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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (June 28, 1908)
10 THE SUNDAY OHEGOXIAX. PORTLAND, JULY 28, 1908. MOV E TO REPEAL E INSURANG LI Business Men Favor Letting Down Bars to Compet ing Companies. STATE REQUIRES DEPOSIT if Act Were Revoked, Many More Concerns Would Seek Business In Oregon, Wrecking Combine and Reducing Rates. That tffb flat charge of 25 per cent that has been added to the Insurance rates n 320 prominent business blocks of Portland by the board of fire under writers of the Pacific, of San Fran cisco, will lead to the repeal of the de posit law In this state at the next session of the Legislature, and the consequent addition to the number of Insurance companies doing business in lhls state, is the belief of business men of the city, as well as of prom inent fire insurance agents. There are 57 Insurance companies Soing business In this state. Insur ance premiums are reported annually to the amount of $1,500,000. It Is es timated by men in a position to know that $250,000 or more goes to non entered companies. It Is pointed out that the difficulty of making such an Increased charge for fire Insurance would be practically Impossible were the bars taken down so that a large number of other companies could come Into this state and transact business. In fact, Oregon is one of the three states of the Union that has a de posit law. Washington, for example, has no such act, and there are prob ably 157 fire insurance companies do ing business in that state. It is held that the tax just levied by the under writers against the business Interests of Portland would be impossible in Washington because of the competi tion between companies. There was a movement on foot at the last session of the Legislature to effect the repeal of the deposit law, an act being formed in Portland and presented at Salem, but failed of pass age. V. J. Clemens, a prominent in surance man of this city, is said to have helped frame the act, in connec tion with the Chamber of Commerce. Business men generally, who are hard hit by the new order of the un derwriters, urge repeal of the deposit law at the coming session, and an agi tation to that end has already been started. The Increase of rates, which is de nounced as arbitrary, means a heavy tax on Portland business Interests. It adds thousands of dollars every year to the cost of fire Insurance. Business men are outspoken against this addi tional burden, and divide the blame about equally between the Portland Railway, Light & Power Company and the underwriters. Many predict that the electric company will be forced to comply with the requirement of the underwriters because of the wide spread indignation of the business in terests. The leading business buildings of Portland are affected by the added tax of the insurance companies. Among the 320 risks cpon which the rate has been raised are the following promi nent buildings: . , Portland Railway. Light & Power Com pany's building. First and Alder streets. St Charles Hotel, Front and Morrison. Hotel Matthlesen, Main and Front. Mulkev building. Second and Morrison. I O. 6. F. building. First and Alder. Columbia building. Third and Oak. Abington building. 104 Third. McKay building. Third and Stark. Concord building, Second and Stark. Falling building. Third and Washington. A. O. U. W. Temple, Second and Tay . lor. Hotel Lenox. Third and Main. Worcester building. Third and Oak. Fleischner-Mayer Company. 31 Front. Labbe building. Second and Washing ton. Lumber Exchange building. Second and Stark. Ainsworth building. Third and Oak. Chamber of Commerce, Third and Stark. Sherlock building. Third and Oak. Canterbury building, Third and Wash ington. Hotel Belvedere, Fourth and Alder. Washington building, Fourth and Washington. Dekum building, Third and Washing ton. Hamilton building. 129 Third. Alisky building. Third and Morrison. Alaska dock, foot of Gllsan. Goodnough building. Fifth and Yamhill. Y. M. C. A. building, Fourth and Yam hill. Benson building. Fourth and Morrison. Acheson building. 14S Fifth. Honeyman Hardware Company, Fourth and Alder. Swetland building, Fifth and Washing ton. Buchanan building, 288 Washington. Macleay building. Fourth and Washing ton. Rothchild building, Fourth and Wash ington. Pantages Theater. Fourth and Stark. Wadhams & Co., Fourth and Oak. Breyman Leather Company, Fifth and Oak. M. Seller & Co.. Fifth and Pine. Goodyear Rubber Company, Fourth and Pine. Marshall-Wells. Fourth and Pine. Commercial Club building. Fifth and Oak. Poison Implement Company, Front and Tavlor. Portland Sash & Door Factory, 230 Front. Fisher-Thorscn Company, Front and Morrison. Lowengart & Co.. Front and Stark. Elks building. Seventh and Stark. Merrill building. Seventh and Oak. Wells Fargo building. Sixth and Oak. Oregon Hotel, Seventh and Stark. Smith & Watson Iron Works, Front and Hall. Monastes building. First and Jefferson. City Market building. Third and Mar ket United States Postoffice. Fifth and Morrison. Stearns building. Sixth and Morrison. Meier & Frank store, Sixth and Mor rison. Raleigh building. Sixth and Washing ton. Oregonlan building. Sixth and Alder. Marquam Grand Theater, Sixth and . .Morrison. Alexandra 'Court. 53 Ella. Tull & Gibbs building. Seventh and Morrison. Lewis building. Park and Morrison. Calumet Hotel. 148 Park. Grand Theater, Park and Washington. I Lyric Theater, fceventn ana Aiaer. Selling-Hlrsch building. Tenth and Washington. 1 Masonic Temple, Park and Yamhill. I. add School, Tenth and Madison. Elton Court. Eleventh and Yamhill. Tllford building. Tenth and Morrison. Hotel Antlers, Tenth and Washington. FUedner building. Tenth and Wash ington. Hotel Nortonla, Eleventh and Stark. Hotel Breslin, Eleventh and Washing ton. Davis School. Twenty-first and Raleigh. West Side High School, Fourteenth and Morrison. Hellig Theater, Fourteenth and Wash ington. Scottish Rite Cathedral, Lownsdalo and Exposition building, Nineteenth and .. ,-1. 1.. . Allen & Lewis, Front and Davis. Lang & Co., First and Ankeny. Closset & Devers. Front and Ankeny. Portland Gas Company, First and Ev erett. Fenton building. 84 Sixth street. Phoenix building. Fifth and Oak. Commonwealth building. Sixth and An keny. Golden West Hotel, Seventh and Ev erett. United States Custom-House, Park and Everett. Atkinson School. Twelfth and Couch. First Presbyterian Church, Twelfth and Alder. Hotel Danmoore, Fourteenth and v asningron. Star Theater. Park and Washington. Columbia building. Park and Washing ton. Cornelius Hotel. Park and Alder. Hotel Eaton. Park and Morrison Hotel Gordon. West Park and Yamhill. Columbia Steel Company, Ninth and Johnson. Ainsworth dock, foot of Third. Greenwich dock. No. 2. Front and Marshall. Pacific Coast Company, 'coal bunkers. Front and Tenth. American Can Company, Front and HVirtAnth. Willamette Iron & Steel Works, Front and Roosevelt. The list Includes a host of other build ings on the West Side and a large num ber on the East Side of the river in the business district. ' COMPANY MAY REVISE SYSTEM Josselyn, However, Declares Xew Rates Mere Robbery. Efforts will be made by the Portland Railway, Light & Power Company so to change its power circuits as to meet with the approval of the Board of Under writers of the Pacific and cause the un derwriters to remove the additional tax for Are Insurance just laid against this city. However, it is not yet certain that the change can be made without the pur chase of a large amount of special ma chinery that would be entirely useless upon the completion of the company's un derground system of cables, and this President Josselyn declines to make. If the circuits can be separated without spending hundreds of thousands of dol lars for machinery that can be used only a short time, the desired change will be made. "I am Informed by our engineers." said President Josselyn yesterdey, "that 90 per cent of the cities of the country have the same character of service as we have here. Portland is by no means an isolated case, but I have no knowledge of the un derwriters having arbitrarily raised in surance rates anywhere else. In many cities the 500-voIt current is fed to the consumer directly from the trolley wires, which Is not the case here. Rates Xot Raised Elsewhere. "The main objection raised by the un derwriters is that of possible damage as the result of electrical storms. Otherwise no criticism is made against the present system. The fact of the nearly entire absence of electrical disturbances here puts us In a preferred class as compared with any other section of the United States. We are not advised that the un derwriters have taken similar action in any other city. Being familiar with the electrical situation all over the country, it is my firm conviction that the com panies contemplated a general increase of rates for Portland but could not find any just cause for such Increase throughout the city and so hung their hat on the 6fiO-voIt current as an excuse. Under our climatic conditions, this tax is unjustified and Is absolute robbery. "We are not going to buy new ma chinery to overcome the difficulty at the expense of hundreds of thousands of dol lars In the face of the plan to go under ground, which will make the machinery valueless to us. I told the underwriters' committee three weeks ago that if It considered the situation so alarming, we could cut off the 500-volt service and stand our loss by reason of the reduced current consumption, but the damage to the com munity would be incalculable because all the motors would have to shut down. I pointed out to the committee that the public should be considered in preference to ourselves. Plan to Separate Circuits. "The loss of the Cazadero plant has compelled us to make different plans for generating and distributing from our present apparatus, which are costly and , would not be resorted to except in the present emergency. I believe this will result in our being able to cut off all grounded .circuits and put in a metallic return circuit that will separate the generating machinery desired by the underwriters. If this Is found feasible. It will be done without delay. Then the sincerity of the arbitrary increase of rates by the under writers will be put to the test. If we find the plan feasible and It Is put Into operation, it will be done with the un derstanding that the reliability of the present lighting and power circuits will possibly be materially Interfered with, for, in the event of the machines getting a greater load than they can carry, in effective service will bo given." Dignified Credit to All Commencing Monday Morning at 8 o'Clock We have just received two cars of furniture which in order to samnle necessitates nur rrmlrinrf room on our exhibition floor, which is already crowded with odd and end samples. This week we are going to close these out at cost, along with other broken lines of patterns. Don't delay your coming. Be here just as soon as possible if you want good furniture at cost ODDS and . ENDS SALE of SAMPLES $9.00 weathered oak Mission Rocker, wood seat, exactly like cut; S1A 7Zl sale price V $36.00 Princess Dresser, in birdseye maple and quarter-sawed oak, polished finish, 18x 40 French bevel-plate mir- 90 $22.50 China Cabinet, has 4 shelves, round glass ends, quarter-sawed fij "1 J O C oak, in weathered finish plx00 $36.00 Buffet, quarter-sawed oak, pol ished finish, 23x45-in. top, 12x38 French bevel-plate mirror; sale price $45.00 quarter-sawed oak Buffet, hand- pohshed; has 3 drawers and two doors $23.50 $29.00 $3.00 Iron Bed, three-quarters and full size, green or white $1.95 In this page of cuts we are able to show only a few of the many reductions we are offering in the various lines. Our store is full of bargains we must make room on our sample floor, and a visit will convince you that this is not an ordinary opportunity. Profit by these money-saving prices. $11.00 L ad y ' s Desk, 27 inches wide, in imita tion m a hogany or genuine oak; reduced to $6.35 These sale prices make it well worth your while to buy furniture NOW. $7.50 Sanitary Folding Couch, made of high- GZA 7C grade steel, National fabric top pi $4.00 Couch Covers, in green and browns $2.35 $3.50 Couch Covers, reduced to Sj1.95 $27.50 6-ft. Oak Pedestal Extension Table, t "I f TC beautifully polished, quarter-sawed oak top. . P O Out of town or ders filled promptly. Terms on specials strictly cash. $16.50 Music Cabinet,1 genuine mahog any, Sheraten design, in polished or dull finish. Has five shelves $9.25 IB V President Josselyn points out that in the event of the installation of machinery to change the direct current to an alter elevator In the city out of commission 1 Dresser Goes 10 Seaside For the information of my friends in Portland, and particularly those who have Summer homes at the sea, I wish to say that my biisiness interests are now entirely centered at Seaside, West Seaside and Gearhart Park, and that my connection with the F. DRESSER CO., at Fifth and Stark streets, has been completely severed. Associated with me in the ownership of these stores is A. R. Wascher, of Portland. I am right on the ground, giving my personal attention to the wants of Seaside residents, and hope to receive the same loyal support you have given me these many years. . We have a buyer in the Portland market every day, so our customers can depend on getting service that is beyond complaint, and at the closest prices for which first-class goods can be purchased. Advance orders will be given special attention. Write a day or two ahead and we will see that your necessities are on hand, waiting for 3rour arrival. I wish to say again that the support you have given me in the past is appreciated, and hoping to receive your continued patronage, I beg to re main, sincerely, F. DRESSER SEASIDE WEST SEASIDE GEARHART PARK The Irvington store at Fifteenth and Broadway is now owned and oper ated by F. W. and P. G. Wascher. and every motor used for manufacturing rebuilt to fit the new conditions and the disturbance to business conditions would purposes. Thee motors would have to be I nating one. it would nut every electric I be widespread. Met zefer Acre Tracts On the Salem Electric Line, Only 30 Minutes' Ride From the Heart of the City. WHAT ONE OF THESE ACRES WILL DO It will double in value in a very short time Properly tilled, it will produce almost enough to insure a comfortable com petency for life. It will provide a most desirable and healthy location on which to build a home. With all the advantages of country life, yet only a 30-minute ride from the heart of the city. It will pay for itself in a few years, as it is ideal ground on which to raise fruit, vegetables, berries or walnuts. It provides, at a trifling cost, the opportunity to live in comfort amidst the best and most healthful surroundings. To prove the truth of every statement made in this ad., take the cars at Front and Jefferson streets, enjoy a delightful ride, get off at Mctzger Sta tion, and see for yourself. You will not hesitate or regret buying one or more of these acres. PRICE $200 AND UPWARDS PRICE $200 and up per acre, according to location. TERMS 10 per cent cash and 3 per cent of the pur ::. chase price per month. INTEREST 6 per cent per annum on deferred pay ments. ON CASH PAYMENTS a discount will be allowed. For particulars and beautiful descriptive plat call at our Portland office, 226 228 Front street, or at Metzger Station. All cars and trains stop at Metzger 's. HERMAN METZGER, Owner Office Phones, Main 474 A 1374. Agents and Phone at Station Pacific 2019.
