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ST. JOHNS REVIEW
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. Devoted (o the Interests ot the Peninsula, the Manufacturing Center of the Northwest
VOI,. 7
ST. JOHNS, OREGON,- FRIDAY, JANUARY 13. 1911.
NO. 10
Opinion on Annexation
Following is the opinion of
Attorney George J. Perkins upon
tlie legnllty of the recent vote taken
upon annexation in this city. It
1ms been corroborated and con
curred in by two of Portland's
brightest and best attorneys. It is
quite apparent that the "Amis"
have good grounds for contesting
the election, which of course will be
contested. The opinion is well
worth reading:
St Johns Anti-Annexation League,
St. Johns, Orcg.
Gentlemen: Complying with)
your request for an opinion ns to
the legality of the pretended elce
tion held on the first Tuesday after
the lirst Monday in November,
1910, sofaras the same concerns
the question of annexing the City
of fat. Johns to the City of Portland
I have given the subject such con
sidcratloti as I deem necessary am
beg to report ns follows:
I find at said election an attempt
wns made to nnuex St. Johns to
Portland under Article 4. sections
13-17. Portland Charter, which
was created by a Special Act of the
Legislature of the btote of Oregon,
and became effective January 23
1003, which Act provides, in sub
stance, among other things, that
whenever a petition shall be pre
sen ted to the Auditor of the City of
Portland, petitioning for the annex
ntion of additional territory con
liguotts to the City of Portland,
describing the territory to be an
nexed and signal by hftccti per
cent of the legal voters of the terri
tory sought to be annexed, etc.,
the same shall be presented to the
Council of the City of Portland, and
the Council may, by two thirds vote
thereof, pass n resolution providing
for the submission of the question
to the voters of such territory at
the next general election If the
majority of the (nullified voters
residing in such territory and vot
ing 011 such question, vote in favor
of such annexation, such territory,
slinll on the first day of July next
following such election, become a
part of the City of Portland. The
. -Act further provides that if the
rr iiiiijiiiiiy "i 111c vuiem 111 much ieiii-
... r .1 1 1. ... ,
lory vote in favor 01 the annexa
tion, the Council, shall thereupon,
by resolution, so niter and amend
section twelve of the charter of
Portland, and the boundaries of
Sitid city, ns therein described and
set out, as to include such unnexed
' territory, etc.
At the time the Portland Charter
was created, the Constitution of
Oregon provided that "Corporations
may be formed under general laws,
but shall not be created by special
JawS, KXCUIT I'OU MUNICIPAL l'UK
1'OSICS." Prior to 1906, charters of all the
principal cities of Oregon were cre
ated by Special Laws enacted by
the Oregon Legislature, but on
June 4, 1906, that portion of the
constitution of Oregon was amended
so as to read as follows: "Corpora
tions may be .formed under general
laws, but shall not be created by
the legislative assembly by special
laws. The legislative assembly
shall not knact, amknd or kwkai.
any charter or act of incorporation
for any municipality, city or town.
The legal voters of every city or
town are hereby granted power to
knact or amknd their municipal
charter, subject to the constitution
and criminal laws of the State of
Oregon."
The Municipality of St. Johns ex
ists under n charter adopted by the
voiers 01 niai ctiy aim inuepciuiew
of the Municipality of Portland,
also of any act of the Legislature of
Oregon, except the criminal laws of
the State, and perhaps the enabling
net adopted by the Legislature of
Oregon in the year 1907, which
provides the maimer In which elec
tions may be held and conducted
by legil voters of municipalities
under the clause of the Constitution
as amended ami above set out. This
enabling act provides, among other
things, in substance, that in all
cities and towns which have not, or
may not, provide by ordiuance or
charter, the manner of exercising
the privileges granted by the Con
stitution as amended, as aforesaid,
If atiy ordinance, charter or amend
ment to the charter of any city
shall be proposed by initiative peti
tion, such petition shall be filed
with the City Recorder and he
shall transmit it to the City Coun
cil at its next session; that the
Council shall either ordain or re
ject the same as proposed within
thirty days thereafter, and if the
Council shall reject or take no
action on the proposed amendment,
the City Recorder shall submit the
same to the voters. If the Coun
cil ordains the ameudment, it shall
refer same to the people to be voted
upon. The Statute provides that
not more than twenty names on any
one sheet of the petition shall be
counted; that each sheet shall be
attaclted to a full and correct copy
of the title and text of the measure
and verified by the oath of the per
sou circulating the same, and when
hied with the Recorder, he shall
transmit the same to the City Attor
ney, who shall prepare and return
to the Recorder a ballot title for the
measure. The Recorder shall cause
to be printed in pamphlet form a
true copy of the title and text of
the measure, nlso any argument the
person, committee or officer of any
organization presenting the measure
may submit advocating the adop
tion of the measure, nlso, within a
stated time, he shall cause to be
printed in said pamphlet any argu
ment any person may submit
against the measure the cost of
the paper nnd printing for such
arguments to be paid by the person
or organization submitting the
same all other expense in con
nection therewith to be paid by the
city, and the Recorder shall dis
tribute such pamphlets containing
such measure nnd the title of the
same, and the arguments for and
against the same, as aforesaid, if
any, to every voter of the city, so
far ns possible, either by mail or
currier, not less than eight days
before the election. The act fur
tlier provides that amendments to
the City Charter inuy be ptoposcd
and submitted to the people by the
City Council, with or without an
initiative petition, but in that event,
the same shall be filed with the
City Recorder for submission
less than sixty days before
not
the
election.
This subject of annexation
was
attempted to be submitted to
the
voters of St. Johns exclusively
under the Portland Charter ns afore
said, nnd no attempt was made
whatever to conform to either the
enabling act ol 1907 or to any pro
visions that have been provided by
charter or council of St. Johns.
No officer or councilman of the
city of St. Johns was consulted
about the measure being submitted,
110 attempt made to give official
notice of the election or the measure
to be voted upon, and no nttempt
made to observe the methods pro
vided for holding nnd conducting
Mich elections, or the forms under
or by which subjects of this nature
are required to be submitted to the
voters, either by the city of ht
Johns or the enabling act of 1907
It would be possible, under such
proceedings, that not more than
fifteen per cent of the legal voters
of St. Johns the number required
to sign the petition would, know
anything about the measure, not
withstanding the very corporate
existence of the city and all of its
municipal property depended upon
it. In my opinion, it cannot be
assumed that all the people of St
olius entitled to vote on this meas
tire did vote upon it, and voted in
the manner and way they would
lave voted, had it been placed
befote them in the manner and
torm required by law. Under our
political system, and it is n natural
right that the majority voting for
or against a measure arc entitled to
ire vail, but the measure voted
upon must have been legally before
them and their right to vote upon
the same lawfully exercised. If the
people of St. Johns have the right
to surrender their charter and the
roperty of the municipality and be
absorbed by the City ot Portland,
they must exercise it In the way
pointed out by municipal legislation
of St. Johns or by the enabling act
of 1007, herelnliefore referred to
I Certainly, the councilmen and offi
cers of the city ot Portland have not
the right, since the amendment of
the Constitution, as aforesaid, and
since St. Johns has adopted jts
charter under said constitutional
amendment, to thrust upon the citi
zens of St. Johns the question of
surrendering its municipal fran
chise and property and being
absorbed by Portland, aud the ver
dict of those voting upon the meas
ure be conclusive on all other in-
habitants ond property owners of
the city.
Some question may be raised as
to whether the enabling act of 1907
applies to elections held for the pur
pose of determining whether a city
shall surrender its charter and
become annexed to another munici
pality, or whether the Constitution,
as amended, permits that to be
done. The language of the Con
stitution, as amended, provides that
the legislative assembly shall not,
by special laws, enact, amend or re
peal any charter, etc. That the
legal voters of every city and town
shall knact or amend their munic
ipal charter, etc. Therefore, the
right of the legal voters of a munic
ipality to abandon or repeal its
charter is not expressly given. It
would appear that this right is
implied, but Mr. Justice Moore of
the Supreme Court of Oregon, m
case of Acme Dairy Co. vs. Astoria,
49 Oregon, at pages 524-5, says:
'It will thus be seen that the
change in the organic law deprives
the legislative assembly of all
authority to enact, amend- or repeal
Innocents Abroad
Last Saturday evening, nftcr
tearfully bidding tiieir friends good
bye, R. W. McKcon nnd Paschal
Hill nervously and apprehensively
took their departure for Chicago.
They had been chosen by the Jer
sey street property owners to make
this trip in order to wise up on
hard surface pavements, West
rutnito paying the freight. They
were chosen 011 account of their
abhorrence for graft, abstemious
habits and their great powers 0
observation, uotn, however, arc
simple minded, unsophisticated and
have Mark Twain's "Innocents
Abroad" discounted 16 to 1. The
friends here were loath to have
fhem travel so far without a guide
or chaperon, as it is believed they
stand in very grave danger of being
gold-bricked or may play Into the
hands of confidence men. S. C.
Norton was requested to go along
nnd act in the capacity of pilot, but
was nfrnid his constitution was too
weak to withstand the rigors and
streuuosity of such n position, am
therefore, declined with thanks.
No one else could be found who
was willing to be responsible for
their welfare aud guidance, so the
twain was allowed to make the trip
nionc. 1 neir solicitous friends care
fully instructed them to beware of
the pitfalls aud lurid hues to be
found in the windy and wicked
city, and obtained their sacred
promise to not converse with utter
strangers and to retire at dark. If
they follow instruction to the letter
the cause of hard surfuciug will be
greatly enhanced, aud upon their
return there will be no question as
to the kind that should be laid on
Jersey street.
any charter of n city or town, the
legal voters of which reserve to
themselves the exercise of nil such
power, except the right of uiti'KAi, "
It seems to me to abandon or sur
render n charter, would lie equiva
lent to repealing it. It is not now
within the power of the Legislature
to repeal. If it can be done nt nil,
it must be done by the legal voters
of the city or town and can only be
done in the manner prescribed bv
such city or town or in the manner
prescribed by the general enabling
net adopted by the Legislature. If
the Legislature had the power to,
and did, vest the Council of the
City of Portland with authority to
prescribe the method by which the
City of St. Johns should surrender
its charter, the Council of Portland
lost that power when the Constitu
tion was amended, ns aforesaid, and
when the enabling act of 1907 was
adopted by the Legislature and be
came effective.
There is another reason, in mv
opinion, why the annexation can
not be accomplished by the pro
ceedings thus far had, aud that is,
the boundaries of the City of Port-
laud are fixed and defined by the
Charter of that Citv. and the net
defining' and fixing the same was
submitted to, and nppproved by,
tue legal voiers 01 tne uty of Port
land, aud became and is, a part of
the charter of Portland. To extend
the boundaries so as to include St.
Johns, would necessarily change
the boundaries of Portland, nnd to
effect such change, the charter of
Portland would have to be amended.
and the Council of Portland, in in v
judgment, is without authority to
amend its charter. It is true that
the Legislature that created the
Portland charter attempted to dele
gate to the Portland Council that
rigut, out mat was in the year
1903, and since that time, the Leg
islature has been denied the right,
by constitutional amendment, to
amend municipal charters, and the
Legislature having been divested of
the right or power, the power dele
gated to the Portland Council neces
sarily ceased.
For the reasons stated, I think
the entire proceedings invalid, so
far as they -attempted to annex St.
Johns to Portland, and the maimer
to test the validity would be by suit
in equity.
Respectfully submitted,
George J. Perkins, Attorney.
1 Oregon fouud a brick in its
Christmas stocking when the recla
mation apportionment was an
nounced, giving this state but I925,-
000 to carry on uncompleted irriga
tion projects out of the appropria
tion of $20,000,000, despite the
arge contribution of Oregon to the
reclamation fund. The Oregon De
velopment League and Portland
Commercial Club have taken joint
action to secure a re-apportionment,
so that this state may secure its
just share to continue reclamation
work.
I have customers to buy houses
and lots, on installments. What
lave you to list? S. L. Dobie, no
N. Jersey street.
Chicken Thieves
Night Officer William Dunbar
made n hero of himself early Sun
day morning by effecting the cap
ture of two chicken thieves with
plenty of evidence of their guilt in
their possession. Karl and Mark
Gregg were the culprits and each
carried n sack of chickens when
caught redhanded. One bag con
tained four live and the other 14
dend ones. The thieves with their
booty were marched to the city
bnstile where they were at once
placed in durance vile.
For the past two or three week
numerous nnd bitter complaints
have reached the police department
by parties who lost chickens during
the night, ranging from four
sixteen. The police have bee
keeping n weather eye open for th
sneaks ever since, nnd from ev
deuce received nnd a pretty good
id"a that Jhc thieves lived some
where In Fast St. Johns. About
12:30 Saturday night OITiccr Dun
bar took n trip over that way, when
a light in the uregg home nnd
woman coming out nnd soon going
back in aroused his curiosity, nnd
after loitering along the way
was not long until the two Greggs
came along, each with n suck mini
his shoulders. "Billy's ' suspicious
being nt once aroused, he oskei
what they had in the sacks, and
one of tliein promptly replied
Birds, lumbar quickly replied
"Well, you are tits birds we hove
been looking for for some time,'
and forthwith marched them off to
the city jail.
I he chickens in the bags be
louged to J. 1). Kelihcr, who ideu
tified them Sunday. It is said that
the women nt the Gregg home had
a boiler of hot water ready to douse
the chickens in which were inter
cepted by Dunbar. A coop con
taming 31 chickens and a turkey
wns found on the plncc, and scvera
citizens recognized ones belonging
to them in the lot. It is cstimatci
that nil told about too chickens
mve been stolen in the past three
weeks.
The Greggs were brought before
JudRe Downs where they plet
guilty Monday afternoon. They
insisted thnt this was their first and
oniy oiicuce, nmi turn nicy had no
knowledge whatever of any other
chickens stolen, that the citizens
were mistaken in claiming the ones
11 their coop, nnd that the theft
wns committed to keep themselves
and little ones from starvation, that
there were eleven mouths to feed
nnd nothing to put into t hem. It
was discovered, however, that the
louse was particularly well stocked
11 the way of provisions, consisting
of Hour, meat, potatoes nnd canned
goods, in generous quantity. After
considering the offence, Judge
Downs aroused the indignation of
several of the victims by fining the
olfendcrs the nominal sum of $50
each, The evidence is pretty plain
that these two are guilty of most of
the dirty work done along this line
in the recent past, but the police
believe there may be other parties
who aided in disposing of the
chickens to Portland firms. Films
of $ioo for 5500 worth of plunder
will not prove much of a deterrent
in the future, but Judge Downs had
to deal only with the instance upon
which the charge was based. Sev
eral of those who have suffered
severe loss in a chicken way have
preferred charges against the two,
and if substantiated both face a
term in the penitentiary.
Joint Installation
The G. A. R. nnd Women's
Relief Corps held joint installation
of officers last Saturday afternoon
in the M. W, A. Hall. In point of
attendance and interest it was the
best ever held in St. Johns. Din
ner was served by the Corps and
consisted of good tilings too numer
ous to mention, The u:w Post
officers are:
Commauder R. II. Miller.
S. V. C S. M. Hortoti.
J. V. C B. S. Barnard.
Sergeant -Thos. Hollister.
O. D. 0. A. Bemis.
O. G. A. M. Mason.
Chaplain Daniel Drew.
Adj. T. J. Gordon.
S. M. G. B. Powell.
Q. M. S. T. J. Downing.
Judge McDevitt of Portland
in-
stalled the officers.
Leroy II. Smith, formerly with
the Smith-Wagoner Co. , has retired
from the firm aud will live on his
farm which is located 011 the United
Klectric Railway in the Tualitan
Valley, Attorney N. L. Butler,
one of the leading attorneys in the
Willamette Valley, will succeed to
Mr. Smith's place with the firm.
Council Meeting
AH members were present nt the
regular meeting of the city council
Tuesday night. The first matter
taken up wns n request for n rc-
ncwnl of license by T. D. Condon
ami on motion of Councilman Davis
wns referred to the liquor license
committee. A transfer of liquor
license was nsked by Thos. Glover
who desired his license trnnsfcrred
to the Kugctie parties who recently
purcunscii ins business. On Mr,
Davis' motion matter was also
referred to the license committee,
Mr. Davis made n motion that an
arc light be installed at the corner
of Willis boulevard aud New Yor
street when the latter shall hav
been improved. All supported th
motion witli the exception of Conn
cihnnn Dobie, who believed the
point in question was too close to
iiiiuuicr ngiii in mat vicinity.
On .motion of Mr. Downey
n light was ordered placed nt th
comer of Thompson nnd Lively
streets, nil lavoriug the motion.
A coinnmnicntion from the Stnr
band nnd Gravel Co. nsked for per
mission 10 place an engine ntu
cable system on Richmond street
for the purpose of drawing wagon
loads of sand and gravel to the top
01 tue mil irom their new site
at
the foot of Richmond street.
Re
ferrcd to the street committee
motion of Councilman Johnson.
on
M, (j. Urban remonstrate!
against the viewers' report on the
widening of St. Johns avenue
claiming it unjust nnd inequitable
Alter some discussion, 011 motion
of Mr. Cook report was referred
bnck to the viewers for nlterntion
Mr. Downey voting "no"
uu motion ot .Mr. Davis it wns
decided to request the Portland
Railway, Light & Power Co. to
make 11 stop nt Buchanan street
hereafter.
Bills to the amount of $127.12
were alio wed.
Report of the Chief of Police
read, nnd on motion of Mr. Dobie
ncccptcd mid ordered filed.
A petition for the Improvement
ol Olympia street was received nnd
a resolution directing the engineer
to prepare the necessary plans ntu
profiles for said improvement adopt
ed on motion of Councilman Hiller.
a resolution to lay n sewer on
Maple street with outlet through
the Weyerhaeuser tract was brought
up by Mr. Davis, nnd 011 his motion
same was adopted, Mr. Dobie offer
ug the only negative vote.
St. Johns Has Only 4872
Census Director Diirnnd has per
pctrnted another of his merry jests,
Alter many mouths of ceaseless
toil he bus discovered 4872 people
11 at. Johns. Those are the oih
cial figures which were nuiiouuced
from Washington this morning.
There is no way of ascertaining
comparative growth, because St.
otitis was not incorporated when
the 1909 enumeration was made.
1 he huu res 4872 arc looked upon
as ridiculous when lined up with
the recent school enumeration,
which showed a total of more thuu
400 children of school age. The
universal multiple for arriving at
population from school census
hgures is 514. This would give
St. Johns better than 7500 people.
Telegram.
Buys More Ground
The Pacific Stove & Range Man
ufacturing Company of St. Johns
las purchased the half block ad
oiiiiug its present plant in St.
ohus from N. C. Tochle, buying
the same through the agency of C.
W, LeNoir & Co. of Portland.
"his was purchased because the
company realized that in the near
future it would be necessary to en-
arge its present plant owing to the
rapid growtli of its business. With
this additional ground the company
will have ample room for several
additional buildings.
Building Permits
No. 1 To W. Letz to erect n
welling on Kellogg street between
Catlin and Fessenden streets; cost
1500.-
No. 2 To A. II. Blackburn to
alter building 011 Burlington street
between Jersey and Leonard for
Bickuer Bros.; cost $100.
No, 3 To A. M. Mourcy to
erect a building on Hayes street
between Burr and Alma; cost $200.
L. II. Campbell returned last
eek from a several days visit with
his brotliert Spangle, Washington,
Windle-Cochran
Mr. John Howard Witulle and
Miss Nellie IJva Cochran were
united iu mnrriagc Friday, January
6, inti, at 7:30 p. 111., at the home
of the bride s parents, Mr. and
Mrs. T. II. Cochran, 502 West
Richmond street, St. Johns, Ore
gon, Rev. G. W. Nelson of th
Longregationnl church officiating
Only relatives of the contracting
parties witnessed the ceremony
Paul Cochran, n brother of the
bride, ncted as groomsman and
Miss hvclyn R. Nutting, a cousi
of the bride from Columbia City
Oregon, seryed ns bridcsninid. At
the conclusion of the ceretnonv ntu
congratulations, n luscious wedding
supper wns served by Airs. Cochran
11. i.
111c groom, n son ot Louiiciimaii
W. W. Windlc, is n native Ore
goniatt aud a young man of splcu
did character and industrious
habits. He has been in the employ
ot 1. 11. Cochran for over two
years ns teamster and will contiiiu
now to work for his father-in-law
ine bride is a worthy young
inny 01 many accomplishments ami
is held in high esteem bv n laruc
circle of devoted friends. She was
the recipient of n large number of
beautiful and costly wedding gifts
1 he young people were heartilv
serenaded by tue si. Johns cornet
band. I he happy young couple
will make their home iu St. Johns
nnd will begin house-keeping nt
627 Nortli Ivnuhoc street, where
they have a house elegantly fur
nished for their occtipnucv ant
where they will be at home to their
many friends. May the happiness
ami success that worthy young peo
pie deserve be theirs.
Hill to Electrify Way
Thnt the Hill system will electrify
the railroad over the big steel draw
bridge over the Columbia River
between Vancouver and Portland
nnd run streetcars between the two
cities, iu opposition to the Portland
Railway Light cv: Power Company
is the rumor current iu Vancouver
nnd Portland for several days.
If this should happen it would
have n tendency to lessen the
traihe on the ferry ami streetcar
iue between Portland nnd Viiucou
ver, and possibly cause the ferry to
take off its night crew. There
would be use for the ferry iu the
laytime to carry across the tenuis
mid vehicles, but there is little
traffic of this kind at night.
I here nre already two tracks
ncross the bridge to Portland, so
thnt all that would be required to
make the change would be placing
the electric wires. These cars could
uiiiKc better time than 11 passenger
train. The railroad company is
already putting iu on interlocking
system between Vancouver and
ortlnnd over the big bridge, and
this could be used to oiwntc the
streetcars as well. With this sys
tern, it the draw is closed, the cur
would not have to stop, but if the
draw is open, or is about to open
the proper signal is placed.
Traflic between Vancouver aud
ortlaud is increasing daily and the
resent system of changing from
the ferry to the cars, and much of
the time waiting a half hour or
more, grows tirosotue to traffic.
Orugouiau.
How About This
What have you iu vacant or un
improved projierty to exchange for
hue new modern home t This is
one of the swellest bungalows iu
St. Johns, has full basement, 24x42
feet, large porches, wide cornice, 5
arge rooms ami large reception
hall, besides closets, pantry aud
bath; has stationary tubs iu base
ment, wood lift, piped for gas aud
wired for electricity, nothing left
undone to make a complete modern
ionic of it, This is located 011 the
best river view lot in St. Johns, the
rice is !f20oo. Will take S1600 iu
exchange for St. Johns property,
balance long time.
We also have a number of sale
contracts ranging in various
mounts, with both large aud small
monthly payments, bearing interest
7 per cent, paid monthly, we are
offering in exchange for property.
Call and talk it over witli us.
McKINNF.Y & DAVIS,
Klectric Building,
St. Johns.
Phone Columbia 2.
For Rent A large six room
house, newly knlsomined, close iu,
011 South Jui.sc.yi street; $12 a mouth.
Call Columbia 297. gtf
I'rouch tho goBpol of St, Johns,
May Lease the Dock
Prospects for leasing the new city
dock nre now becoming exceedingly
bright. Last week representative
of the Northwest Wheat G rowers
Union came to St. Johns nnd con
ferred witli the tnnyor concerning
the lease of the dock. The Union
has warehouses and granaries scat
tered nil over Knstern Washington.
Oregon and Idaho, witli present
headquarters at Spokane. About
2000 farmers belong to the organi
zation nnd from tltrce to five million
bushels of wheat raised annually.
The Union has found itself at the
mercy of commission men in the
past, and it is now proposed to save
the middleman's profit (which at
times lias been exorbitant) by the
Union denling with the purchasers
direct. In order to do this satisfac
torily n dock with storage capacity
is necessary at tidewater. The St.
Johns dock has been called to their
attention and nn investigation wns
made by the Union. The size,
strength mid location of the dock
pleased the committee immensely,
but there were two objection viz:
No sidetrack to the dock and 11
five-year lease is too short. Upon
their visit here last week, wo un
derstand, the Union has waived the
first objection, taking it upon them
selves to secure right of way Mini
construction of sidetracks for use of
both Hill and Harrimaii linen. The
city charter allows for the lease of
public structures aud tit ill tie for a
maximum perhxl of five years. The
Union is figuring 011 spending tmttiy
thousands of dollars in sidetmckn,
elevators, grniti handling device,
etc. , nud logically contend thnt five
yenrs is too short to justify this ex
pense, besides paying n monthly
rental. With this situation con
fronting him, the mayor decided to
call n private meeting of the coun
cil, which was held hurt Saturday
night, aud the matter was fully din-
cussed. With the exception of one
councilman, nil favored leasing the
dock if favorable terms could be se
cured. No price had been stipu
lated by either party as to tunlnl,
nud in order to get an idea of how
high the Union would go iu thin re
spect, council decided to have tin
recorder write the Union n letter of
inquiry as to what they would be
willing to pay as monthly rental,
provided a special election is at
once called for the purpoM of vot
ing upon 11 charter amendment al
lowing n longer term of luc.
If n rental bnrely .sufficient to imv
interest, insurance, wear nud tear,
etc., could be secured for the first 5
years it would be plenty nud menu
n reduction of more than twenty
Hsr cent iu the city tax rale. Be-
sides this every ship that would tie
up at the dock to load or unload
would menu from three to six hun
dred dollars worth of business to
the merchants nud meat men of St.
Johns, to say nothing of the em
ployment that would bo furiilnluMl
for a number of men.
Chafing Dish Luncheon
A delightful chafing dish lunch
on wns given by the June cIhim of
1911, 01 the lames John High
School, at the home of its president.
Miss Hllznbetlt Stalter, Tuesday
night, January the roth, feting the
February graduating dak ami the
teachers. The rooms war deco
rated with pennants, funis and
Oregon grajw, and the table color
scheme was carried out iu the class
colors, gray and garnet, the center
piece being of red carnations sml
Oregon grape. Place cards were
of the carnation design and the
menus were tied with the class
colors. Miss Knthleeu Partridge
of Newport, New Hampshire, pre
sided over the dialing dish, assisted
by Mrs. Day and Mrs. Ingledue.
The invitational list included Misses
Anna Bricc, Ruth Crouch, Florence
ensen, Howard Brice, Misses Clara
Boss, Beatrice Rutidall, Knthoriiie
Kahley and Mr. Charles Fry,
Portland commercial bodies are
urging the building of a road
through the forest reserve surround
ing Mt. Hood. The Oregon del
ation iu Congress will be asked to
use their Influence to secure an
ppropriatiou of -f 150,000 for the
purpose, l ite building of this rosd
is planned to take the place of Uu
uatioualipark originally sought
for
te slopes of Mount Hood.
George K. Shaver, head of the
picture framing department of the
Olds, Wormian & King store lias
urchased house No. 931 Lively
street, iu North St. Johns from
Harry K, Wagoner, having moved
to St. Johns from Portland to umke
lis home.
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