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Show THE O. S. L. CAPITALIZATION. Tho proposed doubling of the capital stock of the Oregon Short Lino at tho annual meeting of tho stockholders of that company in this city on October 12th, is one of tho important railroad moves of the time. It would not bo fair to call this move a watering of the stock, because the Oregon Short Line has vastly more property than even the huge capitalization of $100,000,000 proposed. pro-posed. It can safely be assumed that, the meeting will ratify the proposition, because it is not likely that a programme pro-gramme of this sort would bo announced an-nounced unless it were fully backed up by a sufficient number of shares to carry it. The Oregon Short Line has been remarkable re-markable among railroad lines for its small capitalization compared with the property it owns and controls. Even the capitalization proposed falls far short of the actual value of tho property prop-erty owned. This increaso is made to cover the cost of the vast .improvements maue in tno company's noiuings in tne last thirteen years. Large sums havo been exponded in these years to improve im-prove the company's property, extend its lines, and to equip it for tho handling hand-ling of tho immense business that comes to it. The road owns, first of all, its lines from here to Butte and to Portland. Port-land. It holds one-half of the Salt Lako T?rll' tn T.ric Aurrotoa It nwno lmrrn blocks in the Southern Pacific and tho Oregon Railroad Sc- Navigation Company, Com-pany, and its new lines in Idaho are of immense value and earning capacity. And it owns the valuable street-car system of this city. This added capitalization will put the road 's finances in the strongest possible shape. It will allow of the concentration concentra-tion and consolidation of business, and the proper adjustment of tho different values and accouuis. From the railroad standpoint, the move is most desirable, while from the public standpoint it adds nothing to the burdens of thoso who-havo business with tho road or who depend upon it to open, develop and mako valuable the lands and towns contiguous con-tiguous to and served by the lines as built. It is an excellent move all around, and a capital increase in no wise to be fairly assailed. |