Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-08-29
10000 Join SYMPATHY STRIKE At PEORIA
TWO WEEKS BEFORE
CHEAPER MEAT IS
0BTA|NABLE HERE

W. w . -
FLUCTUATIONS OF MARkE
REACH SENSATIONAL POINT
PORK DROPS $2.75 PER BARREL
BEEF DOWN $1.50.
Ottawa housewives are noting with
deep interest the fluctuations OF the
Chicago meat market in a hope OF
gaining some benefit from the slump
prices recorded during the past few
days at stockyards sales. While pork
and beef fell off very notably, no benz
fit can be expected in Ottawa until
merchants here have had an oppor
tunity to dispose Of stocks that they
bought at the peak OF the market. \
week or ten days at the very least Is
the shortest time local buyers can eX-
pect before their markets rollow che
sensational declines OF yesterday anJ
Wednesday.
Meats purchased at Thursdays and
the day before's prices will require
seven or ten days TO reach the Ottawa
shops. At least ten days is required
in which to properly season beef,
local retailers insist
Pork broke with another drop Of
$2.75 per barrel and closed at the
lowest level registered since the first
of the year Yesterdays price repre-
sents a decline of S12 cents pound
for pork since the first OF August.
Few sales were recorded at the yards
and spectators We're unable to secure
buyers for thousands of hogs at SO
hundredweight.
Cattle brought an average of $l.o0
less yesterday than the first OF the
week. with no prospect OF recovery
Sheep and lambs declined slightly
With steadily increasing supplies and
no market for the stock now in pens,
1t was predicted that complete col
lapse was inevitable
Pork Shipments Heavy.
Pork shipmentsntor August have
been much heavier than for the same
period in 1918. Records show that the
total receipts for eleven markets so
far this week have reached 10000
head as compared with 2S1,000 dur-
ing the last week in August, 1918.
sympathetic slumps We're recorded
yesterday in lard and short ribs. Lard
tell of from $1.15 to l.521a per hun.
dred pounds. and short ribs registered
drop of from So to S2.l7h a hun
dredweight. Weakness OF the live
stock market precipitated break in
the grains. Corn went down 37s cents
a bushel, rye slumped 4 cents, oats
l&s cents and barley %A cents. I"
Market experts of the local bureau
of the department of agriculture re.
ported that the South Water street
produce prices in Chicago were re
naming firm. Except for slight tiuc-
1uatons determined by the daily SUP
ply ii was said no changes in present
prices could be expected. With 2l1
carloads Of potatoes on the track yes
terday-the largest supply in many
week there was a natural decline of
from 10 to 20 cents in Irish cobblers.
Onions were cheaper but most of the
fresh vegetables remained stationary
in price.
Cessation of buying virtually dead.
locks" .he market. Stock raisers are
retcent to sell further, with dis
tnct loss facing them because of the
high prices they have been paying
for the feed on which the present
stock was raised With great guam
titles OF meats in storage, the PACK
ers can foresee nothing but loss if the
retail prices break
Await Price Break.
Only sharp decline in prices on
the retail market can alter conditions
Ii the cost to the consumers is ma
'nrially decreased the public will be.
gin NlHS again anu ING piNNtIS " III
then purchase the live stock that now
sluts the yards. But until the retail
prices are lowered and the unofficial
boycott is lifted the present dead
lock- will continue.
Fear of rail strike, the rush tC
sell on high market and such factors
in the present decline of live stoch
prices do not influence the vegetable
market. according tC a federal expert
Perishable goods must be marketed
when they mature, regardless of ex
listing market conditions.
| With the cos, of production greatly
| increased during the war, there il II,
| tie possibility of a reversiOn to ante
hellum prices in the produce market
| 1t is said. Labor is 2o0 per cent more
than 1t was. Sacks. barrels and boxe
cost 100 per cent more and freigh
rates are higher.