Norwich bulletin., 1922-12-23
FINANCIAL AND COMMERClA!
MAKKET WAS FIRM.

New York. Dec. 22.-Stock market tradition was preserved today when lead ing stocks were bid up ia all sections Of the list of the final session before the Christmas holiday. Short interests, who had sold stocks freely on the theory that the market was due for another sharp reaction before the first of the year, appeared leas confident ana tnelr covering operations contributed to the rise in many stocks. The manner in, which stocks were bid up plainly indi- 0ated that present holders were not par t1cularly desirous of selling at prevailing prices.
 Baldwin and Stndehaker. two of the most popular speculative favorttes, led the advance in the standard industrial shares, the former being pushed up 2 I-s points and the latter touching lSs and then dropping to 137 IA, where 1t was up S-4 on the day. Pond Creek Coal closed more than points on of fctal confirmation of reports that Henry Ford was negotiating for the property. Considerable interest was shown by the financial community in the announce pent that Corn Products common stock which had been paying S4 regular and g extra dividend, had been placed on . regular $6 basis and that an addi- tional cash dividend of $S had been de- elRred.
 Fisher Body, which has been mount lng to higher ground for several months established another new peak today al 31S. but dropped later to 215 l-2, where h was up 1 on the day. This stock has heen bought in the open market by w. C purant, automobile manufacturer, Whc has been selling it in small units or a partial payment plan. The controlling interest in the Fisher Body corporation
 F1A1- n of which MT. Durant was formerly th' head.
 United States Steel was quite activ' hut closed at last nights final figure Tucfble and Gulf States Steels eacf moved up more than a point but Re EubIic and Bethlehem B were heavy he last named breaking below SO~ II Nfection of speculative uncertainty oncerning the next dividend on the com mon stock. There is widespread oninion. however, that inasmuch a Bethlehern paid dividends during twc years of business depression there wa little Likelihood of their being suspende' now when the midst of a period of pros parity.
 Railroad shares In which there hay heen traces of investment buying Wer less active today, probably because O the further weakness of Delaware an Hudson, which dropped ponIs' hO" ever, gains of S-4 to 1 3-4 points wer registered by New York Central, Atchi son, Illinois Central and Northern Pa mhc.
 Consolidated Gas, which had bee heavy on reports that Governor-Elec Bnith would recommend that control locai pubic utilities be transferred troI Eile state public service and transit com missions to the local board of esea.sat rallied 3 5-S points. United Retail Store tnproved 3-S points on reports Of rex ord breaking holiday business. Some the other strong points were Jone Brothers Tea, Internaponal Harvest LiEget andt Myers, Otis Elevator an Woolworth, the gains ranging from
 S-l to nearly points.
 Call money opened at 1-2 per cen and advanced to just before the clos Time money and commercial paper ratt were unchanged with business quiet.
 Trading in foreign exchange was e remely quiet with no important change n rates. Demand sterling held stead Just above $4.64 and French francs jul below 7.45.