Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-19
SHORT RUN FOR MONDAY
CAUSES STIFF MARKET WITH
SOME GRADES HIGHER.
CATTLE SUPPLIES ALSO
BELOW EXPECTATIONS
Sufficient Offerings Of Medium Quality
to Go Around and Market Was Slow
1.-Two Mutton Trade Dull-Review
Of Market Conditions = Current
Quot ationa.
Quotations.

\ to cents higher on short run.
| Receipts of hogs at the Chicago stock
yards last week totaled 92,0003, the
smallest run of the year, and stood a.
! 500 smaller than the previous week,
| 900 lighter than the same week last
year and 800 smaller than the cor
responding week two years ago, while
it compared with only Ss,703 the same
week in 1909. Shipments last week,
while smaller than the previous week
and the corresponding week in 1911,
were relatively larger considering the
tal!down in receipts.
Estimated average weight Of hogs at
Chicago was 244 pounds last week, be-
ing the heaviest since week ending
April 20. 1911, when the average was
246 pounds, and barring that week was
the heaviest since week of Oct. %, 1910.
when 1t figured 249 pounds. Compared
with the previous week the average
was three pounds hea "ier and COM
pared with a year ago was six pounds
heavier. but compared with the cor
responding week two years ago was
ten pounds lighter.
| Top and average price last week
| stood the highest since late in 1910, at
So.'o duU $S1O, respectively. Top was
only cents higher than the previous
week. while the average advanced II
cents. The former was IS cents higher
than the same week last year, while
the latter showed IS cents gain. Com
pared with the corresponding week two
! years ago top was 80 cents off, while
! the average was down only 2 cents.
Only 2s.20O hogs were received at
] al rlot Cat,
thousand less than a week ago. year
ago and the corresponding Saturday
two years ago. Last week the COM
bined total was the smallest Of the
year. at $4,000, and while the same as
a year ago. at was $4,000 smaller than
last week and $4,000 smaller than the
corresponding week two years ago.
Total for 1912 to date footed 16,356.000,
or 100000 more than the same period
1911 and 4.1s3,o0O more than the cor
responding time 1910.
Cattle.
Cattle supply was light but there
was enough Of medium stuff to so
! around and trade was slow.
| The trade has had three successive
| weeks of generous receipts at Chicago
| and liberal runs west These followed
| long period Of small supplies, and the
| increased runs, once having given the
, slaughterers surplus Of beef to work
upon turned the situation in their favor
| as regards all but the choicest beeves
| The latter are taking care of them
selves in phenomenaily good shape, as
| evidenced by steadily climbing values
| In the past few weeks, highest in the
| history Of the Chicago market.
More steers sold at $40 and upward
| last week than have ever made the
prices before, but the kinds which sold
at $40 at high point were off fully Csc
and more in value at the close OF
| weeks trade.
| 1t Is the medium to good corn-feds
and grass steers which interest the ma
| jority of cattle owners. since these
kinds comprise the biggest share Of
supplies. They had risen up to last
Monday to a price level which the trade
has considered prohibitive. Cost Of
these carcasses simply ran above the
! butcher and the consumer limit. The
consumer has shut off demand for beef
to an extent which has seriously
crippled the market and packers be-
! ing quick to feel the change of pulse
| in the retail channels have simply re-
taliated by knocking the steer market
/ down about as fast as they put it up
a short time ago.
The whole trade has labored under q
severe handicap of bearish beef mar
kets. New York and other eastern
cities are poor beef-selling points now
and the same Is true Of Chicago and
other middle western points. Record
retail prices are meeting a most stub
born consumer attitude in which the
consumer is endeavoring to bring his
beef purchases down to a value in
keeping with his income. The result
is that the current shortage of beet
as against past times Of plentiful sup
ply is more than enough to fill the de-
mand.
When a period Of better demand is
had in the beef trade doubtless there
will be some hardening of values all
along the line, but continuance Of de-
, creased consumer demand as protest
against high retail prices will only
mean further decline In values for the
!; grass native and short orn-fed steers
which will soon meet some strong com
petition from the excellent killing
> grades Of western range steers.
The latter cattle, altho here last
; week in quite moderate volume, had 6
; lot to do with forcing decline in $1,000
; 900 grades Of natives, as well as the
higher costing steers. There will BIZ
, much Of the good range beef which
will from now on find an outlet ir
channels formerly filled by the goot
!: to choice natives, while plain grade
; light grassy natives will also suffer
, competition from lower grades Of
.. rangers, tho decline for the cheaper
natives need not be Of great extern
before such kinds should get some gen
erous buying support from corn-bel
feeders willing to risk purchasing then
for a short feed, and In hope Of run
ming them back in early winter wheI
the prospect favors small fat beef sup
plies.
Packing house buyers have made NJ
attempt to conceal their keen expec
fancy Of pounding values hard agai,
, next week, asserting that the beef cos
must come down, but this attitude o
theirs is so wholly Inconsistent will
their actions OF recent weeks as to b,
lacking in effect Of soaring sellers, since
they have needed a lot OF beef recently
and the belief exists In sellers camI
that little readjustment of beef price.
to match the recent drop in steer val