The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-30
QUESTION IF NEW DULLNESS RECORD. Quietest Trading in'Many Years
 on Stock Market STREETATTENDANCES SMALL Present Rnlnsss VIII Only Yield an Average of a Few Dollars a
 Day to the Mem bers.
STREETATTEND DANG SMALL

New York. June 29.-The main interest Attaching to today's stock market was the question whether 1t would score a new record for dullness. Bat while 1t is pos sible to point out isolated occasions. when for single day there was less business done on the Stock exchange than on any day in the current dulness, 1t is unde- niable that the lack of interest in the stock market and the dulness favoring business for given period are more pro- bounced now than for many years past.
 Large transactions in such a stock as Phoenix Mining. save the record in actual number of shares transferred, but when It Is considered that these shares are of a par value of s1 thus requiring trans fer of 10000 shares to equal a transaction in single full share lot of an ordinary stock, the security of the record Is seen to have been achieved at small outlay. The regular ate ndance in the Wall street region Is strilsinely depleted, and is mani fest not only to casual observance but in the reduced requirements for ordinary service, and also for office room.
 An ingenius calculator points out that the total sales of stock for the present average of business would yield in full commissions only few collars a day to each of the members of the exchange. Of course much of this enly yields part com mission from one member to the other while the room trader who operates on his own account yield no commission to any member. Discussion Is heard among the less serious minded of the advisabilit of closing the cxohange entirely on Satur- days, the two hours session proving a futility to the minds Of those eager for holiday privileges Such considerations little serious as they seem, give the only conception of the little importance at tached to the present market. It Is scarcely fair to attribute the sluggish fluctuations in such narrow trading to consideration of such vast issues as the countrys crop, the course of business and prosperity as a whole, and as barometer of events of so prodigious character to come. The present market can only be accepted as an index of profound uncertainty ana lack of con- viction over the future course of events and decisive dey elopments are awaited to dissolve the uncertainty.
 The next government crop report, due on July 1c, with the first government esti- mate on tho corn crop may, 1t Is be- neved, have an important effect in form
  after the coming holiday adds to the in- disposition to make commitments until that period has passed. July's first dis tursements are to be apparently close to the high record, but it is expected a large temporary demand for loans may result. But no present anxiety over the money market can be conjectured upon. fiuential buying of Southern Pacific and Union Pacific had a sustaining effect in the general market. Trade reports of the anthracite traffic were more conservative than mas recently been the case Fries reduction in operating cost for May was favorably regarded, but this and other mixed showing of railroad earnings was without influence on prices. So was the resumption of divisions on Lehigh Valley after an eleven-year interval. The rise in the Metropolitan Fractions pulled prices up slightly and held them to the closing, therefore shows slight gains as a rule.
 Bonds were dull and irregular, hut with an investment for many dormant issues Total sales, par value, s1,S25, ,0O0
 United States bonds were unchanged on call.