Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-18
TRADE VERY DULL HOWEVER,
AND RUN DEVOID OF ANY.
THING OF QUALITY.
HOG MARKET AVERAGED
STEADY TO TEN LOWER
Better Class Of Butchers and Mixed
Stuff Showed Little Change. But
Common Grades Showed a Decline
From Previous Day-sheep Market
Receipts Principally Lambs.

Chicago, May 1s-Today's meagel
run was practically devoid of anything
of quality. Trade was very dull, ane
prices held about steady. Shippers
wanted steers, but there was nothing
offered that met their fancy Butcher
stock was practically unchanged.
Turnout the yards about the only
complaint of slackened demand, is
against the medium and plain heavy
strong-weight steers. Exporters lack
of urgent orders for that kind operate
against an active market, while the
shipping and local concerns are also
partial to either better grade heavy
steers or the handy-weights. Proper
ton of the plain heavy classes, how
ever, is not large enough to make de-
clines for these the rule rather than
the exception.
Indicative of the plentiful supply of
choice heavy steers have been the nu-
merous lots above 81. Half dozen lots
of choice heavy steers sold at 1925,
which was top for the day, comparing
with best point of $3.50 last week.
However, the trade quoted a strictly
prime kind up to $40 or higher.
A fair supply of good to choice Ne
braska steers was at hand, but not
many Kansans yesterday. Quality. of
the whole runs is pretty good, but
there was larger percentage of light
and medium weights than a week ago.
A late rise of grass in the north
west promises a belated run of beef
from that quarter. This condition ex-
lists over all the grazing region west
of the Missouri river, and there will
be few cattle on the August market
from the range country. Last year at
this time new grass was plentiful and
cattle We're rapidly recuperating from
winter vicissitude. At present there is
no lack of old grass or moisture, but
temperatures have been low. April has
bene month of snow flurries and cat
tie are very poor A few warm rains
and brief period of high tempera-
lures would effect radical change,
but early beef from that range is inn
possible.
Hogs.
While the local supply was compar-
atively light, western markets were so
literally supplied that packers did not
make an attempt to buy anything on
this market. Eastern buyers and spec
ulators gave the trade some support
early, but after their demands were
satisfied, there was but little doing.
Common grades of butchers and mixed
stuff sold 10 cents below yesterday,
while better grades show little change.
Late liberal runs are attributed to
the attractive market late last week
and also indicates that good progress
has been made with corn planting.
otherwise growers would not have
taken time to haul hogs.
The conditions in the provision mar
ket, especially on lard, seem extraor-
binary to the most conservative and
experienced men in the trade. Lard re-
finers have been forced to come into
the market to buy futures to exchange
for lard in cold storage at a season of
the year when, according to all prece-
dents in the trade, it should accumu-
late. Under such conditions there is no
valid argument in favor of lower
priced provisions and lard especially
is destined for higher levels. Mess
pork for July and September delivery
has attracted much more attention
during the latter part of the week and
very much higher prices for that ar
ticle may be expected
Sheep.
Sheep were slow to 10 cents lower
and most stuff on sale consisted Of
lambs.