Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-16
MANY STOCKS GAIN.
MARKET CLOSES STRONG, WITH
GOOD BUYING IN PROGRESS.
The POREIGN-T TRADE STATEMENT
Mig Excess of Exports Over Imports
for Five Months Of Fiscal Year
Wheat, Corn, and Oats Advance
Provisions Practically Unchanged.

NEW YORK, December 15.-Many
stocks gained about point to-day, and
the market left off strong, with a good
buying movement in progress. Perhaps
the most potent influence on sentiment
was in the governments foreign trace
statement. showing exports for November
of nearly sl30,O0oOOO, which was nearly
SIS, 10000 In excess of imports, and the
excess of exports over imports for the
five months Of the fiscal year above the
enormous sum of $23OOO.O0O. Then, too.
the strength of the grain markets to-day
seemed to indicate o continuance in the
demand for our products.
Alternating firmness and weakness rem
dered the market irregular during the
forenoon. Subsequently. the market shook
off it's hesitancy and became buoyant,
on reports that the Vanderbilt interest
had purchased the Chicago and Alton,
with a view 10 merging It into the Michi-
gan Central system. Michigan Central
Immediately rose points, and Chicago
and Alton. Subsequently, q vanderbilt
official denied that such deal mad been
consumated. This. however, failed 10
affect the Vanderbilt stocks, which con-
tinued upward to the close, at about the
best prices. The sustained strength of
the securities supposed to be interested
In the rumored deal aroused some COM
ment among the traders. Lake Shore
dropped points on one sale Sugar was
very irregular, and moved within radius
of ? points, closing with a gain of ! IL.
Denver preferred and Central Pacific
were strong. Some Of the usually dor
mant stocks received some attention.
Federal Steel shares were buoyant, the
common rising rising -
BOND MARKET LESS ACTIVE.
Activity diminished somewhat in the
bond market and proht-taking arrested
the Improvement in some securities. The
general tendency, however. was decidedly
upward. Total sales. $5ZS5to0. United
States 3s advanced Is I'm the bid price.
The total sales OF stocks to-day were
7I2.4O0 shares, including 20.Sj0 Atchison;
81 go. do. preferred; 1850 Canada South
ern. q. 5l2 Central Pacific. GOO Chesapeake
and Ohio. II, 7Cj Chicago. Burling-
ton and quincy 1915 Denver and Rio
Grande preferred. 1000 Louisville and
Nashville. $3.50 Manhattan. 5,70S Metro
politan street Railway; ESQ Reading. lst
preferred; 5f46 Missouri Pacific. 100
Missouri. Kansas and Texas, BOO North
ern Pacific 1j.000 New York Central, J,lJ7
Omaha and Western, 1902 Rock Island.
7.24S Union Pacific, 15,l5O st. Paul, 1850
st. Paul and Omaha, 500 Southern pre-
fe.red. 1901 Wabash preferred. 5,S9S
Wheeling and Lake Erie. 1852 American
Tobacco. Gl.GO Federal Steel; Oslo. do,
preferred: II 40 Peoples Gas 5i,i5j Sugar,
5,Si5 Tennessee Coal and Iron, l2,2OO United
States Leather; 1880, do, preferred.
MONEY AND EXCHANGE.
Money on call steady at 1-2G3; last
loan at 21-2; prime mercantile paper, Sai.
Sterling exchange irregular, with actual
business I'm bankers bills at SiSi l-2lo
$4S4 81 for demand, and A.Sl 1-20S4.S1 81
for sixty days; posted rate, $ha l-2@
$iS5 -.
Silver certificates, 80 1-2qG01-2. Bar sill
yer. sci Mexican dollars, A.
Government bonds strong. State bonds
firm. Railroad bonds strong.
COMING HOLIDAYS.
The Governing Committee Of the New
York Stock Exchange has decided to close
the Exchange on the Saturdays before
and the Mondays following Christmas and
New Years Day.
The decision was made in response 10 q
petition from members Of the Exchange.