Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-01

Chicago, March 31.-Uncertainty in
regard to the outcome Of pending ne
gotiations between the United States
and Spain gave almost a holiday char
acter to trading in wheat and coarse
grains to-day. There was a general
undertone OF firmness, wheat closing
on &c higher for July. Corn advanc
ed 1sc and oats closed unchanged, pro-
visions were very firm, affected by talk
of large orders for naval supplies and
closed 71a@20c higher.
Wheat opened about CSC lower for
July, initial trades being made at Sl3s
@S1Mc. The magnificent prospects for
the winter wheat crop in Kansas and
fayOrabl reports from other winter
wheat growing States was the chief
cause for the opening weakness. Some
sections reported an increase in area
of about 20 per cent and it was stated
that very little damage had resulted
from recent frosts. 1t was also report
Cd that about 20,000,0C0 bushels OF old
wacat was still on hand in Kansas.
The early drop in Wall street prices
also acted as disturbing influence.
Prices soon recovered, however. Liv-
erpool and Paris markets both showed
steadiness and stocks showed an early
recovery, giving rise to the belief that
insiders We're in possession of favor
able information concerning the out
look of a settlement of the Cuban
question. The bulls also derived COM
fort from the falling off in northwest
receipts, Minneapolis and Duluth re-
porting 220 cars, against 324 last week
and 5S7 year ago. Though this did
not result in much increase in the buy
ing demand. it stopped the short SELL
ing and liquidation in a degree, and
prices slowly recovered to 82l4 0S23sc.
The usual selling by scalpers who are
satisfied with fractional profits then
set in and a decline to 81 &c ensued
Trading was extremely narrow
amounting at times almost to stagna-
ton. The uncertainty in regard to the
ultimate sentiment of the Cuban ques-
tion acted as a drag on the market,
raiders preferring to wait until some
thing definite was known before ven
turiug too far either way. In conse-
ouence fluctuations were confined to an
excentionally narrow range, the mar
ket at no time getting above $3.50,
while opening figures marked the low
noint Of the day. Almost nothing was
done with Nay, and that delivery held
steady at practically nominal value,
81 0334. 1t did drop at one time to
e 0215 on one or two offerings, but
recovered as soon as the pressure was
removed July after the reaction to
size recovered again to S21s QS2Ac
and held at that price to the close
On account of the dizziness, routine
news other than stated, had scarcely
anv effect. Chicago receipts were SO
cars * of contract grade. Besides
iris % cars and $500 bushels of con-
tract wheat were received from mixing
houses making the total addition to
tbe contract stocks to-day about 1885,
30) bushels. Atlantic clearances
amounted to $4,000 bushels July
was bringing s21s @S2Ac at the close
Nav closed at s1.0SA.
Corn was steady but very dull, most
of the time at a trife above yesterdays
nrices Shorts did about all the buy
Ing There was more or less sympathy
with wheat. and the advance IN wall
street trading was almost enureiv
local. May ranged from 29@2s1sc 10
oS&c. and closed 1sc higher at 2sc
Oats We're almost at a stanoatili an
day there being barely 14c fuctuation