The New York herald., 1869-12-17
FiNANCIAL AND CONNER ciAL,


Whatever disposition the markets showed to-day
TO buoyancy was checked by the reports o. numerous
failures and suspensions In the city and elsewhere
or those In the city the latest not regarded OF
much importance, as they comprise retail dealers in
dry goods and millinery goods and small iobbers
IN ike branches OF traae. or those out OF town the
particulars as yet indefinite. We give In another
column such intelligence as 1t was possible TO
gather. The money MARKET, as expected from the
large disbursements Of the Sub Treasury, was
easier The only rates above per cent currency
were paid early In the day, when borrowers mani
tested disposition to meet their engagements
IN good time but were fully Accommodated at seven
per cent gold. Toward the close Of banking hours
funds were freely offered at seven. currency, but
counts having been generally made up promptly lend
ers mad difficulty IN placing balances The govern
mcnt during the past two days has bought three
millions OF bonds ana hence the easier feeling SO
perceptible this afternoon, especially az the pro-
gramme Of Treasury operations has so far ilciuded
the sale OF only one million OF gold, and conten.
plates the sale Of another million, for which pay.
ment VIII not be made untn the close oil the week
The bonds bought to-day were for the sink
ing fund. The offerings were about three
and half millions, which, with the decline in gold
later in the day tended 70 unsettie and weaken
prices although the market, IKE all the others to-
day, was dun The utmost curiosity was expressed
to-day as to the policy Which VIII be pursued at
the Treasury gold sale Tomorrow, and the subject
was constantly discussed IN the Cola Room. There
Is not much speculative feeling either way on the
question of gold but its movement is likely TO have
important effects on the values OF all commodities
which interest the speculative fraternity secretary
Boutwell, a few weeks ago fixed IL as the limit
OF the lowest price at which no would eell
whl ne adhere to this determination, or
will he consider himself bound TO accept the best
price he can gets There was an impression In some
quarters that would perhaps lower his scale this
time ny one per cent or to IN. Certainly Mr. Bout
well has no easy task to perform In tine matter OF
these gold sales for while the one hand he Is be-
set by those who insist that he will only increase the
distress OF our merchants by letting gold 60 down
he Is rebuked by Others, who charge him with de-
libcrately oDsrucng the return OF specie payments,
which, they say, Is only another name for
the restoration of the national credit. Gold
opened weak but upon the announcement
of decline In bonds at LONDON, prooa-
bly, the consequence of settling day there. and
under sudden rush TO cover short sales, became
active rising In the clear from 12lH to 122,s, but
settled back at the close TO 1919 12l4, the high
carrying rates inducing sales OF long gold when the
opportunity was thus afforded to get out. The
importers, however, seem to have faith In the stead
ness II not lowness, Of the present prices for they
have been constant buyers the past three days. For
eign exchange fairyactivc on the basis OF 1OSk
100 for good to prime bankers sixty day sterling.
The stock market was dun and after the poards
heavy and weak. The approach Of the end or the
year checks operations In general, while the ques
ton OF the price OF gold is 10 be fixed by the
government sale tomorrow restrained any decided
ventures to-day. Again. the storm and the disagree
ablo weather, combined With the many reports Of
failures, gave the market fit OF the ''b!ues' this
afternoon which told rather heavily on some OF tue
railways. To trace the course OF tho market more
clQsey there was rather steady feeling at the
opening, which changed to dropping one under
the early activity IN money. AT the last board,
when the easier feeling In money was operative,
prices touched the highest OF the day. and the tone
was cheerful and buoyant. Then cana the news OF
the failures together with the agitation Of the gold
question, end the whole list brose down. The most
marked in the decline was Northwss which fel to
eola. The chques have made u very neat operation
In this stock Starting 1t OF &c they put to n, and
pocketing four dollars dividend every share,
/ have been quietly unloading al 10 10 Is. which
prices look cheap, the fact that they dividend
! being temporarily forgotten BY outsiders Lake
Shore seems to be next ON the programme for this
operation OF pocketing the dividend and profit
besides and advanced to S6is. The following were
the closug prices OF stocks at tue last session OF
the Stock EXcbange:-Canton, SOS n 52; Cumber-
land, 25G q 26H; Western union 3tls q 34ld; Quick.
silver, l5a l614; Mariposa, 7A s; do preferred,
15t4 o 1875 Pacific Mail 43A 491S; Boston Water
Power, 1S4 a Is; Adams Express, coz 81; Wells
Fargo Express, 1871; American Express, 401S;
United States Express 50 bid; New York Gen.
trail consolidated sS1s $50; do. scrip, slSs bid;
Harlem, 1913 13i; do preferred. l5S 40;
Erie, 25's 25H; do. preferred, "A bid; Read
ing, 1905 o 1904; Michigan Central. 1856 Lake
Shore, s0}s s61s; illinois Central 13i; Cieve-
land and Pittsburg, s21 bid; Chicago and
Northwestern, 7o7l Q 7o7s; do preferred, s31a
a S35a Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. 739i
"A; Rock Island los a 1854; Milwaukee and st.
Paul, 7sA 7a1a; do. preferred s5js SOY; Toledo
and Wabash 81 a So; Fort Wayne, IS 80; Alton
and Terre Haute preferred, 5711; Ohio and Alissls
sippi, 2l5s %; Delaware and Lackawanna, los
10ss.; New Jersey central, 9oJ6 s03i; Chicago and
Alton, 144 a 144t4; do preferred, lao; Morris ami
Essex, s5x bid; Hannibal and St. Joseph, los
1857; do. preferred, 1o7 bid; Dubuque aud Sioux
City, 1851 no.
The extreme fluctuations of the principal stocks
are shown the following table OF the highest and
lowest priecs:-