Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-03-03
sHoRTNESS OF SUPPLY BRINGS
VALUES TO NEW LEVELS FOR
1918.
RECEIPTS MUCH SMALLER
THAN MONDAY OF LAST WEEK
Stormy Weather Aids in curtaiIing
Cattle Receipts and Market is Strong
Visible Supply in Strong Hands
Sheep Firm Despite Heavy Holdings
at Buffalo.

Chicago, March 3.-Shortness Of the
hog supply brought values today to the
high point Of the year. There were
only $4,000 arrivals il eleven markets,
against $4,000 last week, and 10000 4
year ago.
Receipts of hogs ct Chicago stock
yards last week totaled 169200 or H.
800 more than the previous week, 1900
less than the same week last year and
32,100 more than the cores ponding
week two years ago. Shippers took a
little less than one third of the hogs
received last week.
! Estimated average weight of hogs at
| Chicago last week was 23i lbs, against
231 lbs the previous week 217 lbs the
same week last year and 229 lbs the
corresponding week two years ago.
Hogs only averaged 203 lbs the same
week in 1909
I Top hogs last week at Chicago made
20. the highest since last October, or
lsscents higher than the previous week,
81 - higher than the same week last
year and S1.35 higher than the cor
responding week two years ago. Aver
age price last week figured sS.45, or 9
cents higher than last week. S2.05 high
or than year ago and SLAP higher
than two years ago.
Cattle.
Cattle receipts were relatively small,
y" ing partly 10 stormy weather. It
also was said that the visible supply
was in strong hands.
The trade is looking forward to con-
tinuance of narrow price spread be-
tween medium and choice steers.
Weight and choice quality fails to get
its full appreciation for reason that
feedstuff plentitude has induced big
disposition Of it in feed yards over the
country and as a result cattle of all
grades are killing out much higher
percentage of beef than was the case
year ago now This put the middle
and lower priced grades in best favor
with killers since consumers are show
ing Partially for medium costing beef
cuts and margin of sale price over cost
is small in the trade for the choice
beeves However, there is no very gen
erous surplus of heavy steers, and not
likely to be, since high cost of feeder
stuff for months past has effected lot
of hurried beef making and compare
lively few feeders are disposed to build
big weight animals, the initial cost OF
which stood them high price. Instead
there is inclination to cash these when
ever they reach a good marketable
condition and profit in them is avail
able, even tho it is small margin of
gain compared with the enormous pro
fits made on heavy steers last fall.
March is expected to establish no
very high prices compared with the
past two months, but still February
average prices were remarkably high
for that month. and highest on record
for February, in fact while a March
average as good will likewise stand as
a new March record
Holy week, the second week of
March is the only spot on the calendar
which would appear to warrant meager
marketing since beef consumption is
always down to the minimum in that
period and killers and shippers usually
play this as a bearish lever on prices.
Prospect for the week ahead looks
fairly luminous. The fact that ship
pe,s went short on orders for good
steers recently would suggest some
probable strong demands this week,
tho the pressure of the last of movers
ca tile will likely bring todaEs run up
to q 600 to $4,000, and such a.crop will
prove ample.
Sheep.
Sheep displayed firmness rotwith-
standing the run of seventy cars at
Buffalo which had some restraining
influence.
While supply figures do not look
burdensome at first glance, six west
ern points having received last week
about 10000, or 1000 more than the
previous week and 10000 less than
year ago. they will not stand careful
analysis without disclosing reasons for
the decline experienced during the first
half of the week. A vast proportion
of the weeks supply, here and else
where. has consisted Of lambs. perhaps
90 per cent Of which have been of kill
ing class and have sold for Slaughter
When this fact is taken into consider
alton with the fact that lamb prices
have averaged about 81 per cwt. higher
last week than a year ago, that the
season Of meat abstinence on the part
of considerable percentage of the
public is on, and that weather condi-
lions during a part of the last fortnight
have been of brand calculated to
further contract meat consusn ption the
decline is hardly surprising.i
Matured mutton trade has not per-
formed at all discredtably. Tho they
suffered at sharp break at nidweek.
along with lambs, sheep sold 1O925c
higher than late the previous week
here on Monday and Tuesday. and have
since recovered a good portion of the
Wednesday decline. Sheep sold here
at higher prices early in the week than
at any time since last May and have
sold closer to lambs than at any time
within many months.