Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-11-13
A Quarter Of a Century
Anniversary Re-
viewed.
Budget of News Varied and Inter-
esting From the Capital City
of the Central
West

scraper, which marked an epoch OF
progress toward fireproof construc-
ton the country over, has brought the
worlds first steel skeleton building
again into the spotlight, the Home In
surance building in Chicago, where |.
the Armour general offices have been
for years. 1t was the success of this
building, erected under the supervi-
sion of w. L. B. Jenney, designer of
the skyscraper, which gave the name
"Chicago construction" to the steel
frame building the world round. Since |
it's completion billions of dollars have |
been invested in sky-scrapers and yet |
they have not reached the point OF
security against flames that eliminates
the fire hazard.
Of Uncle Sans annual fire waste of
$175, 100000 more than under Euro
pean standards, the sky-scraper con-
tributes enormous sums. Fire insur-
ance interests have been active in i'm
proving conditions, but an official re-
port of the National Fire Protection
Association says: "A standard for
any sort of fireproof type, is an i'm
portant matter to many business in
terests, and it would seem that the
best result could only be obtained by
these various interests working to-
gether for the production of such a
standard. The question of a general
conference for this purpose has been
under discussion by architects, engi-
neers, builders and fire protection en-
gineers.
Notwithstanding the increase of
fireproof buildings since the first sky
scraper was built, Chicago's average
fire waste has not been materially re-
duced and the cost of fire fighting and
other measures to put out fires has
greatly increased at the same time.
With an average annual fire loss of
five million dollars, Chicago makes a
pitiful comparison with Berlin, where
the average annual fire loss is only
about $15O,OOO. The fire loss per cap
ita in Germany, France, Switzerland,
Austria, Denmark, and Italy combined
in a stated period was 33 cents. In
the United States for the same time
the per capita loss was more than
1925. It is no wonder that European
insurance rates are found to be much
lower than those in this country.
War on Loan Sharks.
The tricks and terrors used by col
lectors of overdue accounts, loan
sharks notes and disputed bills in
Chicago prove by official exposure
bold and ingenious beyond belief.
Systematic mental blackmail" is the
Characterization of the methods de-
vised by some of the more unscrupu-
lous. Arrest, prosecution, disbarment
and refusal of the mails are impend
ing as result of discoveries made,
particularly discovery that court sum-
monses and notices of suits have been
faxed by some collection agencies to
bring debtors to time
Both Chief Justice Olson, of the Mu
nicipa1 Court, and Postoffice Inspector
Stuart are Sitting the matter to the
bottom. Complaints against some col
lection lawyers may be presented to
the Bar Association.
Notices used by some collectors bear
big read seals and so closely resemble
court instruments that thousands OF
dollars of fake court costs have beer
extorted from frightened debtors
Complaint was lodged against col
lector for the Rothschild department
store that one of it's collectors hae
impersonated an officer by means of /;
big tin star and served Summons
and that later an execution was Sc
. served.
There have been some most brazel
: uses of the Municipal Courts name t
frighten debtors," Justice Olson ha
said. 1--WE have had complaints agains
: the collection agencies ourselves i
the past and have put the intimidatin
practices of number of them out c
: business Inspector Stuart has sale
A sample notice of one agency con
tains this, in a very formidable dress
Your remittance here Is absolutel
necessary, because the hour is com
when the most vigorous officer, VIII
makes speciality of handling execu
= tions, only making levies thereon, ha
arranged with our client to take thi
out of our charge and proceed in hi
own way to enforce the writ by car
rying out strict and rigorous re
quirement of the law at your home. !"
f The Postal Savings Bank.
e Efforts to unite friends Of the pos
e tai savings bank measure in a ma
: tional, concerted campaign hav,
: brought to the Postal Savings Banl
5 League headquarters in Chicago spe
: cific cases showing the results of I'm
2 Gle Sans conspicuous failure to pro
vide any saving-made-eas system
One woman contrasted conditions il
Z. the United States with those in Greal
Britain. where the postal savings de.