New-York tribune., 1879-03-12
THIRD CALL -2:3O O'CLOCK p. VI.
TUESDAY, March lip.

The gross earnings Of fifteen American railroads
for February that are printed below, make better
comparison with the earnings Of the corresponding
month of 1873 than did those Of January-an in.
crease of 639 miles of road, showing an in-
crease of $49.4SS in earnings But the total earn.
ings for February less than in January Of this
year, and the earnings per mile Of road in February
were 1926 TO- against $442 40 in February, 1878.
Dividing the fifteen railroads into two classes--those
east and west of the Missouri Rver-we
find that five railroads west of the Mis-
souri, River, with 229 miles greater length Of
road, earned in February 1870. 50 651 1892 against
2,2O3,6S0 in February, 1873; gain, $547. 7.643.
The earnings per mile of these five companies in
1878 were $407 4S, and in 1879 $40 80. On the
other hand, the ten companies east of the Missouri
River. with 40 additional miles of road. in Febru-
ary, 1879. earned $3, 4O1 ,912, against $3sOO,O67
in February, 1873; loss, $39s,155. The earnings
per mile for the month in 1878 were $i65 SO, and
in February of this year 1896 90 OF course these
reports do not include some of the most important
companies, because they do not make any returns,
but there is reason to believe that the figures Of
the companies that are reporting do not represent
the average for those that do not report.
The stock market to-day, if anything, was moro
dull than that of yesterday. The opening was with
out spirit, and with decided inclination toward
lower prices that was only checked by smart
movement in Northwestern common stock, after il
had declined from 53l2 to 527s. But the rally to
the support of this stock and the rapid advance Of
its price to 81 and then to 54l29543s changed the
appearance of the whole market, so that was the
ease Yesterday the final sales about the best
of the day. Northwestern preferred stock again
was heavy in the early dealings and de-
clined to s4l2, but later rallied aud sold
at s5l26s5as. st. Paul common, opened
at 373i and declined TO 37l2, but after the receipt
of the report of the earnings OF the company for the
first week of March, that showed loss OF S3l ,537
for the week and of $336,255 since January l, the
price was advanced TO 3S4, and final sales were at
3S The preferred stock, on the contrary, closed e
lower than it's opening figure at 81 ls. after having
sold at 81 GSO3l. Lake Shore closed rs 1t opened,
at 715s having sold down to II IS. Erie ruled at
25L0247s02jls, and Michigan Central at SS4Q
877s6S8 The coal stocks were feverish, but
their Quotations confined within the range OF
% per cent. ~
Considerable activity was noted in the differ
ent classes of the st. Louis and San Francisco
Railroad Companys stocks. At recent election for
directors of the company the following gentlemen
Joel b. Post, w. +. Buckley, Charles g. Francklyn,
Lyman A. Jacobus, Frederick Buttertield and
Calvin Littlefeld, of New-York James Baker and
Ozas Bailey ST. LOUIS f. b. hayes; w. II. mgss tss
Board held to-day, the following were elected OIL
j. ID. Fish, president James Baker. vice,
president; and w. IL. Littlefeld. secretary and
treasurer.
Missouri. Kansas and Texas to-day was again
higher. rising to 1Ol20 1Ols, while Kansas
Pacific was firm at about %. The investments
were dull all through.
Western Union huctuated from 104G1O3os to
1919, the last named price being the final one, on
q report that the company had succeeded in offering
terms to the Erie Railway that were satisfactory,
but after the adjournment of the Board this report
was positively denied by persons who ought 10
know whereof they spoke.
The market closes as it did yesterday, seemingly
strong but without definite features
RANGE THE STOCK AARkEE
Asreported on the GoLd and stock Telegraph Company