The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-17
STOCK MARKET FEATURES
MISSOUR PACIFIC OPENED WEAK BUT RALLIED WELL,

]A4pCOO OhG FAClf4C OEGNEO
 WEAK BUT RALLIED WELL, A Firm Tone to the Market and General
 Rally in the AfternoOn-U. S. Steels
 Splendid ShOwing-Over 3 Per Cent.
 for Common StOclx-COn. Gas Again FeebIe--COuntry's Foreign Trade Fine -GOsslp of She Day.
 The markets features yesterday were the early weakness and later strength of Missouri Pacific and the continued feebleness of Consolidated Gas.
 A remarkable encouraging exhibit was that of the country's foreign trade for February, noticed later on, butt the greatest object lesson of our prosperity was furnished by the United States Steel corporation in an official state ment of it's operations for the year 1905.
 
 total of $588,8S1, ,7S6, and after charging off large amounts for depreciation and sinking and making extensive appro- priations for additional property and new construction, the corporation added $l7,00O,0OO to its surplus, the total of which now amounts to $S4 ,78S, ,450. After all deductions the figures showed earnings of 3 3-8 per cent on the com mon stock.
 Brooklyn Gas was very weak yester- day in sympathy with Consolidated Gas It sold down six points this after noon to 135. Last ear it ruled at one time above 200.
 The drop in Mop is figured out as due Ito a very clever attack made just at the close of Thursdays market by Bob Fairbairn, of Fairbain & Hilliard, who waiting his chance, suddenly offered the stock down from around 99 to 95 in 100 share lots The specialist had stop or ders, which offset any supporting or ders, and only traded in 200 shares on balance. It was reported yesterday that Fairbairn had sold but LOGO shares on the smash he engineered, though, of course, it was presumed that he, or others behind him, had previously gone short" to a respectable toltal. Yester day about 5000 shares were bought in support of Mop
 Stocks were dull but steady in the late trading, with evidence that the heaviest liquidation in Consolidated Gas and Missouri Pacific was over for the time being. The latter stock recov- cred three points from the lowest in the last hour.
 The action of the market, as a whole in the face of the special outbreaks of violent liquidation during the week has been remarkably good.
 When Consolidated Gas got down to 142 IA it probably had fewer friends than any other stock on the list. The break occurred onAa fairly large total as if a good deal of long stock was coming out. Many persons were then talking 1855 for it. The character of the buying was difficult to interpret.
 It should be noted that in January and February of this year tho gross earnings of the Missouri Pacific and Central branch roads have increased $12134S5 over the same months of a year ago.
 Yesterdays bidding up of Chicago Union Traction appeared to have been brought about by traders clique.
 If 1t had not been for Missouri Paci- fio, Consolidated Gas and one or two other things the market would have been adead one for the greater part Of the day.
 There was but little demand for stocks in the loan crowd yesterday, showing that there was not much short interest, to be used as a basis for bid ding up the market. WORCESTER RAILWAL CONTEST
 Some 1000 shares of Worcester Rail- way and Investment company stock changed hands Thursday in Worcester and it would be hard to tell which of the various interests striving for con- troI had secured majority of it, As high as $105 per share is bid The stock now has a g dividend on it. The New Haven road, 1t Is said, is willing to take over the property providing any broker can produce a majority of the stock The stock sold month ago for $SS, but competitive bidding has sent it upward A protective committee has also been formed which proposes to get better -,,.ioo tba,, x105 rer share fhr the stock