Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-29
Receipts Were Not as Large as
Expected Monday and
Buyers We're Active
OF 10 FOR GOOD TRADE
Choice Fat Were Scarce and Few Were
Good Enough to Sell at 5.5o-The
Quality of Offerings Was Very Poor
Generally-Hoss In Ample Supply
and Prices Lower.

! Chicago, Feb. 29.-Cattle = Todays
receipts are hardly as heavy as most
traders expected and shippers and en-
porters with urgent orders to fill and
scarcity of cattle as they needed. We're
compelled to pay 10 advance for many
good cattle. Choice fat were scarce.
few here being good enough to sell up
to $50, the general quality offered be-
ing the poorest seen here in many
weeks Light, half-fat steers and
butcher stock were in heavy supply,
but were SLOW OF sale. as were stock
ers and feeders.
The majority of the medium grades
Hover at the end OF last week than
at the finish of the week before. Dur
| ing the week the plain light steers did
not change much. being already low.
and they are now selling fully as COOL
as they did a week ago. There were
more light habitat and warmed up
cattle sent 10 the market last week
than usual. and entirely too many TO
suit the demand. Most of these cat
tie should have been retained. in The
feed lots and given q good daily allow
ance of corn for the next three
months, but 1t Is evident that their
owners did not have the corn, or did
not care to invest in 1t at the pres
ent prices. Thousands of cattle are
being sacrificed that many think will
be needed later on, when the supply
OF fat steers gets exhausted. About
the only thing that will stop this in
ordinate flood OF half-finished cattle to
market Is a sharp upturn in the prices
substantial enough to give feeders con-
fidence in the future. This cannot come
however. IL the supplies are contin
ually dumped in here in such big
quantities. Out of $4,000 cattle re-
ceived this week not 5000 head We're
well enough finished to suit buyers
who wanted cattle of good weight and
finish. On the other hand there Was
a great surplus OF the common stock
which killers had hard work to find
a place for.
Today's supply was ample for the re-
qurements of Monday trade. Packers
were bearish as usual and held their
bids l0@15 below last weeks late
prices. while SPECTATORS and shippers
bought some hogs at 5@10 below Sat-
urday's prices.
The weeks hog, prices Were the
highest in over four months, with ev-
cry Indication of steady to higher
range of values, especially II the ten
dency Of provision prices keep on the
up grade. which is altogether likely,
owing to the very high prices prevail
ing for the general list of cereals. 1t
is generally conceded that packers
have. a good working margin in hogs
at current quotations for the live AMI
manufactured product. Desirable
packing hogs are now quotab1e AROUND
$3.50, with May pork selling over the
S16 mark. and May lard and May ribs
around SIS. These prices, OF course,
have been caused by n wonderfully
good consumptive demand for all kinds
of product and, in sympathy with the
active speculation in wheat and corn.
Everything depends on the preselt
war scare, and yet many people on the
board of trade are counting on future
high range of prices, regardless of the
situation In the far east. figuring that
the country is loaded to the guards
with grain and provisions bought at
a comparatively low range of values
placing them in a position to take on
more stuff on all bad slumps in the
near future market.
Sheep.
There was a good general demand
and prices were steady.