The age-herald., 1901-08-21
BROAD AND ACTIVE
 STOCK MARKET There Was No Particular tvl- dence of Unusual Features SUPPORTERS TAKE PROFITS The Market Was Under Influence or Artificial Conditions and Little s'e- nificance Was Attached to Any
 Movement-closed Heavy.
SUPPORTERS TAKE PROFITS

New York. August 20.-The stock mar ket was somewhat broader and more ao- five today. but there was still no evioence of a-nv large participation in the market by the general public or by indiViouals on Q largo scale. The questionable posi- lion of the United States Steel stocks and the doubtful outlook TOT the laooI situation are still a drag on the general market although the market or the limited States Steel stocks themselves and their price movement are narrow The market guardians of the stocks snow themselves amply able to take charge or all the stock offered, showing that the companies shares have come to be close ly held. But the supporters of the stocks are inclined to take profits on holdings, thus acquired upon any advance in price, and they bid up the prices when anything like an outside demand developes for the stocks. Under these artificial conditions the movements of the stock has little significance. The general list showed a disposition today to gorge the steel stocks. The railroads concerned In the Northern Pacific settlement and others allied by identical ownership or other wise, resumed the leadership of the mar ket today. This may have been based up- on a published report of prolonged con ference yesterday at Bar Harbor between the threo financiers who conducted the Northern Pacific contest and it's settle ment. The Morgan and Hartman roads were generally affected in sympathy, ln- cluding Illinois Central, c. & A., South ern Railway and Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville The anthracite carriers manifested some strength and the bltu4 minous coal carriers made gains al- though N. 6 w. and c. & o. suffered from profit taking.
 sharp decrease in earnings of Norfolk and Western for the second week in Au- gust seemed to emphasize this dispos1- tion. Some large individual blocks or Southern Pacific, Union Pacific and St. Paul were taken in the last hour, and these stocks rose 1%@1% over last night. The stock market continued to show sensitiveness to. developments in the money and exchange market. A sharp recovery in sterling this morning led to some reaction from the opening strength in stocks. Offerings of wheat bills were reported smaller in connection With re- ports of smaller seaboard wheat clear ances, which caused a reaction in the wheat pit But this influence was largely offset by the large receipts on account of Australian gold deposited at San Fran cisco The sub-treasurys debt balance at the clearing house of $l,S52,S02 was causel by receipt of checks against gold on the Pacific coast to the amount of $l,- 100000. A further shipment of $250O,000 Is on the way to San Francisco from Syd- ney. This makes 1t evident that the Lon :, don market will find way to meet it's gold obligations to New York without stress and possibly without actual ship ments of gold. It is to be noted, how ever, that United States treasury opera tions continued to drain the money mar ket the government surplus thus far this month having reached $,5S4,021, while for the corresponding period of last year the governments fiscal operations showed a deficit of S4,321, 563.
 The market closed rather heavy under the influence of profit taking on the day rise.
 Railroad bonds continued very dull and with no movement of significance. Total sales, par value, s1,545000.
 United States bonds were all unchanged on the last call.
 New York Stock Market.
 By Private Wire to Murphy & Co.