The times., 1899-02-18

are not ready for publication yet and may
not be for some time. But it may be
stated on the authority of man entirely
familiar with the situation that the plan
has gone so far that the banking house
which is to make the deal is now working
on it, This is positive knowledge and
not hearsay or surmse. The immense BEN
eft TO the stockholders of the road to
accrue from the refunding of the bonds at
3 1-2 per cent. interest, when the road is
already earning 10 per cent, accounts for
all the advance in Burlington, and much
more.
The arrangement between the Central
Pacific and the Government has been made
definitely and will be announced in short
time, possibly today. 1t may be stated on
the authority of an officer of the Govern
ment that the road is to pay about So, 000,
900 less TO the Government than has been
supposed. or in the neighborhood of $685.
10000. inclusive of interest. This knowl
edge, with the facts as to Mr.. Huntingtons
arrangement in regard to the consolida-
tion of his railroads, which it is promised
will be very satisfactory to the stockhold-
ers, makes magnificent showing for both
Southern and Central Pacific. II is freely
predicted that the advance of both stocks
will be rapid. 1t is to be supposed that
an inkling of these matters reached the
people who bought them yesterday.
The other grangers were hardly less
buoyant than Burlington yesterday. Rock
Island went TO 120 "a, and closed at the
top with an advance of more than two
points. ST. Paul went to 130 Ii, and clos
ed at 1870. The advice of conservative peo-
pie is that both stocks, but especially st.
Paul, will have much greater advance in
the near future. 1t is generally believed
that both will pass their previous high
mark today.
Reading first preferred developed great
strength and 1t is to be expected that its
price will go much higher
Atchison preferred passed-63 yesterday
which had been the price for two days. at
which it refused TO go higher There was
good buying of the stock by Mr.. Flower
and other leaders: OF the market. and it
seems probable that today Will see good
advance.
The strength developed by Pennsylvania
yesterday was the cause of much rejoicing
among the people iwho- bought heavily OF
the stock around the high prices of three
weeks ago. IL is confidently predicted that
Pennsylvania will pass Northwest within
few days. The advance in this stock
was predicted on Thursday by Miller G.
Co, in a letter enlarging on the great
present and future prospects of the road.
New York, Feb 11.-Bradstreet' tomor-
row will say:
Following the long continued cold wave,
eliminating in heavy snow and sleet storms
and inclement weather generally through
out nearly all sections of the country.
come reports OF reviving spring trade and
of efforts TO ascertain the extent to which
material interests have suffered. All
things considered, the damage so far ndi-
Gated, while serious in some sections, has
proved less than might have been expect
ed in view of the severity of the vista
tion. AS the result of special enquiry this
week, Bradstreet's is enabled to make
some definite statements regarding the
effects of the severe weather. The con-
sensuS of opinion seems to be that the
damage caused in the North, East, West,
and Northwest has been less than expect
ed and was, in fact. more in the nature of
a temporary check rather than of a per-
manent impairment of underlying favora-
BILE conditions, Exception is. of course,
made in the case of the winter wheat crop
from which trustworthy reports as to dam
age are not forthcoming at this early pc
riod of the year. The check to Transports
tion interests. TO the mails, and to the
traffic generally has apparently been large
ly removed or mitigated. From the South,
however come reports OF more serious
damage, particularly to the growing fruit
and vegetable crops. Even here. hOwev-
er permanent damage, aside from the re-
ported loss of unpicked cotton. seems to
be centred in the States of Georgia, Flor
ida. and Louisiana. beneficial feature
is the practical elimination of any danger
from yellow fever next summer as a re-
suit of old infection. An important item
of Southern news is the number of reports
of damage to the oat crop, while 1t is con-
ceded that wheat quite generally escaped
In Maryland. Virginia, and North Caro-
lima there is tendency to minimize the
damage, reports being that vegetation was
not sufficiently advanced to be injured by
the cold.
Satisfactory reports of resumption of
spring distribution come from the West
induced by a considerable rise in temper
ature and good volume of business is
reported in the East and in the Middle
States as result of the receipt Of de-
layed mail orders. though transportation
is still interfered with. Chicago and ST.
Louis report buyers in town and shipping
business improved thereby.
"A continuance of mild weather may
help an early estimate of the damage to
winter wheat During the height OF the
storm business at the South was prac-
tically paralyzed and a number of indus
trial establishments temporarily shut
down. II is not surprising to learn, there
fore, that cotton receipts this week are
extremely light. satisfactory business
appears TO be doing on the Pacific Coast.
and export business is fairly active.
good volume of business has been done at
New York and Boston following the stormy
weather and business in dry goods, par
ticularly cottons, has been fairly active
with values firm or tending upward. \ bet
ter business is reported in dress woolens
also and an improvement is even report
ed in msns wear goods for fall delivery
Business in wool has naturally been quiet,
but Boston reports large transactions in
foreign woods pending
Bank clearings reflect business inter-
ruptions due to storms and a holiday in
total for the week of 81 1893 gu. .001-23
per cent smaller than those of last week,
but arc per cent larger than in this week
year ago, 60 per cent larger than in 1897,
and LOG per cent larger than those of 1891
Compared with the corresponding week OF