Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-30
WALL STREET LIST
ACTIVE, IRREGULAR
Traders and Brokers Face
Coal Strike Threat With
Fair Composure.
BY I. A. FLEMING.

New York traders in stocks passed
into the threatened ccal strike period
without any great unasiness. True.
there were price receSSionS here ana
there and weak spells. but as gen.
eral rule the early losses Were of
small consequence and rallies were
relatively easy. There were lew
exceptions to this rule. and there were
rome stocks that presented a decid-
IDLY firm appearance.
While the labCr situation is one OF
the dominant features of market con-
roll il is also q fact that money has
cCme to be a major consideration in
the speculative trading Late yes
terday money declined to per cent
on call. but that was after the bulk
of the streets necessities had been
cared for at y per cent.
With the coming of Saturday. No
vember /. there will be some very
heavy adjustments and interest set
Elements to be made
Then, too. the FEDERAL Reserve Board
IL likely to take the predicted action
and advance the rate of discount to
member banks, eliminating the ola a
Der cent rate on government Securi-
les. d rate that has been extremely
profitable to the banking fraternity,
not in carrying liberty bonds 50 much
as In their own borrowing TO lend at
6 per cent
IL is possible that the street viii
ignore the labor situation. that the
coal strike will prove the failure that
the steel strike is said to be. and may
hap be a factor for future good. but
the chances are that Developments OIL
The next few days. coming on top of
toppy marke.. may turn the tide the
other way. especially if there is much
movement in the direction of caShing
in on profits as indicated yesterday.
Morning trading was in the nature
of decline. recovery and nervous SELL
ing again. Money was 9 per cent.
Profit-taking was in evidence.
More Positive Weakness.
During tie afternoon the strike
situation became more acute and
more of a factor on the market. Ire
colfiSca ton of al coal an route on
the railroads of the country by the
railway administration and the gov
ernment order for curtailment or nom
essential activities in the Industrial
field brought the situation home to
the traders more acutely. and the
dwindling OF pro its by recesSiops in
drced much selling. with resultant
weakness. Low prices prevailed
On the Local Exchange.
On the Washington Stock Ex-
change business was greatly restrict
ed. Traders here are generally more
nervous over disturbances than the
veterans OF Wall street and it was
not until after call that any trans
actions were recorded other than a
few shares of Mergentha er at 14o1..
Capital Traction sold rather free,y
at 50 u to so, while Lanston was firm
at 81 Il.
Nothing doing in street railway
shares. The common was 25 bid, the
preferred, 81 bid and 60 asked
Silver Scars.
Silver touched it's highest price in
many decades yesterday when it sold
to 81 2S an ounce, or within fraction
of the gold parity of silver dollars.
China's silver needs are very urgent.
while other white metal countries also
are in the market.
At this Price for silver. the metal in
the American dollar silver coins is
worth full face value.
Values gradually approach the pre-
dicted price of 1886.
Bethlehem Steel Earnings.
1t is stated that the Bethlehem Steel
Company will earn between $40 and
SIS a share on it's common stock dur
ing the current calendar year. Within
a period of five years Bethlehem will
have added about $3.50 a share to the
value of its common stock.
In the final hour of the session the
market showed an improved tone and
nearly all of their declines. while
others recovered part of their earlier
losses
The change in sentiment reflected
the confidence of the street in the
governments ability to cope with
strike conditions.