Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-14
TRADE MOVEMENTS.
The Situation in Produce Lines is
Good for Consumers,
BUTLITTLE GOOD FOR TRADESMEN.
Vegetables, Fruit and Eggs Lower Than
Ever at This Time.
PRODUCE MARKETS DEMORALIZED
BUTLITTLE GOOD FOR TRADESMEN.
PRODUCE MARKETS DEMORALIZED

OFFICE OF THE PITTsBURG DIsPATCH,l
SATURDAY, January IL 1889.
1t will be seen by reference to the domes-
tic market column, that the new year has
not, thus for, yielded bountiful harvests to
produce commission merchants or dealers
in grain and hay Representatives of both
lines of trade in general talk gloomily Of the
situation. The fact that winter is half gone,
without the appearance of any genuine, old
fashioned cold weather, has upset many Of the
best laid plans.
The season has been an extraordinarily pro-
pitious one for consumers. 1t is many long
year since household stuff in general, could be
laid in at such low figures at this time OF tne
year. 1t is doubtful if eggs have been as low low
at this time for score of years. JOSH Dill
lings once said that laying eggs was the mems
best grip 1t seems that the hen has not lost
her grip this season for she keeps laying on IN
blissful ignorance of the fact that we are IN tne
center of winter 1t is reported that hens are
doing very much as they do in Easter umes,
being obliyious to the fact that Christmas Is
hardly over.
CHEAP EGGS.
Cold storage eggs are selling to-day at l5c
and are slow at that figure Holders who let
their stock go at this price must necessarily lose
a cent or two per dozen. The best eggs in the
market can be had at l9c per dozen in job lots
The ruling prices year ago were 70 to oOc per
dozen and in Thanksgiving to Christmas times
retail prices have been as high as 5O and 6Oc IN
recent wears. A produce commission merchant
reports that eggs have gone up to 1oc within
the last half dozen years at this season oil the
wear. At this date, with l9c as the Jobblng rate
for choice eggs it is evident that the winter
through which we are passing varies materially
from the average winter.
According to uniform precedent, apples and
potatoes ought to bring 81 per bushel, or more,
at this time of the year. In this faith many
dealers laid in goodly supplies in the fall at
prices ranging from 80 to 40c per bushel. With
an average winter, such ventures would have
brought fair profits to those who ventured -,
But this winter has been an exception to all
rules and dealers who laid up large stock OF
apples and potatoes at low rates find them
selves left. as prices are better than they were
three months ago. In the meantime large
quantities have gone to the garbage pile, SUI
tcient to wipe out all possible profits ana more.
THE BOTTOM DROPPED OUT.
A Liberty street commission merchant re-
ports: II never saw such a time in our line at
this time of the year. The bottom is clear out
of trade. A year ago we found ready sale for
apples at So 30 per barrel. Now we can hardly
give the same fruit away at 81 So Over-ripe
fruit which cannot stay long with US is showed
on to markets for whatever it will bring.
Three barrels of such apples for 81 is not an un-
common thing of late since the question with
us has been that or nothing. would be mighty
glad to dispose of every apple have at a con-
siderable loss on my investment. If the weather
had kept up its old-time record, and we had
been favored with a good blizzard or two /
would have come ont all right with my apples
and pot tatoes; but as it is, find myself loaded
down with decaying stuff, and no advance on
prices of last fall. 1t is not once in dozen
years that apples and potatoes are as low in the
middle of January as now. The open winter
has entirely spoiled all calculations of produce
dealers"
One produce commission merchant was found
who is strong in the faith that that stuff is now
being pushed on to the market so strongly that
a scarcity and higher prices are almost certain
in the early spring Said he: I'VE have hard
work to sell our stuff now, but the situation
will be radically changed if we have a cold,
backward spring, as is altogether probable
alter such an open winter. So much stuff is be-
ing showed on to markets of late that feel
confident there will be scarcity of vegetables
and fruits before the new crop begins to come
in. A cold February and March will make this
a sure thing"
The large comforting factor in the trade situ-
alton thus far is that the tradesmen's loss is
the consumersi great gain