Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-26
Private Bankers and
Foreign Exchange

Private bankers, licensed under
the Pennsylvania act, who endeav-
or to transmit money to foreign
countries for customers and who are
unable to do so are not to be held
liable for any loss incurred in re-
covering the amount into American
currency according to an opinion
given to-day to Daniel f. Lafean,
State Banking Commissioner, by
Deputy Attorney General Joseph l..
Kun. The opinion was given be-
cause of situations arising where
bankers had been unable to send
money and the drop in rate of eX-
change caused loss to the customer.
The opinion says: The private
banker is bound to transmit, as di-
rected, what he receives. If, for the
purpose of complying with the di-
rections given him he must buy for
eign exchange, and then, on the
failure, without default on his part,
to effect delivery, and on the return
of the foreign exchange the pro-
ceeds. on conversion to United
States currency, is less than he orig
inally received. it is perfectly clear
that he cannot, on any possible the
ory, be held liable for the differ
ence. The risk in such case is en-
tirely that of the sender"
The Public Service Commission
to-day refused the application of
the borough of Catasauqua for ap-
proval of u bridge over tracks of the
Lehigh and New England Railroad
over Milton alley in that borough
with releave to renew it "at a later
period when national and state con-
ditions are more nearly normal and
more favorable"
The Shamolxin and Mount Carmel
Transit Company. operating be-
tween Shamokin and Ashland, has
filed with the commission notice of
increase of fare from five to six
cents and withdrawing certain
tickets; the Hamburg Gas and Elec-
trio Company, operating in Berks
county, establishing ready to
serve charge and an increase in GER
tain rates; the Wilkes-Barre Com
pany, increasing gas rates in it's
territory and the Claar Telephone
Company, increasing rates in Blair
ana Bedford counties.
Charges that the Reading Tran
sit company is not maintaining
proper service between Annville and
Reading and that on one occasion q
conductor who was running a car
alone took up fares without stop
ping the car, are made in a com
plant filed to-day with the commits
sion by j. Heagy and others of Ann
vile and vicinity.
Governor Brumbaugh will attend
dinner to be given by Col. Kolb AT
Philadelphia tomorrow and leave
that night for Johnstown to attend
the State Educational Association
convention where he will speak on
taxation.
The borough OF Baden to-day
brought complaint against the Pitts
burgh and Beaver street railway and
the borough of Cowansville against
the Buffalo, Rochester and Pitts
burg railway as the result of
changes in charges or service.
DIR. II. Il. Hull. associate chief
medical inspector, left to-day to
makes Investigations into the spread
of smallpox in western counties be-
cause of people coming from Ohio
and Michigan.
Mckee, Mitchell & Alter, of Pitts
burgh. to-day brought complaint on
behalf of the Pittsburgh Coal Pro-
ducers' Association against the es-
adjustment of what is termed n
coal and labor charge" by the West
Penn Power Company.
Secretary Patton ard his staff
of the Departm of Agriculture
will 20 to State College tomorrow
to attend the conference on provid-
ing seed corn. They will offer state
cooperation through the bureau of
markets