Evening journal., 1908-03-28
ALL MEAT PRICES
SOARING HIGHER
Scarcity Of Cattle Said 10
Have Caused an Un-
preCedented Situation
LOCAL WHOLESALERS
EXPLAIN CONDITIONS

Retail prices Of meats Of all grades
have increased two cents a pound With
in the last week and it is said that tho
prices are today higher than they have
been for thirty years. Before another
week has gone by It is thought prob-
able that prices will go from three to
five cents a pound higher as a result
Of strange combination OF oircum-
stances y hich has effected :he cattle
raising industry Of this country
Persons visiting the butchers shops
in this city this week for their cus-
tomary supply Of meat. no matter what
It's quality. have found the price m
creased over what they paid for beef
week ago. When they turned to lamb
and mutton as a substitute they found
that the prices for that commodity
had Increased two cents a pound, and
upon asking the price Of pork found
that the heavy demand had increased
that product from one to two cents a
pound, from sausage TO loln roasts and
chops. In the markets on King street.
and Madison street, among the scat
tered butcher shops. and in the three
market houses IN this city, patrons
have been heard asking for an ex-
planation, and the only thing that
could be said by the retailers was that
the wholesale price had increased from
two dollars TO two dollars and a half
hundred pounds. and that the less
70 the dealers in bone and fat was go
much greater in proportion. that they
felt compelled TO make the increase
larger than that made by the whole
saler. Sales in bulk did not call FOR
such proportlonate loss.
A reporter for THE EVENING
JOURNAL this morning called upon
Howard #. Crawford, Manager FOR
Armour & Co., 312 West Front street
and also interviewed Charles W. stasta
Of Wilckens. Stats & Co, wholesals
butchers az 21s Tatnall street and both
OF these dealers who represent the
greater part OF the trade in this line
here said that II was true that tbe
Wholesale prices OF all meats had In
creased. and were likely to 60 stiil
higher within the next week or ten
days
Shortage Of Cattle.
In speaking OF the causes for the
present conditions Messrs. Staafa a.
Crawford said that there was probabIv
no clearer explanation obtainabIe than
the statement OF a few days ago made
by Mr.. Sulzberger OF the firm Of
Schwarzschild q Sulzberger Co. which
concern is not regarded as a member
OF the so-called beef trust.y Mr..
Sulzberger's concern handles about
twenty-five per cent. OF the meat out
put OF the country. He states that
within the past week he has been re-
ceiving kilograms from his buyers in
different sections OF the country re-
porting a great shortage OF the usual
supply OF sheep and cattle. In fact.
they state that they cannot buy one
third Of what is needed. and that there
are no cattle on the farms compared
with what there ought to be at this
season OF the year. Continuing, Mn
Sulzherger states.
A Situation No One Foresaw.
This Is a condition no man in the
business foresaw. although II is per-
fectly plain TO all OF us now. Last
Fail, when the cattle raisers were pra-
pairing 10 put their cattle up for wins
ter feeding and were ready to go into
Continued on Page 4.