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ST. JOHNS REVIEW
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VOI,. 6
ST. JOHNS, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24. 1909.
NO. 7
OIL DISCOVERED
AT LAST
And Many St. Johnsites
Are Very Happy
Quite a flurry was created In St.
Johns when the report below, from
the oil fields in Eastern Oregon ap
peared in the Orcgonian Saturday.
At least half a hundred of our citi
zens, including the president and
some of the officials, hold stock in
the Eastern Oregon Oil & Gas Co.
and the news was very cheering to
all, although they were confident
that it was only a matter of a very
short time until oil would be dis
covered. Prom other sources the
report is substantially verified and
the stockholders can feel assured
that oil has been found and it can
answer the purpose of a very agree
able Christmas present. The re
port which is dated from Boise,
Idaho, follows: "The great oil hike
of Eastern Oregon has been tapped ,
is the announcement of D. M.
Hunt, contractor in charge of the
well sunk by the Eastern Oil & Gas
Company, who declares he struck a
150-barrcl flow of oil yesterday at n
depth of 800 feet.
The well is sunk In Cow Hollow,
eight miles southwest of Vale, on
Willow Creek. Several oil outfits
are working in this vicinity, which
is believed to be the center of the
field.
News of the strike has just cre
ated excitement here. C. O.
Thomas, of Vale, arrived in Uolsc
today with the news. He says the
word of Hunt is reliable. Parties
will leave here tomorrow to look
over the Geld.
Relying on the belief that the oil
lake has been tapped, agents of the
company Jre" attempting to buy
back all the stock, offering a prem
ium. The strike probably will re
sult in a stampede to the field.
An Interesting Game
The Initial basket ball game of
the Firemen's Athletic Club was
pulled off Friday night of last week
in the skating rink, to a rather small
audience. It was a crood came all
the way through considering the!
amount ol practice our tire uguiers
liave had and indicates some hot
times when the laddies get the game
down fine.
The score stood 18 to is in favor
of the Juniors at the close of the
second half. Three men of the
Juniors distinguished themselves by
brilliant playing. Captain Walker,
who made two baskets and center
Peterson, who, scored at seven dif
ferent times, covering himself with
a halo of glory. The other distin
guished player of the Juniors was
guard Davidson, who run up five
fouls to his credit. It seemed that
every play he attempted to make
the rooster crowed. The star for
the Seniors was Captain Goheen,
playing center.
The slick condition of the floor
was the cause of many of the fouls
being made, Norman Scales rcfereed
the game and his decisions were
just at all times. The lineup was
as follows:
Juniors Seniors
Walker(Capt.) f Wilson
Manning f Teeling
Peterson c (Capt.) Goheen
Poff g Stiglish
Davidson g Wass
Good Returns Expected
An advertising campaign that will
reach no less than 27,428,750 read
ers of newspapers throughout the
country bas been planned by the
Portland Commercial Club and will
be opened up in January and run
for three months. The advertising
will call attention to vacant lands of
this state and the chances here for
the newcomer. There is no ques
tion thai this advertising will result
in bringing many people to Oregon
and the whole state, not any one
section, will be benefited. The
key note of the advertising will be
"Oregon is the place for you; 1910
the time; railroad development the
reason."
Chrisms presents for nothing is
the way one man phrased it when
the First National Bank showed
bin bow to spend the interest on
his savings and have bis money
KENTON NEWS ITEMS
That
yuut run vt
Kenton buildings arc making the
most of the present pleasant weath
cr, Graders nnd excavators are cs
pccially busy finishing jobs that
have been worked intermittently for
weeks. Carpenters arc making spc
cial effort to roof structures partly
under way so that in the advent of
another storm work may be con
tinucd under shelter.
Stakes were driven Thursday for
the main building of the Davis Safe
& Lock company's plant. It is to
be 100x400 feet in dimensions and
of brick and concrete construction.
The first hundred feet will be ex
cavated for the basement. This
part of the building will be two
stories high.
Olson be Burns have commenced
grading the site for the proposed
Kenton Traction Company's car
barns and loading sheds at Argylc
and Derby streets.
Frame work for the Portland
Glazed Cement Pipe Company's
building has just been commenced.
The building will be 72x100 feet in
dimensions and is to have a con
crete floor. The machinery will
come from Tacoma. Thirty men
will be employed in the new enter
prise. Manager H. C. Bullcr ex
pects to have the plant in operation
within 30 days.
Building activity is at its highest
on the National Wood Pie plant.
Nearly too millwrights and car
penters arc putting forth every en
ergy toward the completion of the
main building within 60 days, de
pending on the weather. Already
several carloads of machinery have
arrived und will be installed soon.
Progress is hamnercd. however, bv
the Tack of building material. The
plant will cost when in operation
pproxlmately 9450,000.
The company recently purchased
25 acres opposite the factory site.
It is understood that the property
adjoining Columbia Boulevard will
be pushed aiid beautified. Tlie
tract was purchased with the inten
tion of building homes for the
workingmcn of the vicinity. Be
tween 150 and 200 cottages will be
planned for at first' and ultimately
that number will be increased to
500.
The concrete block work on the
Barley-Bradford building is now up
to the third floor. The structure
will be under roof in three weeks
nnd ready for occupancy by the end
of March.
The Kenton Hotel, with its 90
rooms, will be ready for occupancy
within two mouths. The Brandon
Hotel, recently finished, is now
open. It has accommodations for
seventy-five. .
T. C. Benson has commenced the
foundation for his residence on Fer-
ry near Derby street. It will cost
about $3000. A. R. Benson, his
sotv contemplates building his home
on the adjoining property in the
near future.
Charley Rowley, a Troutdale res
taurant man, is preparing to build
a two-story store and office building
on lots 33 and 34. They are to be
two stories, it is understood, While
no contracts have been let, work
will commence in the near future.
Fred Moritz will commence the
erection of three cottages immedi
ately to cost about $1800 each.
Nichols Bros, have rented one of
the stores in the Finuegan & Bat
lou building and are to open with a
full line of hardware not later than'
January 1st.
The Kenton Building & Con
tracting Co. have commenced the
erection of three cottages for Mrs.
Dallas Bache to cost $1500 each.
The company has ten residences
and three business blocks now un
der way. Abstract.
An Era of Weak Eyes
That we have entered into an age
of weak eyes and glasses was fully
demonstrated at Satterlee's barber
shop Saturday afternoon. There
were eight persons, including the
two barbers, in the shop when the
subject was under discussion, and
an inventory disclosed the fact that
the entire eight were wearing spec
tacles. If eyesight continues to
gradually get weaker posterity will
have little to encourage it along
that line.
By reference to a notice elsewhere
in this issue it will be noted that an
annual adjourned, meeting of the
school district will be held Thurs
day of next week for the purpose
of levying a special tax for general
and school purposes. All legal vo
ters atottld be ia atUsdaacc.
QJY TAX LEVY
DISCUSSED
Quite Likely to be About
Same as Last Year
Preparatory to making the an
nual tax levy, Recorder Esson has
furnished the finance committee a
statement of the needs of the city
for the ensuing year, and also some
supplementary data as to receipts
and expenses for the last 12 months.
In this statement the amount neces
sary to carry the city over the next
12 months is $24,324. To meet
this there is an income from miscel
laneous sources of $3800, not in
cluding saloon licenses, which to
say the least arc a doubtful quan
tity, it being almost a foregone con
clusion that next year's city election
will be fought out on the wet or
dry question, and arc therefore not
to be considered as available next
year. I lie statement docs not in
include appropriations for any in
crease in either hydrants or street
lights, and includes $8400 for sala
ries of city officials, based on the
present rate and number. The cor
rected assessed valuation is $3,505,-
785, and the total amount to be
raised by taxation, after all deduc
tions are made, is $20,507. From
this it will be seen that the levy
must be 6 mills or some radical
changes in expense accounts must
be made. Under the present re
gime the expense of the city govern
ment is ?5 for each iuliabitaut,mau,
woman and child.
The list of fixed charges which
must be met, as prepared by Mr.
Esson, includes: Balance for street
lights to January 1, 1906, $1097.10;
balance for water hydrants to De
cember 1,1909, $588; interest on
city dock bonds,$3Coo; dock watch
man, $120; dock insurance, $585;
interest on City Hall bonds, $600,
insurance on City Hall, $66; deficit
in salaries for 1908, $2097,50; in
stallment and Interest on rock crush
er, $860; payment and interest on
quarry site, $418; road roller pay
ment and interest, I430; lure de
partment, $356; street lights, 1909
(same number as now), $2798.40;
hydrants, (same number as now)
$1008; salaries, $8400; city print
ing, $1100; fuel, $100; office sup-1
plies, $106. Total, $24,324.
School Clerk, J. 15. Tatich, has
finished the school census for the
St. Johns district and finds an in
crease of 149 over last year. The
school population in 1908 was 1098,
547 being males and 551 females.
Mr. Tanch finds 1247 people of
school age, 640 males and 607 fe
males. This gives a population
estimated by Mr. Tanch at 5000.
Ed. L. Stockton in Telegram.
New Paper in St. Johns
"The Living Issue" is the title
of a neat little I2.page booklet, the
initial number of which made its
appearance last week. It is gotten
out and edited by Revs, C, L. and
E. Owens. The basement of the
Baptist church is for the present
being utilized as a press room. The
publication is devoted exclusively
to the cause of prohibition and it
will unite with other similar publi
cations in a vigorous attempt to
make Oregon dry in 1910. In its
introductory remarks it states:
"This paper is edited with a spe
cific purpose, and with a definite
object in view. The living issue is
always the issue between Right and
Wroqg. One of the most glaring
wrongs that exists in our country
today is the liquor traffic. There
are other evils which will receive
consideration in these columns, but
the main issue will be the elimina
tion of the liquor saloons from our
community and state." The peri
odical will be published weekly and
the subscription price is one dollar
per year, or ten cents per month.
We wish the new publication all the
success possible.
The. treasury department has, de
cided to recommend an appropria
tion of $1,500,000 for a new public
building at Portland, exclusively
for pottoScc uses. The present
building will be devoted to court
and other federal purposes. If the
appropriation goes through, and
the money will be available next
summer. Platis will be drawn as
sooa as the appropr iattoa bscemss
law, If act4i
TO CUT DOWN BIG HILL
Portland Improving This
Way on West Side
Lewis & Wiley, the men who
have purchased a large portion of
Guild's Lake and the ' uuimprdved
land on Willamette Heights have
petitioned the City Council for the
privilege of operating ditches on
aud across various streets in the
Northwestern portion of the city to
be utilized in sluciug the earth from
the knolls on Willamette Heights
and sluicing it into thc'lowlands of
Guild's Lake. The 'petition met
with favorable consideration from
the street committee of the City
Council yesterday afternoon and it
will undoubtedly be granted by the
Council next Wednesday. The
scheme has the apprdval of City
Engineer Morris.
It is the intention of the owners
of the property to install powerful
pumps in Guild's Lake, pump the
water through mains to Willamette
Heights and sluice off the nubbins.
It is u gigantic undertaking, but
City Engineer Morris said that the
plan was feasible and, if the pro
moters were successful, the im
provement would result in great
benefit to the city. There arc sev
eral high knolls on Willamette
Heights which nrc at present an
eyesore to that community. These
will be cut down by the hydraulic
giants on a level with other prop
erty and the laud will then be used
for residence sites. The low land
n Guild's Lake which will be filled
will be utilized for warehouse sites
aud railroad terminals.
This scheme is something on the
same order as that launched several
years ago by Lafe Pence. The
latter, however, attempted to secure
his water for hydraulicing from the
mountains back of Portland which
he couducled to the ground by
means of flumes and ditches. His
plan permitted hydraulicing only
during rain season, but the present
plau of pumping the water from the
lake with high-powe-ivniinips will
permit the work of cutting and fill
ing to proceed during the Summer
as well as the Winter. It is esti
mated that under the present plans
8000 cubic yards of earth can be re
moved each day. As there are ap
proximately 2,000,000 cubic feet of
earth to be cut off Willamette
Heights the work will continue for
several months. It is said the ma
chinery has already been ordered
and as soon as the Cou tcil grants
the permit it will be installed aud
the work started. -Telegram.
Planting Lots of Roses
Everyone in Portland seems to
be planting roses uud to a greater or
less extent the same is probably
true of other cities of the state
where the rose attains perfection.
Never before has there been such a
prevalent idea of beautifying cities
as now and the support lent the
movement by the people in all
walks of life shows that this feeling
is genuine and widespread. Nur
serymen estimate that Portland
people will have planted 100,000
roses by the end of the 1909-1910
season, This includes the Pall and
Spring planting. This stunt is be
lieved to be unparalleled in the his
tory of American cities. Estimat
ing that each new rosebush will
bear ten blooms during the coming
season, it means that Portland will
have added 10,000,000 roses to its
wealth of bloom during the coming
Summer. People of the city are
determined to make Portland the
"Rose City" in fact as well as in
name arid show visitors next June
that this city has no equal in rose
culture.
Beginning Rather Young
M. S. Cobb and L. B. Wilson
were busy distributing posters one
day last week, and their little sons,
to emulate the example of their
parents, secured several old maga
zines and catalogues. Tearing all
the leaves out, after their parents
were out of sight they took a load
of the miscellaneous collection aud
made a house to house distribution
with the mutilated old magazines
and catalogues. Ibey are just
little mites of fellows aud many of
our. residents were greatly amused
when tbey answered the doorbell
or a rap at the door to find the
little codgers tnere wun leaves out
of an old catalogue clutched in
their hands.
Subscrlb for Us iUrUw and bs
SESSION OF THE
CITY DADS
Municipal Affairs Receive
Careful Attention
Roll call showed all members
present and the mayor in the chair
when Council convened Tuesday
evening. Minutes of previous meet
ing were approved as read.
A resolution accepting the view
ers' report on Fcsscndcn street from
Jersey to the Southeast city limits
was read and adopted.
A communication from E. 0.
Magoon requesting a change in the
location of his saloon, as specified
in his license, from 209 Burlington
street to 1 1 1 Philadelphia street was
read. Mr. Mngoon was present
aud stated that the transfer was re
quested because the building he had
exacted to secure was not availa
ble on account of the people now
living in same agreeing to pay $30
per mouth, while he was to get it
for $20 per month, aud the owner
decided to retain the present ten
ants. No. ill Philadelphia street
is the room recently vacated by
Hcndrick's Hardware store. Mat
ter was referred to license commit
tee. A petition for an arc light at cor
ner of Edison and Trumball streets
was accepted and ordered filed.
Bills to the amount of $63.44
were allowed.
Mr. Elliott, who formerly done
considerable engineering work in
St. Tnhtm ilnrltu' W. W. Goodrich's
regime as city engineer was present
ft . . ( it
anu oiiercu 10 sen 10 me city uic
nlmm nf n sewer svstem and other
data for the sum of $350. As it
was necessary to ursi investigate as
to the value of the documents to the
city, the matter wus held over until
such an examination could be made.
Mayor Hendricks then announced
the names of the charter amend
ment committee which he had been
empowered to appoint, aud are as
follows: A. W. Davis, S. C. Cook,
S. H. Greene, Willis Moxon and
Geo. J. Perkins. Attorney Collier
and the mayor arc also members of
the committee.
As the many push clubs along
the twnlimiila have had committees
appointed in regard to opening up
a wagon roan irom a wins 10 ai.
Johns, Mayor Hendricks decided
that it would be advisable to also
appoiut one to represent the council
and on motion of Councilman Cook
the Mayor was empowered to ap
point such a committee. After
some deliberation the Mayor ap
pointed R. G. Brand, J. B. Hoi
brook and S. L. Dobie to serve and
act in conjuucilou with the other
committees in pushing the project
through.
A delegation from the fire de
partment nnd a son of A. G. Long
of Portlaud were present in regard
to installing au electric fire alarm
system in St. Johns. Mr. Long
stated that an effective system could
be placed here for the sum of $700,
which does not, however, provide
for the erection of a tower for the
bell, which the electric striker sets
to going in case of fire. He went
into detail in the matter and proved
to the satisfaction of all that such a
system would be an admirable in
novation for St. Johns, that a call
could be sent into central over any
nhoue and the telephone girl could
immediately ring the alarm, the
different strokes telling in what lo
cality the fire occurred. After some
discussion it was decided to request
the engineer to draw out plans for a
suitable tower and under which
hose could be stretched out to dry.
If the plans meet with the appro
bation of council bids will be called
for.
January nth was the date set for
the final hearing in the Fessendeu
street, Jersey to the river, matter.
An ordinance prohibiting the car
rying of concealed deadly weapons
was passed und may be found else
where in this issue.
The building and grounds com
mittee was instructed to investigate
the advisability of creating the of
fice of plumbing inspector, although
it was the general opinion that the
city is not large enough to support
such an individual.
Contractor Cochran was given an
extension of thirty uays time on the
improvement of Mohawk street, the
weather not having been propitious
lately for laying concrete sidewalk.
Trimmers aud Makers wanted at
the Vogue Millinery.
BRIDGE A GOOD THING
So Says One of Our Citi
zens and Tells Why
Editor Review: I notice you are
agitating the erection of a suspen
sion bridge at St. Johns. The ob
ject looks to me like a most com
mendable one, and one upon which
all our citizens should unite hi
pushing along. The trade it would
draw from the valley on the west
side would be enormous aud it
would make it practical to annex a
goodly portion of the west side
water frontage to St. Johns, thus
bringing into the fold a large am
ount of taxable property. The
wood question would lose most of
its horrors, as wood could be
brought from the west side and de
livered at one-half the price now
charged for this necessary product.
Our people could have fresh veget
ables, butter aud cggs,fruit, etc., al
most the year round at prices that
would suit a poor man's pocket
book. The bridge could be a
county affair, and the cost to each
taxpayer in St. Johns would be but
slight, ns the whole county would
have to bear its share proportion
ately. Then if the trolley tine of
the west side could be induced to
become interested in it aud extend
their line to the Swift packing plant
via the proposed bridge it would
afford quick transit to Portlaud aud
give the employes along the slough
an incentive for building their
homes in St. Johns. There arc so
many advantages to be gained by
the construction of such n bridge
that they nrc hard to enumerate,
aud I know of nothing derogatory
to such a project. 1 agree with
your paper in the belief that right
now is the time to take the matter
up and get It in shape for presen
tation before the legislature when
they convene next autumn. There
fore, it behooves us nil to get to
gether in the matter aud get in
working shape for the building of a
high bridge at St. Johns. Subscri
ber. A Christmas Treat
The Portland Woolen Mills
Co., will alTord their employes quite
n treat this afternoon. The mill
closes down at noon and the after
noon will be given over to enjoying
themselves. A huge Christmas
tree has been provided for the em
ployes, and cake.coffec, cigars, con
fectionary, nuts, etc., will be there
in profusion. Hanna's orchestra
will furnish music and dancing,
games and other diversions will be
indulged in. The mill will belong
entirely to the employes this after
noon and that they will have a good
time goes without saying. The
company foots the bill, and the
workers arc duly grateful for this
Christmas treat.
To Call Off Solicitors
The business men of Vancouver
have about decided to abandon the
practice of sending out solicitors to
make a house to house canvas for
orders. They claim that while it
may be convenient for the house
wives, they have to pay for the so
licitors, aud many times more goods
are ordered than the party order
ing them can afford to pay for. It
is expected that this plau will re
duce the price of the goods to the
consumer, at least to the extent of
the solicitor s services.
Population Now 5,000
School Clerk J. E. Tanch has
concluded his labor of taking the
school census, and his record shows
that there are 638 males and 610
females of school age in at. Johns.
This is an increase of just 150 over
last year and shows that the popu
lation of this city is increasing at a
rapid rate. In fact the increase is
much larger than Portlaud shows
proportionately. The clerk's cen
sus proves that St. Johns now has a
population of about 5000.
The State Railroad Commission
in its third annual report just is
sued shows 35 miles of the Deschu
tes Railroad has been graded and
that it is expected to have 90 miles
of the new line in operatiou by next
July. James J. Hill, who was in
Portlaud during the past week,
gives assurance that the Oregon
1 runk will be iu operation by next
Fall so that the coming year will
see two railway lines into the inte
rior of the state,
BIG CONTRACT
PROBABLE
Local Concern Made the
Lowest Bid by Far
The Marine Iron Works of this
city virtually secured the contract
tor overhauling aud repairing the
big dredger Chinook, which has
been lying at anchor iu the river
opposite St. Johns for the past three
years or longer. The contract is a
large one and will require the ser
vices of a large body of men. In
fact it is the largest contract of its
kind that has ever been let in this
harbor, aud it is pleasing to note
that a local concern had lowest bid.
There were a number of bids made
for the work, aud arc as follows:
Willamette Iron Works, Portland,
$162,500; Unlou Iron Works, Port
land, $175,000; Hcffcrmau Drydock
and Engine Works, Seattle, $171,
000; Moore & Scott, Sail Francisco,
$176,000; Risdou Iron Works, San
Francisco, $183,000; Marine Iron
Works, St. Johus,$i33,ooo. Thus
it will be noticed that the Marine
Iron Works was more than $30,000
below their nearest competitor. It
is certainly high time that the gov
ernment has taken steps toward
having the vessel once more in com
mission. It nnd the city dock have
been winking at each other for so
long that it was a toss up which
would show signs of activity first.
Christmas Night
Sometimes I think that Christmas
night's the best.
Before the nursery fire, when we've
undressed . tMEL
And all the toys nrc put awnyr
except
Perhaps my engine aud the baby's
bear,
Then Mother comes away from all
the rest
Down stairs to tell our Christmas
story there.
She takes the baby 011 her lap and
we
Sit 'round her on the hearth-rug so
we see
The pictures iu the fire, and then
she tells
About how Shepherds watched .
their flocks by night
And what the angels said, and how
the three
Wise Kings came riding and the
big star's light.
Aud then she tell us how it showed
the way
To just a stable where the oxen
stay.
And there they found Him iu
His Mother's arms,
A little baby Christ-Child and
He smiled;
And that (she says) is what made
Christmas day
For you and me and every little
child.
Before the nursery fire when we're
undressed
Sometimes I think that Christmas
night's the best.
Everybody's
A Handsome Xmas Present
If you are looking for something
that will please your young daugh
ter more than anything else, this is
your opportunity. We have a
handsome square Chase piano in
excellent shape that originally cost
$1000, built of massive mahogany
that we are willing to dispose ot for
$100, $2.s cash and balance at $5 or
$10 per month; or $75 cash will
take it. The frame alone is worth
much more than that. It has an
excellent tone, was recently tuned
and is in fine condition throughout.
It can easily be turned iu anytime
011 another piano at any of the
piano stores for full value. So if
any member of your family desires
a piano now is the time to secure
it. Reason for selling, have another
piauo.aud the two take up too much
room. Call at once at 529 South
Ivanhoe St.
You can see how the interest on
your savings accumulate when the
First National Bank pays 3 per
cent. Spend the interest for Christ
mas presents and let the principal
"ride". The First Natioual Bank
issues time Certificates of Deposit,
Proach the goayel of St. Johns,