Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-04-05
GENERAL DECLINE, WITH PRICES
FULLY TEN LOWER THAN
LAST WEEKS CLOSE.
HOG PRICES WEAKER
AND CLOSE S LOWER
Offerings Were in Moderate Supply,
But Demand Was Not Urgent, Tho
Many Early Sales Were at Steady
Prices-GeneraI Lack of Demand in
Sheep Market.

| Chicago, April 5.-Cattle-The gen.
eral trade tended toward weaker prices
and was of an uneven character.
Butcher stuff Jared little better than
steers, and buyers We're more active
on cows and heifers of quality, than
any other sort on sale. Prices were
fully 10 cents lower than last weeks
close, and in some instances, even
more.
Conditions do not indicate any per-
manent improvement until after Eas-
ter. since this week beef consumption
is expected to be lower than any week
thus far this year. Easter week is
generally poor one for the beef sellers,
and until the fast days are over the
moderate supplies which coolers hold
are expected to prove more than ample
| to ill demands.
Industrial conditions east continue a
bear factor in the trade Shippers have
all along claimed their purchases were
costing too high in consideration of the
poor outlet for beef in eastern quar-
tiers. However, the market has re-
manned on a comparatively high basis
for the past few weeks, not meeting
very serious breaks Shippers contend
that the great majority of workers in
the east are unable to pay the prices
which are asked for beef STILL soma
how, the moderate March supplies
found an outlet, and under fair April
volume of marketing the trade gener-
ally is not apprehensive of any very Sc
, rious declines but, on the contrary,
there are bullish expectations in many
quarters with respect to prospective
trend of values for the better grade
beeves.
Hogs.
Hogs We're in moderate supply, but
demand was not urgent, and prices
gradually weakened and at the close
We're 5 cents lower Many sales made
early We're at steady figures, especially
among light weights. Packers were
fair buyers, at a decline, taking most
Of the mixed classes offered.
Ordinarily trade in lard lets up along
in February This year it is continu-
date consumptive needs, both at home
and abroad. This trade condition Is
due to the fact that distributing agen-
cies pursued a hand to- mouth buying
policy all winter on account of wha.
We're regarded as excessive prices. The
/ consequence is that dealers have
bought nothing ahead and are COM
PEELED to keep in the market every
I &c
| leaves short sellers with little argu-
ment other than that prices are high
and they are not able to accomplish
much on the bear side of the trade.
Stocks of lard are not heavy and the
drain is constant. Prices are high
ienough to force substitutes into con-
sumption, but every pound Of genuine
lard packers have on hand or will make
during the summer packing season will
be needed to supply consumptive de-
rnald
Not including last Christmas week
the run of hogs here last week was
smallest in six months, the total at
| 126,30o standing about 5000 below a
year ago and 1850 under the general
average of the corresponding week
during the past ten years. The average
weight of hogs received here was esti-
mated at 2os. or a fraction less than
previous week. 4 lbs lighter than a
year ago, q lbs lighter than two years
ago, and II lbs under the average of
the past ten years, compared with the
corresponding week.
Barring the week of Sept. 10. 1908,
when the average price was 7.0S, the
weeks average at 697 was the highest
in over two years, or since the week Of
Feb 29,1907. The weeks average at
6.97 was 2.66 higher than low week of
| 1908, which was in February, and sec
higher than the corresponding week a
year ago.
Sheep.
Sheep and lambs were weak to 100
Is cents lower. There was general lack
of demand.
The weeks average price of sheep
was highest in about a year, or since
the week ending April 18, 1908. The
average, however, at $3.50 was 45c
lower than the corresponding week a
year ago. In 1908 sheep averaged
highest the last week of March at
$685., but during the following three
weeks the average dropped off soc
to $685., and during the next six weeks
| the average went off rapidly to S4.40
the last week of May.
Packers want wool now and do not
conceal the fact. The spread between
wooded and shorn stuff is 75c@s1.25.
Shearing stuff has been wanted to go
to the country, but little of it is avail
able and the outward movement has
been the smallest Of the season. This
is due to the fact that the bulk of
lambs coming from feed lots are Mex
leans instead Of northern bred lambs,
as was the case last year.
The present wide spread between
wooded and shorn stuff will continue
as long as killers can get plenty of
wooded stock, which, IL the nature of
things, can not be long. JustI as soon
as woolskins get scarce, clipped stuff
will come into its own. Sheep continue
very scarce and clipped sheep have
sold we'll in consequence.
Chicago Livestock.
Chicago, April 5.-Cattle-Estimated
receipts for today $4,000; opened steady