vt r I ' s. Jfism-X- J-.r J f X JL OFFICIAL PAPER OF COLUMBIA COUNTY r i ol. xxxiv. ST. HELENS, OREGON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1915. NO. 8 ATE NIGHT FIRES ES OTAL DESTRUCTION IN BOTH CASES MAKES HOMELESS ONES. IRE DEMON BUSY IN OUR MIDST omc Insurance Helps to Re lieve the Panjj of Se vere Loss. The (Ire doraon hat been manifest jng hit authority la this community ft lute with most disastrous result. two splendid residences have boon Jostroyed. with all the Inconvenience ind discomfiture such occurrencer Mitall. I,aHt Sunday morning about hree o'clock blasts from the mill hlstle warned the community of a iro, which proved to be In the real lnce of J. C. Kelly, near the plcnli rounds. Mr. Kelly and family were iwny from home, being at Warron, risking frlondi. The house and If loutcnti wore totally consumed. The roprty wai covered ty $1000 In lursnre on tho house and $600 on lie content. Mr. Kelly atatea hr ill rebuild Just aa soon aa an ad liniment can be had with the un lurwrltctra. Anothor fire, equally is disastrous, occurred on Tuosda) light, when the houae of Robert .Ink, which waa located Juat south it the atore of the Italian Import n,1; Company, waa totally destroyed it 12 o'clock. Mr. and "Mrs. Link niirnly escaped with their Uvea. Mr J.liik'n proporty was Insured for 1 1 400. At both those flrea, especial ly tho latter, there was some dim Jrulty experienced In doing effective klKhtlnx, due to tho untimely hour f the night and distance to be cov red ty the department. At the form r flro good service waa rendered n saving adjoining property, which ova-' greatly imperiled by Ita cloac roxlmlty. ALLEGED SHORTAGE IS MADE GOOD An Item appeared In the Mlsl Jpeveral woeks ago concerning the Itthortllffn In ftftmilint if Ilia lat nt I " -"' i'tlm school district of Qulncy. One of tho Rontlemen from that city who was In St. Unions tills week attend lug tho Foreman case Is authority r.r the Information that the alleged ishnrlago has all been fixed up and that Instead of tho clerk be'ng abort, a settlement of his accounts allowed the district to bo Indebted to him In a small sum. Them attor haa been adjusted and no dlfforoncea exist now botwoen the district and the former clerk. RECENT FIRE LOSS QUICKLY ADJUSTED It took an adjuster of the Oregon 1 1'lre Relief Association, of McMinn- I vlllo, Oregon, about five minutes this i morning to toll Joe Kelly that there i would bo no reduction from the face of his Insurance policy, and that he would get every cent for which the house was Insured. The houso was a totHl loss, while the walls of the base ninnt still stood but were cracked and damaged, so the ' adjuster felt that there should be no doductlons. The action of this company In paying the 'oil amount and not attempting to re luce Ita liability, together with tho promptness In doing so, Is one reason hy the McMlnnvllle Company la ao successful INVESTED WITH SHERIFF'S POWER 8horlff Btanwood Is gathering "'lout him a very efflciont and courageous lot of doputlea. Ills liUost ass'gnmont la to empower James Jossa, city marshal of Rainier, with full authority to officially rop fflsent the principal In all matters within, the county. Mr. JeBse has distinguished himself on several Oc eanians In the past, when he has noon called unon to norform official 'mictions, and his appointment aa a dluty sheriff Is mode In recognition 11 f his tenacious qualltlos to do his " duty on nil occaolona. BURN TWO 1 STRIKING TERROR TO I LOCAT. r.AWBPPATi?D(! BootlcKRinp; Gentry Severely DealtWith. Judge Bymons, of Rainier, la dealing with the law breakers of ma community In such a manner as to put the fear of God Into their souls. He Is particularly after the bootlegger. Last Monday ho fined Frank liutlor, tried In his court, be fore a Jury, and chaiged with Illicit deajlng In fire water. $60 and ten daya In Jail. The honorable Judge states that In future pooplo brought bofore him cn such a charge will receive tho limit, which is $60 fine and twenty-five days In Jail. Soveral cases of bootlegging have been heard In Judge Bymons' court recently, and tho honorable gentleman's ire Is aroused to tho limit. Through the Instrumentality of Sheriff Btan wood and his deputies, Itutler was apprehended In his lawless work and brought to Justice. SUIT AGAINST COUNTY HEARD IN PORTLAND The case of tho S. P. & 8. Hy. Co vs. the Consolidated Contract Com pony and Columbia County, war finished before Judge Wolverton of the Federal Court at Portland last Saturday. The railroad company showed tho condition of the retain ing walls and tho-character of them to the Court and that they had pro tested against the building of such walls. The Contract Company claimed to have called the attention of the State Highway Engineer to the walls, but In all the evidence the county was not connected up In an) way with the damage done to the railroad company. The State En gineers did not go on the stand. The attorneya for the various partlor wore given 20 daya In which to file briefs with the Court and then the Court will .take the matter under -.dvisement before a decision If reached. SEASON FOR CITY . ELECTIONS AT HAND Now com os on the season of city politics, and our sister city of Rain ier la groaning under the load of a superabundance of candidates, two tickets being In the fluid. The lat est one waa launcned last Monday evening, when Thos. J. Fllppln wn nominated tor re-election as mayor; W. Bymons, recorder; James Jesse, marshal); W. C. Lee, water commis sioner; A. T. Fuller, treasurer; G. W. Ilussoll, J. W. Itlce, C. A. Evans and George Miller, as councilman. The saloon question seems to be the most prominent issuo and candidates on both tickets are pledged against licensing the saloon. The election will take place on the 1st of March. TREASURER REPORTS GOOD COLLECTIONS Treaaurer Hattan reports that taxes are being paid at the rate, of about $600 per day. The heaviest taxpuyer on the roll this year Is the S P. & S. Hallway Company, which haa a charge against It of $28,262. 08. The next highest amount la as sessed to the Fir Tree Lumber Com pany, a timber holding concern, which will pay something In excess of $19,000. NEW DISTRICT AT TORNEY APPOINTED W. n. Dlllard, who has held the office of District Attorney for Co lumbia County the past year, has resigned and Govornor Wlthycombe has appointed W. - II. Cooper, of Rainier, to fill the vacancy. Mr. Cooper la a well known citizen and haa been engaged in the practice of law -in this county tor Bevoral years. He will take office at once. BOOTLEGGER IS FINED AND SENT AWAY Claud Sutfln, who was arrested in December for bootlegging at West port, waa indlctod by the recen grand jury and sentonced by Judge Eakln last Tuosday, to pay a fine of $20. This fine wbb romlttod, the offender admonishes to be more eai-oful of his conduct In future, and sont upon his way to be a gentleman and a bettor citizen TAXPAYERS LEAGUE ADOPTS Holds Interesting Meeting, at Which Many Import ant Committees are Named. EFFECTIVE CAMPAIGN WORK OUTLINED FOR FUTURE Propose to Organize Branches Throughout (he County, and Extend Sphere to Include all Public and Community Interests. A Inrgely attended meeting of tho Columbia County Taxpayers League was held at St. Helens last Tuesday, when a hoavy volume of very Im portant matters wero taken up In an enthusiastic manner. The prin cipal work of the moetlng was tho adoption of a constitution nnd by luws and the appointment of various committees. A feature of the League, which has for its purpose the broadening of the scope of endeavor. Is a plan to organize branches or district leagues in various parts of the county, to work In conjunction with tho parent organization. This plan was heartily endorsed, and the dotails are now being worked out for the consumnatlon of the plan. Secretary F. C. Copies reported that copies of the report- of the Roads and Bridges nnd Resolution Committees and a special committee CELEBRATE THEIR WEDDING EVENT Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Tinkham, of Warren, celebrated the 60th anniver sary of their wedding on Thursday of last week, having been married March 4, 1866, In Anson, Maine. In 1864 they removed from that place to Clino, I'l., coming to Portland In 1879, and In 1889 they located at Warren, where they have res'ded continuously ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Tlukham are the parents of six daughters, four of whom are living, and three of them being prosent at the anniversary cetevratlon. There are five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Besides Immediate relatives there were a great many neighbors and frionds joined the aged couple in celebrating the event Mr". Tinkham will bo 81 years of ago noxt Fourth of July, and his worthy wife Is about three years his junior. Good health still blesses this aged couplo, who anticipate several year of Ufa yet MAP OF COUNTY IS BEING MADE County Surveyor L. J. Van Ors hoven Is preparing seme very val uablo mapa nsd plats ot the county, which will contain a groat volume of Information. He. is preparing a map which will show all county roads, both the opened and lald-out portions. In addition, and a very valuable and useful feat ure will bo shown tho school houses, grange hal's and logging railroads. The locatUn of Columbia Highway will aloo bo an distinctive foaturo ot the ntnp. Mr. Van Orshoven is also making a plot of each towcchlp, giv ing the location of county -oada, to gothor with such Information that will make them extremely valuable as reference plats or indexes. SOME TIME AGO JAMES, EH? YES? NO? In the Oregonian of Tuesday, under tho caption, - "Twenty-five Years Ago," appeared this para graph: "James McKay, who returned from Sauvle's Island yesterday, re ports the death of A. Gllllhan, duo to pneumonia contracted from ex posure during the flood. Fifteen cows belonging to Dairyman Frakes wore drowned." This was during the days when James was assistant su perintendent ot streots in Portland, and ho was an efficient official, too, as he Is today, a good farmer and a good ctttzon of tho Scnppooso community. CONSTITUTION report had been sent to the Highway Commissioner and to leading papers of the state and county, j C. J. Larson, of Warren, was olected vice-president, and the fol lowing committees appointed: On membership Burt West, Scappocso; V. J. Fullerton, of St. Helens; T. B. Lott. St. Helens; Mrs. Mildred Watts, Scappoose; F. C. Caples, Columbia City. On legislation M. E. Miller, L. XI. Rutherford and E. E. Quick, St. Helens. On schools Dr. Edwin Ross, St. Helens; Mrs. Burt West and J. G. Watts, of Scappoose. A motion was carried postponing the election for a board of directors. The committee was Instructed to havo the constitution and by-laws printed In pamphlet form. The meeting was adjourned until the last Tuesday In March. POSTOFFICE IS NOT- A LOITERING PLACE Loitering around and otherwise making a nuisance of one's self on the premises used aa Uncle Sam's mall distributing stations is quite contrary to the prescribed rules set forth In- the government code of ethics. The postmaster ot St. Helens has a complaint to register, because 'of frequent breeches of the rules, and has requested us to print the following; Postal KoKiilutions. Tho postal law is, that we must keep a postoffice building clean and orderly, and that tho lobby is not to be used as a loafing place. In order to keep the building or derly a barrel has been placed in , front for the convenience of those who wish to dispose of waste paper. Loafing, marttlng up official notices and other things done with mischievous intent, might bo rem edied by proper instructions from parents. If not other means will be taken. I. E. DODD, P. M. SHIPPING IN THE LOCAL HARBOR Shipping activity tn the loom har bor during the past week 1m been about normal. The Btoam;r Mult nomah cleaied Thursday evening tor San Francisco with the W a puma In tow. The Celtio recelvod full cargo ot lumber and will clear to night for San Diego. Steamer Daisy Freeman due today to load for San Podro, and the Klamath Is due next Tuosday to receive cargo for GuaymaB, Mexico. This will be the Klamath's first voyage to Mex ican waters. CLATSKANIE DRUGGIST A COURT WITNESS W. A. Hall, ot Clatskante, was In tho county seat Wodnesday, not only as an interested spectator, but as a witness before the circuit court. Mr. Hall Is a pharmtaclst of the metropolis of the north end of the county, nnd was subpoened before the court In a matter in which phar maceutical knowledge waa a par ticular feaCure. ACTIVITY IN THE LOCAL SHIPYARDS . The St. Helens Shipbuilding Com pany has received a cont -uct to build a bargg for tho Columbia Contract Company, Some haste Ib to be made on this work as delivery is to be mode March first. W'irk will start noxt week on the hull for tho government snagboat Muth-lomn. QUARTERLY MEETING OF. POMONA GRANGE Will Give Cash Prizes to Po tato Raisers. Pomona Grange held its 48th quarterly session with Yankton Grange on February 6. The morning session was given up to routine busi ness, and tho afternoon to an open session, at which time Prof. John E. Cutherlet, of the State University. delivered a lecture on "Parasites of Domostic Animals and Man." The lecture was very instructive and well attended. A resolution was passed by the Grange protesting agtlnst the pas sage of a proposed law to do away with school boards and give the county court power to appoint a board of education, which would have charge of all schoola-of the county. " It was also decided to offer a first, second and third prize of $3, $2 and $1 to be awarded this year at the County Fair for potatoes. This contest is to be limited to school children, either gradeuating this year or remaining in school. Those contesting are to plant one rod square in potatoes. From the 12 best are to be taken the exhibits, which are to be accompanied by a paper telling of the process ot cul ture employed in raising the crop. Additional prize money may be of fered on this exhibit. An Interesting feature of the even ing program was a talk by Lawrence Tarbell on Farmer's week at O. A. C, having returned that day from Covallis. Five new members were admitted to the Grange. The meeting closed after a vote of thanks had been extended Yank ton Grange for ita generous hospi tality. The dinner cannot be described To be appreciated it had to be eaten The next meeting will probably be held in Vernonia, from which place a cordial invitation was received. GERTRUDE F. COLLINS, Sec. HORSES AND OWNER IMPERILED IN STREAM Jack Goodman, of Houlton, had an experience last Saturday which all but cost him dearly. He attempted to ford Milton Creek at Houlton, with his team and wogon. In doing so his horses were swept from their feet and carried do-wn stream Into a largo pool, from where they and their owner were extricated with some difficulty. The water in the stream was at an unusually high stage, which made rescue work all the more perilous and difficult. Fortunately, Charles Morse, also of Houlton, chanced to be passing at that time with his team. He cast a rope to Mr. Goodman, who at tached it to his wagon, and was pulled out ot the stream by Mr. Morse and one of his horses. ' ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS The annual meeting of the stock holders and directors of the Bt. Hel ens Mill Company was held at the office ot the company In St. Helens Tuesday. The following were in attendance: It. C. Merryman, ' of Exeter, Cel.; .W. F. Clyborn, of Eureka, Cal.; S. M. Hampton, San Francisco; Chas. R. McCormlck, San Francisco; II. F. McCor nick, St. Helens; Geo. M. McBride, as at torney for the company. While there were no arrangements made for any Immediate improvemes. si 111 the directors held out a hopeful view for the future. STREET CROSSING IS GOOD IMPROVEMENT The. crossing ordered placed in Oak street at the intersection of Columbia street, some time ago, by the city council, has just been com pleted. The change from concrete to paving stone as a material was decided advisable owing to the heavy volume of trafflo . at that point. - The paving blocks are laid upon a heavy concrete cushion, and will last indefinitely. Such an im provement 1b credited to the au thorities who ordered It and a sub stantial piece ot work. LOCAL DAIRYMAN IN THE T PROMINENT AMONG THE STATE BREEDERS OF STOCK. READS GOOD PAPER AT BIG MEET Tells of Jersey Cattle and Their Home on Jersey Islands. To try to keep a good man down la just as futile a tatk as trying to change the course of the wind. Co Vaoibla county has hundreds of good men engaged in all the walkB of life, and prominent among them are the dairymen, who do not, In anywise, believing In keeping their light under a bushel. Foremost among these men is Harry West, of Scap poose, who believes In spreading the gospel of dairying. Lata week was farmers' week at the Oregon Agri cultural College, when 2000 people engaged in or interested In farming, fruit raising, dairying, poultry, etc., were in attendance. Columbia coun ty had several representatives there, among them being Mr. West, who raad a most Interesting paper on "Jersey Island and its cattle." Mr. West can do that subject full credit, for he has been on Jersey Island many times in recent years In quest of cattle to bring up the high stand ard of his herd. Harry Is contem plating another visit to tba Jerseys this year, and, of course, will return with some ot the est stock money can buy. GRAND JURY SUB- -MITS ITS REPORT The Grand Jury drawn at tho beginning of the present term of Cir cuit Court, submitted the following report pn February 5, and was dis missed. "To the Honorable Circuit Court for County of Columbia: "We, your Grand Jury, have In vestigated the different charges which have been brought before us, and have disposed of them according to the evidence brought before us. "We have Investigated the county lull and find it to be kept In a san itary and satisfactory manner. "In the office of tho treasurer ot Columbia County we find that the funds of the county are In good con dition, the uncollected taxes being In excess ot tho indebtedness of the coun'y. The other offices of the county we find to be kept !n a satisfactory manner. JOHN M'ADAM, Foreman." . SCHOOL WORK IS WELL IN HAND County School Superintendent J. W. Allen Is vigorously prosecuting a campaign of educational work in the county, having been particularly active tn the work this week. He Is being assisted In his endeavor by Dr. E. Kilpatrick, of Portland, an educator of unusual ability. To gether these gentlemen have held unusually InteresMng meetings at several places. Their Itinerary in cluded Yankton Tuesday evening. Mist Wednesday evening, Vernonia Thursday evening, and Saturday evening of this week they will visit the Warren school. Progress in ed ucational endeavor is gaining by rapid strides everywhere, not alone In the metropolitan school, but tn the rural school as well. Such work as Mr. Allen Is carrying on is greatly to be commended, and It Is a matter of particular gratflcatlon that his' efforts are meeting with such hearty response and willing co-operation from pupils, patrons and teachers everywhere. . The ladies ot the Warren M. E. church have organized a Sunday school, with four classes and an av erage attendance ot 32. The public is very cordially invited to Join In' this work. The meeting hour is 10:30 each Sunday forenoon. Mrs. N. F. Baker is superintendent. SPOTLIGH