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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1910)
THE MORNTXG OREGONTAN. FRIDAY, XOTE3FBER : 11, 1910. 14 PORTGOMMISSION MAKES ITS REPLY i Charges Office of Malfeasance Untrue, Members in Say in Statement. slon Anally bought the two boats for J8S.0OO and axe quits satisfied that they were worth that. The Wallula la In sured at lowest rates for 156.000, and the Ocklahama for f 30.000; they have al ways been and continue to be service- ble boats, neither one having re quired any repairs beyond the usual annual overhauling. In the course of which the Wallula'a steering (tear. which was known to be slightly defec tive, when we took her. was put Into perfect order. The opinion of the "river men" that the Ocklahama was a "Junk heap worth no more than 115. 00" can hardly be considered of value In view of the above facta. Fourth Juggling the awarding of contracts for construction of the tug Oneonta. etc .Answer No contracts are entered Into by the Port of Portland or on Its behalf (except for small emergency purposes) without due advertising ac- RECORD OPEN TO PUBLIC cordin to 1w nd the rMtI)Uon of nClUnUd Urcm IU rUBUIV blds wnch opened at a public Action Upon Various Contracts Is Reviewed Postponement of' Work on Broadway Bridge Is Declared Beneficial. PORTLAND. Nov. 10. (To the Edi tor. I The Port of Portland Commission ree-ret the necceslty of asking; The Oregonlan to publish so long a com munication as the one Inclosed, which constitutes their reply to the charges against them that have recently ap peared In the publlo prints. But In view or the fact that the columns of The Oreaontan have been open for weeks to attacks made upon us by all sorts of people, mostly irresponsible. and that said attacks would have had little or no Influence but for your pub lication of them, the Commission feel that they have the right to ask for the publication, also, of their rejoinder. Just as they made It and In as conspic uous a place In your paper as has been accorded those articles. Interviews and reports that have made the rejoinder necessary. Tours respectfully. C. F. ADAMS. P. C. AINS WORTH. JOHN DRISCOL.L. A 1. TFA3l WILLIAM D. WHEELWRIGHT. P. L. WILLIS. Commissioners of the Port of Portland. Answer of the Port of Portland. The Commissioners of the Port - of Portland have not deemed it advisable to notice, no to the present time, the attacks that have been made upon them bv the generally irresponsible persons who have followed the leadership of Mr. llunly. They have known the charges of malfeasance to be untrue, they have felt that the falseness of ssld char res must be apparent to all right-minded members of this commun ity, and they have hesitated to embark So a newspaper controversy with peo ple who are so reckless of the trutn, who evidently have an Inexhaustible supply of misstatements on which to craw, and who are. therefore, capable of prolonglnc such controversy Indef initely. But even palpable falsehoods, con stantly reiterated, take on the sem blanre of truth, and when uncontrs dieted gradually come to be credited aa facts, especially by those who haven't the time to dissect them and therefore the undersigned members of the Commission have de- rlded to make this statement which, however, will be their only rejoinder to their slanderers through the medl una of the publlo prints. Law Strictly Observed. The Port of Portland Is a public cor poration, created by the Legislature, to which It Is accountable, and to whlcn It accounts, which confirms elections by the Board to fill vacancies that have occurred between legislative sessions. or refuses to do so at Its pleasure. The meetings of the Commission are open to the public: Its doings are recorded In books to which the public has ac cess; It complies strictly with the laws that govern Its proceedings; Its books and accounts are audited every six months by responsible accountants, and all the statements herein made, so far as they relste to the acts of the Com mission, can be substantiated by com parison with Its records. Following Is a list of all the charges that have been made against the Com mission and Its members, so far as liiev have appeared In the newspapers, with a specific answer appended In each case: With regard to the first one that appears, via: an Indefinite charge of graft against Mr. Swlgert In connection with the Pacific Bridge Company and the Willamette Iron Steel Works, his colleagues can only say. In his ab sence, tl.at soon after his last election as a mrmber of the Commission, and when there was a prospect of large dealings with the Willamette Iron 4e fleet Works, he sold the small amount of stock that he held in that company. And while It Is true that the Pacific Bridge Company, of which he is part owner, holds or dtd hold some of the stock of the Oregon Dry dock Company, It Is an interest that they were com pelled to take m payment for the hire of their dredge, because the Drydock Com pany wss at that time without funds to pay the bill, owing to an excess of actual cost over estimates. But all the large dealings between the Commission and the Willamette Company have been the result of competitive bids opened In public, and all dealings, whether large or small, have been authorized by the, unanimous vote of at least a Quorum of the members of the Commission. meeting of the board In the presence of all the bidders that choose to at tend as they generally do. For the proposed contract to build the tug (aft erward called the Oneonta) there were onlv two contestants, vis: Moran Brothers at 191.700. and the Willamette Iron A Steel Works at 9Z.3bQ. in competition was fully advertised and was open to all; there was no collusion among bidders, so far as any of the Commissioners are Informed, ana tne fact that the actual cost of construc tion was in excess of $98,000 shows that such collusion, if any, failed of its purpose. Oneonta Not TTnseaworthy. Fifth Building the Oneonta as sea-going tug on lines that made her unfit for such use in heavy weather, and carrying out these plans after one Ballln had protested against them as being entirely wrong. Answer The plans for the oneonta were made by an employe of the Com mission, following the lines of the Wallula. enlarged and strengthened but before said plans were accepted and furnished to bidders, they were submitted to Frederick Gardner, chief engineer of the Union Iron v orks. San Francisco, during the time of the building of the battleships by that concern for the United States, and known expert in such matters. who rononnced them altogether satisfac tory and workable, although ne sug gested two or three unimportant changes. As to the report with regard to Ballin's part In the affair, a member of the Commission Is prepared to make oath that this same Ballln stated to him that he (Ballln) had drawn all the plans for '.he Oneonta, had superin tended her construction ana was in an respects responsible for the boat. This was before the time when sne was al iased to be unseaworthy a false alle ration, as she goes out over the bar and tows vessels In all weathers and Is fullv Insured at lowest rates, which latter fact alone disproves the charge of unseaworthiness. Sixth Dredging In the common River outside of the scope of the Com mission's authorised work, for private interests, at figures which are presum ably Insufficient for the work. An er All the dredging above re ferred to was done at the request of the United States Engineer and paid for by the United States Government. except in a case where some emergency work was done for a private corpora tion and the full hire of the dredge oald. vis: $200 per day for all th time employed the dredge being the Portland. Dredging Fully Paid For. Seventh Dredging In Portland har bor for the Great Northern Railway at a figure Inadequate for the work. Answer This dredging was aone un der three contracts with the Portland Seattle Railway Company, one oy the dredge Portland at varying prices per cubic yard from 10 to 16 cents, which netted $SJ4 per working day for the time occupied, another for filling up Couch Lake and adjoining; property by the Columbia, for wnicn tney paia the siim of 132S per day. and a third for digging a channel at the site of the bridge across the w lllaroette ruver at Kt Johns, which was done at 11 cents per cubic yard by the dredge Colum bia, and paid I459.S per working day. The basin above the bridge. 00xlSOO rt was dredsred bv the Columbia at . .hire, of $325 per day. For the Oiling of Couch Lake and the dock site. ii the material came out oi tne nar- bor. resulting in a new ana suwigni channel, so that the work, whlcn soon er or later would have had to be done bv the Commission at public expense. was done without any cost whatever. Up to tliat time the charge tor use of the dredges by outside parties nan Keen 1150 ner day for the Portland and $ for the 0lumbla. but in view of Increasing expenses ana at tne sugges tion of the engineer, ins rates were raised from $150 to J-1" ana irom juu to $. Eisjhth Improving tne cnannei or tne Willamette and Columbia rivers in a temporary and costly manner, when per manent work could be done with the equipment and funds available. Work Done In Good Faith. Colleague Indorse Mr. Swlgcrt. The signers of this statement hereby press their absolute confidence In Mr. fswlgert's Integrity and faithfulness to defy, said confidence growing out of an Intimate association with him for more than four years, during which time bis services to the community have been of Inestimable value. Second Paying the Pacific Bridge Company and Robert Wakefield $170.- toe for building the drydock. when two competent persons bad offered to build It for tllO.ooe. Answer1 The records of the port show that there were seven bidders for the contract to build the drydock. and that the bids ranged from $220,000 by the Portland Shipbuilding Company down to $140,000 by Robert Wakefield, who was tbe lowest and to whom therefore the contract was duly awarded. The sum of $2400 was. how ever, added to his bid to cover altera tions In the specifications, making the full contract price $142,000. It will be observed that all three statements con tained in this charge are untrue: The Pacific Bridge Company didn't bid; Robert Wakefield didn't receive $170. 00. and there was no bid of $110,000 or of any sum leas than $140,000. Third paying for the Wallula and Ocklahama the sum of 1SS.000 when they were worth not over $47,000 and the latter boat was considered by river men as a Junk heap, worth not to ex ceed I1S.0 by Itself. Iloats Worth Price Paid. Answer The asking price by the O. R. N. Company for the two boats was 1 10.000 $(0,000 for the Wallula and tlO.OCO for the Ocklahama. The boats were examined by the Port of Port land's engineer, who reported that the Ocklahama was worth fully $10,004 In his Judgment, as she was very nearly as good aa new. having been rebuilt and bad new boilers within a few years, but that the $10,000 was too much for the Wallula. After several offers and counter offers, the Coramla- , Answer The Commission doesn't claim perfection for Its work, which is at nil times very much handicapped by exist ing conditions: they only claim that they have done the best they knew how under the advice of experts- and practical men familiar with such matters, it is un doubtedly true that much work that Is now of temporary benefit would be per manently accomplished if the owners of property extending along the harbor llnrei would put in bulkheads, which the Port of Portland has for years endeav ored to Induce them to do. but almost Invariably without effect. The same criticism lies sgalrsrt ths work, tip to the present time, of the United States Government, which, however, will co operate with the Port In permanent work as soon as the 30-foot project lei started. Ninth Throwing out bids on a stern- wheel boat and rejecting the plans of the engineer because there appeared In the list of bids an envelope of a California company which was known to make low offers of construction, and now naving new plans prepared by an employe of the Willamette Iron Steel Works, ap parently In order to give that company a marked advantage, and later awarding the contract at a figure far higher than the work could be done for elsewhere. Answer There Is absolutely no foun dation for the above allegations: shortly before taking over the towage service In the Willamette and Columbia rivers, the Commission caused plans to be made for aa ocean-going tug and a aternwneel boat, upon the recommendation of the engineer that two craft of each type would he neccesary to perform the serv ice, and bids were asked on the same accordingly. But It was decided to re jKt ail of the sold bids, on account of the high cost of the boats and of the long time that would be occupied in their contraction, and to lease such tow- boats aa were necessary (in addition to the Wallula and ocaianama) until aucn time as the Commission and Its em ployes should have had some experience wtth the service ieu w wrucr &oie to determine how large a permanent 1n veexment was absolutely necessary. Tlie Commission Is now having the plana dmi for a new sternwneei noat (as elsewhere exated). but by an employe of their own. and not of be Willamette Iron Steel Works; sua snouia tney decide to build her. tne contract will be awarded only according to law, after due advertising and open competition, to the party making the most advan tageous bid. Force Itcduced for i-U-onomy. Tenth Discharging the superintendent ef the drydock because he was too active n getting busineaa to compete with the Oregon Do dock Company, whlcn Is When You Buy A Cooking or Heating Stove you want to know exactly what you are getting. You want to be positive that you are getting your in o n e y 3 worth. You should feel that every dollar you exchange for a stove will come back to you in service heat and low fuel consumption. Charter Oak Stoves and Ranges bave stood tho test for sixty-three years. Today as yesterday and the day before they are working in tens of thousands of homes, doing better service than you ever thought possible of a stove. Nowhere will you find a stove or range that has the back-bone of a Charter Oak. Look where you will, none was ever made that equals by half the value you can get out of any Charter Oak. The Charter Oak has a Fire Back that is guaranteed for five years if coal is used; whereas in the consumption of wood.it carries a guarantee of Twenty Years. Charter Oak Stoves and Ranee am well and thorouthly made by the most skilled men known to the trade. No skimpinr or low trade metals DO light Iminrs no scarcity f rivets and bolts. They are the best stoves that can be made lor they ra tbe work of the pioneer stove men in America, constructed of the stroof eat ana Dia est trade materials obtainable. A Charter Oak Heating Stove adds comfort. cheer and dicntty in any room yoa place It. They fivs every bit oi heat required with lesa fuel con sumption than any other stove and require less attention. A Charter uak Kante is tbe most sa tisfactory and economical cook in? and baJcinr ap paratus known. You're not everlastingiy cbocJc ln( cither the stove or theranre with fuel. You're not forever payint; repair on is to keep tnem workmr. They will not go Ume or tall to nieces. They are made to last and to five the acme of service in every direction. They are tas proof. Yoa can to to bed and find your fire in rood con dition the next moraine and there will be no tout odors in your room. We want you to examine Charter Oaks. If In convenient to to to the dealer in your town, write us for our free books. You can't afford to buy a stove or rants until you bave touted out all about th Charter Oak. FOR SALE BY Hntfr Frtmma Hardware Co-. Hales Aa cots. Xd and Aah bt Portland, Or. Charter Oak Stove & Range Co. St. LouU - k Z UAH AND FURNACES. Mo. owned by the Willamette Iron & Steel Works and the Pacific Bridge Company. Answer The resignation of Robert Mc intosh was asked for toward the elope of the year 1SC8. soon after It became apparent that the Income of the dock was being: so largely reduced by com petition as to make It specially necessary to economize, and also when It appeared that the reduced volume of business1 could easily be handled by one man. The Commission therefore dispensed with the services of Mcintosh (but not at the suggestion of Mr. Swigert), for which he had received 20o per month, and pro moted the assistant foreman at a salary of U2S (being an Increase of 5 per month on what he had received aa subordinate), thus saving the sum of H75 pt-r month. It really seem, inconceiv able that any right-thinking; or unpre Judlced person could entertain tor a mo ment the preposterous charge that Mr. 8wlgert caused the discharge of Robert Mcintosh because of his great anility. and of Ms success In securing business for the public dock to the detriment of the Interests of the rival company! The absurdity of such a charge la sufficient refutation. Eleventh Preparing ts build two new tugs at approximately (100.000 each, when the need for towing craft is disappear ing owing to the increase of the use oi steam craft In the shipping business. Answer The Commission is not pre paring to build two tugs, but Is having the plans drawn for one sternwheel boat, because It has learned from ex perience that one river boat Is alto gether Insufficient for ths business, either present or prospective, and the CommlKslon deems it cheaper to build a second boat than to hire outside tugs, which It la constantly doing, and which, owing to the Increase of logging and other business on the river. Is becoming more and more difficult. While the Com mission recognises the growing Import ance of steamships as carriers, they are of the belief that sailing craft and barges will be used for many years, be side which they have In mind that large steamers very seldom move in the har bor by means of their own power, and almost always require tne services or no tugboats. Dock Rates Explained. Twelfth Increasing the rates of the public drydock about to per cent, etc Answer This alleged Increase In rates of docking has been explained In the public prints; the rates have been re duced, -but the experiment of giving two days" dockage practically free, having proved unsuccessful, was aoanaonea, ana fair rate cnargea ior eacn ana every day, - In accordance with tne custom ex isting throughout tne world. The net result of this Is a reduced rats for one day. which generally suffices for tne docking, painting and cleaning or any craft, however large, but of. course, in an increased rate If the vessel occupies the dock for one or two days more at regular rates. Instead of at the experi mental figure of two cents per day per ton: after these two days again the rates are lower than before. Thirteenth Offering to lease the pub lic dock with an option of purchase to the Oregon Drydock Company at an ab surdly low figure, and with the Intent of putting the docking business here In, the Hands or a monopoly. Answer Tho proposed lease or tne dork to the Oregon Drydock Company never got beyond the stage of prelimi nary negotiations, owing to the restrain ing order of the Circuit Court Issued on the application of Captain Crowe, but they never Included aa option of pur chase. They grew out of the discovery by the Commission that the Oregon Dry dork Company was securing all the com petitive business, partly by reason of Its more convenient location, but mainly because of its right to do painting and cleaning. which is forbidden to the commission by the terms of Its charter. Thereupon It was sug gested to the Drydock Company that It might be necessary to make the pub lic dock absolutely-free. In order to con tinue It as a public utility, upon which Intimation Mr. Corbett proposed to lease th. dock at a rental of about S3.000 per annum and of about 40 per cent of the gross receipts of both, docks, the lesees to pay the operating expenses. The com mission stipulated that It must continue to fix the rates of dockage, and that it must control the dock Itself to such extent as to require the lessees always to keep It open to the public precisely as they have always done and as they do now to which Mr. Corbett assented. Interference Costs Heavily. Tills lease would have resulted in an Im-ome of at least flo.000 per annum to ward the interest charge of flti.000. and with the dock Just aa much a public utility as It Is now: but the result of Captain Crowe s action (the whole mat ter of ths lease being held up for tbe See Regular Friday Advertisement Last Page Exceptional Bargains Portland Agents for Adler-Rochester Clothes for Men Gotham Shirts The Greater 1 Mfcfo Friday Surprise Meier Framik Store Sole II"'' 1 o. " ZK?''r I ill Mil ?ehfc . Men's Cooper Rib bed Underwear Surprise ya?s 98c Today for the big 1084th Friday surprise sale, in the men's furnish ing section, a sale of 5000 garments of the famous Cooper ribbed Underwear for men, at one-third less than the-regular price. The best fitting garments made; form fitting, well finished, with pearl buttons and well faced; come in all sizes, gray only. Let shrewd men take advantage of this rare opportunity to purchase a stand ard make of underwear at much less than regular value. An $1.50 grade, special for 1084th surprise sale, the garment Jw 000 Pairs Men's Fancy Hose LISLE AND CASHMERE 25to50cVals.l7c Hose that mean comfort and satisfaction for Winter. Feel almost as good as silk hose, wear well, and are a sensible article for wear these wet "Winter months ; come in plain or fancy colors, tan, gray, black, green, helio and fancy effects. Regular 25c, 35c 1 f and 50c values', special for this surprise sale today at Surprise Sale Men's Suits $20.00 Vals. at $15.00 All-wool materials and the most snappy models; the sort that dressy men like to wear; come in fancy worsteds, cassimeres and cheviots; the colors are grays, browns and dark fancy worsteds. Wermly believe these to be the best regu lar $20 valnes in Portland. Sizes for all men. Special for to- rfs-t j- r f day only mail orders promptly filled see Sixth-street window D iD.UU Colossal Picture Surprise 17c, 23c, 39c, 49c Each A sale of Framed Pictures that will set many thinking of Christmas, and what an opportunity this is to secure a very acceptable gift at a s'maU outlay! Ovals of all sizes, in black, brown and gilt frames; genuine carbon photographs of famous classics, Cupid sleep and Awake; hand colored platinums, landscapes, marines, heads and figures, fruit studies, Indians, dogs, etc., etc. Size 6x8 inches. Size 5x7 inches. 35c values, i J special for 50c values, 05 special for Size 7x9 inches, 75c values, jq snecial for r - - Size 10x12 inches, 51 values, 40 sneeia! for SEE FIFTH-STREET WINDOW DISPLAY MAIL ORDERS FILLED h H Mi m Hmt present, pending the result of an appeal) is that the dock Is run at a heavy loss Its gross receipts for dockage during the 12 months Immediately following the openlns; of the other dock were $4698.49 (against JU.33L88 for the preceding 12 months) while - the operating expenses during that time were lia.41S.42. It Is fair to say. however, that tne saw operating- exnenses covered work done on the Port of Portland's dredges and tug boats and care of its property during the rear. But the fact remains that Captain Crowes interference is costing the port at the present ume at least 000 per annum, with no benefit to anyone. Fourteenth Making C. . 1 jonnson superintendent of the dock immediately after he. as Councilman in ou jonns, naa cast the deciding vote which gave to the Portland Gas Company a gas fran chise In that city. C. F. Adams, Treas urer of the Port of Portland, being presi dent of the Gas Company. Answer An affidavit of C. L. John son, duly sworn to. setting forth, among other facts, that he was promoted to the position of foreman by Charles F. Swig ert. and that at the time of the granting of the franchise by the Common Coun cil of St. Johns, he had no acquaintance with Mr. C F. Adams, and had never seen him: that he had never connected In his mind the fact of Mr. Adams being president of the Gas Company wtth that of his being also a member of the commission: that the only part he took In the negotiations between the city and the Gas Company was to in sist that the work should be completed In days, as'against 130 days asked for by them; that no request was ever made of him by Mr. Adams, directly or indi rectly, or by anyone representing or pre tending to represent him. that he should favor the franchise asked for by the Gas Company; and. finally, that the said franchise was granted by the unanimous Tote of the seven members of the Com- i mon Council of St. Johns. Only Inspected Meat Tsed. Fifteenth Making preferential con tracts for repair, work and for furnish ing provisions, when lower bids had been tendered by others for the same service. Answer As stated in the answer to the fourth charge, no contracts are en tered into without advertising and the taking of bids. The proposals of the Frank U. Smith Meat Company, which we conclude are those referred to In the above charge, were always rejected be cause they never - complied with ths specifications; the Commission estab lished the rule of using Government In spected meat only, largely upon the ad vice of the then United States Commis sary of the Department of the Columbia, who had pointed out to the members of the Commission the danger of accepting any meat from animals that had not been inspected by Government experts, stating that in his experience he had S14.95 Round Trip Fare $1495 TO THE NATIONAL APPLE SHOW SPOKANE, WASHINGTON NOVEMBER 14 TO 19, 1910 VIA THE OREGON RAILROAD & NAVIGATION COMPANY Sales Dates: November 13 and 14 - Final Return Limit Nov. 24. 2 THROUGH TRAINS DAILY Spokane Flyer, leaving 6 P. M. Soo-Spokane-Portland, 11 P. M. Electric Lighted Observation, Pullman and Tourist Sleeping Cars. Day Coaches. DONT FORGET THE PORTLAND Business Men's Excursion Leaving Portland November 16 at 4 P. M. " ON SPECIAL ELECTRIC LIGHTED PULLMAN TRAIN For full particulars call at City Ticket Office, Third and . Washington Streets. WM. McMURRAY General Passenger Agent, Portland, Oregon. seen many steers that looked perfectly halthy, which when slaughtered proved to be permeated with disease. Sixteenth That the Commission made Concluded on pae FORT GEORGE COMMERCIAL CLUB An organiiation of Fort George cltl zene and business men will give au thentic information free regarding openings for business and investments in what will be one of the largest Canadian cities. The registered legal townsite of Fort George adjoins the Indian reservation on the west and faces on the Nechaco River. There is no other logical loca tion for a city in the vicinity and ev ery railroad chartered to build through Central British Columbia will run through our town because they can't help themselves. We will .have all railroads. Other townsltes starting In the vicinity will have none at .all because of the topog raphy of the country. Fort George Is the geographical and strategic commercial center of British' Columbia and has now 1000 miles of navigable waterways and - will have 2000 miles. Fort George is growing rapidly and by the time the first railroad reaches the place in 1912, will have 5000 popu lation and In five years 20,000. Let us send you first hand facts about Fort George. Tou can get quick, reply by addressing Fort George Publicity Bureau, Room CIS 543 Granville St., Vancouver, B. C. Or If you prefer, address. Secretary Commercial Club, Fort George, B. C.