The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-19
I1rAsoIA1 AND ooMnEEoIAI.
FRIDAY. Feh.ls.


FRIDAY. Feb,ls.
The trade reports furnished BY the mercantile
agencies are again repleto with interest and en-
couraReinent. II 10 to DO noted nrst that the
prices Of all commodities are steadily ndvanc-
ing. The most significant Improvement 10 that
In the prices OF iron and steel. II In stated that
fully 90 = cent. OF the blast furnaces OF the
country are now In operation. Reports circu-
lated to-day that Southern iron producers havo
been unable 10 reach an agreement regarding
prices are misleading. The only obstacles in
the way Of such an agreement are tech
meal or legal ones. which have been referred
10 n committee for solution. Tho volume OF
business in all lines is larger than 1t was n week
aro, and collections are entirely satisfactory.
The foreign trade situation lie particularly graft
firing, Exports OF merchandise in January ex-
ceeded imports by 57l9 millions, and the excess
Of exports for the six months ending Jan. 81
was more than $500, 900. 900. An increase of
No. 900. 900 In internal revenue receipts for tho
month to date, as compared with tho corro'
spending period Of last month. shows that bust
ness is improving in the various industries that
contribute directly to the revenues OF the Gov
eminent.
An advance of several cents per bushel In tho
price of wheat has stimulated rather than cur
tailed exports Of breadstuffs. The exports OF
wheat from Atlantic ports within the last three
weeks have been nearly gle million bushels,
against 5L million bushels for the correspond
ing period OF last year. Exports from the
Pacific coast have been approximately 100000
bushels larger than q year ago. Exports ofcorn
have also been unusually heavy. These move
ments, together with the statistics OF the supply
in sight, seem to warrant the statement that the
United States will practically have to supply
the world with breadstuffs until the next har-
vest is gathered. The extraordinary movement
of staple products to market and tho return
shipment Of the various ncccssaries Of life are re-
hected in larger railway traffic returns, and also
In bank clearances of unusual magnitude.
In spite Of all these substantial, favorable de.
yolopnents, tho stock market, so far as 1t 10 af-
fected by speculative operations. continues
feverish and unsettled. The bond market, how
ever, is strong and active. The logical inference
10 that Investors do not share the fears aroused
by sensational journalism In the minds Of pro-
fessional and timorous operators on the Stock
EXCHANGE. The stock market showed a good
deal Of flrmnecs to-day until heavy selling
Of Sugar Refining broke the price Of that
stock. Tho selling was accompanied by es-
Inmates Of the effect OF now competition
in the refining industry that, as a matter Of fact,
will not become effective until six or eight
months hence. AS there has been no aggressive
speculation in Sugar Refining for some time
,,ast, 1t was q comparatively easy matter to de-
press tho price Al points. st. Paul. which was
second in respect to activity. was exceptionally
strong throughout and closed fractionally higher
than yesterday. The advance in that stock
suggested the possibility of q further in
,rcase In the semi-annual dividend. Other
stocks that moved contrary 10 the almost
general tendency were Brooklyn Rapid
Transit, Rock Island. Metropolitan Street Rail.
way. Lake Shore and Pacific Mail. The market
Tor Brooklyn Rapid Transit was stimulated by
reports of the improvement in the company's
earnings resulting from the running of its cars
over the bridge. The only noteworthy net de-
elmo other than that in Sugar Refining was in
Consolidated Gas. The closing was generally
heavy at about the low est prices.
New York stock ExchanEc-SaIes Feb. l0.
UEITrp STATES Ann STATE RoNDs TN 81. ooosl.
6us''o' '0a'ls7aI 10 vsF deb R's'
CLOSING PRICES OF UNITED STATES BONDS.
I'm st es,r I'm st <h c.
at piofo.1oo ls2b....l271 1884,
In st %s.r. Un st bs.r.
le07....1l2s 1885, 1904. ....l13Hs ia
Tn st "a, e. Tn st So. c.
1907. ....ll4h ll4a 1904. -..l13s ia
CnSt &s.r. Uu st 6.
lu2b. ....l27s l2sAl r,lsas...lo4
RAILROAD AND OTHER BONDS TN 81. OOOs).
Of Atch adj 4s.... 62s4l 8 No P col LIST os. 90
Sc .............. cas- 3 8 N p prior 49,. OH
C2 .............. % 100 "..-"."..... 97s
.............. O3is s ................ 07L
5......... 62AI ! N + gnl 3s...... 62s
o Atch gni 4s..... O2'sI o ..".."....... 62As
L ..-.....-.... 90 90 ...."....".. 62A
3 e3L z Horf & " en- Is 90
i7........... o3is 4slO7
| Am Tob scrip -. S2ia ! o N ER OF Cal IS. l G 2a
o .....".".... 81 2N Wcn...."..142la
3 Ann Arbor As. 80 NY. GA wr4slO2
0 Atch & c 1st,tr SO 500 NJ LIST sp d.. OF
p.CR& LIST. oS% Sd r. IS. D.. e6a
Z 5 brook r T 5s". 90 20 .."......... o6a
0 ....... o6Li 5........... e6
3..... O6tI ! Ohio So lst.... SlL
06Tsl24 os l. en- 5s....l
............. o6AaI IL .."......."..l02
d ............ 81 ors l. inc A.. 6Sk
............. 96| o '''.."......... 90
Br 4 W as... 90 l ......."...... 6Sis
j Chs a o IN os..l ! Oh ........... 6SA
2 Gao nj iLs.. ga os L. inc B.. 47L
o .......... 49, d ....."."..... az
3 .......r...... S3H' o ..'...."'...... 47Hs
8 ....... S3a / s Orc Imp So.
8 C.B&Q ts.N"E 90Ll 9th ip....... 62
lC.R& 7s...1l6tl l Peo& Fast LIST. 76to
5 ............llO b .............. rs
O Chi Ter Is...... SO y &c Pitts & wn LIST. S4l,
Il ....... SGHsi2l3 RI ex 5s.....lO5a
4...""".... SCH IL "......".lo5s
ID C p oss. s ctts. ! 8 ...."......1o54
ser A........l % lEO os, r...lO0Ts
II or 0ss. S ctrs, ! Rock b5s...lO7a
ser .........lO3 s Rens & s LIST. r.
&C Cen =, s ctfA, SO Read gnl 49,. e5L
ser C,......l 03 40 ......"...... ssh
81 Cen p, s ctfs, 26 ."......"... $50
serD........l03 IL ."..."...." S5a
3 c Ga iiy en- os. 9Os 80 ............... 56s
q c Ga Ry ed inc. 1874 ! hioG W iut.... 81
@ C,I&L 5s..... SO l st & MINI lst1 80
e DEN & r @ en-. oIaI 3St p & Ma ex
2 Dull. SIS & All osl 06h 4s...""."... 90
e Er prior Dds. 9lsI b,stL&sF A.. 75S
90 FIR z litn S'4s.. IA 20 .".".".""... 75A
l Tenn s.....lllh l. st p gen iB.....1O6
g Edison Z ! lat. ! l2a4l l0 SA&Al' LIST ls.. 6Is
F&PM bs,PHd 9lIl go sea Ga lst... 81
8 II Worth ist... 1874 ...-.""..... eel
ammonium. 70 2 SO k'way os.... Sd
........... 73a .,.......... 93b
........... 8 AstJaGl.'s-4s 70
90 ...... Il. u Y Stan at &c.. OIL
10 @. H'R q 8 A 8 Stan r & 7 inc. l4a
MPbs., p6 2 tai LIST bs..... o u