Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-24
CATTLE MOI SCARCE
Ranges Of Montana and Dakotas
Said to Be Crowded With
Stock.
Farms Also Alleged to Be Well
Filled-.High Prices
Likely.
Marketing Will Be Late But Sup.
ply Will Be Large This
Summer.

Chicago, April 24.-The Record Her
aid says:
Cattle are more plentiful on the
tas than they have been In many years
The increase in the size of the herds
over last year is fully 20 or % per cent,
and the greatest part of this increase
will come to the Chicago market.
Growers are holding off their cattle
until they get heavier. when they ex-
pect to get better prices for Them
This statement was made yesterday
by Emil Ingwersen of Ingwersen Bro
theirs, commission merchants at the
stockyards. who has just returned from
Montana, whittier he went with a party
of Chicago stock men to attend con-
Ventions and look over the cattle situa-
ton. Similar statements are made by
other members of the party.
Ihe range cattle from Montana and
the Dakotas are no mean factor in the
I'VE stock situation. Last year Montana
sent to Chicago 2,79O car loads of cat
tie, South Dakota 4,0SS and North Da-
kota 1851. This year it is estimated
that Montana will send nearly 1000 car
loads. South Dakota more than 5000.
and North Dakota in proportion.
1T looks as if the marketing of good
cattle would be the heaviest in many
years, continued Mr.. Ingwersen. az
Go not expect that we will get much of
the stock before the latter part of July
or early in August, because 1t is not
very fat yet. 1t is a little dry in the
northwest al the present time, and the
grass has not come UP very much, but
1T will be along soon and the cattle will
soon begin to pick up.
The stock raisers are going to wait
until the steers get several hundred
pounds more weight on them than they
now have before they market them.
The qualit.- of the beef will be bette,
and 1t will command a better price.
Just what the prices will be this sum-
mer is hard to predict, but 1 think it is
safe to say that they will run higher
than last year, and then they were at
high-water mark. Stock was marketed
at from $3.50 to s5.25 all last summer.
1t looks as If the advance would
to something like so or rs cents
this summer
What is that advance due to? Well
1t is just in line with the present prices
which prevail. The prices quoted for
all kinds of meats are higher than they
have been In long while, and it is fair
to suppose that they will be carried in
to the summer The demand for beef
this year is abnormal People are eat
ing beef who never ate it before; they
arc prosperous. have the money and
are willing to spend it. Consequently,
with the demand so great and the sup
ply available none too large, it is nat
lral that the prices should run high"
Charles Haas, president of the firm
IF Smith. Haas & Co.. was even more
sanguine as to the prospects for the
coming summer. He asserted that he
lad never known of stock passing thru
such an easy winter. why, they've
used up any of the hay he
said. 1T will be nearly all left for next
rear. The winter has been very open
md the stock raisers have taken good
advantage of the situation.
THE marketing stock this year will.
to the present outlook. be
ully Is per cent larger than last year,
md it will be heavier and fatter cattle
1t that. No. they are not sending it
nto market yet. They are waiting for
he cattle to pick up. Just now the con-
!itions, so far as good grass is con-
.erned, are bit dubious, but with a
title more rain there will be plenty In
few weeks, and the cattle will fatten
10 at once.
"The prices this year will certainly
,e good. They reached a good figure
asst year. but they will likely go still
higher this summer. This of course. In
inc with the prices quoted for every
hing else.
Our conventions We're we'll attended |
nd the raisers seem to be very enthus-
asttc over the outlook. They expect a
.ood year, and are planning to market
heir stock to the best advantage. They
his market"
Reports from Iowa and many of the
ther cattle raising states also indicate
hat there are quantities of good stock
n the farms, but that they are being
.ept out of the Chicago market until
he present high price advances to So \
r more "They tell me-" said the chief
Jerk In the auditors department of the
ynion Stockyards Company yesterday.
that these farmers have plenty of
God cattle. and that thye are holding
if until the apparent scarcity In the
market forces the price still higher. I
ave been told that the large packing
ompanies own great deal of this
took, and that they are waiting
,hile before they market It, don't
now how true this report Is, but far
ners will tell you every day that there
5 plenty of good cattle out on the
took farms. The price must necessar-
v go higher If the cattle don't come in
aster, and that Is probably what they
re figuring on
TO PROMOTE sHlPBUiLDlNe.