Mower County transcript., 1899-08-23
THE VALUE OF EGGS.
The Money Spent on This Product up
in the Millions.

There is mucn interest among, Chi
cago commission men as to the
amount of eggs which will be in the
coolers in that city this season. 1t il
estimated that the number will con
siderably exceed last year, and esti
mates are made that run from 6UO ,OOC
to 100000. It seems that there has
been a larger storage there because
freight rates have been so firm all
season that no such amount of ship.
ments were made East as we're made
last year. The firmness of the egg
market has been very satisfactory to
those who stored eggs. April and
May eggs went into the coolers from
II to l3c. OF course these are the
best quality Of eggs and will be worth
probably Is to TIC early in the fall
The feeling on eggs is very strong.
In a recent issue of the New York
Commercial appeared the following
article on eggs which is Of vast inter.
est, and throws much light on the use
Of eggs:
Last year receipts OF eggs on the
New York market were over 9O,OOO,-
900 dozen, but the receipts for the
first six months of this year show a
decided falling off, New York is the
largest egg market in the world and
last year handled over $4,000, 600
worth of eggs, figured at the average
retail price Of 20c
1.-THE calico printing interest used,
it is roughly estimated, over 4O,OO0,-
OGO dozen eggs annually, while the
coffee roasters, Photographic trade.
tbs cracker and biscuit combines, and
the chemical trade consume twice as
many. In fact, the groceries are to-
day compelled to compete in the gen.
eral market against buyers from a
dozen manufacturing interests. The
leather and leather product trades
are also extensive users of eggs for
tanning and refining purposes. as are
also several patent food concerns.
! Wine and liquor jobbers find. the egg
Indispensable in; 'finding,' ana in fact,
when all the other interests have
been supplied the groceryman is in
| deed fortunate il he gets what he
needs.
"America last year exported over
$2o,ooo,0oO worth of eggs, but the
American egg had hardly any show in
this case. French, German and es-
pecially Canadian eggs reached these
markets to the exclusion of the Amer
lean article. This is principally due,
say the leading dealers, to the fact
that under the present tariff, Canada
being unable to ship eggs to this
country, ships them to Europe. Un-
der these conditions, even if the
American supply was in great excess
Of the demand, which it has never
been, competition with Canada would
be out of the question.
"The extent of the egg business,
though it is not generally known, in
this country is larger than many of
the supposed great Industries. The
profits are much smaller and the
transactions quicker upon the aggre,
gate. The egg business is one of the
most important and extensive in the
country. Last year slS. S.0OO,O 900 worth
Of eggs were handled in New York
alone, while Chicago, St. Louis and
other markets together, would prob
ably more than double this figure
The manufacturing interests bave
had a great effect upon the egg mar
ket, but the demand for the table is
growing heavier every day. Farmers
are learning this and chicken raising,
which few years ago was practically
neglected, is now becoming as much
of an industry as hay or wheat raising
and much more profitable.
1.-THE New York Biscuit Co. buy
1900 dozen eggs week or 16, 900 dozen
month, while the innumerab ble
small and independent concerns buy
as many, all in the local market.
Outside of New York these and sim.
liar interests are also heavy buyers,
as in the instance of the calico print.
ing trade, which buys from 5000, 900 to
|8.0o0,0 600 dozen eggs year on the New
York market. Statistics show that
these trades alone use over 10000, ,OO0
dozen annually, buying mostly in the
New England markets. Dye manu-
facturers are also extensive buyers of
eggs, as are the confectioneries and
bakers. The commercial uses of the
egg are numerous and in dozen
trades it is found absolutely indispen.
sable.
"The egg is much more important
factor of commerce than most people
believe. In only one instance has
there substitute for the egg been
found, and that is In the manufacture