Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-08-02

Chicago, Aug. -.-SnlpplnS OeiuaHo
helped today to lift the hog market
here.
Average weight of hogs at Chicago
for the week was estimated at sSs
pounds or pounds lighter than the
previous week. 10 pounds lighter than
the same week last year. and pound
heavier than the corresponding week
two years ago The decrease in the
average weight was due largely TO the
extensive reweignlng of $50 10 200
pound arrivals, as country offerings
We're undoubtedly heavier than the
preceding week.
Top hogs at Chicago for the week
made $50. against $50 the previous
, week $3.50 year ago, and $3.50 two
years ago Average price figured $3.50,
the lowest since March. so cents lower
! than last week. 1926 lower than year
ago and SOS lower than two years
ago
Eleven markets received $1,000 hogs
Saturday. making 10000 for the week,
or 1000 more than the preceding week,
s.. coo more than same week last year
and 5000 more than the correspond
ing week two years ago. Total for the
first seven months this year 15.aSs.ooo
or 2.I4o00o more than the same period
1914 and 1897 600 more than the cor
responding time 1918.
Cattle
Cattle did not seem over plentiful.
Cntavu-able beef trade action is still
claimed by killers to be in the main
factor in checking a good demand for
steers. Short purchasing power or
part Of consumers and a disposition 10
take 10 cheaper priced pork and NUT
ton IS necessarily a handicap TO beef
selling, and as long as this situation
continues hope for strong rev!va! OF
! beef market action can not be con-
sistently held.
For the past three weeks market has
been practically on downtrend during
the greater part Of the period. and
while few Of the prime handy and
yea ring steers have lost only 1920
cents from top levels OF the month,
rank and file of the crop has cashed
65GS5 cents lower and no small
amount Of the light and haf-tfeshed
steers, such as were cashins at $3.50
| S65 al high point, now show 81 g LIS
idecline.
The past week the little betterment
noted in demand was by no means IN
dcat;ve Of a letting up Of the price
trimming. In all quarters opinion 3
| held that the hard declines on bulk of
steers have been enough in considera-
ton OF failure OF retail beef prices 10
come down proporttonately. Beef over
the counter, however, always works
sIorrlr .ewa-4 . lover level once ev-
trenle.y high spots have been reached
the butcher keen 10 take his excess
d y, mil al,s
beef prices as we'll have failed to go
materially lower as an Offset 10 de-
cline in hoos costs. Doubtless if these
were marked down few points there
would be some revival OF activity IN
call for the product
/ Only a few of the really prime handy
and light steers and odd lots OF fancy
[ finished heavy steers had really strong
action this week. On the rank and file
I OF steers, and more especially the plain
big weights. a dull market was noted
I each session Big weights are getting
I sea onable disfavor, and particularly
where they show plain quality. 1t is
! a comparatively small quota of them
now, how ever, feeders having cashed
\ bulk prior 10 mid-July, and as the sea-
son progresses a shorter crop of them
/ is due to be marketed. Holding of the
big weights for expected slo.5oI II
/ markets evidently has grown tire
some task IN many quarters, and par
/ ticularly as hot weather and the fly
nest has meant small gains.
Sheep.
| Big receipts depressed sheep and
lambs.
What the market needs more than
| anything else is some stability as to
prices While dressed mutton markets
were had last week and better this
week. actual conditions neither war
-anted packers in buying practically
ali lambs, good, bad and Indifferent, a:
I one price-ss per cwt.-last week, nor
an advance of s1.20 per cwt- on best
range lambs this week.
So long as killers indulge in such a
bearish attitude one week and indulge
in wild scramble for supplies the
next at big advance, foreca sting the
market with any degree of Intelligent,
is impossible. Operation by shipper:
in the country has become gambler:
game
The sharp price fluctuations canno
be laid at the door of the breeder oil
shipper, for there has been remarkabl.
steadiness in the manner in which sup.
ply has been regulated.
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