Evening star., 1916-03-22
FAIRLY GOOD TRADING
IN LOCAL SECURITIES
Capital Traction and Railway Pre-
ferred Show Strong Undertone.
Lanston Slow and Steady.
Norfolk & Washington steamboat
Shares Higher-Bonds Were in
Excellent Demand.
BY I. A. FLEMING.

In the aggregate very fair business
was transacted in local securities on the
stock exchange today. and hummer OF
issues of both bonds and stocks changed
hands II was very evident that brokers
n.re we'll s,,nnlied with orders and that
any concessions in prices would have re-
suited in the transaction Of larger
business.
Evidences Of strength were not want
Ing. especially in the Capital Traction ana
Railway shares Sales. however. we're
not larse 10 shares of the preferred
stock Of the latter corporation vt ~ ana
~ shares of Traction at Ssi4 sold with
stronger tone in the common stock OF the
railway company.
The bid price on Washington Gas was
reduced TO ST. hut no stock was onered
around this figure. With this exception
the utilities were plainly inclined to
higher figures.
Some Of the inactive stocks were also
wanted and AT higher prices. Norfolk and
Washington Steamboat Company sold 10
49, Continental Trust improved =. win
a number OF bidders around 10 while
1919 was freely oered for National Metro
poliIau Ba mt stock.
Lanston was slow on the call. and II
was not until near the close of the after
call trading that K obtained place on the
sales sheet, twenty ShSreS at - ana Two
shares at 1sis There was nothing new in
connection with the shares, but the higher
prices have increased ,he offerings and
apparently checked the buying trend
Bonds Were Active.
In all sls.S00 bonds par value, cha nsed
bands a. 100 for Capital Traction 5s. 100
for Potomac Consolidated 5s ard 81 for
Railway As. with firm tone at the close
The bid price oil Washington Market
-. both issues. and on cold Storage 5s
we're all raised = point. The bid on
Norfolk and Washington stock was
idvanced 6 points. and was effective in
making q record when it was raised
- . points net gain.
Directors OF the Union Savings Bank
have declared -, per cent quarterly
aNidend. payable March 81. 10 share
holders Of record on the 25th instant
quarterly dividend of s. share
has been declared on the stock OF the
Eank of Washington. payable April l,
hooks closing from March - TO March
-. inclusive.
Steel Makers Particular.
So urgent is the demand for steel
that manufacturers are particular
about their contracts. In tunes past
they we're illing 10 accept orders for
large tonnage for future delivery. with
a string tied TO them. that they might
ne Cancelled before certain
time. Contracts Of this character will
not be considered in these prosperous
days and the hard rd-and-fasfVontract is
the only one that they will accept.
And the buyers are willing 10 accept
the ultimatum for deliveries in 1916
and even into the first half Of 1917.
This means that tonnage as shown
by the books of the various steel cor
porations will ne manufactured and
not Cancelled.
Stock Market Tired.
Tho New York stock market has
tired appearance Peace talk has not
been III. real reason OF recent weak
noss. On the surface peace doesn't
look within speaking distance and all
Indications are for months Of destruc-
tive activities.
j.. The short interest has been largely
eliminated. the general public has been
hurt more OF less seriously in the
spurts and slumps. and the load of Sc
curiti.s modified IN London is hang
Ing over the market. ready for liaui-
dation on strong spots These in
fuences are the main factors. peace a
side issue. which Wall street hopes to
discount. hat understands that the time
is not ripe