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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 1914)
18 TIIE SUNDAY OREGONIA3J", . . PORTjLAND. DECE3IBEK 20, 1914. RICH AND POOR FEEL SPIRIT OF YULET1DE Shoppers, Rushing to and Fro, Have Rivals in Busy Charity Workers. GIFTS FOR NEEDY PILE UP Giving Is Evident Everywhere and All Join In Plans to Cheer "Kid dies" Prisoners and Other' "Wards Will Be Remembered. . Should anyone doubt that the Christ mas spirit prevails in Portland, let him visit any of the shops that glitter with Yuletide finery and see the anxious look on the faces of people of all ages who are choosing gifts for a certain someone, more or less near or dear, as the case may be. Let this doubtful person visit the ' toy shop in any of the stores and see a rather bored looking Santa Claus, who is kept busy every minute repulsing- the attacks of urchins who want to pull his long, white whiskers and make certain for themselves whether or not he is real. There Is. somehow, an intangible something in the air that makes it cer tain that the year's great big holiday is at hand. There, is not a doubt about It, the Merry Christmas is coming fast, too fast for those belated ones who 1 have not yet arranged their shopping lists and made the major part of their purchases. Spirit of divine In Abroad. If there is any distinction to be drawn between one Christmas and an other in Portland, this year's celebra tion of the birth of the Savior will have more in it of thoughtfulness for others and of aiding the unfortunate than ever before. Wider plans are being made for bringing Christmas cheer to those who otherwise would lack the essentials of a proper celebration and the spirit of giving is abroad through- out the city. The busiest preparations in all Port land for this line of Christmas activity are being- made at the Muts' headquar ters in the Fittock building. In large rooms on the seventh floor, Frank Cof ; flnberry and a corps of assistants are ,- bustling about, with the work well in hand. They expect to give the biggest ' Christmas tree party ever held on " this coast. No fewer than 4000 'kid-'-" dies" of the 'city, of all ages, are to be recipients of gifts from the Muts" tree, which will be stripped at the Armory, on the day before Christmas, between 2 and 5 in the afternoon. All "Kiddies" to Get Gifts. Invitations are being given out through the Parent-Teacher Associa tions, and streetcar tickets have been issued with the compliments of the Portland Railway, Light & Power Com. .pany. that will bring the children to the Armory from their homes and re- turn them. Boxes are being filled with gifts for children up to the age of 8 years, and other assortments of pres ents are being prepared for those above that age. In addition to a present, each child will receive a basket of candy, auts and fruit. A concert will entertain the children and vaudeville performers are volun teering their services. The undertak- ing is an immense one. but in view of the energy with which it is being at tacked, it is a safe guess that it will be a success. Besides, the Muts expect to Bend out 300 baskets of food for Christmas dinners. The Portland Commons is preparing Christmas cheer for those who seem likely to bo forgotten by all else. These are none other than the inmates of the Hate Penitentiary, and, while their dull lives are brightened by a remembrance, the wives and children of these men will attend a dinner at the Portland Commons headquarters at Front and Burnslde streets. Prisoners Are Not Forgotten. The boxes for the prisoners will con tain cakes, candy, jelly, nuts and fruits. Friends of the organization can help In a practical way, say those in charge . of the work, by aiding in supplying the items needed to fill the boxes. It is hoped to have a sufficient supply of boxes, so that prisoners in the county and city jails also may be remembered. "Nobody's children," at the Albertina Kerr Nursery Home. 129 Fourteenth street, will have a Christmas tree, also under the direction of the Portland Commons. There are 36 children at the home. The same organization will give a dinner to the girls of the Louise fiome, Jts uaoie street, on Christmas day. Children of the . Frazer Detention Home will attend the Muts' tree at the Armory, and the Salvation Army also is giving tickets to children for the same affair. At the Frazer Home. programme and dinner has been ar ranged. Christmas carols will be sung by the children of the Boys' and Girls' Aid fcociety. Special features .are being prepared by Superintendent Runo Arne and it is hoped to have a bright Yule tide festival. A Christmas tree will brighten the Children's Home in South Portland. A special dinner will be fcerved and presents provided for each child. A play, "Christmas Stockings," will be presented by the children on Christmas Eve. At the Baby Home, there will be a celebration in keeping with the season. There are 65 babies in the institution, ail under 3 years of age. Old People to Be Cheered. The festival will be observed at the Old People's Home on the day fol lowing the holiday. There will be a special dinner and other features to make the occasion memorable. Elderly people at the Fatton Home, who num ber S3, will be cheered by a visit of college boys and girls on December 23. when a tree will be given and a programme of music provided. Frater nity members of the Beta Theta l'i, from the University of Oregon, will supply the cheer for the occasion and they will be assisted by a number of uorority girls. The Salvation Army will, as usual, give baskets containing dinners to the poor, each case having been in vestigated previously by army workers. The baskets will be given out at 10 o'clock on the morning before Christ mas. It is expected to distribute 300 dinners in this way. A Christmas tree for the Salvation Army Sunday school will be given in Scandinavian Hall, A Tenth and Burnside streets, on Christ- ' mas day. Shoes and BankeU for Poor. The Volunteers of America expect to send out about 400 baskets of food on Christmas to worthy people and to glve from 100 to 2C0 pairs of shoes to children from one to ten years old. The People's Institute will send out J 'hristmas baskets to a large num a her of people, bringing cheer where it is most needed. The Junior League of societv maids and matrons will dis tribute .many baskets for the poor and the Presbyterian San Grael Society will i clve gifts to many families, co-operat ing with the Muts in this work. The Socipl Service Bureau of the I F the doll you buy for a. good little girl this Christmas does not bear the label "Made in Germany," do not look askance at it, although it may be the first time in your experience this thing has happened. This year many dolls of American manufacture are on the-market, and, best of all, many of them are unbreakable. - They are made of. a strong composition and may be slammed about, regardless of conse quences. This is the first year they have been placed on the market, and the china doll of childhood memory may soon go into- the discard along with many other things of the happy but remote past. Character dolls are in favor this Christmas. They are Dutch and Indian dolls in costume that are attractive, and society women in miniature fill large sections of the doll stores. Be sides, there are large numbers of the famous Dresden puppets made for the delight of the children of the whole world, for the war has not stopped the output of the German factories, and dealers are advised they can be sup plied as usual. As might have been expected, to the dismay of peace advocates everywhere, the little tin soldier is more popular this year than ever. There are the round wooden soldiers ' with scarlet coats that stand on a circular base, shouldering the stiff little .. wooden musket, which were so popular when grandpa was -a child, and then there are all sorts of soldiers besides. With the exception that these toys are more elaborate and in bigger demand than ever before, there is no change In the inevitable soldier that blooms out in regiments at Christmas. The teddybear is still strong in favor, despite its age as a popular toy. It has come to stay, in the opinion of toy dealers, who thought people would re fuse to buy them several seasons ago. Local stocks of bears are at a rather low ebb already because of the strong demand. Cloth animals, however, seem to be displacing the woolly ones in popular favor. There is a large demand, say dealers. Parent-Teacher Associations will dis tribute toys and clothing to many families at Christmas. At the Swedish Tabernacle, Seventeenth and Glisan streets, a dinner will be given on Christmas day to Swedish sailors in port and others of Scandinavian birth. At Multnomah County Farm and the County Hospital, the day will be marked by special dinners. - At the county and city jails, holiday . menus will be provided. Hospitals to Have Trees. At both Good Samaritan and St Vincent's Hospitals, there will be Christmas trees for the children and special services of a religous nature. Christmas dinners will be served and decorations provided. In Episcopal and Catholic churches of the city, there will be services in the forenoon of Christmas day at hours ranging from 6 to 11. Holy Eucharist and sermons will be heard and masses will be sung in memory, of the first Christmas. Many churches, Sunday schools and children's societies will celebrate with Christmas trees on Thursday night. Clubs, cafes, varioiA societies and organizations will have celebrations of their own, and big dinners and jollity will mark the holiday. There are in numerable gatherings in places with out number .and the acts of charity scheduled by: no means cover the great extent of such kindliness that will prevail. Private citizens have pet charities of their own where they will play the role of Santa Clans grace fully but few will know of their good deeds. Christmas Swim Called Off. rrhe Christmas swim, so long a feature of the day in Portland, has been called oft this season, although some incorrigible swimmers threaten to plunge into the river despite this action. There is a soccer game scheduled for Multnomah Field and there will be football games, also amateur, at Penin sula, Columbia and Sellwood parks, Montgomery Flats. South Portland Bot toms. East Twelfth and East Davis streets and Tweiity-flf th and Raleigh streets. There will be a Christmas shoot at the Portland Gun Club, at Jenne Sta tion on the Estacada line. There will bo a boat race on the river between members of the crew of the steamer Rose City. The course will be from the Broadway to the Burnside bridge. RAILROAD MEN AID POOR Employes at Albins Shops Donate $150 to- Fund of Muts. Practical aid for the Christmas cam paign of the Muts was given the past week, when employes of the Albina shops o the O.-W. R. & N. Company sent in $450 in cash to help make Christmas bright for those who other wise would be without its cheer. Last Monday was payday at the Al bina shops and every one of the 500 men, from engine wipers to the super intendent of motive power, "chipped in." Messrs. Allehoff, Dumond and Austin formed a committee that re ceived subscriptions and the workmen gave liberally to the cause. They real ized that an organization having the work in hand could handle it more ex fectively than they could as individuals. The committee brought the Christmas fund to the general offices in the Wells Fargo building and it was turned over to C. Q. Sutherland, assistant to Uen eral Manager O'Brien, who took it to Mut headquarters in the Plttock block and it was promptly placed In the bank until It will be disbursed for the things that will make Christmas happy for many needy families. Astoria Sees No Relief. ASTORIA. Or., Dec. 19. (Special.) Twenty-nine degrees above zero is the point that has been reached by the mercury during each of the past three nights. The disagreeable east wind still continues and there appears 1o be no indication of an Immediate breakin un of the cold snap. Dollf (3) The Girls, the Doll- and, I f I - J J ' XIPr the Dog. I I li? - .1 ii ii i imnWr i ft) in -i n 1 1 f ""airifni.it a-nm. L, - II for the outfits of apparatus whereby any child may become .a construction engineer and build bridges, skyscrapers or other marvels. They have been more extensively advertised this sea son than ever and some shops have been about sold out.- This is a prod uct of the American toyraaker. is also a clever toy that simulates an automobile race on a circular track. The apparatus is . operated by elec. tricity. Miniature autos that small boys oper ate on the sidewalks are equipped with electric lights this year for the first time. Doll buggies have a fashion all their own and the linglish Chaise model is in favor this season. In mechanical toys, those displayed in past seasons are all with us and be sides there is a somersaulting dog that is entirely new this year. This clever bow-wow. being properly wound up", jumps into the air and turns completely over, lighting on his feet, and he keeps tirelessly at it until the clockwork runs down. "KIDDIES" AWAIT SANTA Christmas Tree and Irogramme to Cheer Children's Home. The little people who live in the Chil dren's Home will eclebarte Christmas eve with an elaborate entertainment, a tree and a general good time. Santa Claus never forgets the home. The pro gramme Which will be given by the children will be made up of 18 numbers, but that .will not be too much for the boys and girls who will listen to the songs and recitations. The first number will be a marching song by all of the youngsters.' Winifred Ford will give the "Welcome" recita tion. Kenneth Frultt will recite, Vir gil Farrar and Joe Jenkins will sing "Little White Flakes." Walter Kremer will recite ' "Santa Claus is Comlns." ORPHANS GET GIFTS Berlin Welcomes Arrival of American Christmas Offering. CHILDREN SING CAROLS Three Sons of Crown Prince Attend Form a I Reception and Lord Mayor Declares Deed Is Pledge Gospel Rules Over AVar. BERLIN, Dec. IS, via London, Dec. 19. The American Christmas gifts for the children of fallen German soldiers ar rived today. They were accompanied from Naples by representatives of the German Foreign Office. A reception was given today by the municipality of Berlin for the formal presentation of the gifts. It was at tended by the Lord Mayor, leading city functionaries, Baron Mumm von Schwarzensteln, representing the For eign Office; Prince Hatzfeldt, president of the German Red Cross, which under takes the distribution of the gifts; James W. Gerard, the American Arrfbas tiador: his wlfo and other members of the Embassy, and the Empress' two chief ladies in waiting. The- Crown Prince's three eldest sons, dressed In sailor suits, were also present and at tracted much attention. Five hundred girls and boys with American and German flags were sta tioned on the broad stairway of the Town Hall and awaited the arrival of the official party, and a picked choir of children sang Christmas carols around a Christmas tree. The Lord Mayor, in the course of his speech of welcome, eald : "This noble deed will be kept In our memory for a long time as a pledge to us that our worldly quarrels are over powered by the gospel of 'Peace on earth, good will toward men.' " The Norddeutsche Zeltung, comment ing editorially on the arrival of the gifts, says: "We extend the capital's hearty wel come to this - demonstration, free from any political design and an expression oi pure love or Humanity, whose value the German people know how to appre ciate, even in the stress of war time. "The Christmas festival has not lost its charms to the souls of Germans by reason of the war forced upon us." ROAD TO ENTERTAIN 1400 O.-W. K. & jr. to Prepare Spread for Alien Without Homes. Biggest of all the dinners that will be spread on Christmas day in Port land will be that given annually by the O.-W. R. & N. Company to unat tached and homeless men. There will be :bout 1400 guests, it Is anticipated, and 'nvitations, printed in red and gree with a border of holly, are now being- issued. Th. dinner will be served on "the good ship Hassalo, of the transpor tation company's fleet, which will be moored at the Ash-street dock. - The meal will last from 11 A. M. until 3:70 P. M. From 250 to 275 diners will be served per hour. A carload of Christmas greens has arrived from Ilwaco and the Hassalo is being made gay with vivid Christmas colors. The large waiting-room at tho Ash-street dock will be used as a reception-room, where the company wtll welcome its guests. Greens and other decorations are being used profusely to make It particularly -attractive. Forty members of the Harriman Club hi , yx fe" . ) If, .. - - - Among the other numbers will be: Recitation. Gertrude Lidberg; recita tion, Florence Nutt; Christmas song by the boys of the home; "What a Little Boy Thinks About Santa Claus," Rich- will receive the diners. More volun teers than could be used have offered their services for this work, and the whole organization has entered into the spirit of the occasion. Invitations are now being issued through the Sal vation Army, the Portland Commons, the Men's Resort, " the Volunteers of America and Scadding House. The menu will consist of roast meats, beef and pork, vegetables, plum pud ding, cofTee and tea, and as each man passes out of the dining-room he will be given a pipe and a package of to bacco and fruit. Throughout the dinner there will be music by one of the best quartets in the city. An organ will be installed and old-fashioned tunes will be played. Short talks of a helpful nature will be given at the conclusion of tho meal. Last year there were 1831 guests at the O.-W. It. & N. dinner." Investigation by company officials in charge of the affair shows a lesser number of un attached men in the city this year than last, and It is thought the estimate of 1400 covers will be ample. TREE WARNING IS ISSUED Kire Marshal Stevens Says Careful to Prevent Fires.' Be "Be. careful how you fix up your Christmas tree. Unless it Is done right you may set your house on fire." This is the warning given out yesterday by Fire Marshal Stevens. He says carelessness in handling Christmas trees has been the cause of many fires and accidents on Christmas days here tofore. "Don't use cotton batten for snow. Use fireprof tinsel. Don't uso candles to light a tree. If you must light it, use electric lights. In using electric lights be careful not to let the electric bulbs get near any of the needles on he tree or on anything else that will bum. Fires start easily from electric light bulbs." SPEEDING CHARGE IS FILED II. Tj. Keats Of rers 31achinc to R. H. Strong If He Can Prove Assertion. On complaint of R. H. Strong, H. L. Keats was notified yesterday to ap pear In the Municipal Court to answer to the charge of -. speeding. Strong charged that Keats had been in the habit of speeding his' auto down Vista avenue, past a schoolnouse nearly every morning about 8:30 at-the rate of 40 miles an hour. "I'll give Mr. Strong my automobile if he can make that turn on Vista ave nue at 40 miles an hour," declared Mr. Keats to Patrolman Thompson yester day when notified. He intends to fight the case. BEGGAR TURNS ASSAILANT James Monroe Then Accused of Insulting- Burnside Snloon Crowd. - That upon being refused money he knocked Joseph Miller, 65 years oia. to the pavement, is the charge against James Monroe, arrested yesterday by Detectives Hill and Hammersley on the charge of assault and battery. After striking Mr. Miller, Monroe is said to have flung Insults at a crowd in a saloon at Third and Burnside streets, meantime drawing a rasor and threatening to attack any who neared him. ' Silver Creek Pioneer Dies. CHEHALIS. Wash.. Dec. 19. fSpe cial.) The death of William Van Woert. a pioneer of Silver Creek, in Eastern Lewis County, .25 miles east of Che halis, was reported Friday. Mr. Van Woert wos 84 years of age. He was a Civil "War veteran and had been a member of the Masonic lodge for years. Two sons. William Van Woert. of this city, and J. H. Van Woert, of Silver Creek, survive. The funeral was held yesterday at Silver-Creek. "ia Weinman; Japanese song, Hedaco Xishio; "Hanging - Up Our Stockings." Itosa-Renz, Marjorie Brumler. Mary McCulloch; song, by all of the girls; playlet, "Christmas Stockings," Lillian Krebs, Hazel Hart, Leroy Studebaker, Hazel Studebaker, Ned Crans, Geneva Sentell. Wilke Jeffrey, Celia Cohen, Vic tor Weinman, Mabelle Waldeman; CHILDREN TO GIVE HELP EVERY NEEDY - FAMILY IX SELL WOOD TO GET . XMAS BASKET. School Pupil to Give Programme Tuesday With Entertainment For Adult At Night. All children "who can do so are asked - to bring food, clothing and gifts to the Sellwood school this week, where a committee from the Parent Teachers' Association and the Sellwood churches will make up baskets for distribution among needy families. Gifts for children and food for Christ mas are specially wanted for distribu tion. All the Sellwood churches are assisting in getting names of families which may be in need. It is planned to see that every family in need in Sellwood is provided with Christmas comforts and the children with presents. . - The Auxiliary of the Sellwood Young Men's Christian Association is taking care of 14. families in the Sellwood district. - The Sellwood Commercial Club is re ceiving donations at the clubroom, 579 Umatilla avenue. Food and cloth ing are preferred by. tho club. S. R. Scott. F. C Belcher . and C. Hessmes are the committee in charge, and all articles received will be distributed to needy families. There will be a programme in the Sellwood school Tuesday, when the ex ercises .will ; consist, of. drills, recita tions and songs. Admission will be free, but will be by ticket, as the fire department has restricted tho attend ance to 300. This entertainment will be given for children, and the hall will be reserved for the adults at night. Vancouver Gives Cheer to Children. VANCOUVER, Wash.. Deo. 19. (Spe cial.) At a benefit performance at the Rex Theater here this afternoon, given by society women and the wives and daughters of Vancouver pioneers, fully $100 in cash was realized, hundreds of toys and many suits of clothing and overcoats ' were ' received. All will be distributed next. Thursday, that the Christmas of Vancouver's needy may be somewhat cheerful. HOME WORK IS HIGH-CLASS Cottage r Grove Furniture Is Arjju ' " mcnt for "Buy in Oregon.' COTTAGE GROVE. Or., Dec. 19 (Special.) That most of the furniture used In Cottage Grove and a lot of that used in other parts of Oregon could just ad well be made here is demon strated by the Cottage Grove Manufac turing Company. Roy Smith, one of the owners, has Just completed for himself an elegant gun cabinet. It is made of selected fir of a beautiful grain and is highly pol ished. It looks much like a wardrobe, except that It has a glass door. For the price at which this company can sell this piece of furniture it could not be duplicated by any outside concern, and It is of a quality fit for the most luxurious home. The company recently has made a number of large doll cribs, which Santa Claus has ordered for some of the little girls of the city. A num ber of beautiful cedar chests are among the other pieces of furniture recently turned out. KIma Library Thriving. ELM A. Wash.. Dec. 19. (Special.) The Elma Public Library's circulation is increasing fast. The circulation for September was 243, for October 422 and for November 819. The library asso ciation now is looking for a suitable site for a building, with the Intent to apply for aid from the Carnegie fund. Appropriation for maintenance of the library carried in the city election by a large majority.- A contest last week Christmas sons, all the children; recita tion, "Just 'Fore Christmas." Ralph Higgins; song. "Jolly Old St. Nicholas," eight little girls:" recitation, "Scaring santa Claus, Eddie Kremer; song, "Waiting for Santa Claus." Viola Krebs. Katharine Krebs, Hazel Jones, Lois Moore, Frieda Cohen, Lizzie Rentz and Mary Brlggs. among pupils of the public school for cash prizes of $5 and 12.50 added 400 new books to the library. TEACHERS URGED TO ACT Extension Work In Agriculture as Soon as Possible, Advised. SALEM. Or., Dec. 19. (Special.) State Superintendent of Public Instruc tion Churchill favors the letter which J. Alton Yeager, Supervisor of Uma tilla County, is sending to the teach ers of his district. Mr. Yeager sug gests to the teachers that they begin extension work in agriculture as soon as possible. His suggestions in part follow: "We think you can magnify results if you minimize the scope of your work; therefore we advise that you choose only one or two of the five projects pig-raising, poultry-raising, corn-growing, dairy record-keeping and garden ing. Some one or more of these five projects may be taught successfully in any part of Umatilla County. "You are to be the pupil's guide in making the choice of projects, consid ering the soil, the climate and the pupil's aptitude and home environment. A county industrial fair will be held in Pendleton next year during 'Round up' week and at least "00 will be available for cash prizes. The best ex hibits will be sent to the State Fair, where the prizes will be larger, and some pupil from your school can share In these if he will try." 200 HUNTERS TO AID POOR Umatilla. Parties Seek 5000 Babbits for Portland Muts. PENDLETON, Or.. Per. 19. (Spe cial.) Two hundred Umatilla County btntcrs will take the field tomorrow In an effort to kill 6000 jackrabbits for the Portland organization of Muts. which will distribute thorn among the poor of that city. Two different parties will go out from Pendleton, Stanfield and Hermiston, while one each will go out from Echo and Umatilla. The hunters will be drawn up in lines under a leader, who will see that only straight ahead firing Is indulged in. Ranchers in the rabbit infested sec- A REQUEST . WITH ONLY FOUR MORE SHOPPING DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS we urge upon our patrons the importance of shop ping early In the day. BECArSG no women employes will be retained after S P. M and. owing to the character of the merchandise in our Sixth street building, our main building. Sixth and Alder streets, will not be open evenings. In order to help our large army of sales women In -their sincere desire to serve yon well in the limited shopping time, whenever possible for yon to do so. PLEASE SHOP EARLY IV THE DAY. Toytown and the Men's Furnishing Departments will he open evenings from 6 to 9 o'clock until Christmas. In all de partments Immense stocks of New Gift Merchandise, never be fore Bhown, have been brought forward for ycur selections, and is the greatest assortment ever offered in Portland. OUR REQUEST to shop early in the day during the few re maining days before Christmas is to your further advantage in facilitating the delivery of Gift Purchases. What Co old ft s More Appropriate Chrirtmas Present Thaa a. Piano Stool at. Grand Plaw Bench, or a. ?Clc Player Piaao Brnehf Special Sale of Piano Stools, Benches and Player Piano Benches I,t A 10 Ptajjo StooTs Stools that, regularly- sen for f265. and In this lot you win find come stools that can. haxdXy be told from new. Others slightly shopworn, but they will all be dosed, out a.t 65. 75c and S5 each. A. few Piano Stools of the X. 3.E0 and $5 values wtll be. sold for Sl.XO. and 81.4o each- It B Consists of Baby Grand Pixno Benches, and Lot C consists of Flayer ptano Bencits. There are 86 of these In icerrutne solid mahogany, walnut and oak- Regular values 18.75. 110 and $J.a; now to be sold at U.75 some only HUSO and ISX.CO. Some of the must expensive at 5 and $4.20. Kearly all tof these Benches aa-e new ones, orig inally mad. for playwr pianos, and afterward we ordered more elabo rate styles for customers who want ed special maltta. Remember, there arc only S6 of them, so come early. EaERS BLILDrtG, Bmdwsr Rt Alder. OiKn KvcnliiK tin til 10 o'clock. tlona are xletng to draw hunters to their localities. In same instances. lunches will be served free and In every case wagons will be furnished to haul the rabbits to the railroad sta tions. "GO-TO-SCH00L DAY" SET Polk Parents Crged to See Work of Pupils by Superintendent. MONMOUTH, Or.. Dec. 19. (Spe cial.) County School Superintendent Seymour has set aside a "go to school day." on which all the parents in the county have been asked to attend the school sessions to see the work that the pupils are doing. Since the visit- ng of the parents has been encour aged by the county office, a large num ber have paid visits to the schoolrooms this Fall. Later in the term it is planned to have a general "get together" day. when the people of the districts will meet at the schoolhouse and discuss plans for the coming year and suggest improvements. The first meeting will occur late this term. Big dinners will feature the meetings. SHERIDAN HAS RESTR00M Civic Improvement Club Considers Installing Drinking Fountain. SHERIDAN, Or.. Dec. 19. (Special.) The auxiliary to the Sheridan Com merical Club, the Civic Improvement Club, has fitted up a restroom in the Sheridan State Bank building and opened it to the public. Some member of the club acts as matron each day so that constant su pervision of the room is maintained. The Civic Improvement Club Is consid ering the installation of a drinking fountain to bo placed in the business section on Bridge street. Forest Notes. Only 1 per cent of last season's 4no fires in National forests of Utah. South ern Idaho, Western Wyoming and Ne vada caused losses in excess of $100. - Virginia uses more wood for boxes and crates than any other state, fol lowed by New York, Illinois. Massa chusetts and California, In the order named. Those familiar with the Kastern mis tletoe only have no idea of the great losses due to this parasite in the for ests of the West, where it counts next to fire and Insects in the amount ot damage done. In parts of the West where trees are scarce, sagebrush is used for fuel. In Nevada the large main stems are trimmed by Indians at $3 a cord and delivered to the user at about $6.00. Sagebrush burns rapidly and is rather dirty, but produces good heat. A log raft containing 1,000.000 feet of cedar, said to be the largest ever floated on the Pacific, recently made the trip from British Columbia to Pugct Sound. It was 100 feet long and 70 feet wide; it stood 15 feet out of the water and 20 feet under. Medical Society Is Formed. THE DALLES, Or., Dec. 1?. (Spe cial.) The Tri-County Medical Society was organized here this week, the members being tho licenced physicians of Hood River, Sherman and Wasco counties. The organization will be a branch ot the Oregon State Medical Society and the American Medical As sociation. The members are: Drs. O. D. Doane. J. A. Reuter. ,1. M. Lowe. Fred F. Thompson, Frank J. Brown, Thompson Coberth. The Dalles: M. H. Taylor. Grass Valley; David Robinson, Mosier; H. C. Dodds. T. E. Griffith, Dufur; J. I Elwood, Harry F. Schan non, Tygh Valley; F. C. Brosius. 13. O. Dutro, Jesse Edington. O. R. Abraham, J. M. Wauh. J. H. McVay. J. F. Watt. K. D. Kanaga. H. L. Dumball. Hood River; W. N. Morse and William Hnckin. Wasro.