The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-31

averaging so cents per head less than
those OF 1885. These transactions We're
based on the low prices of mutton
sheep and lambs east during the early
part of last winter, when feeders were
losing all sorts of money, but the grief
got to be an old story to Utah sheep
men and the bulk of their turnoff went
on the open market and brought the
best prices realized for several years
| In the closing days of the year the top
figures in many moons are demanded
for anything as gentle as lamb. that
| will grow wool, and the fleece off
Mary's pei would bring 20 cents on any
corner in Salt Lake if the little girl
was here and wanted to sell it.
The consumption of sheep in the state
during the year was about 120, 900 head
and there were shipped out 250, 900. The
loss was about $4,000. making the total
reduction in the fiocks about 400, 900
head. Everything is going into winter
quarters in excellent shape and as the
sheepmen have bought and leased lands
and taken other important steps to-
ward extending their grazing privi-
legeS the 200 year, at this time of
looking. promises to be good to them.
The farming people of the state con-
tinue their dislike towards the live hog.
AS an eastern product they take to him.
They eat him and his products and
help swell the importation for city and
mining camp use until the annual sum
expended by Utah for outside ham,
bacon and lard runs up into the mil
lions of dollars. But they won't raise
him-razor- hack or any other sort
except scatteringly. They claim that
there is no market for him-which Is
true in the absence of packing houses
and the packing house people claim
there are no hogs and hence there is
no field for a plant Compared with
few years ago the Swinery of the state
is way OFF in numbers, but the quality
is vastly improved, and prices for
block hogs during the year have ranged
so cents a hundred higher than grunt-
ers have sold for at eastern selling
places.
Improvement in Horses.
There has been a marked improve
ment in the horse business of the state
and throughout the country generally.
The demand for flesh of that sort has
opened up amazingly in the past
twelve months, by which is meant any
kind of horse would bring a price.
Bronchos and cayuses were saleable
with the other and better sorts and the
town and city uses of the latter have
been hard to provide for even at prices
as high as those of ten years ago.
The shipments of this sort of stock
out of the state have not been so heavy
as from Idaha. Nevada and Oregon,
but they have been quite numerous,
and the sales made encourage the hope
of better things.
The volume of business transacted
at the Union Stock Yards is consider
ably below that recorded by the lesseeS
in 1898, growing out of the largely re-
duced movement of cattle eastward !
But the year has been prosperous one
for the yards Notwithstanding, and the /
management finds encouragement for |
the coming season in the thrifty con-
ditior/ which surround the industry
upon which it depends.
The following is a detailed statement |
of receipts and shipments for the years, |
with comparisons:
The accompanying tables show the |
receipts and shipments of cattle at the |
Salt Lake Union stockyards, with COM |
parsons with previous years.
j. c. LEARY.