Vale is the Center of Vast Development. Drilling for Oil Finally Inaugurated. Wattnaprlnga Project A&UriJd. Willow-Aider Project making Headway. Owyhee Project Progressing. The F r 1 1W
Brogan Country More Prosperous than ever. Great Drainage Projects Going Forward. Dairying Rapidly'Gaining. Sheep, Cattle, Hogs, Higher than ever. Malheur County is a Mecca for Investors.
SUBSCRIPTION, $2.00 PER YEAk
VOLUME VIII, NO. 8.
VALE, OREGON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1917.
How Schedule Hurts Vale
A Chronological Explana
nation of Railroad Situation-Vale
Never Objected
., to the Mid-day Train.
fV ' SATURDAY MAILS
ARRIVE MONDAY
Vale Does Not Wish Sched-
ule Which Will Damage
Any Other Town-Incom
petent Officials the Cause
It might be just as well tq enter
into some explanation of the railroad
situation as regards Vale and other
communities.
When the change was suggested
two of tho company's agents came to
,Valo and there was a large meeting
held and the matter discussed with
" the following result:
Vale stated then and states now
'"that they are completely satisfied with
, tho mid day trains as they were then
..running or as the people and the rail
road agreed to run them. These
trains have never been of any partic-
ular use to Vale as they never are
and never were on time. Vale has
' been, and is, well pleased if the Burns
and Crane country is satisfied. That
'is not the question. Vale wants and
the agents agreed to recommend a
Sunday train (in fact positively stat
'ed that there was no intention to take
off the Sunday train): They also
agreed to recommend that the night
.train from Ontario should continue.
This is the train of real value.
. Later they had a meeting, without
requesting Vale tq be represented,
.they did invite others, resulting in
J .ordering-.the present schedule which,
helps no one and does damage to Vale.
Let us see what the result is to
Vale and some other communities:
The train comes in somewhere be
tween noon and one o'clock. Anoth
,er train comes in from Ontario
about 3 p. m.
Vale citizens cannot meet any
train out of Ontario except the even
ing trains, cannot go to Boise or to
'Ontario and transact any business
without remaining over night. Mail
cannot be answered. The Saturday
and Sunday mail lies at Ontario over
Sunday night arriving at Vale about
1 p. m. Monday.
The schedule discommodes every
one desiring to make a business trip
to Vale. People wait from one to two
hours to get a train out. These trains
are not, never have been, and physi
cally cannot be on time. They are
pulled by obsolete and worthless en
gines and will be so pulled until some
force is used to make them perform
..their duty to the public.
-.iMail arriving at Ontario Saturday
destined for points above Brogan, on
Willow river, reaches its destination
the following Wednesday. Vale has
no wish, and proposed no schedule
damaging any other town. They are
pleased to see Crane get their daily
'train, it is their due.
"Vale is the county seat and there
is neither sense nor justice in incompetent-officials
being permitted to in
convenience the entire county, who
must do business in Vale and, at the
same time, destroy the values of Vale
property.
These officials are simply trying to
save a few dollars for the railroad
company and are so incompetant as
to be unable to arrange a simple
schedule .which would serve every oth
er community just as well as at pres
ent and at the same time give this
community their just and proper ser
vice. PANTORIUM
ADDSJ)RYER
Improved Machinery at Bar
ney Paul's Pantorium
The effect of proposed improve
ments is seen in the preparation deal
ers and mechanics are' making to en
able them to do the extra business ex
pected. B. Paul, proprietor of the Vale Pan
torium has added a Standard Hoflf
steam cleaner and dryer to his well
appointed shop and will now be able
to clean, press and dry a suit within
the hour, making look as though new.
Other machinery is on the way und
will be set up in the near future.
An ounce of preparedness is worth
a barrel of pork. Brooklyn Eagle.
YAKIMA MAN
WELL PLEASED
W. D. Myers, vice-president of the
Western Oil & Gas Co., accompanied
by E. J. Ambrose, of North Yakima,
representing Yakima investors in the
above company, was in town last
week looking over the field and 'the
work now going forward. In company
with T. W. Davidson they made a trip
into the hills and to the point where
drilling will be done.
Mr. Ambrose stated that the out
look appeared excellent and that suc
cess seemed certain.
"I am agreeably surprised to see
so promising an outlook." said Mr.
Ambrose, "and the - people interest
ed with us in this venture will be
pleased to know that work is pro
gressing notwithstanding tho incle
ment weather of tho past few weeks."
The Western company have pur
chased their lumber and material
which will be moved to the ground as
rapidly as possible.
PORTLAND AND
OPEN SHOPS
Legal Troubles Forced Upon
Ship Industry.
Portland, Oregon, Jan. 13. To the.
Editor: Labor troubles have been
forced upon the steel ship-building in
dustry of this community by the lead
ers of unionized workmen. This trou
ble is attacking a payroll that would
soon aggregate at least 0,000 men if
permitted to develop along proper
business lines. The State of Oregon
as well as Portland is deeply inter
ested in such a payroll because it is
not only a market for the produce of
the State, but is an indirect contribu
tion to every element of prosperity
throughout the State.
The strike has been declared on the
one issue alone of an open or a clos
ed shop. The demands made by the
forces of Union workmen were that
the shop be closed and that no one ex
cept members of their organizations
be, permitted to work in these shops,
and that all matters pertaining to the
pay and efficiency of these workmen
in the closed shop be kept under the
control of the Labor Union organiza
tions demanding the closed shop. The
employers have insisted and will con
tinue to insist upon the open shop,
which guarantees the privilege of la
oring to members of the Unions and
all other menon an equal status, re
gardless of its affiliations, creed or be
liefs, and also guarantees to the em
ployer the "right of insisting upon that
efficiency which will make the busi
ness live.
If the steel shipbuilders of Portland
accede to the closed fiop demands
made upon them today, the way would
bo opened for the same excessive ex
actions and the same ultimate de
structive rules in shipbuilding that
prevailed in longshore work. We are
determined that such a development
shall not take place, and we want the
support of the State in this fair po
sitiori. We are also satisfied tat the whole
State of Oregon believes in liberty.
The right of any workman to labor
in any industry of this State must be
guaranteed and "ho must not be de
prived of that right because he elects
not to join any' one organization or
affiliate himself with any one set of
men. If Oregon is to develop, this
liberty of action and breadth of poli
cy must be maintained.
We note also that, during many
years of struggle here when our
practically single ship repairing and
building company had no business to
speak of, the forces of organized la
bor were not go insistent upon the
closed shop. During those periods
employers were carrying men with
considerable burden unto themselves
to maintain a staff for the time when
business should come. No purpose
was expressed by organized labor to
carry a portion of these burdens and
share the losses sustained, but' as. soon
as these employers had closed con
tracts of a very large nature for the
manufacture of steel ships, and it
looked as though these contracts ob
ligated the employers for delivery
within a certain time, the forces of
unionism suddenly realized that the
future of the industry deepnded upon
their controlling it These facts re
veal that Union labor has selected
what seems to them an opportune
time to drive their own bargain, which
is intended to profit themselves only,
and that, in selecting this time and
(Continued on page G.)
UNIQUE WEDDING
IN VALE
Unique AVcstern Character A Bene
dictOscar Kinnard and Mrs.
Mary Bennett Wedded.
Tuesday evening, at seven o'clock,
at tho residence of County Judgo Mc
Knight, Oscar Kinnard and Mrs.
Mary Bennett were united in the holy
bonds of matrimony.
The beautiful ring ceremony was
used, Judge Geo. W. McKnight offi
ciating. ' The marriage of this popular cou
ple was a surprise to their many
friends and acquaintances, as their in
tentions were kept secret even to their
most intimate friends.
After the ceremony the happy cou
ple left for the home of the groom on
his ranch on tho Cottonwool.
The homo of Mr. Kinnard is tho
"Mecca" of the sportsman of Malheur
and adjoining counties owing to tho
fact that his hospitality is proverbial
and also that on his ranch there is
one of the best trout streams in the
state, in which a large number of
those speckled beauties aro caught
every, year.
The bride comes of the old pioneer
stock, that helped in the winning of
the west. At the time of her mar
riage she was living on her ranch in
that garden spot of Malheur county
known as Little Valley.
The many friends and acquaintancr
es of this happy couple wish to ex
tend to them their heartiest congrat
ulations and also wish them a happy
and prosperous journey through life.
R. R. FARES TO
BE DISCUSSED
Question of Railroad Fares
Will Be Discussed
There is to be a hearing of tho
State Railroad Commission on the
railroad situation.
At this meeting the question of
railroads fares will come up. -For
five years the company has been ov
ercharging travelers over this line
and is now overcharging them on the
Ontario-Crane line.
It is certain to result in good to
the people that this fight has come
on at this time. The raliroad com
pany, making more money than ever
before in their history, has, through
its unfair methods and incompetant
management stirred up something
that will result in a huge saving to
the people of the entire county and
all traveling citizens passing over the
lines.
It is time that this community be
gan to assert its rights. Under the
Oregon law the company has been
overcharging patrons sufficient to pay
their- running expenses.
NEWS FROM
STATE CAPITOL, Salem, Or., Jan.
17. (Special.) Both houses tackled
the consolidation problem in real
earnest today.
The House committee met, organ
ized and proceeded toward an imme
diate survey of state boards, commis
sions and bureaus with a view of re
commending such changes as can be
made consistent with economy and ef
ficiency. Meanwhile the Senate adopted a
resolution providing for a committee
of its own members to work along
similar lines.
Joint Meetings Proposed.
While each: house will have its own
committee it is proposed that they
hold joint meetings. The success of
joint meetings of the ways and means,
the insurances, military and other leg
islative committees is pointed to as
ample justification for this plan.
All intention of obtaining a joint
committee was abandoned this morn
ing when the House indefinitely post
poned Seater Dimlck's resolution pro
viding for joint action.
Both committees are charged by the
resolutions creating them to report
back to the Legislature not later than
the twenty-fifth day of the session.
This was the tenth day.
Bills at Once Referred. '
Senator Dimick was the author of
the Senate resolution creating the
consolidation committee in that house.
President Moser appointed on this
committee Senators Dimick, Barrett,
Cusick, Hurley and Orton. Seven con
solidation bills now before the Senate
were at once referred to the commit
tee, which will begin their considera
LAND RUSH
CONTINUES
IN COUNTY
' V
Thirty to Forty Applicants
Cared For Ever'Day In
the Land Of fice-More Are
ComingJn on Every Train.
REGISTER APPLIES
FOR A NEW CLERK
Oregon Will Add a Million
to TJiat Already Paid Over
to the Government Within
Two More Year?.
The rush in tho local land offico
continues. There are from thirty to
forty applicants cared for every day
and more coming on every train. It
is true that those comirtft in from the
outside are handicapped -by the train
service, but they do arrive after a
while.
To date there is ten 'thousand dol
lars or more tied up in the Boise bank
from Malheur county awaiting desig
nation of their land by the interior
department.
Oregon will add a million to that
already paid over to tho government
for lands within the next two years
and as the land is paid for more will
be added.
Tom Jones, register; of the local of
fice, has been compelled to apply to
the department for another clerk as
the real rush has not yet begun. When
the weather moderates' and" outsiders
find that 640 acres canje had in this
section the rush will be overwhelming.
CRANE TRAIN
SOME SLOW
Prisoner Hopes Train Will
Beat His Sentence.
Lee Noe, our puissant deputy sher
iff, came up from Ontario the other
day bringing a prisoner sentenced to
30 days in the county jail.
They came up on the Ontario-Crane
train and after a couple of hours of
O. S. L. usual speed and in a car cold
er than icy Greeland, the prisoner,
shivering and cuddling down in the
seat, said: "I hope to tho Lord this
train will get to Vale before my sen
tence expires."
There was considerable frost on the
rails Saturday and the Crane flyer
was held back arriving at Vale some
time after 12 noon.
THE HOUSE
tion at once.
It is the sense of the Dimick reso
lution that the committee report its
findings as to the feasibility of the
consolidation bills presented to it by
the 25th day of the session, but that
if no plan as presented appears feas
ible, the committee shall work out a
consolidation program on its own ac
count. Greater Economy Is Object.
"It is the feeling of every member
of the Senate committee and of the
Senate that a real consolidation pro
gram based on economy and greater
efficiency should be carried out at this
session," commented Senator Dimick.
"In introducing my original resolu
tion, I had felt that much more could
be accomplished by joint action of the
two houses. However, as the House
prefers to work alone, the Senate, of
course, must do the same. We are go
ing to get down to work immediately
and feel confident that we can work
out a satisfactory plan."
Effective Work Expected.
Speaker .Stanfield and other House
leaders are well pleased with the pros
pects for early and effective consoli
dation work.
"I look for the adoption of a real
consolidation program," said the
Speaker.
Members of the House committee
are Representatives Brownell, Thom
as, Ititner, Porter and Portwood. At
the meeting late today James W.
Cochrane was appointed accountant
for the committee and Al. Wade mes
senger and clerk. It is probable that
the joint meetings of the two com.
mlttccs will start tomorrow.
VALE TO DEBATE
AT NYSSA
Vale Debating Team Will Meet Nys
sa Tuesday Evening Winner
Will Meet Ontario.
The first of the debates for the
championship of the Southeastern
Oregon Debating League will be held
at Nyssa High School Tuesday even
ing. Miss Hazel Daley and Miss Le
ona Mansur will represent the Vate
High School, and tho question for de
bate will be "Resolved, That Oregon
Should. Adopt the Compulsory Health
Insurance System."
The winning team of Tuesday
night's contest will meet Ontario on
February 2nd.
TO AMEND THE
PICKET LAW
Crowds Gather and Talk to
"Pickets" on Strike
Salem, Oregon, January 16, iD17.
To the Editor: Supposedly free Amer
ican workmen, on their way to shops
where they are employed upon terms
and conditions which are satisfactory
to them, are beset and intimidated by
crowds of pickets representing or
ganizations which have called strikes.
These crowds gather around the en
trances to the shops, and nlthough
they perpetrate little violence while
police are in sight, they terrorize tho
workmen by menacing gestures and
degrading imprecations. This is the
situation today in Portland at tho
steel shipbuilding plants.
A slight amendment to Oregon's
picketing law would prevent such ter
rorizing and threatening demonstra
tions on the public streets adjacent to
plants' where strikes have been, de
clared; it would also prevent pickets
from gathering in front.of a store or
restaurant in crowds with banners,
doing everything to ruin the shop
keeper's business by intimidating his
patrons and proclaiming boycott.
Every community In Oregon is in
terested in legislation that will help
preserve order in the metropolis so
that its developing industries may be
safeguarded. The success of ship
building is jeopardized, although it
means much to every part of tho state
whose products are marketed; a fruit
cannery has been driven out of Port
land as a direct result of long-continued,
noisy and disorderly picketing in
front of its former plant in the heart
of the city.
It is to bo hoped that every mem
ber of the legislature will support
such legislation as is necessary to
protect workingmen and working
women from intimidation because
they work, and Oregon industries
from destruction because they cannot
be run profitably under union domi
nation. Yours respectfully,
C. C. CHAPMAN.
AND SENATE
Barrett Offers Five.
The seven measures now before the
Senate committee include five intro
duced by Senator Barrett, one by Sen
ator Pierce and one by Senator Haw
ley. Tho Barrett measures are:
Senate bill 18 Abolishing the state
tax commission.
Senate bill 19 Establishing depart
ment of industrial insurance, in which
are to be consolidated the labor com
mission, industrial welfaro commis
sion, industrial accident commission
and board of child labor.
Senate bill 20 Consolidating tho
Desert Land Board with the State
Land Board.
Senate bill 21 Establishing the
corporation and insurance department
and consolidating the corporation de
partment with the insurance depart
ment. Senate bill 60 Consolidating the
Dairy and Food Commissioner with
the State Board of Health.
The Pierce bill, Senate bill 43, pro
vides for consolidation of tho Desert
Land Board with the State Land
Board,
The Hawley bill, Senate bill 67, pro
vides for consolidation of the State
Sealer of Weights and Measures with
the Dairy and Food Commissioner.
The Senate consolidation committee
will meet tomorrow and begin the
consideration of these measures. In
their present form it is doubtful if
any of them will pass final muster.
The committee has full authority to
embody good features of one bill with
good features of another, to hold in
vestigations and to subpoena all nec
essary witnesses.
Examination
BULLY CREEK
IN THE COURT
The Board of Directors met Mon
day and canvassed the vote of the dis
trict. The new Board being the same
as the old they will meet on tho first
Tuesday in February to arrange for
somo definite plan of action.
"The suit of Maney Bros, and Welfs
for foreclosure of their lien has been
answered by the Philadelphia inves
tors and the Colonial Trust Co. by a
cross claim for a large amount of
damages for failure to complete the
system.
Maney Bros. & Wells being con
tractors and not principals in the mat
ter it is somewhat difficult to see tho
object unless it be for delay. Tho de
lay occasioned may be vexatious but
tho owners under the system have al
ready scattered and are at work else
where being able to await dvelop
ment Long delay and legal complication
is more liable to make certain com
plete and heavy loss by the investors.
The answer alleges the utter
worthlessness of the work already
done which allegation will render tho
future appraisement of the property
a simple matter as that is already the
opinion of the owners under tho sys
tem. It is also certain that what has
been' done will not improve by failure
to take care of it.
Take it "by and largo" Bully creek
development looks better now than
at any previous timo for four years.
IRONSIDE HAS
BADSERVICE
Complains of New Mail Ser
vice at Brogan
J. F. Reed, who owns a ranch in
Cow Valley, was a visitor at the En
terprise office Wednesday. Com
menting on the new railroad schedule,
Mr. Reed said "Tho service we are
getting from the railroad at the pres
ent time is the worst wo have' had in
years. Our mail which formerly
reached us on Saturday now arrives
Tuesday evening. People living at
Ironside who wish to return home, ar
rive ut Brogan on the train at 4
o'clock. If they want to get homo
that night they must drive till mid
night, in zero weather, or be compell
ed to stay in Brogan over night.
"This is tho sentiment of all the
people up our way," continued Mr.
Reed, "and almost any change would
help, for the railroad service couldn't
possibly be any worse than it is now."
OUR INADEQUATE RAILWAYS
From Oregon Voter
There is just one thing the matter
with American railroads. They are
good railroads, and on the whole, de
spite a deal of fault-finding, well
managed.
They haul a ton of freight further
for a given rate than any other rail
ways in the world can haul it
They serve a larger proportion of
the business of tho country than the
railroads serve in any other country.
But the country has outgrown them.
That is tho long and short of the
whole matter. The railroad manag
ers have done tho best they could, but
with a hostile public opinion handi
capping them as it did for a long
time they have been unable to pre
pare for the emergency that now
faces them.
On September 30 last, tho net car
shortage of the country was reported
by the American Railway Association
at 01,031. A year ago now, there was
reported a net surplus of 26,239,
We must go back to 1907 to find
record of as great shortage as is now
existent: In February of that year
thero was a shortage of 130,000 cars.
The statisticians always find wide
ly different conditions In various parts
of the country, Ono section will have
a deficiency of cars while another has
a surplus.
This Is an unavoidable incident to
seasonable movements of traffic; but
tho railroads by dint of improved me
thods are reducing these extremes,
and the tendency is to make surplus
es which represent waste smaller
and smaller by reason of better dis
tribution. Indications aro that for the whole
of 1916 the net shortage will be
greater than in any other year. In
the autumn of 1912 the shortage was
very great; this year is likely to de
velop, despite hotter operating condl-
(Coutinuud on page 6.)
Of Project
Engineers of Lumbermen's
Trust Company Make Rig
id Examination of Project
and Are Well Pleased.
ENGINEERS EXAMINE
RESERVOIR SITE
Houses Being Taken In Yale
and Feeling of Prosperity
Prevails Over The Entire
County.
Carl S. Keltv. of the Lumbcrmens
Trust company, Engineers Wlckcr
sham, Weile, Welton and Gorry have
been in town the past week making
a rigid examination of the project; and
seem to be well pleased with. thetout
look. The engineers Tiave examined 'the
reservoir site and the various ditch
heads in tho valley. ,
Legal matters' are now occupying
the attention of the attorneys ani; it
is expected all matters will be cleared
up within two weeks.
Immediately upon the conclusion
and supplying the necessary funds a
crew of engineers will be put at work
making a careful survey of all the
land in the district in order to elim
inate that which is incapable of irri
gation from any cause which will lead
finally to a complete correction of the
assessment roll for interest charges.
Buyers are in the field already arid
those who desire to sell at a reason
able price will soon be ablo to do so.
There is now somo incentive for deal
ers to bring in settlers which did riot
before exist.
Houses in the town aro being rap
idly taken and altogether there is' a
better feeling among all jilasses ,of
business men and farmers. '
VALE HELPS
OWYHEE
Vale Chamber of Commerce
Sends Telegram
"Tho Owyhee project bids fair to
get an appropriation from the gov
ernment recommended to Congress."
So said Thomas Canham, of Nyssa,
who was in town. Thursday.
The Vale Chamber of Commerce en
dorsed the proposition in the tele
gram sent that day which read as
follows:
Hon. Franklyn K. Lane, Washing
ton, D. C. Valo citizens through
their Chamber of Commerce desire to
express their deep appreciation of
your recommendations for the Warm
springs project and desire further to
bespeak your efforts in behalf of the
Owyhee project with full belief and
confidence in its worthiness, feasibil
ity and value to the ?overnment as
well as Malheur county.
Signed, Leo. II. Schmidt, president,
Leslie L. Hope, secretary.
The now Owyhco project is in far
better condition to accept and to ask
for government aid than was the
Warmsprings project as the Owyhee
has some 22,000 acres of unpatented
land or high land without water with
in its boundaries.
Roumania probably could be ar-
rested for what it thinks of the
statesman who got it into the war. -
Kansas City Star.
BYCE GETS
FIVE YEARS
Convicted on Second Trial
For Burglary
Harvey Byce, convicted at the sec
ond trial, of burglary of grain from
a warehouso on Dead Ox Flat, re
ceived a straight five year sentence at
Salem.
Byce proved to be an old offender,
having served three terms in the Ore
gon penitentiary and one term in
Washington.
Elmer Dory, found guilty of. boot
legging, was fined $350 and given 15.
days in tho county jail.
M. Townsend, who plead guilty to
bootlegging, was fined $250 and tea
days in the county jail.
Court adjourned Thursday and the
town is left in the grip of homestMul
cro und Jaek Frost.