The age-herald., 1898-02-20
Tn W all Street.

New York, Feb. 19-There was feeling or uneasSness over the European political situation reflected from all foreign ex- changes today before the opening of trad ing on the New York exchange. The col Hsion of British and French authorities in the Niger distrct of Afrca and the e,s- cited condition of the public mind in Af- rica were the cause of the heaviness which In London resulted in a fall Of Lc in Brit lsh consois. American securities were af- fected by the general heaYiness as well as by the special considerations growing out of the Cuban questions. Declines in Americans reached point :n London in a number Of eases besorc the opening here and as conse1ueaace selling orders were place1 for London account at the open ing. There was no local 5Gppon. for prices. On the contrary there was a. recurnp tion of liquidation and .le ,,ea,ss were encouraged to raid the market. Prices quickly fell, not only to the Lorkloi. 7.Er.ty, but below it. The declines ranging lip to polnts an1 over invited coyes9ls, by tic shorts and prices hardened, but Gt nc time did they fully recover to yesterdays close. The weaknes apparent in sugar made in the center of fierce raid In thc flnal dealings and it sank 4l4 po!ss 10 123;s the whole list selling off so tele lowest There was very determined rupport for sugar at ard be.ow 129, and He closing saw a battle royal in progress Ietwe"n the bulls aad the bears and the market consequently ia a very unsettled condition. Rallies of over 8 point were made by a number of stocks besides ugar, but ciet losses ere left on an average of ovr "a. point. London selling was a feature of tEe day and the supply of St. Paul from that source was sufficient to meet a. large demand here aud keep the price down. The rate in prospect be- tween the Canadton Pacific and the trans co tinenta lines in ths United States for KIondike traffic was a depressing factor, causing a decline of points in Canadian Pacific and of less amounts in the other roads affected. Union Halcillc fours were very heavily dealt in, two individual trans actions of a par value of S2o0,00 and $l50,- eco respectively being recorded. One block of 100000 Of Rock Island extension lives also changed hands.
 The weeks development in the Cuban question effectually nsettled the market and precinitated a heavy liquidation of speculative accounts. Prices of securities were recognized as discounting to certain extent future prospects, but confidence in the future had been sufficiently firm to prompt the holding of long lines until the DeLome incident and the Maine disaster awakened renewed uneasiness. This un- easiness caused the bulls to abandon plans for any aggressive advance In prices and caused the liquidation of numerous hold lngs of long stock as well as the throwing on the market of large amounts of stock disgorged by the uncovering of mines. The bears showed some hcsitancy at times dur ing the week and their haste to cover at the low level effected a rally on two days, Tuesday and Thursday, after the severest decline. There is a question to how far the powerful Interests, who have of late controlled the course of the market, re- duced their long holdings. But the situa- tion generally, aside from the Cuban ques- tion, is recognized as a strong one.
 Total sales of stocks today were 272 0Q0 shares. including Atchison preferred, B. 355; Chesapeake and Ohio, 1000; Burling ton and Quincy G.G06: Louisville and Nash vile, S,iS5 MaGEe ttan. 22SJ: Metropolitan 3,932; Reading preferred a,Oi0; Missouri Pa cific, 3o5o; Kansas and Texas preferred 3,S60; New York Central, 5,09O; Northern Pacific, 1O,960; Northern Pacific preferred Il ,S55 Rock Island. 4,430; St. Paul, 21 BOA Union Pacific. 6,72i Tobacco, 3,77O; Peo- ple's Gas, 5,150 General Electric, 3,15O Sugar, 61 ,sG0; Western Union, 3465.
 Money on call easy at 115 per cent; last loan 11s per cent.
 Prime mercantile paper Sd4 per cent
 Sterling exchange frmer, with business in bankers bills at $4.S51z for demand and at S4.SSQ4S3h for sixty days.
 Posted rates, si.S4 and $4S61S
 , Commercial bills, a.S2.
 " Silver certificates, 55AG561z.
 ) Bar silver, 55Ac.
 Mexican dollars, 45Ac.
 State bonds quiet.
 Railroad bonds weak. -fs'sf
 Government bonds weak; new As cou- pon, 12724 old As, 112A; coupon. 114A; 2s, 100; 5s registered, 11314; 5s coupon, 1131s