The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-14
THE LOW GRADES
TOOK A TUMBLE
PACKING STOCK COULDN'T HOLD
UP WITH TOPS DECLINING.
Creamery Extras and Eggs Ruling
Steady at Weeks Opening Prices
Bad Weather for General Fruit
Trade, Strawberries Especially
Feeling Effects of the Wet and
Cold.

While values top grades of butter
have held to an unchanged range during
the week, there has been an undercurrent
of apprehension among large receivers
that almost any feature might develop
with the chances largely favoring a de-
cline Minneapolis is quotably the same
as New York and cent and half
pound above Chicago. This is somewhat
out Of line with natural conditions, as
freight rates are much in favor of the
local market One or two days the earlier
part of the week the supply was somewhat
excessive, but fine movement set in,
and on Friday several houses were COM
PEELED to go into the open market to
secure supplies for their trade This fact
lent some bracing tone to the situation.
Butter coming is uncertain as to
quality, as Is usually the case during the
change from hay to grass. Several fac
tories whose usual output will grade ex-
tras have failed to show scoring above
Sc to 80 on late shipments. This causes
some trouble to the receivers, as they
are unable to back up sales with the usual
guarantee that the goods sold are extras
Diaries are showing the same streaky
tendency, and top grades in this line are
hard to secure. During the earlier days
of the week packing stock buyers pulled
in their horns by cutting down paying
prices a full cent a pound. Luckily but
little stock was in sight when the decline
showed up, and no great amount was lost
by the shrinkage in values. Quota atoms
on rolls and prints have been withdra WIN,
some members of the butter price COM
mfttee having gotten the idea into their
heads that warm weather was due in the
northwest In May.
The egg situation shows no features Of
note. Prices are holding to a good de-
pendable steady range, with a fair pro-
norton going into stora a1thn will
ingly. The consumptive demand is not
as heavy as formerly and many houses
find their receipts running in excess Of
their outlet in that channel Why values
hold up to present figures Is somewhat Of
a conundrum They are now selling at
about a dollar a case above quotations
the same date a year ago. Production
seems to be as heavy and the outlet no
larger than at that time. Outside parties
are putting away great many cases for
private use, and those people who con-
slider eggs too high to store at present
prices base their deductions on the fact
that such outsiders not being in the mar
ket for eggs next winter will have a ten
dency to hold prices down.
The present low range Of prices on the
cheese list does not have any effect in
cutting down receipts. Arrivals are very
heavy the increased supply cutting down
quotations on daisy and Young America
makes, The low prices are attracting
more than the usual attention Of con-
sumers to cheese, as they are becoming
aware of the fact that pound of cheese
contains much nutriment as pound
of meat, and Is much cheaper.
The poultry list is fairly firm with no
price changes Of Importance. The call
has averaged up to supplies in sight, the
cool weather being favorable to a. good
demand Dressed meats have been on
an extremely poor basis for some time
past, but veal shows signs of improve