New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-29

EARNINGS STILL GAINING.

Tuesday, Feb. % r. m
The six railroads which to-day reported their
gross earnings for the third week in February
have little effect upon the average gains Of those
previously reported The total number now
reported for the week is thirty nine. or these
twenty-eight give aggregate for the week
Of this year of S2,329, $40 against s2O34,1 55 in
the week of 1887 and against sl,s37,Jl5 for
the week of 1886. The gains for tho week
of this year arc IA per cent that Of 1887
and 25.1 per cent that Of 1886. The same
rosds for the period from January TO February
81 of this year give aggregate of ~ o, 73l,Ool
against Sl3,949,966 in 1887 and sl2,5446O7
in 1886. The gains for the period of this year are
1913 per cent on 1887 ana 21.4 pei cent on 1886.
Several other roads which we are able to compare
only with 1887 give ia aggregate for the third
week of February Of s25o,93l against s230,573
IA gain of Sl035o per cent, and for the
period since January l, slSO5, $50 against sl,o'3
S33-a gain OF 81 81, 702 or 10 per cent. These
gains under the circumstances are PHENOMENAL
and 10 one now can claim that they are due
to the carrying of construction material Tor new
railroads because at tho moment there Is none
beng done.
The New-York, Lake Eric and Western state
ment Tor January, which is printed below, is Il
genuine and pleasant surprise. Instead oil show
Jug u loss COMPARED with January, 1857,
il shows small gains III both gross and net earn
ings The companys new method OF making
up us monthly statements, while 1t III no manner
changes the nnal net result iOrDlds comparison
in detail with years previous TO 1887, OuI we
run our table with the net for three years omit
ting tbs details of two years back. Inc net ol
last month is a gain Of 4,oJ6 on January, loo I,
and gain Of s5o,21O on January 1850; TOE
the four months of the company Iscal yeur
the net is SsS.06l less than III the preceding
year but It is still sl2S.23o greater than IN The
preceding year and is $3.50, 2OO III excess oil louf
months first charges.
January gives an increase in earnings of 80 per
cent and in net earnings Of 30 per cent. over
1897 and still greater gains on 1856. It's net
q months first charges Tho Pniladelph'a anu
Readings return for January of course makes
a poor comparison with 1881 The strike M;
only pos poncd its profits on coal but also reduced
its general trIllic and yet the deficit III meeting
expenses was only s73,0l2 AGAINST pront III
January 1881 OF S749,435 and in January, SSoi
OF s29S 435. But it must he remembered that
this loss is more apparent than real the c3 G
unmined because of the strike is still In the
ground and not lost.
PRACTICALLY 4 FULL RECOVERY
There was not much of a whirlWnd IN today
stock market. There was NOT room for che WIN
transactions aggregatng only lO"' oo sHarcs
Nevertheless with to-days small business, tnere
was practically full raeovey Of y $50 600
shares In some eases prices closed maternity LILY
higher than yesterdays opening figures Inc
stock loan market continues 10 u,Neiop int
outstanding short interest me lmpress'on
daily proves stronger that the railway war az
the west Is intimately oggnn"orGd with stock
spoculations: that great and small officials nave
sold ont their stocks. if they are not short
and that the fight must continir till they have
an opportunity TO recouP Whether or not tne
several Indications which do warrant the suspicion.
r. bowcvcr. If It. b. true or partially true the
walters for a market in which to recoup might t
do well to understand that the stocks are NOT
In tbc street: that they are not specuatvely
held. and learn o point from the remarlS once .,
made by one Of Wall Streets
Inv stnclys is to huv them and the
vav 70 sell them is TO sell the other fellow must
have something 70 say about the price. Inc
i"''i >NO WHAT WAS DONE IN BONDS.
Government bonds were dun ana sleauJ "V
quotations IS follows: