The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-26

only. The entire dealings for the week
have not nearly equaled what was enc
fairly active day few months ago. The
brokers are nearly all out of the city, and
their customers also. Even the return OF
Mr.. Hibbs on Thursday, after a short abb
sence in New York, did not have any
stimulating effect.
The price of Mergenthaler Linotype has
been advanced and the stock has been tie
strongest on the list. II sold frdctionally
above 1873 on Friday. Lanston has been
weak between IL and IL, showing a tend
ency in fact to make IL its sticking price
instead of the higher figure. There has
been some comment on the fact that the
Paris Exposition awarded equal honors to
the Linotype, Monotype, and Monoline
machines, all of which have interested
supporters in this city. The Monoline ma
chine is. made under a Canadian patent
because it would infringe on the Mergen-
thaler Linotype in this country. The fact
that all three of these machines received
identical honors at the hands II the Ex-
position judges would seem to suggest that
the Exposition people were afraid to eX-
press preference and that therefore
their awards are in reality not of much
value. Or so, at least the opinion has been
expressed by many local people.
The local fire insurance situation Is I'M
changed as far as any active demonstra-
ton by any party is concerned, 1t is stated
on good authority that varying premium
rates are charged by the different factions
on the same classes of risks. One gentle
man well acquainted with the situation
made the statement to a reporter for Inc
Times yesterday that some agencies are
themselves even charging different rates
TO different people on the same class OF
risks. Myer Cohen. President of the old
Board of Fire Underwriters. has an in
teresting article on THE Evils of Multiple
Agencies" in one of the monthly insur-
ance magazines. The local insurance stocks
have been quiet during the past week at
bid prices at or near the lowest.
The Washington Traction and Electric
Company has Indefinitely postponed the
time when two fares will be charged for
the ride to the city over the Brightwood
and the Tenleytown lines. The decision
of the board of directors of the syndicate
not to put the double-fare charge into eff
feet on September l seems to be COM
plete backdown and is SO regarded by the
residents in those suburbs and the patrons
of the syndicate in general. 1t seems to be
definitely settled that the syndicate has
at present the legal right to charge the
two fares if it sees fit. But the cor
poration apparently has taken into con-
sideraton and given much weight to the
protests of the suburban citizens and also
it has perhaps decided that its legal rights
might be materially abridged in the COM
ing Congress If it should 60 too far in
enforcing them. The company does not
seek TO hide the fact and it is probably
quite beyoDd dispute, that 1t has been los
ing money on its suburban business. 1t
now remains to be seen it, with its many
improvements. 1t will be able to turn the
account in its favor by inducing more
traffic instead of attempting to do SO by
charging more fares. Washington Trac-
ton and Electric bonds have been a trife
of in price during the past two or three
weeks, apparently on account of the dis
cusson of its present losing game. 1t is
not believed. however. that the insiders
are selling any Of their bonds, and there
are many who consider the issue a good
purchase around GO. at which price there
have been some sales during the week.
An article in The Times during the week
describing a cooperative scheme Of
number of department clerks to purchase
large tract in the Northwest suburbs and
build houses on it has caused much COM
ment and many interested enquiries. The
tract is ninety acres in extent and will be
sold to the clerks at $3.50 an acre, or from
$50 to 800 an acre less than the acre price
Of land in the immediate vicinity. The
co-operators will secure quarter acre lots
for $40 each on the installment plan and
Will also be enabled to build their homes
on them by making small monthly pay
ments. The object of the association is,
of course, to buy land at acre prices on
easy terms and increase its value by build
ing town on it, the residents themselves
TO reap the increase in value. Real estate
men who have examined the plan comment
on it variously, but mostly in an encour-
aging way.