Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-30
RETURN Of LIBERAL MARKETING
IS LOOKED FOR FIRST Or WEEK

be suspended. The rule governing holi-
days was amended by vote of the
Chicago Live Stock Exchange last Wed
nesday, to take effect Immediately. New
Years and Labor Day were both de-
clared holidays in the markets hereaf-
ter.
Beef Stocks Still Fair.
Estimates on the Monday run were
placed as high as $4,000, though the
popular guesses were around 25,0O0 but
If storm is had in the interim a crop
OF $4,000 would not prove a surprise.
That the market can Withstand a big
run and hold current bettered prices
compared with last week is not believed
by any Of the traders. Even though this
weeks crop has been meager, beef
coolers are still holding a fair volume
Of product and there is quietude in the
trade for beef both here and in the
east. Poultry competition is bound to
be felt for the next week, at least 1t
always is and the period between
Christmas and New Years is rarely one
IN which good selling action is had in
the market
Continuance Of clear winter weather
should check the liquidating desire to
some extent, but that the market will
get generous early January run seems
certain, though a lot of people in the
trade who have made a survey Of sup
ply conditions over Iowa, Missouri, Ne
braska and Kansas are declaring that
1t would be well for the general trade
to reverse it's opinion in regard to sup
ply plentitude for the first months Of
1914. They assert that a big share Of
the stuff that was driven off dry pas
lures during the drought period has
since been cashed into beef trade and
that there will be distinct shortage Of
good steers from Kansas and Nebraska
sections, which in recent years have
been cashing generous quota in Jan
unary and February. Kansas particu-
larly will be far shy Of its midwinter
fat beef steer crop.
Butcher Stock Up.
Prices for butcher stock have held
we'll and the advance for the week is
fully 15c over the close last week while
in some instances a quarter gain is
claimed. Stockers and feeders for the
week have been well supported consid-
ering the usual holiday conditions, and
at no time has there been any decided
indifference toward the higher prices
asked, though the volume Of trade has
been narrow. Not many outside buyers
have been on hand, some inquiries new
ertheless have been had for light stuff
to rough through the winter or grass
till spring.
In Gamers and cutters, trade was on
a steady basis.
The summary of the price movement
| in cattle follows: Choice to prime year
| lings and steers selling at 1915 to
s10.25 last Saturday closed yesterday
| at s9@960; this being a decline is hard
| ly fair as basis or tone for the market
as nothing choice has arrived this week
Choice to prime heavy steers brought
$S.85@9.30 yesterday compared with
$8.65@9.10 a week ago; medium to good
steers s7.S5QS.50 last Saturday were
quoted yesterday at $685.; those OF
fair quality are nominal at s675@7S5:
in the heifers class prime stuff is quot
ed as high as 1915 while there were
very few sales during the week that
drew better than $3.50, with a ma jority
below, nothing prime having been re-
ceived; cows have a closer range and
poorer grade bringing a nickel better
than a week ago up to 15c better, the
close yesterday being at $4.75@7.25;
bulls have sold up to $3.50 during the
week for the prime stock in a few
scattered sales while the bulk went
closer to the 81 market --
! A rs to 75c advance for good yea