Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-07
PRIME BEEF MARKET HOLDS STEADY TO
HIGHER WHILE UNDER GRADE SHOW Loss

market being the worse and packers
were more ready buyers after their
success at forcing declines. Strictly
good to choice corn fed cows and heif-
ers closed the week at 10615c decline
while everything else Is conservatively
quoted at 30@40c under. An increased
run both locally and in the west has
had it's effect in the bearish tendency
Of the market, but it is claimed this
is the time of the year when prices
usually take slump, since the bulk Of
the crop is coming Of grassy condition
and killers are out to much poorer adj
vantage than purchases of few weeks
back.
Sellers Bearish.
That the trade has not yet hit bot
tom is the firm belief Of sellers, since
there is weak undertone to demand
from all quarters and the free running
Of Texas cattle into the river markets
is bound to have effect in gripping
local demand for she stock. or course
quality Of the stock arriving this
week has had a lot to do with the
severe declines.
Stocker and feeder trade did not
escape the free for all shooting up of
prices even though pasture conditions
have been reported better in both the
east and west. Country demand has
Stacked and Only a bargain hunting lot
of buyers in sight.
Declines, measured from levels early
last week, were easily 40@50c, and
more, on bulk of stuff, and even a
right good to choice yearling stocker
kind was down 25@35c. Market on
everything Of stocker and feeder kind
right now is at lowest point in some
months past, but the country buyers
fail to increase their orders. Tendency
is to hold off the market for awhile
to await midseason corn prospects
while dry weather IN good many sec
tons is also q factor restricting the
demand, In the northwest there Is a
lot Of good grass still and supplies
from that territory are running short
but there is a generous movement of
thin stuff from Iowa and Illinois, while
Missouri as we'll contributed 4 fair
crop of light freshed cattle of late The
east is doing little buying and chief
reliance Of the yard traders is upon
nearby territory to absorb the sup
plies
Most everything in the stock and
feeding cattle line Is 15@25c lower
than late last week, making decline
Of 50@65c on everything below choice
within the last fortnight. and putting
all classes Of stock and feeding steers
barring only fleshy strong weight
kind of feeders, are being held up
relatively we'll by killer competition,
from s5cM$1.25 per cwt. lower than
the May high spot.
While price punishment were severe
early in the week on bolognas and
trashy light bulls. the market has come
back with q better show of activity
not enough demand, however, to re-
cover losses. Most sales show drop
Of 15@25c for the lightweights, while
choice classes Of fat bulls have suf-
fered no depression in values.
It's listless market for Gamers and
cutters, packers have the price situa :
ton in full control, and closing rates
are down to about the weeks lowest
Sellers claim a loss of 400 Goo from
last weeks best levels.
Packer buyers have switched cows OF
class such as went to cutters last week
into the Gamer category and since the
federal inspection has been transferred
to packer pens, buyers are instructed
to watch carefully for suspected ami
| mails and refuse to bid for that kind
! Market has merely had a seasonable
break of late and there appears now
small chance OF prices making material
recovery in the near future. On new
basis Of values the Gamers are worth
'$3@3.50 for inferior to decent and