Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-22
EASTER HENS FAIL
To Furnish the Pittsburg Market a
Good Supply of Fresh Eggs.
THE HIGHEST PRICES FOR YEARS
Dealers Pumping Up Their Rates With
Astonishing Rapidly.
MERCHANTS SAY THERE is NO CORNER

made yesterday in the egg market, and it
was q record entirely new to Pittsburg.
The produce dealers on Liberty street were
telegraphing all over Eastern Ohio, Western
Pennsylvania and Western Virginia for
eggs, and, in fact, they went as far South as
Nashville. There was "corner" in the
market, although there was not produce
dealer along Liberty street who would tell
that he knew of the existence of such a
thing in the egg market.
One dealer was asked at 8 o'clock his
price of eggs to the retailers, and his reply
was % cents. 1t was less than half an hour
later when the same question was asked,
and said that his price had gone up cents,
and then there were no eggs in his store to
sell. So it went all along the street. Eggs
were on the jump and lots of dealers could
only give as explanation that they had not
them for sale and could not get them.
1.-THE explanation O.: this shortage" said
MI. Henry, of Aiken & Henry, sis not due
altogether to the fact that there is great
demand for eggs at the near approach of
Easter. There is a great demand, natur-
ally, but then .here has also been scarcity
that is unparalleled. Last Friday week we
sold eggs at 16 cents. whereas to-day, just
at this moment, I have sold eggs for 30
cents, a rise of cents within an hour This
morning eggs were bought for 70 cents
Out West it is Just the same, Chicago SELL
ing eggs from % cents up.
No Eggs in the Market.
1T claim that there are no eggs in the
market. Last year at this season eggs were
cheap. Dealers who have eggs usually
dump them upon the market the week be-
fore Easter, and the result that naturally
follows is lower prices. The demand in the
East is, of course, great, and Eastern deal
ers have their buyers all through the West,
but they have not been able to do better
than us local people can. Our market Is
usually governed by New York and Phlla-
delphia, but just at present we have to hoe
our own row. A great deal, in fact, nearly
all the trouble at present is due to the tact
that collectors cannot reach the country
producers, owing to bad roads.
"There are farmers, that is the nearby
farmers, who supply grocers. They make 1t
a point to supply their regular customers,
and of course, their prices are not considered
in our market. Farmers are like other
dealers, however, they will hold the product
of the hennery for the Easter market, but
then their supply hardly amounts to drop
in the bucket so far as the demand In this
great big city is concerned.
Wilbert Brothers were hunting all around
the near-about country yesterday for eggs.
Friday all their eggs went at "a cents a
dozen. but yesterday they could not supply
the demand upon them at 90 cents. In an
ticipation of bigger demand next week or
ders were sent to st. Louis, but the answers
were not at all encouraging. The firm was
perfectly willing to pay 30 cents for nearby
eggs, and they were afraid that on Monday
they would not be able to get them at that
price.
Quotations Quickly Changed.
"We are selling eggs for % cents
Dozen" said Grocer George 4. Stevenson
Yesterday afternoon. "Just wait a moment"
he remarked. 'I'll give you the precise tg-
ures." Then Mr.. Stevenson went to a
Young gentleman at one of the counters.
After moments talk he returned and ex-
claimed: "Why, have made mistake;
they are 80 cents Dozen" MIR. Stevenson
said that if they were gong to jump up at
that rate, he could hardly tell where the
price would stop.
"Of course" said Mr.. Stevenson, "the
demand in the East causes a stringency IN
the market here. The demand at this time
of the year is naturally great. The Western
country is secured by their agents, and at
such time as this, when the local demand
is so heavy, the effect is bad. Prices IN New
York are way up, and as the reports tnat we
receive from there say, are dependent upon
Western local markets. My impression is
that eggs will 60 higher the coming week
until Friday or Saturday and then there
will be material DROP"
''There is no corner in the egg market"
said the manager for John Fite, on Liberty
street. 'In order to have had corner the
should have been made a week
ago. 1t is the absolute need of eggs that is
causing the present high price. The roads
are SO bad about here that it is an utter i'm
possibility to reach the outlying districts.
where much of our supply comes from. To
bear out what say in this respect, it must
be remembered that last year at this time
we hardly had the same conditions.
Eggs Affected by the Tariff
t'What has the tariff to do with it? Well,
that is not question that can be easily an
swered here. Last year to limited extent
some Pittsburg dealers got the imported
lined eggs from abroad. The tariff, think,
has stopped the importation of eggs. The
native hen must now do its duty. There is
another way to look at the scarcity of eggs.
Hens must have proper treatment. They
must have pleasant surroundings in order to
be prolific LAYERS. The weather that we had
this winter has been enough to knock out
any ordinary. hen. Weather has great
deal to do with the condition of animal crea-
ton, Just as it has its effect upon man. If
there has been corner it has been caused
either by the weather or by an extraordinary
demand, or BOTH"