Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, August 11, 1889, Page 15

“\ \ THE CONDITION OF TRADE. Banlkers Report a Oontinuod Easy Money Market. TIGHTER TIMES IN PROSPECT. The Crop Outlook Bright With In- dications Pointing to a Splen- did Fall Trade—A Good Inorease in Oloarings. In Local Trade Cirocles. Bankers say the money market continues easy, with a good demana for prime mercan-~ tile paper at the usual rates, There scems % be a unanimity of feeling, however, that money will tighten up about September 1, and all indications point that way just now, though it is not believed that thore will be any unusual sqoeze, merely the annual fall hardéhing. Crop prospects continue bright, and ad- vices aro to tho offect thatavery large and prosperous trade will be done throughout the state during the balance of the year. City jobbers and manufacturors are very busy, and orders are plentiful and liberal. Collections are good and show steady improvement. As a rule, prices are stoady. Sugar, how- ever, is off }{c per pound for granulated this ‘week, while coffecs are steadier and up ¢ per pouna for choice Rio. Dried fruits are steady, but show a tendency to woakness, QCalifornia cauned fruits are selling freely at former prices. Corn and tomatoes are, if anything, lower, aud salmon are very firm. The failure of the old firm of P. H. Sharp & Son, ‘wholesalo saddlers, yesterday, with liabili- ties of about $11,000 and nominal assets of the same amount, caused a ripple of com- ment, but as they hope to pay in full and have been doing so little business of late as 10 be almost forgotten, little was thought of the matter. They have been in trade here for thirty years, but were slow and nonpro- gressive. The clearings for the we Mr. Hughes, foot up 84,405,6( of 26 6-10 per cent. Messrs, Mex Meyer & Bro. are offering to dispose of their retail store, intending to confine their business exclusively to whole- saling. France scoms not to be satisfied even yet with its supply of gold. It diverted all it could of the exports from the United States, ‘while at the_same time it was drawing on England. Now our exports have stopped, but it continues to take large amounts from London. There has been no positive confirmation of the reported arrangement of & new pool among the copper mining companies, al- though a number of rumors have gained cur- rency which are accepted by the trade as belng authentic. Thesereport that the price of Lake has boen fixed at 12 cents, Arizona at 1137, and Custing brands at 11, That the trade lacks oonfidence in the ability of the combination to sustain values at this level is shown by the cautious way in which con- mers are covering their wauts. The Lon- don market has shown a firmer tendency, yesterday's cable quoting an advance to £43 126 6d spot and £41 158 futures. The follow- ing are the combination prices for Manufac- tured Copper: 20@25 cents for Sheating Copper, 20@23 Braziers, 2 26 for Bottoms, for American Yellow Sh - ing and nails 17 cents, Rods 19 and English in bond 18. The United States mints were not particu- larly busy during July, The month was Passed largely in taking an account of stock and preparing generally for the new fiscal year. The total number of pieces coined Jvas 3,054,000, with a value of only $1,329,500. Only three kinds of coin were made—$1,300, 000 in silver dollars, $14,700 in 3-cent pieces, and §14,800 1n 1-cent pheces. The, firmer tendency that characterized the Brazil Coffee market last week, aftor making further progress un Saturday, has igiven pluce to un easier feeling unt less dis- gfl“fln 10 trade, wiile values show a loss om the highest point of about 15 points for aptio )o for invoices, The reaction mseers to have been due to a_disposition on i#the pant of hoiders in Rio and Santos to mar- “ket thoir supplies, and although the firmer offers vn low grades that have been sent shiither huve shown but a moderate difterence Jetween the two markets, the fact that /Brazil was a scller seems to have had an un- Havorablo influence here and weakened the faith of buye: who, in =& ma- _‘flrl&.v of cases, have been unwill- g to make counter bids that were Tikely to meet with & respo Neverthe- Adess, censiderable business is reported to have been transacted, partioularly when cheap lots were to be secured, but the most fempting offers havo come from Sontos, wvhere the anxiety to sell has been most pro- mounced, and over 80,000 bags are reported wold lust weck at that port to the United ‘States, but there appears to have been very Jittle doue in Rio. Europe responded yes- “‘terday to the easier feeling here Ly quite a sharp drop io prices, and that fact made the amarket ruther tame throughout the day, and there was very little disposition on the part of ‘buyers to enter into fresh negotiations, ‘The local business transacted since our Iast fissue hux comprised 2,000 bags No. 6 Kio at in store, 1,000 do. No 7 at 15%c, 3,000 do. wold erop yeliow, about No. 8, sold in Havre %0 «comc here ut 18} in store, 2,000 bugs Oaputonin 6t 161{c spot. The market left off westerduy dull und easy, with quoted prices unobtainnble. “The cubles received from Brazil do not re- Slect any important change in the statistical position of supplies. The receipts have been moderate at both ports, those in Rio being considerably less than lust year, while in they are considerably more, and stooks have continaed to increase, aggregat- ang 445,000 bags in Rio according to the Ex- change cable and 535 bogs uccording to Messrs. J. L. Phipps & Co. There have been & mumber of sensational cables respecting the eondition of the growig crov and prevalence of dry weather, vut they have attracted very fittie attontion and have had uo visivle infla- upon the aarket. Bt is otatod that congress is likely to take wp the sugar quostion this winter, Without ‘wralting for » final settiement ot the whole question, congress will have power by u brief ot to suspend all higher duties on refined then on raw sugar, and for that course even some ardent udvocates of protection find a warrant in the clain that the object and mnd effoct of the combination has been to glose part of the American works. Some of them even go so far as to favor » permunent emsctment, ompowering the president to nd the collection of any duty on im- $0 long s the price of the article af- d by that Auty is controlled in this ocountry by any trust, There are no further blic quotable changes, but the Now York imerclal Bulletin sa; *'It is understood on the stroet that Philadelphia is under- selling the mu;wl. on nlurfl sugurs, and Lh‘z report offers nulatod st 85{c laif down in Chicago." i % Orop Expert Princo says: this time we had a gmll deal of corn out of danger of frost, but with the exception of Kansas and Missouri I do not know of a state in the northwest or west but will need until the 15th of September to make a corn erop, aud there are vast areas besides winch uot mature before the 1st of October, eyen under the most favorable circum- stances. as reported by .28, an incroase “Last year at The Philadeiphia Lodger says of the an- thracite coal trade that the question of ad wvancing prices will be taken up again on Lugn 14, when it is expected an advance of from 10 to 23 cents per ton will be made, the new prices to take effect September 1, ‘The Cineivnati Price Curront reports the g of tho west for the last week at 000 hogs, against 110,000 for the corre- sponding week last year., Tho aggregate packing since March 1 is 4,000,000 hogs, sgaiust 8,150,000 for @ similar period in 1888, . : e OMAHA LIVE STOOK, Cattle. Saturday, August 10, ‘The woek closed with & fairly active war- mnnd desirable booves sold sirgug or even mgor than yesterday. . ‘rhe quality of the caitle on $alo was proty good on an verage, sud Lherd were sonie choive corn- nativze. The mavket oponed early, with of buyers buying freely, aud the of the eattie were not long in changing Nutive beoves wsold principally at THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: UNDAY, AUGUST 11, 1889-~SIXTEEN PAGES. $.95@4.50. Cow staft sold av $1.00@4.00 principally at $2.00@2.50, Some spayod western heifors went at §3.00, Thore was consdorablo trading in feeders, but the sup- Ply was made up almost entirely of westerns, Which sold at $2.40. Hogs. H sold w0 nearly in yesterday's notch that it would be diMicult %o distinguish any matorial differenco botween the markets of the twe ., One light sort went as h: . $1.20, but light hogs seld principally at $4.15 and heavy hogs at $4.00@4.05, with medium weights botween the two. Heavy hows are 8 drag on a1l markets at the present time, and however prime they may be they have to sell way under light woights. Sheep. There wero three double decks of pretty fair western sheep in to-day’s market. One double deck was sold at Receipts. Cattlo.. Hogs Shoop. 1,400 . 4,500 585 Prevailing Prices. The following is a table of prioss paid in this market for tha grades of stock men- tioned: Prime steors, 1300 to 1600 1bs. .| Good steers, 1250 to 1450 Ibs. Good steers, 1030 to 130) 1bs. Common cannors, ' Ordinary to fair 0o Fair to good cows... . Goodto choice cows. 5 ‘Choice to fancy cows, heifers. Fwirto wood bulls..... . Good to ohoico bulls ......... Lignv stockers and feaders Good feeders, 950 to 1100 1bs Fair to choice light hogs Fair to cholce heavy hogs Fair to choice mixed hog: @4.30 (@4.20 (@4.00 @3.00 (@1.90 2.7 (@800 L1@41TH Ropresentative Salos. BTYEBRS. Av. Pr ...1101 83 90 [ 301 3 05 2, 305 8 410 No. Bi. .. 5. - & P esnELEs e gUGES - 1] FEEDERS. 2 65 UEIPERS. 100, 550 215 WESTERN CATTLE. Owner No. 3 feeders ..... 41 steers, Texans, 10 feeders. 110 feeders. 107 feeders. 2 feeders. o] 5 SRLSEES EIETSTEICR 44 spayed heifers, 106, Shk. Pr. 820 ¥ 85 40 B 85 3 90 &8 = SSES&SSES 98 S93358588 ) RIS g23z2882888888 =1 RS RN e e 5582558 SR T e B & S g8 ik ek e GEASRE5. GERSREERRGRERERIE =l Seas Ldas R R 0 5 o &8 1iissigr181 240 - 2 & Range of Prices. Showing the highest and lowest prices paid for beef and shipping steers on the days indicated during the past three years. Sales ©of cdttie in loss thun car lots not included. THREE YEARS' COMPARIBON. July, 0. 53 to 550 tob 6 Sunday. b2 tob s 48 tod 85 550 8| - July, 1887, 850 t03 10 sELe 52 tob 374 Sunday, im0l BREBESHEE s&sk A 2 23 o dirge B! e sy, S8 &2 g |Ze ¥ Live Stock Noves. 4. Shintock, of West Point, had hogs on the market. J. A, Garten had a car of eattle here from DeWitt. T.. L. Doane, one of Scotia’s feeders and shippers, had hogs here. My, ugene Combs had a car of cattle here from home. J. Hastie had in thres cars of cattle and one of hogs from Aubura, and a car of cat- tle from Stella, P, M. Allen, manager of the Standard Cattle cowmpany of Ames, was a visitor at the yards. Bilver City, Ia., was represented by J. P. Fall and George T. Rew, who came over, tho former with two aud tho latter with four cars of cattle. The extremely heavy hogs are not sought for, and the prices obtained for that class are very unsatisfactory as compared with those ai which the lighter weights are sell- ing. Wiley Black was up from with four cars of cattle. Frauk Aldritt, a regular shipver of Friend, had's 1040 0f hogs 0c the TAFLeL J. M. Strahn, an oxtensive fecder of Mal- vern, [a., brougut over & load of hogs. L L. MoCoy, of McCoy & Schroeder, Coungil Blufs, was looking over the market. John McCready brought in three double- deck cars of sheep from Green River, Wyo. M. T, Davis, was over from Malvern, Ia, with two cars of hogs. Plattsmouth A Big Troe. . Aocitizen & Flma, Cal., has just fin- ished working up & firtree which grew on hisplace, He received 812 for the bark, built a frame house 14x20 feet, 8 feot high, with a kitchen 8 feet wide, and 20 feet long, built a woodshed 14x 20 feet, made 830 fence rails 10 feet long, wade 834 railroad ties, 500 boards 6 inches wide and 2 feet long, and 156 cords of wood. All this from one tree, and » part of the tree is left, b 214 | THE SPECULATIVE MARKETS. ‘Wheat Experiences a Decline and Closes in That Manner. CORN HAS A SICK SPELL. Onts Rule Moderately Active and Sell at the Lowest Prices of the Past Six Days—All Useful Cattle Sold. CHICAGO PRODUCE MARKETS, Citicaao, August 10.—[Special Telegram to Tur Ber]—Wheat declined about 1o to-aay, and closed at almost the lowest point of the day, with tone and sentiment strongly im favor of a further depreciation in values. Anticipation of a favorable government crop report was the most influential bear factor today. It had more surface weight than everything elso combined. The market opened @0 off, with trades on a basis of 75340 Tor August, 758{c for September and 773c for December. During the session a large business was transacted in futures. It was, in a sense, a liquidating market, with the additional point of heavy selling by o new bear element around the battom. Sev- eral of the “'big fish,” who have been away for the summer, aro returning, and their in- fluence is being thrown in favor of low prices. The big shipping demand for wheat does not frighten them. In view of the faith they have that the next two wecks will witness the outpouring of a mighty flood of bankrapt spring wheat from the northwest, they apparently have no fear of ‘“‘selling themselves into a hole"” under existing cen- ditions. The decline 10 December was not permanently checked for the day until 77c was reached, August being quoted at 75{c, September at 75}4c, and May at 813%c. This vange of pricos was }@Iic lower than yesterday's closing. Just at the last the an- nouncement of enormous charters stiffened the market up somewhat, and the closings were 7b3c for August and September, 77i{c for December and Si%c for May. Futures olsewhere wero languid, and the whole range of wheat values was lower. Tne corn market was sick and weaker to- day than for a considerable tiwme. The de- cided weakness in wheat, the fine growing weather belioved in by ‘speculators, notwith- standing the very different reports of the much-quoted crop reporter, and the ncreas- ing receipts, were all -contributory to the decline, and shippers turnedthe round of frec sellors near the bottom. There was more doing in a speculative way, but it was mainly | the selling out of long stuff. Buyers of cash corn showed no abatement in their desire for offerings, but, of course, took Tull advantage of lower prices in the speculative market. The price began to droop from the opening, and first prices were }c under yesterday's closing figures. A "decline from startinj prices of about }¢c having been establishe early, the market hung around the bottom the balance of the day, closing near the low- figures—August at 35c and September 35@8514c, against 35%c for each of ‘these de- liveries yesterday. Oats were moderately active and sold at the lowest prices of the weok, the dectime for the day being X@bgc. The weakness in corn exerted a downward tendency, and the raceipts of oats and estimates for Monday were both heavy. The greatest weakness was in cash and August, which were offered freely and declined to 19%/c, with a slightly steadier foeling developed later. May sold down to and touched 23%c, but all the buy- g ordersat that ocould mot be executed* No. 2 white oats for August sold at 24c and No. 2 white oats for September at 23}gc. Car lots of No. 2 oats to go to store sold at 194{@19}¢c, and No. 3 white at 21}{@22}c. ‘I'he provision trade was a little easier. The weakness exhibited in grain, coupled with the prospect of larger receipts of hogs. noxt week,increased the disposition to realize, Offerings were generally quite fair, and the range of prices obtained averaged lower than that of yesterday. 1a trading lard and short ribs led in interest. Pork was compara- tively slow. Robinson was the largest indi- vidual buyer of short ribs, and S. V. & Co. of lard, Purchuses of the lust numed house were placed at 10,000 tierces. Cash lard was again wanted by refiners and shippers and sold tothe extent of 2,000 tierces at $0.37@5.40. or cash delivery, 16-1b summer- d sweet pickled hams brought 93¢c, loose dry salted short ribs, $5.47', and boxed dry salted shoulders, £5.00. Seven cents per pound were paid for ten.car loads of 16-1b green hawms for No- vember and December delivery. In the fu ture market the closings, asa rule, were lower than thoseof yesterd: The day’s || actual decline in pork was Ti{@10¢, and i short ribs 2}4@714 CHICAGO LIVE STOOCA. Citicaco, August 10.—[Special Telegram to Tae Bee.|—CArrLE.—About everything at | a1l useful was 8010 und the general market closed steady ut the following prices : Choice w0 extra 'beoves, §1.80(@4.65; medium to good steers, 1850 to 1300 1bs, $4.00@4.40; 1300 1o 1350 1bs, $3.80@4.20; 950 8o 1200 Tbs, 63.50@ 4:00; stockers and feeders, $2.25@3.30; cows, bullsand mixed, $L40@3.00; bulk, $2.20@ 2,60; slop-Ted 'steers, - $1.00@4.60, Texas cattle were H5@10 lower ana dull; steers, fi.::(_)@;s.m; cows, $L70@2.35; Colorado, HoLd ~Hogs were active anda good BHc higher on heavy and 10c higher on light. About everything was sold, tho market clos- ing steady. FINANCIAL. NEw YORK, August 10.—|Special Telegram to Tue Bee.|—Srocks—The influence in stocks and trusts to-day was sugar, which ‘was sold for purposes best known to insiders, aad closed at the bottom—100. The market for railroad stocks opened quiet but generally stoady. e temper of the room was super- ficially bullish and the buying for two hours was better than the selling. This was con- sidered on all sides a reliable showing for the bulls, as the weakness of the list at the close yesterday naturally was against any gains, to-day. The list shows a general gain of about ¢ per cent for the weck in leading rail- road shares. Conocerning actions to-day, Big Four, Chesapeake & Onio, Luke Shore, New England, Northwestern, St. Paul, and Mis- souri Pacific closed after slight variations at about last night's figures. Oregon railways gained 2 poiuts and Transcontinental lost i, Jorsey Central and Louisville each showed 8 per cont loss. Atchison and Burlington touched 58} and 104)§ respectively, and closed with a net gain of }{@% per cent at 873 and 104%¢. Rock Island lost 5{ per cent from 08 to 97){. While there was promise of loss trouble among tho southwestern roads, this was offset before the close by u some- what unfavorable bank statement. The total sales for the half day were 81,240shares. The following were the closing quotations: U, 8. 4s regular, . 138 Nosthern Pacific U. 8. 45 coupon 28 |do preferred. U, & tgeroguiar me X h.rw q 8 conpons. . 0 prorerred . B0 Y Bentran: = P4 Paclile 0 of ' Central Paciflo glcuw & Alton. i Barlingto WGy et BEESREEIRNE: FERARRESEEE Kankas e slous e I'.-z%;rm " Moxey—Easy at 3 per cent. Prive MereaNtiLE PArmg—43@63 per ocent. SreruNe Exomaxge—Duall and steady; sixty-day bills, $4.84}¢: demand, $4.57. PRODUCE MARKETS, Cuicaco, August 10.--1:156 p. m. close— Wheat—About steady; cash and September, Tb3e; December, T7ie. Corn—Easier; cash 85c; September, 85 11- 16¢; October, 85 3-16¢. Oats—Lower; cash, 10J§v; September, 20 1-16; October, 2ige; 1| ust, éde; White | ime Timothy- AT, Flax Seed—No, 1, $1.91} September, $1.18. Whisharos, . o Pork— Bteady; oash s Sovtember, $10.- 0.574., —Furm; oash,, 88480, September, $6.423¢: October, $6.40.11 4 Flour—Easior; southern winter 100 lower; 00@4.50; spring wheat, 2. Dry h %) g 00; short__clear, fi-fi}(z 6.00; Sor e . 50, short ribs, A0@5. 50, ?‘:mr—flrm; ereamery, 10@16¢; datry, 9 Cheose—More aotive; thil cream choddars, 73@8; flats, 7)4@S0}-~Young Americas, e ; frosh, fit#fzo. changed. —Unchanged: No. 1 solid packed, a@ddge; cake, 4i{c. ol Receipts. Shipments. 9,000 5,000 198, 39,000 65,000 116,000 211,000 New York, August 10.—Whoat—Roceipts, 41,000; oxpof 5.000; spot dull, weak and i No. 2 red, new, S5i@%o in ele- s7c afloat, 873{@8730 1. 0. b,y No. ; ungraded red, 15@%0c; oplions 5@ )40 lower; August, 84igc. Corn—Keceipts, 63,000 bushels: exports, 0,000 bushels; spot moderately active and steady; No. 2, 480 in elevator, 333(@44 nngraded mixed, 43@48c; optious, moderately active and wonker. Oats—Recoipts, 49,000; exports, nona; spot, dull and stendy; options, moderately active and steady; August, 20igo; September, 63c; spot, 'Na. 3 white, 8ige; mixed western, 25(@%We. Coffoe—Options olosed stead at 15t0 20 ints up; sales 53,200 bags; August 02; September, $15.25@15.80; Octovor, $15.00@15.85; spot Rio.' steady and quiet} fair cargoos, $18.25. Petrploum—Steady ; United closed at $1.001 foa Be]vwg.‘har. R gge—F'irm, wastern, 1 Pork—Quiet and steady; new, $12.00@ 2.50. Lard—Dull and easier; weostern steam, 72 Butter—Firm for extras, others weak; ‘western, 10@17c. : Cheese—Quiet and weak; western, 6@7c. St. Louis, August 10.—Wheat—Lower; cash, 72%0; Soptember, 73 @783gc. Corn—Lower; cash, 33}g0; September, 32540, Oats—Lower; onsh, 19c; September, 19c. Pork—Firm at 811.25. Lard—Firm at $6.10. Whisky—8$1.02. Butter—Firm; crcamery, 15@17c; dairy, 12@14e. Kansas City, August 10.--Wheat—Lower; No. 2. soft, cash, Bfic bid, 67c aske: A No. 2 wed, cash, 65¢ asked; S tember, 64c askod; No. 8 red, cash, 56¢ bid, STidcasked; August, 573c asked. «Corn—Quiet; No. %, oash, 200 asked; August, 250 bid, 3530 ssked; 'No. 3 white, cash, 27c asked; August 26}¢c asked. Oats—No. 2 cash, 28c asked; August, 19¢ asked. Cincinnat!, August 10.—Wheat—In fawr demand; No. 8 red, 76@77c. Corn—Steady; No. ¥ mixed, 33c. Oats—Active but lower; No. 2 mixed, new, WK @1c. Whisky—Firm a: 8$1.02. Milwaukee, August.10.—Wheat—Easy; cash and_September, 75546, Corn—Not quoted. - Oats—Dull; No. 2 whits, 24@25¢c. Rye—Firwm; No. 1, 48c. | Barley—Firm; No.:3, September, 53%c. Provisions—Firm; pork; $10.623¢. Minueapolis, August 10.—Sample wheat receipts, 92 cars; shipments, 50 cars. Closing: No. hard, track, 97c; No. 1 northern, cash 8j¢; track, 86¢; No 2 northern, track Ble. : Liverpool, August 30.—Wheat—Quiet. Corn—Quiet; new ‘mixed western, 48 2d ver cental. > LIVE STOUK. Chicago, August 10;-~The Drovers’ Journal reports as follows: wves, $4.3 .65 ers and feeders, §2.35@3:50; cows, mixed, $1.40@3.00; Texas -catile, $1.70@3.10; ‘western rangers, $3.55. Hogs—Receipts, 10,000; market higher for Tight: others wealk; mixed, $.25@3.60; heavy, $4.15@+4.40; light, u.w&.sm; skips, $3.50@ 4.60. Sheep—Receipts, 2,000; market stoad natives, $3.50@4.85; wostern, $3.60@4.95; Texans, $3.40@4.10; ' 1ambs, §5.00@5.60. National Stock ¥ards, Kast 8t Louis, August 10.—Cattle—Receipts, 3003 shipments, 90; market strong; Rative stecrs, $3.95@1.50; stookers and ' feeders, $2.00@2.75; corn-fed texans, $2.00@3.50 grassers, $2.00@2.57%; mative cows and heifers, $1.75(@2.50. Hogs—Receipts, 200; shipments, 100, There was & good demand, but pot 6nongh stock to make a_market; four bunches of- fered sold at $4.55@4. 773, Ransas Oity, August 10.--Cattle~Receipts, 2,400; shipments, 1,000; market weak and a hade lower; corn-fed steers, $3.00@4.50; stockors and feader steers, mm%:ww cows, $L.60@2.60; grass vange stoors, $1.60(@3.00. Hogs—NReoceipts, 3,000; shibments, 1753 good to ohoice light, $425@4.85; heavy mixed, $3.90@4.20, Sioux Oity, August 10.—Cattle—Raceipts, 200; shipments, 250: market stendy; fat steers, $3.00@8.50; stockers, $2.20@2.40; feoders, $2.400¢2.60; canners and bulls, 75¢ @$1.25; veal calves, §2.00@3.50. Hogs' — Recoipta," 1.000; marksey s@vige lower; light and mixed, $4.00@4.07; hoavy, £4.05@4.10. e REALTY AND BUILDING. market steady; Residence Property Selling Well—The Bailding Record. The week just closed has been @ fairly good one for property owners. While the deals have been confined to outside property, the sales have been made at very good prices. Among the representative sales were the following: L F, Hili toJ. R. Reeves, two lots in Or- chard Hall, $7,200; W. R. ¥aughan to J. E. Riley, lot 8, block 100, $25,000; R. L. Stead- man to G. ¥. Baldwin, lot 1, block 40, $16,500; C.D. May to S. G. Snow, four blocks in Wise & Parmalee’s addition, $12,000; J, D. Iler to J. W. McMenamy, one-half of lots 8 and 4, block 1, $18,150. The transfers for the week were as fol- $ 25,900 40,416 70,671 Thursday . 54,135 Friday ...... 13,7 Saturday.... Total...... ceen Pl The Buildiag Record. Thore is no docreaseyin the number of residences of the betdsr diass that are being built. Among the impro¥emonts authorized during the past week the following are prominent; I Zeva Baptist churol?'Ggal, near Twenty- second, #5,000; parsouage Third Congrega- tional church. Spruga, . near Twentieth, ,000; R, B. Guild, resulgnce, Hickory, near wenty-ninth, $4,600; Nau©, Brown, ' resi- dence, Lowe avenue, néarDavenport, $8,000; N. O.'Brown, four-sth#yibrick warehouse, Tenth, noar Harney, 3,000, Frauk Dellone, additional story to Hotél:' Fourteenth and Capitol avonue, §8,004 g Zabriske, resi- xth, neél dongey Thirty- Tudiana avenue, 2,000; Frauk MoCleary, Ren Hendrickson, >, L, Suorwood, H. I\, Paterson, J. W. Mar- tin, J. E. Orchard, J. E.: McCusick aud W. W. Doten, each a $2,500 Ye#dence in the vi- cinity of Dexter aveuue and Harney streets ; H. J. Pruyn, residence, Twenty-fourth Spaulding, §7.000 PNy Al 0 periits for the week are as follows ; Mo, 800 Protected by Oivil Service Rules, It Bppoars that the whole number of officials now protected by the ciy:! sorv- ice rules is 27,607, of which number 8212 are in the departmental service, 2,208 are ic the customs service, 11,767 in the postal servics, and 5,320 in the railway mail see WEEKLY BUSINESS REVIEW. A Good Volume of Financial Tran- sactions at Stoady Rates. NEW YORK EXCHANGE QUIET. Stooke Show More Animation and a Fair Increase in Sales—Less In- terest Manifested In the Produce Pits. A Resume of the Country. Cnrcaco, August 10.—[Special Telogram Lo Tne Bre.|—The money market remains steady, with a fair volume of transactions. Calls from the grain interest are not heavy, but as the scason advances the stocks begin to accumulate, and the demand for funds to carry property is expected to increase. As yet, however, the movement of currency to the interior has been small in comparison with the quantity of grain arriving, Mer- cantile interests are msking for as many favoraas for somo time past, as thoy are preparing for the fall trade, which is start- ing in with a favorable outlook. Country bankers are sending in a moderate amount of paper to be discounted, and those situated i districts where harvesting has been com- pleted are drawing down their balances with bankers here, and are getting ready to assist in moving the crops. Interest rates remain steady at 5@6 per cent, and 6@8 por cent on time loans. At the east the feeling is steady, but the market shows no stringe . Bankers are manifesting considerable con- servatism owing to the receat failures, and interest ratos are stronger. Foreign reports mdicate a steady feeling in that quarter, and the discount sale of the Bank of England ad- vanced }4 per cent to 8 per cent. New York exchange was quiet throughout the week, with moderate transactions at 25@50 dis- count per §$1,000, but closed at 40. Foreign exchange was worked with rates slightly lower. Offeriugs were liberal and the de- mand fair. Sixty day documentary sterling bills drawn on London ranged at $4.831@ 4.83%, The New York stock market manifested more animation during the past week, and the aggregate sales showed a fair increase over those of the proceding week. The mar- kot was spasmodic in character and was dull, but they were mvariably followed by spells of inoreased activity. Transactions ware distributed among the general list, but Sugar and Lead trusts, Grangers and south- western properties wore the most promi- nent. News from the west regarding crops were fayorable, and had a tendency to in- crease the confldence among holders. Re- ports regarding the rate situation on Mis- souri river business, however, were not of a character to relieve the anxiety of nervo ‘holders about the position the roads will us- sume 1n the fight over the division of rates. Chicago operators were very bullish and conspicuous for their purchase of the Gran- gors and southwestorn stocks, and higher prices were recorded. Chesapéake & Ohio, and Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & St. Louis wero especially firm and showed od advances, The shorts covered eely and materially reduced their interests, On the advances there was good realizing by the longs, which tended to check the upward tendency. Lead trusts and sugar trusts fluctuated sharply within & good range, lead at times boing heavy, whilo the rost of the list was firm and advancing. The closing sales exhibited fair advances on noarly the entire list, exoept sugar trusts, which closed 8} per cent lower. Cotton oil also showed a small loss. Bonds were fairly active, Chesapeake & Ohio receiving especial atteniion, and prices advanced shaiply. The aggregate transactions on the New York stock exchange for the week were 1,172,240 shares, Not quite so much interest was manifested in-the produce market during the past woek, though speéulative trading in the ag- regate was moderately large. Some of the ending operators are absent from the city enjoying & summer vacation, and outside parties were not disposed to trade with their usual freedom. In small grain especially, operators are disposed to move cautiously, ‘watch the movement to and from the leading markets, advices from abroad and reports from the harvest flelds. ‘There was little inclination to engage in heavy transactions on either side of the market. Prices fluctu- ated considerably witkin a comparatively narrow range and rather inclined in favor of pbuyers. In the shipping branch of trade there Was more than usnal activity. Ordors from abroad were larger and buyers here were disposed to forward consignments on on their own aecount. The demand from the seaboard markets was only moder ate. Arrivals of grain at the principal wostern markets were quite free of all kinds, as tho weather has been a little more favorable for harvesting oporations and farm work generally, Shipments of grain have been very liberal, more particularly by the lake route, notwithstanding the firmness in freights. Domostic markets have devel- oped no particular strongth and the advioes from abroad were not very encouraging to sellers, Crop reports from all parts of the oountry coutinue faverable, especiaily in the ‘wost, but the reports from abrond were less encouraging than two weeks ago, and the impression now prevails that the orops of Europe, even in the western portion, will fall below provious ostimates, The ®xport movement in flour and grain 18 gradually im- ,)ruvlngA The visible supply of small grain is enlarging slowly and will probably do so for some time, Seods were more active but oasier, owing 10 the improved crop prospects, FProvisions were somewhat unsottled, though in the aggregate they showed rather move stren gth in the speculative branch of thetrade. Re- colpts of cattle, hogs and sheep wore moderately large, and prices were without much change. Packing of hogs in the west is progressing favorably. e Corporal Tanner's Pretty Secretary. Corporal Tanner's daughter, a bright girlof about twenty, makes an admira- ble private scoretary to her arratio, irascible and much-troubled tather, the pension commissioner, say a_Chicago Herald Washington letter. When no- body else can soothe the corporal’s en- raged feelings, pretty Miss Tanner takes him in hand, and by stroking the fur the right way brings on at last a semblance of calmness. As for know- ing anything or telling anything that lnybog‘{ wants to know, Miss Tanner 18 a model private secrotary. Sheisa young and pretty feminine spinx. By the way the Tanner family is drawing [ many salaries, Besides the corporal and his daughter, the private secrotary, an elder aaughtor is em- ployed in the office of the pension uflunz, where she has for a companion, Miss Squires, daughter of Tanuer’s former rivate secretary, who was discharged n disgrace. As furns is known, these are all the salaries drawn by the Tan- ners, kbt Noted Suicides in History. The following are some of the more noted suicides of which mention is made in history, says the Rivtsburg Commeor- cial Gazette. These do not savor much of insanity but rather of stoic phil- osophy: Cato stabbed himself rather than live under the despotic reign of Cmsar; Themistocles poisoned himself rather than lead the Persians ageinst his countrymen; Zeno, when ninety-eight, hanged himself because he had put his finger out of juint, and Hannibal and Mithridates poisoned themselves to es- cape bemng taken prisoners. When we search scripture we find that Saul. rather than fall intq the hands of the Philistines, commanded his armorer to hold his sword that he might plunge up- on'it; Samson, for the sake of being revenged upon his enimies, pulled down the howse in which they were revell and *died with them,” and Judas Isca- riot, after selling the Savior for thirty pleces of silver, was overcome by re morse *“‘and went and hanged himself.” TO EUROPE BY RAIL. d Projected from Spokane Falls to the Yukon's Mouth. “It is highly probable that a railway from Spokane Ialls to Alaska will be coustructed within tho next few years,” said H. A. Johnston, of-New York, who was at the Lintell yesterday, to a St. Louis Globe-Demoerat reporter. *‘Iam on my way home from Washington torvitory, and while out there my at- tention was called to this project and I ;Pont considerable time looking into it. he movement is in its infancy, but it has the backing of the wealthy men of the northwest and British Columbia. The idea looks strange and impractica- ble at tho first glance, but as & matter of fact the obstacles to be encountered in the construction of such a line would not bo as great ns were met with by the Central Pacific and the Northern Pacific. Itis proposed to begin the rail- road at Spokane KFalls, making that city the southern and eastern terminus, Competent engineers place the cost at $150,000,000. Walter Moberly, engi- neer for the government of British Co- umbis, has oxamined the proposed oute and believes that the road could be built for less money per mile than the Canadian Pacific, which he helped to carry jthrough, and would prove very rofitable. Asto the route projocted it s necessary to explain the physical conditions of the country so that the feasibility of the plan may be seen. The Rocky mountains enter British Columbia_ in about the longitude of Salt Lake City, and tend west- ward until they join the Alaskan coast range, breaking in the northern part of British Columbia into three parallel ranges. The eastorn range 18 the Rockies proper, the middle range is the Selkirk, and the western the Col- umbia range. The Columbia river rises in the valley between the Rockies and the Selkirks, and flows north until it reaches the extremity of the latter range, around which it turns and flows back south between the Selkirk and Columbian ranges into Washington territory. At the point where the Columbia turns the north end of the Selkirk range it re- ceives astrong tributary in the Canoe river. Theroad as projected would run along the valleys of the Columbia and the Canoe, then over the hills from Tate Cache and down along the Kraser river to Fort George. Thence it would have to cross a long but not difficult pass to the valley of the Yukon, down which it would go to the mouth of that great river, a distance altogether of about 3,000 miles. The Yukon is bor- dered most of the way by a wide flood plain and terrace, and construction ulong ite banks would be a simple mat- ter.” “Where would the road getits reve- nue?”’ was asked. “Well, to bogin with, it would touch the famous Kootenai valley, a_splendid agricultural and cattle ralsing region. The people of Spokane Falls have for some time been figuring on a road eighty miles to the boundary to connect with road for which a company of Ca- nadians and Englishmen have secured a charter, from the boundary to the Ca- nadian Paci at Revelstoke, 200 miles farther north. The English company will commence work this summer, and their road would form the first link in the Alaska road. This, however, is merely to show that the Kootonai re- gion is valuable and that the Spokane Ialls people know it. There are a great many mines and rich deposits of ore along the Columbia, and an English company is building a smelter at Rev- elstoke to handle them. Nearly every stream running into the Columbia car- ries float gold. The Canoe river rums through a great fur and embryo mining region, and from the Yukon come gold, furs, and lumber, and from its mouth the seals, All along the route of the rond is vaiuable country either for mining, salmon fisheries, agriculture, stock-paising, or timber.” **Would not the snow and 1ce prevent the operation of such a road?” L**That is apparently the greatest dif- ficulty. Anyone at first would think that the climate would be un insurmountable difficulty, but it is positively asserted by those who ought to know that the climate would cause no more trouble than it does on the Northern and Cauadian Pacific. You kunow that the ocean breezes temper the climate all along the coast, and it is very little colder in Sitka than it is in New York, Now this road would run west of the moun- tains all the way, and the farther north it gets the nearer does it go to the coast, 50 that the climate would be compara: fival{] temperate all the way. “The road would be operated for the joint uve and benefit of British Columbia ana the United States, and it is pro- ed to have the province contribute its proportion of the cost in lands, and the United States to give 1ts guarantees for the payment of intevest for twenty Lom's on $50,000 per mile of the cost. oth countries, it seems to me, should be willing to do this. “There is another important point in connection with this road. The Rus- sian government is now engaged in building a railroad across Siberia and down the Amoor to its mouth, A roud is also projected from the main line on the Amoor into Kamschatka, and to some port on Behring strait only a short distance from the mouth of Yukon. This line 1n connection with the Alaska rond would form a practically all-rail route from Europe to the United Siates, ot e St West Virginia' Samson, Mat Kramer,of Putnam county, this state, who is suprosad by men who know him to be the strongest man in the civilized world, is attracting the attention of the sporting circles far and near, says the Wheeling Intelligencer: One of his recent feats, in which al- most superhuman strength s called into necount, was witnessed only a few days ugo by & number of the best citi- zens, He raised, apparently with the greatest ense, a huge podestal, weigh- ing 1,800 pounds, and held it alott above his hoad for several seconds, Mr, Kramer is over six feet in height, and tips the beam at 285 pounds. It has bean frequently asserted by papers in this section of the state that he flni ox- hibited deods of strength that would muke the renowned Australian giant turn green with envy, and Editor T pett this week announces in his puper that this modern Samson can tie Sulli- van with one hand and thrash the **Bos- ton baked bouns’ out of him with the other. There are men in this county who will stake $1,000 that ho is the :lv.mngon humun being in existonce to- wy, e Staristics of Ooin. The weight and bulk of gold and sil- ver coin now held by the United States treasury form the subject of inguiry by a correspondent of a mathematical turn of mind, and he finds that the weight of A{uld is 601 tons of 2,000 pounds, and and the silver 8,000 tons, says the New York Telegram. Packing it along the highway us cord wood 1is pacied, the fi,'uld would make a barricade four. feot iigh, four feet thick, for a distance of 360 feet, and the silver if similarly packed, would extend 4,248 feet, or live- sixths of a mile. If packed in carts, one won to each cart, the procession would be nearly thirty-three miles long, ot which distance the gold-bearing carts would cover two and a half miles and the silver a fraction over thirty wid 4 quarter miles. i IN A FOUNTAIN OF FLAMES. A Oanadian Plunges Into a Burning Plllar of Gas. HE WORE A GARB OF ASBESTOS. Hundreds Watch the ¥eat and Dee spair of His Escape—He Stopped the Dailly Waste of Eleven Million Feet of Gas. Into a Lake of Fire. Three weeks ago last Tucsday the Ruthven gas well was sot on fire, says a dispateh from Ruthven, Ont., to the New York World. It is supposed that the incendiary was some disgruntled labore or. The cap over the top of the pipo was so fixed that the escaping gas rushed out directly towards the ground and made safe approach to it impossible. The roar of the gas rushing out could be heard in Kingsville, three miles Local mechanies found it ible to remove the cap. Kach one gave it up after the first trial. The heat was simply unendurable and grew worse every day. Gas exports from Ohio were called to the scene, but they, too, gave it up. The ground around the well became baked and when the workmen tried to cool it with a stream from a fire engine the water exhaled in a cloud of stoam before it had fairly struck the ground. All idea of cooling off the ground was given up. The owners of the well offered $1,000 to any one who would remove the cap. William H. Marvin, a mining expert who had some acquaintance with natural gas, undertook the job. He tried sever al schemes for removing the cap by the aid of along lever, but they all failed for the reason that his lever would melt away under the fierce heat as soon as he got 1t near enough to work. He do- termined to go near enough to the well himself to cutoff thecap. It looked like certain death for anyone toapproach the well, and even the owners advised Marvin {o give up tho idea. He was not easily frightened and yesterday prepared to make the attempt. He made a suit of asbestos that was unique in its way and yet proved successful after a litile tinkering. It was his purs pose to go right up to the well through the gas flame and place a cold chisel against the pipe, while his assistant pounded on the chisel until the cap gaye way. The firstattempt was a sig- nal failur Marvin only reached the flame when he retreated. He wore a heavy pair of cowhide boots, covered with wet cloths ahd before he got to the Hames the clotns had dried and burned away and his boots were half burned off: So great was his hurry to escape that he dropped his cutting contrivance and was dismayed to see it get red hot be- fore his eyes. In his next trial he wore a pair of rubber boots, and inside these thrust his feet wound in dampened rags. Outside the boots he put a heavy coyering of asbestos, His coat of asbes- tos was cone-shaped. His arms stuck out through two holes in the cone and were wound in several thicknesses of wet cloth, which was covered with a heavy coeting of asbestos. His contriv- ance for cutting the pipe consisted of a long and very sharp chisel, fastened at right angles to an iron staff. 1n ap- proaching the well he slid the cone along the ground, sceing his way through a glass set in front. His as- sistant was robed like himself, and carried a long iron bar on which wns fastened a small farrier’s hammer. Two hundred people saw the daring men make this approach to the flame, and as Marvin disappeared in its circle a shudder swept over the onlookers. There were not a half-dozen in the crowd who expected to see Marvin come out alive, but in a minute—it seemed like an age—they suw the edge of the chisel resting up against the pipe, just below the cap. Almost breathlessly they watched the assistant make a stroke at the chisel in a clumsy kind of a way. He did not hit it. The second trial” was more successful; he hit the chisel squarely, but lightly, The cone inthe ring of fire wavered, and a cry of **He’s burned to death!” went up on all sides. The cone moved again, the chisel fell and the people could :ee that Marvin was coming out. Lverybody thought that he haa given up in sheer despair; but notso. He had come out of the fire to got rest and air. He was nearly suffocated. His assistant lost no time in getting away from the fearful heat. When the cone was lifted off Marvin ~—for he was oo weak to lift it off hime selt—he was a sight to behold. His face was scarlet and his eyos protruded like door-knobs. He was half-ronsted and it took him two hours to recover, Then he pluckily determined to wry it ngain. He had his cone thoroughly drenched and he fixed up another chisel, snying, as the cone was put over hin, thay he would succeed or never come out alive, Again the hammer and chisel were brought into play, and little by little the people could see thut the man’s skill and pluck would win. All at once the roar of the well changed to a shrill whistle, and the cap was blown a hun= dred feet upward, while Marvin’s cone swod av the foot of the pipe motionless, It was some minutes before it moved, and the people thought aguin that he had perished in his attempt. His as- sistant was badly burned and had to be taleen to the hotel for assistance. When Marvin's cone began to move the people sent up a tremendous shout and the more venturesome ran forwurd as far us they could on the hot ground to reach him. He was badly scorched, but not hurt otherwise. The thing was a suc- cess and Marvin had earncd his 81,000, This afternoon Marvin put a contrive ance on the pipe tw shut oft the flow of gns, and now for the hrst time in nearly vhree woeks Ruthven i quiet from the desfening rour. Muee vin’s cap is shaped ltke the lettor T,and waa placed on the pipe after three trinls, The company estimate that over eloven million feet of gus hus been consumed each day. Marvin said to-day thatit was the nearest approach to death he ever ex- pected to exporience until his time oa very breath,” he said, ‘“‘seemed to burn like fire, and twice I nearly fainted. My mouth was so parched that I could not even moisten my lips with m{ tongue. The suffering was dread- ful, and I would not pass through ¢l experience again for fifty times $1,000, This time. however, I was bound to win, Despite my covering my body is blis tered in soveral places, and my hands and arms are just one mass of burns, My feetare burued as if 1had held them in the fire.” It will be at least two weoks before Marvin resumes his wonted appearance. His lips are terribly swollen and his eyebrows and whiskers are entirel: burned off, The ground about the we is still 80 hot that no one ean walk on it, and it will tako three or four days 40 cool itoff. Marvin's great feat is sald 10 bo the first successiul event of the lonud in record,