Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-12-19
RECENT GAIN NOT
RETAINED BY HOGS
PRICES GO TO LOWER LEVELS
WHEN DEMAND TURNS
SLOW.
NO CHOICE CATTLE
AMONG DAYS OFFERINGS
Common to Plain Steers Now Is to 20
Cents Lower Than Week Ago =
Christmas Demands For Fancy
Reeves Now FiIIed-sale Of Sheep
and Lambs Slow.
Dec. 19.-Hogs sold at low

err prices today. Demand was slow.
Chicago and practically all of the
Missouri river markets had fewer hogs
Thursday than a week ago. with the
decrease principally at Chicago. Omaha
and ST. Joseph.
For the first half of this week eleven
points were credited with $4,000, or
so, 900 more than a week ago and l69,-
900 more thar same period a year ago.
Chicago prices for some time past
have been relatively higher than out
side western markets which accounts
for total receipts the past fou days
being $1,000 larger than a week ago
and 1890 larger than a year ago.
Fifty thousand hogs daily is the reg
ular supply at Chicago now. n first
half Of this week registered the arrival
Of $50, 900, and that last weeks record
will be broken is probable. All around
the market circle the horizon wears a
hoggy appearance, but the movement
savors of liquidation and means spring
and summer scarcity. The present
movement is freighted with 140 to 19O-
pound shoats, while there is an unsea-
sonable. scarcity of heavy weights. The
break this week may check the mar
ketward movement, blu the country Is
in selling mood. In three days this
week the eleven principal primary
points have received 100000 hogs.
against 375,O zoe last week and 100000
a year ago, and the figures speak for
themselves.
Cattle.
No choice cattle were on sale.
Common, plain Inc medium steers
are now on basis largely 1920 cents
lower than a week ago and some Of the
$S.O0@S.35 kinds, in fact. are called
down csc from a week ago, they hay-
ing had a 10@15c break on Monday.
Demand for the better classes of steers
has held well all the week, however,
and choice stuff shows O steady basis
with last week, particularly the handy
and light kinds. which have gone of
late at $s.6o@e.Oo and higher.
Prime yearlings landing upward of
$500. however, and as well az the fancy
Christmas stun that sold this week. at
$9.75@10.25, has shown a higher basis
than was thought possible to be had a
week ago. These latter trades were
forced" ones. A big local house went
short Of it's orders for fancy Christmas
beef, and like the short" In the grain
or provision market. Its buyers were
sent into the market to get h goods"
Price was thus not much of a criterion
and sellers who had fancy stuff were
able to establish highest prices Of the
year on that kind. The tops went far
above prices which the trade had
thought possible of Undertaking. in the
past two weeks.
That there will be no more of these
fancy prices his year Is buyers asser-
ton. Christmas demands are now filed
and the trade looks for a DECIDED drop
in top prices mex week, tho it is only
reasonable to expect a conspicuous abb
sence Of fancy goods then n there
after for months. Short-feds will pre-
dominate for a long time to come. and
the fact that high-priced cor is worry
ing feeders and also that many of them
have corn supplies far short of normal
will probably mea a free movement
of light and middle weight short corn
eaters.
Next week there must be a lay-off
from liberal shipping. Christmas week
always develops small demand for beef
and following W. successive weeks of
large receipts 1t is logical to expect a
mean market the week ahead If there
is the least oversupply.
The trade is urging a u Of 10000
or less next Monday, and some guesses
were put down to 1900. A year ago
next Monday the run was only 10,O25
and that supply followed a crop of 3D.
ia a year ago last week Total weeks
arrivals a year ago next week were
24,516 and it would be a good thing for
the market next week If the run panned
out 10000 or less. A holiday@Christ-
mas next Thursday-will u cessa-
ton of killing activities over h coun-
try and slim receipts will be needed the
day before Christmas as well as next
Monday.
Sheep.
Sale of sheep and lambs proved slow.
One big trouble with the market was
that of the condition of many of the
offerings, or rather lack Of condition. A
lot of weighty stuff which is never a
good selling proposition on an anti
Christmas market is showing up and a
raft of habitat prematurely plucked
stock Tor which there ppeaTs less x
cuse for marketing than in the case Of