OREGON CITY COURIER, OREGON CITY, OREGON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1916.
News of the County and Suburbs
fji ijt j i 1$ jt Jjt 5? 8 jC
Local and County Items of Interest to Our Readers
LOGAN
Well, Mr. Editor, the alleged beau
tiful snow and the state of atmosphere
shown by the contraction of the mer
cury in the tube has kept ye scribe
too busy to repqrt the interchange of
visits between the Jones and Smith
families, but here's a New Year's
resolution to do better in the future,
If we break it, we will immediately
make another just as good.
There has been some cases of sick
ness recently. Mrs. L. E. Robbins had
an acute, complicated attack, mostly
nervous prostration. Dr. Guy Mount
was called and the patient soon ral
lied and has since been around about
as usual. The Doctor was called at
the same time to see a child of Bert
Foster's, which is reported as better.
J. K. Muir, the storekeeper at Ar
thur's Prairie, had a sudden attack of
illness while at Carver on January
16th. The doctor had him removed to
his home and he is now reported as
improving.
Mrs. L. Sherwood was sick with la
grippe for several days and the mal
ady has had numerous other victims,
especially among the children. None
were reported serious.
Many pupils have been getting
sled rides to and from school, which
is nice, but the snow is not good for
the school boy who delights in snow
balls, for it has been too dry a snow
to make good balls. A little water
added would serve the purpose, how
ever.
George Kohl has been taking ad
vantage of the snow to haul his sow
logs to the mill on a sled. He got
part of them thera the first spell, and
will probably finish this time.
Gee, this weather surely makes
work caring for stock, stoves, spuds,
apples and several other things too
numerous to mention, and it is hard
on haymows and wood piles. It
keeps the grocer busy supplying coal
oil for night and day use in cellars
and potato pits.
Coyote hunting has been the prin
cipal pastime for several people, and
the hunting has been good, but the
killing only just fair. The coyote
mortality table to date shows four
passed over, one each credited to,
F. P. Wilson, Samuel Gerber, Rob
King and Jesse Cromer.
A. L. Funk was around examining
phones on line 16 last week, trying to
find out why they do not ring in to
central better. He will find the
trouble some of these days and then
we will jubilate over the solution of
the mystery.
E. C. Gerber is hauling the Staf
ford cream with his truck now.
Mr. Dallas had four horses and a
sled on his cream trip on the 27th,
and he said the horses were all need
ed. Cream haulers and mail carriers
are hard hit by the- snow.
We extend the right hand of fellow
ship to the recent Maple Lane entrant
into the correspondent field. It is a
better field than that which he former
ly labored in, especially because he
can do more effective work on the
square inch than on the square rod.
Our advice is not to give his name to
the public and then it will not hurt
so bad when he runs against the sharp
end of a blue pencil in the editorial
hand.
Earl Gerber reports his infant son
as having a well developed case of
the measles.
An infant son of Mr. and Mrs
McKim, who live on the Waack place
died on February first. The family is
reported to be in rather destitute cir
cumstances and in need of help thru
the winter.
At present writing it seems that
watchful, waiting is about to win out
over the snow and cold. There is also
Borne prospect for W. W. in Mexico,
but a remote one m Europe. W. W
is a good policy in most cases.
United States be prepared to defend
her rights on land and sea." Then
will follow the election of officers
This is sure to be an interesting meet
ing, so everyone come,
Little Genevieve Duncan is unable
to attend school at this writing on
account of a severe cold
Mr. Alfred Thomas is a very busy
man these days marketing hay and
straw,
Mrs. S. S. Boutz, who has been ill,
is much better at this writing.
Miss Imogene Jewell spent the
week end with home folks in Port
land.
Herbert Duncan is on the sick list.
A. Helms was a caller at Hazelia
school Honday.
Fritz Hultberg spent Saturday in
Portland.
Miss Blanche Duncan, a promi
nent Lincoln high school girl, of the
younger set, was a caller at the Ha
zelia school Friday afternoon.
Theodore Steinhiller is sojourning
in the Rose City this wintry weather.
Mr. and Mrs. H. Duncan transacted
business in Portland Saturday.
F. Hultberg, of Trennence Farm,
had the misfortune, to have a horse
die last week.
Hazelia Sunday School will give a
short temperance program Sunday,
February 20th. Everyone is cordially
invited to attend. The Sunday school
would also be pleased to have a large
attendance when it meets every Sun
day at 10:30 a. m.
We are glad to note Mrs. W. H.
Zivney, who got her arm hurt some
time ago, is much better at this time.
David Long was a caller at Hazelia
school Friday.
Rodough Anderson and family, re
cently of Concordia, Kans., who have
spent the autumn and winter at the
Hultberg home, will leave soon for
Burley, Idaho, where Mr. Anderson
expects to start a hardware store.
The dailies have had the Kaiser
dear, Villa captured, the Montenegrins
suing for peace, the submarine dif
ficulties settled, and a dozen other
in Portland for some time, and who
has been in Portland for some time,
andw ho was a patient at one of the
hospitals for a time, returned to his
home Sunday.
Mrs.. S. F. Howlett is on the sick
list. She was taken suddenly ill pn
Saturday morning and Dr. Adix was
called and he prescribed some medi
cine, which helped her.
M. C. Glover has gone to Alaska
to be gone for three or four months,
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Douglass made
a trip to Logan Sunday.
Mrs. E. Naylor spent the past
three or four days in Sellwood, a
guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs
Kirchem.
Walter Douglass and family visit
ed with Mr. and Mrs. Will Douglass
Sunday evening.
Dave and Ernest Hoffmeister were
out hunting the past two days and
were fortunate in killing two wildcats
big, fat ones.
Miss Edna Kennedy attended the
Teachers' Institute at Estacada Sat
urday, and was the guest of her aunt,
of Boring, Saturday evening and Sunday.
Jess Douglass made a trip to Port
land the first of the week.
Mrs. Jess Douglass and son, Kelly,
have been sick with sore throats and
colds the past week.
Mrs. Rose Baker called on Mrs.
Hollander Sunday afternoon.
John Moore, of Damascus, son-in-
law of Mrs. Ida Carpenter, was call
ing on her Monday.
Pete Clester went to Klondike re
cently.
Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Woodle, of Es
tacada, called on Mrs. Howlett Sun
day.
POULTRY,
and EGGS
HEAD POINTS OF FOWLS.
LIBERAL
Snowing again! Winter is still
with us and feed is getting low in
lots of barns. Cattle are holding their
own, where they have plenty of feed,
but it is hard weather on stock hogs
and takes lots of feed. Birds are be
ing fed again. They are getting quite
tame.
The dance last Saturday night at
Vicks' hall was a good one, with good
music and a good crowd. Nearly all
came in sleighs, with now and then a
Ford.
Characteristic! That Distinguish Egg
Laying and Meat Qualities.
The Belgian peasants, who have a
deeper actual knowledge of poultry
breeding than have the people of nuy
other section of Europe, firmly believe
that a red or yellow ear lobe accom
panies meat properties, a white ear
lobe meuns egg production and a
smooth ear lobe betokens smooth shells
on the eggs laid by hens of that breed,
says Edward Brown In the Country
Gentleman.
It Is certainly true that the breeds In
which fecundity has been developed
and maintained to the highest degree,
notably the Mediterranean and west
ern Europe 'n races, have white ear
lobes, whereas those that are specially
"SETTLER" IS OUSTED
This weather has stopped nearly all
thintrs hanneninir that didn't hannen kinds of work
at all. We re prone to believe that There will be more potatoes plant
some folks are irreat exae-ererators. ed next year than usual.
What has become of so many of Tne noP me" are puzzled what to
the corn-feds that were in these parts do as everything has gone dry. Many
. . n I . J? . : I -II J 'L 1 i
last year a mmuy wm uo witnoui worn
Harrv Borland is a verv busv man ln tn noP "elds next year,
these snowy days. He has a sleigh We ai-e always wanting something
with lots of sleigh-bells, vou know.- and et what we have to get. But
There will be no church services at now we wan something that will
Hazelia until the weather moderates. Dui,d good roads and that is a rock
crusher, so that our supervisor can
RED LAND crush the Molalla gravel. It is
rock that will stand the hard knocks
Snow and cold are the topics of con- and ast- Every year is harder on
vcrsation lately, and say. it's bad Pur roads as the roads are not built
enough for us but not quite as bad as as Kod as can e with the hne gravel
in Montana, where the mercurv droD- we nave the material here and plenty
ped 70 degrees in two hours, going as 01 men ana teams ready to put it on
low as 63 degrees below zero, so we tne roads. We want good roads, but
need have no kick coming, tne time to start is right now with
Tom Allen was out Sunday from tne proper tools and material. What
Portland, calling on his folks. do you say, Brother Farmer? Give
Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Powers enter- us 8 rock crusher and the roads will
toined a host of their young friends De built money xir no money,
last Saturday night. All had a fine
Light Brahma fowls are big boned
and carry good flesh. They are the
moat satisfactory for the produc
tion of large roasting chickens, be
ing used extensively, both pure bred
and cross, to produce the famous
"soft roaster" of the Boston mar
ket. They possess rugged vitality
and are suited to rigorous climates.
The hens are fine layers, some spec
imens having made phenomenal
records. The fowl shown is a Light
Brahma male.
time.
Mr. Ford evidently found out be
fore he got to Europe that not all the
belligerents are in . the trenches.
Nevertheless his action is to be com
mended
SOUTH HIGHLAND
Mrs. Greaves and Mrs. Nicholas
were Oregon City visitors Saturday
Mrs. Hinkson is very ill, and the
If there were more of his doctor was out to see her recently.
HAZELIA
Hazelia Literary and Debuting So
ciety will meet Saturday evening,
February 5th. A short program will
be given, followed by a short debate
on the question, "Resolved, that the
Weak Women !
An Oregon Woman Testifies.
Lenta, Oregon. -"When I was Roing
through the critical time of middle life,
I took several bottles of Dr. Tierce's
Favorite Prescription and it helped mo
wonderfully. I cannot say enough in
favor of this medicine Ilnvo also used
the 'Golden Medical Discovery1 in my
home for many years for ninny different
ailments." Mrs. Ella 11akom.
Lenta, Oregon.
At the first symptoms of any do
rangement of the feminine organism
a', any period of lifo, the one safe,
really helpful remedy is Dr. Pierce's
favorite rresoription.
Tens of thousands of women have
taken it with unfailing success for
diseases of a womanly nature.
Dr. Pieroe's Favorite Prescription is
a true friend to women in times of
trial and nt times of pain when the
organs are not performing their func
tions. For headache,, backache, hot
flashes, catarrhal condition, benring
down sensation, mental depression,
dizziness, fainting spells, lassitude and
exhaustion, women should never fail
to take this tried and true medicine
Prepared from nature's roots and
herbs, it contains no alcohol or narcotic-,
nor any harmful ingredient.
Sold in either tablet or liquid form.
If your denier does not keep the sugar
coated tablets, send fifty cents ( in
stamps) for small box, or $1.00 iu
currency for a large box.
Write Doctor Pierce, Invalids' Hotel,
Buffalo, N. Y., to-day. 130 page book
on woman's diseases sent free.
stamp this would be a better coun
try for all,
The boys are cretainly getting coy
otes while this snow is on, six hav
ing been killed by different parties,
August Martin spent a few days in
Portland last week.
Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Kandle enter
tained at dinner Sunday Mr. and Mrs,
F. Grossmiller and children, of Schu
This stock feedinz weather eives n Dpl. and Mr. and Mrs. O. Caldwell and
person an idea what the Eastern stock cnnaren.
man has to put up with. J- Powers, of Elwood, was here on
Mr. Editor, the article about nlow- business Monday.
ing is about in line with the other w- Rutherford is very ill.
U. S. reports. It may look good on Mr- McFay and Mr. Cramer, of
paper, but it won't work out in prac- Lents were here on business Thurs-
tice. uuy-
J. T. Fullnm has eight acres of
spuds that have not yet been dug,
PLENTY OF HOPS LEFT
Quite a number are frozen. The frost
also got away with most of the apples.
Well, Mr. Editor, we might tell
Gervais Dealers Find Many Bales Be
ing Hold by Growers
According to figures compiled by
i ""u' " oimiii i-uuinir on irirs. hnn rlnnl., i -..,,; j v...
j . , , r , ,T . I w a in ucivaia uuu Ileal uy
Jones and to on, but I believe such towns, there are upwards of 20,000
...... um nut ...le.et many young baies of hops Bti1 beinR held b
people any more than do John Stark's Lrowers outside of the Hopgrowers'
1 . . WOV. .,,..,
v p n mU , V" erest'"K- The Aurora district, which takes in
N. E. I owers and Herbert Fouts auch places as Canby, Barlow, Macks-
., ,, u.u young ioiks burg, Needy, Donald, Butteville, St,
wj uregon uiy rriuaynignt and took Pnui and champoeg, has 3825 bales
m a show, returning in the wee sma' ,,nM wju,- v. An ai
, t - . . " Mitow..., muuuuuiii una -iui, otlieiu,
.-...I, i wi .nu.inng. 2470. Independence 2230. Monitor. MS
Quite a scramble is on for oats, as M.,nf Av,i k7k cm. i qoo ht
". most w wnat was Minnville GOO and Dallas 1200
iiiniKneu.
There is quite a diffornce in expens
es or upkeep of the lines of the C, C,
M. Tel. Co. This year's storm, com
pared to two years ago when the lino
was permitted to get in bad shano,
which caused an expense of nearly
$.'!00, compared to about $25 this yeor.
i lie most damage was caused by trees
or limbs falling on the wires. It cer
tainly pays to keep things up in good
shape.
Earl and Lloyd Allen ure on the
sick list,
Ilnttie Guskell had a small owl get
in her house and kill two of her chick
ens. On the last visit Mr. Owl failed
to get away, so there is one owl less.
Very little fall grain has been
sown and not much plowing done,
which means lots of work as soon as
the weather settles,
It was so cold navigating this last
snow storm that the stork dropped a
10-pound boy at Fred Wilcox's place
vv eunesday. Congratulations.
EAGLE CHEEK
Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pelleta are the
, original little Liver Pills. These tiny,
sugar-coated, anti-bilious granules the
smallest and the easiest to take. One
little Pellet for laxative three for
cathartic
Little Mary Cogswell, who hns
been ill with the scarlet fever, is re
covering.
Tommy McKay, who had his leg
broken while coasting some two or
three weks ago, is getting along nice
ly. James Gibson went to Barton last
Thursday to reside during the re
mainder of the winter with his son,
Hal Gibson,
Emil L. Hollander, who has been
Cetury EVWll
square u:xfi WMmM
Dialing NjmMWS
Am
4
164
Pages
r. .S. s
fflUR 1916 Catalog and Planter's
- Guide is a valuable reference every
grower should have. It lists depend
able Farm, iiarden and Flower seed and the
beat equipment for Foultrvmen, Beekeepers
and Orcbardltts. Ask For Catalog No, 670
designated for their flesh properties,
even though the meat is pure white, as
in the Dorking, the Game, the Bresse
and La Flee he, the Mallnes and the
Buff and the White Orpingtons, have
red ear lobes. Yellow seems to take the
place of red ln the American varieties
It Is upon these Hues that the Bel
gians and the French have made se
lection, simply because they have
found that development in one direc
tion is accompanied by variations such
as are here Indicated. I am not aware
of any previous records iu which fig
ures are given as to actual productive
ness In relation to variations in the tint
or color of the ear lobes. It Is not the
size of the ear lobe, but the color.
A further point is w ith respect to the
comb, but this is understood to a great
er extent. Recognition is given to the
fact that all the best laying races have
combs thut ure large In relation to the
size of body. The Belgians operate on
the principle that pullets of the races
or families in which the cockerels show
their sex by growth of comb at an
early nge are always those that beglu
to lny soonest, and vice versa, In that
there Is a direct correlation between
the comb and wattles and the repro
ductive organs, and that redness of the
former Is not arrived at until the latter
are active. They also believe the crow
Is a sure Indication, which opens an
other question. ,
The texture of the comb and wattles
Is Indicative of the grain in flesh or
muscle upon the body. Fine grained
comb and wattles are found where the
flesh Is similar. When these two bead
ornaments are coarse or rough the flesh
upon the body is the same.
Up to the present time little atten
tion has been paid to the practical val
ue of external characteristics, study
of which opens a wide field for Inves
tigation. In the drafting of standards
for breeds many mistakes have been
made, not a few of which are a result
of absence of positive knowledge. For
what are known as utility breeds It
would be of the greatest Importance if
such we e available. How far in
creased whiteness Iu ear lobes and
paleness In beaks and legs are due to
and betoken loss of virility or are dup
to other causes has yet to be deter
mined.
Population of County Seat Reduced by
One Since Police Got Busy
Oregon City has lost one of its in
habitants. He has gone to Portland
for an indefintye sojourn, and he may
go to Salem after, he gets through
with Portland. His name, as he gave
it to Sheriff W. J. Wilson, is Edward
B. Wuench; but if he goes to Salem
his "moniker" may be changed to No.
87(5,590 or something like that.
Mr. Wuench formerly had estab
in the southern end of the city. There
lished himself on a claim beneath the
loading platform of the Hawley mills,
he had fitted himself up snugly, and
probably he would have remained as a
squatter on the Hawley property if it
had not been for the keen eyes of
Patrolman George Woodward.
Sunday morning when the south
bound California train pulled in at 2.14
Mr. Woodward saw a dim shape on
top of one of the cars. The shape
presently slipped down to the ground,
and Patrolman Woodward investigat
ed. Upon being apprehended the
shape turned out to be Mr. Wuench,
accompanied by 150 feet of copper
wire, rolled neatly in a coil and cover
ed with burlap. Copper wire like this
is worth five cents a pound as junk.
Mr. Wuench was lodged in jail.
Sunday afternoon Agent Lew Wag
ner, of the P. R. L. & P. company,
visited the county seat, looked over
Mr. Wuench and the wire, and with
the sheriff, the constable and most
of the local police force, went down
to the Hawley property and looked
over Mr. Wuench's homestead. Pol-
lowing the "once over," Mr. Wagner
and Mr. Wuench and the copper wire
left for Portland, where the proper
authorities will in due time be inform
ed that Mr. Wuench stole the copper
wire from the jitney-hating corpor
ation and justice will take "its course.
Oregon City, however, loses Mr.
Wuench as a citizen.
r When You Want aomeimng
ii i
Particulary Nice
r . l..,.r. Arvnrl linon K C not to
I OU Call Oivrojra -2r . , . I
t. . Tnp rtaub e raise makes
batter is a Utile thin, K C wiU raise .t light and
feathery and it will be all the better. Jarring the
stove or turning the pan around makes no differ-ence-K
C sustains the raise until baked.
When there's a birthday or weaaing cue
1 . L -nnnIlin 111 lid iv
esnmenis tor icvi-rv"
,ke no chances
UseKC
77k to bake, or refr
K. to Drovide, ta
J & Jt J . J J J J J J - J
. LOCAL RIVER TRAFFIC
PROBLEMS
j
J Electric railway building in &
v Willamette Valley. Construe- -
"FORESTS," NOT "RESERVES"
Beef Scrap For Poultry.
In the feeding of beef scrap it is of
prime importance that the quality be
taken Into consideration. Poor beef
scrap has a tendency to cause indiges
tion ond all kinds of diarrhoea. Of
all the various forms of aulinul food
beef scrap is perhaps the most con
ivenient to store, keep and handle
Good beef scrap Is free from such pre
servatives as pepper, suit and saltpe
ter. It should, of course, be free from
tunkage. The chief reason for feed
Ing beef scrap Is for its animal pro
tein constituents. For this reason It
is advisable to get and feed a crnile
that Is rich in this constituent BuPe
tin Texas Agricultural College.
Correct Legal Term for Federal Land
Has Been Changed since 1907
It does not seem to be generally
known that the term "Forest Reserv
es" is no longer legal or official. This
name was changed, by Act of Con
gress March 4, 1907, to "National For
ests," to indicate that these resourc
es were not locked up as "reserves"
for the distant future, but were to
be administered for the greatest good
of the greatest number now.
The first allotment of national for
est money made to Oregon and Wash
ington in 1906, after the passage of
the Act which gave the states a share
of the national forest revenue, was
$7,565 for Oregon and $1,823 for
Washington. In 1915, Oregon's share
of this revenue was $49,675, and
Washington's was $37,445. The con
stantly increasing demand for nation
al forest timber assures a much high
er rate of increase in the next few
years, and ultimately the states will
recive a large revenue from this
source.
Of the approximately 490,000 acres
of school land within the national for
ests of, Washington, 233,000 acres have
thus far beenc ruised as a preliminary
step in the exchange of these lands
for a solid block of national forest
land of equal area and equal value,
Upon the completion of the cruise of
the school lands it will then be neces
sary to cruise an equal area of land to
give to the State in exchange for the
school lands. The cruising work is
being done under a co-operative agree
ment between the federal government
and the State of Washington.
GRANGE AND UNION JOIN
Poultry Comfort.
Poultry comfort and health require
fresh air. sunlight, dryness and room
Air and sun are great germicides aud
disinfectants Such a building con
truetcd on these Hues requires les
time for cleaning than one that has not
these thlu.ys. As for room, overcrowd
Ing Is sure to end In trouble Have
euouKh space for each bird.
Farmers' Organizations to Unite in
Carrying on Needed Work
Representatives of the Oregon State
Grange and Farmers' Union have
reached an agreement to federate on
the following points:
To establish a scientific system of
marketing.
To support and work for a system
of rural credits.
To seek an amendment of the Ore
gon Land Registration Act that will
make it effective.
To adopt and put into effect any
program that offers to be an im
provement in the general agricultural
welfare of Oregon.
The federated activities of these or
ganizations will be directed by a fed
erated body representing both asso
ciations to be known as the Oregon
Farmers League.
This new organization was effected
at the O. A. C. Farmers' Week conferences.
By the terms of the agreement
neither organization will be inter
fered with in its particular field, each
of the federated associations perform
ing its own work as in the past. The
general machinery for governing the
Farmers League involves holding an
annual congress preferably at the
College Farmers' Week and the organ
ization of the league council in each
county composed of one delegate
from each local grange or each local
Farmers Union.
POLICE FOR CHICKENS
Dye Shortage Solved
"A South Carolina farmer is grow
ing colored cotton," says Farm and
Fireside. "He has grown, by careful
seed-breeding, white, cream, tan, yel-
ow, green, light brown, yellow-green,
olive-green, and bronze cotton and.
believes it possible to obtain black!
His name is A. E. Brabham."
. Convinced "That last job of dance
postals that I ordered was the best and
most attractively arranged I ever re
ceived from 4ny job office," says one
customer of the Courier Job Department
Dogs Easily Trained to Stop Barn
yard Rivalries and Wars
In Farm and Fireside there is an
amusing account of dogs who are
trained to act as chicken policemen,
stopping all dissension between belli
gerent 'cockerels.
"I have found it easy to teach a dog
to stop fights among chickens and
other stock," a writer informs us. "A
half-trained puppy is quick to note
any unusual disturbance, and his cur
iosity leads him to investigate. Just
encourage his curiosity and tell him to
'Play policeman. He will soon learn
that he is to run between the com
batants. "Last winter we had thirty cocker
els running together in the cattle
yards. Our two dogs were with the
stock all the time, and so persistent
were they in stopping fights that for
several months I saw only one bird
with a bloody head."
v tion of highways favoring rail- J
roads. Development of motor t
truck freight service. Pre-
v dominance of small shipments J
J of goods and commodities. De- J
! mand for quick freight service. J
Shallow water and swift cur-
rent in Willamette. J
jt tt fctf tS t& t$ $ v. $ $ tf' t.
(By A. H. Harris.)
The electric railroad and them otor
truck threaten transportation on the
Willamette river. In ?act the fight
for business to support the new me
thods of carrying freight is so keen
that "all of the most profitable classes
of goods and produce have been di
verted from the river already. Boats
are offered heavy and slow shipments
which carry the very lowest classifi
cations in rates. And that's a handi
cap, these days of dull business.
Methods in merchandising have
changed so radically in recent years
that fast freight service is demanded,
is essential, in fact, to successful trad
ing in the Willamette valley. The
merchant at Salem or Corvallis wants
to order goods in Portland during the
afternoon and have the shipments de
livered at his place of business the
next morning. He not only wants
this service, but he demands it and
will be satisfied with nothing less, un
less he can save quite a bit of money
by waiting.
This demand, which has grown up
in recent years, has developed a sys
tem of handling freight trains dur
ing the night all the way up the val
ley. Orders delivered to the railroads
in Portland during the afternoon are
carried to their destination, as far
south as Eugene, before daylight the
following morning. And, that is pret
ty good service, too, business men admit.
Competition That Kills
Competition of this sort nearly kills
off water transportation south of
Portland, - especially when it is con
sidered that the average Oregon mer
chant orders in small lots, the car
load being entirely unusual. The av
erage shipment is measured in hun
dredweight; the larger concerns make
up shipments consisting of tens. The
merchant no longer desires to carry
large stocks of goods, when he can
reach the supply depot in Portland in
less than 24 hours.
For 28 years the Oregon City Trans
portation company has operated boats
on the Willamette river between Port-
service can be maintained with any
thing like regularity and dispatch.
Highways Divert Traffic
Another factor which must not be
overlooked here is public highways.
Throughout the Willamette valley the
leading highways extend north and
south, with laterals always leading to
and from railroad stations. Road
building has been carried on for the
purpose of giving direct and easy
connection with railroad shipping
centers. No effort has been made to
use the boat landings as centers from
which to construct highways to farm
ing districts if even the thought came
to the men who were planning trans
portation systems for coming genera
tions. In the towns where boat and rail
traffic are in competition the boat
landings are always below cho grade
of the streets, sometimes with steep
inclines from the dock to the street
level. Draymen prefer to deliver
freight from the railroad because the
warehouse is always at grade or near
enough to be of no consequence, and
the hauling is easier on slock or on
motor trucks. This item seems in
significant in itself, but in these days
when tra-nsfer charges are high it is
much easier for the merchant to ap
preciate the added expense than it
is to give consideration to the small
saving in freight charge where the
river is used.
Problems at Harvest Time
Boat service on the Willamette is
put to the test in the autumn, about
the time hop picking begins. For
several weeks the traffic, both passen
ger and freight, is so heavy that the
boats can hardly handle it, and then
comes the slump. Thousands of hop
pickers take the river route to In
dependence and other hop centers, and
following harvest the movement of
hops and grain and hay begins. The
busy season demands more craft than
can be maintained during any other
part of the year, nd gives the man
agement of boat lines the same prob
lem that electric companies have in
caring for the peak load which comes
every night.
And the hauling of cargo is made
more difficult because no large ware
houses are provided to care for freight
and produce until the boats can move
tonnage in the ordinary course of bus
iness. Freight has to be delivered
nearly as soon as it is offered, caus
ing a rush, perhaps, for a few days,
followed by a lull when operating ex
penses cannot be covered, but the
service must be maintained.
Motor Truck Now Competing
The motor truck has become a com-
land and Corvallis. The company has Ptor with both river and rail freight
1 - I pa..iai.B hohlraan Dni-4lni.,l n .1 n
not been reorganized during all the
years of its activity on the river, and
most of the time two boats have been
operated. Three boats have been in
the service for some time, although
one is not on a regular schedul.e Part
of the year service. to Corvallis has
been abandoned on account of low
water in the river.
Difficulties in Navigation
The Willamette offers difficulties in
steamboating, aside from the compe
tition killing as it is iil the carrying
of freight. The current of the river
is strong in places, particularly at the
Clackamas rapids, and the depth ex
cept when the river shows more than
low water, allows only boats of light
draft to navigate the stream. Fac
ing the current with flat bottom bats
requires power and consequent ex
pense of operation.
Another difficulty encountered by
boats is obtaining cargo for down
stream shipment. The heavy busi
ness offered is for upstream move
ment, and frequently the downstream
trip is made light with practically no
cargo. This condition tends to make
the business unprofitable and serious
ly reduces the revenue of a boat dur
ing the year. It requires approxi
mately 20 men to operate a steamboat
on the Willamette river.
Rates Must Cover Cost
Experience on the Willamette has
taught that the rate charged by the
railroads for up-valley service is
about as low as boats can carry the
same classes of goods for and not go
into bankruptcy. Goods are now car
ried to Oregon City from Portland for
$1 per ton, which charge includes
handling at both ends of the run. The
boat rates Portland to Independence,
Albany or Corvallis is 25 cents per
hundredweight on first class freight.
By rail the rate is 28 cents, thus show
ing a saving of 60 cents per ton in
favor of water transportation. To
Salem the rates are 4 cents lower, the
saving being the same, 60 cents per
ton. Commodity rates range as low
as 7 cents per hundred weight by boat,
or $1.40 per ton, Portland to Cor
vallis.
The rates offered the saving made
possible by the water service do not
induce merchants to ship by way of
the river any ordinary bills of goods
when quicker service is offered by rail
and the charges are only nominally
higher. Yet, experience has shown
that with the traffic available on the
river rates by boat are as low as the
carriers between Portland and Oregon
City. Two concerns operate large
trucks on the route, making two
round trips each day except during
stormy weather. Loads of four and
five tons will be carried by each ma
chine. It is especially interesting to
know that Oregon City sends out
about as much freight by motor truck
as is received, the machines carrying
large quantities of fruit, vegetables,
pork, veal, poultry and other farm
produce direct to the Portland deal
ers. The freight is carried in direct
competition with the low rate of $1
per ton offered by both boat and train
the motors getting the carage charge
at both ends of the route, delivery be
ing made direct and goods picked up
any place along the route.
The motor truck has a strong ad
vantage in handling small shipments,
and packages which demand quick delivery.
River Long in Use
The Willamette river has been used
as a water highway since 1846. -At
that early day small craft carried
freight to the falls, and the cargo was
broken and portaged around the ob
struction in the river. In 1846 two
boats, capable of carrying 15 or 20
passengers and some freight, were put
on a run between Oregon City and
Champoeg. In 1851 the steamer
Hoosier was taken over the portage
and placed on the upper river. Fol
lowing the establishment of regular
steamboat service on the river Ca
nemah became quite prominent as a
center of river traffic. In 1868 the
first real move was made looking to
the construction of locks to overcome
the obstruction of the falls. Four
years later the canal and locks were
opened to traffic. For a number of
years agitation had been carried on
that the government might take the
locks over and make service through
them free to the people. Success fi
nally came to the effort, and April 26,
1915, the transfer was completed, and
the locks at Oregon City became free.
Some Record, This
"The world's long-distance milk and
butter record is claimed by the Ameri
can Jersey Cattle Club for the Jersey
cow, Sophie 19th, of Hood Farm,
Massachusetts. In six conRppntivo
lactation periods this remarkable cow
produced 38 tons of milk, or th
i '. . r --1
aicm, oi over o.uuu pounds of butter."
Farm and Fireside.
The Courier Is $1 a year if paid in
advance.
V