Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-07

The price Of meats here is a 1ittleslower
than twas a few months ago. The only
reason for this. it is said. lis because the
beef trust is busy operating in other
cities, and,s at the present time. does
not care to corner the cattle market IN
Virginia. The prices now are not SO
had, because Southwestern Virginia Car
o1ina. and Tennessee stock keeps coming
into this market. as the stock-raisers do
not want to winter their cattle. When
this influx stops then Will the, prices
jump. It Is said. because the trust con-
trolls the prices in the North and West
When it is stated that prices are not
now. high, 1t means that prices are mode-
rate. when compared with what they were
few months ago. When compared with
the last few years, however. 1t is differ
ent, for in that time there has been a
steady advance commensurate with the
strength of the grip in which the beef
trust holds the consumer. Before the
advent Of this octopus, 1t Is said, whole
sides Of beef could be purchased by the
retailer for about four and half cents a
pound wholesale; lard between five and
six cents; hams about ten or twelve
cents: and eggs at this time Of the year.
from fifteen or eighteen cents dozen.
Now the helpless butcher is forced to pay
six or seven cents for his beef; twelve
and one-half for his lard; eighteen for his
hams. and twenty-three to twenty-five for
his eggs. THIS is because these things
have been either cornered by the trust.
or the trust is in position to dictate
prices.
Ways of the Trust.
They do this in various ways One
method Is to buy everything In sight as
they did in the egg, market, until in
Jersey City, it is said, they have between
600 and 100000 crates Of eggs in cold
storage; in the meanwhile, when the
public does not buy at their figure, they
continue to buy in the fresh eggs and
ship to-. Europe. thus leaving the people
no. choice between paying the high price
and doing without eggs altogether. In a
certain way this helps the farmer. It is
said. as it tends to steady the market,
and In some cases the farmer gets the
advantage of the prevailing high prices
But high prices, 1t is said. are son1e-
what unusual. because the trust pur.
chases their stock when prices are low
and If they are not low: when their buy
ers are on the market then they glut
the market until the prices drop.
Some Butchers Ruined.
The small men. or dealers. are the
ones to bear the brunt Of these inroads.
The consumer protests a little and pays
the fancy price. but the man who is
bucking the trust in his effort to gain
a livelihood has a much harder. road to
travel. There are butchers In this city,
who had hourishing business "a few.
years ago, working eight or ten men
about their counters. Now they are cut
ting all the meat themselves, with the
assistance Of a boy to clean UP and carry
bundles. Fs
The consumer, moreover. now demands
more of the small dealer; he must de-.
liver everything. credit every one. and
clean his meat with scrutinizing care
before 1t goes out; yet in most cases he
has lost such customers as the large
hotels and restaurants, as they are able
to buy from the. trust at a figure which
would leave him no margin should he
handle the order.
e From the last accounts, is reported
that the large firms which constitute the
beef trust, have cornered the butter mar
ket. the egg. market. the lard market,
the meat market. the poultry market, the
potato market. and lastly the apple mar
ket, although the apple crop this year.
was so large that high prices could not
be maintained.