Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-13
LOCAL FINANCIAL NEWS.

The impression that has prevailed for
the past few days that there was some
thing going to be done In the case OF Cap
ital Traction that would be of benefit to
the holders of the stock received apparent
confirmation by the course of things at to-
days meeting OF the stock exchange.
Today the stock was exdividend, which
made it intrinsically worth $3.50 per share
less than was the case yesterday. Yet the
bid today was renewed on exactly the
same basis as 1t was yesterday, and the
only stock offered less than lao was taker.
at 14S. There was no change in the bid at
the close and the lowest offering was l4s.
Perhaps the most active bidder at these
prices was broker who is largely inter-
ested in the company. 1t is not known ex-
actly what is in the wind, but 1t. Is stated
there is to be something done that VIII be or
profit to the stockholders.
There are, of course, all sorts of spec
ulations which have to do with combina-
ton with the Old Dominion road and with
still larger combination in the future. One
of the large stockholders is credited with
saying that If the capital stock was in
creased to s15,OO0,OO0 from $t2,000,00D
the company could still continue to pay q
per cent dividend.
There Is some question whether the COM
pany has the power under its charter to
Increase its capital without gaining the
consent of Congress. but in the event 1t
gets the right to build cross-town line or
the extensions which are now being asked
it will be necessary to raise the money, and
enlarged capitalization is one of the means
suggested.
OF course what is meant by suggested is
what the outsiders think, as the power be-
hind the throne has not as yet spoken,
far as known. except. maybe, to select
few
Trading both in the common stock and in
the preferred stock of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company rather drag
ged today.
That Is not an especially new experience
with the preferred. but for the past few
days it-has been unusual with the COM
mon.
The little trading that was done was on
about the same level that has prevailed
for several days past. and In the case of
the common the closing bid and asking
price ended about where they began and
that was eighth of point apart.
The bonds of the company. as is the case
with the preferred stock, did not seem to
be i'm much demand. and there were no
sales except on a lower level. 1t is sug-
gested that, it might be well to suspend
the dividend in the one case and the in
teTest In the other, and then both of these
securities would In that respect be in the
same class the common and a lively
market might be looked for.
Greene Copper took quite an upward
move. and on good selling brought on a
range from 3o1s to 81 Is. which is n high
record in that stock. About a thousand
shares changed hands.
Mergenthaler on limited dealing sold up
slightly, and Lanston, with about the same
dealing, sold down somewhat.
An application was made today to the
stock exchange by j. T. Hendrick to have
the stock of the National City Bank list
ed. The capital stock of the bank which
opens its doors for business tomorrow
morning in the building which it bought
from the American Security and Trust
Company, being the G street wing, is
cSOD ono