The age-herald., 1899-05-16
VIGOROUS OPENING
 IN STOCK MARKET Small Transactions Discouraged
 Bull Speculation.
THE BEAR TRADERS COVERED
Dealings Moderate and Changes Irregu lar in Bond Market, With Total Sales of $4,1so,ooo-United
 States Fours Advanced

New York May 15.-Opening quotations in the stock market were vigorous; notices were served on all parties that ample cap ital was forthcoming to take up all offer ings which timid holders of so-called Flow CT stock chose to offer and also to the bears that powerful weapons were in hand to re- sist any onslaught by them.
 The different members of the Flower groups were opened up 1 to 3 points above Saturdays close, the favorites of the late financial dealer, Brooklyn Transit and Peoples Gas, leading the rise New York Air Brake, in its usual volatile manner, made an exceptional rise of Il points in the first few minutes. These aggressive tac- tics served to dissipate any uneasiness in the speculative mind remaining after the violent fluctuations in Saturdays market. Early quotations from London also made 1t evident that there were large reserves of capital prepared to take advantage of any further sympa thetic declines in the general list of securities.
 The buying there before the opening here was not only for the purpose of support ing values, but also on orders from Scot land and Germany and Holland as well as a local English demand The high open ing here, especially in the Flower stocks, invited a considerable volume of offerings but they were absorbed without the slight est hesitation and in short time they ma terialy decreased The pressure of lqui- dation being relieved the vigor of the ef- forts at support was somewhat relaxed. Prices having failed to break, the bargain hunters were deterred from buying, and the market fell into a quiet state.
 A brisk upward movement in sugar to 1J4Hs and a lively demand for the Pacifics and the grangers caused general stiffen- ing again throughout the list. But the smaAness of the transactions discouraged a continuance of the bull speculation and the market fell back into comparative in- activity. The movement of prices became decidedly irregular, some of the more oo- scure specialties huctuating quite widely, but in the contrary direction. This was notably the case among the iron and steel stocks, Tennessee Coal, Colorado Fuel and national Steel preferred being notably weak.
 This tendency and the apparent with drawal of supporting orders invited @ raid by the bears late in the day directed par ticularly against Metropolitan Street Rail- way, which was raided down 3 points. The grangers and Pacifcs also suffered in the decline except Central Southern Pacific, which was consistently strong. Metropoli- tan Street Railway rallied very strongly points, the local traction shares responding in sympathy.
 The bear traders covered making the closing firm. The conspicuous changes were in the Fower stocks, which closed higher though below the best of the day. Otherwise. changes in the prominent stocks were not large. Net gains predominated In the bond market there were some heavy taking of B. & O. As when issued Deal- ings elsewhere were moderate and changes irregular. Total sales, $4,1S0,000
 4c advanced l. in Inc bid price.
 Total sales stocks today were 592, ,3O6 shares, including: American Smelling com- pany, 3200; American Steel and Wire, 2.20O; American Sugar 30 600; American Tobac- co, 6,500; Atch.son, 3.300; Atchison pfd., 39,1 300; Brooklyn Rapid Transit, 27,900; Bur ington Rights, $500; Chicago Consolidated Traction. 3,2OO: Chicago Term. IT. pfd. A., 100; Continental Tobacco 9,700; Federal Steel pfd.. Il AGO; International Paper, 3,10O; Louisville and Nashville, 920o; Manhattan l.. 15.O0O; Metropo itan S,100; Missouri Pa cific, 4,000; National Steel, 4,400; New York Central, 4s09; Peoples Gas, 27,600 Reading 1st pfd, 10.G00; Rock Island, $500; St. Paul, 23.S0O; Southern Ky, 6200; Southern Ky. pfd., 5000; Tennessee Coal and Iron, $500; United States Rubber, $500.
 Money on call steady, at 2i50l4 per cent, last loan.
 Prime mercantile paper 31k@414c.
 Sterling exchange steady, with actual business in bankers biils, at s4.SsA@4ST for demand. and 4S4aiG4.S5 for 60 days.
 Posted rates, %4.S01s@4S614 and si.S7lk@ 4SS1s.
 Commercial bills, $4.S404.S41z.
 Silver certificates. 61asd62c; bar silver 61Ne; Mexican dollars, 487sc.
 Government bonds strong, state bonds inactive, railroad bonds irregular.
 By Private Wire to Paine, Murphy Col