VOL. II.
EXPLOSION AT
THE ICE PLANT
A frigid wave visited that part of
Medford located near the ice com
pany's plant, just before 7 o’clock
Saturday morning. At that hour the
ammonia compressor of the plant ex
ploded and blew up, and the ammonia
gas escaped from the building in a
white cloud, turning whatever it
touched which was of a liquid nature
into ice. The floor and walls of the
plant, which were wet at the time of
the explosion, were coated with ice
as the result of the loosing of the
ammonia gas.
Just what caused the explosion has
not been determined yet.
C. A.
Brown, who is employed at the plant
opened up Saturday morning at the
usual hour of 6:30, and some time
afterward was engaged in work back
of the compressing plant, when the
explosion occurred. Strange to say,
he was not hurt by the accident, al
though he was less than six feet
away from the heavy cylinder which
was hurled to the ceiling and landed
ten feet away. D. V. Byrd, another
employee of the company, had just
left the room when the explosion oc
curred, and the cylinder landed in the
very spot in which he had been work
ing, and broke a hole through the floor
at that point.
People in the vicinity of the plant
thought for a while that a Are had
broken out, from the great volumes
of white ammonia gas which escaped
from the building in great clouds.
The ammonia could be smelled almost
a mile away from the plant.
The employes of the company were
nearly overcome by the escaping gas
while they went through the building
shutting off the various pipes of the
plant. The amount of the damage
has not been ascertained. The cast
iron cylinder, which was blown off,
weighs several tons and it will take
some time to have another one made
at the foundry. However, the plant
will not be compelled to stop work
long, because the compressor has a
second cylinder.
OFFICES BURN
AT BLUE LEDGE
The main office building of the Blue
Ledge Mining company, erected at
their mines near Eileen was entirely
destroyed by fire at 10 o’clock Satur
day morning. The fire started from
a defective flue and spread rapidly,
and in spite of the efforts of the men
employed at the mine nothing was sav
ed beyond a few papers from the offi
ce.
It was with the greatest difficulty
that near-by buildings were saved from
the flames. The 55 men who are em
JACKSONVILLE, JACKSON COUNTY, OREGON, JANUARY 16, 1909
ployed at present by the company were
handicapped in the efforts, as no large
water supply was available, owing to
the snow, which covered everything.
Still this was a great aid in checking
the spreading of the flames.
The building was erected at a cost
of $7000 and aside from this a number
of valuable papers were lost. The
amount of insurance could not be
learned.
REGARDING SIDEWALKS
The matter of sidewalks in this city
has been talked of on the streets but
nothing definate has been done. Side
walks should be put in at the earliest
possible date leading from California
street to the court house, and suitable
crossings and gutters installed.
The charter provides for side walks
and all that is necessary is to pass an
ordinance, publish the same for four
weeks, advertise for bids and proceed
to build the walks.
We cannot expect to keep up our
dignity as a modern city without the
necessary sidewalks. Strangers com
ing into the city will judge the charac
ter of the people by the appearance
of the town. If you go into a neat,
clean little town you make the remark
that the people are enterprising and
rustlers. Can you object to strangers
coming into this city and make remarks MEMORIAL ERECTED ON SPOT WHERE LINCOLN WAS BORN.
about our sidewalks? They unhesita
The Lincoln memorial on the old Lincoln homestead neur Hodgenville,
tingly say that our sidewalks are in Ky., is almost completed and will be the scene of a great dedication ceremony
exceedingly poor condition for a town on Feb. 12 next, the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Abraham
of the importance of Jacksonville.
Lincoln. President Roosevelt will be the principal speaker of the occasion.
The memorial building Incloses the little log cabin where the great emanci
WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS
pator first saw the light of day. Th« new structure was built entirely through
“The Trustees shall have power to popular subscription by the Llncolu Farm association, of which Governor
compel, by ordinance, the owners of Joseph W. Folk of Missouri is president.
lots to construct and repair sidewalks
along the streets adjacent to said lots
at the cost of owners thereof; and to the development of Jacksonville in or
provide for selling the lots adjacent der to receive their just share of im
Develope Jacksonville
to which any such walks may be con provement.
structed or improvements made, to and these cities will develope, and
pay all costs and expenses thereof in when these cities develope Jackson
the same manner as like property is ville will receive the reward through
sold on execution, under and in pursu business transactions.
Governor Makes Several Re
Article vi, Sec. 4. —“The board of
ance of the laws of this state.”
commendations in His Mes
trustees
shall
have
power
to
levy
and
There is no necessity or excuse for
delay in this matter. Let us have collect taxes EXCEEDING ten mills
sage — Calls Attention to
on the dollar, if an ordinance or bill for
sidewalks.
Statement No. 1 Pledge-
that purpose be first submitted to the
legal voters of the town, after ten
Public and Normal Schools.
ABOUT THE CHARTER
days notice of the time and place of
such voting, and a majority of such
The governor’s message was read in
Jacksonville needs a new charter, voters shall vote in favor of such
the legislature Tuesday and contained
which fact no one doubts. The char tax.”
The people want sidewalks and many recommendations. Following is
ter under which the city is governed
was pass.d by the legislature on the should have them. Now it is up to his message in part:
28th day of November, 1860, and print the bjard to order the necessary re
ELECTION OF A SENATOR
ed in phamphlet form February 1,1886. pairs.
The fact that a majority of the leg
The conditions of the city have
islators subscribed to pledges promis
changed or should be changed, since
DIED
ing to vote for the people’s choice for
1860. If Jacksonville is to keep pace
s.nator, supplemented by a law enact
COSS
At
the
family
residence
in
with the business world we must have
West Medford, at 5 a. m., January ed by the people commanding all mem
a charter, modern and up-to-date.
8, 1909, James F. Coss, Sr., aged bers of the legislature to vote for the
85 years 11 months 1 day. Funeral people’s choice for senator, is a suffi
This vast region of wealth west and
services held from late residence, cient guaranty that the election this
southwest of Jacksonville comprising
Saturday January 9, 1909, at 1:30 p.
Steamboat, Applegate, Bur.com, Sterl
m. Interment in Jacksonville cem year will be as summarily disposed of
ing and Watkins must depend upon
etery.
as it was two years ago, and the time
of the legislature devoted to the con
sideration of measures of public in
terest.
GOVERNOR’S MES
SAGE READ TUESDAY
FINANCES
1Í
ii
Ilf
II
81
II
lì
II
0
II
II
H
»
h
ill
The money now in the hands of the
treasurer bel nging to the different
funds of the state is on deposit in the
numerous banks of the state, but in
case the treasurer holds securities
therefor exacted by I im under the
depository act of 1907, and the bond of
the treasurer to the state for the
faithfnl performance of his duty is
held as additional security. The duty
of approving the securities taken by
the treasurer from the several deposit
arios is vested not in the executive,
but in the treasurer and the attorney
general. I do not believe there is any
danger of loss to the state in the futu
re if the provisions of the depositary
act of 1907 with respect to deposit of
state funds is strictly observed.
TAX LEVY
It must be expected in the very na
ture of things with the steady increase
in population and the consequent in
crease in burdens and expenses of the
government that the tax levy will be
higher, unless subjects which now es
cape taxation are brought within tax
ing power. I fear to recommend any
revision of the asssessment laws of
the state, but is unfortunate that some
system has not been adopted to bring
about a uniformity of assessment and
taxation in the several counties of the
state. The question requires that tax
es shall be uniform and equal, but it is
a well known fact that in most of the
counties of the state, personal proper
ty and money almost escape taxation.
. In some counties land is assessed at
from one-third to one-half of their act
ual cash value, while in others it is
assessed at two-thirds of its value, and
in none at the actual cash value as re
quired by law. Until some uniformity
of assessment is devised there must be
inequality of taxation, and so long as
some property escapes taxation entire-
NO. 37.
ly and real property is not assessed at where conditions warrant, this apparj
cash value, the levy for state and coun i .¡nt inequality in the administration of
ty purposes must continue to be high justice. It miy be that I have exer
and taxation must lack the constitu cised too frequently the power of the
tional requirement of equality and un executive in behalf of prisoners, and
iformity.
that an occasional mistake has been
made, but in the aggregate the results
EDUCATIONAL FUNDS OF THE STATE
Irreducable School Fund The irre accomplished have been most benefi
ducable school fund of the state has cial, for the public has been relieved
increased during the past two years of the support of a convict and he has
from the sale of land and other sourc been restored to useful citizenship, and
es, $430,720.21, the principle thereof on in many cases he has returned to the
the 30th day of September, 1908, be support -f a depen lent family, who,
during the incarceration, were the ob
ing $5,429,930.60.
jects of charity.
STATE LANDS
The report of the state land board
and state land agent with respect t
school, indemity and other state lands.
The price of school lands has been
raised to $5.00 per acre, and in some
cases a slightly larger price has been
obtained, while the price received for
indemnity lands is $8.75 per acre which
covers the expenses incident to per
fecting the selections, netting the state
about $8.65 per acre. At no time in
the history of the state has so large a
price been received, for it must not be
orgotten that the prices now being
obtained are for lands that are left
over after the best of the princely
grant which was made to the state had
been disposed of in former years. It
is very greatly to be regretted that
the school lands were not years past
held for higher prices, for had this
been done the irreducable sc ool fund
might have been large enough to have
made it unnecessary to levy a tax for
the support of the peblic schools.
TAKING PRISONERS TO PEN
A great saving can be effected in
the matter of bringing the prisoners to
the penitentiary if the same system is
adopted with reference to that insti
tution as was heretofore adopted with
regard to patients for the asylum.
Convicts should be conveyed to the
penitentiary by officials of that insti
tution, without other cost than their
actual expenses.
STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE
The annual fair held under the aus
pices of the state board of agriculture
has grown to be one of the most im
portant factors in industrial, agricul
tural and horticultural development.
The last report showed an increase in
receipts over any one previously held
of about twenty-five per centum.
It may be s tfely claimed that no one
factor has played a more important
part in stimulating the live stock in
terest, in improving methods of agri
culture and in horticulture, and in at
tracting the attention of people in the
ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE
The report of the superintendent other states to the possibilities of soil
deals at length with the present con and climate.
ditions and needs of the institution, WATER SUPPLY FOR STATE INSTITUTIONS
and I invite your particular attention
As the population of the state in
thereto. It will be necessary, as is creases, that of charitable, penal and
suggested by the superintendent to ex reformatory institutions increases in
pend quite a considerable sum of mon the same proportion. The question of
ey in order to place the asylum in a a more ample and purer water supply
condition to properly care for and is becoming a vital one, and particular
treat the inmates along the lines of ly with reference to the insane asylum.
improved methods for care of the in The health of the unfortunate confin
sane.
ed in this institution must suffer un
It cannot be too persistently urged less something is done in the very near
upon your attention that better facili future to relieve the condition as to
ties must l»e inatullc'*
-T*
~- **"- ct ' .
¡. b 'pi-’-mic of typhoid fev
tion against fire. The state has had er and other diseases always is immi
one warning, and nothing but prompt nent under the present conditions.
and vigorous action on the part of the
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
officers and attendants at the asylum,
The Agricultural college and the
ably assisted by the fire department of State University are in excellent con
the city of Salem, prevented the en dition, and the enrollment at both of
tire destruction of the main building these institutions is larger than ever
of the asylum, and the possible loss of
before.
a number of lives. The institution is
NORMAL SCHOOLS
now crowed to its limit, and moneys
Under an act of the last legislature
must be appropriated either to build a
new asylum or enlarge the facilities the normal schools of the state were
(Continued on Page Two)
of the present one. The population
thereof increases in proportion as the
..................•
1 ■ —
population of the state increases, and
it is safe to predict that in ten years WEAK KIDNEYS MAKE WEAK
the population will increase 109 per
BODIES.
cent.
THE PENITENTIARY
Acting upon the assumptien that the
purposes to be subserved by the ad
ministration of criminal justice are
threefold, namely: First, the protec
tion of society; second, the punish
ment of wrongdoers, and third, his re
formation, the penitentary has been
conducted during the last six years
along lines entirely at variance with
those heretofore in vogue. Stripes
have been done away with; cruel and
unusual punishments have been abol
ished, and although strict discipline is
maintained, the prisoners are treated
more humanely than ever before. The
result has been good, and it has been
found that where a disposition on the
part of the officials is evidenced to
put some confidence in the prisoner,
it is appreciated, and is not apt to be
betrayed.
It has been my policy to assist where-
ever possible in restoring convicts to
useful citizenship, particularly where
in mv opinion the three purposes of .
punishment have been attained.
I have also during my term, con
ceived the idea of conditionally com
muting or pardoning a prisoner where
the facts involved in the conviction
seemed to warrant it, reserving the
right upon condition broken to return
him to the penitentiary. This condi
tional commutation or pardon has been
sustained by the supreme court of this
state, and it has been found to be a
strong factor in restraing the released
prisoner from the commission of a
crime.
The administration of justice is un
even. To illustrate: There are ten
judicial districts in the state. A man
may be convicted in one of a simple
felony, and sentenced to a long term
in the penitentiary; while in another,
where the crime committed is the
same under almost.idcnticalcircumstan
ces, the prisoner may be given a very
short term, it seems to me that it is
a part of the duty of the executive
branch of the government to equalize
Kidney Diseases Cause Half the
Common Aches and Ills of
Jacksonville People.
As one weak link weakens a chain,
so weak kidneys weaken the whole
body and hasten the final breaking
down.
Overwork, strains, colds and other
causes injure the kidneys, and when
their activity is lessened the whole
body suffers from the excess of uric
poison circulated in the blood.
Aches and pains and languor and
urinary ills come, and there is an ever-
increasing tendency towards diabetes
and fatal Bright’s disease. There is
no real help for the sufferer except
kidney help.
Doan's Kidney Pills act directly on
the kidney« and cure every kidney ill.
A. R. Bly, living Cor. 4th & B. Sts.,
Ashland Ore., says: "Doan’s Kidney
Pills proved of wonderful benefit to
me. At the time I began using them
I was so lame and sore that I could
hardly get around. My kidneys were
disordered and the secretions gave me
much annoyance by their frequent ac
tion. I would arise in the morning
feeling tired and worn out and the
pains in my hips were excruciating.
It was while I was in this condition,
that Doan’s Kidney Pills were recom
mended to me and I procured a box.
I had only used them a short time
when I felt better, continued taking
the remedy and was soon free from
any trace of kidney trouble. I have
recommended Doan’s Kidney Pills to
many persons suffering from this afflic
tion and will continue to do so.”
Plenty more proof like this from
Jacksonville people. Call at the City
drug store and ask what customers
report.
For Sale by all Dealers. Price 50
cents. Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo,
New York, Sole Agents for the Unit
ed States.
Remember the name—Doan’«—and
take no other.