La Grande evening observer., May 06, 1918, Image 1

... . I
i A Independent
J Newspaper. J
PrlnU the Newi the J
Day It Happeni i
Phone The Cbaane
Um Newt, art -Year
Wut AJa.
Mala IT
VOLUME XVII
LA GRANDE, OREGON, MONDAY, MAY G, 1918.
, DUMBER 189
WAR'STIDE IN
ALLIES FAVOR
BRITISH AND AXZACS
; WREST INITIATIVE
FROMIIUNS.
Prisoners, Mortars and Ma-
. chine Guns' Captured
In New. Advance. '
WITH THE BRITISH
(ARMIES IN . FRANCE,
-May 6. (By United Press.)
British forces have id-
i , , ill
VailCeU twelve hundred
yards . on a front of more
than a mile between the Au
tre and Sonime Rivers.'
NV.i th of the Sominc Aus
tralian forces advances 70'.)
yards on a 1,500 yard front.
Ii'H later attack the same
troops extended their -gain
by ar.other 500 vards alenr
a 2000 yard front.
The first Australian ad
vance was carried out under
cover of the darkness early
on Sunday morning-. ' The
iuizacs suuciemy Jcavmy
their trenches, swept for
ward silently, completely
surprising; the thin garrison
in the German trenches
north of the Sonime find tak
ing some prisoners. ,
- In the pitchy darkness of
the early hours of this morn
ing Australians again ad
vanced,this timeiguthe face
of strong opposition. " The
casualties among the '.Ger
mans were very heavy, while.
those- of the Australians!
weer slight. - i'
Today, although it is rain
ing, intermittent shelling
is-reported. ,
-HUNS LOSE HEAVILY.
PARIS, May G. (By Un
ited Press.) A German at
tack, launched after a, violent
bombardment, failed this
morning wheu it was at
tempted southeast of Anchiii
farm. Numerous Germans
were killed.
, Recomioiteriiig parties
captured prisoners near Ab
aucourt. In the Champagne
French troops penetrated a
German 'position near
Rheiins, inflicting serious
losses upoii the enemy and
retrieving a quantity of mat
erials. o
FIRED (50,000 SHELLS
PARIS, - May (5. (By
United Press.) American
artillery fired 00,000 shells
into the German trenches
before their recent attack,
iuidj completely demolished
the enemy's defense works,
it is announced.
AXOTHKH POITLAK DAXCH
ltnml Men Invite Public to
1'iirllci-
. pate In Invent.
" Thursday evening, May 0, the La
Grande Home Guard band will give
another of its popular dances, and
asks the- public's support by bolng
present.
Cooperation, is needed by more
people as was displayed in a fine
way at the last danco given by this
band. Giles Harden, the Preferred
Stock man, lone-handed, sold (15
tickets. Tho band men point out
that a Utile cooperation from ev
erybody will mean the band's future
is assured financially. The extrome
necessity of having a band is paia-
mount, but It must havo money to
ltve on anil one way to get money ioa(jon jn France is "considerably im
to the band's coffers Is to support proved," although it certainly was
the dances, where the donor gets
something for his money.
MAJOR RASMUSSEN
KILLED BY SHELL
WELL KNOW A POKTLAND MAN
MEETS WRATH IN THE DAT'
. TLE AREA.
(By Fred S. Ferguson.)
WITH THE AMERICAN AKMY IN
FRANCE, May 6. (By United Press.
Major Itasmusscn, of Portland, Ore
gon, was killed today by a German
shell as he was leading his men in a
reconnaissance. . .
Major Rasmusscn served with the
Canadian-American legion ' until he
was transferred to the American for
ces. Ho was a well-known resident
of Portland. ' ; '
TWO. KAlLKOADUltS ENLIST
Leo Koclicr and Carl W. Cook Join
In the 37th lU'gimcnt.
In response to a
call for Union
Juiiiiij w iiiiiiimi ibu iuuiv , uiuu
irnr h... 37ii,ii(.IHm.nt ,. En
county to furnish
gineers, Loo Kocher' and Carl W.
Cook havo volunteered for this
service. Mr. Kocher is In. the east,
but he will be In readiness to join
Mr. Cook, tho other enlisted man,
and they will at first be assigned to
Fort Ben Harrison, in Indiana.
o
HONOR ROLL
JOHN HOKAXSKX, OF LA
(JltAXDK, DIED OF WOUNDS'
!.V ACTION.
Was
Anions I'l i .1 list
Service Al'tir War
1 Declared.
to Killer
Was
Chief TiaUi Dispatcher J. F. Rob
erts received a telegram from Port
land today announcing the death of
John ;JIol:anson, ono of. the first
men to enlist after war. was de
clared. He died on April 28, of
wounds received in action.
' The deceased young man was horn
in Norway, December 14, 18S8.
While in La Grande, - he was em
ployed as a Western Union lino re
pairer and lie went from here t to
Portland wllh several others and
enlisted, becoming a member of Co.
A, First United States Engineers,
First Division U. S. Expeditionary
Forces. ' '
One of tlie boys in the dispatch
ers' office received a letter from
him dated February 21, and as far
as knowp, this was the' last message
from him to any one here.
John Hokansen was a member or
Red Cross Lodge No. 27, Knights of
ryi'uns, ot i.a uranue, ana was
held in tho highest esteem by the
members of (hat order as well as
by the railroad employes with whom
ho was associated. So far ns is
now known, ho leaves but one rela-tivc-Jn
this country, a sister. Miss
Lucia Iiokansen, of Desmoines, la.
NO PEACE OFFERS.
British Secretary Knows Of No Over
tures Being Made.
LONDON, May C The Foreign
Secretary declared to the House of
Commons today that no recent peace
offers had been made to the allies
through the neutral nations.
RUSSIAN SOVIET PROTESTS.
''Claims American Consul Encourages
Opposition Government In Siberia..
WASHINGTON, May 6. (By Unit
ed Press.) The state department re
ceived today a protest from the Rus
sian Soviet, asserting that the Ameri
can consul at Vladivostok had impro
perly encouraged the establishing of
autonomous government in Siberia.
SHIPPING TONNAGE GROWS.
Sixteen Wood And Steel Vessels Were
Launched Last Week.
WASHINGTON, May C (By Unit
ed Press.) The shipping hoard has
nnnounccd that sixteen new wood and
steel vessels were launched last week
with a total of 80,10.') ton9 and that an
additional tonnage of 80,180 tons was
acquired through contracts.
SITUATION I.M PROVED.
WASHINGTON, May 6. (By Unit
.cd Press.) With French and British
if p,., reserves available the allied sit-
-"anxious for some time," the British
Iwnr mission has announced.
ORE
WAS
awarded
DONOR IDAL
MOItIO I AliTKTLAKS Xl'lUiOI Xl)
I.NH DEATH OF (itKHiHTOV
DEWEY I ITZtihltALD.
.-.-- '-..'
While Itelurnlng Wounded I-'rom
tho Field, WaH t'lidoubtvdly
Covered lly Shell Firo.
Additional particulars have been
received regarding the death of
Creighton Dowey Fitzgerald, the
first young man of La Grande to
enter the great war. This conies
in a lottcr to the young man's sister
from the - major- of the battalion.
The letter, which is dated April
0, says: .
'Dear Miss Fitzgerald: I am lu
receipt of your letter of . January
18 and have made Inquiries as re
quested..
"Your brother was wounded In
the" attack at Passchendaele, but
was ablo to walk out. As the only
way out was down a road subject
to a very heavy shell fire, there Is
doubt that he was killed on
the way to tho advanced dressing
station, as a great many more were
on that day.. As we were only re
lieved some days after and had .suf
fered Very heavy casualties, we were
unable to bury our dead and there
Is no doubt, that a number were
covered up by earth from the ex
plosions 'of shells after they had
been killed. This would account
for the fact that we have had no
word of any other unit buryiiiK
our brother after we left. Ho has
ocen reporieu as -Klliea- since wo
left the salient. There Is no chance
of his having fallen into the hands
of the Germans, as he was seen
well behind our lines colnE back
-
Your brother' was awarded the
military medal for his bravery in
that action.
May I extend to you, on behalf
of the battalion and myself, our
sympathy . with you In . your heavy
loss. - Yours sincerely. DAVID
PHILPOT, Major, 7th Inf. Dattal
lon." The Official Record.
Accompanying the bestowal of the
medal is tho ..following historical
record.
No. 227,007, Pvt. Creighton
Dewey Fitzgerald: For conspicuous
gallantry and devotion to duty dur
ing our operations north of Pass
chendaele, November 10 and 11.
1917,
"During the attack he showed
marked courage and energy and at
great personal risk volunteered to
eeotablish touch with a compani
on the flank. Though peverelv in
ured, he rofused to go out until
ordered to do so by his company
commander. Though heavily uniped
at he did most excellent work with I
DEirOCttACY
I
i
-fat! 'iifclfe -
MUSICAL DAY HAS
BEEN DESIGNATED
KXTKRTAINMKNT PROGRAM OF
XCKiHIlOltHOOD t 1,1 II FOR
Ilia CROSS IIKXKI'IT.
.-'(..-
La Grando Vis soon to enjoy an
other musical treat and at the samo
timo usslst tha local Red CrosB
chaptor. Tne- Neighborhood club
Is the sponsor ror it and mat means
unlimited support with promises of
fine preparation. Mrs. A. L. Rich
ardson has been placod In supreme
command of tie rogram and that is
further assurance that the calibre of
performers-will bo of the very high
est attainable. ,..'--.
The date io April 14. Last
fall when- the Neighborhood club
1917-18 program was dratted, Mrs.
Richardson was placed in charge of
a musical day and tho date was set
for April "0, but lu the meantlmo
it was found expedient for tho club
to come to the rescue of tho deplet
ed exchequer of tho Red Cross and
it was decided to -make the club's
spring musical day public, to charge
a popular price and give the pro
ceeds to the Red Cross. This will
be done. . ' ., ,
While a major, portion of tho pro
gram has been arranged tor, inero
are some excellent numbers yet to
be announced.
On announcement in connection
with tho coming musical event
destined to be the foremost of its
kind of tho year will bo the debut
of the Monday club, directed by
Mrs. Richardson, which will reintro
duce many of the popular --young
women who made such a tremend
ous hit in "Melodyland." ; This
musical organization has been
rounding Into fine farm ,in con
certcd ainging, and ; will make, in
all. three appearances with five
numbers in the coining event.
Exceeding caro was used In
picking n date, and so far as
known nothing .conflicts with it,
and it is hoped by the neighbor
hood club that there will develop
no counter attraction lu order that
the metritorious talent to perform
may bo stimulated with a good
homo and that the receipts there
from may be the biggest possible.
DRAFT LAW SISTAIXED
.. WASHINGTON, D. C, Mas' .
(By United Press. ) Men raised un
der the draft can be sent anywhere
In tlio world to fight for tho United
States, the i supreme court has de
cided. The court upholds the selec
tive draft law.
his rifle, killing' many of. the en
emy and materially assisting his
company in consolidation. Awarded
M. M. (military modal), authority
D. R. O., 23-12-17."
i Carried Xo Insurance.
There was no insurance provis
ions for tho Canadian battalion to
which the La Grande boy was at
tached," but practically all his pay
received while fli the ; service was
sont to his mother, Mrs. Mary Fitz
gerald, of thin city.
TIEES WILL ' ' UK-TIR E ' r
l'li.rWf ':'';?? :-.--';-:.4-.
:' .' :'''.'-''.'- ;'.;; .v.i.
WATER OUTLOOK
IS IMPROVING
CUT IN BEAVER CREEK SPILL
WAY BECOMES MUCH LESS
THREATENING. J
Force Of Men Will Go At Once To
Forestall Further To Water Sup
....' ply System. ; .
The situation nt the "Beaver Creek
intake is much less alarming than it
appeared on Saturday when the first
report of the sluicing of the spillway
at the lake was phoned in. The wosh-
ing away of the channel below tho
spillway has checked up very mater-
ally. This apparently is due to one
or both of two reasons. The water
flow has decreased with the lower
temperature, so that tho flow as it
emerges from the lake is now but a
bout six inches in depth. ' But possi
bly the main reason for the checking
up is that the formation in the channel
of the spillway nearest the lake Is
of much harder substance and more
completely filled with heavy rock,-
while at the lower end the water wash
ed through a gravel formation which
yielded readily to tho force 1 of tho
heavy discharge. It was nt this junc
ture that the damago was first made
apparent last Saturday morning, and
it then looked like the sluicing awny of
the channel would continue up to the
point where the surplus water leaves
the lake,
Looked1 Scary At First.
Manager Fred Curroy, - who with
Superintendent Hoyt and Engineer
Ncnl, was at the head of the Beaver
pipe line, says that tho situation look
ed very dubious at first. When the
force of water struck the lower part
of the spillway it gouged out holes as
big as an ordinary room until the
whole channel of the spillway had
been scooped out and the lake itself
would be practically emptied, It was
on the strength of this appenrance of
things that tho report was phoned in.
At the lower end the water cut to n
depth of fifteen feet. ' V
- - Dam Is Entirely-tfniact"-
The dam, which empounds the watov
at the lake, is not disturbed in tho
least and there, are very fair pros
pects that the threatened damage can
be nipped in the bud. A force leaves
for the intake at onco and they will
fill the spillway channel with rock,
which is expected to make a bottom
sufficiently solid to withstand the
force of the water which is discharged
from the lake. '
THE DAY'S CASUALTIES.
WASHINGTON, May G.Tho Amor
ican casualties include fifteen missing,
who are believed to have been captured
in the Seicheprcy fighting.
Six died in action, three of wounds,
nine of disease and two by accident,
Four were severely wounded and
forty-eight Blightly wounded.
THE KAISER
C- E. CONRAD IS
A VOLUNTEER
YOUNG MAX, OF Sl'MMKKVILLE,
l'AST THIS DRAFT AGE,
-,.'. I KXLISTS.i
C. E. Conrad, son ot Mr. and Mrs.
12. J. Conrad, ot Suuimervillo, has
enlisted In tha service of Uucle Sam
and has Joined tho engineering
corps. This young man Is beyond
the draft age, and enlisted U5 help
do his part in the country's emerg
oncy. A brother, Heber Conrad, Is
already with the fighting forces In
France.
One more boy of the family, aged
li).- la tho only one loft to take tare
or me farm work. He, too, an
nounces that he will take a band
In the fight against Frit if it be
comes necessary, but at pfeEcnt can
be moro suitably occupied id the
service of his country by raising
food for the .-.rnilos and tho allies.
There aro no-grounds for doubting
ino patriotism of tho Courud family.
I,VI,H KIDDLE HOME
Island City Young Mnn Wins Place
v. - in Training Camp.
Lyle Kiddle, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Fred Kiddle, arrived this morning
from Cor'vallis to visit a week with
his relatives and friends- before
being assigned to duty in an offi
cer training camp. This honor;
falls to tho Island City young man
ns the first one from' Eastern Ore
gon nt O. A. C. to recoivet this
distinction. Tho . . young man's
many friends .In La Grande are
pleased over this recognition and
feel that the honor has been safely
placed.
SOLD IDAHO RANCH
Sherwood Williams and Family Ro.
turn to Grande, Hondo.
...,--,'..'-".
Word has reached La Orando that
C. S. Williams, who with his fumily
recently moved to Fairfield, Idaho,
a largo ranch that was niir-
clwsod by Mr. Williams and John T.
W.liisyi-et .Xinbler :hauCltposedl
tho property and will shortly return
to Grande Rondo valley. This will
be very welcomo news to the many
friends or Mr. and Mis. WIlllauiB in
this vicinity.
SWARMS Oh'- CHICKS '..
Cuolldgo Hatchery In May Park,
Turns Out Four Thousand.
Yesterday was a busy day at the
C. C. Coolidge hatchery in' Mnv
Park, when 4000 llttlo new chicks
came out of the incubator and arc
now on their way to Wallowa coun
ty,' whoro they will be distributed
to different locations. Mr. and Mrs.
Coolidge havo a ton-acre fruit farm
and are raising chickens of the
White Leghorn variety. This Is the
only hatchery of thl kind In the
valley, and yesterday's hatch proves
what can bo done in this line.
; o
STUDENTS' ART KXilllHT
Oi-udo Pupils will Mako, Display
Friday and Saturday.
On next Friday, May 10, th resi
dents or La Grando will be given a
chanco to see jiiBt what the grade
pupils are doing in the art lino, as
on that date tho students or each
room will hold nn nrt exhibit in the
various 1001113 from 2:30 until 4:30.
All are invited and especially are
tho parents urged to attend. The
students will also hold their exhbit
on Saturday from the' hours ot 2
until 4.
CLOSING HOURS
HAVE BEEN FIXED
MERCHANTS AND CLKHKS H WE
Ml Tl'AI. AtJItMK.MKXT OX
NI.M.MIIK SCIIEDI LK.
The employing rivrchints ' nnd
members of the Clerk's Union hold a
meeting, lust week nnd came to a mu
tual agreement ns to hours of open
ing nnd closing for tu? ensuing sen
tun Tho ngrceme.it was l-euched
w:lh perfect and imt'sfactory undcr
sta it'-'i.je all around and the fhedulo
in i': cct will be: ,
Open. nt 7.1)0 a.m , ,
'.'l"3e at 0 p.m.
Thi-. schedule is for nil tho six days
of .tha week, except Si.turdiiy, when
iue hour for clrt'i:,' will l;e at 8
11 111
Ihif. re time is to go into
effi.vt next Wedmscn, morning.
' o
WEATHER EOUECAST.
PORTLAND, May (!. (By United
Press.) Fair. , '
BLACK SEA IS
; RECOVERED
.; .-' - - -. V: .- -.
HUNS HAVE BTW HAUL
IN irAHBOIi OV SEV- v
ASTOPOL '
Russians Expwicd .-.Much
. From This Elect lu Con
, trol of Black Sea.
CONSTANTINOPLE.
Mav (T. (By United Pi-ess.)
German . troous which
have occupied the .Russian
Black Sea naval base at Se
vastopol, found in the .harbor
most of the Russian Black
Sea fleet, including destroy
ers, torpedo boats, submar
ines, and merchant ? hips, it
is olh-eiailv announced.
This disnatch indicates
that the Germans have cap
tured a larse nortion of tho
Russian fleet. This fleet re-
ten tlv aided in the rccarcturo
of Odessa, the big grain port.
: Tlv Russians expected the
fleet to greatly aid them in
retaining r control of ; tho
Black Sea.
- . : 0 -, "
.AMERICANS ACTIVE
WITH THE AMERICAN
ARMY NEAR MONTDI
DIER, May G.--(13y United
Press.) -American guns aro
fifTwr'"-hell.tn?'V''iM6htdidici
Cantigny, MeshU St. George
md other towns and roads m
the same vicinity, which is
witnwi the territory recently
apturcd by. tho Germans. .
Montdidieiv which is visir
ble.froiii the American lines,
urcady shows plainly ' tho
effects of the bombardment,"
altho'ugh the church has not
been damaged by American
gunners. ;s . --, -. - -
TAKE 150 PRISONERS '
LONDON. Mav 6 (By
United Press.) The Brit
ish have advanced their
lines . on . a; "coiisidearbly
front" on both sides of tho
Somme river, and in the face
if strong resistance, I teld-
Marshal llaisr has announc
ed. t Among the spoils' were
150 prisoners, two machine
guns and a trench mortar.
0 , , ,4Ji
"WIPING . OUT AMIENS,
WITH TnF FRENCH
AI Ml ES, May 6. (By Un
ited Press.) The Germans
on Saturday began the syste
matic destruction of the city
of Amiens, which they will
try to destroy as they did
tlie city of Rlicims. Durinpj
the day the enemy threw 50
shells and 00 aerial torpe
does, into tlie city.
There was heavy property
damage, a -number of civil
ians were killed and tho ca
thedral is endangered.
SAMMIKS BEAT HUNS
WITH Till? AMERICAN
ARMY IN LORRAINE.
May G. (By United Press.)
An American patrol in
Ancreviller penetrated " the
German lines to a depth of
!!0() yards on Sunday morn
ing, overcoming the garrison
of an observation post, cap
1 iirhig four Germans and kil
ling three. ,'