The Washington herald., 1910-12-24
WALL STREET NEWS
Smallest Days Business, and
Also Most Undressing.
PREPARING FOR HOLIDAYS
Falling on in Trading Due 90 Three
Days Vaeation-Money Rates Point
to Increasing Ease and Gain in
Cash Looked for in TO-day's Bank
statement-Some show Strength.

New York, Dec, 4-Dealings on the
stock exchange is only l12.OOO shares OF
stocks to-day. marked not only the small
est days business in point of volume.
but altogether the dullest and most I'M
interesting in every respect in the pres
ent year. The only other near approach
TO II was on September g. when dealings
were l55,00 shares. and. indeed, the days
market was at a lover ebb than any
since July 3. 1908 Total transaction on
that day were 72,20O shares.
No doubt the falling Off in business
was very largely due to the coming
three days Christmas holiday, and near
~ all the stock exchanges OF the world
We're to-day apparently given over to
Christmas fesuvity. Here up 20 noon
there were either no sales at all or only
sales OF 100 shares each in Pennsylvania,
Northern Pacific New York Central ST
Paul. and other prominent stocks.
Some Show strength.
After noon the stock exchange Christ
mas jollifcation was on In earnest. and
lasted until long after the final hour for
transactions seemed TO be mostly those
made n pursuance of an evening-up of
accounts by habitual traders. and the
greater number of stocks closed at very.
small ret declines. Particular strength
was, nevertheless. shown in but few is
sues
Consolidated Gas made "a good advance
perhaps because of the same sort Of buy
ing that has lately been noticed in many
stocks Of investment grade. but also. it
may be- as Is more likely, because of a
current belief that the recent enforced
reduction in the price of gas in this city
has not been of material injury to gas
lighting interests. and that resumption
in some form or other of old-t time divl-
dend distribution on Consolidated Gas
may be looked for in future.
Large business profits were also
ascribed as reason for a further advance
in the American Beet Sugar and West
ern Maryland stock rose because Of ru-'
mors that have been heard before and
are believed TO have substantial founda-
ton OF possible future connection Of
The company with the Vanderbilt lines.
Large Gain in Cash.
Although there was quite a little call
ing OF loans To-day by the banks in
preparation for the end of the year dis
bursements, money rates pointed, If any
thing, toward increasing ease, and the
prospect was for a large gain in cash
IN to-moTow's bank statement. owing
chiefly TO the remittance Of funds from
nearby places. Sterling was slightly
lower, despite the great probability that
next week a good demand for foreign
remittance VIII be shown on account
OF the comparatively heavy transfers of
money 20 Europe by cable which is
usually witnessed in the final week of
tie year
As 20 developments in mercantile and
commercial lines pure and simple. the
advance reports furnished by the COM
mereial agencies to-day laid stress upon
the large volume of current retail busi-
ness as compared with that OF the whole
sale and manufacturing trade This
means. Of course. that a reduction OF
merchandise stocks is going on.