New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-02

GonPany raised its quarterly rate from az &c
raised its quarterly pa f16 Tobacco Company
yhe Consolidated Car Healing copBp eT cent ad
0et declared per dividend at dhe Of Corr Ber Prod rod,
The BufaIo, Roche:sfPe@ry aos per cent quarterly;
on M a.yanced its rate from to 81 per cent
and Loui59e p siS'k 81 The he chGag0 Indianapolis
year Fori TeG with per cent in the preceding
f sa5d per cent in ls The Guf and nd f SNIP
basis KeokS aR Raf Be ITS oig stock on per cent
Reading pad d te 1rrr stock TO per cent The
1srred stock declaring a. ner On a ITS Sec4Rd pre-
The Virginia Carolina Chemical compa iS s s
i9st the dividend on its common stock at the
Comp py9end meeting The American Grass Twne
dend. ''eei company passed its October divi-
VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTS OF THE yEAP
Placing by Congress OF anthracite coal on the FREQ
nst; franchise Tax law declared void by Appellate
1, oI the supreme Court and subsequently
IT0i"ieu Valid by Court Of Appeals: decision in
f1ouge case favorable TO United States Steel Cor
porauon; resolution by the Ney-Yorl< CLEARING
House TO compel trust companies to maintain a
cash reserve, followed by the withdrawal of many
companies from the privileges Of the Clearing
mouse; reduction in freight rates steel products
on IN Utah; extension OF the United States Steel
syndicate and It's subsequent dissolu-
PennSy lVana and Vanderbilt interests; decline in
chase Of the Evansville and Terre Haute BY Rock
tisiahdsSt Louis and San Francisco interests; ac-
ilon or the Mexican government in allowing an
Increase IN railroad rates to Offset decline in sill
of the Tptfsd NJ SchWabs Tesgnaton as president
J1omIrlsSlon award: opening Of the new Stock Elk
Co that they would take at i26 any part Of the
Sow9Vo o. Pennsylvania stock not subscribed for:
absorption Of the ST. LOUIS sa and 9ToR San FTancfsc
1nG o ~ me ROCK Island; announcement of the
, COTTON passes Ia cent mark; Rock Islands
houncement OF proposed S25OoOOOO bond issue.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE NIARKET-The foreign
exchange market opened the year with demand
sterling at 4S615 to 4S6S5, while throughout the
lrst haIf OF the year quotations were generally
hrm and at times at the gold export point The
hrst gold exports Of the season made in the
last week in March. when $4,000 gold coin was
shipped 70 South America There were no further
SHIPMENTS Of importance until the first week in
same same amount 70 South America These operations
Total exports Of the year for gold To- all countries
were above SEQ 1905 the hcaTest r Wf ben
recorded IN the last three months OF the year. In
484s5 4s5lo and from that time It graduaily de-
% e Lowest T3Ie me ne. as asia
nent the receipt of large amounts Of the metal
at San Francisco from Japan
THE CROPS IN 1so3.-Despite the bad weather
conditions at various periods in the agricultural
section OF the country. crops for 1903 large.
the yield of corn being heavier than in any year
record. with the exception of 1892 and 1893 Ac-
cording to the governments official report the
corn crop for 1903 amounts to 2,2Hl76925 bushels.
yagsd @ $3.50 Tbs compares win nI Sr2P Of
bushels in 1888. the last named figures being taken
wheat crop amounted to 500, $3.50 bushels, com
pared with Al.1SS58 bushels in 1892 and S9SsSi sol
bushels I'm 1871. The spring wheat crop amounted
To 257 40 bushels. compared with 25s2If,3i2
bushels year ago; making total for both crops
Of G3L>2l 50 bushels. compared with the record
crop OF 7fS,t9l2S bushels. in 1901. The yield of
record crop OF 9Sl So ~ bushels in 1892 In other
h bs ef a d cr i%r @ o he Total 1ae ~
farm products raised in thu United States in 1898
mate Of the years cotton crop was 99Se.oeo bales.
IRON AND STEEL IN 1qo3.-There was a general
reduction In prices in all lines OF iron and steel
in 1893. closing figures OF pig iron. for instance
showing decline for Bessemer pig of s. 30 a ton.
compared with the final prices Of the preceding
prices At Plttsburg and at birmingham. Ala. There
was large decrease in the output Of pig iron,
rdicai manner '-O In November. for instance the
plants Of The United States Steel T0rPor3kt9 tne
Wheeling. Ashland. Republic Iron and Steel. Jones
Colorado coz dompanids produced only s6s toms as
compared with go 25 tons in october 9e9 1853 tons
July. o2l $50 tons in juno and 1osI 25 tons in May
the output of steel is now about one-halt OF what
Il was six months ago. For the eleven months OF
pie iron amounted TO 1881 tons. compared with
1oI ions ~ inc sane aihe yrar ago ne , eotai
months was $50 $50 2ol compared with s9O136o2i for
the corresponding time in 1902 and sSi liz 7S2 in 1901
EVIDENCE OF REvIvING CONFIDENCE
Evidence that confidence in financial circles IS now
revvng IS reflected IN the successful bond offerings
and loan negotiations that have been carried
through In the last two months. A prominent
banking house has recently purchased S0.0oooO0 of
Long Island Railroad per cent bonds also Sl0-
per cents The baltimore and Ohio had no trou-
bic in placing so.sC0Coo OF 3A and per cent bonds
boNl In fHa s
OF the per cent two-year sterling loan made 10
the Great Northern Railway Company was taken
chased within the last few weeks Si9OoO0oo Of the
bonds The success that has attended recent bond
offerings has had most reassuring, erect on
tbat The railroads will have difficulty in 1904
In securing all the money they need to complete
proposed Improvements
TIE YEARS FOREIGN TRADE-Foreign COM
rner2e in 1903 was heavy. and. with the exception
of 1890 and 1901, It was larger than any year on
record For the eleven months ended November so
lr,ccen,ber figures are vet avaable) the total
exports Of general merchandise amounted In value
"a 81 40 100 $50 compared with sl2l2699,550 in 1902
and 81 22 go 242 the record breaking year or 1900
Tmpore for the eleven months were heavier than in
the corresponding period OF any preceding year.
reaching total value OF 7,7S23Sl, against ES74-
GO $50 in the year before. The excess or exports
ove- inPor S 81 I9 The CHIEF Increase in exports
IN The wear was supplied by agricultural products
frIres but the expected gain Ia exports OF iron
and steel products did not deyelop. The EHVemOer
n ereat revival in the export trade OF iron and
steel manufactures
MONEY! IN CIRCULATION.-The amount OF
money in circulation at the close of the year was
larger than ever before recorded IN the history
NJ the country amounting 10 81 l6SoIo' an IN
crease of 500 ass, 26O, compared with the same
time a year ago and increase OF s622 so6 s'' as
onrarcd with January J, 1879. At the last named