The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-29

over the price of last year.
That there will be great rise in the
price OF meats within the next two
months seems TO be the universal opinion
of the wholesale butchers of San Fran
cisco.
Beef has been steadily advancing for
the past f, W months and is now from a
cent and half 10 TWO cents per pound
h gher than IL was at this time last year.
The meat men say that il will continue TO
go higher and that the prospect is that 1t
will be higher by January than it has
been for fifteen years.
This Will be good news 10 the STOCK
grower, who for several years has been
selling his cattle al loss Australia has
but recently recovered from one of ner
periodical droughtS and as a shipper of
cattle or sheep Is practically out OF the
foreign comprtition. This mas caused an
increased demand for American cattle,
and Eastern buyers are paying higher
prices ior feeders than has formerly been
paid for beef cattle. Eastern buyers have
gone through California, Nevada AM
Oregon and bought or contracted for by
lar The larger proportion OF cattle for
winter use.
Said a representative of Horn & Judge,
" y
Eastern buyers took over 100000 head
from Southern Oregon and Northern Cali
fornia ami 6j coo head from Nevada. This
year thew nave shipped between &c, 900
and $4,000 head. All the stock cattle
which should have been fattened for This
market have been taken Fast and faltened
in the corn States, where crops have been
abundant. The scarcity Of beef will have
a tendency 10 make people eat more OF
other meats and will have tendency to
raise the price of all domestic food ami
mails"
Sam c. Hammond OF II almond & Brod
expresses the opinion that pr me cuts OF
beef woulI be selling for from % 10 20
GEMS per pound before the winter /. over.
Said he: Beef has been extremely low
for the past two or three years-lower
than il has been for fifteen years-until it
got TO such figure that it has not paid
the cost of production. Beef was selling
year ago tor and ~ cents for good quail
ltv; now ii is and 81 cents PER pound.
The consequence OF Inese low prices h as
been that great many OF the weaker
CattIemen have either sold out or been
forced out of business.
There are seasons for beef, Just as
there are for apples and grapes. Oregon,
Arizona. Nevada are really the grazing
lands OF California. In California the
first cattle commence coming in some
Der. Along in he fall Oregon cattle are
marketed and they last until Christmas.
From Christmas until May again prac-
tlcally the only source OF supply is
Nevada. Now in the East the price OF
corn has ruled exceedin .ly low and beef
has incr ased in value 10 such an extent
that it has been possible for Eastern men
TO come out here and buy our Deef, get
special rates from the railroads and take
them back 20 Kansas, Nebraska and other
corn States, put corn into them and sell
them al profit. range steer will in
crease from 200 10 400 pounds after being
fed for six months or year back there
and as beef IS now selling in the Eastern
markets for from 81 cents 10 81 cents a
pound it is not difficult to see " here the
profit comes III.
"Ca iinrnia cattle are practically ex-
hausted Oregon has had a short crop,
and the result Is that beel is and will be
higher than it has been for wears. OF
course this means a revival of the stock
raising industry. 1t is a great thing for
the cattlemen and will be OF benefit to thu
sheepmen a well, for people will have TO
eat mutton If they cant afford beef"
Reports from Nevada Indicate that the
cattle shipments are the largest for years
aud those who have cattle lett are holding
them in anticipation of higher pr ces
Buyers are offering 6 cents, and are I'M
alb. e to secure many cattle at that price.
The people of San Francisco Will have
to pay dearly for their Christmas beef and
many appetites that have been &C
customed to porterhouse and prime rib
will have to lie satlstied with coarser por-
tons Of the bullock.