East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-10-05

Portland, Oct 3.-There was no
the slightest bit Of excuse for any
shipper of livestock to receive low
prices during the past week, for the
market could scarcely be In better
shape for the payment Of good prices
1t is not idle talk to state that kill
ers and packers Of livestock would
much prefer to pay the highest price
quoted in the market, for 1t Is In the
highest priced goods that the killed
makes his money. There is so much
waste about livestock of any kind
that after II is dressed ii costs the
purchaser more by long odds than II
he had paid the highest market value.
While shippers certainly understand
this and the reason why packers in
sist upon securing a better class OF
stock, they are not shipping any OF
the wanted livestock to market but
are sending instead a poor line OF
stock-something that the killers al
ready have a sufficient supply Of and
for which they can not afford to pay
anywhere near the top Of the market.
High Grain Stops Feeding.
Conditions in the livestock indus
try are peculiar this season. and this
accounts In a measure for the very
heavy blocks Of poor quality sent in
by shippers With millfeeds at the
highest value they ever attained in the
Pacific northwest, and even at this
price supplies are inadequate to fill
the demand, the former feeders are
inclined 10 look askance at this indus
try and wonder whether 1t will pay
TO finish stock or not.
The grass season was unusually late
In putting in appearance and ending
so quickly by reason of very dr.?
weather, that the start Of the season
was almost about the end. The hay
crop in sections is so small that al
though considerable supplies were
carried over in some sections by rea-
son OF last winters mildness, there Is
not a sufficient amount TO brag about
and prices are we'll above the normal.
Many sections will therefore be COM
PEELED to import hay and pay high
values.
Present Prices Are High.
Present prices In the livestock MAJ
ket are rather high in every line ex-
cept sheep. and feeders see no way
they can make good interest charges
by buying high-priced feeds to fatteh
their stock. II is almost certainty
that livestock values will not climo
much higher. but feeds continue to
advance and make the fattening bus
ness a less profitable venture than in
former seasons.
The hog market seems to have
reached its top for the immediate fu-
ture. and during the week there was
a reaction of about 10 cents in the
price of top stuff-such as is com
ing. Hogs have been so high during
the past few weeks that they have al
most gone beyond a packing basis. Be-
cause Of the high price. the wants "
the packers are somewhat more lint,
tied.
While packers are seemingly will
ing to pay last weeks high level for
steers, the run of cattle
In the yards during the past six days
did not bring such high prices Quail
lty. however, had more to do with 1t
than any change in sentiment Of buy
ers.
Following is the general range Of
values on stock ruling in the yards for
late shipments:
IIogs-Best east of mountains, 81
a 7l5; ordinary, s6.75; blockers and
China fats. Sc; stockers and feeders, |
So.
Sattle-Se Select east of mountains, !
steers. $4ISA25; medium steers,
$3.50; ordinary S3.25 best COWS and
hrifcrs, S2.75&3; medium cows. SEA 1
2.25, stays $2.5O63; bulls, So.
Sheep-Best wethers. $3.50; ordi-
nary wethers, s3@S25. lambs. 81;
straight ewes, $3.50; mixed lots, $3.50
1275.
Veal-Choice young calves, $3.50;
heavy and rough, $3,50@4.