The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-12
SHARE LIST FLAT
MEAGER DEALINGS, ALL PROFESS
sIONAL, AND THE NET CHANGES
TRIVIAL.
SLIGHT GAINS MADE EARLY.
PRICES sAGGED STEADILY ALL
DAY AND THE CLOSE WAS
LOWER.
BROADENING TENDENCY IN BONDS.
The Movemgent Irregular, Hut the
Undertone Strong, Especially
for Investment Issues.
BROADENING TENDENCY IN BONDS

NEW YORK, Dec. 1.-THE stock market
mas rarely been as fiat and uninteresting for
full business session as it was today. The
STOCK indicator was lnotionless for many
minutes at time, and the meagre deal
lngs were purely professional and the huct-
uatlons as a rule trivial. The speculation dis
played degree of lassitude that precluded
any favorable influence upon prices from the
increased government cotton crop estimate
and the favorable report regarding the win
te- wheat outlook. Aside from the main re-
strictive effect Of uncertainty regarding the
immediate developments at Washington on
the Cuban and other questions, reports of the
probable refusal of Venezuela to indorse the
agreement proposed by the United States and
Great Britain on the celebrated boundary
question, were an incentive toward an ex-
tremeiy cautious attitude by the large Sc
curity holding interests. The abnormal ease
In money and the more confident sentiment
OF investors as to eventual favorable out
come We're, however, reflected in notable
broadening in the railway bond market. on
moderately large volume of business many
bonds being dealt in that have long been
dormant
Operation in stocks for foreign account
were on a light scale, but were mainly to
sell, condition which helped a reactionary
tendency in the local market. The initial
prices were irregular with the main ten
uoncy toward lower level. Some slight
gains were made early, but were retained
for only brief period as a raid on Cen
eral Electric, depressing the price ~ in
duced sympathetic fractional concessions in
the general list. Reading sold off about a
point on the prospect of a controversy as to
the legality of the steps taken under the re-
organization of the company, and the gas
shares were again attacked in connection
with the popular agitation for a reduction in
the price Of the product. There was moth
Ing spirited in the dealings, however and the
dullness became more acute as the day pro-
crossed, while prices sagged steadily, though
in a narrow range. In the late dealings.
c., c., c. st. i. attracted attention by
an advance of rs per cent entirely on cover
Ing. The closing was steady at trivial losses
on most stocks.
The bond market displayed a broadening
tendency, many bonds that have heretofore
been neglected for a long time coming into
notice. Prices were irregular, but a firm
undertone was noted, especially in invest
ment bonds. Sales were 81, 1872 900. The most
important advances ranged between 1 and ~
per cent and the declines from 1 to per
cent. The total sales Of stocks today were
93542 shares, including: Sugar, 5000; Bur-
ington, 5000; Chicago Gas, 3,400; General
Electric, $500; Manhattan, $500; st. Paul
$500; w. u, $500; silver certificates, 10, COO.
The following were the fluctuations of the
leading railway and industrial shares, fur
nished by c. H. F. Smith & Co., members
New York stock exchange and Chicago board
of