Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-12-15
CATTLE MARKET WEAK
Trade Was Weak and Sluggish,
Though Prices Held Large
ly at Mondays Level
MOST GRADES SOLD SLOWLY
Some Very Choice Handy Weights
Were Disposed of Readily-Weather
Had Some Effect on the Market =
Receipts of Hogs Were Large and
Prices Declined.

Chicago, Dec. 15.-Cattle-A run OF
nearly 5000 followed Mondays large
arrivals and offerings of every class
We're in large enough supply to hold
trade in weak sluggish condition
though prices held with hardly quot
able decline from Mondays level, which
for the bulk offered is at the bottom
of the season thus far. Plain steers
choice class continued to drag with Il
supply almost constantly double the
outlet of stuff. Some very choice handy
weight sold quite readily, but COWS
and mixed stock and stockers and
feeders We're slow of sale at last week S
late prices. The weather was too cold
for much trading in those lines.
Trains belated by the storm caused
lare arrivals yesterday and buyers
mostly sat around the stoves until late
In the day and did not seem overly
anxious for cattle then. The time has
arrived, say old experienced traders,
when country shippers should take
heed OF the warnings sent out from
here in the paAt month or two in re-
gard to shutting off Of the over
whelming receipts of big heavy steers
OF fair to good quality, and also COM
mon and fair lots Of medium weight
heeves, as the demand for that class
OF stock mas now narrowed down TO a
very small point, and any continued
heavy marketing of such will likely re-
suit in further decentralization of the
trade. Local packers have long
claimed that their coolers were chock
full of beef from carcassea of big heavy
pounded values for that class of steers
severely, as have also eastern buyers
as we'll
Hogs.
Receipts were much larger than last
week and todtiy's prices were down At
the reduced range noted late yester-
day, or below the best time that
day, for the bulk of offerings, tho SOM
prime medium butchers sold at 40
today. The general average of the mar
ket, quality considered, was about 3
lower.
Trains yesterday and today were
generally delayed by the severely cold
weather and were strung out all day.
First bulletins gave hog receipts as
$4,000, but later and before the mar
ket got fairly started the number was
raised to $4,000 and $4,000 to $4,000
vas claimed in some circles.
OF the a02.423 hogs arrived last
week there were only 1896 head taken
for eastern shipment. .eaving ls4,477
bought for local slaughter.
The average weight of hogs last
week was 224 pounds, against 22o
pounds the previous week and 2lS
pounds one year ago.
Sheep.
Slow and generally steady. but heavy
western sheep had fairly satisfactory
tone. There was a keen demand for
choice fat lambs and they sold readily
at 10 cents higher
General tone of trade in lambs was
very good from start to finish, only
some of the palmer medium lambs and
the coarse heavy lots that lacked
quality dragging on the market at any
time.
Temper of trade in general this week
is better than late last week.the handy
weight wethers and yearlings selling
quickly at steady prices. and the good
fed western wethers meeting with
much better demand than during the
last half last week. Some of the
choice fat lots OF los to 115-pound
western wetaers sell at 1915. and other
good to chbfce lots at s35oMs.65, while
the good western yearlings go at $500
m4.25. and some very choice handy
weight yearlings UP to $3.50 Western
ewes OF a good to choice class have
sold Mt ss.00@3.15, and some mixed
ewes and wethers at 1925. some light
gearing ewes making $685.. Native
ewes sell more readily than late last
week. tho the heavy lots are still rela-
lively SLOW sale.