Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-13
DECLINE OF IS CENTS ON BULK
OF STEERS, 10 TO is CENTS ON
BUTCHER STUFF.
HOGS 5 TO 10 CENTS
LOWER AT THE OPENING
Buying of Immense Volume and Gen.
eral Decline Later is Only Cents
Cattle Offerings Exceed Demand
Sheep and Lambs Down rs Cents Of
Mere-Market Conditions.

Chicago, Dec. 13.-Unexpectedly
large arrivals of cattle today caused
decline of 25 cents on the bulk of
steers and breaks of 10@15 cents on
butcher cattle, but few sales were
made.
Jack Frost was largely responsible
for excessive cattle receipts last week
and badly demoralized market. The
cold wave for which many cattle
feeders were unprepared caused a
rush Of common and medium stuff to
market till the supply was far in ex-
cess of the demand. There We're none
MOO many of the choice and we'll fin
ished steers for the demand was
rather strong for that kind, altho prices
were high. The accumulation started
on Wednesday and continued the re-
mainder of the week. There was a
bad break in the market Wednesday
and the crack was widened before the
week finished, as supplies We're burden
some and buyers were eager to take
every possible advantage of their OPP
portunity.
Early in the week demand was
strong and prospects We're encourag-
ing, for all desirable steers were
bought at higher prices. The about
face turn the market made on We'd
nesday took all the Monday gain
away and the later declines reduced
prices for the common and me-
dunn cattle very seriously. The fall
amounted to 25d50c on the medium
steers selling at s5.5o@6.5o. and at
the close Of the week 1t was difficult
because all the buyers were filled up
to the roof and did not want any
more. The general market for the
light short-fed and medium steers Is
now 15@25c lower than a week ago
and prospects are none too good, as
all the buyers are loaded with cheap
beef, and light offerings will be in
order this week. Quality was excep-
tonally poor all last week and there
were many more cattle below the
$3.50 line than usual.
Hogs.
Hogs were 500 cents lower at the
opening, but later buying was of such
volume that 1t was doubtful if the av-
erage decline would exceed cents.
Top was reported at $3.50.
Hogs sold Saturday at the highest
prices since the war, with the excep-
ton Of 1882, when heavy went to $685.,
| light to 1915 and mixed to $3.50. The
1893 top was 1915, or nickel higher
than Saturday. but at that time packers
were paying a premium on weight and
the spread was much wider than at
present. The bulk sold Saturday at the
highest level since the lofty spot of 1892.
Packers participated in this lively
trade and were suspected of bidding
for run this week. Supply last week
was $4,000 less than they expected and
prices have had sufficient advance to
start "a run if roads in the country get
in condition for hauling. Corn condi-
tons are such that growers have little
inducement to hold hogs that have at
tanned a weight of 200 lbs or better
and conditions are ripe for expanding
the movement, provided, of course, the
country has the hogs to expand it with
A peculiar phase of the present hog
market is that packers are paying more
money at the stock yards than pedi-
greed hogs are fetching in the auction
ring. Blooded stock bought at the show
was turned over to packers last week
because the opera ton showed profit
Sheep.
| Lambs were generally % cents low
er, with top for prime natives S.. In
/ Sheep the bulk of stuff was % cents
| lower and in some cases a decline OF
| so cents