Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-02-03

tally reported. numbered some $4,000
head against 5996S last week and
5S,949 last year. The total run for the
week is about 1000 greater than the
estimates of the week.
Live Stock Report Ignored.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
government estimate on hogs issued
this week. is 2,245,0G0 short of a year
ago, and 6,477,OOO short of the number
reported Jan. |, 1912, the total at S.
933, 600 is the third largest on record
being over II 100000 larger than the
, census report of April Is. 1910 and over
&c, OOO, 900 larger than the department of
agricultural figures in 1899.
Packers since the close of last week
have used more bearish tactics than
usual and each day they have just
picked around" taking hardly enough
to grease the wheels. The week end
! movement however, has fallen off de-
| tidedly and THE declines Of Tuesday
and Wednesday amounting to 15025c
| have been fully recovered and the close
lis on d basis with last Saturday to
shade higher Both east and west, re-
ceipts the past few days have been
stingy and the recovery in prices was
forced to come.
The advance in prices from the low
spot early in December when packers
were putting up droves close to $3.50,
and threatened to reduce common cost
SOC more, has been little short of spec
taCular.
1t was d constant appreciation with
but an occasional reversal of form
From an average of 1872 on December
4th, common cost advanced steadily I'M
til it reached a narrow range Of SS.4OM
so Practically nobody in the trade
was in position to say Il told you So"
because nobody expected December
and January raise.
AS matter of fact, this advance was
premature, worth the money. At each
jump the market Wiseacres admonished
caution, suggesting that it was no time
to be bull. Actually the market bulled
itself under the impetus of strong cash
demand for everything edible into
which hog is convertible.
The position of the feeder has been
strengthened not only by the advance
in hogs, but by the decline in corn, due
in no small measure to an inundatiOn
of Argentina grain, which has prac-
! tically deprived American growers of
their usual eastern and southern out
| let's.
The grower now realizes that healthy
hogs making good gains in the feed lot
are desirable property, and shows less
avidty to convert them into cash.
An opinion is becoming general that
the continuous heavy marketward
movement of pigs and underweight
hogs for months past can have but one
| logical sequence. Unless bare spots de-
velop all the fOrecasters will be dis
| credited Occasionally trader, with the
idea that the country is full Of hogs.
may be encountered, but he is an object
! of derisiOn.
The unofficial arrivals this week are
! 141,OOO against 10000 estimated and
compared with 1S4,335 last week and
1922 a year ago for the same period.
Mixed hogs, 10 to $50 pounds, selling
at SS25mS.35 last Saturday were up 5
a Monday. losing the advance and
ten cents more by Wednesday and
close the week at $S.2O@S.35: medium
I weights sold up to $S.40@S.45 Monday.
dime above the previous Saturday and
close at $S.30N $40; light butchers and
shippers followed the rest of the market
in scoring an advance on Monday and
! losing it again Tuesday and Wednesday
/ and the final sales yesterday were at
SS25mS.4O heavy butchers sold down
I to $S.200S.30 on Wednesday after )
! aloe advance Monday and close at
! $S35@S.45: heavy shippers close the
week at $S.40@S45. against $40 "a $50
; last Saturday and at $S.506DS.55 on Mon
! day: heavy packers selling down to
SS.1OMS.25 on Wednesday. brought SS.25
| a S.35 yesterday as against SS.3O4S. $40
| last Monday: rough hcavies sold yes
; terday at $S.10MS.20 against SS0S.1O
! Wednesday and SS.20mS.30 Monday:
| fair to choice light brought $S.20@ $40
, Monday against sS.l5@S.35 last Satur-
/ day and yesterday sold at $S.20bS.3o;
light lights 1850 155 had the biggest de-
! cline Of The week selling down to $500
i S.O5 Wednesday after so 10c advance
! Monday selling then at S7.S50S.30 and
closed yesterday at $7.75@S.25: pigs,
fair to fancy We're selling at cellar
prices on Wednesday the range being
down to $575@ us compared with a
top of $S.15 on Monday and close yes
| terday at $6MS.10.
Mutton Market Depressed.
! Even though the movement of sheep
and lambs has been under the esti-
mates for the week at the Chicago
yards, prices have failed to show much
| bloom Every factor appears against the
! sellers. Then city lamb and mutton
| market has degenerated into about as