Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-06
WEATHER AND TRADE
Threatened Famine of Milk Because
ofShOrt Pasturage.
DEMAND NOW EXCEEDING SUPPLY.
Ice Bills, Butchers Report, More Than Wipe
Out Profits.
VEGETABLES SUFFER FROM THE HEAT
'EMAND NOW EXCEEDING SUPPLY.
VEGETABLES SUFFER FROM TIE HEAT
OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH I
TUESDAY. August 5. 1880


TUESDAY. August 5. 1880 !
Among the effects of the late spell of hot
weather has been a threatened famine OF
milk. Daily receipts in this line by the
different railroads entering the city are not
far from %, 900 gallons. The nearby dairy
men who bring their products to market by
wagons very much swell this amount.
The main artery by which milk flows to
Pittsburg is the Panhandle Railroad. All
along this line for at least 40 miles beyond
Steupenville the milk cans are gathered up at
the various stations in the early morn, and
furnish food for babes and children of larger
growth in our cities. Next to the Panhandle
is the Ft. Wayne Railroad in furnishing this
important article of diet. Large numbers of
farmers have discovered of late years that
there is more ready cash in turning their
products into milk than in anything else. The
wholesale price of milk is 16c per gallon this
summer, and retail price Sc per quart In the
past week or two receipts have declined fully
25 per cent, for the good and sufficient reason
that pasture is burning up. Consumption is
unusually large in hot weather at the expense
of tea and coffee.
Demand Better Than Supply.
Said one of the leading dealers in milk. yes
terday: 1--WE find it very difficult of late to
meet demands of our regular customers. and,
if this hot weather holds up much longer, we
will be compelled to advance prices SO per
cent. To-day's rains are likely to check the de-
mand for milk, since consumers will 60 back to
tea and coffee when weather gets cool But 1t
will take several days OF rain TO restore the
pasture lands to the condition favorable to
good crop of milk" A nearby dairyman who
requires two wagons to supply his customers
here, said yesterday: Il cannot more than one
half meet demands the past few days. and have
been forced to refuse many of my customers.
My cans are not getting in half their usual
work the past week or two. and, If this hot
spell holds a few weeks longer, my trade
will be about wiped out On Monday was
forced TO drop about 40 of my regular custom
ers for the reason that was unable to furnish
the goods. Milkmen have not raised prices,
but will be forced to do so soon II the drought
continues"
Butchers Trials.
Butchers profits are very meager such
weather as we have been experiencing the past
month. What with high-priced ice and losses
from spoiled meat there is little left to the
trade. A Diamond Market butcher said yester-
day: my ice bill for July wiped out all profits
would be happy il my gains for the month
were equal TO the amount 1 paid for ice. My
bill was S25S for July, and only paid little
more than $500 for the whole season last year.
Then / paid IL cents per hundred for ice
and now / pay so cents per hun
dred. The increased cost of ice more
than takes away all the profits of our business
for the past month. The people who think
the butcher has soft snap on account of de-
clining prices of cattl fail to take into account
the heavy expresses and big losses necessarily
incurred in sue hot season as we have had
When the mercury stays around the 80 mark
for a week at time. as has been theicase for a
week past, ice disappears very fast and it re-
quires but short period of contact with the
outside air to put finish to the value of meat
The money made by butchers this weather will
be small in amount as to be hardly worth
counting, and. in fact, believe the majority are
losing money!"
Another department of trade, namely country
produce, is very much affected by the weather.
Southern fruits and vegetables have been CON-
ing to our markets of late thoroughly cooked
by Old Sol Fruit Inspector Kilgore con-
demned yesterday to the garbage pile Sl5O
worth of as fine cantaloups as were ever
grown, but little overripe. Grapes and to-
matoes from the far South have been reaching
our markets the past week in the same conui-
tion.
The same trouble is experienced by dealers |
in tropical fruit. particularly bananas. The |
hot weather hastens the ripening of this fruit,
and large quantities have OF late been thrown |
on to market at nominal prices. The only ques-
non has been how much can be saved out of
the wreck.