Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-12
PLENTIFUL OFFERINGS OF HOGS
CAUSE REACTION FROM HIGH
POINT OF SATURDAY.
TRADING SLOW AND
VALUES DOWN IS CENTS
Top For Day 5 Cents Under $15-Ar-
rivals Of Cattle Unexpectedly Scarce
and Market Holds Firm - Packers
Had Large Direct Supplies Of Sheep
and Open Market Is Neglected.

Chicago, March 1e-Plentlful offer
the hog market. Trade was slow at
decline of Is cents, the top being S14.9o.
Receipts OF hogs at Chicago for the
| week totaled 1860. the lightest since
the first week of last October de-
crease of 1850 compared with the
| previous week. 100 compared Win
| same week last year and 1000 COM
pared with the corresponding week two
| years ago.
Average weight of hogs at Chicago
for the week was estimated AT 2oi
pounds, or same as the previous week,
seven pounds lighter than same week
last year and twenty eight pounds
lighter than corresponding week two
years ago.
Top hogs at Chicago for the week
$3.50. against $3.50 the previous week,
1910 year ago and s7.05 two years
ago. Average price figured $li.6o for
new record that stood $3.50 higher than
the preceding week. $5.15 higher than 4
year ago and $1.s5 higher than Two
years ago.
Eleven markets were credited with
$4,000 hogs Saturday. making i6i,ooo
for the week, the lightest sine" the
second week of last October, or S9,o0o
less than the previous week. $4,000 less
than same week a year ago and Sl.ouG
less than corresponding week two years
ago. Total for 1911 to date s.si5.ooO.
or $4,000 less than same period 1916
and iS9.8AN mere than corresponding
time 1915.
Cattle,
Arrivals OF cattle proved unexpected
ly scarce.
Some good cattle are still back in
feeders hands. but they are not nu-
merous, and this weeks action war
rants holders in expecting more money
All winter cattle have been used faster
than they were made and the residue
of the crop is in strong hands. The
public IS able to buy beef at current
prices and is becoming educated to the
new scale of retail charges. Pork Is
high and mutton has worked into the
category OF luxuries. consequently beer
has no serious competition from lower
priced commodities. South Texas can
contribute no liberal run of grass beef.
supply source Is limited.
Two weeks Of deficient supply have
been convincing that corn-b belt feed
lots have been depleted The drain all
thru January and February Is now
making itself apparent. There cou!d
be but one logical sequence to loading
cattle thirty to sixty days in advance Oh
the normal period and pending scarcity
Is causing no surprise. Little time was
needed to work off whatever accumula-
ton was created during the car short
age period Beef trade Generalization
was brief. the public evidently having
realized that prices are legitimate. ldi-
otto claims Of enormous beef accumu-
lation in storage have been punctured
and. barring the usual ricissitude OF
the .Lenten period. stable distributiVe
market is assured. Eastern branch
houses have been relieved Of congea-
ton and beef is moving out as fast as
i. can be chilled. ... s
Packers had large direct supplies OF
sheep.
Last weeks market. responding TO
improved dressed trade conditions,
some little shrinkage in receipts early
in week and benefiting from previous
weeks light slaughter and the sharp
advance in hogs and hog products, has
been a runaway affair on lambs. Ad-
vances over a week ago range from 30
ais cents on the bulk. some haif-fat
light and good heavy lambs showing
even more gain. The least advance has
been on the top handy classes. which
are now admittedly much cheaper on
the hooks than stuff Of weightier and
otherwise less desirable grade. Light
yearlings are quotably 25I5o cents
higher for the week in sympathy with
lambs. while matured muttons and
heavy yearlings are firm to quarter
higher. Feeding and shearing lambs
show about 15m descent advances for
the week. with sales made up to s14.25
and a higher figure nominally quoted
for the best. A deck of bred western
ewes went to the country at s11.50 and
some plain bred native ewes went out
costing 80.