THE SUNDAY OltEGONIAX, PORTLAND, SEPTEMBER . 2, 1917.
PETITION FILED T0
READJUST CARFARE
If Portland Employes Are to
Get More Pay, Company
Wants More Revenue.
BOTH DEEMED NECESSARY
President Griffith Advises Public
Service Commission Tbat Com
pany Needs 6 Per Cent Re
turn to Raise Salaries.
SALEM, Or, Sept. 1. (Special.)
Franklin T. Griffith, president of the
Portland Railway, Light & Power Com
pany, today filed with the Public Serv
ice Commission the petition of that
company to readjust its street railway
fares to give the company a minimum
of 6 per cent upon the value of. the
street railway property, after deducting
all reasonable operating expenses, in
cluding taxes, public charges and de
preciation and including also such addi
tional compensation to its trainmen and
shop employes as may be determined
by the Commission.
The petition sets forth that the Com
mission fixed the value of the property
for rate-making purposes in its order
of April 30. 1917, at 118.233.371.55; that
the appreciation annuity necessary to
' be provided for the portion of the
property devoted to public service was
$714,066, of which amount $360,050 was
required properly and efficiently to
maintain the street railways. Notwith
standing the fact that the value of
$18,233,371.55 was several millions less
than the value of the street railway
property as appraised by the company,
the petition states, "your petitioner is,
for the purpose of this application, as
serting only the right to consideration
of the said value as found and deter
mined by the Commission."
6 Per Cent Return Wanted.
The petition sets out that the mini
mum rate of return to which the peti
tioner considers itself entitled upon the
value of the properties In question is
6 per cent per annum, or $1,094,002.
For a 12 months' period ending June
50. 1917, the gross revenues of the pe
titioner from the operation of its street
railroad properties were $2,787,855, the.
petitioner states.
The petition then sets out the follow
ing figures, showing the various items
of cost and the net' income: Operating
expenses for 12 months ending June 30,
1917, $1,650,481; taxes and franchise
fees paid during same period. $205,423;'
payment for bridge tolls, $66,627; de
preciation for 12 months, $340,050.
The net income for the 12 months in
question is placed in the petition at
$505,274. "which sum," the petition re
cites, "was $588,728 less than a mini
mum return of 0 per cent upon the
value of the street railway property as
determined by said Commission.
The petition estimates the cost of op
erating the street railway for the 12
months ending June 30, 1918, as fol
lows.: Operating. expenses. $2,113,567;
taxes and franchise fees. $205,423;
bridge rentals, $114,200; depreciation,
$360,050; aggregating a total of $2.
793.240. At the same time the petition esti
mates that, based upon present traffic'
and the present indications of increas
ing' volume of street railway transpor
tation, that such transportation will be
15 per cent greater than during the 12
months ending June 30. 1917.
1018 Revenues Estimated.
At the present basis of fare the peti
tion estimates the gross operating rev
enues of the railway will be $3,206,033
for the year ending June 30, 1918, with
a net operating income of $412,793. or
$681,209 Jess than a retur-- of 6 per cent
upon the value as determined by the
commission.
The petition then recites that the
employes have worked for more than
20 years on the basis of a 10-hour day
for trainmen and the greater portion
of other employes, but a petition now
has been filed with the company to es-H
tablish a basic eight-hour day, which,
if granted, would cause an increase of
$600,000 annually in the operating ex
penses of the railway properties. ;
"If the said requests." continues the
petition, "of the said employes olaour
petitioner should be granted and even
though the traffic upon said street
railways should increase 15 per centum
as aforesaid, the result to your peti
tioner . would be that the annual net
earnings of the said street railway
property of your petitioner would.be
more than $1,500,000 less than a mini
mum return of 6 per cent upon said
value of said street railway property
no determined by said Commission." 1
More Pay for Men Needed.
It further is pointed out in the peti
tion that the cost of living of all men
and women employed by the company
exclusively in the operation and
maintenance of the lines is materially
higher than in the year 1913, and prior
thereto, and "that your petitioner be
lieves and therefore alleges that its
. said employes are entitled to and
should receive a higher rate of com
pensation than is now or heretofore
has been paid them and a higher rate
of compensation than it is possible for
your petitioner to pay them within the
, present 1.1 m its of . Its revenues t from
street railway operation."
The- proportion of bonded or funded
debt of the company chargeable to
street railways is placed at $12,822,803,
and in addition there is funded against
the railway's unpaid assessments for
street improvements in the city of
Portland a bonded debt aggregating
$809,752, bearing interest at the rate of
6 per cent, the annual interest charge
now equaling $48,986.
The present net operating income is
said by the petition to be less than the
annual fixed charges and it is declared
If the petition -of the employes is
granted and the petition to the Com
mission is denied "the said street rail
ways will fail not only to earn suffi-
. cient to pay the said fixed annual
charges, but will fail to earn operating
expenses and depreciation."
Accompanying the petition was a
letter from President Griffith, in which
he eays that the city of Portland has
been asked to waive the customary
statutory notice of 10 days, which, with
the time given to reply, would extend
the time to 20 days, making it likely
that nearly a month would elapse be
fore a hearing could be held. In event
the city waives the notice it is planned
to hold the hearing next Thursday in
.Portland,
EXAMINATION DATES FIXED
Several Civil Service Positions Are
Listed.
The United States Civil Service Com
mission announces open , competitive
.examinations, as follows:
Inspectors of ordnance equipment, grades
one and two. for men only, for duty In the
office of the Chief of Ordnance, Washing
ton, D. C.. er in the Ordnance Department
t Large, at entrance aalarle ranging Iron
1500 to fJ400 a year.
Inspector of cloth, for men only. In the
Ordnance Department at J.arse of the
War Department, at L'500 and 3000 a year.
Land Classifier, for men only. In the
geological survey; at entrance salaries
ranging from $1800 to 1 2400 a year with, ex
penses when on field duty.
Trained nurse, for women only, in the In
dian service. The entrance salary for this
position la $720 a year and laundry of uni
form. Until further notice, and on account of
the urgent needs of the service, applica
tions for the above positions will be re
ceived at any time.
September 11. Designing engineer, armor
plant and steel mill; Designing engineer,
heavy steel mill construction; designing and
constructing engineer; open-hearth furnace
plant; hydraulic and sanitary engineer, for
mert- only. In the Bureau of Yards and Docks
of the Navy Department. Washington, D.
C. at $10 to 16 per diem.
September IS. Senior expert electrical and
mechanical aid, for men only. In the Bureau
;
RIDGGFIGID LAD OBSERVES
FOURTH BIRTHDAY.
.
X - j& ' " ' X
I i
1 ' Pope Photo. 1
William Homer Hall.
RIDGEFIELD. Wash., Sept. 1.
(Special.) William Homer
Hall, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. B.
Hall, of this place, celebrated
his fourth birthday -Tuesday,
August 24, by giving a picnic
party to a number of his little
friends and their mothers in the
City Park. Those participating
in the afternoon's pleasure were:
Evelyn Seamon, Ethel Weill, Gen
evieve White, Maurice Wood,
Gordon Keith, Gordon Brice,
Bruce Littler, Franklin White,
Dick Layne, Donald Layne, Er
ma McConnell, Zura Malkson. Mrs.
James E. Keith, Mrr;. Calvin
Wood, Mrs. Homer S. McConnell,
Mrs. C. A. Stiver and daughters.
Donna and Thelma, of Portland,
Mrs. E. B. Hall and the young
host.
of Steam Engineering. Navy Department,
Washington, r. C.'. at $12 per diem.
September 18. Investigator In accounting
and office management, for men only, in
the Bureau or Jt,meiency. Washington, D.
C. at $2000 to 3M)0 a year.
September 19. Kield assistant In forest
pathology! for men only. In the Bureau of
Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture,
for duty in the field, at a salary ranging
from $1200 to $1(520 a year.
September 19. Dynamo tender, for men
only, in the Bureau of Engraving . and Print
ing, Washington. D. C; at $3.68 per diem.
September 19 Assistant in marketing live
stock and meats, grade one and two, for
men only. In the Bureau of Markets. De
partment of Agriculture, with headquarters
in Washington, D. C. at salaries ranging
from $1200 to $2400 a year.
October 3. Copyist draftsman, for- both
men and women, at .the Naval Torpedo Sta
tion. Newport. R. I., at $2.b per diem, or
at any Navy-Yard or other naval establish
ment, at entrance aalariei ranging from $2
to $3.44 per diem.
October 3. Clerk qualified aa typewriter
repairer, for men only. In the Bureau of
Pensions, Washington, D. C, at $1200 a
year.
Further Information and application forms
may be obtained from M. K. Wlgton, local
secretary. Board of United States Civil
Service ' Examiners. Postofflce building,
Portland, Or.
STATE MAY GET TAX
ftlESTIOS AS TO HEJfllY MILLER
. ESTATE INVESTIGATED. '
If Assessment Can Be Collected, Total
of $100,000 May Enrich Treas
ury of Oregon.
SALEM, Or., Sept. 1. (Special.) Ar
rival of Assistant Attorney-General
Benjamin! of California. here has
shown that the question of whether or
not the state of Oregon is entitled to
inheritance tax from the estate of
Henry Miller, of Miller & Lux, is being
investigated. Mr. Benjamin is here
obtaining data relative to the fight
which is being made in California to
resist the imposition of inheritance
taxes on the great estate of Henry
Miller.
A similar question is being looked
into here as far as Oregon is con
cerned, in connection with the investi
gation into the Pacific Livestock Com
pany case.
Henry Miller died In California last
year. The Miller &. Lux Company has
been appraised around J40.000.000 in
value. The company had 120.000 shares
of capital stock, of which Henry Miller
owned all but 128 shares, which were
owned by his daughter. Mrs. J. Leroy
Nlchol, and her husband.
The Miller & Lux Company was the
sole owner of all of the shares of the
Pacific Livestock Company operating
in Oregon,' which has an estimated
valuation of between $3,000,000 and
$4,000,000.
So far no active steps have been
taken by this state to collect any in
heritance tax on the Pacific Livestock
Company's holdings, as they were held
by the Miller & Lux Company and
Henry Miller died out of the state.
But it seems possible that Oregon is
entitled to some inheritance tax from
this company and, if it is, the tax
might equal $100,000 or more.
Two Get Decrees.
OR-EGO NT CITY, Or., Sept. J. (Spe
cial.) Divorces were granted here to
day to Belle Wallace from John Wal
lace and to Mrs. E. M. Sanders1 from
M. G. Sanders. Judgment was allowed
the Peters Hardware Company from
Adolph Koellermeier for $181.37. for
which the sale of the west half of th
northwest quarter, section 8. township
3. south of range 1 east, was author
ized. Phone your want ads to The Orego
nian. Main 7070, A 6o. . .
HANYFRESHUENDUE
Dean Straub Predicts Large
First-Year Class at Eugene.
FORECASTER TRIES AGAIN
Man Who Picks Attendance at State
Institution in Early Estimates
Says 3 00 to 5 00 Students "Will
Enter Freshman Class.
EUGENE, Or., Sept. 1. (Special.)
The freshman class in attendance at
the University of- Oregon when school
opens October 1 will number between
300 and 500 students, according to a
statement made by John Straub, dean
of men", who has Just returned from a
visit to many cities of'the state, where
he has been doing missionary work in
the interest of the university, and who
will leave Monday morning with a sim
ilar object in view for a trip through
Eastern Oregon.
Dean Straub has been forecasting the
attendance at the university for many
years and boasts that -he - has never
missed on his estimates. Last year he
predicted a - total of more than 1000
students on the campus. The enroll
ment was 1050.
, "We- will have a larger freshman
class than last year," Dean Straub said
today. "The freshmen will more than
make up for the loss of upper classmen
who have gone Into the Army."
Mr. Straub said the investigation dis
closes that nearly every important
town in the state will send from 12 to
15 . students and some of them many
more.
FAIR TO FEATURE WAR
FROMINEXT SPEAKERS WIIL TALK
AT SALEM OX ISSUES.
Speakers Are Engaged by Food Admin
istrator; Food Conservation Also
to Be Demonstrated.
SALEM. Or., Seot. 1. (Special.)
Leading Oregon men and women will
talk to the citizens of Oregon on war
issues and war problems at the State
""air on request of the food administra
tors of the Government.
Secretary Lea received advices from
W. B. Ayer, food administrator for the
state, that he has named Stephen S.
Lowell. Pendleton, and Justice Wallace
McCamant, -Dan J. - Malarkey, Mrs.
George McMath and Mrs. Millie R.
Trumbull, of Portland, as speakers. It
is planned to have one speaker a day
and the sixth will be selected.
He also received advices from Mr.
Ayer that the Agricultural College and
the Government will furnish lecturers
and demonstrators on food problems
who will appear daily at the. fair.
.From the arrangements that are now
being made the question of war issues
aud food issues as they have to do with
w-ar problems will be one of the big
features at the State Fair.
KANSAS TEACHER CHOSEN
W. II. Grayum Elected Principal of
Centralla Hlgli School.
' CENTRALTA, Wash., Sept. 1. (Spe
cial.) W. H. Grayum, last year prin
cipal of the high school at Neodesha,
Kansas, Wednesday was elected prin
cipal of the Centralia high school to
succeed C. W. White, who recently re
signed to enter the officers' training
camp. Professor Grayum is a gradu
ate of the Kansas State Normal, aud
comes highly recommended.
Miss Mpdge Finley, a graduate of the
University of Washington, was elected
to teach mathematics in the high
school and Miss Gertrude Barndt. a
graduate ot Whitman College, to teach
history-and civics. E. S. Smith, a local
attorney, was elected substitute in
structor in physics and athletic coach.
Opinion of Commission Sought.'
SALEM. Or., Sept. 1. (Special.) J.
B. Middleton, manager of the Home
Telephone Company, of Portland, - has
asked the Public Service Commission if,
under the arrangement whereby a com
mission of three months' free service
is given for a new subscriber, the wife
of the subscriber may receive the com
mission. The commission has not yet
answered the inquiry.
"JACO'l
Manufactured by
Jacobs Hat & Cap Works,
Portland, Or.
Ask for the Jaco Brand
In all leading: stores.
'Jbotkache
STOPS
THE ACHE
CLEANSES .HE CAVITY
PREVENTS DECAY
Sold everywhere 1 5c
C 8. Dent & Co.
CATARRH
is now easilv nvprrnmp Vw licintr ti
antiseptic oil spray which absorbs and
dislodges the hard weblike mucous
membrane of throat and nose. Quick
relief is always obtained by using: the
McKenzie Catarrh Srjrav. The
complete with special atomizer , is
only 52.00. We pay the postage on
this and all other drug orders.
Laue-DavisDrugCo.
Truss Experts
PORTLAND, OREGON
ff A Ml affair
-Starts Today
Only 4 Days
At the Liberty
-- .... . i, -..-.., , .. -.ll. . , . t . i , u i ) , l -ti
ni "-mn
ni in
I 9
Tri almost any other theater on earth, the
Yankee Doodle Boy in this wonderfully
entertaining mystic comedy would be at
traction enough, but the magnificent
i
Liberty gives you, for good measure, the
funniest two-act comedy of the year
it's a huge joy programme guaranteed
to chase gloom it happifies.
i
Also at 7:30 and 9 P. M. Gowns Courtesy Eastern Outfitting Co. '
LL d I ezt n 1
1 tsJ I j j N) M I I
iX 1 Tvt f IV 1 U U
3 -Sjf, 5iw
Fashion Show
Special Fashion Show Matinee Tomorrow, Labor Day, at 3 :30
Also at 7 :30 and 9 P. M. Gowns Courtesy Eastern Outfitting Co.
Folk tells us : "The Liberty is the finest photoplay
theater in the West!" Have you visited our reception-room,
on the mezzanine?
ALSO
Fatty Arbuckle
frolics and romps through a half hour of
care-chasing antics in the excruciatingly,
funny comedy
"His Wedding Night"
He gets a bride but it "mighty nigh"
wrecks him you'll see
Daily from 11 A. M. to
bedtime
15c; Kiddies a nickel
THERE'LL BE rlt
APPROPRIATE
MUSIC, OF COURSZ'
ON THE ' 1
WURLITZER
...
ii1
CT 103.2