The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-08-06
CATTLE.
Those RI ceived at Chicago Fat but Some
what Soft and Coarse.

lhose hi ceiveu at Chicago rat nut SOihe-
what Soft and Coarse.
Last week Montana cattle made their
first appearance this season on the mar
kets of the east, says the Stack Growers
journal. They are reported as being full
ly as fat as the first lots received in 1891,
but a little soft and coarse. A few weeks
more, however, will give them the re-
quisite solidity and put them in as prime
condition as they were last year at the
opening of the season.
The first arrivals at Chicago from
Wyoming and Utah were pronounced be-
low the standard quality of average
range cattle and as furnishing no criter-
ion of the market.
The receipts of western rangers gener-
ally were considered light. A consulta-
ton of the records of previous years,
however. shows that there is not so
much difference as was supposed. For
the week ending on the Ord inst. re
ceipts were not SO far behind the quaint
ties received during the corresponding
week of the past year; the number re-
ceived at Chicago, for example. during
the former period being about 4,CJO. and
the number received during the latter
exceeding that figure Only by a couple of
hundreds.
The first Montana cattle received this
year met a ready market and sold well.
Buyers complained. however, that they
did not kill as well as they sold. This is
easily understood when we remember
the continued heavy rains Of June ana
July, which made the grass soft and
washy. Some car loads of ows how
ever, are pronounced as being as good as
Montana ever produced.
The arrivals thus far, however, are
scarcely large enough to permit of es-
tablishing a fair range of values. The
next fortnight will undoubtedly see
sufficient quantities placed on the mar
ket to admit Of determining A more re-
liable schedule of prices.
1t is the general opinion that strictly
choice first class cattle will sell quickly
and well, but that there will be little de-
mand for poor, medium or half fat cattle.
These premises we think are sufficiently
established to admit of drawing correct
conclusions. Shippers have sufficient
data to enable them to establish a rule
of action for the near future at least, and
they should regulate their shipments as
to quality on the circumstances now
clearly placed before them. If the
poorer qualities are rushed on the mar
ket indiscriminately with the better
classes, it can only have the effect OF
pulling down prices on all grades-the
superior as well as the inferior
1t would certainly seem to be the par
of wisdom-indeed, we might say of or
binary common sense. to keep the half
fat. tlabby or washy cattle a few weeks
more or the range until the soft anc
watery flesh is solicited into beef of the
prime quality desired by buyers. So W
say to all rangemcn and shippers, sent
J nothing forward but what il first class
\ little judicious delay will not onl,
! prevent individual loss, but Il general de
probation of rates.
1t may not be uninteresting in view o
the supposed abnormal fall in price
within the past fortnight to compare TIN
record Of prices last year with those o
l the corresponding period of the present
. This comparison shows up that price
1 for the same week in 1891 declined 80 t.
- cents while the drop last week was 1
to 80 cents. The last week of July, 1881
prices declined 30 to 80 cents. max
ing SO cents to Sl.25 decline durin!
the last two weeks of last July
Present prices are about 81 lower than
: year ago. That reduction, however, i
= considered as only fairly proportional
! to the difference in quality of cattle re
ceived during the opening week of thi
season and of last. Better quality wi
S bring better figures, and at the risk c
selling monOtonous w repeat, ship onl
good fat cattle; keep your washy cattl
= until they are firm and you half fats ur
til they are fat.