Qva Historical goo,
207 Second St,
Portland. Ore '
CITY
TO)
t The Courier is the Official State
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ciety of Equity, and has the largest
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31st YEAR
OREGON CITY, ORE., THURSDAY, DEC. 25 1913.
No. 31
MEXICO, ID OF
ITCHY
WHERE ANCIENT AND MODEtfN.
STAND SIDE BY SIDE.
THE LAND OF "MON YANNA"
Where Everything Runs 4 Smoothly
, and it is Always Afternoon
(M. J. Brown, Courier, Oregon City)
, Next week will close this series of
travel letters, and this letter will tell
you something about Mexico and the
Mexicans a little of the inside stuff
that perhaps you don't know. o
If I was hunting a nerve sanitari
um, I would go to Mexico, for there is
, never a jar in that country.
I see you smile, but I am not writ
ing of war days. I know Villa is jar
ring Huerta and Huerta President
Wilson, but I am speaking of ordinary
life in the Republic.
Everything is soft and easy in
Mexico, from the pronunciation to
"rolling" a "Gringo." A . Mexican is
never strenuous. If he sticks a knife
into your vitals he will do it with
quietness and grace. It. is a land of
rest, music and quietness. Get onto
enough of the lingo to make your
self understood, go in bunches of two
or three, and you can have the quiet
est and yet the most interesting trips
you ever dreamed of.
The whole country is simply satu
rated with lore, traditions, ruins and
mysteries, and you can find most
anything that appeals to you, from
Cortez love affairs to a cock fight.
Just try to comprehend that Mexico
was on the job when the abandoned
cliff homes of Arizona were running
wide open inhabited by men who
builded great pyramids and stone cit
ies, but who put no historic records
in tin boxes when they laid the cor
ner stones. They left the ruins, but no
names behind. And quite modern ( in
comparison with the mysterious old
ruins, is the time of the Toltecs, in
the year 648, who came north from
"somewhere." And this word "some
where" has to account for a lot of
weak spots in Mexico's early days.
But I am not going to write his
tory or traditions. I'll bring you down
to the present so quick that it will
jar even a greaser.
The Toltecs disappeared as myster
iously as they showed up. Like the
cliff dwellers they left no history of
their coming or going, and, Mexican
history jumps you from 1050 to 1200
at a pace that exceeds all modem
speed stunts, and then we run on up
to Cortez' time, and you know the
rest or a little of it.
And today you can find in Mexi
. co almost all the types from the .Az
tecs of seven hundred years ago to
the brigands who are generals in the
rebel army.
There are the blanketed Indians,
stalwart and proud; flashily dressed
Mexicans of the better class; peons in
rags and hunger; vomen who have
the old Toltec beauty in their eyes;
boys in sandals of the fashion of a
thousand years ago; women ' with
beautiful gems, nearly all in their
ears; hard looking old hags of women,
who do men's work and eat anything
hogs miss all these types you will
see in Mexico, and you can usually
find them in one pueblo crowd.
And there is always merriment, al
ways music, alwayn coquetry, but
never a jarring sound. Everything is
quiet, gentle, restful, and after you
have .mingled wjth these Aztec de
scenflants for a few days, you wonder
how they ever can work at all, and
you more than wonder how a war
ever got under headway. Even in their
drunken brawls the trouble is done
quietly and deliberately, as if it re
quired too much exertion to get real
excited and noisy.
If you can't talk any Spanish, and
if you have your mouth and eyes as
wide open as a farmer on his first
trip to New York, well the Mexicans
have taken your measure, and what
they will do to you will be plenty. .
They can distinguish ' between the
greenhorn and the. real "turista" on
sight. The newcomer is stalked as a
quarry, while the "turesta" is bowed
and scraped to with the hand always
behind, opened and begging. The
Mexicans are beautiful and persistent
beggars mind you, I refer to the
lower classes who hang around the
pueblos. A fellow did me a trifling
favor, brought me a gourd of water
from the next room, and then he just
stood there and smiled and smirked,
so plainly asking for change by his
actions that I gave him a dime to be
rid of him, and then he followed me
like a dog all day.
The common class Mexican is hon
est and honorable after a fashion
the Greaser fashion. You will have to
count your change carefully when he
hands it to you, but you have to do
that with your home folks. But here
is a peculiar trait, and it is a pretty
general trait. Iwill illustrate it hy
a little incident my partner, a Texan,
told me. ". ! . ..
A few years ago he was over in the
Santa Rosa mountains mining. The
Yaquis raided them and drove them
out. He had about $2,000 in gold, dust
and nuggets. The Indians were in
wait for them as they started for the
Texas border to- rob them. It was
their game to scare them out of the
mountains then rob them on the trail
home. The Texan gave the gold to a
Mexican who he had known for three
years, and he slipped through and de-
, livered every 'ounce of it safely in
Del Rio. Six months later he said he,
with a bunch of cattle buyers, was
held up and robbed, and the Mexican
who robbed him was the man who
took Jus money safely through.
He was trusted to do what the
white men dared not do with the
money. He was put oh his honor and
made good. As soon as delivered, the
obligation was off, and then he robbed
the man who trusted him. And that is
Pancho. ""
If you want to buy anything from
a Mexican, souvenirs, drawn work,
relics, etc., you want to take all day
for it. The first price is not the last
price, or the lowest price. Examine
the article, show that you want it, but
refuse to pay the price asked, and he
will sell it to you later, and about at
your own price. . ,
The things you buy will cost little
or much, depending on yourself as a
trader, and on what you buy. You can
get a god or an idol for two-bits, and
drawn work, handkerchiefs, mantle
scarfs, collars, doilies, etc., run all
the way from 50 cents to eight or ten
dollars, and at the prices ' they first
quote you they are bargains. Silver
novelties, beautifully made of Mexi
can filigree, are great bargains', and
sapphires, pearls, opals, topaz and
emerals 'can be bought at genuine
bargains, if you are a Yankee at bar
gaining and know the gems, and if
you don't you can be trimmed most
beautifully.
. When you get into the sara,pes, or
zarapes, you will have to go some)
which ever way you spell them. They
are the shoulder blankets' that make
the Mexicans so picturesque, and you
can get them all the way from five to
five hundred dollars. The weave anfl
the age fix the price, and ' there is
about as much fake in them as in Na
vajo blankets. Mantillas, beautifully
designed and embroidered, can be
bought for from ten to forty dollars.
In the city art stores you will pay
from $50 to $150. Pieces of onyx can
be bought for a dime. I bought an
ancient matette stone, a Mexican corn
grinder, for $1, for which I have re
fused $50. , ; .
I remember one night we had to
put up at a little inland pueblo of
about 100 'dobie huts. :
" It is seldom you will find a bed in
these towns, and the bundles of skins
in thedark room did not look good
to me. I proposed that we carry out
the robps and sleep outside, but my
Texan friend said no. He explained
that an American was-seldom molest
ed if a guest; that Mexican hospital
ity forbade it, but sleeping outside
would be too big a temptation. So we
toughed it out inside the 'dobie.
As to the feed, it is good or bad
according to what quality of man it
is set before. If you are thoroughbred
enough to take the dishes on trust and
put away the stews, soups, salads and
sauces, you will get the biggest feed
you ever had for two bits. But if you
must sniff, taste, wonder and want to
be shown, jou- will get thin in in
land Mexico. Mind must contjuer mat
ter when you eat in the typical Mex
ican towns. It won't do to be from
Missouri. And the most of the dish
es are much better than they look.
But they come in courses, or rather
dishes, one dish at a time, and how a
fellow is going to tell when he is at
the end, is the guess.
. The peon class live entirely on tor
tillas (corn pancakes) frijole beans
and peppers, but the better class live
on about everything you never saw
before. One simply has to be a game
"hombre" and take things as they
come in Mexico.
But in the tourist towns is where
you see medley, if that is what you
want I never cared much for this
line. The old ways, the inland towns,
where foreign influences have barely
touched, always had more fascination.
I would rather look at an ancient two
wheeled water cart, than a bull
fight; a sandaled peon than a bail
adeara (dancing girl.)
In these railroad towns you will
see mingled in the eating and drink
ing nouses, students and bill fighters;
the flashy artist models and demure
maids who drop their eyes if you
look in their direction; fresh young
bloods who come to "get wise' and
the women who help them in wis
dom: men who have traveled in all
lands and women who were never 20
miles from home; the gaudy rich,
the gaudy poor; me millionaire aim
the peon beggar.
You can find this crowd in one
room in any tourist town if you
hunt it, yet this crowd always stays
within the bounds. Merry yes, but
never boisterous or maudlin. There is
a certain limit that all seem to know
and annreciate. How American bloods
can keep within it I don't know, but
they say they never "start" anything
down m the .monyana iana.
I have written about 2,000 words,
and as I glance over it, how pitifully
little it conveys of what wonderful
Mexico,, the new and the old really
is. It would take volumes to give you
any idea of the witchery of this great
country.
. Five centuries may be seeti in five
minutes in Mexico. The partially nude
savage, an aborigine descendant, will
dodge the carnage of a modern mn
lionaire; the ancient donkey on a
two-wheeled cart will be passed by a
1913 tourinor car. Cheers for the bull
fighter may be heard in a Yankee's
Coney Island park. The highway that
Cortez built hundreds of years be
fore the first locomotive was invented
is now paralleled with a standard
railroad. The Aztec sacrificial rock,
the. Calendar stone; the wireless tele
graph and the American promoter.
You can see women grinding corn on
matette stones and brokers getting
Wall street market quotations with
out leaving your tracks. You can buy
pulque poured from a pig skin bot
tle into a wine glass made in Pitts
burg, and Americans playing golf on
fields that, have been drenched with
blood. There are pyramids standing
today that were built before Spain
knew the world was round there is
history forgotten before Christ was
born.
There are 50,000 Americans in
Mexico, or were before the war
started, and every last one of them
holds to the customs and costumes of
his country. ,
There are 40 tribes of Indians
which remain true to the old days and
ways. .
There are 25,000 native Spaniards,
true to Old Spain, and looking with
contempt on the "Greaser."
There are five or ten thousand En
glishmen, who are Johnny Bulls still.
There are as many Germans,
speaking their mother tongue and
stavintr bv the Fatherland customs.
There are six or eight thousand
A Day Early ' ..."
To give the office force a holiday
the Courier is printed a day earlier
Uiis week, and in consequence con
siderable matter received too late has
to go over.
Ivan Chase, son of Mrs. Chase, of
this city, was visiting her and other
relatives and friends here Tuesday.
Mr. Chase is a newspaper man, and
is connected with the Commoner at
Colfax, Wash.
Redmen's Big Time January 10
The Redmen's big annual dance,
parade and war dance will pack
Busch's big hall to the limit on the
night of January 10. This annual ball
has become a city feature. ,,
Firemens' 'Banquet Monday Night
Npvt Mnnikv nio-ht the fire de
partment will hold its jtiklmM ban
quet and will have a nne time, ine
boys nave more than earned a joily
i'.iyio nt t hp rpnpnt. firps .lip Ilfl .-
pie generally wish them all .'nds of
a Merry ( hriitmas.
. The Courier, a Year Free
Here is a little problem, looks
easy and perhaps it is, and we will
send the Courier a year without char
ge to the first person who. works it,
and informs this office "how much land
each man buys.
A. and B. have $160 each and they
buy 320 acres of land. A. takes the
good land at $1.25 per. acre and B.
the poor at 75c per. acre. How much
land does each buy? ,
Same with Oregon City
Salem proposes to be the 872nd
city in the United States to have a
city manager under a ' commission
government. The . charter is now
nearly completed and . will be sub
mitted to the voters some time in
January. Medfordites are. fighting
manfully for the city' manager plan
of municipal government and Eugene
well, Eugene is
.Eugene Guard.
' And so is Oregon City.
HERE'S SOME BARGAIN
This Should Put the Courier on a
Cash Ahead Basis
You all know Colliers, It is about
the most independent and reliable
publication in the United States. It
is progressive, utterly fearless and
it has smoked out more congressmen
and held them up to public view
than all the. newspapers combined.
We will give you Colliers and the
Courier both one year for $2.50. The
price of Colliers alone has been $6.50
and the Courier $1.50. No matter how
we can do it, we will do It. Give us
the $2.50 and you will get both pub
lications for a year. -
Colliers has a circulation of over
500,000. The Courier hasn't, quite as
many, but both stand for the common
people and both fight favorites and
special interests.
Colliers will contain next year:
1,000 Editorials, 600 News Photos,
250 Short Articles, 150 Short Stor
ies, 100 Illustrated Features,-2 com
plete Novels. 1
This is the biggest reading bargain
you ever saw one you want to hop
to, for it may not last.
Many Prominents Will Attend
Among the grand officers of the
I. O. O. F. Lodge, who will attend the
60th anniversary of the Oregon City
Order, on New Year's Eve, are Henry
J. Taylor, grand master of Pendleton;
William H. Galloway, deputy grand
master of Salem; G. A. Pague, grand
patriarch of Ontario; Mrs. Charlotte
Woodman, president Kebekah Assem
bly of Portland; Hon. Grant B. Dim
ick. past erand master Oregon City;
Thomas F Ryan past grand master of
Salem. Judge Dimick will make the
address of welcome, and Thomas B'.
Ryan will give the history of the
lodge.
The early part of the evening will
be devoted to' a programme followed
by dancing. Arrangements are being
made to have several of the churches
of the city serve the supper. The com
mittee having the affair in charge are
sparing no expense to make this one
long to be .remembered. During the
evening- the- Macabee Orchestra will
furnish the instrumental music.
Prompt Action by Senator Chamber
lain At a meeting of Meade Post on De
cember 4th, a petition to Congress re
questing the passage of that body of
a special act increasing ' the pension
of Oregon Washburn to $30 per.
month and it was unanimously en
dorsed by the post and was signed
by the post and was signed by all
the county and city officials. The pe
tition was forwarded to Senator
Chamberlain with the .request that
the matter might receive early con
sideration. At the next meeting of the Post,
Dec. 28, word was received from the
Senator that he had introduced the
bill and that it had passed the first
and second reading and had been re
ferred to the committee on pensions.
The prompt action of Senator Cham
berlain prompted the Post to tender
him a unanimous vote of thanks.
Veteran Washburn has never re
covered from the effects of a wound
received in front of Atlanta in 1864
and is now wholly incapable of per
forming manual labor.
High School Closed Tuesday
The burning out of a motor whose
power regulated the heating system,
caused the high school to adjourn on
Tuesday. '
G. Mark, of Sanborn, N. D., was
in this city recently.
Frenchmen, who are as Frenchy as
French can be.
And ten to fifteen millions of Mex
icans now trying to turn the wonder
ful old country into a war hell.
Some contrasts, eh?
The Republic is one great wonder
land from Eagle Pass to the rubber
forests of the south the most inter
esting country on the western continent.
FRANCHISES ARE
AGAIN PASSED
AND THERE IS TALK THAT MA
YOR MAY VETO
SENTIMENT BACKS COUNCIL
Tooze Says he did Not Vote Against
Franchises, but the Method
For the second time the Clacka
mas Southern and Portland & Ore
gon City franchises went through
the coucil Monday night, and now the
matter is up to Mayor Jones.
That he will permit it to stand is
unquestionably the sentiment of the
people, and as the matters on which
there is a difference are but details,
the people ,do not believe he will ex
cercise the veto, neither does this
Paper. ;
Every member of the council
voted for the franchise except Coun
cilman Tooze, and he emphatically
states that his protesting vote was
not against the two railroads, but
against the principle, and the man
ner in which they wore rushed thru.
He states he was sick at the former
meeting when the ordinance passed
the first reading, and that at the
meeting Monday night cjebate was
barred and three matters which he
wished to have put into the fran
chise would not be listened to by the
council. '
Mayor- Jones was not present at
the session. He stated it would be
impossible for him to be present, and
that unless some changes were made
in the franchise he might use the
veto. After the action Monday night
he stated he would submit the mat
ter to City Attorney Stone and his
action would be governed by his opin
iqn. On one hand it is argued that if
the franchise went over until after
January new council members would
come in; that the whole matter
might have to be gone over again
and it might mean weeks of .delay.
And again many are Of the opinion
that Mr. Carver will simply quit the
undertaking if the citv throws cold
water on the project. The people of
the city think, we should invite and
encourage ,competing lines, and that
as the council, has studied the fran
chise provisions ; for several weeks,
and repeated changes have been made
to s conform to ,their wishes ana to
safeguard the city, - that the fran.
chise should now be graned, the mat
ter settled and work be allowed to
commence. ' -
There is absolutely no question
but what the people of the city are
largely in the majority in sustaining
the action of the council in passing
the franchise, and certainly it is the
duty of any public official to repre
sent the wishes of the people who
elected him. 1 ,.
The Carver franchise is not a per
mit to sramble on. Mr. Carver will
build the road and he,' won't be long
doing it. It means a line to compete
with the Y. K. L. & Y. (Jo., and the
Southern Pacific, and ; when such a
line- wants to come, and there is the
money behind it to iake it come, we
can hardly afford the risk of losing
it by quibbling over details.
GRISENTHWAITE APPOINTED
Judge Anderson Names him as Coun
, ty Sealer, of Weights and Measures
Tuesday Judge Anderson appoint
ed William Grisenthwaite of Beaver
Creek as county sealer of weights
and measures.
F. G. Buchtel. Deputy State Sealer,
of the state office at Salem has been
here instructing the appointee in his
work, and testing the apparatus that
goes with the position. Just when Mr,
Grisenthwaite will commence work is
not decided, but probably not until
the first of the year. .
The position is an important one,
and the law behind it imposes almost
unlimited authority on the sealer. His
apparatus runs from the 32d part of
an ounce to tne Dig weignts lor ytav
form scales, and he is also provided
with all kinds of liquid and dry meas
ures.
It is not only within the rights of
the sealer to test scales and measures
of every kind, but to prosecute deal
ers or individuals who give short
weights, measures, short cord wood or
anything else which ' comes under
standard weiehts or measures.
If scales, which he tests, are found
nnltv ho. cnnHemna them. Duts the
official tag on them stating tnat tney
are condemned, the tag: must remain
on until the scales are made correct
and they must not be used until they
are remedied. This is true of liquid
or dry measures, all fruits sold by
measure, etc.
Those who have scales or measures
not standard, and are ignorant of the
fault, will be given a chance to rem
edy them or procure others. But lat
er violations will no doubt be rigidly
prosecuted.
The purpose of the law is to make
retailers, dealers, buyers, farmers,
peddlers and others give a purchaser
what he pays for.
That Mr. Grisenthwaite will look
after these matters as the law pro
vides, there is no doubt. He is a man
who has a head and will use it, and
dealer who intends to be on the square
will not have any trouble. But the
man who does not intend Jo will go
up against the real thing for Gris
enthwaite is built that way.
This appoinment will give general
satisfaction. The Beaver Creek man is
well and most favorably known thru
out the county.
Ola Scott, of Molalla, a teacher of
that P'ace, was in this city Monday
and Tuesday.
Two Charters are Voted In.
Both Willamette and Molalla voted
on and passed their charters Monday,
Willamette by a two to one majority
and Molalla with only 18 opposition
votes.
Annexation Called Off
The annexation election dated De
cember 31. to voten taking Willa
mette into .West Linn, has been post
poned, as it was determined there was
not sufficient sentiment in Willamette
to warrant it carrying.
Attorney Hedges Gets Non Suit
County Attorney G. L. Hedges
won a clean ana rattier notaoie vic
tory for this county at Hillsboro Mon
day, when he secured a non suit in the
damage action brought by n. m.
Terry against the county.
Terry brought action lor aamages
because of an automobile accident
near Milwaukie, while on his way to
the Milwaukie Tavern, claiming de
fects in the highway, and on the
grounds that he would not be likely
to get justice in this county, the case
was transferred to Hillsboro.
Attorney Hedges asked for a non
suit in the case, which was granted
by the judge. ,
. CASTO FOR COUNTY CLERK
It is Said Prominent and Capable
Farmer will be Republican Candi
date The Courier learns on reliable au
thority that S. L. Casto of Carus, will
be a Republican candidate for county
clerk next year, and if he does run,
he will be a formidable candidate for
any man to go up against.
Mr. Casto has lived in Clackamas
county nearly all his life, he is a man
who makes and holds many friends,
he is well educated and fully qualified
for the office, and he would make the
strongest kind of a run. ;
His character and ability are above
criticism, he stands ace high with the
people, is a clean, dead square man,
and is president of the Farmers
Equity Society of Clackamas county.
The End, Not the Method
i The rural carriers at the Molalla
convention evidently disagree with
the County Court of Clackamas Coun
ty in the matter of road districts, in
asmuch as they demand smaller road
districts, while it is reported that
the County t Court contemplates in
creasing the size of the district by
making over the present 59 districts
into four or five. It appears that a
multiplicity of districts and supervi
sors is the chief thing that is wrong
with our road making. What is need
ed is unity of action and greater ef
ficiency. Neither will be promoted by
the appointment of 100 instead of 50
supervisors. The present system of
road building and maintenance having
been a successful method of wasting
roift funds, let us hope that the new
method of consolidating districts will
prove more successful in . securing
good roads real roads, summer and
winter-proof. It is the end, not the
method, which should appeal to us.
Aurora Observer.
A BAD MIX UP
Looks as if Most Anyone Can be a
Nominee Next Year
i If laws are law, there will be some
fun in Oregon next year.
Two sections, regulating the time
of the spring primaries and the clos
ing of registration conflict. Both can
not, be complied with and both are
state statutes.
Under them lawful primaries can
not, be held next spring, and, in order
to play it safe, the chances are that
candidates will resort to nomination
by petition, and pass up the primar
ies, which cannot be held lawfully.
And should this means of nomina
tion prevail,, as nearly as we can es
timate there will be 671 candidates
for the different state and county of
fices, who, having no primaries' to
weed them out, will come down the
home stretch in a bunch in November.
And wouldn't that be some "hoss
race?"
Gladstone Couple "Marries
Charles T. Sievers, a well known
young attorney of Oregon City and
Miss Mina Mulkey, formerly of Glad
stone but now of .Castle Rock, Wash.,
were quietly married at the home of
the young lady's tiarents last Sunday.
The wedding was complete surprise
to the many friends' of the young
couple. Mr. and Mrs. Sievers will live
in Gladstone.
When Mr, Sievers returned' to his
offices in the Beaver Building after
a short honeymoon, he found things
in gala attire. Huge posters bodly an
nouncing the cause of his sudden ab
sence, and various conjectures as to
his return, wedding bells galore,
streamers, rice and old shoes and all
the other time-honored accessories
were ably looked after by friends of
Mr. Sievers in the Beaver Building.'
"Attorney-at-Love," signs and "Do
mestic Relations a Specialty" added
.zest to the decorations. Mr. Sievers
was winded for a minute when he
opened his offices Tuesday morning,
but quickly joined in the general
laugh. Their many friends wish the
compliments of the season, in addit
ion to the "best for the future.
FOR SALE OR TRADE One stump
puller with wire cable already to
work. Value $40.00; one large farm
wagon, value $10.00; one Mandy
Lee incubator, 200 eggs capacity,
value $10.00. $50.00 takes the lot.
What have you to offer? Address
N. C. Westerfield, Oregon City,
jure., K. U..JNO. Z.
Wanted!
(over 18 years of age)
To operate SEWING Machines
in garment factory
Oregon City Woolen Mills
THREE BIG FIRES
IN THREE NIGHTS
CLOTHING STORE, BAKERY AND
ELLIOTT BROS. BURN
ALL START AT SAME HOUR
Firemen do Splendid Work and Save
Much Property
Saturday night the Chicago cloth
ing store on Main street, south of the
postoft'ice, was glutted by fire.
1 Sunday night the Seventh street
bakery on the hill section, was com
pletely ruined.
j Monday nieht Elliott Bros.' big
store on Seventh street was partially
ruined and the goods badly damaged
by fire, smoke and water.
It is a decidedly strange coincidence,
if it was, that the fires occurred
in nightly succession, all at practi
cally the same hour, just after mid
night, and all broke out in the same
place the upper story.
The interior of tne ciotning nouse
was eaten up by the flames and the
goods ruined, and it was only by
splendid work of the fire department
that the fire was controlled, it is
said the stock was fully insured. The
building was owned by George Har
ding. . -
The Seventh street bakery could no
doubt have been saved but for the
torn up condition of the street with
sewer ditches. Mr. McRoberts had
been in the business but a few weeks,
and was doing a prosperous business.
The family lived over the bakery and
had just returned from the theatre
in Portland when the fire broke out.
We understand there was $1,000 in.
surance on the bakery. The building
was owned by C. E. Cross of Prine-
ville, and was not insured.
The fire in Elliott Bros.' big store
started in the upper story and the big
wooden building burned fiercely. lime
and again the firemen would appar
ently have it under control, when the
flames would break out anew in some
other Dart of the building. The upper
story was completely demolished and
the contents of the store badly dam
aged. Much of the stock was carried
out, but it was soiled, wet and brok
en. '
The three fires in succession have
caused considerable comment, ana
many express opinions that they were
incindiary. - i '
WHY PAY TRIBUTE?
Why not Get Money Direct for the
Roads Improvements?
Editor Courier:
Now what are we going to do?
Call congress together, put the tariff
back on the people, issue bonds to the
bankers, who in turn will deposit
them with the U. S. treasurer, start
moie banks to rob the people, and
without costing the bankers one cent
for the investment?
. Why not wake up ? We need good
roads, but we need common sense
moie. Why pay the bankers 6 to 10
per cent for doing our business when
we can do our own business witnout
this extra cost?
Why should we issue bonds to the
banks when this could be done direct
and without the cost?
Do I hear you yell "paternalism?"
Yes, but we don't hear the bankers
yell when they are getting the pull.
If 1 am wrong, come back at me
and show how and where, and I will
show you more.
W. W. Myers.
22 New Precincts Created
Complying with a law passed at
the last session of the leguyature
which provides that no voting pre
cinct shall have over 300 registered
voters, the county court has been ob
liged to add 22 voting precincts to
the county, making 66 instead of 44.
Seven precincts have been provided
for this city, increasing the number
by three.
The newly made precincts are: Ar-
denwald, out of Harmony, Barton
from Damascus, Cottrell from Cas
cade, Clarks from Highland, Dickey
Prairie from Molalla, Evergreen from
Aberncthy, UarfieUl from listacada,
Jennintrs Lodge from Gladstone, Lib
eral from Molalla, Milwaukie Heights
from Oak Grove, Mount Pleasant
from Canemah, Wilsonville from
Pleasant Hill. It also changed the
names of Canyon Creek to Colton
Hardincr to Locran, Milk Creek to Mu-
lino, Cascade to Sandy, West Oregon
City to West Linn.
Liquor Cases to Supreme Court
Lawrence Ruconich, owner of a sa
loon on Main street, has carried the
city liquor cases to the supreme court
and the matter will be heard before
that bodv and a final decision render
ed. On account of an avalanche of
work far behind, which he fell heir
to, County Attorney Hedges was un
able to take on the work and Attor
ney B. N. Hicks will represent the
city.
Miss Elsie Tellford. who is a stu
dent of the University of Washington,
has arrived at her home in this city
to spend the uuudaya with her par
ents Mr. and Mrs. jvi. leirora.
Miss Mary Silvers and her brother
who are students of the Mt. Angel
Academy and College, have arrived in
Oregon City, where they will spend
the holidays with their mother, Mm
Agnes Slivers. . . ,i ,
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Harrington
of Gladstone have received word from
Dawson City, Alaska, announcing the
birth of a little daughter to Mr. and
Mrs. T. J. Pierce. Mrs. Pierce was
formerly Miss Wava Harrington and
has many friends in this city and in
Gladstone.
CITY LOCAL NEWS
C. C. Clarke, of Boise Idaho, was
in this city recently..
C. E. Lamb, of Vancouver, Wash.,
was in this city Friday.
John Anderson, of Colton. was in
this city Friday and Saturday.
B. G. Leedy of Corvallis. was in
thig city Friday and Saturday.
G. P. Giger, of Marquam. was in
Oregon City Monday and Tuesday.
Phil Milled, sof Aurora, was an
Oregon City visitor Friday and Sat
urday. '
BROOD SOWS for Sale. Addrdss,
W. W. Hams. Koute y Oregon City
W. B. Patrick, of Spokane. Wash..
was among those transacting business
in this city Monday and Tuesday.
Mrs. Katherine Mortenson. of Mo
lalla, was ni Oregon City Friday and
Saturday.
C. Krigbaum and wife of Estacada.
were here Wednesday and Thursday.
J. H. Young, of Silverton, was in
this city Thursday and Friday.
John Joy, of Vancouver, Wash.,
transacted business in Oregon City on
Saturday.
B. C. Palmer, of Molalla, transact
ed business in Oregon City Wednes
day and Thursday.
Frank W., Osgood of Grand Rapids
Mich., was in this city of our Wednes
day and Thursday. ,
Fred Schafer of Molalla, was in
this city transacting business in Ore
gon City Wednesday and Thursday.
L. Yoder, of Hubbard, a well known
resident of that place, was in this
city Wednesday and the day following-
,
C. Hatchison of Ladysmith, Wis.,
and R. Johnston, also of that place,
were among the business men trans
acting business here recently.
Miss Helen Gleason. who is teach
ing in the public schools of Elgin, '
Oregon, has arrived in this city to
spend the holidays with her mother.
Prof. T. J. Gill has returned to Ore
gon City to spend the holidays. Mr.
Gill is teaching the Dayton Prairie
school, Yamhill County.
Rev. E. A. Smith will preach at
Logan next Sunday at 11:00 A. M.,
and at Evergreen schoolhouse at 3
P. M. His theme will be "home uooa
New Year's Mottoes.'
LIBERAL IS BOOMING
Activity Along All Lines Follow Com
ing of Railroad
. T W RiirnK.. a nrominent resident
of Liberal, who is connected with tho
W. J. E. Vick store, was in this city
Friday on business. Mr. Burns states
there has been much activity in tnac
part of the county since the comple
tion nf the new railroad and will still
be greater as soon as the Clackamas
Southern Kailroad has compietea its
line .through that section. The Vick
cnro ia wpll WiitpH near both rail
way lines Many people of that sec
tion are looking iorwara wun inter
est to the completion of the latter
rnilrnnfi linn.' as it passes thru soimr
of the richest farm and timber land
of Clackamas County. At the present
time there are 15 men employed it
the wood camp on the Morey property
cutting cordwood for Otto Stryker, of
New Era, a wood contractor of that
place.
TTnH'a I.imihpr CnmnanV has ship
ped out 25 carloads of railroad ties.
The Smith Lumber Company has
12 rnrlnads of ties durinc the
past two weeks, this shipment being
to Colorado Springs.
The first carload of prunes to leave
that point was the product from Clark
Brothers, of Liberal, to Portland, the
shipment amounting to $5,000, a largo
amount of oats and hay have also
been shipped from that section.
Silas Wright, a wen Known iar
mer of that section, has sold his
clover seed ' amounting to about
$3,000. This was of excellent quality
and found a ready demand.
The Vick Company has shipped 3
carloads of potatoes to California., ;
Thorn In a o-reat future for the lit
tle town of Liberal. Last week a vot
ing precinct was established at that
place, and a few days ago Mr. Burns
tlv recnived word from Wash-
ineton D. C., stating that a postoffioj
will soon be estabiisnea at tnat piace.
This is good news for many of tne
ooi,lnntu nf that tilace. This will "no
dpubt be placed into operation in the
A noiv wnrphniiRA ban been re-
i-nnt.lv erected for the Vick store, this
structure being 60 x 40 feet, and with
in a few months an addition oi ou it
will be added. The warehouse has a
full mnnrMa hasement and is erect
ed close to the P. E. R. Railroad line,
making a most desirable snipping
point.
Who is to Blame?
Last Saturday a farmer drove into
town with a sick boy. He brought
along six sacks of potatoes to help
pay for the necessary expenses. Al
ter driving around to several stores
he finally was forced to sell them to
a kind-hearten ieea Btaoie man ai
50c a sack. This man traded out
much more than the potatoes came to.
What is the matter with our local
merchants that they do not try to
meet such demands? Do the mer
chants know that the farmers are
generally disgusted with Oregon City
as a trading point? Such an occur
rence as the above, does not happen
in the little town of Canby.
Should the Clackamas Southern be
ever completed and have connection
with Portland it will bring nothing to
Oregon City.
Why don't the merchants put the
town on the map? Oregon City has
never tried to be a shipping place for
the farm commodities. A few dozen
eggs, a few sacks of potatoes and
a few boxes of apples make the lo
cal market fearfully bearish. .
A farmer said to the writer that if
he took anything to Oregon City he
did it at a risk. Why don't the Live
Wires, and Commercial Clubs and
other agents get out among the far
mers and hear their grumble and
then do something to get rid of it?