OREGON Is the Best
purl of the United States.
BDBDE RIVER WW
ie the best pan of Oregon
HIDrORD l in Iho rantar ol the
Tlley and THE MAIL tu best paper
Jllail
If you want to
Mine, Saw Lumber
Raise Fruit, 1
Grow Stock
or do most anything elee you
will find your opportunity here
THE HAIL tells about it
VOL. XVII.
MEDFORD, JACKSON COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, AUGUST II. 1905
NO. 32.
Ik
A Soo Of A Quo to HJefct.
The moldy boaet of John P. Jones
Are coming home in (dory,
And how thoy are found In Purls ground
HfikoB a most romantic dtorv.
Vm not, I owns, well read on JoneH,
I may not wlze nlai right,
But this J. P. J. 1 rise to Fay.
- Was a son of a gun to tiicbt.
HI 11 ret commtnd from this here land
Wns fhe little sloop, the Ranger,
lit which, hell-bent, he up and went
Hlnji into the midst of da nor,
And there's no dlipute the Una salulu
To the Hurry banner bright
Was fired to own t be colors flown
By this son of a ruii to tight.
And later be put out to sen
The Kaglisb coast to harry;
Tho folks he scared, anil their oaBtttn bared
Of all his ship coiled carry.
The folks, dismayed, culled -'HenaBftile!"
And -Pirate" in iteir spite.
Hut they said wltfc urounts this f, p Jones
us u sou of a gun to tight.
Again a' grips with rnynl shic
He cut the proper caper.
Thmiph fticndsfc'oo bv tosfehimdie
;rDpling the big Sea- Kaper
He 'iK-.-er Cfni-b-fi b closer clinched,
Altbougn in muting piignt.
And when they hailed as if he'd quailed,
Said, "I haven't begun to fight."
So he tiok the pHze and opened eyes
Tc V.niltee skill and daring.
Aim low tltii. way with J. P. J.
A Ynnket-rleei is faring;
And the mcfc.iy bonus the nation owns
We weU-nnie with delight,
Ati'l cbeoni guloro, for the 'Jommodore
Was a tion of a gun to tight,
FUDCHESS OF
HALF A GENTURY.ii
Visitors even old residents some
timoB remark that Southern Oregon's
resources are not so fully developed
as they 'should be fter a settlement,
of over fifty years. Perhaps they are
not; but it should be rememberel on
tho othor band thfit during nt leant
half of that time 'this country was
practically isolated. It had no -communication
with "the outside -world
save by the lum baring stage coach
or the crawling freight wagon.
Nearly fifty-five years ago the first
gold was discovered in Southern Ore
gon and a rush of gold seekers com
menced. These men, for the most
part, regarded the Pacific coast, now
the garden spot of the world, e a
place where fortunes might be made in
a day, to be carried back to eastern
homes and enjoyed. They did not I
come for the purpose of making
homes, but to acquire wealth. Two
years afterward the first real band of
homeseekers unyoked their cattle on
the banks of Wagner creek and start
ed the permanent settlement of Jaofc-
son oounty. Still it was a country
practically unknown, only to be
reached by braving dangers and en
during hardships without a parallel
in the history of the onward progress
of the Anglo-Saxon race, save the
sufferings of those pioneers who clung
to a narrow strip along tho Atlantic
coast until by sheer force of charac
ter and indomiuatible will they carved
.a commonwealth from the wilderness.
It was the d-eBoendants of these men
who led the march of six monthB
across the trackless plains, climbed
rugged, snowclad mountains, forded
deep and dangerous rivers, carrying
with them the love of -freodom and
dauntless spirit of the race and final
ly planted the stars and stripes upon
tne snores ot tno Pacific, Retried an
empire to the nation's territory and
many stars to its flag.
The conditions the pioneers of South
ern Oregon lived under cannot be
imagined by us today. The country
was almost completely isolated. To
the south lay the mighty barrier of
the Siekiyous, in the fastness of which
lurked a savage foe. To the east rose
the Cascades, beyond which upo& the
sage plains and about the lakes of
what is now Klamath county, the
fierce Modoc took bloody toll from
passing trains. Northward the Rogue
River Indians held the narrow passes
of the mountains and many a lonely
prospector or venturesome emigrant
gave up his life in the dark defiles of
thoso mountains whose fate was never
known. It is less than twenty-five
years since the snort of the iron horse
was first heard in the Rogue river val
ley. Less than twenty years since
the last spike was driven which linked
Portland aud San Francisco together
with bands of steel. Twenty-five
years since Rogue river valley was
connected with the outside world with
jnodern means of transportation.
And what has been done in that time?
Nothing much; only this,
Ashland has grown from a straggling I
village built on each side of the ser
pentine course of the old O. &. C.
stage road to a city of churches, of
homes aud of sohools. From a chap
para! patch, where in early days the
aboriginal residents hunted the suc
culent jaokrabbit or the wary quail,
has been evolved the city of Medford.
A city full of hustling, enterprising
basin oss men, a business city, a pro
gressive city, a city with a future,
second to none in Oregon.
Towns of lesser size have sprung up
nil over the country. Farms and
orchards now flourish on what was
waste ground. Twenty-fire years ago
the Rogue river valley was unknown,
now there isn't a spot in the civilized
world where the fruit raised here has
not penetrated and is known to 'be
Southern Oregon fruit.
In the last few years wonderful
strides hare been made in the devel
opment of the mining industry and
the crash of falling stumps is beard
in many parts of the county.
Steps are being taken to develop the
vaet timber resouroe of the oounty
and it will not fee long before train
Soad after traiaload of fine lumber
will be Bhlpped from this valley.
At the present time there is one ot
the largest aed most complete electric
plants in the state in active 'Opera
tion, furnishing eleotrio power and
light to mines, farms and oitieB- in
this and Josephine counties.
Haven't we progressed in fifty
years? If old Chief John, the
doughty uhiof of the Rogue Rivers,
could stand on the brink of Table
Hock some night and Bee the myriads
ol etaotvic lights shining through the
valley ana listen to the roar of the
heavily laden trains, carrying passen
gers und goods from all -parts of the
world, be could tell a different story
and 'perhaps admit that the "Boston
man's medicine'1 was too strong for
him. No progress? Look about you
antl-see.
THE DIP OF 'DEATH.
A.' Til KILLING SENSATION IN THE GHKAT
ItAUS'UM & BA1UEY SHOW,
It has been definitely announced
'that the Barn urn & :Builey Greatest
now on eartn will 'Oxuiuit in iueu-
ford, on August 20. 'One performance
i only, jno nigut iierrormance. The
remendous success ot the circus in
New York.whero tho season was open
ed early in March, has been duly
heralded aud the thousands of people
wno visited cue enow at juauiBon
Square Garden 'have been loud in
their praise of tho mammoth auuiv-
gation and the same show replete with
its many reaturee or.sensatioual great
ties?, combined with its peerless
presentaion or tine world's most mar
velous exhibitions, will be exhibited
in its entirety wherever it is adver
tised to appear this season. The
three rings, two stages aud immense
hippodrome will serve to iuroduce a
conclave startling and stupendous
acts, aud tho zoological display of the
rarest wild beats will add to the mag
nitude of the attraction. The Dun
bar at Debli, nu exact presentation
of the historical jubilee at India, cob
turned in the most gorgeous styles, the
congress of curosities and the start
ling feat, "The Dip of Death" an
act where a daring woman leaps the
gap in an automobile, makes the
show, beyond doubt, the unapproach
able success of the season. The
Brothers Ancillotti, two youugFreuch
men attired in faultless evening dress,
perform the thrilling feat ot simultan
eously looping and leaping the quad
ruple chasms an act conceded by rill
to be the highest acme of nerve and
fearlessness. The Leousson Troupe
in coach acrobatic work, aud the 'im
perial Viennese act of ten aerial
trapeze performers are with this re
markable ten tod aggregation this
season.
A very remarkable exhibition of 'the
most meritorious nature, without an
equal in the world for thrilling and
daring, will be given free on the cir
cus ground before the big shows
opens. This is an entirely new idea
with the "Greatest Show on Earth."
Death of Mrs. R. E. Collins.
itiilay evening, August 4th, Mrs.
Maude CoIliuB, wife of R. E. Colline,
died of puerperal fever ; aged twenty
seven years, one month aud fourteen
days.
Mrs. Collins leaves a husband and
four small children, including the
baby recently born. The remaiue
were shipped Sunday to Toledo, Ore
gon, where the funeral took place on
Tuesday. The sympathy of the entire
community is with Mr. Collins and
his motherless little ones in their be
reavement. The motherless child is
always entitled to the .sympathy of
those fortunate enough to still have
their mother spared to them. How
many rough places in life are smooth
ed away by the teuder hands of
"mother'1'' and what strength to do
great deeds is given through her wise
counsels, the average son or daughter
does not realize until those tender
hands have been folded in their last
rest and tho loving voice is silent for
all time. No grief is more poingnaut,
no loss greater than that brought
about by the death of the mother of a
young family and Mr. Collins haB
our deepest heartfelt sympathy in his
great trouble.
"Coals to Newcastle."
California is the widest advertised
state on the Paoiflc coast and has
claimed and has heretofore been eli
cited to the championship for new
and effective advertising, but Med
ford haB the distinction of inaugurat
ing a scheme which commands the
admiration and attention even of
California advertisers and that is the
permanent exhibit building. This
week a letter was received from a
prominent fruit man of Watsonville,
Calif., asking for plans and photo
graphs of the building, saying that
Californians traveling to and from tbe
Portland fair wore struck by the
beauty and usefulness of the display
as an advertisement and that the Wat
sonville board of trade proposed put
ting up a similar building. This is
the first time on record that Califor
nia bas ever asked suggestions from
Oregon and shows that at Jast we are
"getting on tbe map."
Massage Parlors In Medford,
Miss Sabrey Booker has opened
Massage Parlors at the home of Mrs.
E. A. Wortmai, on Oakdale avenue
where she is prepared to give steam
electric and salt glow baths, face and
scalp massage and fine magnetic treat
ment Will go to any part of the city
and give private treatment Women
and children only. 9 a. m. to 10 p
m. Phone 73. 20-3m
Water in Big Klamath lake is
ported to be three feet lower than it
has been for many years.
The Gold Hill fire company is flour
ishing. It recently added three new
members aud proposes to have regu
lar drills from now on.
Lieut, T. W. Hammond, of Ash
land, who graduated from West Point
in June, has been assigned to duty
at Angel Island, San Francisco.
Lewis Walters was found dead in
the wagon road near Spencer creek,
Klamath oounty, Sunday morning.
The coroner's jury decided that he
had come to bis death through heart
disease.
Mrs, Mury V. Densmore, seventy
two years of age, living in Ashland,
fell down the steps at her home in
the Granite City, one day last week
and frncturea her wrist, besides sus
taining other injuries.
Two guests at Pelican bay ran
across a grizzly bear near that resort
last week. Thoy didn't have any fire
arm 8 so did not seek a close acquaint
ance with bruin. Tho bear was des
cribed as being a very large one.
CO. Chapped, one of the promi
nent citizens of Ashland, died at his
homo there last week, of heart dis
ease, aged litfy-six years. Mr. Chap
11 leaves a wife and three children,
a t'r other and three sisters.
bun ire On tun, one ot the pioneers
of Southern Oregon, died nt his home
in Sams Valley July 27th, in tho sev
enty -lift h year of his age. Mr. Griltiti
came across the plains in 18Ti3 aud
settled upou the farm where he died.
D. li. Provost, of Ashland, was
severely injured last week by falling
from the wood work of the traveling
crane in the Ashland Iron Works
His fall was fortunately broken by
somo belting with which he came in
contact during his descent.
During last week the city recorder
collected 853 in fines for minor
offenses. In any other but a "dry"
town the cause of the misdeameanors
would be traced to the consumption
of too much spirituB fumenti ; but
that couldn't possibly be in Ashland.
Mrs. Marie Andrews-Dill, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. T. O. Andrews, for
merly f of Ashland, died at Green
wood, B. C. July 25th. Mrs. Dill
was a graduate of the Ashland Nor
mal and taught successfully before
her marriage in various schools in
Oregon and California. She was mar
ried to Mr. Dill in 1899.
Homer Barron killed a big rattle
snake on Emigrant oreok hill, lust
week, which had ten rattles. U was
an UBiisually big snake and had evi
dently lost some of its rattles. The
other day Senator Carter killed one
with thirteen rattles on Frog creek
hill, above Henry Applogate's place,
on the Dead Indian road. Yesterday
Claude Freeman killed a large rattler,
near the corner of Wollen and Church
streets, on the side of the hill. A
rattlesnake is raroly seen on tho Sis
kiyou side of the valley up this way.
A few years ago they were numerous
on the Cascade side of the valley.
Tidings.
Vellow Jacket Showing Up.
Mears & Shaffer are doing extensive
development work on their Yellow
Jacket group of quartz claims, on
Forest creek. The group consists of
four claims aud has an ample supply
of water and timber, with a good
wagon road loading to the works.
The owners have 500 feot of shaft and
tunnel work completed aud one hun
dred and sixty feet of cross cut tun
nel, which taps the ledge at a depth of
about one hundred feet.
From the eni of the cross cut,
whore it taps the ledge, a tunnel run
ning at right angles with it and fol
lowing tho ledge is run for a distance
of 280 feet. This tunnel is connected
to the surface by an up-raiso and a
shaft, which "urnishes a good supply
of fresh air. The ledge varies iu
thickness, from twelve inches nt tbe
surface to seven fuot at tho lower
level. The ore at the lower level,
which shows below oxidization, ib
all free milling.
Some years ago ore from the shaft,
near the surface was milled and yield
ed $30 per ton. There are at present
upward of one hundred tons on the
dump which give assay returns of
from 85 to 3200 per ton
Forest Fires in Josephine.
From Grants Paws Courier.
Forest fires in the viciuitv of Jump-off-Jlo
and Louse creeks have been
continuing for two weeks past and
have filled the valley with smoke.
The first fire burned about three
miles of fencing on the Flanagan
place and spread orer considerable
territory, ruining some timber and
endangering ranch property. This
fire started on Sunday afternoon by
two boys, so it is reported, who were
squirrel hunting and not being able
to dislodge their game from a hollow
tree set fire to its base. Everything
was as dry as tinder and the fire:
spread rapidly. In a few momenta it
was beyond control and swept up tbe
hillside. The fire was confined after
several days' work by the ranches and
it finally died down, On Wednesday
another fire was started in the same
locality, this one is said to have bees
deliberately set on fire. During the
afternoon and evening the tire raged
on both aides of the county road
and for a number of hours all travel
was suspended. For a time both
sides of the road was a roaring fur
nace with a wall of flames reaching
as high as the tree tops. Telephone
and telegraph poles were burned
down and wire communication with
the north except by the W. U. was
cut off until Thursday.
Few people realize the danger of
forest fires, notwithstanding so much
has been published and laws with
heavy penalties for violation have
been passed.
Pears Looking Fine.
The first paoklug of Bartlett pears
will commence next week and the
Rogne River Valley Fruit Growers
Union will probably load the first
car of the season during the next
seven days.
Manager Perry, of the Union, stated
to a Mail reporter that with very few
exceptions, the pear orchards will
yield bountifully. In a few localities
the crop is light, from one cause or
another; but iu the main tho crop
will be a heavy one. Beside this the
quality is strictly first-class, Mr.
Perry said: "I saw the finest crop of
pears this (Wednesday) morning 1
have ever seeu any where two crops
of them in fact. They were in the
Clay & Meador aud the Hover orch
ards. Bartletts, Winter Nellis, Boose
and Cornice pears, of great size, hung
as thick as they could grow upon the
branches. From the present outlook
for prices and tho appearance of the
crop. Clay & Meader will come out
even aud moro from their losses of
fast year, caused by the hail. Every
where the pear crop is looking fine,
but these two orchards are exception
ally good. "
tn this connection a word of caution
to people handling fruit may not be
out of place. In the California pear
district orchards are being killed by
"pear blight" for which disease no
known remedy has yet been found
and horticulturists are undecided as
to how or when the infection is
spread. Nearly evorv fruit nest with
which this valley is inflicted haB ranleTm,morouB difficulties the persons in
from the shipping in of fruit or trees
from infected districts, and owing to
our equalable climate, the fruit pests
flourish hero, as they do nowhere else,
once they have obtained a foothold.
"Eternal vigilance is the price of lib
erty," said a great American, and
eternal vigilance will be the price of
keeping our orchards uncontamlnated
with fruit pests brought from other
sections Last week a I box of Call
fornia pearB was shipped to Medford
and placed on sale. Before any had
been sold, howover, a'promiuent fruit
man purohasod (tho box and immedi
ately burned the whole thing. Tho
fruit had come from tho district in
fected by pear blight in California,
and while there might not havejbeen
any great danger of tho disease ob
taining a foothold from this one box
of pears, still the fruit grower did not
feel justified in taking chances. A
rigid inspection of all fruits shipped
into the valley should be established,
not only to protoot ourselevs but also
to protcet tho consumers of Rogne
river valley fruit.
Bertha Mine is Looking Well.
It. B. Nye was in town from tho
Bertha mino in Foots creek district
Monday. He has been engaged for
the past six weeks in running a tun
nel to pierce tho led go on a lowor
level and now has roached a depth of
100 feet. At about seventy feet in
the ledge was struck and at seventy
five feet pay ore was found. The
ledge runs from two, and one-half to
six feet in width and the wa'ls are
well defined, giving evory indication
of a permanent body of ore; Mr. Nye
is now engaged iu making an upraise
from the end of tbe tunnel to tho sur
face in order to secure air and vontl
lation. When this is finished, active
work on tho ledge iu the way of get
ing out ore will be commenced.
Mr. Nyo was reticent as to what the
value of the ore por ton might be, as
there had been no milling done yet,
but tho satisfied expression of his
countenance indicated that the tests
already made wore not bo bad In their
results. The ore shows quite a per
centage iu froo gold. The first run
through tho mill will commence about
the middle of tbe month.
Attention, Peach Growers.
We want your consignments. Wo
will got you the highest market prices
and send returns weekly, or often er.
win advise you dally market condi
tions. Send for shippng stump.
McKWEN & KOSKEY,
12!) Front St. Commission Merchants.
Ill-it Portland, Oregon.
Card ot Thanks.
I wish to express my appreciation
of the aid and sympathy so freely
tendered me by tbe citizens of Med
ford, during the illness and death of
my beloved wife.. Words cannot
express my feelings In this and I can
only hope that none of my friends
may ever be placed in my position.
K. E. COLLINS.
W. K.
Offices in
Phipps, attorney at law.
Medford Bank building.
28 -U
STREET ECHOES
Opinions of Some of Our
Citizens Serious and
Otherwise.
A. C. Allen : "There is a place on
the Medford-Jacksonville road, just
opposite my home, whioh is likely to
be tho cause of trouble. The road
has been thrown up in the center here
and a culvert put in to let the sur
plus water through. The culvert does
not project beyond the grade aud at
either end is a ditch at least two and
a half fet deep. The point is this.
Should some one not acquainted with
the road accidentally drive off the
grade-some dark night, either in pass
ing some other team or from somo
other cause, there would be a serious
accident, resulting in either the crip
pling of a team or the occupants of
tho vehicle, or both. The place is not
safe and anyone injured would have
cause of notion against the county for
damages. Besides this the culvert is
not filled up levol with the grade and
the depression causes a jolt whioh
might cause a broken king bolt in a
rapidly driving vehicle, a seooud
source of danger.
11. F. Meader: "Jaoksou county
is 'It' with a big 'I' at the fair. At
first we didn't show up very well, but
now the Rogue river valley is nil the
candy. We beat them nil iu every
variety of horticultural and agricul
tural products, while at the same time
fruits and vegetables on the market
right here in Medford nre as good or
better tliHn those on exhibition. Wo
have not sent our best, yet what wo
did send is better thau that which
other counties display. From this on
we will do better. Pears and apples
will commence to come in now and by
the time the fair closes the Jackson
county booth will be so much better
than the reBt that nobody will under
take to make a comparison. Had we
commenced collecting an exhibit last
fall, as many of tho counties did, this
section would have taken the rank it
1b entitled to iu the first place. How
ever m 8l,lte or starting late and tne
charge of the exhibit have had to con
tend with tbe Jackson county exhibit
is coming to the front. Another thing
iu connection with the mattor 1b that
everything in the Jaokson county ex
hibit IB of this year's growth there
is nothing stale about it. Other ex
hibits are carried over from last year
cold storage atuff aud they don't
oouiparo with ours. Rogue river val
ley will be 'on the map' when the
fair closes. Don't forget that,"
W. C. T. U. Hems.
The Union opened on time to a
good attendance, with scripture read
ing by Mrs. Dodge, prayer by Mrs.
Fielder, singing by all. Minutes of
last meeting .road and approved.
One hour waa devoted to business.
A letter was read by Mrs. Buck from
Mrs Hyde inviting tbe Medford Union
to unite in a picnic to bo held at
Phoenix the first of September. It
being tho annual election of officers,
ballots wore passed and all voted.
Mrs. Hopkins was chosen president,
Mrs. C. P. Buck, recording secre
tary, Mrs. Hammond, corresponding
secretary, Mrs. Fielder, treasurer.
Tho different vice-presidents from
each church, also vice-president at
largo, and tbe departments of work
for ttie next year will be chosen next
Thursday, August 10th. Tho mem
bers partook of ice cream and cake,
then adjourned, to meet at the Chris
tian church, Thursday, August 10th.
PRESS SUPT.
A Disastrous Fire.
Monday night the sawmill plant of
. J. Shearer, on Poormans creek,
was entirely destroyed by fire. When
the mill shut down iu tho evening
there was no sign of fire nbotit the
promises, but about midnight tho
cruckling of flames awakened the mill
crow in tho bunk houso and It was
found that the mill building was
ablaze.- In spite of strenuous efforts
to save them, two wagons standing by
the mill platform in readiness to ho
loaded in the morning were burned
with the mill. Tho fire spread with
incredible rapidity and it seemed but
a few minutes until the building was
I n nil ns. Tho fire is su pposed to
bavo originated in the saw dust below
tho saw by a spark either from tho saw
or from somo other snurco, had smol
dered until a passing breeze had fan
ned into life. The loss is principal
ly confined to tho mill, as thero was
very little lumber in the yard at tho
time.
Insurance ? 1,000; loss about $2,500.
To Raise Sunken Ship.
A. G. Midford, C. E., of Hiiinil
tin, Ont., bas booked passage by tbe
Empress of Japan when she sails out
ward from Victoria, B. C, on Au
gust 14th. He has been given a con
tract by the Japanese government
which will moan a fortune to bim and
another and larger one to the govern
ment of the Mikado, If he is success
fulthat of raising no fewer than
seventy -two sunken war crafts, rep-'
resenting a value of 926,000,000. The
majority, of course, were sent to the
bottom by the Japanese during tbe
current war. Midford is first of all to
repor as to the probable cost of rais
ing eaoh vessel the majority are
Russian and the profit to be antici
pated as a commercial undertaking.
He expects to raise all oraft in water.
150 feet deep or Iobb.
Opp Mine Sold.
A deal was consummated this week
whioh will probably result in tho Opp
mine ohauglng bands and some exten
sive development work being inaugur
ated in the near future. A. C.
Hough, of Grants PaBS, acting for
eastern parties, supposed to be con
nected with the i New York & Western
Co., which is operating the Oregon
Belle mine, on For oat crook, bas
cured an option upon J. W. Opp's
interest in the Opp mine. This in
terest amounts to 70 per cent of the
oapital stock of tbe company aud tho
price agreed upou iu case tho option
is taken vp at the end of tho time
specified theroiu, which we under
stand ib ninety days, is $125,000, tho
first payment upon which has already
beou made.
Should the mine turn out to bo
what the investors expect, the balance
of the money will bo forthcoming
and development work will be com
menced on a much larger scale tdau
heretofore. Tho mill will bo increased
from its presout battery of 10 stamps
to fifty fc tamps aud mining will bo
done on a scale commensurate with
the size of the propel ty.
Teachers Examination.
Teachers1 examination began at
Jacksonville Wodnesdayfmoruiug with
tho following applicants for cor till
cates. Supt. P. II. Daily is assisted
by Prof. G. R. Carlook, of Ashland,
and Prof. A. O. Freol, of Gold Hil.
State Applicants Chalmers Straugo,
R. H. Jonas, tl. C. Anderson, Frances
MoWilhams, bithelyn Hurley, Thorn
Smith, Clara Richardson, Alma Gill
ham, Donna Bell, Lora Allen, Ella
Anderson, Cordelia Grant, Stella
Campbell, Nora Beebe, Jesse Wilson,
Miss Mel n tiro aud Echo Nason.
County Applicants J. G. Walkor,
Lulu MoMillian, Maude O'Brien,
Bertha L. Peachey, Nora Nowton,
Helen Wait, Romona Bissell, S. P.
Robbius, B. M. Collins, Mae Nealou,
Elizbaeth Earbart, Dott E. Mott, M.
Van Vloit, Anna Koogan, Clara Elmer.
Nettie Crook, Ethel St rat ton, Jobso
Darby, Inez Metzgor, T. G. Good
pasture, May Smith, Nollio Crooker,
Ruth Swiuney.
Store Building Collapses.
ALBANY, N. Y., Aug. S. Over
one hundred persons, a large majority
of tLeai girls, wore buried beneath a
smother of brick, wood and plaster
this morning, when tho central por
tion of tho large department store of
the John G. Meyers Company col
lapsed from roof to cellar. The
wrecked portion includes nearly one
half of tbe store.
Scores of rescuers among the ruins
up to 1:30 bad brought out only
twenty-flvo injured. Throe of thoso
died after reaching the hospitals. At
that time one hundred and ten wore
unaccounted for, and it is certain that
at least half of thoso are still boneath
the mound of debris.
About four hundred persons aro on
tho firm's pay roll, but some fifty of
these are on thoir vacations.
Passing of a Pioneer.
Mrs. Matilda, Gordon, one of the
pioneer residents of Southern Ore
gon, died at the home of Leo Buroh,
in East Medford, on Tuesday, August
8th ; ngud ninety-four years, six
months and twenty days. Mrs. Gor
don, with her husband. the late Alfred
Gordon, settled on Griffin crook iu
the early fifties. The original house
built on this hornestoad is still stand
ing, it was framed in the east, ship
ped around Cape Horn iu a Bailing
vohsoI and was freighted by wagon to
tho Rogue river valley, where it, was
set up and still stands. Tho funeral
took plauo Thursday, August 10th,
Rov. H. C. Hoxio olllciating. Inter
ment was tnndo in Odd Fellotvs ceme
tery. Tracklaying lo Commence.
Wednesday morning the Medford fe
Orator Lake railroad commmonced
stringing out ties in tho tormina!
yards, preparatory to laying track.
President Davis returned from Port
land Tuesday, whero ho had boon
making arrangements for tools, itc,
needed In tho construction. Ab soon
as the necessary tracks in the yarl
are laid the work will be actively
pushed. Next week will probably see
Superintendent of Construction Kelly
in charge of a gang of men laying tho
steel for the road which will open up
the Hog no river timber oelt.
To the Public.
After August 10th mails for tho
night trnins will bo closed nromntlv
at 7:45 p. m., instead of 0 p. m., as
bas been being done for the past two
months.
The outside doors of the postofticn
building will be closed promptly at 8
p. m. A. M. WOODFORD,
Postmaster.
GREAT BRDPS IN
UNITED STATES.
American farms will produce bigger
and better crops and return many
more millions in revenue to the farm
ing interests this year than over be-.
fore in the history of the countiy.
All kinds of crops wheat, corn, oats,
hay and smaller grain and piodnoe
staples have progressed to tbe- stage
where thiB prediction may be made
with scarcely the slightest ohanoe
that the final official figures will dis
prove its correctness.
Railroad officials and Btatistios of
agricultural departments in the var
ious states of tho government grain
producing regions givo their personal
an doftioiat guarantee that tbe year
1005 is to be the bauuor year in farm
prosperity.
If thero is a dissenting voice any
where, it is drowned out by the clam
or of optimism that comes from Illi
nois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, the
far south oat, tho Paclflo coast and
tho wonderful spring wheat country
of tho northwest.
Possibly one wheat crop that of
11)01 will exceed that of 1905. In
1001 the crop aggregated 748,000,000
bushels. It may be that one previous
corn orop that of 1002, when 2,524,
000,000 bushels wore produced will
not quito be equaled by tbo yield of
this year. It is when one takes the
wheat, corn, oats and hay crops to
gether and contemplates what tho
grand total of thiB year of graoe 1b to
bo that the story becomes a glorious
one. There never before was suoh a
1 combination of stunning figures need
ed to express the tribute of the na
tion's horn of plenty.
Quito as much to the point, if not
even moro, in casting up tbe ledger
of prosperity, is the prospeot that
prices, compared with tbo buocobb of
the production, will be higher than
they havo boon since war times. Aa
ostimate of twelve states of farm pro
ducts, based on presentmarket quota
tions, would represent an array of
figures that would be simply amazing.
Superlatives are in order all along
the liue to make the situation suffi
ciently impressive
Acoordlug to figures emanating-,
from stato capitals Saturday after
noon, 370,000,000 buBhelBmoro of CGrn :
will be raised this year than last iu
tho states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, ,
Kan Bas, Nebraska, Michigan, Mluue---
sota, Missouri, North Dakota, Southi
Dakota, Ohio aud Wisconsin. The -
entiro crop of corn laBt year, taking -official
government figures, was 2,-
407,000,000 buBhols. Tho ncord crop
of idl years waa 2,523,000,000 bushels,
iu 1002. Hence, if the other Plates of '
Iho Union do anywhere near as well J
proportionately as tho twelve men
tioned, this year's corn yield will!
towor high above that of other your
These samo twelve states iiru oxpecC
ed to produce 114,000,000 moro wheat
thuu luoy did a yoar ago. Of the
winter wheat states, ludiuun, Jllinoin,
KmiBas, Ohio, Nebraska aud Missouri
mako a fine showing in in creases.
Enough of tho orop has betn gathered
and threshed In good order to mako
these figures semi-final.
With black rust made practically
innocuous in the spring wheat coun
try by favorable woathei conditions,
with tho harvest alroady on in a large
part of tbo area, and with a larger
acreage thau last year from which to
draw, tho figures submitted for pros-
poets In tho northwest aro nut appar
ently overdrawn.
Likes Rogue River Valley.
Tho oditor of tho Hastings, (Miuu.)
Gazotto, who was with tho National
Editorial Association excursion,
which stopped in Medford last mouth,
evidently appreciates this part of
Oregon. Ho says:
"We came to Medford, whero a halt
was made of hiilf an hour to look over
some fine specimens ot minerals and
agricultural products displayed iu a
pavilion at tho station, and in listen
ing to tho music of the hirh school
band. Hero the coaches wen- loaded
up again with fruits tunl Honors by
the inovitablo liidieB, unw becoming a -common
occurrence. In addition to
gold and copper they havo coal, iron
aud asliostos iu ptiyiug quantlt-ios,
and only awaiting development. The
climate of this valley is tar pren rnble
to that of California iu oui way of
thinking, never too hot or ton cold
for comfort, and the fertile soil,
abundance of mount ain water, and
gootl prices for everything raised ren
ders, it an Ideal spot tor iho husband
ninn. The price of land is not high,,
all things considered, depending upon
location."
Friday Night's Fire.
Friday night last just at 12 o'clock
flro broke out in the city jail, when
a temporary guenL of the city had
accidentally set tho lied clothes on
lire, through going to sleep while
nmokiug. The Hie department re
sponded promptly to the alarm, drag
god tho half -Btiiroca ted . Inmate out
end soon put hc tiro out The dam
age was principally confined to ton
burned bod clothes, although the In
terior of the jail u us somewhat dam
aged.
Wanted To buy
household goods. A,
Jacksonville.
second band
I). Houston,
32-3t-pd.