Evening journal., 1910-02-02
MEAT PRICES
ARE GOING UP
Wholesale Figures Boosted
and Retailers Say They
Must Follow Suit
WHOLESALERS SAY
CATTLE IS SCARCE

Although butchers IN Third street
market say the wholesale prices Of beef
and pork have advanced. the retail
prices are the same as on Saturday.
The wholesale price of beef has ad-
vanced from 20 to 40 cents on the
hundred pounds and the wholesale
price of pork is again II and II t2
cents a pound, from which there was
a drop of a quarter of a cent on Sat
urday
This. in the bulk. is so slight an adj
vance that there has been no affect on
the retail price. Retailers, however,
forecast an early advance
We've got to raise the price or go
out of business" said one butcher,
who has stand in Third street mar
ket this morning. Wholesale prices
are getting sitter all the time because
Of the scarcity of cattle. The re-
tailers have been pushed to the limit
and have tried to keep prices down as
much as possible, but they can't do it
long"
"Tbe anti-meat crusade isn't hav-
ing any affect on the market as far
as I can see. All my old customers
are still taking meat, and the only way
them a lot of new jokes"
Storage eggs were 80 cents a dozen
this morning, a cent lower than they
were on Saturday. There has been
no change in fresh eggs or butter
prices, however. The best butter is
selling for AZ cents pound. Fresh eggs
are 40 cents a dozen and Western fresh
eggs are 40 cents. Poultry is firm
Other Side Of Meat Question.
One Of the largest wholesale meat houses
in this city. which has conducted busi-
ness Of the highest standing for forty
years with fair profits and from which
none Of the members have made for
tune. to-day decided TO issue statement
regarding the meat situation, in justice
TO the retail butchers Of the city. The
statement. the firm says, contains figures
from the Federal Government reports, and
is as follows:
''Al the newspapers that are printing
sensational articles about the packers and
trying to lead the public to believe that
said packers are in trust TO make meat
prices high, could, II they so desired, show
that present prices OF meat occur fren
natural causes. The United states Depart
ment Of Agriculture last week gave out its
estimate of the number of food animals on
farms in the United States on January
/, 1910 comparing them with one year ago
This statement shows that there arc $685..
900 less hogs and 100000 less cattle thar
the previous year. Right at this point II
is well to remember that while these
enormous decreases have occurred in the
production of cattle and hogs, there has
been probable increase In our popula.
ton Of over one million.
ITO go a little further into this subjec
the Census Bureau estimates there ha'
been an increase in the population sinc'
1900 of nearly twelve millions-about Il
per cent in ten years. The Agriculture
Bureau states the number of swine OF
farms in the United States January LIST
1900 to have been e2.S7OOOO as against A..
$4,000 ON January 1st. 1910 falling off o
nearly "a per cent The Agricultural Blu
reau also shows that while the corn crol
OF 1909 is about per cent. larger thar
that OF 1900. the price of corn is nearl.
100 per cent. higher than ten years ago
Now here we have tho situation o
feeding a 10 per cent increase in the popu
lation with "A per cent. decreased suppl.
of hogs produced from corn selling near
ly 100 per cent. higher than ten year
ago. Is II any wonder that meat is seIlini
at almost prohibitive pricesg Does thi
show any manipulation on the part Of th
lpackersg Any school boy can tell the an
lsNeF 20 these questions Is no."