The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-19
BUSINESS LIGHT
 ON STOCK MARKET Influence of Great Marine Disaster Continues to
 Effect Finances

New York, April 1s.-The influence Of the great marine disaster continue to hang over the financial community and to a great extent over the stock mar ket. Business today was light. the move ment irregular when not absolutely re- actionary. There was a general disposl- ton to refrain from operations or com hitments for either side of the account Then, too the anthracite coal situation' the conference of railway managers rela- tive to the demands of the locomotive engineers and additional unfavorable crop advices constituted factors of asdeterfehe character.
 In the way of actual happenings ens most important, even though expected, was the declaration by the Amalgamaeeu tcosnper directors of a quarterly dividend a,-the rate of S4 annually The present price of Amalgamated copper may said to fully discount the new '"'e ol dividend but it is known that the sIea.el ', conner nroducins companies are sanSuine
 tto ,ha business outlook, not only so sa~as if affects the immediate future, b1t for a period well beyond the cur
 Amalgamated Copper and allied stocks were fairly firm in the early dealings but later sold off in common with the general list Amalgamated made its low est ouotation of the day on the dividend srnonncement. Early features of strength included United States Steel New York Central, Rock Island issues and com mon and preferred stocks of the Bethle- hem Steel and Republic Iron and Steel companies.
 A better tone was shown by the bonds of the International Mercantile Marine company but later this issue. as well as the preferred stock was heavy.
 Trading became very dull in the late session, prices rising and falling within narrow limits. Net changes indicated a preponderance of losses, few of which eX- ceeded fractions, with some material gains ir the more obscure issues.
 Dealings here for London were nominal, with the usual mixture of purchases and sales. the balance favoring purchases. The Bank of England statement reported an increase in the proportion of reserves to liabilities. and very considerable in crease in total reserves, with gain of S7OOO, GOO in gold. In these particulars the statement differed from that of the Bank of France, which gained but small amount of gold, increased dis counts by almost s5,0O0,0O0 but drew down it's advances by slightly more than $S,00O,- GOO.
 Local monetary conditions were vir- tually unchanged. Call loans were made at easier rates of time accommodations for most periods relaxed. Another small currency transfer to San Francisco was made through the sub-treasury, with pros poets of further shipments to interior points before the end of the week.
 sensationan feature of the curb was the rise in the price of old Marconi Wire less shares to 240. as against TO at yes terday's close. The final price was 235. Little more than a week ago the stock was selling under it's par value of 10O The company today approved an increase of it's capital from s1,622,00Q to s1O0oO,00o of which the greater part will be offered to shareholders at par.
 Bonds were steady, with some shading in the later trading. Total sales, par yaitle. S. Qa3- 900. ,r-asl
 United States government bonds were unchanged on call.