Evening journal., 1893-01-09
COLD WEATHER PRICES
Fish, Oysters and Vegetables
Going Up and Up.
WHAT MAKES BEEF AND PORK HIGH

Reasons Assigned by Wholesale aud Re-
tail Meat Merchants for the Marked In
crease In These Important Articles Of
Food-No More Oysters From Maurice
Cove for a While.
The effects Of Jack Frost's visit in this
locality which has been keenly felt bv
Wilmmgtonians for several days, has
proved severe to dealers in fruit, fish and
oysters, particularly the latter.
Fresh fish are very scarce, rock fish
selling at % and 30 cents, and white cat
fish have taken jump to 10 cents per
pound The oyster merchants now have
to depend solely on the Chesapeake for
their supply, except few who happened
to have stock Of Maurice river coves on
hand before the storm came. These
beds are now covered with ice aud will
probably be inaccessible for some time.
Now, it is said should the present
bitter weather continue, dredging in the
Chesapeake bay and its tributaries will
have to stop. Therefore, continued cold
weather may check Wilmington's OYSTER
supply and the welcomed blne points
will have to be dispersed with at the
supper.
The supply Of pork in this city. as well
as elsewhere, is becoming limited and
prices have risen, both wholesale and re-
tail, within the past two months. Beef,
out Of sympathy, is keeping company
with pork although the prices are not 50
high proportionately
An official at the establishment Of the
Wilmington Abattoir and Storage Com
pany replied TO an inquiry concerning the
markets. Family mess pork two months
ago was S17 per barrel, now it is $50.
There has been in the past summer a
scarcity of pork throughout the United
States and Europe. In these two coun-
tries for several years the pork supply
has been considerably more than
the demand Within short time mat
ters have been reversed owing to the
cholera among hogs in this country, and
an unusually small supply in European
countries. The exports TO foreign coun-
tries have BEEN proportionally larger
this year than In the past.
"Our markets are ruled by the Liver
pool markets in Chicago, lust as they are
throughout the United States For the
year ending December 81, 1892, there
were ON hand in the Chicago markets
1915 tierces of prime steam lard
against 60, $50 for the previous year;
difference OF 90 075. OF mess pork
there was 54.474 against "a, 047 barrels
in 1891. Short Rib Middles, IA, 974. .O76
pounds against 81, ,402,S67 the previous
period
"The meats that effect this market
| principally are hams. These, with all
the others. will likely advance to greater
prices with no telling when they will
come down. The supply in Chicago on
December 3 was 20, ,724, 1888 against
40, $50 $50 in 1891 Picnic hams were
piled up to the number of 1884, 688
against 6,2i65 5S7 a year previous.
'Ihe total stock Of provisions on hand
IN Chicago on December 81, 1892, was
1913, 9s6, 600 pounds less than one year
ago.
"The wholesale prices here are to
l2 cents per pound. They are lower
than the New York and Philadelphia mar
kets, and as a rule always have been"
In the beef department of this estab-
lishment, the reporter was informed that
out Of sympathy, the prices Of beef had
been increased from TO 4 of cent per
pound wholesale. Usually the price Of
beef was low when pork was high
Among the retail butchers Berman
Bros, reported that pork during last
week was i2i cents per pound but would
advance to 10 this week.
B. X. Gudgeon, another pork dealer
gave the following quotations: hams
we're now 10 cent per pound an increase
from 10 and Ia; pork chops, IA from II;
sausage l2 from 10; lard. 13 from 10
boneless shoulders, 13 from 10; plain
shoulders, 10 from 10. These prices he
said would advance materially. during
this week. The prices in Second street
market were lower than those Of the
Eighth street market and also of those
Of Chester, Philadelphia and New York.
A. J. Kooch, retail beef dealer, said
that the Wholesale prices for beef had
been advanced upon the retailers, from ,
TO cent pound. It was partly out Of
sympathy for the raise in pork, and also
because OF the scarcity of Texas cattle.
The trade have to rely on home-raised
cattle when the Texas becomes scarce.
He said the prices this week would raise.
The present prices of beef were: Sirloin,
20 cents per pound; rib roast 20; rump
steak, 16; round steak. IA.
The prices of produce as quoted by
commission merchants have been ad-
vanced and they are now at wholesale. /.
Apples, 50. 75 to $32 barrel: potatoes,
5 bushel; sweet potatoes, 75 cents a
basket; eggs, S2 and 34per dozen; butter,
35 to 80.
Energetic Christian Endeavorists.
The Society Of Christian End eavor Of