XET EVERYONE BOOST FOR THE BIG CATTLE AN D HORSE RAISERS' CONVENTION TO BE HELD IN LA GRANDE, APRIL 24 AND 25. ' r:
AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER PftlNTS THE NEWS THE DAY IT HAPPENS
VOLUME XVI
LA GRANDE, OREGON. SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1917.
NUMBER 170.
ia
ihmxmt
CITY WIIIS MID
COM LOSES
III LAW SUIT
JUDGE KNOWLES HANDS DOWN
IMPORTANT DECISION IN
JACKSON CASE
CITY STREET LIENS
HELD PRIOR TO MORTGAGE
But County Taxes Levied First
Against Personal and Then Against
Real Proprety Are Not Allowed Be-
, xause ' Law Was Passed After
Mortgage Was Recorded.
Judge Knowles handed down an im
portant decision today in the case of
Mary 'Shaw Jackson vs. The Grande
Rondo Cash Co., the city of La Grande
and Union county.
The questions involved in the case
were these: Mary Shaw Jackson sued
the Grande Ronde Cash Co. to forc-
jitnBn o ri tf mi rro anA m (win tho citu ff
La Grande defendant, because the lat
ter claimed that its street liens were
prior to the mortgage, and Union
county because the latter claimed that
its tax liens were superior to the
mortgage. The sheriff had levied the
liens against the personal property
and not paid.
Judge Knowles decided that the
street liens of the city were prior to
the mortgage under the Bancroft
bonding act under which they had
been assessed, but held that the tax
claim of Union county was not a prior
lien, inasmuch as the law under which
the sheriff had acted had been dhssa.1
after the daC ..' .wuiuwg uie mun
sa.ee and if enforced would impair the
obligation of contract and virtually be
an ex post facto law. ' '
So far as affecting a mortgage re
corded .before the passage of the law
he declared that part of the .law un
constitutional. Germans' Onward
Sweep Unchecked
l ive Towns in Roumania Are Cap
tured Galatz, Most Important City
Not in Hands of Germans, Is Men
aced. Berlin, vai Sayville, Jan. 6. (Unit
ed Press) The onward sweep of the
Teutons is descriocd in an official
statement, announcing the capture of
five towns, and the ai rival of German
troops at outpost on the Sereth river,
a new menace t Galataz, the mos'
important Roumanian city now in the
hands of the Russians and Ronman
ians.
Details of the ad;:nve .novemr.ti
by the Teutons in th-! Carpirhiana are
Riven. Rimmceii:. Tartaru OKineusca,
Guilianes and Maseneni ar? now in
German hands.
Petrolite Case to Be Settled.
Washington, D. C, Jan. 6. (Unitad
Press) A settlement satisfactory
alike to the United Staes and Ausria
has been reached in he case of the
Austrian shelling of the Standard Oil
tanker Petrolite is predicted soon aft
er the arrival of the new ambassador,
Tarnowski, according to hopes ex
pressed by officials.
British Make Advance.
Berlin, Jan. 6. (United Press.) A
British night attack at Serre on the
Somme front entered the Germnn ad
vanced trenches.
Deny He Received Peace Terms.
Copenhagen, Jan. 6 (United Press)
1okal Ansiegcr and Vossichez
Zeitung unite in denying that Presi
dent Wilson received Germany's peace
terms from any official source.
America's Attitude Discussed.
BY CAUL W. ACKERMAN.
Berlin, Jan. 6. (United Press)
Discussion in congress at Washington
of Amcricn's internationa 1 relations
following peace notes has resulted in
the belief in some quarters in Ger
many that the United States and the
Allies are drifting together, rather
than that the United States and neu
trals are really co-operating for pence.
Irrigation Bonds Sold.
Portland, Ore., Jan. 6. (United
Press) The first bonds sold under
the Oregon irrigation district law
were purchased today by the Lumber
men's Trust company when the Warm
Springs issue was sold at 95 1-4.
LA GRANDE POSTOFFIGE
PREVIOUS YEAR
Money Order Receipts Increase $89,-i-
849, or 23 Per Cent in Year Postal
' Savings Bank Deposits and Postal
Receipts Also Show An Increase
Postoffice Makes Profit.
The volume of money order business
at the postoff ice tar the year ending
December 31, 1916, was $489,638.11,
and for the year ending Dec. 31, 1915,
was $399,688.16, an increase of $89,
849.95, which is about 23 per cent. -
The increase in the postal 'Savings
bank deposits during the past year
over the year 1915, amounts to about
24 per cent.
The postal receipts increased 8 per
cent during 1916 over the year 1915.
And the ' quarter ending December 31,
1916, showed an increase of 8 per
cent over the same period of 1915.
The total volume of business in the
postoffice, including the postal sav
ings bank, postal receipts and money
order business, both domestic and in
ternational, for the year 1916 amounts
to over a half a million dollars, or to
be exact, $524,203.34.
The actual amount netted from the
sale of stamps after the expenses
were all paid, for the year, is $7695.53
and the amount of fees on money or
ders was $1240.64, making a total of
$8936.17, which represents the profit
to the postoffice department for he
entire year so far as the local office is
concerned.
The above volume of business is
transacted by a force of 13 people, as
follows: the postmaster, assistant
postmaster, five clerks, four city car
riers and two rural carriers.
Volley Ball League
Plays Opening Games
Pecans Defeat Almonds; WjUnut
Uearnlckories; First learn uoea to
Baker on January 9 and is Busy
Practicing.
The first series in the new volley-
bal league of the Y. M. C. A. business
men's class were held yesterday af
ternoon. They were attended by a
very large number of players and
every game was interesting and close.
The Pecans with S. D. Crowe as cap
tain, defeated the Almonds with Lin
den McCullough as pilot, by the scores
of 21 to 16 and 21 to 7; the Walnuts
with Elmer Stoddard as captain, won
over Dr. Graham's tough Hickories
Ly the score of 21 to 17 and 21 to 8.
After the games the first team that
will go to Baker on the 9th put in a
little time practicing, the team that
will go to Baker is composed of the
following players: Dr. Graham, El
mer Stoddard, Linden McCullough, S.
D. Crowe, Chas Harding and Don
Scott.
John Hueghens Wins Jump.
The high jump contest held for the
juniors this morning at the Y. M. C.
A., was won by John Hueghens over
a field of thirty or more boys. Hueg
hens is developing into a very capable
jumper and cleared the stock at four
feet with apparent case. Gene Tay
lor was the runner up in the contest.
Lloyd George in Rome.
London, Jan. 6. (Special) Pre
mier Lloyd George and Viscount Mil
ner, a member of the British war
council, with their official advisers,
hsve arrived in Rome, says an official
statement issued today.
They will participate with the
French end Italian governments in an
exchange of views on the general sit
uation. 300 Killed In Earthquake.
Tokio, Jan. 6. Three hundred per
sons have been killed and many in
jured in an earthquake in Central For
mosa, according to special dispatches
f 'om Toihoku, the capital of Formosa.
II is estimated that 1000 houses have
been destroyed.
The city of Nanto has been dam
aged extensively by fire.
The Island of Formosa lies between
the Philippine Island and Japan and
is owned bv Japan. The city of Nanto
is in the central part of the island,
about 100 miles south of Taihoku.
Oregon To Be Given
$128,111 for Roads
Washington, D. C, Jan. 6. (United
Press) In alotting the million dol
lars to be spent in the coming yeara in
constructing roads and trails Sec
tary Houston announced Washington's
share $91,944; Idaho, $107,730; Ore
gon, $128,111.
LATE NEWS
American Finns Outbid on Projectiles By British Firm.
Washiugton, D. C, Jan. 6. (United Press) Advocates
in Congress of government manufacture of munitions de
nounced American manufacturers, who were outbid two
hundred dollars per projectile by a British firm. The
navy department had called for bids for sixteen-inch shells.
London, Jan. 6. (United Press) The bid of the Brit
ish manufacturer of shells for America had a limitation.
It was contingent on the war ending. The plants of the
United Kingdom are how under government control. The
American shell contract specified delivery in sixteen
months. ;
Germans Deny Executing Boy and Woman in Nasseln.
Berlin, Jan. 6. (United Press)" Absolutely untruej''
was the denial of the press bureau to the report in foreign
papers that a woman and thirteen-year-old boy had been
recently shot as spies in Nasseln, Belgium. No boy was
shot. A woman was sentenced to death but pardoned.
Deutschland Is Expected To Arrive At New London.
Now London, Jan. 6. (United Press) Indications are
that the Deutschland is expected. Orders given .to await
her arrival have been given to negro stevedores, who are
now unloading merchandise on the wharf of the Eastern
Forwarding Company, owners. Cargo mostly of rubber
and nickel is expected.
OREGON FRUIT
SELLING ORGANIZATION WITH
11 BRANCHES HOLDS MEET
INGS OF DISTRICT HEADS
The Oregon Fruit company, of this
city, with 10 branch houses scattered
throughout the state celebrated the
first anniversary of its birth sinortiy
before the first of the year by holding
a convention in Portland. The district
heads met at the Benson hotel, Dec.
28, had luncheon at the hotel, and in
th evening the visitors, together with
the Portland officials, attended tha
Baker theater in a body. The next
day was the conference of branch
managers with the head of the com
pany was resumed and at 6 o clock
in the evening a banquet was served,
also at the Benson, at which some
prominent entertainers were present.
About the first of 1914 an idea crept
into the head of S. C. Dalton and after
considerable pondering was communi
cated to the late , W. B. Glafke. Tt
was, in brief, that the buying and
marketing of fruit and vegetables
could be greatly facilitated by the
formation of branch houses through
out the state which would eliminate
the duplication of expense and enable
them to sell to the trade such products
as they might care to handle, at low
er prices than otherwise would be tne
case. At the same time tne producer
would benefit. The result was that,
fathered by Mr. Glafke and Mr. Dal
ton, a brunch house was opened at
Corvallis and later other houses
sprang up at Eugene, Salem and Al
bany. Each of these was known un
der the firm 4iame of W. B. Glafke
company. '
This was in the spring of 1915 and
(Continued on Page Eight.)
A servants' union has been formed
in Duluth.
MEN
CONFER
New Contention Against International
Peace Leagues to be Voiced at
Meeting of the National Civic
Federation.
New York, Jan. 6. (Special) Op-
position from a new source not only
to the League to Enforce Peneo, but
to the peace movements whose pro
grams exclude the idea of force, is
fore-shadowed by the National Civic
Federation in a statement issued to
day, presenting the contention that
the principles underlying international
and industrial strife are identical, nnd
that the same reasons which cause
the failure of compulsory industrial
arbitration will therefore preclude the
success of any attempt at compulsory
international arbitration.
This view, which injects a new elo
mont into the peace problem, will be
developed at the annual meeting of
the federation, in the Hotel Astor,
New Yorl: city, on January 22-23, by
BY WIRE
Death of Mrs. Mary E.
Chambers Last Night
Mother of Mrs. J. F. Phy Who Suf
fered a Paralytic Stroke Passes
Away Mrs. Chambers Was a Mem
ber of Mclntyre Family Who Served
in Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
Mary E. Chambers, mother of Mrs.
J. F. Phy, suffered a paralytic stroke
and died yesterday, evening at the
Phy residence. She was past eighty
years of age and for the past six
months has been practically helpless.
Mrs. Chambers was born in Buf
falo, New York, and spent most of
i hecjife before marriage, in Northern
Ohio.). She crossed tne plains witn her
husband, William Chambers, in 1862,
and they were among the first set
tlers of Powder River Valley. He
died two years ago. There were sev
en children born to them, ouly three
now living. Edgar E. Chambers of
Baker, the oldest son has a family of
eight children, and the two youngest
rre Mrs. James Cavin of Baker, and
Mrs. Phy of La Grande.
Mrs. Chambers' grandfather was
William Mclntyre, an aide to Wash
ington from 1775 to 1783, the close
of the war. Her father, Major Mc
lntyre, joined the cavalry at the age
of 21, and served through the war
of 1812. Four brothers fought in the
Civil War, only two returning.
Mr. and Mrs. Chambers lived for
several years in Union; but returned
to Baker about 12 years ago. This is
one of the Pioneer families of Eastern
Oregon. Grandma Chambers will be
irissed by a large circle of friends.
PENDLETON MEN ARE VICTIMS
' Death Valley Garnets" Sent C. O. D.
Declared Practically Valueless.
, Pendleton, Or., Jan. (i. (Special)
I Several Pendleton residents have been
' the victims of the scheme of a Gold
j field, Nev., concern. Packages marked
I $1.05 C. 0. I). have been received here
I through the mail and when opened
were found to contain a little brown,
crudely cut stone, labeled "Death Val-
! ley garnet from the Death alley Gar
net Company, of Goldfield, Nev."
! The stones are not worth 15 cents,
t nccording to local jewelers.
experts
dealing with industrial
rtrife. Tho discussion is expected to
occupy an important place in the
meeting, which will lie conducted by
the leading representatives of capital,
labor, and the public of the country,
und will cover many of the pressing
questions arising from the war, such
a. military and industrial prepared
ness, economic changes, immigration,'
state socialism, and others. ,
"A question that looms large on tho !
public horizon at this moment is, what j
part shall this nation play in any
lntemalionai program looKnig luwama
. . . i..
the prevention of future war::, says
the statement, which is signed by
Ralph M. Ea.iley, executive chairman
(Continued on Page Three)
JIKt.l.FllliH
nn tie ras
IF F TO UHIl
La Grande Attorney Visits Petaluma !
Where He Taught School 49 Years
Ago and Also San Francisco, Los
Angeles, San Diego, Pasadena and
Ti Juane WiU Use Smudge Pots
As Result of His Trip.
Judge C. II. Finn will use smudge
pots at his orchard to head off frosts
as the result of his trip to California,
from which he has just returned.
;" "The weather was raw and cold in
California," said Judge Finn today,
''and I had an opportunity to witness
the use of the smudge pots. Oranges ;
cannot stand lower than forty degrees. !
The United State weather bureau
sent out warning that the tempera
ture was going to fall and the orange
men got busy with their smudge pots
r.nd saved their crops. It showed me
their value, and I am going to pre
pare to use them at my orchard in
case of necessity this spring.
"I stopped at San rrancisco, Los
Angeles and San Diega, and also visi
ted Petaluma, where I taught school
forty-nine years ago, and saw somo
of my old pupils. I saw Mrs. Clark,
with whom I used to board, and also
A. C. McMeans, school superintendent,
who gave me my certificate. At
Petaluma D ,E. Cox, former city re
rorder of La Grande, is located. He
has a chicken ranch, and is doing well,
having gone there on account of his
(Continued on Page Five)
Renews Charges of
Leak to Wall Street
Washington, D. C, Jan. 6. (United
Press) Representative Gardner, Of
Massachusetts, supported his empatic
charge that a leak of advance mfor.
nation to Wall street regarding con
tents of the president s note had oc
curred. He read a dispatch sent by
the Jones Stock Ticker at 2 o'clock in
the afternoon before the note was' re
leased for publication. Subpoenaes
were issued to the entire Washington
staffs of the Wall Street Journal and
Financial American.
Lansing to Testify.
Washington, D. C, Jan. 6. (United
Press) Secretary Lansing is to ap
pear before the committee investigat
ing the leak in the peace note Mon
day, it was announced following an
executive session of the rules commit
tee of the house this afternoon.
La Grande Man Is
Seriously Injured
Shirley Neuchiishner Is Caught in
Carrier Both Legs and One Arm
Broken and Internal Injuries Are
Also Feared.
A distressing accident took place
yesterday afternoon at the Palmer
"mill when Shirley Neuchnshner, a
young man of twenty-one, was caught
in the carrier and was seriously in
jured. The boy's hand was caught, drag
ging him into the carrier. Both logs
wore broken between the hip and tho
knee, one arm was broken and it is
feared that he was injured internal
ly. He was rushed at once to the hos
pital wheie he was given immedinte
medical attention but he is in a serioiw
condition. Dr.s. Bacon and Holt are
the attending physicians.
Bank Messenger and
Guard Robbedbf $9000
Taicntum. i'". , Jin. i. l.Uniltd
Press)- A bank messenger and guard,
taking ?!M)00 to the Kluccus Glass
company s ottice lo meet me weeKiy
payroll wan held up and robbed by
three men. They leaped from an au
tomobile, overpowered the messenger
and guard und drove away.
The Weather
Portland, Ore., .Inn. C. (United
n m... it..:,..! ct.
i-ress; iue umn:u vu,ci
; bureau forecast iol;ows:
j Tonight and Sunday, generally fair
j in south; in the east, unsettled; prob
ably ram in northwest portion; winus
southerly.
BROTHERHOOD
CHAIRMEN GO
TO CHICAGO
CONFERENCE IS CALLED FOB
JAN. 11 IMPORTANT MAT
TERS TO BE DISCUSSED
QUESTION OF STRIKE
VOTE TO BE DETERMINE!
National Officers and General Chair
men Are Restless Over the Courser
Affairs Have Taken, Over the Ad
amson Litigation and the Railroa
Bills Now Pending in Congress.
Brotherhood general chairmen of
the four orders have been called to
Chicago for a conference, and the rep
resentatives of this district left last
night.
An important conference will be
held and the next steps in the fight
for an eight-hour day will be dis
cussed, and the question also submit'' ,
ted to the members of a strike vote.
Railroad brotherhood chairmen and .
the national officers are very restless :
over the course that affairs have tak-
en. They are not pleased with tho ':
aqtion of the railroads in throwing: the '
Adamson law into the courts, and they ;
are also concerned over the bills pend- .
ing in congress which will make it un- ,
lawful for railroad men to leave their 1
employment. These and other mat- j
ters will be discussed at the Chicago
conference. , ! . .. .'
That the four railway brotherhoods ';
will take a vote whether to strike in
the event eight-hour work day is not ,
granted by the railroads was the dec
laration of the American Railway Em-
ployes Journal in the January issue
published yesterday, as announced in
The Observer last night.
According to tho Journal the broth. '
erhood chiefs have asked the 640 gen
eral chairmen to meet in Chicago on
January 11. It says: "The meeting
is for the purpose of consulting the
general chairmen, to decide what lino
of action will be mado necessary by
the managers refusal to put into ef
fect the eight-hour day. The entire
matter will be placed with the rank
and file for decision. The Journal has
faith they will stand by their organ
ization nnd bring tho railroads to
time."
Crushing Defeat To
Villa's Forces Report
General Murgin, Carranza Command.'
er. Reports 300 TTllistas Killed, Six
Hundred Wounded, Six Hundred'
Captured and Executed.
El Paso, Tex., Jan. 6. (United
Press) Details of the irreparable de
feat to Villa at Jiminez have been .
sent the Mexican consulate here by
General Murguin, Carranzaistas com
mander. Three hundred Villistas were
killed in South Chihuahua, six hun
dred wounded, six hundred captured
and executed, according to the consul-:
ate's interpretation of General Mur
guis' report.
Total Eclipse of Moon
Tomorrow Night
This Will Occur At La Grande At
About 9:50 p. m., When the Moon
Will Begin to Enter the Earth'?
Shadow.
Tomorrow (Sunday) night will occur
a total eclopse of the moon. This doe?
not often happen, as it is possible that
there be no eclipse of the moon dur
ing the year, nnd oftener only a par
tial one, in which a part of the moon
wm enter the earth's shadow
This eclipse will begin at La Grande
ibout 9:!0 p. m., standard time, when
the moon begins to enter the earth's
shadow, though for nn hour or so. it
will be growing darker, due to' the
earth's cutting off part of the sun's
light until the whole of the sun is
hidden by tho earth. This is called
the penumbra, or nearly a shadow.
One of the most interestin things con
nected with a total eclipse of tho moon
is that notwithstanding the moon is to- .
tally inside the earth's shadow, yet it
is visible as a dark reddish globe. We
know there is no appreciable atmos-
( Continued On Page 5.)