The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-06-13
SETTLING
FIRE CLAIMS
Picturesque Demands
by San Francisco
Tradesmen.

SAN FRANCISCO, June with
5000 claims, calling for a total OF over
81 60o. 900. the finance committee Of the
relief fund is busy scaling and prun-
ing. one firm which deals in hardware
wanted $100 coo for its stock, which was
used for emergency purposes, but it
has been induced to sit down quickly
and write fifty and even with the
$50, 900 limit it will be required to make
good with detailed statement for ev-
erything which it claims. This is but
an example.
Perhaps the most picturesque Gains
are those OF ISL saloon men, who want
$104, 1896 for the liquor which was con-
fiscated while the city was burning
The finance committee inds itself in
considerable doubt as to what it should
do with these demands. If the liquor
had been used to relieve anybody
then the chance of its paying the bill
would be better. but as it is the men
who are adjudicating these claims are
inclined 20 doubt the justice of using
the contributions which were given for
relief" for this purpose. 1t is nice
question.
One grocery firm comes in with bill
of $50 S4757 for what the people re-
ceived from it. Another grocery house
considers that s19,680 would be sufTici
ent to recomoense it for the goods
which it claims were confiscated. Per-
haps no one, not even the claimants.
expects that these bills viii be paid in
full without questions asked. If they
do they will be disappointed. The
method pursued is to first find the
Army officer or policeman who made
the confiscation and get his testimony
Then the testimony of disinterested
experts is taken on the value of the
stock in question al the time of the
fire. After this is complete the claims
committee believes it is in a better
position TO make a proposition for set
tlement.
But I hold such and such an office
and so and so is my friend is an Oft
repeated statement to the members of
the committee, whieh brings down the
reply that the committee is not doing
politics.
One ambitious grocer consented to
reduce his claim from $500 to $4182.2l
after the regular machinery of inves-
tigation. had been started on his bill.
The automobile bills look large to an
amateur. One company wants $685.
$3.50 for the use Of its machines for
emergency work: another would be
content with $4596 96. Many of the pri-
waite owners whose machines We're used
have not put IN bills. and others have
simply charged for the repairs. From
that the rates wanted run TO $40 an
hour The committee has settled on a
rate of s35 a day for large cars and
$50 for runabouts.
OF the S195 claims. 1904 are now in
process Of adjustment. The plan has
been to take up the labor claims first,
and it is expected that these viii be
disposed of in another week. But not
all have been paid in full. One man,
for instance, wanted full pay for
months work at one of the relief sta
tons. On investigation it was discov
cred that he had volunteered his SER
vices without pay, and had remained
after he had been told that there was
nothing more for him to do. The
claims of the Board of Public Works
for SIS 700, and that OF the Board of
Health for s32 ,94320, both for labor,
have been paid.
Several firms which put in bills have
since forwarded to the committee their !
receipts. 1t had been their intention
first to secure the check and then con-
tribute it to the relief fund.
It will require the entire month of !
June to go over the claims which are !
in the hands Of the committee, and it !
Will probably be the second week in !
July before its work is over.