The age-herald., 1899-08-26
LITTLE ACTIVITY
 IN STOCK MARKET Total Sales Less Than Half a
 Million Shares. FEW SPOTS OF STRENGTH Obscure and Usually Inactive Securi- ties Shared Most of the Advance Slight Rise in Tennes-
 see Goal & Iron

New York, August 25.-There was marked decline in activity in the stock market today, the total sales failing to less than half million shares. Very little evi- denee was left of the recent upward tend ency of securities. The spots of strength were few and far between, and for the most part in obscure and usually inactive stocks which moved under the influence of spe- cial causes. Depression from foreign stocK markets reflected here and increasing anx- iety over tomorrow's bank statement were the impeling causes of the heaviness.
 Financial centers in Europe obviously la- bor under reneYed uneasiness over the situation in the Transvaal. There was In addition the prospect of a holiday tomor- row on the London exchange to discour- age new commitments there. 1he recent buying in New York from that source was discontinued entirely, and sales for London account Were sufficient to exercise not ably depressing influence.
 There was another apmrt in American Tobacco which carried it up H per cent, but this was almost immediately lost. The specialties we're weak for the rest or the day, Sugar being under severe pressure at times. It's extreme decline was 3R and It's net loss only about point less Bfooklyn Transit and Manhattan succumbed to the prevailing weakness Tennessee Coal did better, out saved only fraction ot a rise of over point. Occasional strength crop ped out here and there under the influence of which the market made some effort to advance, but without success. There was a notable buying movement in Union Pa- cific preferred, based on suggestions of a coming increase in the dividend, which car ried the price above S0 Consolidated Gas followed yesterdays dividend reduction and a semi-official intimation that even the re- duced dividend was not earned, climbed up an extreme 9% on the urgent demand from the short interest. Brooklyn ana Gas gained GA.
 There was continued strength in a group of minor grangers, St. Paul and Duluth leading with rise of points. Wiscon- sin Central, Duluth, South Shore and Att Iantic, preferred, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste Marie, preferred, Des Moines and Fort Dodge and Keokuk and Des Moines, preferred, were included in this group. gains running from fraction to 2 points. Rio Grande and Western, preferred, ore gon Navigation, Cleveland Lorraine and Wheeling, preferred, and Chicago Great Western preferred "A" were other points of strength. Kansas and Texas preferred was the only one of the southwesterns to maintain the early show of strength.
 Liquidation was not urgent on the gen. eral list, the market falling into intense dullness with the declining tendency. The known movements of money for the week indicate a loss in cash to the banks of nearly $35O0 900, g, ,927 900 of which went to tine sub-treasury.
 None of the gold which went recently to Montreal has been returned and no gold has come from the sub-treasury on account of drafts of the San Francisco mint. Without regard heretofore to the possible drat nf och Sha rr n surplus reserves is probable, unless the contraction in loans has been much larger than appeared. Interior exchanges on New York at several important points showed declines today, and there was con- siderable calling of loans. The late de- clines in the money rates to per cent. had little significance. The rate was quite firm during the day, about per cent. Contrary to recent experience, sterling exchange failed to weaken in response to the firm ness of money here, but hardened frac- tion under the influence of Londons sales of securities in New York.
 The dealing in bonds were mostly in the speculative issue at improved prices. Total sales par value. s2,375,OO0 United States new 4s declined 3s in the bid price.
 New York; August 25.-Money on call easier at 293 per cent; last loan per cent. Prime mercantile paper, 4A95 per cent
 Sterling exchange firm, with actual busi- ness in bankers bills at $4.S6h@$4.S6% for demand. and at s4.S3A6s4.S3A for sixty days; posted rates. $4.S4G$4.s71s; commer- ciaI bills, $4.S2G$4.S2H.
 Silver certificates, 600601zc; bar silver, 59 11-16c; Mexican dollars 477sc.
 Government bonds weak; state bonds in- active; railroad bonds strong.
 By Private Wire to Taibott 6 Palmer.
 3 E s $