New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-06

Exchange fOr the Week Oh tnIee years 0oHPai0 40
fOhOws:
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GOOD SHOWING OF RAILROAD EARNINGS
Including those printed below The tribune
has publsned the comparative earnings for the
third week Of January Of II railroads winch give
for the week CT this year gam oil %.lo per cent
on the week of 1857; those reporting Tor 900
and 1857 last year gave gain OF l 2 per cent ON
$50. We also have published the comparative
earnings Ol twenty-one railroads Tor the loufIh
week aud month of January. Out OF the whole
number only six companies returned losses Tor
the month Out of the whole number seventeen
reported IN 1856 and they give an aggregate Tor
last month Of S5,22j, 323 against s1,Oo0'4gO III
January, lsS7-a gam OF s45o,o55, OF ~ per
cent, and against saga, $50 III January,
lss6-a gain OF sl,25O,62s, or 292l per cent.
Four companies OF which we have no record Ior
January, 1856, return for last month 81 4 "a
against Sss.32o In January 1854 gain OF sly
4i6. or 1927 per cent; and among The Tour Is the
Evansville and Indianapolis, with loss OF s2,O0O
. l-2 per cent. The other hye compainIlns
returning losses from 1887 are Chicago, Mil
wpukee aud st. Paul Milwaukee. Lake Shore and
Western Cairo. Nlnccnnes and Chicago Columbus.
locking Valley and Toledo and Peoria, Decatur
and kvansy lie and they all show some and
generally large gains on January; 1885
Ii is needless to remind our readers that the last
month of January particularly unfavorable
for large railroad earnings all through the West;
that intense cold and heavy SHOWS not only I'M
D dcd TIE movement on rails but also the edclS
Highways leading To railway stations. We do
so only to emphasize the Inconsistency there Is
between the reported earnings and the constantly
repeated eXa gCerat Ons concerning the demOralH-
tiOn Of railway freight rates at the West. We
have never denied that rates were finding p lower
basis the same as has been the case with the
Eastern lines Tor year past The growth OF the
population the larger traffic and the econO-
mics in management warrant a new basis. But
We have protested against the exaggerated reports
OF so per cent coming once and sometimes twice
week, with the evident purpose OF affecting
stock values As matter Of fact, the latest
published war tarif from Chicago n Missouri
liver points ~ from 90 per cent tor hrst-class 10
40 per cent for lowest ass lower III n 1t was last
spring. And vet that tariff for 80 miies IL now
equal to the rate from New-lork to chicago
he purpose of these exaRgerations IL clear
ly shown By sentence IN a Chc"eo
news dispatch printed this NOR iha ovs-I
follows: Before II uhe rate war ~ ehus s'f Gu
aucl railro al companies, whose SECURITIES nafo
for ars ranked hlg IN the Ia rkes OF tue "oiui
will cease to paw dividends their share cspltai
ar least" Aud vet we re ID IN the bears organ,
Jhc lines: /" lt IL poss bic that even WIN oncsc
rates the gross earnings of some oil, tne IaIgri
systems will not show much, " any loss as COM
pared with last year. because OF tne inclea,ou sci
business done ana greater mileage Dut tne'o wiz
be heavy difference IN the net earnlusa " st
Is novelty in the prediction OF oechne ih tuo
net earnings; 1t has been made TOT tnIIy FOUR
months and has not proved true except "
few instances. and then because o. D., etcep -
novel and interesting to learn rom mat auI
thOrity that the business is and pfooaDy WIN
be larger than that of last year heretofore IL nas
been said that r trs were cut because of lackDf
business. Now that the reports OF famine ~ cur
at rhe West are confirmed by 80 unwilllhR an hu
thorty il IL not time for stockholders to let tnen
maDagers understand that cut in rates VIII I've We
foNOwed by reduction OF salaries twice INC "a 80
centage of cut In rntesf It probably "ouiu
be q difficult matter TO prove. bnt tnele -
such 81 rong crcnmstautial evidence mat tue iui
preston Is fast becoming conviction III lno nil Lis
Of observant persons that there does exist oioSo
alliance between certain stock operators and some
subordinate managers Of Western railroads hore
bu,lness than there are cars TAI handle and cut