTS FAIL TO HAMMER CORN.
The Provision Bit Entirely Controlled
by Raiders Cattle Trading
Slow and Prices Weak
Hog Business Brisk.
CHICAGO PRODUCE MARKET.

CHICAGO, March A-TSpecial Telegram
70 the BEE. THE big bears were not promi-
nent in the wheat pit this morning. They
were otherwise engaged. They were ham
mering pork, and IL was the gossip Of the
floor that the same men who had over
whelmed the wheat buyers and driven the
prices down by sheer force OF offerings would
to-day test the speculative pork market, and
II they found it was not supported by Armour
or some equally strong buyer, would try pre-
cisely the same tactics that had been so sue
cessful IN wheat. They made fair progress
In the new enterprise, and it looked for O
time as If their attention was quite with
drawn from wheat. However, when at one
time the latter market showed some signs Of
Improvement and advanced &c, their brokers
were free sellers and convinced the crowd
that the pressure had only been relieved for
a time and not by any means removed. May
wheat opened at 76Hc, sold up TO 1890, held
between that price and 76Ac for some time,
then advanced to 76Tc, fell back TO 7611c and
held between that price and 766c for a time,
then fell to T64c, advanced to 49, and closed
there. June wheat opened at 16A@i6Mc,
sold up to 773zc and closed at TIC,
The corn market opened heavy, and short
sellers tried to hammer prices down, but
met with little success. There were strong
buyers in that market, and when once the
market was turned the shorts were the most
eager buyers, and put the price up sharply.
The switchmen's strike, which, IL was thought
would shut off receipts, was a strengthening
feature, as were the prospective small re-
ceipts, for Monday. The course of provis-
ion prices was closely watched by the corn
traders, and the break there induced consid-
cradle selling of corn. May corn opene@ at
49tk@50c, sold down to 49ss@49S4c, advanced
to SOC, and after q small reaction to 501sc,
then gradually declined to soc, and closed
there at 1 o'clock. June corn opened at 1890,
sold dow to 49X@499sc, advanced to 50A@
5OAc, and closed at 1 o'clock at 491Sc.
Speculative srading in oats was light, but
the market was firm and even advanced a
little. May oats opened at 304c, sold up
to 3018c and closed at 306c. June oats sold
at 3o}Sc,. July at 29s4c and August from 2694c
up to 26Hc.
In provisions the raiders controlled the
market from the start. Concentrating their
operations almost wholly in pork, they
pounded and that article in the
most determined manner. They sold 1t al
most regardless of price, their offerings being
frequently 2H@5c under the figure bid at the
values touch the lowest possible level. For
May pork sold from S13.7711 at the opening
down to $13. 80 and closed at Sl3.3 5 bid. June
pork averaged 213@5c higher than May and
at the adjournment was in demand at
,$13.3716. III days actual decline in pork
was 45@47xc, while in lard 1t was only 5@
TIC and in short ribs 715@10c. Short ribs
and lard were depressed through sympathy
with pork. May lard sold from ST. down to
$74716 and May short ribs from S7.15 down
to $40. Both articles closed at the inside
prices. Jun lard was 216@5c and June short
ribs 7@@10c higher than May, the former
resting at $3.50 and June short ribs at$7.17X.