Evening star., 1900-12-17
Great Activity in the New York Stock
Market,
Squirt IN The TRACTION SHARES
Erie and Ontario and Western Also
Advance Sharply.
GENERAL MARKET REPORTS
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, December 17.-Early Lon
don cables reflected advances varying from
II to per cent in the American depart
ment and foreign houses had buying or
ders on this side aggregatng $4,000 shares
In consequence of this foreign buying and
the accumulation of mail orders over Sun
day the local market opened buoyantly.
The higher prices invited realizing sales on
large scale. but the market again demon
strated its ability to absorb all such offer
ings.
The profit-taking during the morning held
the market in check, but no material con-
cessions were recorded. Around the noon
hour the pressure to sell was relieved and
sharp advances were recorded in the active
shares.
Erie issues advanced for substantial gains
and the opinion Is gaining ground that the
public is only awakening to the possibilities
of that property under the new conditions
In Ontario and Western the advanced was
stayed hv realizing sales, the price being
firmly held around %.
The higher priced railroads in the coal
group were strong under what appeared to
be good investment inquiry from commits
sion houses. The Pacific shares were strong
under buying from sources hitherto respon-
Sible for the advance in that group. Atchi-
son and Southern issues were strong under
good semi-investment inquiry and all the
low-priced issues were in good speculative
demand.
One Of the features of the day was
burst Of activity In the Traction group
during the late afternoon Manhattan.
Brooklyn Transit Third Avenue and the
less active shares were advanced from 3 to
per cent. The usual rumors Of closer
relationship between these properties. long
time leases and guaranteed dividends help
ed the advance. No satisfactory official
confirmation or disclaimer is obtainable on
the subject Of these rumors.
There are numerous surface indications
of an important deal in these properties,
but there are similar indications that the
public is not to be taken into the con-
f1dence Of the inside interests just yet
Throughout the day Peoples Gas at
tracted attention because of its absolute
lack Of sympathy with the general ten
dency Of the market. Every advance Of a
fraction brought out stock and during the
reaction around delivery hour this property
conceded 1 per cent of its price under lin
tied dealings
The Illinois legislature to be convened
early next month is thought to be a men,
ace tC the market condition of this prop
erty. Missouri and Southern Pacific were
exceptions also because Of their inability
to hold fractional gains.
The Industrial list was irregular, Sugar
being weak at times and Steel stocks only
holding recent gains. This department may
come in for share Of the activity later
on. but there is a marked preference for
| railroad shares over the first of the year.
Call money was quoted at 6 per cent
during the morning, but later in the day
gave way to a 5 per cent rate. Prof1t-tak
Ing was again in evidence during the f1na4
hour, and the late dealings reflected a
somewhat mixed prospect for the immed1-