The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-23
IN THE COTTON MARKETS
Statistical Information from the EXCHANGES
Of United States and Europe.
THE FLUCTUATIONS WERE A LITTLE WIDER
Not Much Expected Until After the
vtot,,oy. in the way or spccula-
tton--Advance in Failures.
n,f Of Of The Post.
Houston. Thursday. December %.

i
Aitho,q, nothing was looked for in cotton
min after tho holidays there was little
wider margin In fluctuations today. although
transactions were very light. Spot holders IN
the south we're reported to be rather bullish
and we're not pressing offerings.
a nrotnincnt Alabama authority contends
that the crop has been greatly overestimateo
aud that while last year eight and nine paaes
were made To the pillow but seven Will DC
made this year. 4S,. s-. 4@r
Well Bros. OF Opelika, Ala, say;
.The quality Of cotton that Is being re.
ceiyed now Is of splendid staple. anu W. W.
grade is better than u was yns sross tinres
During the late rise many Of the holders OF
cotton have turned loose The price OF sp psS
since the 18th q Novemper, nus ~ thn Sn,,th
while contracts at New York have advanced
about one-ha of a cent. This advance has
not been confined to the hgn grnaes sni Tu' 10 a
more moderate extent. The demand has beeh
and is, SO to speak, unprecedented Locai
h tp pooriy stocked and bought very spar
ingly, are now In the market ana are uust ns
freely. Eastern .spinners seem to some ,o eN
tent to have withdrawn within the last Weeh:
our best customer. however, for cotton anu an,
the most persistent buyer is the continent;
From there the highest PRICES are PAD ~, ah y.
cotton is being exported there at y uyels
rate To this we must add another feature.
and one of the most important features; l. e., e..
the Southern buyers and shippers WIN lew
exceptions, have gone largely snort LOT 10
cember. January, February and March deiiv
rry. and IA great many also have SOLD the
later deliveries of all grades OF spot cotson;
there is a scramble for cotton. and especially
for the higher and medium grades. wnluh
probably will continue for some time 10 come nin
| II ts stated that many of the European SPIN
| ners have bought supplies for twelve 10 1We ;
| ty four months ahead during October ana mo-
vember to be shipped during th,s eotton
| seuuently have procured very cheap eottoh'
| Liverpool was idl1M-64 up at the close to-
day. while New York advanced to and New
Orleans 3 to points.
| Port receipts were 1890. against 4l,Ssl last
| year and 46. 036 In 1880. .,.,
| Houston expects tomorrow l6.1 700 to H.2Vo
| against 6lo3 last year and 1iSl7 In lsso.
| New Orleans expects 10000 to 13,oOo. against
10, 645 last year and 1850 in 1895.
n. w. Hunter & Co. say OF today's cotton
market: The decline for all the previous
days of tho week was recovered in a few
minutes this morning and tho bulls in cotton
| who have quietly and confidently been buying
| on a scale down and adding to their lines a.
each . or 3 points decline today easily saw
PROFITS in sight and forced bears to cover a.
n loss Cotton Is still bull market. and the
( strong parties openly buying seem able to rur
tho bears In when they please. TINS iattel
element are afraid to stand short on any
amount for more than few points and quick
" run to cover. for they know that the price
Is sim below the cost OF production ana IN
final result of this crop is very much In douo
and that there Is room for n cent advance To-
every X cent decline Outsiders who waitet
for n few points further decline and failed u
catch the low point yesterday were fair buyeri
today and offerings were very light. makln'
tho TO . points advance easy. At a poin
or two below 90 for May cotton in New
Orleans there are lot of good buying order
and on the basis OF this price the market
will have good support.
Carsll g. Richardson of Houston say
cotton: Tomorrow Will be the last bushes
day at the various exchanges before Christ
mas. The natural course CT events woul'
indicate that profit taking should be In order
II this is seen we should see decline y
stocks and cotton, as both are undoubtedl
speculative long. while grain should have q
least n temporary reaction from the advanc
made in the past few days. Todays cottoi
market was somewhat more active than yes
ierdny with prices hardening, The sellers o
the past few days bought in their shorts. an
iiyerpoo helped them. Receipts are to
/, heavy for n bull market but the pressur
from this source amounts TO little as IN
larger part OF the present movement ma
heeu sold and discounted. Spots were some
what nrmer. with better business all around