The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11

| for February were !1,77e, $50, an increase
! Of 1924, AZ. The earnings for the two
months from the beginning of the year
were SS,764,S23. an increase Of {e5s,S97.
Sharp advances In Sugar, Peoples Gas.
and Third Avenue, the three securities
weakest In the TeCesrt markets. we're feat
ures of yesterdays trading People who
/ have watched the action Of all OF these
stocks expressed the opinion yesterday at
the close that the declines in them are
probably over. There has been no weak
| ness visible in Sugar since the declaration
of the smaller dividend. but instead on
several occasions a marked nervousness
among the shorts and an equally cOnspicu
Gus support from insiders apparently. PeO-
pies Gas has been the object of a vicious
bear campaign by a Chicago clique which
has fOated a number of stories more or
less aprocryphsl in aid of its charitable
project. On Friday, and again yesterday,
the bears covered heavily with the result
that the stock closed at % SIS. an advance
OF nearly four points from the low point OF
Friday. The energetic efforts ui the Third
Avenue reorganizers have apparently in
spired the shorts with fear, or the friends
OF the company with hope and the
tendency Of the stock has been upward for
the past few days. 1t got as high as -
yesterday and closed at IS IL.
The Sugar situation continues 10 attract
much attention. though ii is not much
more lucid to the outsider than II was on
the day before the meeting Of the direc-
tors. To all appearances the Sugar fight
is fercer now than ever. Hints OF further
cuts in prices are heard Despite this fact.
however. some one with great faith Is
buying the stock steadily. Yesterday it
advanced TO 100 IS. after the bank state
ment and closed at that price, the highest
for the day and the week.
number OF other securities. Curiously
enough, made their highest prices yester-
day. after the very poor bank statement,
and many Of them closed q, the top figure.
The granEers were in this list. Both the
Baltimore and Ohio securities closed prac-
tically az the TOD. New York Central ad-
vanced a point or more to 1874, and closed
at the highest price for The day. and Penn
sylVaBia went as high as 1874 IL at the
close. The steel securities all advanced
in the last fifteen minutes OF The day and
made their best prices at the close. Con- |
solidated Gas advanced to us and closed |
there. The list could be prolonged much !
further.
Southern Railway was put on a ? per |
cent dividend basis on Friday. The stock |
has been strong during the entire week /
and is selling practically at the highest |
figure ever attained by it. No further gain /
was scored yesterday. and it IS probable /
that a few speculative holders, who have |
been waiting for the increased dividends. /
sold on Friday and yesterday. II there (
was such selling the buyers were SUI /
hciently numerous to keep the price from
going OFF. Southern Railway preferred is |
one Of the most attractive stocks on the |
list to a large class Of investors and semi /
investment spectators. II is the preferred /
stock of a system that has made a won
derful record during the past few years
and seems certain to live up to It in the