16
7-CENT FARE UPHELD
FOR VALLEY RAILWAYS
[Continued from First Page.]
crossing on the People's bridge or
for a Carlisle line since abandoned
and a trestle at Lemoyne. It is de
clared that the company has mod
ern and good equipment and the
operating efficiency up to 90 per
cent.
The opinion dismisses complaints
f S. T. Moore, West Shore Fire
men's Union, Council and citizens of
the borough of West Fairview,
Scott J. Hake, Robert K. Cahill,
Galen L. Nayior, borough of Car
lisle, R. M. Weidler, J. C. Strickner,
et al., John H. Roth, et al„ and J.
Fred Hummel, et al.
Mr. Clement, says: "The Valley
Railways Company is an interurban
system operating a street railway
starting in the City of Harrlsburg.
Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and
extending into Perry and Cumber
land counties, Pennsylvania. There
were eleven complainants, and as
they were all heard together they
will be disposed of as one case. ,
"The complainants allege:
"First—That the Increased rate of
fare from flvo to seven cents per
zone, effective October 1, 1918, was
unjust and unreasonable.
"Second —That the service ren
dered by respondent was inadequate. ]
"Third—That the respondent's
equipment and property were no: I
kept in good repair.
"Fourth—That the new tariff had
not been properly posted and pub
lished in accordance with the Pub-|
lie Service Act, and with the rules j
of the Public Service Commission, i
"The Rorough of Carlisle, in its I
complaint, charged that the fare in- *
crease on that part of the respond- '
ent's system known as the Carlisle j
Short Line was in violation of the!
agreement embodied in the ortli- [
nance under which a franchise was j
granted to the respondent company j
to construct and operate its lines in
said borough. The ordinance pro-1
sided that no rate in excess of five |
cents should bo charged by the re
spondent company while operating!
In said borough.
"The complainants withdrew the
charges against the respondent with |
Just Like
Stepping on Gas
Wonderful How Stuart's Dyspepsia
Tablets Speed Up the Stoinaeli to i
Take Care of Any Excess of j
Food or Unusual Dish Such as
Pie and Choose, Beans and
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Stuart's Dyspepsia Tablets and see I
now thev speed up the stomach. It's !
like stepping on the gas. You be- |
gin to eat things that used to worrv
you even to think of them, the rich '
things of the bnnquet, the savory !
home-made sausage, the toothsome,
pies and puddings and all tlie bal- i
anee of a long list of eatables that i
so many stomachs have been stran- ,
gers to,
A Stuart's Dyspepsia Tablet after
meals relieves gassiness,' rumblings,
drowsiness, sour risings, heartburn, i
water brash, and the feeling of he- !
ing "stuffed." They contain harm- I
less ingredients which act with an :
alkaline effect Just as tlir stomach
does when perfectly healthv. Thus I
instead of milk or cheer 'curdling
into a hard hall so you can taste 1
it all day, Yt is broken up arj eon- )
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speed up your stomach and thor
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distress.
Compound Your
ON the fifteenth of September many Harrisburg people will
be clipping the six months' interest coupon from their
Liberty Bonds of the third issue.
If you are on? of them, our suggestion to you is that instead of
spending thc./noney you bring the coupon to us and start an
account with it in our Savings Department.
Then deposit all future coupons here in the same way, thus
supplementing your regular savings deposits and compounding
your Liberty Bond interest.
Don t part with your Liberty Bonds unless absolutely necessary,
and continue the habit of thrift you acquired in buying them by
becoming a regular savings depositor at the
MEMBER FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
I !l
WEDNESDAY EVENING,
respect to Inadequacy and ineffi
ciency of service.
In Good Condition
"It is clear from the testimony of
the engineers that the property and
equipment of the respondent com
pany was in good condition on Oc
tober 1, 1918, the track construc
tion being mostly T-rail. The com
pany had thirty-nine passenger and
four service cars all in good condi
tion.
"The complaint of the borough of
Carlisle that the increase in rates
was in violation of the provisions of
the ordinance we will dismiss, as
the Commission decided in the case
of IVilkinsburg vs. the Pittsburgh
Hallways Company, P. U. R., 1918,
F. 131. that an ordinance granting
a franchise to a street railway com
pany and prescribing the rate of
fare to be charged does not preclude
the Commission from inquiring into
the reasonableness of any rate and
from determining the rate of fare
a railway company is entitled to re
ceive. This decision of the Com
mission was affirmed by the Su
perior Court in an opinion filed hy
Judge Trexler on July 17, 1919, iti
which he said:
I " 'The exercise of the police
power of the State shall never be
abridged or so construed as to per
mit corporations to conduct their
business in such manner as to in
fringe the equal rights of individ
uals or the general well-being of the
State. Where the rights of individ
uals under a contract which would
otherwise be perfectly valid are in
conflict with the general well-being
of the State the rights of the indi
vidual must give way to the general
welfare. It, therefore, follows that
when, as in this case, the parties
enter into a contract with a public
service corporation relating to rates
they are presumed to have done so
with the knowledge that the right
of the State to exercise this police
power in the future is expressly re
served and that where the common
weal and the interest of the public
demand that the provisions of the
contract thus entered into shall be
modified it can be done without any
violation of the provisions of the
Constitution of the United States
with reference to the impairment of
the obligation of contracts.' (See
also opinion of the Superior Court
by Judge Williams in the matter of
Charles S. Foltz, appellant, vs. Pub
he Service Commission, filed July
17, 1919).
"It is clear from the evidence
that the respondent has complied
with the Public Service Act and the
rules of the Public Service Commis
jSion in the posting and publishing of
the new tariff.
The Seven-Cent Fare
This leaves one question remain
ing. Was the increase in rates by
respondent from live to seven cents
per zone unjust and unreasonable?
It is clear from the testimony taken
in this case that the equipment of
the respondent company is modern,
of good quality and that the operat
ing efficiency of the system is up to
at least ninety per cent. The elec
tric current used by the respondent
company in the operation of its sys
tem is furnished by the United Elec
tric Company. All of the capital
stock of the United Electric Com
pany is owned by the respondent
company, the Valley Railways Com
pany, with the exception of the
shares necessary to qualify directors
The stock of the United Electric
Company has not been treated in
this case by the respondent as an
asset nor as an item of property
used or useful in the transportation
business of respondent and the divi
dends received by the respondent
company from the ownership of this
stock are not included in the income
iof the respondent. The respondent
i company paid to the United Electric
: Company five cents per K. W. H. for
' power. Respondent contends that
in determining the net revenue the
power should l>e charged for at
what it is reasonably worth. It is
clear from the record in this case
that five cents per K. W. H. is below
the cost of the power and is en
tirely too low and that the power
should be charged at what is a
proper and reasonable rate. The
testimony submitted by the respond
ent shows the rate charged by vari
ous electric companies for power
from 1.38 cents to 2.24 cents per
K. W. H. The Commission consid
ers that a rate of 1.5 cents per
K. W. H.' would not be excessive.
"The testimony clearly shows that
the operating expenses of the re
spondent company have increased
rapidly. The expenses, including
taxes. f.or the year 1914, were slßl,-
556: for the year 1915, $172,654;
for the year 1916, $194,379; for the
year 1917, $213,428; for the year
1928, with the last three months
thereof estimated, $26-1,755. The
accountants for the respondent esti
mated that the operating expenses
for the year 1919 would be $310,-
571. Taking the month of October,
1918, and comparing it with Decem
ber, 1915, the wages of motormen
and conductors show an increase of
from 83 per cent to 100 per cent or
from 20 and 23 cents per hour to
to and 42 cents per hour, and that
the wages of track foremen, labor
ers and repairmen were increased in
amounts ranging from 88 per cent to
125 per cent. The testimony fur
ther shows that the net operating
revenue of the respondent properly
applicable to the ayment of return
upon the investment of its owners
was, for the year 1914, $63,814; for
the year 1915, 's69 478; for the year
1916, $72,107; for the >ear 1917.
$79,405, and upon the same estimate
if 5-cent fares had been charged
during the year 1918, it would have
been for that y?ar $56,965. The ex
pert accountants employed by the
respondent testified that they esti
mated that if the 5-cent fare had
been continued during the year 1919,
the net operating revenue applicable
to return upon investment would
have been only $26,713.
Valuation Made
"The respondent company employ
ed a firm of engineers and account
ants to make a valuation of its street
railway property for the informa
tion of the Commission in determin
ing the fair value of that property
for ratemaking purposes.
"The respondent company was
formed July 27, 1912, through the
merger and consolidation of several
unaller street railway companies.
The engimv.s and accountants of
the respondent testified that vouch
ers, records, books and other data
of these companies that were
merged in 1912 were not preserved
and that the engineers found it im
possible to determine the original
cost of the system. They further
testified, however, that the accounts
and records of the Valley Railways
Company since 1912 were complete
and intact and they made an analysis
of all the vouchers. The engineers
therefore directed their efTorts and
attention to a calculation of the re
production cost of the property. An
inventory of the physical property
of respondent was made as of Oc
tober 1, 1918. They testified that
by using the costs of material and
labor current as of October 1, 1918,
the estimated cast of reproducing
the property now would be $3,032,-
099, and that by using the average
cost of material and labor prevailing
during the fivt-year period from
1912 to 1916, both inclusive, the
estimated reproduction cost would
tie $1,833,878. The complainants
did not introduce any evidence with
respect to the value of respondent's
property. It was further shown
that none of the estimates mentioned
above contained any allowance or
item for going concern value.
"At the argument counsel for re
spondent contended that under all
the evidence the Commission should
fix the fair value of respondent's
property for ratemaking purposes
at not less than $2,500,000, and that
in fixing the fair value of the prop
erty nothing should be deducted on
account of accrued depreciation and
that the respondent should be al
lowed an annual return of S per cent
on whatever value might be fixed
by the Commission.
Valuation Declined
"We cannot agree with these
propositions. The Commission will
be guided in determining the fair
value of the property by the opinion
of the Supreme Court in the case of
Ben Avon Borough vs. Ohio Valley
Water Company, 250 Pa. 289, in
which the following language was
used:
" 'The ascertainment of the fair
value of the property for ratemak
ing purpqses is not a matter of
formulas, but is a matter which
calls for the exercise of a sound
and reasonable judgment under a
proper consideration of all relevant
facts. The Commission is no' ' oi'"d
to adopt any one method to the ex
clusion of all others. it inuj
into consideration various methods
and use its judgment as to the ex
tent to which either shall be em
ployed. The original cost of the
property is not to he taken as con
trolling, for there may have been
extravagance in purchasing or bad
management and, on the other hand,
there may have been an actual In
crease in value since the original
purchase ar construction. Then
again the reproduction cost less de
preciation may not give the present
fair value of an old property, for it
may not now be desirable to produce
the old type of plant. Improved
machinery and better methods of
operating machinery may have come
into vogue which would make it true
HAXUUBBTTHG- TELEGRXPH
economy to relegate much of the
physical construction of She old
plant to the scrap heap. Much must
be left to the sound discretion of the
present body, the tribunal appointed
by law and informed by experience,
in the discharge of these delicate
and complex duties.'
"Applying the principles thus laid
down to this case, it will be observ
ed that the two concluding items
in the estimates of reproduction
costs submitted on behalf of the res
pondent provoked considerable dis
cussion at the argument and require
careful consideration at otir hands.
These items are listed under the
heading: "Other elements of value."
The first consisted of an item of
$36,000.00 for additional develop
ment expenses. The testimony dis
closes that this amount is claimed
by the respondent as the aggregate
of expenditures made in the past for
property which does not appear in
the inventory taken as of October
Ist, 1918, principally a trestle at
Lemoyne and a line to Carlisle, both
of which were subsequently aband
oned and for work done in shift
ing lines under the requirements of
municipal ordinances. We do not
consider there is sufficient evidence
in this case to justify us in allow
ing these items to be considered in
the reproduction cost of the prop
erty.
"There is another item which the
respondent claimed of $100,000.00
equity in the Susquehanna River
Crossing. This crossing is what is
known as the Peoples Bridge, and
is used by the respondent company
to carry its tracks across the Sus
quehanna river. A number of years
ago the respondent company made
a lease with the owners of the Peo
ples Bridge for nine hundred and
ninety-nine years, the rent to be
one cent per passenger carried over
the bridge by the respondent com
pany, until such time as the rents
would aggregate $9,000.00 per year,
and after that time to pay a fixed
rent of $9,000.00 a year. We do not
consider that the sum of $100,000.00
should he allowed as the value of
this equity, but we are of the opin
ion that the right to cross the bridge
in question under the circumstances
is an which will be given con
sideration in ascertaining the pre
sent value of respondent's property.
As To Depreciation
"With respect to accrued de
preciation on the respondent's prop
erty" the evidence shows that re
spondent has from time to time
made considerable expenditures for
renewals and replacements in order
to render adequate service, and that
the property is in a high stnte of
operating efficiency. The theory of
the respondent seems to be that al
though admitting that its railway
system is not new. it is rendereing as
good service to the public as if it
were new and that the owners are
entitled to insist, in making a valu
ation of their property for the pur
poses of rate making, that nothing
should be deducted for accrued de
preciation. This contention we can
not allow. In our opinion actual
physical depreciation has neces
sarily taken place in some of the
units of respondent's property,
which depreciation began the in
stant the units were installed and
will end only with their replace
ment. In reaching a conclusion
with reference to present value of
respondent's property this fact,
along with all other relevant facts,
has been taken into consideration.
The Commission also has taken in
to consideration the present good
condition of the property and its
operating efficiency as having a
material bearing on the question of
its concern value. Under the evi
dence in the case and under the
decision In th case of Ben Avon
Borough, et al. vs. Ohio Valley
Water Company (Supra.), it is our
duty to give consideration to the
respondent for its going concern
value.
"In fixing a valuation of the
property in this case, wo have been
mindful of the language used by
the Supreme Court of Wisconsin in
the matter of Appleton Water
Works Company vs. the Commis
sion, 154 Ttfjseonsin 121, which case
was quoted with approval by our
Supreme Court in the Ohio Valley
Water Company case, "not to obtain
this value by adding up a number
of separate items but by taking a
comprehensive view of each and all
the elements of property tangible
and intangible including property
rights and consider them all not as
a separate thing but as inseparable
parts of the harmonious entity and
exercising the judgment as to the
value of that entity." The re
spondent's engineers, basing their
calculations upon average prices
prevailing from 1912 to 1916, testi
fied that a proper allowance to be
made by the Commission for the
annual depreciation upon respond
ent's property would he $36,976.00.
In view of the evidence in the case
relative to past expenditures by re
spondent for renewals and replace
ments, and having in mind our
conclusions in reference to the mat
ters of actual depreciation, we are
of the opinion that under all the
circumstances in this case we should
adopt this uncontroverted conclu
sion of respondent's engineers.
The Estimates
"Respondent's estimate of the
amount which will be required to
meet its operating expenses and
taxes for the year 1919 is set out
on respondent's exhibit No. 5. Re
casting these figures in accordance
with the testimony relative to the
inclusion of expenditures for re
newals and replacements to the
amount of $34,221.00. in the item
of $69,000.00 for. maintenance of
way and structures and the item of
$45,070 for maintenance of equip
ment, the claim of respondent for
actual operating expenses may be
stated as follows:
Maintenance, operating
expenses $79,849.00
Transportation, operating
expenses 203,642.00
Taxes 27.080.00
$310,571.00
"The accountants for respondent
estimate that by charging the seven
cent fare for each fare zone on the
system that the gross operating
revenues for the year 1919 will
amount to $461,500.00. (See re
spondent's exhibit No. 5), The
only available check afforded by
which to test the accuracy of the
respondent's estimate with respect
to gross revenue and expenses for
the year 1919 is the experience of
the company for the first quarter of
that year. The exhibits offered by
complaints and respondent respec
tively show that during this quarter
the receipts of the respondent were
$118,360.00, or a little more than
one-quarter of the estimated re
ceipts from operation for the year
1919, and that the expenses and ac
crued taxes for said quarter amount
ed to $88,182.00 or considerably
more than one-quarter of the es
timated expenses and taxes for the
entire year. In view of the well
known fact that material and wages
are not decreasing but seem to be
Increasing, we do not see any rea
sonable hope of a material reduc
tion In operating expenses in the
near future, and we are of the opin
ion that the estimate of respondent's
accountants of receipts and expen
ditures for the year 1919 are suffi
ciently accurate to justify us in
adopting theni.
"The respondent has contended
that It should have a return of 8 i
per cent upon the fair value of its
property. We are not prepared to
say that this request is unreason
able, but the net revenue ava.l&ble
from a seven cent fare would not
produce 8 per cent and we do not
consider that the fare should be
more than seven cents.
"Taking into consideration all the
various items of respondent's tang
ible and intangible property and giv
ing due weight to all facts disclosed
in the evidence and through the in
vestigations of our own bureaus, we
have reached the conclusion that
the present value of the Valley
Railways regarded as a whole for
the purpose of rate regulation is
$2,350,000.00. We further conclude
that respondent is entitled to an al
lowance of $310,571.00 for operat
ing expenses, including tkxes, and
to an allowance of $36,976.00 for an
ual depreciation. Having hereto
fore found the total of gross annual
operating revenue upon a fare of
seven cents per zone would Vie $461,-
500.00, and deducting the operating
expenses and taxes of $310,571.00
and the annual depreciation of $36,-
976.00 leaves a net return of $113,-
953.00 for the owners of the prop
erty, and having the fair value of
the property at $2,350,000.00. it will
be seen that a seven cent fare will
only produce a return of 4.85 rer
cent upon the fair value of the
property, which is manifestly not
more than the owners are entitled
to receive.
"We find therefore that the rate
of seven cents for each zone is not
unjust and unreasonable and that
it will not produce more than suffi
cient revenue to give a fair return
upon the fair value of the respond
ent's property, and we conclude
therefore that the complaints in
these cases should be dismissed and
an order will be entered accord
ingly."
Trades Union Would
Admit Germany to
League of Nations
flu Associated Press.
Glasgow, Sept. 10. — Co-operation
with international laborites in their
campaign to procure Germany's ad
mission to the League of Nations
and for an immediate revision of
"the harsh treaty provisions, which
are inconsistent with the statements
made on behalf of the Allies at the
time of the armistice," was over
whelmingly pledged yesterday by
the Trades Union Congress in ses
sion here.
THIS IS FICTION
"1 see you advertise ice cream soda
surprise. What's the surprise?"
It's the same price as always,"
answered the druggist. "Ain't that
a surprise?"— Kansas City Journal.
Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart
Our Anniversary Sale Next Week
Watch for Announcement of Date and Values ! /
This Fall people will begin again to feel the old-time interest in choosing needed things for themselves
and their homes. The Anniversary Sale brings to the store a great quantity of new and remarkably attrac
tive merchandise and will permit the buying of full supplies of needed goods at remarkable savings, ' *
iFZ Women's Futurist
g': ' Chic, Dainty and Supremely
Comfortable i *
A dainty, comfortable healthful change from knitted un-
X •lOPII 1 TT derwear—made of dainty, sheer soft fabric,
Laird & Schober Shoes For
a i XT T"1 • Flesh nainsook, suit, 51.75.
Autumn Have a Fascma- r: c T qu r^iS 25 -
hlesh silk mull, suit, $3.00.
tion For Well-Dressed k neck. ban d t OP . i
VAV/AA A. \_/J. T T VAA knee length, cuff and lace trimmed knee. w
Regular sizes, SIOO I
Women
trimmed c ° tton • ribbed union suits, bodice top, kn-ee length, lace .J
. ... Regular sizes !
There is such a close affinity between suit shades fcxtra sizes ...!!!!!.'!.'.'!.'!!!!!!".!" ssc
, , ... , . , , , .. White cotton ribbed envelope union suits, sleeveless.
and shoes this fall that our shoe stocks are unusually Regular sizes ,
Extra sizes fr'Jjr
varied in order to help you obtain a perfect match
r J r Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart, Street Floor.
ing shade. Of course, black leathers, too, show
OfferingofSampleßlankets i .
manship and distinctive designing of Laird and Schober foot- ~ Qq X- fIQ ETA 4
wear is a fine mat kidskin vamp shoe with black ooze top Cx\j OX OUC L 0 '
and full Louis heels, SIB.OO . .1,., ! *
. . r-, •v, , jc ,j ~ .. , illls s P eci al lot is made
Modish Countess Shoes in black and brown kidskin, black rrn • e i• i i • rw.
and brown calfskin with Cuban and Louis heels, U P° f 50 P?' rS ° f P la,d whlte A\
and grey blankets 56.50
$9.00 to $12.00 tQ sl9>oo These prices tfil /-A* . |
Dives, Pomeroy 4 Stewart. Market Street are f rom S Q C tQ $2 .50 l eSS
than regular prices only
11 1/J 006 3
' — X HfJl- XC Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart, Basement
|T Hats Brocade and Metal Silks
Distinguished by the For Bags and Fancy Work
inimitable touch of There is an unusual demand for these fancy silks
A/A Originality and shown because of the vogue of the fancy silk and velvet
here exclusively Metal silks, 24 inch ; yard, $4.00 ; ,
J J hancy Brocade Matelasse, 32 inch; yard $5.00
it / L' SIB.OO to 1)251 00 . Satin Broc;ides ' 36 inches, colorings to match the new
V j v dresses; yard $5.00
I / Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart— Black Moire Velvet, 40 inches; yard SIO.OO
———————— Second Floor Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart, Street Floor.
J* v* I
CARDINAL MERCIER, WHO
BECAME FAMOUS DURING
WAR, ON VISIT TO U. S.
New York, Sept. 10. Cardinal
j Mercicr, Belgium's beloved spirit
j ual prince, guardian of the welfare
| of 2,500,000 Roman Catholics in the
' little kingdom, whose first fierce re
j sistance stayed the German ava
! lanche, is to-day in America. He
arrived here yesterday on a visit
to the United States.
Cardinal Desiaeratus Mercier was
born on November 22, 1851, in
I Braine d'Alleud, a village only a few
| miles from famous Waterloo.
| Typical of the heroism of King
Albert's countrymen, this physically
j frail but intellectually powerful prc
] late of the church stirred the whole
j world to admiration of his courage
when, on the first war Christmas, in
—2.1 with Germans everywhere in
oelgiunt, he issued his famous pas
! tornl letter, denouncing the invader
: and urging his people to resist in
I these words:
"Germany has violated her oath.
We can neither number our dead
nor compute the measure of our
ruins, occupied provinces are not
conquered provinces. The authority
of the invader is no lawful authority.
Therefore, in soul and in conscience
you owe it neither respect, attach
ment nor obedience."
Hater, in protesting against the
deportation of the Belgians for
forced labor, he threatened Germany
with "the reprobation of the civi
lized world, the judgment oi history
and the chastisement of God."
Fifteen thousand copies of the
Cardinal's letters were seized and
destroyed, the printer was arrested
and fined and the brave priest was
kept a prisoner in hie palace by
order of General von Bussing "until
a retraction of the pastoral had been
signed." The Cardinal not only re
fused to retract his statements, but
became even moro defiant.
He was given his liberty, finally,
and continued to use his voice and
pen against the "mailed fist" in
crystallizing world opinion against
the Central Powers. All during the
war, however, he was subjected to
petty persecutions and his secretary
and other aids were thrown into
jail. He went through the bom
bardments of Antwerp and Malines
and braved the perils of the com
mon soldier.
Cardinal Mercier was created and
proclaimed a member of the Sacred
College on April 15, 1907. Before
that he was professor in the Uni
versity of Louvain, which was re
peatedly pillaged and desecrated in
the war. The prelate's distinguished
service for Belgium throughout the
SEPTEMBER 10, 1919.
war has been told in frequent news
dispatches. Less is publicly known
of his early record as churchman.
The Cardinal studied at St. Rotn
bout's College, Malines, and the
diocesan seminary in the same place.
He was ordained to the priesthood
April 4, 187 4, entered the seminary
at Malines in 1877 as a professor of
philosophy after taking a course in
theology at the University of Lou
vain and five years later was called
to the university as professor of
Tliomistic or liberal philosophy. In
1886 Pope Leo XIII appointed him
a domestic prelate, with the title of
monsignor.
He comes of a distinguished relig
ious family, other members of which
have won honors in the church. One
uncle, the lit. Itev. Adrian Croquet,
born in 1818, was a pioneer mission
ary among the Indians for thirty
eight years in the Canadian North
west. lie died in Belgium in 1902
and it is the Cardinal's wish to visit
the scene of his uncle's labors.
Cardinal Mercier's visit to the
United States is largely the result
of importunities from all sections of
the country. As President Wilson
is absent from Washington, the
Cardinal will pay his tirst respects
to Cardinal Gibbons in Baltimore
and visit the White House later in
his tour. According to present plans,
the noted Belgian prelate's itinerary
will include, besides the cities men
tioned, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Scranton, Albany, Boston, Provi
dence, Hartford, Springfield, Mass.;
ljetroit, Cincinnati, St. Louis and
Chicago.
KTIQUET OF SM'I'F-TAKIXG '
The taking of snuff, which was I
indispensable to its period, has died
out. The taking of snuff had a pe-'
culiar etiquet. A pinch pointed an 1
epigram it symbolized indifference, I
contempt and on the other hand, |
the box estended in a friendly man
ner expressed admiration, a desire '
for better acquaintance. Tin- box;
was a refuge from idle questioners. I
A vigorous rap on the closed box]
put an end to argument.
The box itself was a work of art.'
It was adorned witn precious stones, j
or paintings, or quaint mottoes. I
When a monarch wished to show his I
appreciation of a musician, artist,!
poet.he presented him with a gold!
snuff box fille with louis d'or. When I
the practice was at its height, an |
Earl Stanhope reckoned that if a •
man took snuff for forty years, two!
years of his life were spent in tick
ling his nose and two more to the
blowing of it.—Detroit News. i
Tin Sold to U. S. at
S3OO Per Ton Bought
Back by Vender at $35 J
Washington, Sept. 10. Evidence
of rank hold-ups of the Government
by war contractors and of the al
lowance of their claims with almost
criminal prodigality by the war
claims board was furnished the sub
committee of the House investigat
ing ordnance yesterday.
Instances of contractors charging
the Government S3OO per ton tor
great quantities of unused tin in
their claims for settlement and then
buying it back from the Government
for $35 a ton when the market value
was $350 a ton and more were fur
nished by expert tin manufacturers. v
AM SO ON
j The fond parents had striven
I valiantly for some considerable
I timo to teach little Utile to say the 1
! letter "A." At last the father, giv
| ing up in disgust, left the room 4
| "Now, way don't you say 'A"f *■
j inquired the mother, as she took i
| the child upon her knee.
I "Because after I say 'A' father L
1 and you will expect me to say 'B.' "
i was the unexpected reply.
/ "
The Simple Beauty
j of the stones shown here will
i surely appeal to the sense of good
j taste of those who visit God's
Acre. Wo are quite ready and
' more than willing to show de
j signs of monuments which vary
! from the very simple to the most
S ornate and to arrange for the 1
! erection of the one selected for 4
j a moderate consideration. %
Cemetery Bettering "■
I. B. Dickinson
I Granite, Marble, Tile ami Bronze 4
| 505-111 N. THIRTEENTH ST.
liarrisburg, I'a.