Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1893-02-02
ksS|IA19o5r:$4e;Stock
asss AZ. Atp EaRfIlags
PRICES WAY UP.
From Orange Judd Farmer.


marilv due 10 legitimate causes,
y though beard of trade manipu-
lation has been largely RESPONSE
BILE for the wild fluctuations in
hog product. Even the strongest oppo-
nents of the Washburn anti-option bill
would hardly make the claim that the
price of pork would move up IS cents
barrel in single day through legitimate
causes, yet this is what has occurred
more than once within the last few
weeks. The spectators in farm pro-
ducts has long had an eye on the provi-
sion market, and shrewd men like p. ID.
Armour, Charles Wright, and the Cud-
ahys have loaded up heavily with pork,
while N. X. Fairbank has been improv-
ing the time by accommodating big hold
ings of lard. This has been going on
for long time, and these men have
taken the cream of the profits, while the
farmer has secured fair returns by the
great jumps in prices for hogs. Last
Saturday. January Z, pork for May de-
livery sold on the board of trade at SIS rs
barrel, an advance of $2.35 in single
week. Lard and ribs showed similar ad-
vances, while choice heavy hogs rose So
cents per 100 pounds, selling at $7.S5
The two men who have made the most
WOuCy NY uuC UOOlu III DIONlSlOHS
John Cudahy and Charles Wright. Pork
which Wright sold last week, netted him
5000 barrel profit, if not more. "Since
the November deal in ribs failed" said a
prominent operator on the board, "Char
lie Wright, Cudahv and Robson have
cleared nearly 81 000,0 900 in mess pork"
These men noticed the falling off in hog
receipts at the stock yards here and at
other packing points at that time, and
quietly began buying pork. They have
bought all they could get from $13 up
And as a result the market was virtually
cornered as they controlled the cash
product. N. K. Fairbank has carried on
a similar operation in lard and is credited
with having cleared $500.000. These
three men have actually been controlling
the prices of pork, lard and short rib
sides in the markets of the world. What
course the market will pursue in the
future is difficult thing to predict.
Cudahy and Wright have disposed of
enormous quantities of pork, and Wright
claimed on Saturday to have sold his last
barrel. On some days Wright sold as
high as 10000 barrels, and some of the
pork which he sold between $lS and $40
cost him not over $l2. Wright says lit
does not care to buy any more pork
around present prices, but the popular
impression is that the clique will run the
prices up to 500. This can be easily
done, as the h"gs are not to be had at any
price, and stocks Of product in this city
are unusually small, being 154, 900, 0OC
pounds less than year ago. Up to JAN
uary l there was shortage of million
hogs for the packing season in the Chi.
cago market, and other markets show q
corresponding falling off. The statement
of the members of the clique that they
have sold their pork all out are doubted
by many, and the country is large buy
er daily. The heavy rains of last spring
were destructive to young pigs, and il
the lowland sections there was such {
falling off in tt corn crop that farmers
had no feed. Chicago packers and east
ern shippers are competing for the choice
droves of hogs. and the supply is sc
small that some of the packing houses
have been obliged TO close and thousands
of workmen have been discharged. The
quality of the hogs is deteriorating, anC
the receipts are about the poorest seer
since the opening of the present packing
season.
Country packing houses are closing VI
and many people are predicting that hog
will advance to SO per 100 pounds. O.
course the high prices for provisions can
not fail to result in lessened consump
ton, and this is like ly in the end to brins
about reaction in values. Bacon, han
and other hog products at ruling price
are luxuries and are too dear for many
people to indulge in. The southern
states are usually very large consumer
of western packed provisions, but alread!
their purchases are falling off. Sem
Chicago butchers are now charging 2
cents pound for bacon, at which price
it is as dear as the choicest game.