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AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER PRINTS THE NEWS THE DAY IT HAPPENS
VOLUME XV .
LA GRANDE, OREGON
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1913.
NUMBER 139
a
AUSTRIA
SAYS
NO NEED EXISTS
1 mmS Z
"KEEP COOL" IS ADVICE GIVEN
TO WASHINGTON THROUGH
' MUTUAL THIRD PARTY
UNITED PRESS INTERVIEWS
MAN CLOSEST TO JOSEPH
Strong Man of Austria Admits Aus
trians Were Surprised at Tone of
American Note, but Admonishes
Uncle Sam to Keep Cool, Saying no
Quarrel Need Occur at This Time.
BY CARL W. ACKERMAN
Berlin, Dec. 21. There will be no
quarrel between Austria and America
if Washington keeps cool. Count.
Stephen Tisza, Austria's strongest
man, next to the emperor, gave me
a. statement on my visit to Budapest
last week. .
"Sheer nonsense" Tisza said follow
ing a conference with the emperor.
"I must confess, however, . that we
were surprised by the American note.
But it is far from our intentions to
quarrel."
"Keep Cool" Is Advice;
He pointed out however that mat
ters do not depend upon Austria
alone. He counselled coolness at
Washington.
Dumba's Successor Studies.
He said Austria is now considering
a successor to Constantin Dumba, re
cently recalled , on -request of the
United States, indicating- that ap
parently the Austrian government is
not contemplating possibiliy of a
diplomatic break.
MULTNOMAH AGENT " SHOOTS.
Robber, Unidentified, Probably Fatal
ly Shot While Robbing Till
Portland, Dec. 21. An unidentified
robber last night was . shot three
times and probably wounded fatally
in a revolver duel with J. D. Stewart,
night operator at Multnomah Sta
tion. The robber was attempting to
rob the till when Stewart started the
shooting scrape. He was . taken to
a hospital. ' 1 . .
James Ireland, formerly a La
Grandej-eal estate dealer, is now day
trick operator at the Multnomah
Station.
CORN PLANT EXPLODES.
Death and Injured Toll of Corn Pro
ducts Plant Accident.
New York, Dec. 21. One was killed
and two missing with eleven injured
in an explosion that wrecked the
building of Corn Products plant at
Shadyside, New Jersey. The fire was
extinguished. The loss is $100,000.
THE THREE BIG. TOWNS.
Easy to Get Big Figures on the Five
to One Basis
A Pendleton paper recently figured
the population of that place on the
basis of "five-to-one" on the number
of school population.- Of course the
proportion is too high, but let it go at
that. La Grande, apparently is in
"the middle" geographically and with
respect to number of inhabitants.
The Baker Herald ' comments on the
school returns of the three largest
towns in Eastern Oregon as follows:
"These are the school census figures
for the three largest Eastern Oregon
Vies: Baker, 2468 children; La
Grande, 1822; Pendleton,' 1636. This
shows Baker to have nearly 30 per
cent more population than Us next
rival La Grande, and more than'-50
per cent more than, its second rival,
Pendleton.
"Pendleton has claimed that at the
five to one ratio it lias 2,180 popular
tion. Ontario with its 660 school
population claims 3,300 population.
As we have said, this is too optimis
tic, but if we accept their method of
figuring we can again see the com
parison in population. Baker would
have 12,340; La Grande 9,110 and
. Pendleton 8,180 people." .
AUTO BATTLES SNOW.
Enterprise-La Grande Trip Frought
with Hardships. '
Snow, wind and hills conspired
against progress of an sfutomobile
party that left Enterprise Sunday
morning for La Grande. The con
spiracy succeeded in the end for the
autoists reached Elgin and there gave
up the efforts and came to La Grande
on the train.
The members of the party were
Frank E. Voight and Charles F. Al
derson, insurance men, und Orton E.
Goodwin. Portland newspaper man.
Hardships recited by the men tend
FOR A BEL
to chill winter automobiling sport
Drifts were piled in numerous places,
especially after climbing the Wallowa
hill, and it was disastrous to stop the
machine as the terrific gale blowing
would almost instantly stall the. au
tomobile. The Wallowa hill climb
was probubly the worst bit of the
whole undertaking. The men would
shovel the .drifted snow away from
the machine for a short distance and
then one would guide and the others
push. Thus the battle with the ele
ments continued most of the day and
the arrival in Elgin ended one of the
worst trips, probably, that any auto
party has undertaken in this neck of
the woods in manv vears. . '.
To add to the grief of the trip, one
of the' party was dropped off and left
"mired" in a snowdrift. It 'hap
pened that a fairly good stretch of
road .was reached and the machine
was speeded up. After driving for
three or four miles, at a rapid clip,
another series of drifts was reached
and the machine clogged. Mr. Good
win and Mr. Voight occupied the
front seat and when they stopped, ex
pected their companion Mr. Alderson
to step from the running board . to
help them shovel yut that was
where he stood when they saw him
last time, but alas he wasn't there.
Fearing to retrace the distance with
the machine lest they lose ground al
ready trained, they left it in the drift
! and hurried back afoot. Some three
j miles away they met their fellow
(traveler plodding through the snow
in utter dejection. A sudden swerve
I of the car had tossed him from the
running board and his shouts at the
I time had been drowned by tho. gale.
; None of the men will soon forget
! the trip.
HOTEL BURNS
GEARHART-BY-THE-SEA LOSES
FINE HOTEL.
Seaside Fire Department Arrives at
, Too Late an Hour.
Portland, Dec. 21. The Gearhart
hotel at Gearhart-by-the-seat was de
stroyed by fire at 5:30 this morning.
No details are . 'available - because
wires ars down. The Seaside rfird- de--partment
was too late in arriving
there to do any good. The blaze
started in an engine room and a
heavy wind fanned it. v
HOUSE TO JOURNEY.
Colonel Will Represtertt Wilson
Abroad iWithin a Fortnight.
New York, Dec. 21. Colonel House
is going to Europe within a fortnight
unofficially the agent of President
Wilson. He told the United Press .he
was going to take information to
American ambassadors and obtain
their viewpoints on phases of inter
national questions. It is not to be a
peace mission he declared.. .
CANVASS CHANGES LITTLE.
One Vote in Second Choice Only Error
in First Count.
That the unofficial count of the re
cent city election published in the Ob
server was correct so far as first
choices were concerned, is shown by
the official canvass made of the votes
cast. The error was in second choice
for Mr. Coolidge, and the corrected
vote is one vote less than the pub
lished totals.
Aged Milton Resident Is Dead.
Milton, Or., Dec. 20. The funeral
of the late Alonzo Gilham was held
yesterday from the family residence,
Rev. Milo Bentley, of . the Baptist
church having charge of the services.
Mr. Gilham was a native of Devon
shire, England, and has been a resi
dent of the United States since 1850.
He was 73 years of -age and leaves a
wife and four children: Harvey Gil
ham, of Milton; Alonzo, of Weston;
Mrs. Lydia Ward of Medford, and
Mrs. Elizabeth Myers of San Fran
cisco. UNION FEELS STORM.
Telephone .Lines, .and .Railroading
. Hurt During the Blow.
Union, Ore., Dec. 20. One of the
worst storms which, has been known
in this vicinity for several year,
raged here all day vesterday and last
night, playing havoc with the tele
phone and electric light wires and do
ing' more or less damage along other
linos. Tonight the weather is much
warmer and a chinook is threatening.
The famous Telocaset hill was
again a great source of trouble to
the O.-W. R. and N. tracks. The C.
R. of O. also had their share of
trouble and were piled up in the deep
drifts during the night and part of
today, as soon as daylight however a
crew of men was rushed to the scene
and soon had the tracks cleared.
Firm Changes Hands.
- The Marten Cigar store was pur
chased the latter part of last week
by A. Hanson who is in the 'tailor
business here and the stock was
moved today to Che building adjoin
ing the tailoring establishment. Mr.
Marten had moved to Cove some time
ago but the business here was man
aged by John Vanhouten.
IGEARHART'S
L
OGG
ROCK
GREEK
PROMP Tssuns
TAPPING LINE SAID TO HAVE
DAMAGED PROPERTY IT
CROSSES.
ML EMILY COMPANY IS
PLAINTIFF IN THE CASE
Grande Rondc Lumber Company De
fendant Damage Sought Is $500
Temporary Injunction DUsolved
Pending Settlement in Circuil Court
Answer Is Filed.
Contentions over construction of a
logging road through timber land
owned by the Mt. Emily Timber com
pany in the Kocx Creek district, have
lead to circuit court litigation. The
Mt. Emily Timber company has
brought suit foe $500 damages against
the Grande Konde Lumber company
of Perry, claiming in their complaint
filed by attorney John Hodgin, coun
sel, in circuit court that the defend
ant company built a logging road
through their property, "destroying
timber and meadowland" to a value of
$500. The answer of the defendant
company sets out that but four acres
were crossed when the Grande Ronde
people built an extention to tap a
large belt of timber otherwise inclosed
and shut out from transportation; that
the surface of the soil only was leveled
off a distance eight feet wide, and
that suit for condemnation "has already
been begun in which the plaintiff com
pany would be paid value for damages
done. ...... ...
A temporary injunction was granted
recently by Judge Knowles restraining
the Grande Ronde Lumber company
officials or employes' ffomtfsing' the
hew road, but a few days ago this in
unction was dissolved, and while the
matter is in court, the road is open to
use by the company in hauling out
logs from the Rock Creek timber belt.
FEED DRAWS VISITORS.
. 1 W ,1!f. -l . .
I EiXpectea as many as r n iy w in uraie
I from North Powder.'
Indications are that as high as 50
will coroe from North Powder to
morrow to be guests at the Wing,
Fin & Fleetfoot club hassenpfeffer.
Arrangements to take care of that
many are now being made. P. A.
Foley has the membership tickets in
hand for those who wish to provide
themselves with the wherewithall
that will admit to the big feed tomor
row night.
KLAMATH SHOOTING AIRED.
Statements of Dying and Living Con
flict Finds Jury.
Klamath Falls, Dec. 21. The cor
oner's jury is in charge of investiga
tion of yesterday's feud that saw
death and fatal injuries inflicted near
here. Mrs. Keuhne was killed and
Lewis Lawrence is held as a particr
pant in the fight. Mrs. Guy Hunter,
wife of the wounded man, says .she
fired the fatal shot. The dying state
ment of Mrs. Keuhne said Lawrence
shot her and ther her son shot Hun
ter. A land dispute started the
quarrel.
Alleged Libel Stopped.
London, Dec. 21. Mrs. Asquith has
won her suit against the Globe to
prevent that paper continuing alleged
libel. She took exception to stories
she was friendly to German prisoners.
Decisive Victory.' Claimed.
Berlin, Dec. aij The (Constanti
nople war office has claimed a great
victory in battle when the British
were withdrawn from Gallipoli. The
enemy was defeated at Anafarta and
Ariburnu. The British countered at
Seddulbahr but were repulsed.
Two Vessels Sunk.
:London, Dec. 21. The British ves
sels Huntley and Belford were sunk
by a submarine. The crews were
saved.
Greeks Fire on French.
Berlin, Dec. 21. Greeks at fort
Karaburnu were fired on a French de
tachment which failed to heed a
command to halt, according to dis
patches. The French are reported to
have fled. The Greeks hold the fort
despite a French request to deliver
it to the Allies.
Million More Wanted.
London, Dec. 20. Premier Asquith
(war bulletins)
HOLIDAY
VOLUME ATTAINS
GREAT TOTAL
EIGHTY-TWO SACKS OF MAIL
HANDLED IN LA GRANDE
OFFICE IN A DAY. i
CHRISTMAS BUSINESS IS
BOOMING IN EXPRESS TOO
Last December's Record Far Eclipsed
by Current Business in Express
Average Total of Sacks to Handle
One Night Is Seven While 82 Went
. Out of Here Yesterday.
Some notion of the amount of
Christmas mail packages and- let
ters that leave and arrive in La
Grande even as early as four days
prior to Yuletide itself, is reflected in
the fact that the La Grande postoffice
yesterday handled 82 bags of mail.
The customary quota of sacks to go
out of here in the same period is
seven sacks a night on an average.
The average weigrt of these sacks
is hard to estimate as the parcels
post are generally more bulky than
weighty. -
But Uncle Sam is not the only
concern doing a terrific business in
the Christmas shipment lien. While
carriers, rural and urban, and man
train clerks are fairly swamped with
packages and mail, the American Ex
press company is doing a big .volume
of Christmas business.
i "Our December business this year
will be far ahead of last year's total"
said Local Agent Buck this after
noon. "There is a tremendous . in
crease."
i ; Sommer Hotel Has Truck.
' George E." Good," proprietor of the
Sommer hotel, has purchased the Mer
ton Kiddle Kisselkar and converted
it into a very serviceable truck which
will be used as a general utility
vehicle for the hotel.
TREES "IN DITCH"
Christmas Decoration Material De
layed in Transit.
Because the logger which was to
bring in pine boughs and trees for
street decoration, had grief yester
day, the city was unable to finish up
its extensive decoration project last
evening. However the lights were
turned on in the central trees and
they presented a very attractive ap
pearance. War News of One Year Ago Today.
Germany's "crushing iRussian vic
tory" claim was exploded. The Al
lies' western drive was checked by
the Kaiser's men. The French cham
ber of Deputies met in Paris for tho
first, time since last August. Ad
miral von Tirpitz said German sub
marines might blockade England and
starve her into submission.
NEW LOCKERS COME
Y. M. C. A. Classes of All Kinds
Grow and Flourish.
' The Young Men's ' Christian as
sociation in conducting its gymnasium
classes, educational classes and social
wdrk is not alone in this field.' Many
other, organizations are also doing a
splendid work in this direction. But
the place where the Young Mens
is seeking to call a million more men
to English standard. He has intro.
duced a 1)111 bringing tne total troops
to four million.. He explained Lord
Kitchener counseled the Dardanelles
and the withdrawal. In withdrawing
England suffered only slight losses.
Esquith said Derbys plan has succeed
ed and conscription was unnecessary.
TARANTALA CAPTURED.
O. R. Stageberg Has Close Call from
Venomous Insect.
A large tarantala, captured from
a bunch of bananas, 'is on display in
the George Young confectionery. It
was captured by 0. R. Stageberg who
found the very venomous insect while
handling some bananas in tho La
Grande Fruit company warehouse. He
had handled that particular bunch
several times before he saw it. Tho
bite from a tarantala is deemed well
nigh fatal until instantaneous- antl
dotes are given. Mr. Stageberg cap
tured it however with considerable
ease as the low temperature had
deadened it somewhat.
Christian association is unique in Its
work is in its religious activities No
other institution makes for its ideal
the three fold development of char
acter as does the Y. M. C. A. Its
religious educational work is non
sectarian in character and therefore
excep table are all classes of men.
During the past year over 30,000
young men were registered in the
Bible studv classes of the Y. M. C. A.
The local association has recently or
ganized a Bible class to study the
"Life of Christ'' and other classes
along the same line will be organized
after the first of the year. A special
class for High School students has
been formed to study High School
Students' problems" this will not deal
with any religious subject, but par
ticularly with thoso things that are
problems to the average student in
the line of character building. En
trance to these classes can be ob
tained by applying at the Y. M. C. A,
office. No fee is charged. i
The mid-winter term of the Y. M.
C. A. night school will start January
3, 1916. It is hoped there will be a
large registration idr this iterm.
Special rates will be given to those
students who desire to register, who
are not members of the Y. M. C. A. .
The new steel lockers secured from
the Baker Y.M. C. A. have arrived
and will be placed in position today.
Mr. Clark promises some rare sport
in the businessmen's class after the
first of the year. . A round robbin
schedule will be run off in the volley
ball tournament which promises to
be exciting enough lor any or the
fans. Soon after the first of the year
the local lust team, will go to JUakor
to play a matched game with that
city. : ,
E
SUPREME COURT RULES FOR
. nUMtiW. : , . , ;
Portland Case Decided and School
Board Is Loser.
Salem, Dec. 21. Marriage is in
sufficient grounds upon which to dis
miss a Bchool teacher,, the Supreme
court held today in the case of Maud
L, iRjqhards,. against . the. Portland
school" boaril.
She married Oren Richards, a law
yer, last January. - She was dis
charged and her husband brought suit
against the school heads.
GRANGE OFFICERS INSTALLED
Important Meeting of Mt Fanny
- Membership in Cove.
, Cove, Oregon, Iec. 20. (Special)
Mt. Fannie Grange met in regular
session on Dec. 18. One application
for membership was presented and
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Ingram and Mar
vin McNeil were initiated into the
order and Mr. and Mrs. Ben Simmons
were admitted by demit. They came
from Medical Springs grange. There
were 35 members, four children and
three visitors present. A Christmas
dinner was served to the "Shirkers"
by the "Workers" of the literary con
test for the year 1914.
The officers for 1916 were installed,
Mrs. Pease taking the office of Po
mona instead of June Chadwick, who
is unable to attend this winter on ac
count of school work, After the reg
ular routine of business the lecturer,
Miss Mary Carter, took charge of
the following program:
Song, by Grange.
Composition, "In China" Mrs. E.
M. Sweet.
Vocal Duet, "King of Glory" Mrs.
J". K. Lantz and Mrs. E. W. Pease.
Recitation, "Sunshine" Edward
Dalton.
Composition, "A More Beautiful
Cove" Mrs. T. F. Organ.
Recitation, "Christmas iVerses"
M. L. Carter.
Reading, "Shopping" Mrs. X, J.
Chadwick.
Recitation,' 'A- Progressive Santa"
Howard Gasset.
Story, "Thai; Girl of Mine'sErnest
Organ.
Rflfcitattfn, fYcUr Fired" J. W.
Ingram.
Recitation, "A Flood in the Ark"
Alfred Ingram. .......
The day was too short so all the
program was not- given. The Eclipse
division of .the .literary .contest, won.
The winning side having 3500, points
while-the Comets' - were' there' with
3490. Next time there will be an
open meeting with a New Year's din
ner. Body Is Found. '
Chehalis, Wash.,, Dec. 20. The
body of A. E. Snider, a one-armed
man who was drowned in the Cowlitz
river near Salkum, October 26 last,
when attempting to cross the stream
in a dugout with Archie Eckstein and
a ' Mr. Steiner of Ethel, was found
Saturday three miles below the scene
of the accident. The widow Identi
fied the body, and it will be burled
here. The other two men in the dug
out saved themselves.
I Found Dead In Home.
Salem, Ore., Dec. 20. Mrs. Eliza
beth Whitlock, over 80 years old, an
I Oregon pioneer, was found dead in her
i homo nt Silverton where she lived
alone, this afternoon. She had been
dead two days, a physician believed,
and he attributed death to heart failure.
MARRIAG
NO
TEACHING
BAR
FORD ILL IN
NORWAY; PARTY
WAITS FOR HIM
POSSIBLE : THAT ILLNESS IS
SERIOUS; CONFINED TO
HIS BED. I
NEWSPAPERS CHANGE IN
ATTITUDE TOWARD HIM
Spies from Belligerent (Nations in
Christiania to Learn If Any Ul
terior Motive! Prompted Ford's
: Trip Move Indicative of More
Than, Passing Interest. ;
Christiania, NorWayi Dec. 21.
Henry Ford is ill in bed. It is very
likely that his condition is. serious. At
any rate, until his recovery the peace
pnrty will remain in Christiania,
Sentiment is in his' favor now. Nor
wegian newspapers now call him an
admirable personality. At the same
time spies, sent by belligerent na
tions, are here to find out if any
ulterior motive prompted Ford's ac
tion, r: - :' S
This interest in his move is held by
some to be indicative of considerable
significance of the trip in warring na--tions'
circles.
BUT ONE "VINCENT TOWN.
IMace in Umatilla. County Has Adopt-
u Anwner flune.
t Vl(l t Ann nlnfa in n,iiimn nnmJ UVIh '
cent' is enough. Our "Vincent," al
though located in .Wallowa county w
iiu Hainan in nonor oi -uur Vincent
Vincent Palmer remains un"
changed: : But a 'town over in Uma- ,.
till count seven - miles 'west' 'of-'-'
rreewater, will nave to hereafter j -'
shed Its odor under- another' name. v.
That nana in tn Ka "TTmnnin Tk;.
name is given by the postoffice au
thorities and was chosen from a num-
ber of names submitted following :
request for a name with a historical
meaning. Umapino was an old In-
umn cniei who at one time in tne
early days saved Pendleton, it is said,
from a disastrous fire, v -
QUIETUDE ABOUT PRESIDENT.
Double Guard of Secret Service Men
Brings Desired Result .
i Hot Springs, Dee. 21. President.
(Wilson and his bride are keeping
j quiet here. A doublo guard of secret
l service men are constantly about the
, suite of rooms occupied by the presi
. dent. , , . ,, ,.
SPAIN BUYS MUNITIONS.
Twenty Millions to Be Spent for Mu
nitions and Machinery.
New York, Dec. 21. Spain will buy
$20,000,000 worth of munitions and
machinery in America, Consul Salas
said today. - A military commission
of five is now here, y
, STORM ON SOUND.
Danger Warnings Out ' Though No
Harm Reported Yet.
Seattle, Dec. 21. A 60-mile gala
is raging along the coast and fear is .
felt for shipping. Storm warnings,
are upand wires are down. No storm
damage is reported by wireless at
noon today. ,
- : ',
LICENSE RECORD BIG.
Hymeneal Endeavors Have' Been
Flourishing During Year.
With . several days yet to go on.
' Dan Cupid will have a flourishing rec-
ord in Union county for 1915. Today .
noon. County Clerk Ed -Wright had
issued 164 licenses for "wedding purposes."-"
SHORTEST DAY TOMORROW.
Sun Will Reach Southernmost Point
at 2:08 p. m. Wednesday.
Tomorrow is to be the shortest day
in the year Tonight the longest
night. The sun tomorrow at 2:08,
Pacific coast time, will shine directly
down upon the tropic Capricorn. The
Winter solstice is often fixed for the
21st of December, but erroneously;
the date is December 22, but the
actual hour and minute varies.
Wants $10000 Damages'.
' Salem, Or., Dec. 20. Damage
amounting to $10,000 are asked for
in a suit brought hpre by Peter Ras
musson against F. Hasselbacher. Ras
mussen alleges that he was arrested
at the instance of Hasselbacher on
an unfounded charge of insanity. He
declares he was held in jail two days
pending nn examination, and that it
resulted in his dismissal.