Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-28
TOO MANY CATTLE
LOWERS PRICES
GENEROUS RUN OF BEEF At
CHICAGO GIVES PACKERS
EDGE ON THE MARKET
SHEEP WORK LOWER
Over Supply Of Mutton Regardless OF
Quality Results in Killers
Securing Offerings at
Own Price.

A very generous run Of cattle TINS
week at Chicago he's caused break IN
beef prices that will run to Csc IN
good many instances while choice
goods have only deprecated about 10
or 15c. Fancy TO select stockcrs and
feeders are up about dime while the
fat grades are that much lower com
Jared with a week ago. The bear raid
on veal prices proved less successful
this week, declines however, TO- under
grsdes have been Sharp.
With an occasional exception the
hog market had droopy aft ir all
week. What little strength prevailed,
showed up in the last two days. We'd
nesdcy's prices were back to tie level
Of February 1st
Although eastern market conditions
for sheep and lambs showed some inn
provcment this week. packers have
been decidedly bcarjsh ;-nd prices are
under last weeks final.
Cattle trade this week has been
radically different from tat Of 4 week
ago. Thursday an; Fridays markets
were about at the weeks best all
around. Prime steers topped the week
at $40 against 1885 last week and
1925 for the corresponding week a
year ago. Good to choice beeves. on a
heavy run this week, are 10000 lower.
on the medium to goo. !inGs 10000
under last week. Common and plain
light cattle have probably shown tho
least break this week since that grade
has had fairly good outlet.
Nondescript yearlingS were indlner-
ent actors. Outside choice little cattle
this feature Of the trade has been I'M
satisfactory. The $S.25 class Of year
lings has been in somewhat profuse
supply and buyers have been able to
dictate terms Sending habitat year
lings to market IS questionable policy.
Statesmen can get away with a few,
but demand Tor that kind Is soon sat-
isfied and when they break everything
SENS fabricated for the occasion. On
ly by making the little cattle fat can
t',cy be expected to give a reasonably
good account Of themselves.
Butcher Run Light.
While supplies Of butcher cattle con-
tiI,ue of rather small proportions. the
trade is getting access to all that it
can readily digest at tho prices, and
tho market is showing declines in SYM
Pc thy with the breaks noted during tho
first half Of the week on steer values.
Prices are irregularly 10 to 25c lower
than week ago wiz: the declines most
pronounced on cows celli;lg upward
from 1918 heavy heifcrs Of class to
tho latter having caseG OF materially
late Wednesday and in today's trade
after holding up well earlier in the
week. Something stictly fancy either
in the COW or light heifer linz might
escape this sharp cut. while most OF
trc plain to medium butcher cows are
closing fully 1o@15c lower than week
ago, and a 10c decline covers the loss
On Gamer and cutter classes.
pYpeCtlnt
damage recently inflicted to the price
list being speedily repaired. A run Of
Texcs cattlo Of corsid cradle dimen-
sions is on the market horizon; in fact.
southwestern points have had right
generous supplies from that source
,, this week and it's effect will be more
pronounced on butcher cattle and the
other classes.
A better demand on eastern shipping
account for bologna bulls helped this
end Of the trade and prices show an
advance Of largely 1Oc while butcher
classes cleared on steady to firm
basis.
Some common, light weight bulls
selling in load lots at $5.s5. however.
looked higher and II was merely cam
ner kind under $3.50. Heavy beef bulls
continued the under dogs Of the market
bulk selling slowly around $6.40@6.75.
with only prime kind above 81, while
prime handy weight butchers had a
nominally quotable value up to $3.50
and higher
The keen edge Of the stocker and
feeder trade shown early in the week
was dulled little more in the late
dealing Of the week, prices showing an
easier trend On the rank and file Of the
offerings. Select stockers sold up to
1886 for Shorthorn two year olds this
week to the country trade, the best
price of the spring season, these weight
in the neighborhood of $50 lbs, but
above the &c line, no matter how
choice.
Qualified classes Of steer yearlings
and calves continue to meet with the
best inquiry and are commanding the
i best prices, sales having been made
this week of q number Of loads up to
$S@S.25, with few at $S.30@8.35. Bulk
of the fair to good stocker and feeding
steers is going at range Of from $735
low qualified sort, only rank tailings
being available at $3.50 or lower.
Stock cows and heifers Of really good
class continue scarce and held strong
with last weeks prices, but there is a
; rather slow cell for the palmer and
more common kinds Most of the good
stock heifers are selling upward from
1915. choice Of thin young cows is
making scoops.
Calves Still Lower.
Packers have forced further declines
in the calf market this week and have
been assisted to great extent by low
, er markets in the east. The best for the
week went over at $3.50 for strictly
prime lot but the bulk comes nearer
$7.75@S.25 for the better grades against
$8.506s.75 week ago, the lowest OF
the season.
Supply this week has carried a large
proportion of $S@8.65 cattle and few
above the 90 line. The market has been
! unsatisfactory from the start and a de-
cline of Csc per. cwt is common. The
bad start Monday was accentuated on
Wednesday by run that proved to be
| in excess Of requirement and while
some cattle do not show the 25c de-
cline others have lost even more. The
bulk Of Mondays crop was cashed at q
| 15c depreciation and Thursday most OF
| the business was done on q 10c lower
basis, The market has been very un-
even at all times which accounts fol-
considerable difference OF opinion, but
| it has ben good-for nothing marke'
! and a. soft bottom from the start. The