PORTLAND, OREGON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1931
PRICE FIVE CENTS
VOL. LIX XO. 18,768
Entrei at Portland Oron
TVntnf f!r nn Second -OlnRS Matter
ARMENIAN BRIDES
'BOUGHT AT AUCTION
GAS RATE BOOST
GIVEN CITY FIRM
UHLUUM O LAI art OLrtl
IN HOUSE IMPROBABLE
REAPPORTIONMENT BILL IS
EXPECTED TO BE BEATEN.
NEBULA TRAVELS AT RlVTE
XEVER BEFORE SEEX.
WAT IS PAVED FOR GREATEST
FABRIC MILIi IN COUNTRY.
STARTLING OPERATIONS AT
FRESNO, CAL., BARED,
PARTY PROTECTION
III PRIiRlMS ill
Legislature May Take Up
Modification of Law.
nDCPOM'C CVTDA CCAT I
HARDING HOT SLOW
TO SET PRECEDENT
Next President Listens to
Every Job Hunter. .
CELESTIAL SPEEDER
SMASHES RECORDS
MONTANA WOOL PLAN
FORECAST TO SUCCEED
WIFE OF NEPTUNE
HUSKY AMD CURSES
Tobacco Chewed and Pil
low Made of Tresses.
ANYONE CAN JOIN RACE NOW
Return to Nominating Con
ventions Is Proposed.
.DEMOCRATS LEAD FIGHT
Bourbon Loaders Declare Ruina
tion Has Been Caused by
System Xow in Use.
STATEHOCSE, Salem, Or., Jan. 17.
(Special.) Modification of the di
rect primary law may be undertaken
before the legislature ends Its labors.
rb changes which are being dis
cussed are intended to preserve the
main and salient features, but at the
same time, restore party organiza
tions. Since the direct primary law be
came operative, party organization
in Oregon has gradually disintegrated
and small groups of politicians and
organizatons have supplanted the re
publican and democratic parties.
In a general way, the idea Is to
authorize nominating conventions and
have these party conventions promul
gate party platforms. At present,
anyone can be a candidate for nomi
nation in the primaries and can Issue
any sort of platform calculated to
catch votes, whereas the party to
which the aspirant claims allegance
bas no control over tho candidate nor
his platform.
Democrats Start Agitation.
Agitation for adoption for the direct
primary started in the ranks of the
democrats. Leading democrats at
their state conference held In Fort
land, January 8, confessed that the
party has been almost killed by the
direct primary system, as it now
operates, and that the minority party
will never regain its former strength
until large, representative groups of
democrats can legally get together
and Indorse or nominate candidates.
The direct primary Is something
like the prohibition question: Opposed
In secret, but advocated In public.
Originally designed to put the skids
under political bosses, the direct pri
mary in Oregon has not only accom
plished this end, but has gone farther
and placed rollers under party or
ganization in the republican ranks
and has caused the democratic party
to become more ornamental than ac
tive. Party Ruination Charged.
Democrats, although they elected a
governor and a couple o United States
senators under the direct primary,
have discovered that outside of these
notable victories, the primary sys
tem has been the ruination of their
party. It has reached the point where
no one wants a democratic nomina
tion nor will seek one. On the other
hand, the republican primaries are
cluttered with candidates, projecting
themselves into the field at their own
sweet will and responsible to no one,
and, frequently, representing no one
but themselves.
It Is suggested and the point was
outlined at the recent democratic
state conference, that conventions be
held; county and state conventions.
Every precinct in the county Is en
titled to one delegate, and these dele
gates are elected by th voters of
the precinct. Such, in a nutshll, is
the idea of how the conventions shall
be formed and the method of select
ing delegates.
44)0 PntlncU In Molt noma a.
In Multnomah county, there are
more than 400 precincts. A man
would know the sentiment of his
neighbors, for a precinct Is simply a
Neighborhood, and thus a convention
formed of elected delegates from all
'fcrecincts would represent tbe senti
ments of the community.
In the precinct primaries, any one
could be a candidate for delegate and
the high man would win. The system
is virtually identical with the selec
tion of precinct committeemen.
With a county convention of 400-
odd delegates, no small group of poli
ticians could manipulate it and such
a large body would be the backbone
of the republican or democratic party
in tbe county. The state convention,
would also consist of a large mem
bership, say about 500 or more, which
owuld make it as representative as
the county conventions. State dele
gates would be elected by the county
conventions. These conventions would
be in position to speak for the party
and promulgate a platform containing
party principles and issues.
Rronlblllty ja Wanted.
These convictions could either make
nominations or recommendations for
nominations to the rank and file of
the party. Anyone with a desire to
seek offices, could still file as can
didate independently as is now the
case.
The whole idea is to place some
responsibility for office holders on
the political party with which they
claim affiliation and to restore, in
a measure, the party organization.
In the tentative plans for amend
ments to the direct primary law.
there is the desire to get close to
the people and obtain the expres
sion of the party voters, so that the
Concluded, a Page 5, Column JUL
Substitute Would Keep Number of
Seats as Xow, Sentiment Being-
Against Increase.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 17. Lines
were sharply drawn tonight for a
fight tomorrow to defeat the reappor
tionment bill, which would increase
the membership of the house from
435 to 483.
After a final check-up, leaders an
nounced that the measure as reported
would be voted down decisively and
that a substitute plan, holding seats
to the present number would be
adopted by a big majority.
There seemed little sentiment for a
larger house. Members from states
which would lose representation de
clared they would vote against add
ing 48 representatives at a cost of
$1, 500,000 a year when there is a de
mand for government economy.
The republican committee was re
ported solidly against the increase, as
individuals. Under provisions of the
bill house leaders expect to be adopt
ed, the increases will be as follows:
California 3, Michigan 2, Ohio 2, and
Connecticut, New Jersey, North Caro
lina, Texas and Washington, one each.
To make up this number without
changing the 435 total. Missouri
would lose two seats and the follow
ing states one each: Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Mississippi, Nebraska. Rhode Island
and Vermont.
By this arrangement the south
would gain in North, Carolina and
Texas, and lose In Louisiana and Mis
sissippi.
The reapportionment bill, as now
before congress and which, it is ex
pected, will be defeated, provides for
an additional representative from
Oregon. Measures to redlstrict the
state to provide for this additional
representative have been discussed at
this session of tbe Oregon legislature.
With the defeat of the bill, the state
will lose the expected extra seat.
HARDING EVADES CROWDS
P resident-Elect and Mrs. Harding
Slip Quietly Into Cleveland.
CLEVELAND. O, Jan. 1". Presl.
dent-elect Harding slipped into Cleve
land today on personal business and
made his way about the Sown-town
section for several hours unrecog
nized.
Accompanied by Mrs. Harding, the
president-elect came from Marlon in
an ordinary parlor car. So carefully
had they laid thejr plans to escape
attention that they got away from
the railway station as quietly as ordi
nary travelers and tonight some of
their closest friends here had not
learned of their presence.
They later went to a hotel, where
they dined privately and remained
overnight.
CITY VISITED BY SNOW
Snowflakes, Big as Leaves, Fall for
Time, but Rain Wins Out.
The second snowfall of the winter
visited Portland yesterday and, like
the first,- it lasted only on the high
spots. Snowflakes as large as leaves
began to come tumbling from the sky
about noon and continued at inter
vals throughout the afternoon, with a
gentle rain with and between snow
showers.
The day began with a nippy east
wind, which soon gave way to the
rain. Then snow, rain and sunshine
followed in rapid succession. The
maximum temperature for the day,
however, was 1 degree above normal.
SLIDES BLOCK LOG ROADS
Mishaps Delay Opening of Several
Clatsop Camps.
ASTORIA, Or.. Jan. 17. (Special.)
Two bisj slides which occurred on
the line of the Lewis & Clarke rail
road during the recent storms have
blocked all traffic on the road, and
the opening of some of the logging
camps, which had planned to resume
operations today, has been delayed.
While a large force of men has been,
working on the slides for several
days, the track probably will not
be cleared before another week has
passed.
CHILE IN NEED OF FOOD
Ship Cancellations Cause Serious
Shortage in Xorthern Ports,
VALPARAISO, Jan. 17. A serious
shortage of foodstufs in the northern
ports of Chile has been brought
about by the suppression of sailings
of steamers of the South American
Steamship company, owing to a
strike of the crews for recognition
of their union and increased pay.
Steps are beir,g taken by the gov
ernment to relieve the situation.
Steamers of the National Steamship
company also are tied up.
BENEFITS WILL BE TAXED
Veterans Must Pay on Disability
Returns Over $1000 a Year.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 17. Unmarried
war veterans must return to the gov
ernment as income tax 4 per cent of
any disability payments they receive
in excess of $1000 a year.
The treasury department ruled to
day that It could not exempt such ex
service men. although those still 'in
the service are required to pay only
on amounts in excess of $3500 a year.
War risk Insurance payments, bow
ever, ue not taxable.
TACTFUL HINTS AMUSING
Knowledge of Offices Open
Surprises Nominee.
BEST MINDS OFTEN WAIT
Every Candidate Seems to Have
Bought Government Book With
List of Places Available.
THE OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU,
Washington, Jan. 17. When Wood
row Wilson was inaugurated presi
dent, or in the days following im
mediately thereafter, Washington
newspaper correspondents found di
version in telling how this brand
new Dresident had smashed some
precedent.
Possibly the most that he had done
was to get up and make his toilet
before breakfast, which with 'other
folks is old stuff, but with a presi
dent of the United States it meant
"breaking a precedent."
Now comes the story from Marion,
O., that Warren G. Harding, who will
take the office in seven short weeks
from this day, has broken one very
ponderous precedent. Mr. Harding,
so go the stories brought .back" by
those who have made recent pilgrim
ages to the home of the next presi
dent, has actually been mixing job
hunters with . "best minds." That is,
men, and, hayhap, a few women look
ing for responsible offices with good
salaries under the new. administra
tion, have been breaking in to see
him.
Every Candidate Received.
The real facts are said to be that
the job hunters have almost crowded
the "best minds" off the walks around
the home of the next president. Not
only have several gentlemen pre
sented themselves ho were prepared
to prove tfielr special fitness for the
cabinet, but there were numerous
candidates on hand to show why
they, and they alone, were equipped
by nature and training to take care
of American interests in some em
bassy or legation somewhere abroad.
It is declared to be unusual for any
man to be elected to the presidency
possessing the patience to listen to
the man looking for a job, but the
story is that Warren Gamaliel Hard
ing has been receiving every candi
date who presented himself, and
without any promises, sending each
on his way with a feeling that his
(Concluded on Page 2. Column 4.)
IT MIGHT
' . T
: i : "
l hi I J J ( Irl I ll I ' A Ty " ' I . i I w . i fAMl t
M WWW I I n . - .- I' i . ,7 M
j ' - - I
Dreyer Xo. 584 Said to Be Going
Through Space at Almost
2 000 Kilometers Second.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 17. The
nebula Dreyer, No. 584 In the constel
lation of Cetus, has broken all known
speed records of the heavens. It is
dashing through space away from the
earth at a velocity of almost 2000
kilometers a second, the highest
speed ever attained by a celestial
object.
This was the word received at the
Harvard college observatory today
from Dr. V. M. Slipper of the Lowell
observatory, FlagBtaff, Ariz., in an
nouncing the result of observations
there.
With this velocity Dreyer, No. 584,
is showing its starry heels to the
rest of the universe at a speed almost
twice' as fast as the highest velocity
previously known. Professor S. I.
Bailey of the Harvard observatory
said most stars move at less than 100
kilometers a second; runaway stars
have been known to gain a momen
tum of a few hundred kilometers a
3ecohd and other objects have been
found to go 1000 kilometers a second.
The highest celestial speed previ
ously recorded was that of another
nebula, 1180 kilometers a second, the
Harvard scientist said.
The nebula, which is so faint that
It is not visible to the naked eye,
flashes across the lower southern sky
in the early evening.
BEND MOONSHINER FINED
Still, Mash and Whisky Are Taken
in Raid on Home.
BEND, Or., Jan. 17. (Special.)
One hundred and fifty gallons of corn
mash, an incomplete still and three
gallons of whisky were seiaed at the
George Taylor home here late today.
when Deputy Sheriff Anderson and
State Agent Nixon entered the place,
armed with a search warrant.
Taylor pleaded guilty in justice
court to the charge of having liquor
in his possession and paid a fine of
$200.
An extra supply of moonshine and
a quantity of used mash, which Tay
lor had stored in the basement of a
house in another part of the city.
also were seized.
GIRL GETS $2000 MONTH
1 ., ' .,
Daughter of Jacqnes Lebaudy lte-
quires Six Servants.
MINEOLA,' N. TV Jan. 17. Mrs.
Marguerite A. Lebaudy, who killed
her husband. Jacques Lebaudy, in
January, 1919, today was allowed
$2000 a month for the support of her
16-year-old daughter. She declared
that sum was required to bring up
her daughter in surroundings fitting
her rank, adding that the girl should
have a proper house and six servants.
The daughter, she said, would re
ceive at least $1,000,000 of her father's
estate, estimated at from $10,000,000
o $30,000,000.
BE A GOOD THING IX SOME
Co-operative Manufacture and Sale
of Virgin American ' Goods
Key to Market Problems.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 17.
Extension, of the movement started by
Montana woolgrowers to find a mar
ket for their product through the
co-opeartive manufacture and sale of (
virgin American woolen goods was
forecast today at the convention of
the National Wool Growers' associa
tion by President Frank J. Haen
barth. Mr. Hagenbarth, commenting on the
report of the Montana movement, said
that it "paves the way for what may
become the greatest woolen mill In
the country and, if not that, at least
serves strong notice on the middle
men that the producers are awake to
their methods."
The 600 or more men attending the
convention-are getting an opportunity
to purchase suits, custom tailor-made,
from virgin American wool at $38
net, a price which yields the wool
growers from 50 to 60 cents a pound.
Already many industrial enterprises,
especially mining companies in the
west, have given orders for clothing
material handled by the Montana as
sociation. The wool growers likewise an
nounced their intention to take ad
vantage of the federal licensed and
bonded warehousing law and to es
tablish such institutions in the prin
cipal producing sections.
H. K. Holman Jr., of the bureau of
markets of the jJepartment of agri
culture, explained the workings of
the warehousing law. President Ha
genbarth and other speakers gave
their approval to the measure and ad
vocated its application to the needs
of financing the wool.
W. S. McClure, former secretary of
the national association, predicted
that the growers will warehouse their
1921 clip until they can get a suitable
market for it.
Economic problems, headed by tariff
considerations, formed the principal
themes of today's discussions, the
growers being urged by practically
all of the speakers to adopt such
business methods in the conduct of
the industry as will put it in a po
sition to survive the difficulties of
existing economic codes.
TWO KILLED BY BOMB
Garage in Philadelphia Blown Up.
Several Are Wounded.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 17. P. H.
Dean and George McKee, Inspectors,
were killed tonight when a bomb ex
ploded in the garage of the Quaker
City Taxicab company. Several other
employes were slightly injured.
Chauffeurs have been on strike sev
eral weeks. About ten days ago
bombs were found in two cabs of the
company. One cab was demolished,
but no one was injured.' Several cabs
have been stclen and wrecked.
The two men were examining a car
which had just come in and Dean
picked up a cylindrical object, at
which the driver shouted a warning
and jumped back in time to escape
injury as it exploded.
The police have arrested 16 men.
CASES.
t I
PAGAN GOD WAITS ON COLBY
Strong Arm Initiation Attends
"Crossing the Line."
BEARS TREAT 'EM ROUGH
Davey Jones, Imps and Mermaids
Aid in Preserving Traditions on
Trip of Secretary of State.
(Louts Seibold. noted correspondent of
the New York World, is now on a tour of
South American waters and countries, ac
companying Secretary of State Colby. What
Seibold learns and what he observes of
public interest he will tell in a series of
letters, of which this is the first. These
letters will be published simultaneously by
the World and The Oregon. an. They wiJl
be a feature worth following.)
BI LOUIS SEIBOLD.
(Copyright by the Now York World. Pub
lished by Arrangement.)
"CROSSING THE LINE" AT SEA,
Dec. 16. (Special.) In the olden days
when King Neptune boarded a ship
"crossing the line" (meaning the
equator) he brought along a queen
clad in a robe of gold and wearing a
rope of priceless pearls. In the pres
ent day King Neptune brings along
with him from the deep a queen that
chews tobacco, smokes cigars, uses
cuss words and yanks off her golden
tresses (made of rope) to use for a
pillow.
That's the kind of queen that ac
companied the good old pagan god
when he boarded the United States
dreadnought Florida, bristling with
guns, when she entered his domain on
December 15, 1920. No more motley
or picturesque retinue ever attended
the king of the sea than that which
initiated 1242 members of the Flor
ida's company into the mysteries of
the ocean.
Incidentally,1 it was some Initiation,
so to speak. Vigorously primitive,
it was In the Imposition of penalties
exacted by Neptune for the privilege
of enjoying safe conduct over the line
that bisects the exact center of the
torrid zone. It preserved all the tra
ditions known to sailormen since
ships' were invented. It was always
entertaining, generally instructive
and at times hilariously funny.
Two Figures Suddenly Appear.
The Florida entered the, domain of
Neptune 36 hours before she reached
the equator. The king of the deep
made known his presence in due and
ancient form while the dreadnought
was plowing her way through heavy
swells caused by the tides from the
mighty Amazon 300 miles to the west
ward.
Night had come with tropic swift
ness and already here began to ap
pear myriads of stars seemingly only
a few hundred yards away. The thin
rim of the new moon was just visible
on the starboard horizon, inverted.
and according to the lore the sail
orman, would, when it reached its
full maturity, "hold water," or in
other words be a "dry" moon.
Translated into the vernacular of
the landlubber, this meant there
would be good weather. Officers and
gobs, full fed and contented, were be
ginning to appear on deck and the
Filipino mess boys were cleaning up
the remnants of supper.
The forecastle deck was deserted.
I Suddenly two figures seemed to come
over the bow. As a jnatter of fact.
I they came up through the narrow
bo'sun's hatch a dozen feet from the
nose of the giant warship.
In the murky gloom there appeared
to be nothing unusual about them,
merely two sailormen engaged In the
ordinary pursuits of their craft. One
of them straightened up and bel
lowed a mighty "Ahoy!" "Ahoy!"
Commander Returns Salute.
The wind carried his voice to the
bridge 150 feet amidships and 50 feet
above deck. Commander Dillon re
turned the salute by repeating the
hail, and as he did so a dazzling
searchlight focused on the two fig
ures standing erect at the anchor
h&ist Then it was seen that the two
visitors were rot ordinary sailormen.
Garbed In costumes that never
came from the deep, they were as
weird as any humans ever seen on
land or sea. One of them (a second
class electrician) was Davey Jones,
who acts as pilot to all good sailor
men that go down to the sea in ships
and never return.
This particular Davey Jones was
clad in a knee-length smock, colored
in every tint of the rainbow. His
legs were bared as were his feet On
his head was a mass of bobbed tawny
hair made from rope-ends combed out.
Through the V-shaped opening of
his cerise waist, or Whatever you
want to call it, a big smudge or Ver
million link, irregularly shaped like a
I heart, was disclosed. Davey was
bareheaded and a trifle nervous.
By his side stood his clerk one of
the engine room gang who wore a
plug hat, a purple coat cut like a
dress coat, red and white striped
trousers, and carried a book in his
hand. Just what use Davey Jones
has for a book is known only to sail
ormen. This particular clerk acted as
prcmpter for Davey. As the gobs
iUuiciudcd OA rasa 2 Coluam 1.A
Beautiful Girls Reported Brought
Into United States Illegally and
Sold to Best Bidders.
FRESNO, Cal., Jan. 17. Startling
revelations of a veritable marriage
block operated in Fresno from which
beautiful Armenian girls, brought
into the United States illegally, were
sold to the highest bidder, were made
here today by United States Immi
gration Commissioner Moore.
The Armenian practice of bringing
girls to Fresno was brought to light
this morning with the arrest of seven
of the victims. Harootian Selvian,
prominent and influential Armenian
rancher of Lone Star, was taken into
custody late today.
Detailed information on the girl
"bride market" was made public by
Commissioner Moore.
One case, in which a young Armen
ian inspected girls held for sale and
paid a deposit on one who pleased
him, is typical of many cases in which
girls were made marriage slaves, ac
cording to the commissioner.
The Armenian girls are charged by
Commissioner Moore with entering
the United States illegally through
false and misleading statements made
at Ellis Island, and Selvian is charged
with entering the country through
misleading statements and aiding in
the illegal entry of the women.
HOMES WASHED INTO SEA
Worst Storm In History Hits Isle
of Kauai in Hawaiian Group,
HONOLULU. T. H.; Jan. 17. The
worst storm in its history hit the is
land of Kauai of the Hawaiian group,
Sunday, according to advices received
here tonight. Several houses in the
towns of Waimea and Lihue were
washed out to sea. One man was
drowned.
One district of Honolulu county re
ported 20 inches of rain Saturday
night and Sunday. Reports of dam
age on the island of Oahu, on which
Honolulu is situated, are growing.
The Star-Bulletin estimated the dam
age at $500,000.
County roads and bridges were esti
mated to have been damaged $100,000
and the same loss was estimated to
have been suffered on the Aiea plan
tation; 14 county bridges were de
stroyed or badly damaged. The Oahu
railroad service was disorganized by
washouts. The highway systems were
blocked by slides and washouts.
THREE SHOT IN OUTBREAK
Three Others Escape From Kansas
City Municipal Farm.
KANSAS CITY. Jan. 17. Three In
mates of the municipal farm here
sustained gunshot wounds and three
others escaped early Sunday in an at
tempted break by 22 inmates.
The twenty-third man in the ward,
who has only one leg, was unable to
scale a rope made of bed sheets
which the men had fixed to aid in
letting themselves to the ground, 50
feet below.
INDEX OF 'TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 41
degrees; minimum. 25 degrees.
TODAY'S Rain; easterly winds.
1'oreign.
Wife of Neptune husky and cusses. Page 1.
Britain tightens up in Ireland to con
lound rebels. Page 13.
National.
Harding- breaks some precedents, too.
Page 1.
Britain would curb American business, say
packers in letter to lawmakers. Page 2.
Congress votes for army limit of 17d,000
Page 4.
Passage of China business bill held vital.
Page 3.
Oregon's extra seat in national house now
believed Improbable. Page 1,
Killing of American by Japanese sentry
ueld unprovoked. Page It.
Legislature.
Modification of direct primary to protect
parties proposed. Page 1.
Fish and game commission approves Rogue
river bill. Page 0.
Proposed code is explained to house at
Olympla. Page i.
Fisher bill would split highway fund with
counties. Page 8.
Idaho legislature faces general appropria
tion bill for $3.0uO.l(7. Page 7.
Governor requests repeal of old road tax
in special message. Page 5.
Six port bills may be Introduced In senate
today. Page 7.
Non-partisans and Independent throw
North Dakota legislature Into deadlock.
Pase 13.
Domestic.
Armenian (Tlrls reported sold In bride
market in Fresno, Cal. Page 1.
Nebula going through space at rate never
before noted In heavens. Page 1.
Revival of Ku Klux Klan held to bode ill.
Page 4.
Extension of movement started by Mon
tana wool growers to find market is
forecast. Page 1.
Pacific Northwest.
Small users bear burden of increased gas
rates. Pago 1.
Sports.
Joe Eagan wants to battle Jsck Brltton fori
welterweight championship. Page
It.
Commercial and Marine.
Demand for mlllfeed stimulated by cold
weather. Page 19.
Strong foreisn buying lifts wheat at Chi
cago. Page 19.
Industrial stocks are higher, but railway
shares react. Page 19.
Nile, rechartered. wltl arrive February 1 to
load grain for Europe. Page IS.
Tortland and Vicinity.
Trial of Thomas I.otisso, slayer of Knglteh
wife, begins in circuit court. Page u.
Two new playgrounds to be dedicated by
summer. Page 10.
Oregon's aid sought In war on imported
eggs. Page 11.
Harness sentenced to three years for per
jury in land-fraud deal. Page 20.
County Commissioner Rudecn starts econ
omy plan to reduce department em
ployes. Page 20.
Thrift commended as national asset by
speakers at chamber forum meeting.
Page JO.
Malarkey not helping locate assets by at
tack on him, says Etheridge. Page 18.
Community chest directors adopi plan for
awards, to charitable bodies, Paso 4,
Increase to Range From
85 Cents to $6.25.
HEATING SCHEDULE REVISED
First 200 Cubic Feet or Less
Costs 85 Cents a Month.
QUALITY REMAINS SAME
Company Shows Contracts in Re
porting Oil Co.-t Increase;
000,000 Deficit in Old Prices.
SALEM, Or., Jan. 17. (Special.)
Rates for gas service supplied by the
Portland Gas & Coke company were
ordered increased sufficiently to take
care of the advance cost of crude oil
necessary in the mnnt!'.i?ture of the
fuel, under a ruling of the public
service commission here today.
Under the commission's order, the
minimum charge, which includes t!ie
so-called customer cost, for t lie small
user of gas. Is S3 cents, while this
same charge, allowing for the same
number of cubic feet, is increased in
proportion to the larger customer. ui
til for box type meters the maximum
rate Is $6.23.
Home I sern Hard lilt.
The residential commercial schedule,
as included in the order, follows:
First 300 cubic feet or less mtni
niun monthly charge of S3 cents;
next 9700 cubic feet, -$1.33 per thou
sand: next 40,000 cubic feet $1.20 per
thousand; next 60,0(10 cubic feet, 1.03
per thousand; next 100.000 cubic feet,
90 cents per thousand; excess over
200,000 cubic feet, S3 cents per thou
ean.l. The old rate for the first 23.900
cubic feet was $1; for tho second
23,000 feet. 40 cents; for the third
23,000 feet, 80 cents.
The revised house heating and gas
engine rate schedule is:
First 200 cubic feet or less, S3
cents; next 4S00 feet, $1.03; excess
over 5000 feet per month, 95 cents.
Heating Quality Unchanged.
In the year 1917 the Portland Gas
& Coke company filed an application
with the Oregon public service com-
mission to reduce the heating qual
ity, or B. T. U. of Its gas, but upon
subsequent investigation this request
was refused.
Later the commission continued its
investigation of the plant and plant
values, but because of the war this
was not completed. It was said,
however, that this investigation had
proceded far enough to enable the
commission to matte a rate that will
not cause an excessive return to the
company.
It was set out in the report of the
commission that It h.ss no Jurisdic
tion over the control, quality or prico
ot crude oil. The price for crude oil
is said to have advanced materially
during the last few years, and it was .
because of this condition that tho
gas corporation was compelled to
seek higher rates.
Company i:hlbltn Contrart.
For the consideration of the com
mission the company produced a six
year oil contract for oil at 74 U cents
a barrel. Portland delivery. This
contract ended January 1, with tlie
result that quotations for oil now
range from $2 to $2.70 a barrel.
As a result of this advance Pacific
coast companies have flatly refused to
enter into future contracts, according
to information eubmitted to the com
mission. Although now facing hlghvr
prices as a result of the commission's
order, gas patrons of Portland are said
to have benefited to the extent of ap
proximately $2,000,000 during the last
few years.
Million Weftcit Shown.
The advance cost of oil, according
to engineers, is approximately equal
to the entire previous operating cost
of the plant. Records produced be
fore the commission showed that the
annual consumption of the company in
approximately 720, OuO barrels of oil,
which under the old prices of gas
furnished to consumers would bring
about a deficiency of more than $1,
000,000 in the receipts of the corpora
tion. The new rate, although considerably
higher than the previous charge, is
said to be lower than that demanded
by gas companies operating in other
sections of the northwest.
During their deliberations members
ef the commission considered the ad
visability of establishing a sliding
scale, based on the cost of oil, but
later abandoned this plan on tho
grounds that it would be too much of
a gamble. The commission, however,
has reserved the right to modify or
revise the rates upon giving ten days'
notice.
RISK ASKED NOT GltAXTED
Public Service Commission Cuts
Down Company's ScheduJc.
Increase's in gas rates authorized ly
the state public service commission
are lower than rates recently asked
in submission of a new schedule to
the commission, according to state
ments of officials of the Portland Gas
& Coke company yesterday. Small
users in particular Reetn to be favored
ACouciudud on Pago 3, Column l.y