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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (July 30, 1921)
THE MORNIXG OREGOXTAN, SATURDAY, JULY SO, 1921 TELEPHONE SERVICE i HOTELS REDUCED Rate Rise 85 to 200 Per Cent, Proprietors Testify, SALEM HEARING ENDED Discount C ranted fcy Company Held Inadequate to Cover Xiosses in Collections, SALEM, Or., July 29. (Special.) Telephone service In Portland hotels has been curtailed materially because of the increased rates, which accord ing to testimony given to the public service commission today, ranges be tween 85 and 200 per cent over rates In effect prior to March 1. 1Z1. Six Portland hotel proprietors testi fied at the hotel rehearing and three more hotelmen will take the stand next week, Lawrence A. McNary, at torney for the hotelimen's association. announced. The hearlne today was short, concluding shortly after o'clock. It will be resumed in the courthouse in Portland Monday at 2 P. M. Telephone rates charged to the Ore gon hotel have increased from $173.43 a month to 330.25, according to A.H. Meyers, manager of the hotel. This hotel has 199 room telephones, 10 trunk lines and a number of telephone stations distributed throughout the various departmental headquarters. Hotel Collects S32SO. As a demonstration of service given the telephone company, Mr. Meyers testified that in 1920 long distance calls amounting to J3220 were placed and collected for in the hotel. Of this amount the company paid the ho tel la per cent, but no profits re sulted by such payment, Mr. Meyers contended because of the fact that this sum was necessary to cover the losses sustained by the hotel in guar anteeing payment to the company for long distance calls. Service had not changed since the new rates became effective, according to the witness, and on this point all of the witnesses today told the com mission that telephone service since March 1 was not better or worse than It was prior to that time. Former Low Rate Asserted. In cross-examining all 'witnesses Attorney Shaw said the hotels had es caped any increases in rates on one former. order of the commission and on the other order the commission or dered an increase of 50 cents for one trunk line and 35 cents for each addi tional trunk line. Attorney Shaw contended that the hotels had been enjoying service at an abnormal low rate in former years and that the increase now complained of was in reality only distributing the proper burden on this class of sub scrlbers. In answer to a question put by At torney Shaw, Mr. Meyers testified that he felt hotels should make 6 per cent on Invested capital. He declined to state what his hotel had made during the last three years, but said that dur lng the war period the rates for rooms had been raised once, the lift amounting to about 23 per cent. Hotel Man Questioned. ' . "How about prices in your dining room?" asked Attorney Shaw. "Been fluctuating about some during the war period, have they not?" "Yes," answered the witness, "but " "Up or down?" queried Shaw. "Up," replied the witness. "But on this point I would like to make it clear that the prices in the dining room depend upon the market price of food, and furthermore the -dining room in our hotel has not made a nickel since January 1, 1916." "But the remainder of your hotel has not been operated at a loss?" suggested Attorney Shaw. "No, it has not," Mr. Meyers af firmed. "Did any great cloud settle down on the hotel business about July 1, 1918?" asked Shaw, as a smile crept over his face. "Oh, that cloud hit us long before that," the witness replied. "It was December 31. 1915." Dry Law Hits Profits. "Did this cloud, known as prohibi tion, sort of revolutionize the hotel business?" sought Attorney Shaw. "Did it cut off some "profits?" "Indeed it did," .the witness said. "We lost considerable profit." "Hovy did you make up these prof fits?" queried Shaw. "The best way we could "Did you increase the price of your rooms?" "No," answered Mr. Meyers. "Did you increase rates in the din ing room?" "No." Attorney Shaw did not follow this line any further, but switched to the question of depreciation upon learn ing that the witness believed that 10 per cent should be set aside yearly to cover depreciation in a hotel. Mr. Meyers said the depreciation fund in a hotel must be larger because of the constant breakage of furniture and other items used. Increase Is 82.40 Per Cent. Answering a question put by Com mlssioner Buchtel, Mr. Meyers testi fied that the telephone service in hi hotel did not pay for itself. He testi fied that while the hotels had. In creased the price of telephone calls placed from rooms in the hotel from 5 cents to 10 cents, the amount of money gained by this charge was so small as to be almost negligible. Telephone rates in the Alexandra uourt notei nave increased, per cent as the result of the new rates. according to Edward C. Cornell, man ager. The new rates, he explained, brought about an increase of 5. 71 per cent in trunk line service, 108 per cent Increase in the switchboard charge. 114.65 per cent in room telephone charges and 50 per cent, increase for one office telephone. City's Charter la Used. When Attorney Shaw cross-examined this witness he utilized, an ex hibit entered on the former day by the city in which a deficit of J3S.6S6 was shown on the company's books for the first two months of the present year. Just prior to the time that the new rates were made effective. "Do you not think that these fig ures prepared by the expert account - ant of the city, which appears as a hostile petitioner in this case, are in dicative of the necessity for increased rales?" Shaw asked. "Either that or the necessity for the company to cut its expenses," an swered the witness. When the hotel men protested aprafnst the discrimination which they aid had been shown in the rate order against them, Shaw called attention to the fact that it was the city of Port land's contention that should in creased rates be required the burden should fall on the large users. Attorney McNary of the hotel men's association asked what was meant by large users. Amendment Is Discussed. "Well, the large users were not classified very clearly in , this case, thus far, Mr. McNary," answered Shaw. "But newspapers were first named but withdrawn, and then ho tels were classified." "But there wasn't any modification In this," eaid Attorney McNary. "If the newspaper accounts were correct. Major Babcock amended his statement to include only patrons of hotels." "I was Just coming to that, Mr. McNary," said Shaw. "Such an amend ment was made. But lawyers were included, if you remember." Telephone service required by the Campbell hotel has Increased by the new rates from $78.85 to $142.65, or 80.9 per cent, and the telephone rate for the Campbell Hill hotel has in creased, from $56.70 a month to $103. or 81.6 per cent, according to the testimony of Mrs. E. J. Campbell, the manager of the two hotels. When Mrs. Campbell expressed sur prise that the telephone company's representatives were soliciting busi ness In 1916, when they said that they were not operating at a profit. Attorney Shaw explained that the company has been endeavoring to ob tain advanced rates in Oregon since 1914. Big Increases Reported. When telephone rates in the Wash ington hotel increased from $86.10 to $164.85 a month, Glenn D. Hite, man ager, ordered a portion of the equip ment removed, he testified. He main tained that the commission paid to the hotel by the company on long distance tolls did not offset the losses entailed in handling the business. The telephone rates under the March order increased In the Hotel Carlton from 87.20 to $187.50, accord ing to C. U. Van Duyn, and the rates in the Hotel Hoyt increased from $80.25 to $172.25, the commission was told by Elmer S. Robe. The hearing today was devoid of any sensational features. Attorney Shaw of the company returned to his smiles, which he discarded when he was cross-examining the principal witnesses for the city of Portland, and did his utmost to convince the hotel proprietors that the increase in telephone rates was justified and the proportion allocated to the hotels was fair. SPOUSE WAS KILLED, IVIRS. STONE THINKS Educator Believed to Have Fallen 4000 Feet. ACCIDENT IS DESCRIBED Woman Tells of Climb Down Side of Mountain in Hopes of . Rescuing Husband. VANCOUVER, B. C, July 29. (Spe cial.) Mrs. W. E. Stone, wife of Dr. Winthrop E. Stone of Purdue univer sity, 111., who was lost while trying to ascend Mount Eon in the Canadian Rockies near Banff, said today she believed the doctor is dead and that he fell more than 4000 feet into a deep chimney at the foot of Mount Eon. Mrs. Stone was rescued from perilous chimney edge herself after standing there from July 16 to July 24 without food. According to Mrs. Stone, she and her husband had reached a height of 8500 feet on the side of Mount Eon. Dr. Stone had gone ahead slightly to attach a rope on a particularly dangerous crag. His foothold gave away and he pitched past her into the depths below. The horror of the situation overcame Mrs. Stone for a minute, and she almost fell after him into the chasm. On gaining control of herself Mrs. Stone i began to descend in hope her husband was alive and that she might rescue him. Descent Is Attempted. Hand over hand, slipping from one jagged point to another, and some times rolling over and over only to catch herself on the very edge of some cliff, Mrs. Stone finally reached a ledge from which there was no es cape, but which was about 3000 feet closer to the body of her husband than the point from which she start ed. She worked to get back up the hill and cross over, but it was im possible, as their rope had gone down with the doctor. She tried to get down but It was a sheer fall. As she sat on the ledge with night approach ing the plucky rescuer realized that her husband was beyond her reach in this world and that she could only wait for help. The story of the rescue of Mrs. Stone was told as follows: When Dr. and Mrs. Stone left Walking Tour camp at Mount Assini bolne, Matterhorn of the Canadian Rockies, Saturday July 15, they left word that if they did not return tne next Monday night & search party was to be sent out. Accident Believed Fearedr Apparently Dr. Stone had some pre monition of an accident. Last year an unsuccessful . attempt was made by the Wakefield party to scale Mount Eon. This party reached an altitude of 9763. feet, when they came to a stone wall which it was impos sible to scale. They had not time to make another attempt, but suggested that ascent could possibly be made from the southeast end of Mount Glory. With the theory that Dr. Stone and his wife might make this attempt, a party from Mount Assini boine camp set out to the site of Dr. Stone's food cache, which had been discovered Sunday by Frank Gombert and Jack Batteridge, government' trail employes. It was night when they reached this spot on Mount Glory and camp was maae. bunday morning, July 24 the searchers set out to Scour moun tain, going by way of the southeast ridge. The guide scouted the moun tain with field glasses, but could dis cern nothing. A woman's cry for help was then heard, and with the aid of the glasses the figure of a woman was seen. - Woman Is Rescued. " A roundabout route to Mrs. Stone was then discovered and she was reached in about an hour's time. She was at the bottom of a chimney. About 25 feef of rope was tied to a stone and Peyto, Pounden and Ammer climbed down. The rope was tied se curely to Mrs. Stone and the men want up, with the exception of Ammer, who stayed to steady the rope. She said that she and Dr. Stone had practically reached the top of Mount Eon. Dr. Stone was climbing above her and they were not roped together. They had expected to be back to their food cache Saturday night. Mrs. Stone was in splendid condi tion, considering the fact that she had been without food for eight days and had only a little water which oozed out of a rock crevice when -the ice melted. Sunday afternoon Mrs. Stone was carried to Searcher's camp. Monday and Tuesday the party searched for the body of Dr. Stone. Wednesday the party moved Mrs. Stone on an Improvised stretcher to the camp by the cache. Thursday morning she was moved by stretcher to Marvel lake, where she was transported on a raft to Trail Center camp, a dis tance of some four miles. Mrs. Stone Is now resting' under cars of Dr. Bell of Winnipeg at Trail Center camp. The weather has been very bad and consequently the ' work of caring1 for Mrs. Stone has been difficult. pioneers are to be left la this struc ture from year to year. religious service will be held at 11 o'clock Sunday morning, with a picnic lunch at noon. At 3 o'clock a patriotic service, consisting of a lit- CITY TO BE BEAUTIFIED Pendleton Planning Commission Created to Promote Welfare. PENDLETON, Or, July 29. (Spe cial.) To make recommendations to the Pendleton city council for the de velopment and beautificatlon of the city with respect to its public and pri vate buildings and works, parks, grounds and vacant lots, a Pendleton City planning commission was created by the city council meeting weanes day night. The commission, which will be composed of seven members. will study and propose such meas ures as may be advisable for the pro motion of the public interest, health, morals, safety, comfort, convenience and welfare of the city. Members of the commission ap pointed by Mayor George Hartman are: Judsre G. W. Phelps. Dr. W. D. McNary. H. J. Mann, Mrs. James Johns Sr.. H. E. Inlow, superintendent of city schools; W. B. Humphrey and Fred Bennion, county agricultural agent. The mayor, city attorney and city surveyor will be ex-officio mem bers of the body. The commission will elect officers at its first meeting. Members will serve from one to four years, drawing lots to determine their terms. They will receive no compensation but will have power to employ help and coun sel out of funds authorized by the council. PIONEERS HOLD REUNION Wheeler and Gilliam County Mem bers Meet 12 Miles From Fossil FOSSIL, Or, July 29. (Special.) The annual reunion of Wheeler and Gilliam county pioneers opened yes terday at the Julia Henderson pioneer grounds, 12 miles southeast of FossiL Elaborate preparations were made for the gathering. Camps were estab llshed and a building put up by do nated labor. Camp outfits of th III II I II I I I II Mill 1 III mi . wnjimm !IU. UIHIISMILIHIWII ,L II IWH IISI'I JSIWJH II SIJ ) .1 . .m I 11 ill I mm H H 1 1 IWH I I S ' l I I II III SHUW PJ W Ml I II. 'amamumaMimTimimm4imm-.-. M . , .. mSttariSJISMWrislSi imm saafcs MsiSM I mis ISJtmjMUSli.aU.aumill SMMISial imssisw SSMWrttonTMMM mml rsii t T rTT This crreatest of all Mary Plckford production -was recently shown as part o &i':t ..i . X I M vaudeville yrogrimmeji n locn-1 theater. It was advertised very little and shown' $r "St JL s ni higher than motion-picture prices. Thousands of our patrons did not see It and c . rf V many have requested us to show It. The Peoples has always been the home of Iff Mary Plckford In Portland, and we have finally succeeded In producing this picture : V A i " to show you at popular prices 25 and 35 cents. bt ' ft & i Popular -Sw r-W'm I Prices ' yjEk ' KM t , jf' -- '. J'--' Xa tXT" J&A , wTHsU-, ;.. and fei'iS i f ' - A' --"V . " V3 V- -' ' ' r- V and the l : - ; ' N ' Peoples - : ;:j -' III llllMlj' H)M I - . .... t NEW LOCATION Kirk's Military Shop 61 Sixth St., Corner Pine New York Says: "The picture Is a prize one and utterly delightful." Daily News. 'Simply storms one's affections through every entrance." The Sun. "At her best as if she had been touched with a fairy wand of perennial girlhood." Evening Journal. "Her popularity greater than ever." Evening Telegram. "Has never done better worlt than she displayed in "Through the Back Door." Evening Mail. "The type of picture Miss Plckford has been so greatly loved for." New York American. , "She Is as altogether delightful and persuasive as ever." New Torlc Times. 'Another of her delightful and wholly irresistible impersonations . he haa never looked so pretty." New York Heraid. Los Angeles Says: There will never be another Mary Plckford. She outchapllned the famous Charlie in one of the cleverest stunts ever screened. Never has the little actress been more appealing than In this play. She stands abso lutely alone on her merits. Personally, I think 'Through the Back Door Is Mary's best picture by far in ages."- Los Angeies Record. - "Mary Pickford has never been seen In a more appealing role. She hits the high note of comedy In one of the funniest filmed.' Los Angeles Examiner. "Never has Mary revealed more exquisite and compelling power of suc cessfully paging our smiles and our tears. After all there is only one Mary Pickford." Los Angeles Times. erary and. be held. musical programme, will Pioneers Plan Sleeting. N ABERDEEN. Wash.. July 29. (Spe claL) The tenth annual picnic of the Southwestern Washington Pioneer as sociation will be held August IT at Rochester, according to an announce ment of the secretary. Governor Hart and other prominent citizens will be invited. Boys' New -Fall Suits TWO PAIRS OF "KNICKERS" WITH EVERY SUIT $9o85 The manufacturer who made these good suits intended that they should be sold at $12.50. I bought them at a concession which enables me to offer them right now at a saving ! Think of it ! hew fall suits right" from the maker, at only $9.85 ! On sale today. The father or mother who is careful with the dollars will want to choose from these ! Chad's K.&E. Wash Togs In sizes 2 to 7 years $1.48 Child's Wash Suits In many styles $2.00, $2.50, $3.00, $3.50 $4.00, $4.50, $5.00 BEN SELLING Leading Clothier Morrison' Street at Fourth Reels tgrlSsKTV iIm,..r.Xml.lS Review CX NEW SHOW TODAY - i ' lloaines Oliver Gtrwobb "Back to God' !S0W Country" and "Nomads of the . ) ' Syw North" Zr Ka F"l T TE WENT on a man-hunt from which he il might never return. At the end of the trail he found his man and found him guard j5fc Jng a golden-haired girl whose curls made j?" ti golden snare. sr ftftZtef NEW CURWOOD POWER! f J NEW CURWOOD ROMANCE! llf " Lewis Stone, y4 4p RuthRenick, JX .V V rWallace Beery j r' V head big cast. Wrrr-, - , - Hit 1 (X A; - i W f H j A First Vfi 'XJ l,,,.,,.- National fw-lJ Second Week 'J Attraction lnr"" SONORA GRAND OPERA STARS