Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-25
PASTURES DRYING UP FORCE
FEEDERS TO UNLOAD BEEF
SCARCELY KILLING FIT.
HOGS IRREGULAR
Action of Porker Trade Proves
Pulling Affair - Responds to
Trivial Influence Very
Readily.

Chicago, Aug. Embarrassing re-
ceipts Of habitat and dried out cattie
at Chicago this week together with re.
latiye cheapness Of western steers ano
tho agitation as to high meat prices
have been depressing influences IN Ia.
vor of declines. The slump oesaE
Monday. and was emphatic TUESDAY
and the close is about the lowest OF
the week. Everything under 40 IL
lower this week and the losses figure
from 15@50c.
The hog market for the week pre-
scented q very sensitive AFFAIR, pelne
easily influenced one way or the other
Shipping orders for hogs have dwlnd-
led to very meager proportions ano
packers are doing business on the
feast and famine order. Receipts foi
the six days are about 10000 under the
estimate for the week and also the
figures for a year ago.
The sheep market has top heavy
appearance. Dressed markets arc still
reported bad and unless these condi-
lions improve 1t is hardly probable
that the present level Of prices can Dc
maintained Taken as whole every
thing in the limo Of mutton is above
the final sales week ago To-Day.
Abundance Of Dry Stock
Under the influence Of increased
condition. prices Of cattle have de-
clined irregularly. The run this week
has carried long string of dry pas
ture stock selling at $7.5O@S.2S While
the proportion Of top cattle has beer
the smallest of the year. The decline
has been most severe on steers selling
below 1925 but everything under $lo
has been revised downward. Yearlings
were bad sellers and the kinds bring
ing $s.5O09.25 have been cut down fui,
ly 40c. Extra good steers in the roll
Of S9,5O@1o.25 are 15c off and under
that 25@35c lower. The top-notchers
show no loss and few are coming In
Over Is percent of the supply this
week represented q draft on future
supply which would have been averteo
had feed and wster been abundant.
Southern Iowa and Illinois are furnish
ing the bulk of this stuff.
On sS.25@875 cattle it was mean
peddling market Statesmen with such
cattle had to make the best OF a bad
situation and they were disposed to
quote results 40@50c under the high
point late last week. Specialties, while
no lower, did not get the same action
and $9.25@9.90 cattle were anywhere
from 15@25c lower than last week.
Under 1926 nearly everything has lost
IS cents and the market below So. ~
was devoid of stability so far as kill
ing grades were concerned. The pres
ent status Of dried-out cattle Is marc
to define A raft of that stuff has
been dumped into the market hopper
this week and AS Its dressing capacity
is uncertain killers have taken 1t under
protest.
Butcher Grades Decline
Below strictly prime classes the but
cher stock market suffered the safe fate
as the steer and the yearlings. Irreg-
ular declines are shown in the bulk OF
medium to wood frade Sellers puote
sales off 10@15c in no small number OF
cases. There are instances OF 60Q6oc
declines for medium to right choice
heifers selling from$6.75 to $7.75 from
last Monday, while good cows are down
400 4Oc and medium stuff 40@50c from
best levels last week. Generous receipts
west and relatively lower prices than
prevailed here up to q short time ago
have enabled killers to punish the
prices severity. but in sellers camp the
impression still prevails that while the
market here this week has had ter.
rife pounding, the fact remains that
the stuff has been needed.
Yearling heifers which have lacked
choice grade got fully as much decline
as the plain and heavy kinds, and even
the right choice to prime yearlings are
down at least Csc, and more in some
cases from last week. Killers have
punished the lower grade beef cows less
than the in-between kinds, due to the
fact that some Of these went into can
ner trade, but cessation from keen
demand for Gamers doubtless would
effect big break for the lower quality
grass cows.
The run is carrying scant quota OF
high quality dry-lot cows, and best