The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-18

CHICAGO, Dec. 17.-There was what might
be termed a natural reaction in wheat today
from he advance yesterday. May opened
10 lower and December 1c lower. Big sea-
board clearances sustained the market Tor
a while. Other markets were easier. Corn
and oats declined about &c each and provis-
ions closed 5G713c lower.
1t was the dullest wheat market for weeks.
Prices opened a shade easier because Of the
heavy snow fall and the failure Of Liverpool
to respond to the advance here yesterday.
started 1kQAc lower at 92c, with one or two
sales Immediately after at 91%G92c. Trade
was excessively narrow and few covering
orders which came in shortly after were suf-
ncient to cause an advance to 92asc but this
little demand satisfied, prices sank again to
p2Q921Sc. 1t was prevented from going lower
during the forenoon by some help from the
bull clique presumably caused by the enor-
nous clearances from Atlantic and Gulf ports,
which including &c. 900 bbls of flour from New
port News amounted to 1893, 619 blu. This Is
much the heaviest aggregate for one day in
the past two weeks. Northwest receipts were
fairly liberal. The cars received to-day at
Minneapolis and Duluth numbered 635 against
62S last Thursday and 1868 the corresponding
day of 1896 Chicago receipts were 279 cars,
compared with 43 a year ago and SO, 100 blu
were transferred from unlicensed to regular
houses Liverpool opened sd higher than it
closed yesterday, but had lost all but Bd
of that before the session commenced here
Later it lost the last I'D of its early gain
Paris was firm and noted advance of 40 cent?
mes in -four and from 10 centimes rise in
near deliveries Of wheat to centimes for the
March-May term. Liverpool acceptances from
abroad of wheat offers cabled from the sea-
board yesterday were reported and near the
end of the session here the quantity taken
was reported to be q boat loads general
desire to let loose scalping lines OF long
wheat characterized the trading in the last
half hour and prices broke fresh ground
on the under side of the proveious lowest
limit Of the range. That was all there was In
the closing decline which ranged May down
to 915sc and closed it at 919s@91cc. December
was very sparingly traded in at $1.O1, chiefly,
but at the close it was quoted at 9912c. The
elevator people delivered, after change, not
less than 100000 blu and possibly 100000
bu wheat on December contracts. Most of
It came from Armour Co.
Corn during the morning, was dull and
prices were. firm under the demand. Ele-
Vator people took no part in the selling, In
dieating small country offerings. Clearances
were large, 1929, 600 bu which helped. Later
in the day interest died away greatly ana the
selling pressure increased when wheat turned
downward, the market became weak May
ranged from 29Ac to 2S7sc, closing BQAc
lower at 29c. Oats were irregular. December
was steady all day and closed at a slight adj
vance, helped by the steady cash market
There was an inclination to realize on long
lines in May and, this with some short selling
pressure produced the weakness. Offerings
were fairly well absorbed and the decline
was small. May ranged from 2212e to 229sc
were not so active today. There was some
firmness shown early on the higher hog
prices, but a decline followed on selling by
packers. Principally commission houses did
the best buying. At the close May pork was
TIC lower at $S.7714c, May lard &c lower at
$4.671z and May ribs 5@71z lower at $447A
$50 cars; corn, 220 cars; oats, 21O cars; hogs,
900 head.
The leading futures ranged as follows: