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..The Courier has an average
sworn circulation during the year
1912 of over 2,000 weekly. Its ad.
vertlslng columns are gold.
No voting contests, premiums
or other "Inducements. "The Cour
ier stands on Its own bottom and
Its subscription list talks. -
30th YEAR.
OREGON CITY. OREGON. FRIDAY. JAN. 3, 1913
Nb. 34
OKGOM
CITY
MAYOR JONES
NAMES OFFICERS
A3D CITY COUNCIL PROMPTLY
CONFIRMS THEM.
SEVERAL HEW MEN NAMED
Shaw, Cook ana Babcock are Only
Ones of Old Officials to Stay.
Chief of Police K. I,. Shaw
City Atorney V. M. Stone.
Street Super visor Charles
C.
Babeock. '
iMgni. roiiceuien iicnry i.ookc
WilliaiiiGrillilli and GoorgeWood-
ward.
. (lily Engineer George C. Yale.
i iiu auni; til i" tuu uppu 11 1 Liin'iun
of Mayor Linn K. Jones for this
year, and at the meeting of the
council Wednesday morning- the
appointments were conlirmed.
Over the matter of the appoint
ment of city engineer there was
considerable discussion, ami there
was considerable, sentiment for
the reappointment of Mr. Mont
gomery, hut Mr. Yale was linally
conlirmed.
City Attorney Story, Policemen
Frost and Green and Engineer
Montgomery have. been replaced
with new men.
There is every indication that
the new mayor and council are
going lo work together harmon
iously, and the people of the cit
sincerely hope so. There is mue
important work before the coun
cil for the coming year, and only
by.. all pulling together can Hie
best work be done.
There will be a meeting of the
council this (Thursday) night, at
which time the council will or
ganize, elect a city recorder and
line up for the year's work. It is
expected thalLivy Stipp will be re
elected recorder.
The Courier wishes Mayor Jones
and the council of It) 1 3 a pros
perous and harmonious reign.
BABY HOME EXTENDS THANKS
Greatful to the People who Made
Merry Christmas Possible
' ' The Sisters of Mercy in charge
of the St. Agnes liaby Home at
Parkplace, return their sincere
thanks to all the generous heart
ed people of Portland, Oregon
: City and other places who bent
.'donations for Christinas. i
The little orphans had a de
lightful day, the crowning event
being the large Christmas tree,
laden with all the gifts dear old
Saiila Claus could carry. The
scene aijound the tree was beau
tiful, so many bright and happy
faces, and Santa had plenty for
all. Balls, bugles, dolls, etc., to
gether with nuts, candies, orang
es made the young hearts bond
with joy and gladness and it was
not over until each head was rest
ing on its tiny pillow.
Those who contributed to make
the day memorable for the little
ones were as follows:
Mrs. E. Deadin, Astoria, $50;
Miss Harrington, Portland, $20;
Judge Muddy, Portland, 10.00;
John Golden , Marshtield, $10
children of St. Mary's parish,
Portland, $13; W. J. Masterson,
Portland, $5; Dr. Strickland, Or
egon City, $5; commercial bank,
Oregon City, $5; Burmister and
Anderson, Oregon Cily,"$5; II. E.
Cross, Oregon City, $2.50; G .B.
Dimick, $2; Willamette Pulp and
Paper Co. $10; Mr. Flaherty, Or
egon City, $1; Mrs. P. O. Keano,
Portland, $2.50; Mrs. F. L.
Straight, Newburg, clothing Mrs.
II. C. Malley, Portland, groceries;
Mrs. Lyons, Willamette, clothing;
Mrs Mary Scheroch, Oregon City,
clothing, Mrs. Hrightbill, doll and
candies; Larson & Co. groceries;
Huntley Bros, school supplies and
decorations; Bannoiut Co. cloth
ing;. Juvenile court, Portland,1
candy; Kloostry & Co., Oregon
City, chicken. The Courier $!;
Mrs. Brightbill, fruit.
AFTER TWENTY YEARS
The End of the Valley's Fight for
Open River Is in Sight.
There is every indication that
the red tape of the canal- locks
has been pretty much unwouniL
and that the government officials
will not be able to make it hold
out much longer. In fact it is
given out that the end is near and
that by the first of March at least
the property1 will have been given
over to Uncle Sam and the work
of making an open free canal
around the falls will be ready to
start.
Talking with a resident the
other day brought out the obser
vation that these public matters
certainly move slow. He stated
twenty years ago the people here
had just as much of a govern
ment free canal as they have now,
and that for over twenty
the people of this valley had been
working for this improvement.
But now it would seem that the
obstacles have been exhausted
and that, will the opening of the
soring the work would be started,
and one thing is pretty certain,
when the government does really
get on the job, the job moves and
it is a good job.
And this canal- is. going to
mean considerable for the vn7
lamette valley, how much we can
only guess, for later will come
appropriations to make the river
more naviciable, it will be dredged
and deepened, and should become
a great water highway for the val-
ley
The other day a man wade the
statement that the government
and state would dump three
miarlers of a million dollars m
g, a canal, would get ambitious
representatives to dig up some
more from congress, and after we
had lined the river with gold we
would only II nd that three or four
old tubs were using it, for the
railroads would-cut the rates and
get the business.
It wouldn't matter if a boa
never went through the locks.
their building brought the results
this man predicted. The purpose
of the locks and an open river
was to compel the railroads to
meet competition, to carry at the
water rales, if it got the carry
ing, and it doesn't matter to the
Willamette valley whether the
.steamboats or the railroads do
the work. The rales are what the
people want. Hut we do not be-
ieve t his condition will he the re
sult, but rather that rates will be
lowered and both the boats, and
railroads will go after the busi
ness.
And the building of this b
ditch will be some job, and there
will be plenty ol work in Oregon
City for some months to come for
every man in western Oregon.
MAYOR CROSS HEADS WIRES.
Popular LawyerElected as Main
Trunk for Next Quarter.
Mayor Harvey E. Cross will be
at the head of the Live wires for
the coining throe months, and it
h a certainty that there will be
something doing at every meet
ing that this 'lawyer is at the head
of the long table. Mr. Cross is a
progressive all the time, ana at
the same time 1 e is level headed
and careful.
Mr. Cross says he will take up
this matter ol a pure water sys
tem for this city and will stay
with it until it is solved and set
tied, and those who know this law
yer lie win do just, tins. Mr t,ross
says lie wants tne people to co
operate with him on this matter,
to take hold of the proposition
and help to bring about the .best
means. He says that for the lu-
ture of the city it is imperative
that we go after this matter and
settle it once for all and do it
right, and that the only right way
is for the men of the city to all
lake an afctive interest in the pro
position, council together and
out of these deliberations take
what seems to be the best prop
osition. Mr. Cross will certainly see that
the Live Wires do their part in
this matter. Ho is a man who.,
when it is necessary to do a
thing, goes right after it and
stays with it, and a better man for
the head of the wires during this
water works proposition could
not have been selected lo head
this organization.
. E. Kenneth Stanton was chosen
Sub Trunk, Livy Stip Transmis
sion Wire, Frank Bush Guy Wire
and F. A. Olmatend Feed Wire.
Messrs. Sullivan and McBain
reported that the abstract of title
lo the1 government locks proper
ly had been approved, and that the
passing on it by the attorney gen
eral at Washington was but a
matter of form, and that in the
course of thirty or sixty days the
project would be ready for action.
Federation of Churches Is Or
ganized. Monday night of this week a
federation of churches was or
ganized in this city, embracing
six churches, the Congregation
al church of this city; the Chris
tian church of Gladstone; the
Congregational church of Park-
place, the Melliodist anu episco
pal churches of this city.
The oilicers elected were:
C. II. Dye, president; W. H. Stone,
vice president, E, H. Cooper sec
retary; John aumpnieys, treas
urer. ...
The object oi the organization
is work for better local and gen
eral conditions, for temperance,
cal chanties, social hygiene,
Sunday observance, etc. ,
There HI be anoiner meeting oi
the federation at the Methodist
church Monday night.
Old Resident Dead.
George II. Wishart of Seventh
and John Adams streets, died
from the effects of a paralytic
stroke Wednesday, aged 75 years.
Mir. Wisehart came to this city
from Wisconsin in 1876.
The following brothers and sis
ters survive : Y. T. Wishart, a
brother .Westerbrook, Minn.;MTS.
Ellen Wishart-Taylor, sister, La
Grango, Wis; Charles and Wil
liam Wishart, Mapleton, Minn;
Mrs. Elizabeth Wishart-Hough-ton,
LaGrange, Wis, James N.
Wishart, Mapleton, Minn. .
; 1 -
Takes it All Back.
The Oregon City Courier says
we libeled the women of that city
when we said that they asked the
men to smoky on the election
boards; that fcWe are no women
on the election boards of that
city. We are glad to hear that
they did not do it, and sorry to
hear that the Associated Press
should give forth such unreliable
news, which was the basis of our
comment. McMinnville Regis
ter. G. B. Dimick Brings Suit.
Tuesday ex-Mayor G. B. Dim
ick brought suit through Attorney
B. N. Hick9 for an injunction
against City Treasurer M. D. Lat
ourette, restraining him , from
cashing tho salary warrants of E.
I.. Shaw, for 1912, amounting to
Sl.lot).
Mr. Dimick holds that there has
not been any chief of police for
1912. and that Mr. Shaw has no
legal claim to the warrants which
the city council audited and ap
proved. The three-year-old daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Straight of
Parkplace was taken with typhoid
Wednesday, and four cases are
reported in on family on the west
side of the river.
FACTS AND FIGURES FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF
CLACKAMAS
WHAT THE BUILDING OF
-
E, D. OLDS THINKS PEOPLE SHOULD COME ALIVE AND TAKE
He Thinks he People of This
To the Tax Payers of Clackamas
County: , .
Through the columns of the
Oregon City Courier I wish to ac
quaint the tax payers of Clacka
mas county with the facts I have
discovered in my investigation Of
uin matter oi tne purchase ol the
steel for four bridges (located at
fcagle Creek, Pudding River, Sun-
nyside Gulch and Clear Creek,) by
Uie county Gourt of Clackamas
county from the Coast Bridge
Company of Portland, Oregon. I
caused an investigation to be
made by competent men and this
investigation shows:
That the Court (which Includes
Judge Robert B. Beatie, who or
dlnarily Is about nine-tenths of
the Court, and the two- Commis
sioners), has not complied with
Section .6368 of Lord's. Oregon
Laws governing the construction
of bridges;
mat the court has not publicly
Invited competition In all bridge
matters.
That the Court has not exercis
ed what we oall good business
Judgment '. this matter. In this,
tnat tney nave paid far in exoess
of the value of the steel for these
bridges. . .
In substantiation of my first
charge I call to your attention,
Mr. taxpayer, that Section 6308
of the Code provides for the ad
vertisement by the County Court
for bids for bridges which cost in
excess of $500, but it gives the
Court power if they see fit to
throw all bids aside and build
the bridge by employing suitable
and competent superintendent
and assistants, buy the material
and proceed with the erection of
the bridge. . This superintendent
is to inspect all material, inspect
all bills for labor and material
and certify to their correctness,
before they shall be ordered paid
by the court and upon comple
tion of said bridge, shall prepare
and file with the clerk . of said
court a full and complete detail
ed statement, duly verified, giving
the name of the stream across
which said bridge is built, the
name or location of said bridge in
such a' manner that it may be
asily found,' its entire length.
width,, amount and cost of each
kind of material and entire cost
of. said bridge, with a brief gen
eral description of the style and
character of said bridge, and of
its immediate surroundings.
which statement shall be subject
to inspection at all times by any
one desiring to examine the same.
rhe Goui l has not lollowed the
provisions ol this : statute. No
call for bids was ever made , by
the court by advertisement" in the
way the Code says it shall be doife.
No notice of the same was ever
publishedThere is Ber, on tract on
file that these bridaWtoere erect
ed by contract, then they 'must
have been erected under a super
intendent as provided by this sec
lion of the code. There are no
statements on file in the office of i
the county clerk from any super
intendent or any one else showing
the cost of these bridges as con
structed, as provided for in this
section of the code.' Who put up I
hese bridges? Whom did the
Court hire to do it? What did
they pay for it? Why did not the
Court advertise for bids for these
bridges? Why are not statements
of the cost of these bridges filed
as the law provides? Why have
not the tax payers ot Clackamas
county been kept informed by
their public servants? If anyone
wishes to verify what I have said,
I refer you to tne county clerk, go
to his office and if you wish, make
the search yourself. You can't
find any complete intelligible rec
ords. In substantiation of my second
charge that the Court has not
publicly invited competition in all
bridge matters, I publish in full
the letter of A. W. Severance, who
at the time of the purchase of the
steel for these bridges, was vice
president of th Columbia Bridge
Company of Portland, Ore. You
will notice this statement is veri
fied and it is complete in itself.
Mr. Severance wanted to bid on
the work mentioned in his state
ment, but in his own verified
statement ays h ewas not given
a chance to do so. The following
is his statement. This pertains to
the Fisher Mill bridge. :
. Portland, Ore.
Nov. 1, 1912.
Mr. E. I). Olds,
Oak Grove, Ore , .
Dear Sir: In compliance with
your recent request, the following
is a statement of the conditions
relative toxUje letting of the Fis
cher bridge.
I was at that time president ol
the Columbia Bridge Co who had
built the. bridge across Milk
Creek at Mulino, during Judge
Dimiek's administration.
After Judge Beatie's election
find in response to Mi. Matoon's
request, I went to Oregon City to
join the Court on a '-rip lo Mil
waukie to price a bridge fof that
place. When I arrived in Orotven
City. Mr. Matoon told me th.?
Fischer bridge was out and that
we would go up there and meas
ure for a bridge to replace it. I
But Judge Beattie tried to dis-1
courage my going by saying there
was no room in the rig for me.
I informed him that our com-;
pany could afford to pay' for a
rig and was treated very coldly
during the trip, it being very eas
ily seen that he favored the Coast
Bridge Co's. representative.
That evening after our return
and after supper, I met the judge.
TO
BRIDGES COSTS YOU TAXPAYERS,.
THE COUNTY COURT BUILDS
COUNTY
County Should Wake Up, Investigate These Matters, and Have More
to 8ay About Where Our Money Goes.
and the commissioners at the
court house and asked him- to let
me trivo him a price on the bridsre.
but he replied that he didn't think
they would build the bridge at
that time. I then asked him to
communicate, with me at such a
time as they were ready to build
the bridge that I might submit a
price. He said he would let me
know but in a few days 1 met Mr.
Matoon and he told me this bridge
had been let to the Coast! Bridge
Co. I asked him why they did not
let me know of the letting as they
had agreed to do and he said the
judge had given the contract to
the Coast Bridge Co., befar, he
knew it.
And later when I took the mat
ter up with Judge Beattie, he re
fused to talk on the subject, say
ing he was busy and had no time
to spare.
. Yours truly,
O. W. Severance.
Subscribed and sworn to before
me this 1st day of N6vember,
1912. - - - .
Chas. Rr Donnell,'
Notary Public for Oregon
(Seal of Notary.)
In substantiation' of my third
charge, that the Court has not
exercised what we call good busi
ness judgment in this matter, in
this, that they have paid far in
excess of the value of the steel
for, these bridges.
The County Court bought the
steel for these four bridges from
the Coasl Bridge Company, of
Portland, Oregon, and paid there
for the sum of 17,965.00 This
amount is simply for the steel
alone on board the cars at the
noint. nearest the Dronosed noint
of erection of said bridges. This
amount does not include the cost
of unloading this steel from the
cars, nor tho cost of the erection
of the bridges, which is bound to
be large in addition to the amount
paid for the material. The fol
lowing is a certified copy of the
contract entered into by the Court
with the Coast Bridge Company,
under which the contract for the
steel for the same was delivered.
Please read the contract careful
ly "' Hi,
GONTKAGT J ,
This contract is made by the
County Court of Clackamas Coun
ty, Oregon, hereinafter called the
County Court, at a regular ses
sion lor the transaction oi coun
ty business held at Oregon City,
in said county, on Novenmer dru,
1911. and Coast Bridge Company,
an Oregon Corporation, hereinaf
ter can tne urioge uompany.
The Bridge Company, for the
consideration hereinafter men
tioned, asrrees to furnish all met
al material, fabricated ready for
erection, and delivered at the
nearest railroad station to the
proposed point of erection for 4
bridges designed by the County
Court to be erected over a cer
tain stream known as Eagle creek,
Pudding River, Sunnyside Gulch,
near Arnelts and Clear Creek, at
or near the following points', Ban-
field, veazie ' Switch, - Aurora,
Clackamas, said proposed bridge
being described as loiiows: izux
16 feet Eagle Creek; 2 100 ft.
spans and 240 it steel trestle,
Pudding River 270 feet; Sunny-
side 125 ft; Clear Creek. All
roadways to be 16 feet clear and
all spans as per plans and upecifi
cations left with this contract.
The material so furnished is lo
be fabricated in shape ready for
construction of these bridges, ac
cording, to the plans and specifi-
ations hereto attached which are
made a part of this contract. ,
Said materials so lo be deliver
ed at the railroad station as here
inbefore specified on or before
May 1, 1912, provided that u de
livery shall be delayed by the
failure of any railroad to trans
port any portion of the . same
within a reasonable time, or by
strikes, lookouts, or any other
cause or pauses beyond the reas
onable control of the Bridge
Company, then the time for the
delivery of such material shall .be
extended for a period equivalent
lo such delay or to the sum of all
such delays.
The County Court agrees ' lo
pay to the Bridge uompany there
for the sum ol beventeen Thou
sand nine hundred and Sixty-five
($17965.00) Dollars payable in
manner following, to-wit: within
30 days after the arrival of the
steel as noted above payment in
full shall he made in county road
warrants.
In Witness Whereof, said
County Court hath caused these
presents to be signed in its name
and behalf by R. B. Beatie, , the
County Judge of said Clackamas
county, and by W. H. Mattoon
and N- Blair, the county commis
sioners thereof, and the same to
be attested by W. L. Mulvey, the
clerk of said county court, and
to be recorded in the minutes of
the meeting whereat this con
tract is made; and the Coast
Bridge Company hath caused
these presents to be signed in its
name and behalf by Geo. A. Sears
its vice-president, on the day and
year herein first written
County' Court . of Clackamas
. County.
By R. B. Beatie, County Judge
., , W. H. Mattoon,
N. Blair, Commiss.
' ... Coast Bridsre Co
By Geo. A. Sears, V. P.
(REAL)
Attest: W. L. Mulvey. Clerk of the
County Court. '
(Certified before County Clerk.)
The money was paid lh Coast
READ AND
T
OVER
AND THE MANNER IN WHICH
THEM.
MORE INTEREST IN MATTERS.
Bridge Company for the steel for
these bridges in accordance with
the terms of the contract as you
will see by the following certifi
cate of the county clerk.
Oregon City, Ore., Dec. 4, 1912.
state or uregon,
County of Clackamas, ss.
1 hereby certify that on tho 3rd
day of November, A. I)., 1911, the
County Court of Clackamas Coun
ty entered into a contract with the
Coast Bridge Company, said Coast
Bridge Company to furnish to
Clackamas county arl metal ma
terial, fabricated ready for erec
tion and delivered at the nearest
railroad station to the proposed
point of erection for four bridges
designed by the Court to be erect
ed over certain streams known as
Eagle Creek, Pudding River, Sun
nyside Gulch near Arnetts, and
Clear Creek.
For the above materials so fur
nished and delivered the follow
ing amounts were paid:
On March 7th, 1912, by War
rants Nos., 3839 to 39868 Inc., the
sum of $14,390.00.
On may 2nd, 1912, by warrants
Nos. 41124, 41125 and 41,126, the
sum of $3575.00. .
Making a total of $17,965.00,
the contract price.
W. L. Mulvey,
' County Clerk.
By L M. Harrington, Deputy. l'
(SEAL)
Now Mr. Taxpayer, I thought
this an exorbitant price to pay for
the steel in these bridges, but I
knew of no way to get to the bot
tom of this matter and ilnd out
what the court should have paid,
without computing he actual
weight of the steel and getting
prices on the same, so I employ
ed the services of Mr. Jay S. Groo
an expert civil engineer, whom I
secured through the offices of the
Northwestern Electrical company
of Portland, Oregon, and who is
now working as expert engineer
in the construction camp at
White Salmon, Wash., where the
plant of this company is being in
stalled. Mr. Groo went over the
plans for these bridges, measured
the bridges as constructed, and
computed the weight of- each
bridge: The following is his re
port in detail .
Portland, Nov. 22, 1912."
Mr. E. D. Olds,
:, Oak Grove, Oregon. .
Dear Sir: v
I beg to report as follows on
the weights of Ihe several bridges
which 1 have examined for you. 1
Bridge No. 1, Pudding River, Au
rora Two half-through Truss Spans
100 ft. each; 6 panels 16 feet 8
inches each. .,. , . ,
WeiR'hts ' '
Two steel spans," each
27,870 pounds do, 40
Steel trestle, 240 ft 30,420
Four steel piers, 25 ft -
by 3 feet, 6,125 lbs. . ,24,500
Total weight, pounds i 10,660
. 50 yards concrete.
BridKe No. 2. Clear Creek, stone
Through Truss 124 ft, 3in
span, 7 panels, 17 leet
'9 inches each, weight ..39,400
Bridge No. 3 , Sunnyside Gulch
Bent Bridge, 8 bents, 30 . .
ft. spans,
Weight as constructed -...77,090
Weight as designed 77,240
Bridge No. 4, Eagle Creek
Dock Truss Bridge, liu
ft. span, 7 panels, 17
ft each, weight ... . , . .48,570
Grand total, all bridges,
(constructed) iis.uu
Tho weights were calculated
from bases as eiven in Carnegie
Steel Company, Hand Book, 1903,
for detail items as given in pians,
and from actual measurements.
Like panels were given like
weights without measurements,
and the figures . given for the
weights are correct within the
limits of error Detween unit
weights and actual manufacture.
Hespectiuuy yours. .
Jay S. Groo.
Mr. Groo will verify this
statement at any time.
Yon' wi II see that the total
weight of this steel is 273,720 lbs.,
a part of wmcn comes unuer me
class of light fabricated steel and
a part of which comes under the
class of heavy I beams, tubes and
channel iron. The fabricated
steel is by actual computation
175,132 lbs. The heavy I-beams,
lubes and channel iron is by act
ual computation 98,588 lbs.
Mr. Tax Payer there is only one
step further, we must get the
price of steel at the date of sign
ing this contract, in order to in
iciiicpntlv iudire whether or not
the court paid too much for thisi
steel. ' , , .
The following is a letter from
W. F. Haldermait. who is contin
ually in the market purchasing
steel for Ihe construction of
bridges, and giving the price of
what steel sold at at the time of
Ihe signing of this contract. Mr.
Halderman lives in Portland, and
knows the building of bridges
thoroughly and his figures can t
be successfully disputed.
Mr. E. D. Olds,
Oak Grove, Oregon,, ,i
Dear Sir: , ; ,
Having not heard from you for
some time, I was just wondering
if anything in the bridge line was
coming up down your way. and if
you are keeping lab on it. You
want to be careful in bidding on
steel as the market has gone away
up since we were together about
Metal that was sell-
:ing for $3.80 and $4.00 has raised
up to $4.25 and 14.50, I-beams
and channels from $3,00 to $3.75
and you cannot get metal on quick
delivery for these prices. Kindly
advise if any bridges are likely to
come up this winter, either steel
r vvooiien. If so I will come down
and go over the ground with you.
Hoping to hear from you soon, I
remain,
Yours very truly,
W. F. Halderman.
In accordance with the weight
of the steel in these bridges and
at the prices named, the cost of
the steel to the Bridge Company
would be as follows:
Fabricaed steel, 175,132
lbs at le per ib $7005.28
Heavy steel, 98,588 lbs.
at 3c per lb $2957.61
. Total
Allowing a profit
per cent or in
numbers
..$9962.92
of 20
round
.$2000.00
Tota " $11,962.92
inis would have been a fair
business price for Clackamas
County to have paid for this ma
terial, but instead of that the
county paid $17,965.00 for it
and do you wonder, Mr. Taxpayer,
why I thought the court paid loo
much? I am not accusing the
county court or any of its mem
bers of dishonesty. I do not
mean to reflect anything upon
them. The facts have been stated
as I have found them in my in
vestigation, and I believe that it
does show our Court has at least
been negligent in attending to our
business. Mr. Taxpayer, what do
you think about it?
And now Mr. Taxpayer, after
reviewing these facts of one
transaction, do you not think it
would be for the best interests of
the county to investigate this tim
ber cruising contract about to be
entered into with Mr. Nease of
Portland, to cruise the timber of
the county? Who is Mr. Nease
anyway?
There is one thing more I wish
lo say and that is to Mr. Harvey
Gordon Starweather, the rich man
of Oak Grove: Why did you as
master of Miiwaukie grange, try
to stop an investigation of this
bridge matter in the grange? Do
you remember when I introduced
a resolution in that grange cov
ering this same matter and do you
remember what you did? Now
tell the people why you did it?
Yours
E. D. Olds.
419 'COUPLES MADE HAPPY
Circuit Court In 1912 Granted 419
Dlvoroes.
Four hundred nineteen divorces
have been granted in Clackamas
county during the past year an
average of 34 per month and far
better than one per day. This
startling'record was brought to
light upon checking up the di
vorce case in the county clerk's
otfice which have been filed and
granted here. A large part ol
the people were Portlanders who
sought redress for their matri
monial trouble in Cleackamas
county. ;
.These 4 19 suits comprise over
half of the circuit court cases fil
ed since January 1, 1912 1
Dan Cupid tried his best to re
deem himself during the same per
iod for the records show that 472
marriage licenses were issued.
This leaves a favorable balance
between tho married nad divorced
of fifty-three couples.
The school census, too, showed
a big gain of over 400 since Jan
uary 1, 1912. There are now over
11,000 school children in the
county, about the same number
each of boys and girls.
THE GRAVITY SYSTEM. '
Writer Thinks this Is the Only
Right Water System.
Editor Courie:
1 was sorry to read in last is
sue of your paper that you thou
ght things were not coining fast
enough in the way of remedying
the water conditions of this city,
and that unless you got a little
more help and encouragement
you would quit.
Don',1 do it. It takes persis
tent agitation and hammering to
bring about changes. You have
got to stir the people first, - and
when once aroused, then they will
meet anything.
I am one of tho "I told you so
fellows, hence will not sign my
name, for I don't like to be called
a croaker. But wheu the present
water system was put ii) I begged
and pleaded that the city put in
a pure gravity system, and in the
newspapers and on the streets 1
told the people that the time
would certainly come when they
would regret it.
' I think the people are aroused
over the matter of pure water now
and that something will be done,
and it seems to me now, just as
it seemed long ago, that the prop
er movement is to go back toward
Molalla, get a pure source and
put in a gravily system that will
L. mr for the vears to come and
a system that will pay for itself
in the saving oi expenses.
They are talking of using the
r.liickflirins and Abernelhy rivers.
All riarht streams for today, but
what will they bo in ten or twen
ty years rrom now, wnen me wa
ter powers are fully developed
and townsites all along the
hnnkg?
This county is full of the pure.J
st water that ever ran aown a
mountain. It will be hard work
and cost good money to get it,
but we have simply got to have it,
an lei ns cn at. the matter right
for this time. It is cheaper to do
It right than to pay for misiaKes
Molalla.
$100 Per Plate.
was paid at a banquet to Henry
Clnv in New Orleans in 1842.
Mighty costly for those with sto
mach trouble or indigestion. To
day people everywhere ubo Dr.
King s New Life Pills for these
troubles as well as liver, kidney,
and bowel disorders. Easy, safe,
sure. Only 25 cents at Huntley
Bros.
AFTER A PURE
ITER SUPPLY.
LIVE WIRES WILL HOLD SPEC
IAL EVENING SESSION.
SEVERAL PLANS ARE IN VIEW
Entire Evening will be Glvjn Over
to Ways and Means Talks.
The people have become ar
roused to the necessity of having
a Yure drinking water source for
this city, and out of it is sure to
develop some remedy.
It is a curious fact that this
county has probably tho largest
supply of pure drinking water of
any county in the United States
and yet 'this city lias the poorest.
Several petitions are out asking
that prompt action be taken to
remedy the present water supply
of this city. The petitions are be
ing signed almost to a-man, and
the people are in dead earnest.
It doesn't matter now what wo
have or have not done in the past.
Roviewing mistakes doesn't help
the present. What we want now
is good, sound judgment, of our
best men, and whatever we do, do
it right, and do that which we will
not have to undo in the future.
The Live Wires have called a
special meeting for Tuesday eve
ning to lake up thismatter, and
there will be presented for con
sideration several propositions
to remedy the present conditions,
and out of these different ideas
there will no doubt something
take delinite shape.
There is one point that should
be kept in mind in these consid
erations, and that is that what
ever is done should bo done with
Ihe future a far view. We want
permanency. We want to do a
work that will not have lo be un
done in a few years. We want to
go after this matter right and set-
lie it once for all.
Pure water, no matter what
plan is adopted to get it, will
come high, but the cost should be
a matter of secondary considera
tion. It is too vital a matter to be
measured by dollars. We must
have it regardless of the, expense.
Several of our leading men are
investiiralinK propositions, but as
yet they are only in the outline.
At Tuesday night s meeting tnese
(hidings will be made public
There is ' considerable senti
ment and talk in the city, in view
of the big expense that will be
necessary to provide another wa
ter supply or system, that it would
he wise to: defer tho building of
the public elevator, recently vot-'
ed favorably on, until some future
lime, and it is suggested that in
the event a bond issue for the
water works be voted on that this
matter be again refered to tho
voters. When this elevator mat
ter was carried it was before tho
waterworks proposition came up,
and the probabilities are that if it
was known at the lime, the eleva
tor proposition would have been
voted down.
Many of the citizens who are
not members of tho Live Wires
are asking (hat a public meeting
be held and all tho taxpayers of A
the city be given a chance to ex-"
press themselves on this matter,
and the suggestion is a good one.
And in the meantime think this
matter over; study out what you
think would bo tho best means to
got pure water for this city. And
when you have a plan that you
think is good, use the columns of
the Courier to explain it. Out of
different suggestions is where a
general plan will come mini.
Leon Des Larzes visited his pat
ents and brother at Cottage Grove
the ilrst of the week,
County Clerk Mulvey, who has
ben ill with typhoid fever for sev
eral weeks, is back at the olllco
again this week.
. Mrs. A. E. Frost, who has been
n Poi Hand for several weeks, and
who some time ago underwent an
operation at St. Vincent's hospital
returned to her home la this cuy
Ihursday nigut.
Attorney Chris. Schuebel, who
was recently operated on for the
removal of gall stones in the gen
eral hospital in Portland, and who .
has also been having a run or ty
phoid fever, is now so far recov
ered that he will be able to return
to his home here baturuay.
Thorn iu mm irinller Ihnl. Die
n i v I vonr'u f.mmi'il could take no
and receive tho thanks of the city
and that would be a regulation of
I ha o-.'ii'h.lL'K of Die citv. II Ml I it
could be taken up in such a way
that it would not cost a cent in
addition to taxes. An arrange
ment could be made with some
responsible party who has a hog
iTuwh t i j. m ! I lu cilv In take nwav
tho garbage two or three times a
week, and an ordinance couia ue
passed making property owners
provide themselves with metalic,
lly-proof and scent proof boxes.
Gur city has now reached a size
where this matter is one of the
important ones, and certainly
last years conditions of stinking
piles of garbage and leaking gar
bage wagons should not ge longer
tolerated. ' ' ' .
Deafness Cannot Be Cured
br local tpptlotlmi, u tbrr omnot much tin dl
und portion ol tha tmi. 'lbe la only " O" u
sura deatneat and thai la bj eonailtutional remwlifa.
Doatnaal la earned by an In Hamad ooadulou ol Uia
mucoua Union ( tha Eualacbiiui Tubo. Wnan una
lube la irninnwd you hava a nimbim: aound or in
nortect h.arln. and whM It la entirely rtuawl. Deal
mi al tha lwiult, and unlwa tha b-flummatlon can be
tnkeo out and thla tuba nalorwl to Ita normal ouo
Uou. uerm IU be dwtroyed rorever: nine oaata
out ol ten are oauecd by Catarrh, wnloh la notaliMj
but an Inflamed condition ol Uie mucoua aurlaoea.
We will lye One Hundred Dollare lor any eaaa M
Deafneei irauaed by oelarrh) that cannot be cured
by Hail'l Catarrh Cure, rwnd frr ctrculnra , tree,
uy iiau a rr f f jjlKNE
Bold by DnwilMe, 7 Jo.
lea Hall I MtallJ PUU ft OOOtUpaUoO.