The Washington times., 1914-03-21
RAIL WAY STOCK IS
BID UP ON CHANGE
Price Of Common Is Boosted
Three Points Following Un-
scrambIing Bill.

As an answer to the tips that have
been going financial rounds TO get out
Of Washington Railway on the theory
that the Public Utilities Commission
hill to divorce the railway company
from the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany would impair the value OF the Sc
curities of the former. the common stock
OF the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company was bid up three points
on the local exchange today.
The quotations of yesterday. before
the bill was introduced in Congress.
were s7aSe. Today the bid was raised
10 30, anu no stock offered under 9o. The
broker who specializes in this stock
offered to take any part OF ZOO shares
at 80.
1t has been generally known in imam
cial circles that the Public utllities
Commiss sion would take steps to follow
up the recommendations MADE IN thelr
report to Congress following the secret
Investigation of the affairs Of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric COMPANY.
and there has been some attendant
restlessness among holders of its stock
Strong support for the stock. there
fore. was offered today following tne
actual introduction of the Dill tha1
would "unscramble'' the railway and
light and power corporations.
Washington Gas also became stronger
ir the trading today. After quota
lion lot had sold at Sel2 single share
cold at S3,l. and fifty-eight more shares
at g.
Twenty shares of Federal National
Bank sold at Is5. A nine-share lot OF
Capital Traction went at 1es.
The only bond sales were 2.ooo OF
Potomac consolidated SIS at 1ook.
Charles J. Bell presided at today's
session Of the exchange in the alb
sence of President Benjabin Woodruff.
who left the city yesterday with a party
or Eastern bankers to inspect the
properties of the South Carolina Light.
Power and Railway Company, at Spar
The building committee of the Ma
tional Savings and Trust Company, VIII
meet again Monday. A contract may
be awarded at that time for the erec-
ton Of the company's new building.
The mercantile agencies are unable
to report any uniform Improvement in
business in their weekly reviews of
trade today. Revival In the iron and
steel industry is still absent, and there
Is marked conservatism in commitments
in the dry goods market
r. G. Dun & Co.'S review says, in
part. as follows:
This is the between-seasons period in
various branches of trade. and signifi-
ant changes in the business situation
are lacking. Broadly considered, con-
ditions at present are quiet. although
Indications Of progress are not wholly
absent. It Is evident that as yet there
is no uniform trend toward improve
OF spring would be accompanied by q
revival Of activity in iron end steel
have not been realized thus far.
pronounced conservatism in the mat
ter Of future commitments is apparent
in the dry goods markets and reports
OF lessened employment at textile man
ufacturfng plants are rather more COM
mon. Values on cotton goods are ruling
lower. but WOOL goods are very firm.
Business in footwear Is sustained, and
while leather continues strong.
.'Seasonable quietness in the primary
cotton goods markets is accumulated oy
a slackening retail demand in various
sections where weather conditions and
other factors have proved a drawback
Bradstreets's review is in part as
follows: .
'Betterment in current distributiye
trade at the West and excellent advlces
as TO winter wheat sharply contrast
iron and steel. On the one hand. the
economic situation is confronted h.
The beneficent influences of nature,
while on the other hand 1t is hampered
by the moods OF legislative forces.
However. il is obvious that funda-
mental conditions are essentially sound.
speculation being of negligible proper
tons, while the winter wheat crop was
never in better shape at this season.
Wool buying has been on a little
smaller scale at Boston, high prices
and reduced stocks of domestic grades
Leading manufacturers to moderate their
eaeerness for supplies. London closed
lightly below the top prices of the