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THIRD YEAR.
MEDFORD, ORBUOX, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 1908.
No. 143.
(PERT THE COUNTY
Dufedfordl
2h m
COMMISSIONERS SO
E
THOUT
SPITE OF
ADJOURNMENT
W
Expert Says Books Are in a Very Poor
ShapeOver 500 Pieces of Property Have
Been Assessed Twice This Year Owing
to Ancient Methods
It is highly probable that the county
court will refuse to allow Judge Neil
to order the exporting of the county
books, for Commissioners Owen:i and
Patterson object to such a work being
undertaken.
During this session Judge Xeil has
so far tried in vain to secure action. The
court will in all probility adjourn this
afternoon or tomorrow and the judge
intends to introduce a resolution to se
cure action on the matter, thus placing
the commissioners on record.
Expert Accountant Here.
W. 1. Williams, the northwest rep
resentative of C. M. Williams & Co.,
certified public accountant, of Now
York city, has been in Jacksonville
fur the past few days looking over the
county records in order to see what
amount of work is required. Mr. Wil
liams, after making a short inspection
of the books Wednesday morning, stat
ed that he had never seen a "worse
mess" in his life. Old methods that
have been employed year after year are
still in vogue and are costing the county
thousands of dollars. Mr. Williams ap
peared before the court ami gave the
facts as he found them. He is of the
opinion that it will cost the county in
the neighborhood of ..'00(i to have the
accounts straight ned out for ten years
back, which is as far as is necessary,
owing to the statute of limitations.
Where Commissioners Stand.
Commissioner Owens has not favored
the proposition nt any time since it
was proposed. He seems very reluctant
in having the worn done, saying that
the money had better be spent upon the
roads of the county. He characterizes
the matter of having the honks export
ed as foolishness, as the county should,
in his opinion, continue in the way it
has during its past history.
'onnnissioiier Patterson lias stated
that he is of the opinion that the work
should be done, hut at some future
lime wlu'ii the county is in a better
(inam-inl condition. He says he is eon
tent at the present time to allow mat
ters to continue in the same old way.
Neil Realizes the Need.
Judge J. U. Xeil is fully awake to the
needs of having such .1 work under
taken and carried through. He has urged
it upon the commissioners many times
during the present session only to be
turned down, when it is suggested. He
has been doing all in his power to re
d 'em his election pledges mid place
the records upon a modern business ha
uls, so a to save the county money,
but is helpless without the co operation
of the commissioners.
"I am fully aware of the needs of
such a work." said the judge, "but T
cand o nothing towards getting the
work done unless the boys will help me.
They have refused so far to give their
consent to the court ordering the work
done, and 1 nm therefore h-lpless."
Condition of the Books.
So far this year there have been over
.Vim pieces of property which have been
;i4esH-d twice and appeals taken by
the property holder.
The pieces of property overlooked
have probably been a- great in num
ber as the property assessed twice. This
1- due to the system of compiling the
books of record according to the names
of the proporM- holder instead of ac
cording to a description of the various
pierrs of property in the comity.
At presetit there I no check over the
sheriff's office by the county clerk,
throwing open the greatest opportunity
for embezzlement.
The Expert's Opinion.
"The present condition nf the county
records and the method in vogue in
th vnri-uis department of the court
DECLINED T
SUCH ACTION IN
NEIL'S EFFORTS
Employed
house arc frightful," said Mr. Wil
liams, when asked for his opinion after
making 11 brief examination of the
systems employed. "The county could
have lost thousands of dollars and no
one would bo the wiser, and the oppor
tunity will continue to exist until the
hooka are expert ed and new methods
are put into use.
' ' 1 have not gone into the matter
very far. I did not need to, for even
a layman could see the need of ex
porting the books.
' ' The present admitiistrat ion, or in
deed the past few administrations, arc
not to be blamed for the existing condi
tions, for they are simply the out
growth of years of usage. Having been
started wrong, they have never been
brought up-to-date, and no new meth
ods have ever hem introduced, and so
Ihe present condition is found. It
must have cost the county thousands
of dollars.
' Of course I would ad vocal e that
only a member of the American Asso
ciation of certified accounts be employ
ed to do the work. A man might be
found who would do the work for if I no
a month, but when he was through the
work would be that of a $1"" man and
this work would retpiirc a better man
than that. Xo one but a man who lias
been in the work realizes the tangle
that the county books are in."
Present Officers Want Work Done.
The present enmity officers favor the
movement to have their books expert ed.
County Clerk ( 'olernan says t hat he
would like to hoc the work done upon
his books soon aud more modern moth
ods put into effect.
"When I entered the office 1 was
forced to continue in the way of my
predecessors, I have introduced a few
innovations, but have been unable to
make much headway. 1 know of sev
eral new matters which might be i 111
p roved if the books were exported and
placed upon a new basis. I would
welcome the expert with open arms."
Sheriff Jones is also favorable to the
movement. He would like to make cer
tain changes, which are impossible un
til the books are experted.
KILLS MAN WHO FOUGHT
DUEL WITH HER SPOUSE
SAN JUNK. C.-il.. Sept. X With his
head blown almost completely from his
body, William Barker lies in the morgue
today us the result of the deadly aim
of Mrs. Manuel Fonts, who interfered
in a quarrel between darker and lor
husband. The woiu.tn discovered t he
men in combat, and seizing an auto
mntio rifle, emptied its magazine into
Darker 's body.
She claiimd afterwards that the shoot
mg was accidental find that she did not
know the gun wan loaded. The tragedy
occurred at the Finre ranch on t lie
Alviso road near here, where all three
part ici pants wen- employed as prune
pickers.
According to Fonts, Marker quarreled
with him as to w lift her they should
work on the following day. Barker
drew a long knife and was in the act
of attacking Fonts when the man s
wife nppeiind and put n fatal end to tie
fight. LIQUOR DEALER FINED FOR
VIOLATING LOCAL OPTION
LA (iKANDK. Or., s. pt. X N'.-i-Ifolvfrsoti
of Hilgard was today found
guilty of selling liquor in violation of
the local option law and wan fined
or IL'.T days in the county jail. He ha
appealed for a new trial and has given
so0 mondu for appearance should it be
granted,
HAVE
DER
THE FOREST"
Only One Famous Tree in
the Calaveras Grove Is
Injured
STOCKTOX, Cal., Sept. 3. The for
est fires which have been burning in
the vicinity of the Calaveras big trees
since Monday are under control and
practically out.
"The only tree in the famous Cala
veras grove which was touched by fire
was Mho mother of the forest,' " said
I. M. Stevens of Murphy's Camp to
day. " It wus only slightly damaged. It
is a big dry trunk. Sparks lit in the
top of the dead tree and started the fire.
It burned away some of the top and
down the side, but the tree was not
lost royed. I
' None of t he ot her forest, giants
were touched. All of the reports which
have been sent out have been greatly
exaggerated; probably not morn thnn
six square miles have been burned by
the fire. At the Big Trees this morn
ing the men there said that thero wan
now little further danger of the fire
briaking out anew. Reports sent out
yesterday were to the effect that the
fire was started by sparks from a trac
tion engine. No one knows just how
the fire reallv did start."
CORNELL STUDENTS PERFECT
AEROPLANE, WHICH FLIES
ITHACA. X. V.. Sept. :i. Two stu
dents of t 'ornell university, John C
Uiickhart of Portland, Or., and Oscar
Tndight of Indianapolis, Jnd., startled
aronautic investigators today with the
exhibition of an aeroplane built by
them which is capable of traveling 41
miles an hour at a height of fl feet
above the ground.
Tests of the machine were made in
1 field outside of Ithaca and tho aero-
olaue worked perfectly, remaining In
the air for several minutes under ab
solute control of the operator. It sailed
gracefully a distance of over a mile
without the slightest mishap to mar the
i-perinwnt, tho operator being able to
raise au I lower it at will. After eir
ling ihe field, the flying machine
alighted gently like a bird near the
starting point. The young inventors
were enthusiastically congratulated on
their success.
The machine is built on two horizon
ml planes. :t feet long nud five feet
ipafit. lis frame is of aluminum nud
is extroin.lv tight.
CHASE WILL HELP OUT
SACRAMENTO TEAM
STOCKTON", al.. Sept. J. After
waiting anxiously for two days for a
t h 0,1am f 1 "in Hal Chase, who had
promised to start west Tuesday to join
1 lie Sto.-l-t.,n state leaguers, Manager
Morning received the following from the
big fiit baseman:
"New York, Sept. ;t. Will leave to
morrow. Hal Chase."
The New Yorker will be in the games
;i1 Sacramento on Admission day.
it has been reported for some time
i iat hnse would jump the VankccK on
a. couut "f being dissatisfied with not
! -ing chosen manager. He is a Califor
nia 11 and i 11I i mated his intention a
iM-ek ago ti come here and play with
Stockton in the outlaw league.
t.ARGE PACKING HOUSE
BURNED IN FRESNO
FI.'KSN'O. C:,., S-pt. :t Fire last
glit burned the Phoenix packing house 1
ne of the largest in the Snn Joaquin!
alley, A large amount of raisins and
dried fruit, was consumed, entailing a
Th - origin of (he fire i unknown. It t
burned fiercely and f r a time the whole
town Hii endangered. Din entire pop
ulation tinned out to fight the flames
and foiigh: so effectively that the big
Adams packing house, onoly 70 feet
awiiv, was saved.
I l A. Fifer spent a day at the county
eat the fore part of the week.
AR
MOTHER OF
1
THE WORK
L INSURE
SUCCESS OF
F
Commercial Club Takes
Charge of Fair and Ap
points Committees
Tho Commercial club Wednesday
night took chargo of the district fair
and will guarantee its success. Every
body in Medford is expected to help
make the occasion cue long to be re
membered. There will bo tlireo days
of freo horso racing, elaborate displays
of fruit and livestock and $1200 dig-
horsed as premiums.
Tt was tho regular monthly meeting
of the club.
Immediately following tho minutes
Mr. Osonbruggo on behalf of tho club
members gave a little speech of pre
scntntion, presenting to Mr. Colvig a
box of cigars tin a small token of appre
ciation and remembrance of Mr. Col
vig 's (iUd birthday.
Tho following bills wero allowed and
ordered paid: Hutchison & Lummtcn,
$U0; A. JI. Miller, $100; Thomas K.
I lynn, $2,301 Warner, Wortmnn & (lore,
$1.20; Pacific Northwest, $:t!i.OO; Rogue
Itiver Electric company, $1.75; Delica
tessen, $1H.U0.
The names of O. D. Nagle and C, L.
Kennies were presented for membership
in the club. On motion the rules wero
suspended and the applicants accepted
into the club by acclamation.
The matter of going into the country
to solicit money for advertising was
brought up. The committee appointed
ia the spring for this work, owing to
inactivity, was discharged on motion of
J. I. Ohvell, and a new committee ap
pointed, consisting nf Dr. Page, Mr.
Watt and Mr. Randall, with power to
risk any other club members to assist
as they see fit.
A motion was made that the district
fair be held October 1, 2 and H, bo tak
en up by the club and backed financial
ly aud pushed as much as possible, the
profits, if any, from this fair to go
to the club. Committees were appoint
ed as follows to work with the state
fair board and with Superintendent An
drews; Building aud ground Husenbaum,
Anderson, Rodgers.
Kutertaiument Hazelrigg, Reams,
Stalker.
Ail vert ising Andrews, Putnam, and
Bliton.
Horticultural aud agricultural exhib
its I'errv, Tavlor, Olwell and Ton
Voile.
Finance Wolch, Ray aud Wortmau.
The coin m i 1 1 00s on bu i Id ing a ml
grounds, entertainment and exhibits to
bo supplemented by additional commit
tees from the Creator Medford club.
COMBINATION ODDS ARE
OFFERED ON THREE FIGHTS
SAX FHAN'CISCO, Cal., Sept. 3.
Combination odds have been posted on
tho three big prize fights of next week
by Tom Corbett as follows:
Nelson, Attell, K-Hchell ;t to 1,
Xeson, Moran, Ketchell Ji'ir to 1.
Nelson, Attell, Papko to I.
Nelson, Moran, Papko 5'j to 1.
dans, Attell, Ketchi 11 5U, to I.
(inns, Moran, Ketchell H to 1.
Oans, Attell, I'apke r,Hj to 1.
linns, Moran, Papke S to 1.
A peculiar feature of the comhina
t ions is that Ketchell must win side
of 12 rounds or any combination tick
et bearing his name is declared a loser.
The reason of this is that in the straight
betting Ketchell is a 111 to 4 favorite
over Papke, mid a Ketchell victory
sf'-rnn such a foregone conclusion that
Corbett thinks Ketchell for combination
purposes should be handicapped in some
way,
This in a nutshell means that if Papke
stays 12 round with Ketchell, Papke
will be regarded ns a winner ia the
combination bet.
Thomas K. Roc, 'who opera ten
sawmill on Thompson creek, rod J. T.
Sohcnker, one ot hit neighbors, spent
a few hours in Medford Wednesday.
CALIFORNIA
DEMOCRATS
Do Not Favor
Removal of
State Capitol From SaG
ramento to Berkeley-Endorses
Denver Platform
STOCKTON, Cal., Sept. 3. The plat
form that ia to be adopted by the dem
ocratic state convention, which meets
here today, and which probably will be
the last nominating stnte convention
in California, will contain a plank de
claring unequivocally against the re
moval nf the stnto capital from Sacra
mento to Berkeley. Although tho plat
form has been drawn up, but roughly,
this plank was decided upon at a meet
ing of the leaders today and will be
endorsed bv tho lectors unanimously.
It is understood that the delegates
from Alameda county will oppose the
plank. The proposition was sidestep
pod by tho republicans at Oakland two
weeks ago, and tho democrats hopo In
poll a largo vote in tho Sacramento val
ley as the result of this plank.
Tho Denver platform and tho nationnl
ticket is strongly endorsed.
The planks of which special mention
is made follow:
The condemnation of tho proposed
scheme allowing Japanese to become
naturalized, with an emphatic demand
for stricter laws against the immigra
tion of orientals.
Endorse Bank Guarantee.
Tho reiteration of tho bank guarantee
plan of William ,T. Bryan.
A plank condemning republican ex
travagance in pnst sessionfl of tho leg
islature nud commending nc. onstitu
tional amendment limiting the amount
that can ho expended at one session.
Tho (d)olitiou nf tho state com mis
mi.
There are two subjects on which
the democrats are not agreed for their
plat form.
One is the suffragette question and
the other is the proposed constitutional
amendment changing the system of tax
ation in the statu. It is probable that
the platform will contain no mention of
the suffragettes' demands, although ,
some of the democrats favor submit
ting the question of equal suffrage- to
Mm people once more.
On the taxation plank, San Francisco
anil !joh Angeles am reported to no op
posed to Professor Phelan'a new plan,
as fhoy would pay more taxes under
tho now scheme nf taxing pubhv sorv
corporations than they do now. It
seems probable today that the delegates
from tho country districts will carry a
plank endorsing the new amendment,
howe( r.
RECOVERS DAUGHTER AFTER
CHASE OF THREE YEARS
I.OS ANliKLKS, Cal., Sept. 3. After
a chase lasting three years and cover
ing all the principal cities of the Pa
cific coast, Mrs. A. H. (iress today hn
possession of her daughter, Marchie,
whoso life lias been a coutinunl series
of kidnappings. Mrs. dress found her
child at the homo of U. K. Ware in
this city and today mother and daughter
are beyond the state lino on their way
oast.
After having been kidnapped six
times during the war for her possession
which has been waged ever since she
was 2 years old, little Marchie fell into
the hands of her father the last lime
at Pasadena three months ago. (Ires-t
admits that ho kidnapped the child
from his wife at tint time. He says
ho has spent $30,000 in his endeavor
to retain possession of his daughter and
is greatly chagrined at being outwitted.
His story is that Mrs. dress deserted
the girl when she was 2 weeks old. They
lived then in Spokane, Wash., to which
city they had gone after fenving nan
Diego, where he had made .m.uoii i
tho real estate business. Ho took the
fant to Canta Barbara, where he start
I a shoe business.
.AJP STEAMER SINKS;
TWENTY EIGHT DROWN th
IN SESSION
VICTORI A, li. C., Sept. I'assen-'as
gers arriving here today on tho steam If ho nceopts, it will he hi sixth 1 will slump (no state on nepiem
er Tango Maru tell of the sinking of term in office. Tho president, who has ber SI, 22 and 23, vlsUVng uch
(hit,. Vr,f,,tu,, nn A...nt 6, ,.ult-
i i- .i.. f .2
and aallora. Tho boat waa loartcd kM
and aallora. Tho boat waa Inartcd
coal from Kuroran.
POPE PIUS JUNKETING
TIRED Of PARTY TO
HIS PLACE APPLEGATE
Burdens of the Church Are
Becoming Too Great For
Prelate to Bear-State
ment Causes Alarm
ROME, Sept. Expressing grave
fears that ho has not much longer to
live and that tho burdens of the church
are becoming too inuchc for him to
bear, Pope Piua X today, in an inter
view with Bishop Burko of Albany,
X. V., declared that he is filled with
an unconquerable dosire to return to
private life in his old home in Veuico,
where he may spend his declining years
in quiet rest.
No adequate intimation of tho men
tal suffering of his holiness hns been
undergoing had been suspected until his
almost pitiful statement todny to the
American prelate became known. Bish
op Burke is Muted to hnvo said that
tho popo 8 condition is more Bcnous
than is generally suspected, and thero
is danger that he may succumb.
Confinement and tho constant recur
rence of grave niatterH of stu to that
have kept the popo engnged for tho last
two yours havo been extremely trying
to him, and ho feels no longer capable
of facing them. His statement has oc-
asionod great alarm at tho Vatican.
CLUBMAN WHO TURNED
ROBBER NOW DEAD
PORTLAND, Or., Sept. 2. friends of
Fred N. Hamilton, once a famous foot
ball player of the northwest, aro de-
laring today that their contention that
he wus mentally unbalanced when he
broko into three down town jewelry
stores Inst July was proved yestorday
by his death from parosis, resulting
from a blow on the head during a foot
ball game some years ago.
Immediately following his. arrest on
a charge of burglary efforts wero made
by his close friends to have him sent
to an asylum, while thero wore those
who said that leniency would bu shown
Hamilton because he had rich relatives.
M rs. Melville Dollar, his sister and
wife of n wealthy steamship owner, liv
ing in San Francisco, engaged counsel
aud after an examination in court, Ham
ilton was declared insane and sent to
the Mountain View sanitarium, where
he died,
BURNS AND JOHNSON
ARE AT LAST TO FIGHT
NEW YORK, Sept. 2. A cable mes
sage received here today announces that
a match between Tommy Burnii nnd
Jack Johnson, tho groat negro fighter,
hns been arranged for Thanksgiving
afternoon at Melbourne, Australia.
This will be the greatest heavy
weight battle of the year and will at
tract fight fans from all parts of tne
world.
It will be a 20mund go for a purse
of $2'i,ono. Tho information does not
say what the division between the win
ner and loser will be.
Tho lmtt le will bo conducted under
the nuspiees of a specially formed syn
d ion to ami will be pulled off in the
open pavilion.
Munis' easy victory over Bill Lang,
whom he knocked out in the idxth
round, makes him u great favorite at
Melbourne, nnd tho champion will be
heavily backed against tho negro. John
k in is now in Kngland, but is expected
to sail soon for Melbourne.
DIAZ BOOM STARTED
FOR THE SIXTH TIME
CITY MEXICO, Sept. Cit
ns of the state of Snn Luis Potosi.
r.unt ini to ndvicon received here, have
, ... flrHt h :,. t,, PIUIiPnign
re c. lction of President Diaz.
;.ews of the movement renchod here in
the form of aproclaiuation issued by the
p ople of that province calling upou
the other states of Mexico to appoint
delegates to a national convention for
purpose of pressing on Din?, the
mcessity of his serving another term 1
hend of the Mexican republic.
that h. -m not aorv. .but tt
thoniht ho can bo vrovaUeA upon
loconatflor thik aotormtnatton. Tho
otnctlnn takea pa In 1910.
Blakeley to Play the Host
to City GounGil and Edi
tors on Trip of Investi
gation of Water System
F. .T. Blnkeley, president of tho Ster
ling Minn company, which has made
an offer to bring water into the val
ley, has invited the members of the
city council, the mayor and Editors
Bliton nml Putnnm to accompany him
on a junketing trip to look over the
proposition which ho has submitted to
tho city.
The party will bo taken over the pro
posed line of tho By a torn to the source
of supply, where they will be allowed
to taste of tho wator nnd to measure it
in order to pass their judgment on the
offer.
Councilmen Eifort, Olwell and Hafer
havo expressed their intention of go
ing, ns has Mayor Rcddy. Possibly the
others will also go, a matter which will
bo determined this afternoon.
Such a trip will no doubt provo of
much benefit to the council in its fu
ture deliberations, r.s thoy will know
what they are talking about.
SUBMARINE VOLCANO
OFF OREGON COAST
NKW PORT, Or., Sopt. 3. Because
the surface of the ocean for 30 miles
off shore at this point is strewn with
ead fish, Hon captains reaching this
port during tho pnst few days are con
vinced that there has been a submarine ,
earthquake, or a volcanic eruption some
where near l aquina bay.
For miles either side of the bay hnn
lrrds of tons nf dead fish principally
herring havo been thrown upon the
bench. Captain Anderson of the schoon-
Condor is one of tho sailors who
reports the ocean literally covered with
the dead fish, which appear to have
been killed in some catastrophe. Not in
10 years havo so mnny herring been
set ii before in Yaquinu bay or at sea,
and at first it was thought this was
the "seventh year" of them, as it is
supposed that herring, like the locust.
nines in great quantities at seven-year
intervals.
Marino men all agree that there is
only one explanation for the phenom
enon, and that Is that there has beeu
a submarine eruption of some kind.
PAPKE AND KETCHELL
READY FOR BATTLE
LOS ANdFXES, Cal., Sept. 3. Both
Papke and Ketchell aro resting easy
today, having decided to cut down their
training as much as possible before
their fight on Labor day, Ketchell is
resting as easy as he can, nlthough it
is difficult for him to do anything
but work hard.
Fans here nro offoring 8 to 1 oo the
Michigander nud there is not much
Pakpe money in sight.
Tho most of the money is being wa
gered on the proposition that Ketchell
will get his man in 15 rounds. The bet
ting is even on this proposition.
BILLINGS RAILROAD TO
LAUREL IS COMPLETED
Itl'TTE, Mont., Sept. 2. Joy among
the agriculturists in this part of the
country is general today oocnuso oi mv
completion of tho Billings & Northern
railroad to Laurel, Mont., opening up
one of the finest agricultural districts
1 in Montana. The road is a lull enter
prise nnd its completion marks tho lay
ing of tho last rail connecting Great
Falls and Billings, Mont., and tho link
ing nf the (J rent Northern and Burling
ton roads.
BELL TO STUMP
OREGON FOR BRYAN
4
PORTLAND, Or., Sept. 2.
Information has just been im
parted at the democratic head
quarters here that Theodore Bell
of California wU stump Oregon
for V. J. Bryan nnd J. YJ. Kern
I according to present plans. lo
a -T' nA VlU-
to lamotto vultoy potnta.
I