Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-31
STOCKS IRREGULAR.
NET CHANGES MIXED, WITH LOSSES
SLIGHTLY PREVAILING.
CLOSE WITH HEAVY UNDERTONE.
Continental Tobacco Makes Frac-
tiOnal Advance, After large Re-
cessiOn EnrIier-Wheat Erratic-
May Practically Unchanged.

NEW YORK, March 90-The movement
In stock prices to-day was very irregular.
with net changes mixed, but with losses
slightly prevailing. Three stocks-Fede-
raj Steel. Brooklyn Rapid Transit. and
Northumberland for nearly half the
total sales on the Exchange, which were
not much below million. Fears Of
trouble over the Samoan situation gave a
generally easier tone 10 the early market
which subsequently advanced. under the
leadership of the Flower stocks and Man
haitian and Sugar. but later eased off
again. on the very high rate for money,
u per cent. being charged before the close
for call loans. The banks early in the
day advanced the call rate to per cent.
Many brokers and traders had made early
provision for loans. which will carry them
over until Monday. On the Stock Ex-
change the rate advanced to y. and the
last loan was 61s. These fluctuations were
reflected In the variable and nervous
movements in many stocks.
Washington advices that the Samoan
complications were not serious, together
with the confident manipulation Of some
Of the Specialties, were cOincident with
some Of the highest prices of the day for
these stocks. Federal Steel, on the largest
II,
closing at the highest The preferred
rose u. Brooklyn Transit. which had
been very strong and active all the
week. remained practically unchanged.
Peoples Gas. another Flower speciality,
moved similarly, but on less wide fluctua-
items. likewise closing about unchanged.
DROP IN RAILROADS.
There was no news attending the move
ments i'm these properties. but a circum-
stance that attracted much attention was
the gradual drop of the railroad stocks,
which were affected by the stringent
monetary situation, and I'm a measure
were also influenced by the divergence of
active operations into the Specialties.
Rumors of a possible cooperative ar
rangement between Manhattan and Me
pOlitan 1%. Third-AVenue. too, rose
points. in expectation that the company's
interest would not suffer as much as an
tcipated by impending legislation.
Sugar retained 2l2 points of a 6-point rise
coincidentally with the advance I'm the re-
fined article. Continental Tobacco made
a fractional advance. after large recess
sion in the early trading.
Standard Oil closed at 410d47l.
The market closed with heavy under
tone
BOND BUSINESS SMALLER.
Business in bonds fell off considerably
to-day. and some weak spots dropped out.
The main tendency of prices, however,
was toward higher plane, with the At
chisons and the ST. Louis Southwestern
issues in good demand. Total sales.
s. 900 600 Government bonds are I'M
changed in the bid price.
The total sales Of stocks were 95i,4Oo
shares. including 3l,G23 Atchison, pre-
fcrred: 1890 Chicago. Burlington and
Quincy: 12SGJ0 Manhattan; 300 Metro
politan Street Railway, eX-divldend; ll.HD
heading, 1st preferred: 1851 New York
Central; $500 Northern Pacific; ODD
Northwestern Terminal; $50 Ontario and
Western: 9.23S Rock Island; 1l,275 Union
Pacific; f6GO Union Pacific. preferred;
1G $50 St. Paul; l4,575 American steel ana
Wire: G 1920 American Steel and wire, pre-
ferred: $500 American Tobacco; 2BlD
Federal Steel: 1880 Federal Steel, pre-
ferred: 1885 Peoples Gas; 1ll,iiO Brook
Ivn Transit: 81 40 Continental Tobacco;
Fl $50 Sugar; 1850 Tennessee Coal and
Iron; 1850 Chicago Great Western.
MONEY AND EXCHANGE.
Money on call. 5laal2 per cent; last
loan at 51s per cent: prime mercantile
naner. 3i4u4A per cent.
Sterling exchange steady, with actual
h,siness in bankers bills AT A.S6l24A.Sb+i
for demand and $lAiznsiSiA for sixty
DAVIS. posted rates, SLSllga$iS12 ana
81 S6IbQ $Ls7l2; commercial Bills N.S5129
$4.si. co,c,. 49,. .f,.o. soz,
5qsg. Mexican dollars, Az.
Government bonds steady. state bonds
;rreoular. Railroad bonds irreguglar.