OREGON CITY COU
33d Year
OREGON CITY, OREGON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1915
Number 36
SOURCE OF CITY
DEFICIT IS TOLD
RECORDER LODER'S REPORT TO
COUNCIL SHOWS HOW BIG
DEBT WAS HATCHED
STREET BETTERMENT BLAMED
Vast Amount of Improvement Work in
County Seat Since 1909 Cost Far
More than Municipal Income
How the county seat got $270,928.
23 in debt is told in a report read by
Recorder Loder to the council Wednes
- day evening, and a summary of which
is herewith given. As the Courier
goes to press early this week, a de
tailed story of the councilmanic pro
ceedings is omitted; but discussion of
the Recorder's report was one of the
chief events of the evening.
This debt is the result of Oregon
City's efforts to keep pace with mod
ern conditions, and with tho demand
of the citizens and taxpayers for im
proved streets. Practically the en
tire debt was caused by the expendi
ture of a greater sum than the city's
income for street work; and in ad
dition to this the cutting of the city
vevenue this year by the abolishment
of saloons also had something to do
with the total. In saloon days there
was a revenue of $20,000 more or less
from licenses and fines, while since
the city has gone "dry," this class of
revenue has shrunk to about $3,000.
The $17,000 difference has climbed on
to the city debt, and taken with it
six percent in interest.
Recorder Loder's report on city fi
nances goes back to-1909, when trouble
really began to develop. In that year
Madison and Eleventh street were im
proved. On the former the cost was
$19,672.60, of which the city had to
put up $6,095.22; and on the latter
street the city's share of the outlay
was $15,391.74, Out of a total cost of
$28,104.24. For street work that year
the city spent $21,496.95 from the
general fund.
In 1910 Jefferson, Washington,
Twelfth, Taylor and Center street
were improved at a total cost of
$119,778.77. Of - this expense for
' municipal betterments, $55,439.10 was
'charged against the general fund.
In 1911, according to Recorder Lo
der's report, the city improved Sixth,
Ninth, Monroe streets, put under con
struction Sewers Nos. 7 and 6, built
tthe John Adams street culvert, and
settled improvement claims, making
a total outlay of $76,840.09. Of this
$27,679.94 was charged against, the
general fund.
In the following year, 1912, Six
teenth, John Adams and Thirteenth
streets were improved, and sewer dis
tricts 2, 8 and 9 were added to the
general work done, costing the city
$19,639.82 out of a total expenditure
of $44,589.90.
In 1913 Seventh street, High street,
Fourth street, Main , and Center
streets and sewer district No. 11 ate
up $21,887.74 of general fund war
rants; the total cost for these better
ments being $63,388.85.
Fifteenth, Division, Madison and
Third streets were improved in 1914,
at a cost of $18,423.07, and of this
sum the general fund was called upon
to pay $11,215.12 or almost two
thirds of the total.
The present year, 1915, has seen
Main street, lower Seventh, Third
and Tenth streets, and John Adams
streets improved with hard surface
paving; and while the greater portion
of this has been born by the abutting
property, the city has had to draw
general fund warrants to cover
$812.20 on account.
The present city debt is figured
out as follows by Recorder Loder: gen
eral funck $156,348.72; maintenance
of streets, $37,895.68; cemetery fund,
$2,848.42; street improvements, $119,
698.86, and interest, $40,000; making
a total indebtedness of $356,791.68. To
be charged off against this is $85,917.
57 which is covered by improvement
bonds and contracts; leaving a net
city debt of $270,928.25. Maybe
these figures dont balance apparently
but Mr. Loder did the figuring and
says that when all incidentals are con
sidered that is the way the books show
up.
The report does not deal specifical
ly with the matter of Fifth street;
which is the great county seat mys
tery. However, the cost of Fifth
street is covered and also safely hid
den in the amount "street mainten
ance, $37,895.68.'' Fifth street was
improved by day labor at the city's
expense, and the-crushed rock that
was put upon it and spread so nicely
and evenly was billed against the gen
eral street repair fund for a period
of three months.
With the exception of Fifth street,
all the debt shown in the report of
Mr. Loder was piled up at the request
of property owners interested in
street betterments, and was not done
at the initial suggestion of the coun
cil. People residing on the several
streets, and using them, thought that
Oregon City had sufficiently outgrown
its pioneer flays to have good streets,
and so they were put down. Had not
this been done, Oregon City would be
ELEVEN POUNDS OF LEAD
Chunk of Metal of that Weight All
That Was Wrong with Elevator
Early this week the mystery of the
Oregon City elevator was solved.
Elsewhere in this issue of the Cour
ier is a story that tells some of the
things that hindered the operation of
the big lift but the real root of the
evil was not discovered until Sunday,
when Chairman Albright, of the big
elevator committee, took an expert or
two and dug up the intake of the big
main that furnishes the lift with its
juice.
Opening up the valve, the experts
found a hole about the size of a two
bit piece in a lead plug, and through
this hole went all the water that the
elevator had been getting. The lead
plug weighed 11 pounds, and it need
ed a chisel to get it out. Investiga
tion showed that the plug had been
put in the pipe to seal the end before
connections had been made; and that
after the rest of the pipe was joined
on, some "thoughtful'' workman for
got to take the plug out.
"If the elevator ran on the little
water that got through that hole,''
said Mr. Albright, "it's a cinch that
it will run all right now that the plug
is out" and Mr. Albright appears to
be a good prophet.
ALL COOKS THE SAME
They Don't Like to Work, and Quit
Even When Pay Is Best
Uncle Sam, rich and powerful, good
to his "help," and the surest pay in
the world, can't keep his cooks any
longer or better than the ordinary
Jersey commuter. He offers them
good pay, easy hours, and lots of
"nights out," but they simply will not
overlook the fact that they are cooks,
bred and born, and se keep moving
on. '
United States Marine Corps statis
tics covering the last two years, show
a greater percentage of men deserted
who gave occupation prior to entry as
"cooks,'' than any other class that en
listed during the period.
Desertions from the Marine Corps
are very light at all times; the aver
age Marine considers that the service
offers better advantages than any
thing he could find in civil life, and
he believes the opportunities for travel
and adventure to be unexcelled, and,
were it not for the cooks, Marine
Corps officials believe that the oldest
branch of the service" would have an
almost clean slate with regard to de
sertions. No class of men look -so
lightly on the oath of obligation as
these self-same "knights of the fry
ing pan," Marine Corps recruiters de
clare. FARMER KILLS SELF
John Kekel Ends Life with Shotgun
In Presence of Little Boy
Demented by a series of misfor
tunes which had befallen him, and
sorrowing over the recent death of
his wife, John Kekel, of Pete's Moun
tain, got up early Thursday morning
of last week and blew the front of his
head off with a shotgun. His fourteen
year old son was in the cabin with
him at thetime, but did not realize
what his father was planning to do.
The screams of the terrified boy,
coupled with the report of the gun,
awakened M. Petrobitch and Frank
Smith, two lodgers in the house; and
they notified Cornoer Hempstead.
Kekel had several times threaten
ed to commit suicide, but his older
children who live in Portland ,as of
ten cheered him up temporarily and
banished the lethal idea from his
brain. The dead man is survived by a
large family. Four daughters and
one son, Anna, Minnie, Carrie, Rosie
and John, live in Portland, where they
conduct a rooming house. The other
children, besides the boy who lived
with him, are Mrs. Adolph Delkar and
Mrs. Steve Stevenson, of Stafford,
and Mis. Walter Brerdecker, of Port
land. "DRY" SPEAKER HERE
Hobson, Hero of Merrimac Episode,
Talks at Baptist Church
Richmond Pearson Hobson, hero of
the Merrimac expedition during the
Spanish war, when he piloted a col
lier into the mouth of Santiago harbor
in an effort to bottle up the Spanish
fleet, was. in Oregon City Tuesday
night, and spoke on behalf of the pro
hibition cause at the Baptist church.
Dr. Edwin I. Stearns, national lec
turer of the National Anti-Saloon
league, accompanied Mr. Hobson, and
after the speech of the ex-congressman
secured a number of members for
the league volunteers for the cause,
as expressed by Mr. Hobson.
Dr. W. T. Milliken, pastor of the
First Baptist church, was chairman of
the meeting and other ministers as
sisted.
Autumn leaves clogged the en
trance of Oregon City's pipeline a few
hours last week. It's better to have
that happen than to have the leaves
flow down to the reservoir and rot
in the water.
"enjoying" more impassable and mud
dy thoroughfares than it has. Ac
cording to Mr. Loder this work had
to be done sometime, and it was bet
ter to have had it done when it was,
than to have to face the prospects of
improving the streets at the present
time, with the city revenue grealy cut
down.
ANDREW AND THE
"ICE OF GOD"
LITTLE STORY ABOUT GREAT
STEEL KING TOLD BY
CLYDE TAVENNER
NEED FEDERAL-OWNED PLANTS
Uncle Sam ought by this Time to Have
Learned enough of "Business''
to Make Reasonable Profit
(By Clyde H. Tavenner, U. S. Con
gressman from Illinois)
One of the strongest arguments in
favor of a policy of complete govern
ment manufacture of all munitions of
war is that such a policy will remove
all incentive for the defrauding of the
Government by private manufactur
ers. The war trust has never hesi
tated to cheat the Government when
it found an opportunity to do so, and
it has managed to find such oppor
tunities. It is probable that the exact
extent of the frauds that have been
perpetrated upon the Government by
the war trust will never be known, be
cause it has been only by sheer acci-
'dent that such frauds have become
public in a few instances.
A proposition has been made to
Secretary Daniels, however, that if
he will agree to reward those who fur
nish the evidence of extensive armor;
plate swindles with a certain percent
age of the sums recovered from the
armor ring as a result of such infor
mation that it will be forthcoming.
Those who have made this propo
sition to the Secretary state that the
men who have such information have
dealings with the armor concerns,
and that others who would testify are
in the employment of the armor manu
facturers, and that they can not sac
rifice their interests and means of
livelihood without some kind of pro
tection. Since there would be no cost
to the Government, unless it was able
to actually recover fines from the
armor patriots, it can not be seen how
the Government can well refuse this
proposition. There is little doubt but
that the Government has paid high
prices for inferior and "doctored" and
defective armor plates, guns, and gun
forgings in scores of instances with
out the same being detected.
Any discussion as to armor frauds
necessitates the mention of one of
our prominent millionaires who trav
els about the country posing as a
great patriot Mr. Andrew Carnegie,
who, despite his intimation that he
has "retired," holds $300,000,000
worth of bonds in the United States
Steel corporation, which in turn owns
the Carnegie and other war-trafficking
subsidiaries, which never hesitates
to take advantage of their strangle
hold of our Army and Navy, Mr. Car
negie's protestations of patriotism
notwithstanding. Mr. Carnegie's slice
of pork resulting from his $300,000,
000 worth of bonds amounts to $16,
000,000 annually. The American tax
payers contribute the greater portion
of this in the form of increased cost
of living.
. On January 7, 1911,' Mr. Carnegie
made a speech before the Republican
Club in New York City, in which he
told how he came to go into the armor
plate business.
"I was coaching in Scotland," he
said, "when I got a cablegram from
Secretary Tracy (this is the same
Secretary of the Navy Tracy who, af
ter leaving the Government service,
became attorney for the Carnegie Co.)
saying in effect, 'the President says
he understands it to be your duty to
enter into the manufacture of armor
and save the ships from waiting on
the stocks for want of it.' "
Mr. Carnegie proceeded then to
say:
"That telegram settled it, for when
ever the public calls on me for any
thing I cap do, unless I fall dead, it is
my glory to respond. That is what I
did because the President asked me
to do it, and if the President thinks it
is my duty to do anything or to go
anywhere for my country, I consider
it the voice of God.'
Mr. Carnegie went into the armor
business as a result of listening to
the "voice of God," but there is suf
ficiently large amount of documentary
evidence to indicate that once in the
armor business with Uncle Sam as a
customer, his hearing must have be
come defective.
ANSWERING SCHUEBEL
City Engineer Sums It AH Up in a
Nut-Shell for City Attorney
The Honorable Christian Schuebel
seems to have the idea that somebody
maliciously poured molten lead in the
elevator pipe line, in spite of the fact
that pouring hot lead into a pipe eon
taming water under high pressure
would be a pretty hard job. Com
menting on Mr. Schuebel's suspicion,
City Engineer Miller gays:
"I am not evil-minded enough to
think that the lead was put in the
pipe by a malicious person."
That ought to hold Chris for
awhile.
HOW CANBY DOES IT
Police Go Out with Wicked-looking
Guns and Get Prisoners
Some excitement was occasioned
in the city Thursday afternoon when
a phone call was received by the local
authorities from Woodburn to the
effect that an auto belonging to the
Brune & Son garage at that place had
been stolen and the thief was mak
ing this way. The message requested
that the local officers stop the ma
chine if possible, and said that the
driver was a desperate man, as the
authorities at Aurora had tried to stop
him and he had "put on full steam
ahead'' and threatened to run them
down. The machine, however, was
stopped when it reached Canby. Chief
of Police Lieser stationed himself at
the point where the road coming in
from the south makes the turn lead
ing Main street, with a long, blue
barreled Colt's, which the driver of
the machine did not like the looks of,
for he immediately come to a stop
when he saw it come into sight. But
to make matters doubly sure, Joe had
a second line of "reserves" stationed
further along, in the persons of "Cap"
Smith with an automatic shotgun and
Grant White with a six-shooter. For
tunately none of these grim weapons
were brought into use.
The fellow said his name was Rich
ardson and that he was from Port
land. He said he was dickering to
buy the car and was just trying it out
and didn't know why they wanted to
arrest him. However, he was put in
the city jail to await the arrival of
the owners of the car from Woodburn,
accompanied by an officer. When the
owners of the machine arrived they
admitted that Richardson had talked
a little of buying the car, but they
apparently did not take much stock
in him and the way he made off with
it. Richardson was taken back to
Woodburn. The car was a Winton
Six. (Canby Herald.)
OREGON GOAT GETS 'EM
Even Roosevelt and Bryan Outclassed
by Prize-Winning Angora
"Dodo," F. A. Pierce's long-haired
Angora goat from Douglas county, at
tracted more attention and really got
more space in the California press
than did Teddy Roosevelt or W. J.
Bryan, when they visited the fair.
Dodo had fleece forty-one and one
half inches long, and when introduced
in Goat show circles all other celebri
ties took seats far to the rear while
the Oregon product was given an ex
alted position on a pedestal in the
front row. Dodo was photographed
and re-photographed and the papers
hereh ailed him as the savior of those
in need of "mo'hair.''
White hair is fashionable in San
Francisco, and long . switches are the
ra'ge with the ultra-ultra. It was fig
ured put that Dodo's fleece would
make at least 180 switches of unusu
al length. At any rate the fleece was
figured as worth about $20 a pound
and when it was cut there was some
thing more than thirty pounds of it.
Mr. Pierce is said to have been paid
more than $600 for the fleece and the
many storks revolving around that
Douglas county goat made him one of
the best advertising features in con
nection with Oregon activities at the
fair. As a freak, Dodo was a hum
mer, but William Riddell & Sons of
Polk county, won all the champion
ships for Angora goats.
THIS IS GOOD
Militia Fuss as seen by
Brilliant
Editor in Aurora
General Disruption is abroad. He
stalks down main street in Woodburn,
according to Adjutant General White
of the Oregon National Guard, seek
ing other "Generals that he may de
stroy.
General Demoralization is declared
to be second in command, with Gener
al Incompetency in charge of the op
erations in the field of politics.
General Publicity seems to be about
the only field officer that has done his
whole duty, though General Investi
gation may lead his forces gallantly
into the enemy s camp.
At all events, General White prom
ises that there will be something do
ing when he returns from his toru
with General Junket at 'Frisco.
General Interest, however, has not
yet been lost in the Woodburn trench
es, while General Dissatisfaction and
General Sufficiency are still "digging
in" to each other's vitals, pulling
their wires,' sapping, mining and
counter-mining, carrying on their
little tin war in the latest approved
political manner in the newspapers,
Hard on the Editor
I used to think preachers were good
to have in town, but I am growing
skeptical. Last year when no preach'
er was here donations of grub to the
poor found their way to this office
frequently. But since Brother Snyder
located in Coulton, I notice a falling
off in donations to the editor. Maybe
Rev. Snyder is handsomer than L
(Coulton Herald.) "
Not So Bad as This
Oregon City has decided not to
have a city manager for the present.
There are office-holders who must be
cared for and this managerial plan
might push a favorite out of a job
(Woodburn 'Independent.)
Oregon Cily'sjnunicipal elevator Is
now working. Come in and get a
free ride.
NEW BOND ISSUE
WELL SUPPORTED
LEADING CITIZENS OF CITY SAY
FINANCIAL PLAN IS THE
ONLY PRACTICAL IDEA
CREDIT MUST BE RESTORED
Clearing Away of Mass of Warrant
Indebtedness, with Sane Manage
ment to Follow is Main Scope
The proposed municipal bond issue,
which is to be voted upon by the
people at the forthcoming city elec
tion, has the general support of lead
ing citizens of the county seat; and is
said to be the only feasible plan by
which the city's impaired credit can
be restored. The bond issue calls for
the output of $275,000 of refunding
bonds or as much as may be need
ed to take up outstanding city war
rants, which are now drawing six per
cent interest. The bonds will draw
but five percent interest, making an
initial saving that is considerable; and
in addition to this they will be retired
in groups during the 20 years of the
bond issue, so that the debt can be
gradually absorbed.
In addition to this the ordinance
calling for the bond issue procides
that no further city indebtedness be
yond the budget allowances can be
contracted, and heavy penalties are
provided for any councilman who
votes to run over the debt limit. In
addition to this safeguard, any extra
indebtedness must be born by the
councilmen voting for it if they care
to risk a $500 fine for so voting. It
is believed that in this way an abso
lute check will be put on increasing
the city debt; and when the bond is
sue is all retired, the county seat will
be clear of debt' in every way, and
will be one of the few cities in the
nation having no outstanding indebt
edness. The bond issue was suggested by
the committee of 'nine, recently ap
pointed by the mayor to consider
means for safeguarding the city's in
terest; and has the unanimous sup
port of every member of the present
administration. It is not a simple
transfer of the city debt from one
place to another; but it is an abso
lute and iron-clad plan for the wiping
out of this debt. It provides for the
payment of the debt in annual in
stallments which the city can easily
meet; and it indicates to the business
world that Oregon City desires to
get its municipal finances on a firm
basis.
Some years ago the city of Tacoma
found itself in a position similar to
that of Oregon City. Tacoma had
vastly more resources than has the
county seat, and could have continu
ed to incur indebtedness and to "flot"
its warrants; but the city commis
sioners saw the evil of this system,
and resolved to do exactly the same
thing that Oregon City is now asking
the authority of the voters to do. It
is a plan generally adopted by cities
when the people realize that city af
fairs must be managed with the
same care and economy that the af
fairs of private corporations demand.
If by any chance the bond issue
should not receive the support of the
voters, Oregon City will find itself
close to bankruptcy, and should any
of its creditors so desire, they could
force a levy for the entire debt
as was threatened a year or
so ago. The bond issue will not only
add no burden to the taxpayers; but it
will reduce the actual outstanding
burden, when all things are figured
out; and the ordinance that authoriz
es it automatically checks any future
increase of the city debt.
The warrant indebtedness of Ore'
gon City has not been caused by reck'
less expenditure of public funds. It
has been brought about by the demand
for municipal betterments; which have
been forced upon the council by the
growth and development of the coun
ty seat; and which could only be paid
for by city warrants. A report made
to the council on "this phase of the
source of the debt is reported else'
where in these columns.
Businessmen and voters generally
who have the best interests of the city
at heart will cast a ballot for the
bond issue in the December election
so that Oregon City may cease being
a financial joke; and so that the city's
paper may be worth something to the
man who gets it The bond igBue, if
it passes, will guarantee the payment
of wages to the city laborers a mat
ter which is now not guaranteed at
all. Banks and business firms that
at present cash city warrants do bo
with small actual hope of getting
their money, and are simply assum
ing a share of the city's debt. This
is not right; and the bond issue will
at once remedy this condition.
The Governor's Opinion
It is becoming monotonous to be
constantly denying the falsehoods and
misrepresentations of the Journal, but
where they assume editorial form one
is compelled to deny them.'' (Govern
or Withycombe.)
ELEVATOR PIPE LEAKS
Municipal Lift Works, However, and
Repairs are nearing Completion
The county seat's municipal eleva
tor is running. . .No official announce
ment to this effect ha3 been made, but
the big lift has been inspected by
surety companies and by a deputy
from the state labor commissioner's
office; and two operators are in regu
lar employment at the controller.
While the big car has not yet develop
ed its standard speed, it is neverthe
less carrying many tired people up
the face of the bluff, and so cutting
down the travel on the old and worn
steps.
The only difficulty experienced in
the operation of the elevator at the
start of its useful career has been one
of air. Councilman Jack Albright,
chairman of the elevator committee,
says that this will soon be done away
with, and that then the machine will
work as it should. Even with air in
the pipes instead of water, the cage
operates to the top of the tower and
back, but not as rapidly as it should.
Even with air in the pipes instead of
water, the cage operates to the top of
the tower and back, but not as rapid
ly as it should.
The air that is causing the slight
difficulty is not "hot air," either.
"Hot air" has caused lots of trouble
in the county seat; but the variety
that is bothering the elevator is cold.
It is carried down in the water in the
form of tiny bubbles from the intake
near the reservoir, and when it gets
to the bottom of the pipe at the foot
of the cliff these bubbles unite and
form a large body of air which slips
through the hydraulic valves, cutting
down the pressure of the water which
should operate the lift. Just as soon
as the air in the pipes is exhausted,
and no more is permitted to enter,
will the trouble be over.
After inspection by the state labor
department, some minor changes
were made in the arrangement of the
machinery, but the inspector who
went over the plant pronounced it one
of the best he had ever seen.
SAMUEL CASE DEAD
Slayer of Brother Succumbs to Opera
tion in County Seat Hospital
Samuel Case, who shot and instant
ly killed his brother, Ernest, in Park-
place on October 3, died Thursday
evening last in the Oregon City hos
pital, where he had gone under bonds
to have an operation performed for
stomach trouble. Case at first ral
lied from the operation, but later de
veloped alarming symptoms, and hope
for his recovery was given up the
middle of last week. The funeral,
which was largely attended, was held
early this week.
Mrs. Case and his two children,
Theodore and Lucile, were with Mr.
Case in his last hours; and aside from
them he is survived by the following
brothers and' sisters: George Case, in
the east; Tom Case, of Lebanon; Cas
sius Case, of Parkplace; Mrs. Belle
Booth, of Salem, and Mrs. Jennie Belt
of Lebanon.
Samuel Case was born in Polk coun
ty 42 years ago, the son of the Rev.
and Mrs. Lebon Case, pioneers of
Western Oregon. Samuel was given
good education and inherited a
share of his father's estate when the
latter died. Later on he took up the
stock business, and was one of the
most well-known horse and cattle
traders in this section of the North
west. A family feud that developed
over the division of the Case proper
ty is said to have been the underly
ing cause of the quarrel between Sam
uel and Ernest, which culmniated in
the latter's tragic death at Parkplace
early in October.
ONE EYE AN ADVANTAGE
Applicant for Marine Service Says it
Would Give Him Extra Courage
Bernard T. Walters, of Nesqua-
honing, Pa., threatens to petition
Congress for the enactment of legis
lation that will permit a man with
only one eye to enlist in the United
States Marine Corps.
Though he was rejected at a re
cruiting office of the sea-soldiers be
cause of a missing left optic, Walters
insists that his remaining eye is
strong and far-seeing enough to do
the work of two.
"I wish I could think so,'' explain
ed Sergeant Frank Stubbe, in charge
of the recruiting station, "but since
something has run afoul of your port
side running light, it would take you
twice as long to see your duty as it
would an ordinary Marine."
"True, true," Walters agreed read
ily, "but on the other hand, I would
be able to see only half of the enemy's
forces and would naturally be only
half as scared as a recruit with two
eyes."
But Stubbe could not be convinced,
and now Walters wants Congress to
take a hand in the matter.
Board of Trade Elects
Members of the Board of Trade,
the county seat's organization of busi
nessmen, enjoyed a banquet In the
Commercial club rooms Monday even
ing and elected officers for the ensu
ing year. The banquet was served
by E. T. Mass, proprietor of Mass's
Hotel and Restaurant. Officers elect
ed were: President, William Andre
sen; vice-president, S. L. Larsen, and
secretary-treasurer, J. C. Cockran.
"BRITISH NOW OFFENSIVE,"
says a headline. They always are, to
some people.
USEFUL INDUSTRY
OFFERSJERIES
OXY-ACETYLENE WELDING IS
: ADDED TO OREGON CITY
FOUNDRY EQUIPMENT
FARMERS SPECIALLY AIDED
Great Economy in Farm Upkeep Now
Possible, Owing to Difficult Re
pair Work That Can Be Done
Oregon City has a new industry
now, and one that will mean a great
deal to the farmers, in particular, and
to all other people in Clackamas
county.
Anxious to keep abreast of the
times, and to give the most up-to-date
service possible, the Oregon City
Foundry, of which J. A. Roako is pro
prietor, has installed s complete oxy
acetylene welding plant, which is cap
able of handling all sorts of material
up to and incUnling pieces weighing
over four toni By the addition of
this plant the foudry is placed in a
position where it can handle all sorts
of repairs to cast metais of every de
scription; and is also awe to make re
pairs to broken mechanical parts not
made of cast metals in much better
shape and in much quicker time, than
formerly.
The new oxy-acetylene welding
plant can handle economically every
thing from a broken stove-lid to the
frame of a steam roller. Its chief
value lies in it giving the foundry
will make a specialty of repairing
broken castings of semi-steel, brass,
iron, bronze and aluminum .
The oxy-acetylene welds are strong
er than the original metal. They are
made in the intense heat of the flame
of an oxygen and acetylene blowpipe,
and the faces of the parts to be weld
ed are melted instantly. When
brought together under pressure and
heat, the two faces unite at once, and
are welded into a solid section that
will give greater strength, and stand .
greater stresses, than the original
metal. The oxy-acetylene system of
welding is used in all heavy mechanic
al castings where great strength is
required.
The installation of this plant at
the Oregon City foundry is of special
interest to farmers because it opens
up to them a vast field for the econ
omical repair of farm implements
that would otherwise- be thrown
away. Broken Btovelids can be weld
ed together as good as new for less
than it would cost to buy a new lid;
broken plow-shares can be welded so
that they will be stronger than they
were originally; harness metals that
have become worn or broken can be
fixed over in the twinkling of an eye;
reaper and binder frames that have
become cracked or broken by the jars
of use may be put in first-class repair
at but trifling cost in fact any piece
of farm machinery that has succumb
ed to rugged use can be quickly and
economically repaired. There will be
no further need of the expense and de
lay of sending1 to the factory for the
new parts; damaged farm machinery
can be repaired and put in first class
condition at the county seat plant.
The oxy-acetylene welding depart
ment of the Oregon City foundry,
which will be under the personal su
pervision of Bert Roake, will not only
prove a boon to Clackamas county
farmers, but should bring much gen
eral mechanical and repair work to the
local foundry. The plant is the only
one of its kind in this section, and
will attract a great deal of heavy
work to the county seat. The local
mills will find it of great value in
getting quick repairs made, and prob
ably much patronage will also come to
the plant from the local railroads and
from automobile shops. In install
ing this department the foundry has
shown that.it is up-to-dujte and pro
gressive, and that its proprietors have
the desire to serve in the best pos
sible manner the interests of the com
munity. MRS. M'COMB DIES,
Lingering Illness Proves Fatal to Wo
man Well Known in County
Mrs. Eva MeConib, the wife of J.
S. McComb, died Saturday evening at
her home in Oregon City after a
lingering illness. Hope for her re
covery was abandoned by her fam
ily some time ago. The funeral was
held from the Baptist church Tues
day afternoon, with the Rev. W. T.
Milliken officiating.
Mrs. McComb had lived in the
county seat for the past 25 years, and
had a large circle of friends through
out the county. She was born in New
York, August 15, 1841, and married
Mr. McComb November 14, 1888. By
a former marriage she had the fol
lowing surviving children: Amanda
Porter, of Logan, Kan.; A. E. Little,
of Tacoma, Wash'n.; Florence Leak, of
Tolson, Ariz.; Harvey Little of Phoen
ix, Ariz; Harry Little, of Reno, Nev.;
Grace Mideke, of Mabton, Wash. Mr.
Little was at the bedside of his mother
when the end came.
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