Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-05-04
PRICES HARDEN IN EARLY SEES.
SION, THAN REcEDE TO LOWER
LEVELS.
PACKERS FORCE SELLERS
TO MAKE CONCESSIONS
Cattle of Poor Quality But Prices For
Best Hold Steady-Adverse Weather
Conditions Force Down Prices Of
Sheep and Lambs-Review Of Mar

Chicago, May 4.-Hog prices tended
to harden today owing to scarcity of
arrivals, but packers later forced a re-
action.
Governments are selling at very
wide range, those that are tagged are
selling s1,OO@1.5O under the others.
Many are being tagged at the scales.
which makes the price difference large
between those that get by"
Eleven markets received 1925 500 hogs
Monday, or 1900 more than last Mon
day, 45,100 more than year ago and
$4,000 more than two years ago. Chi
cago had a remarkably big run, while
some of the other western markets
were we'll supplied, and all eastern
markets reported liberal receipts. To-
tai for 1915 to date 100000, or
1,794,0O0 more than same period 1914
and 1901, 900 more than corresponding
time 1913.
Cattle.
Cattle were of poor quality.
Killers apparently are needing a
generous quota Of cattle Of all grades.
The stereotyped poor beef trade"
argument has lost it's force. It's out
of fashion to call beef market bad just
now since there is obviously a good
movement of the product from chill
rooms to the butchers block, and here
is the explanation of the killers ability
to use the generous supplies of cattle
which have been coming now for four
consecutive weeks.
Eastern markets are affording a
small quota of really good to choice
beef. and this means expanding orders
here, while at the river points, even
though supplies are running fairly
liberal. it is a generous quota Of stock
er and feeder stuff there. and the
feeder demand Is taking a big number
of them. thus forcing killers to take
hold locally on broad scale. In the
six western markets total run Mon
day stood 45,50o0. against 4S.700 a week
ago and $4,000 a year ago. the de-
crease from last week being alone
noted at the river points Kansas City
had 10000. Omaha, $500. ST. Louis q
100. ST. Joseph 1000 and Sioux City
$500. There were 200 at st. Paul and
moderate supplies east as well. Pitts
burg reporting 100 and Buffalo had
100 cars.
Sheep.
Adverse weather did good deal 10
force down prices OF sheep and lambs.
Live mutton scarcity theorists are
making good. Prospective supply Is
Woefully short, at least until the main
crop is due. Colorado has little left to
come. but will string what 1t has back
along until mid-May. By that time
southern spring lambs out of Tennessee
and Kentucky will be moving in a
somewhat more liberal way, but no
generous receipts from that source are
likely until late in May, and continued
dry weather has already deprived
killers of the prospect of obtaining
much over half normal supply Of
good fat lambs from that source. Early
lambs in Idaho were set back by
drouth. That country has had good
rains recently. however, and will throw
it's hat into the ring by July l, if not
sooner and will furnish some classy
lambs doubtless, as usual. The sea-
sons run of Texas and Arizona grass
sheep is expected to be something like
% per cent short, but free May move
ment is in prospect from these sources
and between them and hot weather,
with it's accompanied restriction in de-
mand for mutton, killers will probably
not be forced to extend themselves
greatly for enough sheep to answer
their needs. breakers being ahead for
heavy sheep and rams, especially WOOL
skins