1
: An Advertisement
I THK MAIL is sure to brlug results.
because at leaBt . . . ,
6000 People Head It
Every week, and all of these Bead ,
ere of . .
THE MAIL
now tlmt when they see it In This
n i
Secretary Hitchcock Is Deter
mined that the Next Congress
Shall take Action on the Tim
ber and Stone Act, the Com
muted Homestead and the
Desert Land Laws. ,
Washington, D. C, Aug. 16:
The 68th Congress, when it regular
ly assembles in December, will be
called upon to remove from the
statute books three laws under
which the government has been ays
tematically . robbed each year of
hundreds of thousands,- if not mil
lions, of dollars' worth of public
lands. The robbers are not in all
cases violating the letter of the law
and as long as these three laws re
main in- force they cannot be
reached, but they are violating the
spirit of the law, and escape only
on technicalities. The fight began
in the last days of the 57th Congress
to bring about the repeal of the tim
ber and stone act, the desert land
act, the commutation clause of the
homestead act, is to be renewed with
vigor, and the friends, as well as
the enemies of reform, are even now
preparing to enter the' fray, each
side determined to win.
Secretary Hitchcock is favorable
to a' sweeping reform in all land
matters. The sentiment in favor
of reform is growing, but any at
tempt at such radical reform as is
proposed by the Secretary would be
met with failure. Reform legisla
tion, to pass Congress, must be to
same extent conservative, a sort of
compromise measure. Congress will
never consent to the repeal of the
timber and stone act, unless some
suitable legislation is enaoted pro
viding a new but equitable meanB
by which public timber lands may
be acquired. It is possible that
Eome legislation may be framed au
thorizing the sale of timber from
the public domain, a practice that
is now prohibited, but for which
there is more or lees demand.
A more consistent fight can be
made on the commutation clause
of the homestead law than on either
of the laws above specified, but a
number of Western Congressmen ,
men of influence, too, are fighting
the repeal of this law, on the ground
that it would unnecessarily hard
ship settlers. On the other hand,
advocates of repeal asserts that any
man who Bincerely enters 160 acres
under the homestead law, with the
intention of making it his perma
nent home, could certainly not
object to being obliged to live on
his land for five years, nod to cul
tivate and improve it. They insist
that a bona fide settler, a settler
of the desirable class, would do
this, regardless of the law; would
do it in his own interest, and would
muoh prefer to acquire title by
residence, than by paying cash for
the land after be had resided there
on for 14 months. ,., . ( (
Is is more than probable that
Binger Hermann will be made a
member of the Public Lands Com
mittee in the next house. His six
years' experience as Commissioner
of the general land office has given
him an insight into the workings
of the public land laws that have
been enjoyed by few men, and bis
advice would ba eagerly sought on
all occasions when important land
problems were pending.
The mention of Mr. Hermann in
connection with the public land
laws recalls the fact that a law,
more vicious than any of those that
VOL-17.
are now before the public eye, -has
for years been the subject, of attack
by Hermann, and his influence in
the next CongreBB can. certainly be
counted on to bring about an ab
solute repeal of the Huu land law,
It is alleged byt many that the
passage of the National irrigation
law has largely done away with the
necessity for? the "desert-land act,
dutthis assertion will de cayed into
question. It is a fact that the
Government has deen swinded out
of many thousanbsv of acres of
grazing and even' agricultural land
by persons who have operated under
the desert land law, and so long as
that law continues in its present
foim theBe frauds can never be en
t'rely arrested, ' Violations of the
desert-land law have not been so
extensive on the Pacific Coast as in
the states east of the Rooky Moun
tains, particularly in . Montana.
But even in those states the desert
haw has many friends as well as
enemies.
EKlflfTO
PACK APPLES.
From tho San Francisco Chronlole.
It is stated that California now ships
about 350,000 boxes of apples a year to
Great Britlan, and that with more care
in packing, the sale would increase very
largely, A number of Oregon packers,
who engage in tho business with the
determination to perfect paokine, reg
ularly ontsell any California apples by
about $1 a box. This Is not because the
apples are bettor, but because the
packing is better ;the result is that since
but a few Oregon packers are in the
business, all of whom do good packing.
Oregon apples have come to be re
garded in the British markets ai
"better" than California apples. Pres
tlge earned in this nay is well de
served, and we respeotfully take off
our bats to Oregon ; but it Is disgraceful
that our California shippers should
compel us to do so.
CANAL TREAT!.
Washington, Aug. 17. A cable
gram dated August 12, has been
received at the State Department
from Minister Beaupre, at Bogota,
saying that toe Manama canal
treaty has been rejeoted by the
Colombian Senate. President Roose
velt was di vised of the newB. Mr.
Beaupre's telegram being forwarded
to Oyster Bay.
S. P. to Pension Employes.
The Southern Pacific pension syBtem
has been put into operation, and 35 old
employes of the company have been re
tired under its provisions. Among them
are G. Ewald, transportation depart-
ment, lines in Oregon. The work of
the pension board is still unfinished,
and a number of high officials will
probably be placed on the retired list in
a short time. Among these are: Joseph
L. Wilcutt, secretary of the Central
Pacific, the Southern Paclfio and other
roads in the Pacifio system; Captain
N. T. Smith, treasurer of the Southern
Pacific Company; T. H. Goodman,
general passenger agent of the South
ern Pacific; Jerome Madden, land agent
of the Southern Pacific Company; J.
N. Hanford, paymaster of the Southern
Pacific Company; E. Black Ryan,
tax attorney of the Southern Pacific
Company. All the above ofti leers are
over tho pension age limit of 70 years
and all have been in the service of the
company for more than the prescribed
20 years.
Prosperity In Old Michigan.
The following is from a Michigan ex
change and In it' is told the conditions
which prevail among farmers, which
are not unlike the conditions found
upon the farms In Oregon :
On every hand one can see evidences
of prosperity. The old dilapidated rail
and board fences aro fast giving way to
neat and substantial wire ones. The
barns and sheds aro being repaired and
repainted and in many instances now
ones are taking the place of the old.
New and comfortable rosiderces are
also springing up here and there and
everything points to a return of happy
days on the farm.
MEDFORD, JACKSON CODNTT,
OF OREGON.
Crater Lake Party More than
Pleased Wlfh What They Saw
A Brief Story of the Trip to
the Lake Qrand Scenery and
' a Merry Party to Enjoy It,
A member of the Portland Crater
luke party has given the roriiana ure
gonian the following account of their
trip. After giving the personnel of the
party he Bays :
"It la probably the merriest party
that has ever traveled over the hills to
this great natural wonder of Oregon
Leaving Portland August 4th by the
Southern Pacific, they were transferred
to wagons at Medford, arriving at
Crater lake on schedule time Saturday
night, AuguBt 8, with the exception of
some freight. The long ride through
the cool, enticing shadows of the yellow
pine forests was brightened by sallies
and bon mots without number, and the
inspiration of the noble eanyons of the
Rogue river, its waterfalls and marvel'
ous natural bridge brought out quaint,
picturesque metaphors and curious le
gends such as might well become a per'
manent part of Paelfio coast literature
"Joaquin Miller was in his happiest
vein, his wit and fantaBV finding fresh
opportunity to vent itself at every turn
in the road. Dr. Hill was-the humorist
of another wagonload, a jovial giant,
bent on seeing that everybody about
him should get the best out of his va
cation. President Campbell, alwaya
brilliant reoontour, kept' np a perpetual
laugh at the other end of the cavalcade,
while Senator Fulton's shrewd humor
and good sense gave the needed sploe
of diversity.
"At Eagle Point, fifteen miles be
yond Medford, there was a campfire
that will live long in the memory of
those who were present. The whole
country side for miles around had as
sembled to do honor to the visitors, and
the stirring intensity and lofty strain of
feeling shown in the impromptu
speeches; together with much olever
repartee, brought out ringing applause
from the people of Eagle Point, Joaquin
Miller gave a superb tribute to Oregon
for her part in the Indian warB, placing
thhvstate before all others in the Union
for the brave men she gave and the
Oregon gold she coined for the cause.
The battle of Table Rock was touohed
upon with imuch dramatic fervor and
vivid imagery a battle in which some
of those present had taken an active
part. '
A lively scramble down the mossy
steeps of the picturesque little waterfall
on the oountry place of J. H. Stewart,
of Medford, was a feature of the next
camp. This is situated In the heart of
the foreBt, thecharming vistas and wild-
wool glens causing Joaquin Miller to
exclaim that he could not wish heaven
itself to be more delightful and entranc
ing in its beauty. The ruetio cottage,
with its wide verandas, waB filled with
trophies of chase and pine wood curios.
The campfire talks Inspired by the rare
hospitality of the owners were quite aB
notable as at Eagle Point.
At the notural bridge, where Rogue
river disappears into the living rock to
come out of its prison-house a foaming
torrent, It was found that the horses,
although the best obtainable, were not
quite equal to the task of carrying the
generous load of table supplies provided
by Mr. Steel up the mountain on sched
ule time. This will explain why the
company of 27 people arriving at Crater
lake about Bunset Saturday night found,
after waiting two hourB, that the cook,
with his supplies, was enoamped at the
base of the mountain. This necessitated
a merry scramble of a mile down the
mountain in the moonlight. But Sunday
morning found all encamped in good
shape on the rim of the lake, engaged
in studying (he raarvelot. changing
tints 01 water ana rocty enn as tne
sun moved westward.
Ou Monday, August 10, a party of
about 30 people, under the guidance
of Captain O. C. Applegate, who was
encamped near by, climed Castle moun
tain, which is 8175 feet from sea level,
or 1000 feet above the camping ground.
Senator Fulton, Dr. Bill. Mr. Wheeler
and son, who remained behind, Im
proved the time by taking a swim 'in
the lake.
Today (Tuesday) is one o! eager an
ticipation, as tbe new boat furnished
by tbe United State Government is to
he launched by means of rones from
tbe clifT to the lake, 1000 feet below.
Everybody declares he Is having the
belt time of his life. Venison is a
popular dish today, two hunters having
brougbt in two deer.
OREGON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1903
NEWS OP THE STATE.
The steamer Ore ton returned hut
week from Nome with $250,000 in gold
I and 139 passengers on board.
; Hon. Malcolm A. Moody has just re-
ceived notice from the Commissioner
of Pensions that the claim of Lewis Law
ley, of Tho Dalles, has boon allowed at
(8 a month from June 27, 1002, This
pension established a new ruling ou the
Indian War veteran act of the above
date, thereby recognizing as pension
able tho volunteers who failed to druw
the pay allotted to them by the . War
Department for their services against
the Indians In the early daye when
every man and every horse that oould
be spared from the scattered settlements
of Oregon and Washington were called
upon to protect tbe lives and property
of the pioneers.
At a meeting of prunegrowere held
at Salem last Saturday a movement was
Btarted for the organization of a mutual
insurance company, for the Insurance
of prune dryers. The growers were
agreed that the insurance companies
charge too high a rate of premium for
this class of risks, and that the coat
oould be greatly reduced by oo-opera
tiva action. It ie intended that the in
surance association shall accept mem'
hers throughout Oregon and Washing
ton and transact business only on prune'
dryers and warehouses. The new or
ganization will have no connection with
any of the other prunegrowere' associa
tions.
The officers and enlisted men at Fort
StevenB are engaging In a series of ser
vice drills that will continue for
period of ten days or two weeks. The
entire force at the post is enoamped in
tents on the reservation and is living
under practically the same conditions
aB if the United States was at war with
auother nation and an enemy's fleet
was expected to attempt an entrance of
the Columbia river. To make the situ
ation as realistic as possible, the Quar
termaster's Department steamer Major
Gny Howard makes dally oruieeB about
the mouth of the river, and the. big
guns are trained on her and fired with
blank cartridges. Everything at Fort
Stevens is now on a war footing and
will bo continue until these drills are
completed.
Dr. L. W. Brown, of Eugene, relates
a most peouliar circumstance. He was
oalled to Cottage Grove Friday night to
aseiBt in an operation to remove an eye
from Mrs. Hunnicutt, who haa been
blind in one eye for 35 years, and it had
been deemed advisable to remove the
nselesB member. The operation was to
be performed' next morning, and the
woman was nlaced on the ooeratinir
table, and the attending' surgeons got
their instruments in reamness for the
operation, when the woman ehouted
that the L,ord had restored her Bight.
Those in attendance were greatly sur
prised at this outburst, but the good
eye was closed and she was shown
several articles and could bob them
plainly with the eye that bad been
blind for years and called the articles
byname. There were half a dozen wit
nesses of the occurrence and all wore
dumbfounded. The woman had Bpent
several hourB in prayor previous to the
time for tho operation and just before
going on the operating table offered a
final prayer toGod to restore her sight.
She naturally feels that her prayer was
answered.
From the PruttroBD's uulde.
'The apple plungers have started at
their fall work. News reaohed the
Guide office this week that a Chicago
house by Its representatives purchased
an Oregon orchard estimated to contain
some 7,000 boxes on an 'all round1 basis
all varieties and sizes at SI. 50 a box.
This 1b nervy, or rather riskv buying,
to say the leant of it. Shipments abroad
will have to realize eleven shillings.
about $2.05, for the shipper to come
out at the right end of the horn.
"Prices are nigh, anynow, rignt now
in Oregon and the growers have set a
general asking price of $1.25 to $1 .85 f.
o. cars."
Hurrah for Southern Oregon! Go'.
darn her plctur', she always was a
trump card, We have known it all the
time and It is gratifying to now real
ize that others are of the same opinion.
These Teacher Were Successful.
The following teachers were eucceBs-
ful at the regular teachers' examination
held In Jacksonville, Aug. 12, 18 and
14th.
First grade: David P. Mathews,
E. E. Smith, Nettie Thompson, Eftle
Weiss, Ethelyn Hurley.
Second grade: Mamie Rippey, Helen
Walt, Martina Tbells, Fannie Hewos,
Viola PrciBter, Christina MaoTavlsh,
Agnes Mooro.
Third grado: Mac Curry, Lillie
Howes, Kate Broad.
Primary grado: Harriet F. Caniere,
Ella Griffith, Mrs. M. Peter,
NO. 34.
Opinions of Some of Our Citizens
Serious and Otherwise .
Ralph Woodford: "Wo reached Ash
laud Tuesday noon with our Crater
lake crowd. There were juat an even
thirty five in the party, counting the
teamsters. Tbere wore eight teams
and wo made the trip without any seri
ous iiooident, exoept that Sam Harnish,
of Eagle Point, lost one of his horses'
It wbb a fine animal, and it dropped
dead in the harness within a short dis
tance of the Indian Agency. The
orowd ohipped in a dollar or two each
and raised fifty dollars tor him and he
bought another borse from an Indian.
Say, funny thing about the Indian he
bought the horse from. He is one of
the reservation Indians and evidently
gets drunk every time an opportunity is
presented. A few weeks ago he in
dulged too freely in red liquor and
was arrested, tried and sentenced to
dig 1200 post boles, as a penalty for tbe
offense. He dug 800 holes, and as this
was all tbe holes needed at that time
the remainder of the One was remitted,
but no sooner was ho a ree Indian than
did he go fill himself up again with
hilarious booze. .This happened the
day before we reached the Fort. He
was tried again for being drunk and was
sentenced to split 1200 posts and he had
commenoed working out hlB sentence
the morning we saw him. Say, that
fellow must hare a thirst like a oow. I
went out and dug a pesthole yesterday
just to get an Idea how many 800 would
bo when they were properly dug
United Status Senator Fulton and his
family were with tho orowd. The sen
ator is one of the best fellows I eversnw
In a crowd of that kind . He waB equal
to all occasions, one of thoso fellows
who fits in almost any place. As tho
farmer would say of bis team good for
plow purposes on work days and real,
tasty drivers for ohuroh purposes on
Sunday. He wan In Mr. Lindley's'load
and it was amiiBing to see him helping
Mr. Lindley curry bis borses and he
knows how to do it, all right. Jeff
Hamlin was tbe handy man oi the
orowd. If any of the teamBters got inta
traublo Jeff was on hand to help fix
things up. He's an all 'round, gener
ous, good fellow and we couldn't have
kept house without him. The orowd
enjoyed the trip Immensely well and I
believe next year a larger crowd than
ever will visit the lake."
S. G. Van Dyke: "How's fruit, was
that what you asked? Why, my dear
sir, I have no fruit not now, but you
wait a few years and I will be market
ing' Oregon red and yellow apples like
Voorhies, Lewis, .Stewart, Whitman,
Owell and the several othor big growerB
are now. I havo as flue a fifty aero or
chard of apples and pours now growing
as you oftentimes see. 1 havo 100 acres
of land in my farm but I do not think 1
will put out any more orchard. Fifty
acres will bo adout all I can properly
attend to. You soe my farm is made
up of good alfalfa and grain land and
I can hardly got mysolf outof the notion
that I can make money irom growing
grain and hay. I have twenty acres of
alfalfa and 1 have out already two crops
this season and will cut a third crop
from some of It. Some of the field I
am now pasturing. I will get five tons
or a little better to the aore. Last year
I cut over six tons to the acre. I am
agoing to sow eighteen acroB more to
alfalfa next year. No, my land is not
sticky it is pretty much all river bot
tom. In my opinion sticky land is not
agood alfalfa producer. The soil seems
too heavy and cold. Tbe best alfalfa
land is freo soil where the bard pan !s
not too near the surface. I know of sov
eral parties who have tried It on sticky
land and it was not a success. My
wheat crop was light thiB year too dry..
Right at present time my long suit Is
dairying. I am milking twelve cows
and they are averaging me about $5 a
oow per month. The lowest price I have
received for butter fat per pound was
twenty cents, and the highest thirty.
In July the price paid was twenty-two
cents. I am shipping to the Ashland
creamery. I was doing business with
that creamery when tho one In Medford
started and it's pretty bard to break;
away when a fellow Is being treated
square."
J. A. Perry: "Yes, I am buying fruit
There is not mnch grain to buy this
reason and as I havo sort o' gotten into
tho notion of buying a good bit of
something every fall, I have decided to
tackle fruit their is lots of that and I
ought to bo able to got hold of several
carloads. In all probabilities I will turn
my purchases over to the Fruit Grow
ers (Jninn. The Union has rented part
of my ollloo for tholr seoretary and part
o( my warehouse for their packers."
Tbe belt part of Southern Oregon Is
tbe
Rogue River . . .
.... Valley.
The boil Iowa In the Valley li tbe
towu of . ,
MEDFORD
Tlio best Newspaper ' published In
Boil thorn Ort'gon, )r , , .
THE MAIL.
It bus the (I.tirpost Ctroulutloii, Rives
I the most News mid Is ulwuys relia
ble . .
APE OREGiMS.
They Are Going to Pack Their
Fruit As We Do in Oregon
Oregon Orchards a Treat to the
Eye.
From the California Frultman's Guide. - ..."
A. 8. Greeoway, general manager ia
the United States of E. A. O'Kellydt
Co., of London, returned recently Irom
a trip to the apple seotlons of California
and Oregon. He expresses himself at
highly delighted and impressed with
the appearance of the apple oropsia
both states. The Pejaro Valley, ho
ventures to predict, will turn oat a
muoh better orop than it has in the past
three or four years. Newtowns show a
good and full c.-op and Bellflowers are
even fuller. Hr. Greonway noticed that
the Pejaro Valley orohardists are tak
ing more care of their orchards; they
are thinning ont conscientiously and
spraying is now almost universal.'
"The Oregon orchards," said Mr.
Greenway, "arb a veritable treat to the
eve. The crop is a good one. Tho
Newtowna are a large orop, even if not
so full as the other varieties and the
apples are looking remarkably fine and
dean.
"In California tbere will be Ices five- -tior
apples than ever before. Tho grow
ers have learned their little leBSon
from experience and are hunting for ,
four-tier stock. I look for a great im--:-provement
in the Cnllfornlans' packing
and grading this seaBou and beliovo
that thov will emulate Oregon in theso
regards."
Prom the San Francliae Examiner.
One of the most sucoulent morsels In
the aftermath of the big fight was tho
size of the "rate." Past masters in tho
art of wheedling money out of the pub
lic rolled tholr eyes and smocked their
Hps every time the amount of the groes.
receipts was recalled. It was prophe
sied that it would be a long time beforo
$112,340 would jingle into a pugilistla
boxollice in Hub city again.
Of this amount $il2,728.50 went to
Jeffries. Ab the actual time of fighting
was less than half an hour, he received
better than $1,000 n minute for slugging
Corbott.
It may ba that JeltVies will object to
his earnings being figured on a thirty
minute basis, as he lest the entire day
over the job. But evon then t32,73P,60
is a fairly good return. For that mat
ter, one might take into consideration
tho five weeks Jeff Bpent in training
and argue that the game was worth
the candle. Reckoning that way, Jeff
ries has earned over (0,000 a week. If
be could manage to keep hie date book
full bit emoluments would reach oloen
to (340,000 a year, and that is enough
to make President Roosevelt's annual
stipend look like oar fare.
Corbett didn't do so bad, either. His
share of the takings was I10.909.W).
The Yosemite Club, which, like tho
man at tbe top of tbe ladder, "did all
the work", hail to contest itself with a
paltry 18,702.
From these figures it is as plain as a
pikestaff that championship pugilism
payB. The prospect is so alluring thai
there Is talk of forming a company tho
object being to scour tho highways and
byways of the world in search of some
husky young giant oapablo of lowering
Jeffries' colors. It is generally conced
ed there is no known heavy-weight at
present in Bight who is equal to tbe task.
AMOtStl TM1- CHURCHES.
FfltBT M. K CHURCH,
Preaching noxt Sunday morning and
evening, at the usual hours by the pas
tor. All are invited. -
PltESBYTKRIAN CIlUltCH.
Preaching August 23d at H a. m. by
Rev. C. H. Hoxie. Other services as
usual. No preaching in the evening.
All aro invited to attend these services,
, Rbv. W. I' Shields, Pastor. '
IIAITIST CIIURCB.
Sabbath school 10 a. i, Win. llavis
Sunt. II. Y. P. U. 7 p. u. Leon Howard
President, Rev. J union Kelso will
preach nt 11 A, M. It is desired that
tho members, so fares possible, bo pre
falnt no proaohtni: In tl.o evening.
T. J,. Ckandau,, Pastor, '