The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-03
MEAT PRICES STAY
At THE TOP NOTCH
Despite Glut in the Cattle Market
Consumers Have To Pay as
Much as Ever.
Lo, the poor consumer.


In spite of the fact that the market
reports say the prices Of live stock
are tumbling, and that breeders are
thinking seriously Of going out OF
business, the retail butchers are still
selling most cuts at the top-notch fig-
ures which have obtained for four or
five years ago. There is just one ray
OF sunshine and hope in the deep
gloom, and that Is that pork Is really
little cheaper than II was a year
ago. For instance, the butchers say
that they are selling pork chops at 10
cents a pound today, whereas they got
1S and 20 cents for the same kind or
meat a year ago. The butchers, how
ever, are making no sacrifice in this
reduction, for the packers, from whom
most retail butchers get their sup
plies nowadays, ara -huxtng- -hngs--a
81 per hundredweight less than a year
or so ago.
The cattle men say that a lack OF
demand for beef is causing a glut in
the live stock market, with the result
that the prices are going down right
along. The breeders and buyers are
OF the opinion that the high prices In
the retail trade OF the past have
caused the people to use less meat.
The butchers In the Central meat mar
ket and in other places deny, however.
that the demand for meat has fallen
Off
Il have sold just as much meat
during the past year. II not more, than
the year before" said Thomas Bar
lum, Sr., to The Times, Wednesday
morning And II there Is any glut
in the live stock market, II Is news TO
me. or course, we don't do any kill
ing nowadays; We buy all our meat
from the packers, most OF II from
Chicago. But want to tell you that
we are paying just as much today for
the best beef as We did year or two
years ago AS a matter OF fact, the
price OF rich, heavy beef seldom
varies, and don't believe IL will ever
be any cheaper than ii Is right now.
OF course, there Is a little difference
in the price OF less expensive beef,
such cuts as come from light cattle.
But the reduction is so small that the
consumer can hardly notice it-about
half a cent per pound. One thing Is
certain, at any rate, and that is that
our best cuts are retailing at the same
price today as they have done for the
past year We have to get good
price for our best beef, because We
have to pay we'll for II. We handle
nothing but the carcasses OF steers.
The meat Of a steer is always tender,
while that OF a heifer Is frequently
tough"
Mr.. Barlum also said that veal,
lamb and mutton we're selling at about
the same price as during the past
year. and that he didn't think there
would likely be any reduction in the
prices of these meats for some time
to come. IL ever.
George Goudie, OF the Goudie meat
market, Cadillac-sq.. said he knew
there was an over.production of cat
tie, but he agreed with Mr.. Barlum,
that there was little change in retail
prices. He said that the lowering in
the market prices had not yet made
any reduction in the price for the re-
taller in dealing with the packer. He
didn't think there would be any tum-
BILE in the retail prices, either, ex.
planning that, while the market prices
Of cattle might be down today, they
were liable to be up tomorrow. Tho
fiuctuation In the live stock market,
he said, seldom affected the retailer.