Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-26
LOCAL LIVE STOCK.
Full Returns of the Weeks Transae-
tions at Liberty Yards,
VERY HEAVY RECEIPTS OF CATTLE
Brought Sluggish Markets and Reduction
of Prices.
SHEEP AND HOGS DRIFTING DOWN
VERY HEAVY RECEIPTS OF CATTLE
SHEEP AND HOGS DRIFTING DOWN
OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH, I
THURSDAY, April %, 1889.

With returns all in, it appears that re-
CENTS of cattle for local trade are we'll up
to 500 head more than last week. The run
this week is the largest since the middle of
January. when ,2ls were reported. The heavy
run this week upset all calculations of dealers,
and markets were badly demoralized.
Prices were of all along the line. Good
smooth butcher stock, weighing LOO to 1900
pounds suffered least from the depression
Thin stockers and coarse heavy cattle suffered
most. With 500 head above the wants of our
local trade, it is plain that somebody had to
come down. Stock raisers through this section
are not willing to invest in stockers and feeders
at present prices of CATTLE unless at very low
rates In the far West where grazing is
abundant, there is not so much risk in buying
stockers.
In this section, where lands and feed are high
and cattle have been very low of late, there is
little encouragement to stock farmers to lay in
a supply of thin stockers in the hope of putting
enough tallow on their ribs to win profit by
fall.
Calves held up fairly well to last weeks
prices until to-day, when a break occurred by
reason of too liberal receipts. The total run
this week has been l,6O0 head, the largest this
season Prices dropped this morning below &C.
Advices from New York are that cattle mar
kets there are sluggish at lower prices. This
advice had its influence in depressing markets
largest since January, through are the smallest
Through receipts in that month were tully
double the run of this week.
Hogs.
The drift of markets has been downward
since Monday This in face of light run.
Prices are off IOc to-day as compared with rul-
ing rates for the first three days of the week.
The situation is the same at Chicago. The
range there for packing hogs is 81 5O@4 so. A
representative of one of our leading pork pack
ing firms who has just returned from Cincin-
natl reports that the provision trade there is
exceedingly dull. The downward drift of hogs,
in his view. is in accordance with the eternal
fitness Of things, since they have been rela-
lively too high all the past season. There is
very little. If any, margin left to pork packers
cuts that anything is left to the packer for his
labor and capital invested. Said an old timer
in the pracklng trade: Hogs have been
on an average 81 per hundred higher than
they should have been all the past
winter. in order that we could have had a fair
profit in our business. We could generally do
better by buying at Chicago than at Liberty,
where we would have preferred to get our
stock. But with the best we could do in buy
ing there is little left for our labor and capital
invested unless provisions should take a de-
cided turn upward. OF this there are at this
time no signs in sight"
Sheep and Lambs.
With receipts g. 4SO larger than last week, and
nearly 5000 larger than the week before. mar
kets were lower and sluggish. Dealers report
a reduction of &c from last weeks prices
Prime lambs suffered least from the depression
OF markets. Thin lambs suffered most
Following is the report of transactions at the
East Liberty yards for the week:
RECEIPTS.