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About Oregon City courier. (Oregon City, Or.) 1902-1919 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 1916)
OM CITY COU 33d y ear OREGON CITY, OREGON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1916 Number 47 n I ft a t' k' H STEAM ROLLER IS lie NICELY COUNCIL HAS SWEET, LOVELY TIME "SAVING MONEY" FOB OREGON CITY $2400 GOES BY ACCLAMATION Elevator Operator's Job Also Goes, In Spite of Opposition from Metzner and Buckles The Hackett "steam roller," which slipped, skidded and snorted at the first council meeting of the new ad ministration, and which was then sent to the shops for readjustment, appeared at Wednesday night s coun cil meeting and squashed everything flat that got in its way. Part of the time Councilman Roake was at the throttle; but when the big stunt of the evening was pulled off, Council man VanAuken was operating the levers. And, my! How that machine worked! The fireworks of the evening start ed when City Recorder Loder read three bids for the care of the hard surfaced streets in the county seat. One bid was from Williams Brothers, for $190 per month, and included sweeping the street, the purchase of a sweeper, providing the city with n team and a man to clean catch basins and do other emergency work, flush ing of the streets once a week and gathering of the garbage. For the same work, and including in addition the care of the city dog pound, Henry M. Miller bid $194.75 a month; and Mr. Miller put in a second bid for $169 a month for the same work if the city would purchase the required street sweeper. When con sideration of the bids was in-order, Councilman Van Auken rose and re marked that he "thought the contract had already been let. Councilman Templeton rose to his feet and asked mildly if bids for street cleaning work had been advertised "I don't know why we should ad- vertist for bids," said Mr. Van Auken "Why should we advertise for bids this year when the street committee didnt advertise for bids last year.' The proposition was up to the street committee, they submitted a report to the council on the matter, and the council adopted the report;." "This is a new matter," said Mr. Templeton, "and it is a matter of sav ing the city some money. Your men will do the job for approximately $200 a month, won't they?" Mr. Van Auken nodded his head referring to the report of the street committee that favored slipping the contract to Lake and Knoop. "One of hese bids is $300 cheaper than that," said Councilman Andrews. "Why, this other bid would almost save the city the price of a sweeper, and then the city would own the ma chine from the start." Councilman Roake thought that if the city was going to consider the bids' submitted, all bids ought to be thrown out and new bids advertised for. "It seems to me that this is an aw ful offhand way of doing business," said Councilman Metzner. "These bids should have been advertised for. As it is the committee went out and got one bid for $200 a month, open ed it, and then these other people came in. Maybe if we advertised, and really tried to save money, we'd get still more bids." Mr. Van Auken rose with a sorrow ful expession. "Gentlemen, it doesn't seem to me that you're using the street committee right," he said. "Last year the street committee did as it pleased, and nobody Baid a word. It ain't right to use us this way." "The street committee oughtn't to kick," said Mr. Metzner, "it-ought to advertise for bids." "We didn't advertise for bids," said Mr. Van Auken. "The council put it up to us, and wo went out and saw what these men (Lake and Knoop) would do the job for. Then we investigated to see if their bond was good, and recommended that they get the job." One of the Williams brothers got to the floor. "We are taxpayers in the city and we have a lot of horses and teams, and I think we should have a chance to bid," he said. "We ask ed the street committee for a chance to bid, and they refused us. "We didn't," snapped Mr. Van Auken. "You did, and it's my word against yours," said Mr. Williams. "But never mind that. The proposition is this you ought to try and save the city money. Mr. Miller's low bid, which is better than ours, would save the city $300 a year, enough to nearly buy a sweeper. There ought to have been a chance for other bids, but you didn't want any other bids." Councilman Moore said it might have been better to advertise, but as that hadn't been done it would be best to go ahead with the matter. The street committee was satisfied, he added, and had asked for an ordinance empowering the mayor and recorder to enter into a contract. "If we hadn't (Continued on Page 10) SIGNS OF PROGRESS United States Builds Many Vessels During the Year 1915 Raven-croaking opponents of the present administration will have to back up a bit now when they start in to abuse the "American merchant marine," for during the year 1915 but two nations in the world built more ships. These two were the United Kingdom (England, Scotland and Ire land together) and the Netherlands. During the twelve months referred to the United Kingdom built 517 ves sels, the Netherlands 390, and the United States 127. However, the mere number of ves- seise onstructed does not adequately show the rank of the United States, In indicated horsepower the American vessels led the world, for the average or the 127 American built ships in horsepower was 2537. The nearest approach to this made was by Japan which also built 127 vessels but the average horsepower of the Japanese ships was but 1433, or about half the power of the American vessels. The average horsepower of the ves sols built in the United Kingdom was 1045. The 390 vessels built by the Dutch were all small craft, the aver age horsepower of each being but 293. As horsepower is the best indica tion of the power and cargo-carrying capacity of vessels, it will be seen from these figures that in 1915 the Unied States led the world in the ves sels it built as far as commercial usefulness and power went. Iiv the matter of size the United States ranked second, as the total new tonnage built during 1915 was 270,124. The1 tonnage of the 390 Dutch vessels in total was but 217,592: while the total tonnage of the British vessels built in the year was 649,336. The figures are from the Glasgow Herald and are official. FARM IDLE 33 YEARS Miner Paid Taxes On It, and This Week He Went and Looked at It . Thomas J. Lynch, a miner who has made a comfortable fortune in the quartz districts of. Montana and Idaho, bought a farm in Clackamas county 33 years ago, and this week he came to the county seat to check up on his deed and to look the proper ty over. Mr. Lynch was 19 when he bought the land 160 acres of the John Scott donation land claim. Since then he has regularly paid his taxes on the property, but the farm has been idle. When Mr. Lynch bought it there was a patch of 70 acres under culti vation, and fine buildings adorned the farm. Since then the 70 acres have grown wild, trees have sprouted and developed in the former grain fields, the houses and outbuildings have been destroyed by fire, and a road has been opened across the property .by neigh bors. This week Mr. Lynch turned up in Oregon City, registered at Mass's Hotel, and with former sheriff E. T. Mass went out to look over his hold ings. He was surprised at the ruin which time had wrought, but says he will not sell the farm, as he thinks it is one of the best investments he has ever made. In all probability he will geek a tenant to go on the place and develop it; though he told Mr. Mass that he might return in the fall and take up his residence on the property he has held for so long. HAZELL IS INDICTED Redland Orchards" Promoter Charg ed with Using Mails in Fraud Jesse Hazell, who promoted the "Redland Orchards" proposition, get ting many eastern people to invest in supposedly "cleared fruit land" in the northern part of the county, was in dicted this week by the Federal grand ury at Portland, and is charged with having used the mails in a froud. Hazell has been in the county jail in Portland for some time, a federal prisoner, in default of $2500 bail. Shortly after Hazell's arrest one of his dupes, a New York hotel man, committed suicide on the outskirts of Oregon City because he had lost all his savings in the "orchard lands" scheme. TO HONOR LINCOLN Public Celebration of Emancipator's Birthday Planned by G. A. R, Meade Post and Meade Relief Corps will observe Lincoln's birthday at Wil lamette Hall on Saturday Feb. 12, at 2 p. m. All patriotic societies and school teachers and scholars and the public in general are invited to meet with them. The following is the program: Mu sic, Drum Corps; patriotic music, Mrs. L. H. Olmsted; recitation, Miss Grace Spiger; music, High School Orchestra; original poem, Frank Moore; address, Hon. Geo. C. Brownell; music, Drum Corps; "America," audience. Judge Bagley in Ring Circuit Judge Bagley has announc ed himself a candidate for the repub lican nomination as circuit judge of the nineteenth district, comprised of the counties of Tillamook and Wash ington. The judge is well known in this county, where he has often pre sided over the circuit court, and has many friends here who will wish him success. You can get the Courier for one year for $1.00 if you pay in advance. ATTACK ON CITY ED AS LIE MAYOR HACKETT GIVES FLAT DENIAL TO ARTICLE IN "OFFICIAL PAPER" FREE ADVERTISING IS "BUNK" Municipality Has No Intention of Be ing Charitable to Business Firms Who Would Deface Elevator Branding as utterly false and un founded a story that appeared in luesday s Enterprise the so-called "official newspaper Mayor E, Hackett Tuesday afternoon told the Courier that Oregon City had no in tentions of turning its municipal ele vator into a free advertising medium for anybody who had cards or bills to post. The article which aroused the mayor's ire appeared in a promnient place in the Enterprise, and proclaim ed in glaring letters: "POST YOUR BILLS IN CITY'S ELEVATOR CAGE; REVENUE PRODUCING PRO POSAL DISAPPEARS AND SPACE NOW IS FREE FOR ALL." The Enterprise then went on to say that during the administration of Luin E. Jones it had been planned to charge for advertising space in the public elevator, but that under the" Hackett administration this plan had been dropped, and that "space in the elevator was now free to anybody who wanted to stick up a card or a sign. , . "There is nothing to it at all," sard Mayor Hackett to the Courier, The council asked the city attorney to draw up an ordinance regulating charges for advertising in the munic ipal elevator, but the city attorney fell down on the job. The matter will be taken up at an early meeting of the council and brought to his atten tion again. A competent committee has charge of the elevator and the ? tails of its management, and as soon as terms can be fixed for the sale of advertising space in the elevator, the matter will be adjusted. "In the meantime nobody has any right to place advertising cards or other matter in the elevator. No per mits for this sort of thing have been granted, and there should be no no tices in the elevator except such as may be ordered in by the committee on streets and public property. This committee consists of Councilman VanAuken, Roake and Moore, and I have not heard that they have given anybody permission to use the eleva tor as a billboard. The effort of the "city official pa per" to discredit the Hackett admin istration surprised city officials gen erally when the article referred to had been thoroughly digested. The new administration has gone into office with a promise to the voters to con duct city affairs on the most econ omical lines possible, and to raise revenue wherever possible. Adver tising in the elevator is expected to furnish considerable of the operating revenue of the municipal life; and plans to lease advertising space in the cage have been under careful consideration for some weeks. Had the city attorney prepared the ordinance which it is reported he was cquested to, the matter would have been settled before this. However, there has not been any too great a co-operation between the new admin istration and the city attorney's of fice, and this may have accounted for the failure of that office to bring to light the ordinance which Mayor Hackett says was demanded. In the meantime, advertisers who post cards, bills or notices in the ele vator are. simply wasting their time and energies, and are liable to find their notices torn down by the oper ators. Nobody has any more right to post indiscriminate advertising in the elevator than they have to post such matter on the public streets or other city property; and prosecutions for so doing may result. CHILD IN PERIL Estacada Woman Leaves Baby in Blazing Home and Runs for Help When the roof of Mrs. Edward Hodski's house, near Estacada, caught re last week, Mrs. Hodgski became so excited that she forgot her two year old baby was in the dwelling; and leaving the child to its fate she ran half a mile to a neighbor's house screaming for aid. Neighbors re turned with the woman and formed a bucket brigade, and were busily en gaged in throwing water on the roof when they were horrified to hear the baby "crowing" insidn the blazing building. Investigation showed the child, sit ting unharmed on th floor, watching the sparks fall from the rafters over head. Neighbors rushed in through the shower of falling cinders and res cued the babe, giving it to its mother. Quick work on the part of the bucket brigade saved the home from destruc tion, but the damage will amount to about $300. BRAND JURY SITS LONG Evidence in Case of Alleged Violation of Dry Law Puzzles Auditors After being out from four o'clock Wednesday afternoon until nine night, the jury trying the case of the Lstate against A. J. Knightly, accused or selling a mixture of cider and Ja maica ginger that held more alcohol than the law allows, returned a verdict of guilty, and recommended leniency on the part of the court. The case was tried by District Attorney Gil bert L. Hedges and his deputy, T. A, Burke, before Justice John N. Sievers, George C. Brownell was the attorney lor the defense. Much contradictory evidence was in troduced, Mr. Knightly denying flatly that he had sold cider to the state'; principle witness, who was not in the courtroom when the denial was made The state contended that the mixture of cider and ginger sold contained four percent alcohol. In his own defense Mr. Knightly said that it was almost impossible to keep cider, stored in a warm room, from turning "hard," but he added that he had taken all pre cautions possible and had had his cider tested at his own expense. The trial was the outgrowth of a spectacular "raid" made on the Knightly place last Thursday by Sher? iff William J. Wilson, assisted by Lhier or i'olice Blanchard and Con stable Frost. Two kegs of cider and two gallons of Jamaica ginger were seized in the raid; but in spite of this Justice Sievers refused to place Mr. Knightly under bail when he was ar raigned, and permitted him to remain at liberty on his own recognizance. No trace of whiskey, wine or beer was found by the officers at the time of the raid, and Mr. Knightly at that time made no denial of the fact that some of his patrons put a few drops of gin ger in their cider when they drank it. Judge Sievers imposed a fine of $50.00 and costs. Mr. Knightly gave notice of appeal. FLOOD STORIES TOLD Dr. H. S. Mount, back from California, Recounts Horrors of Water Returning last week from an auto trip through Southern California, Dr, H. S. Mount had a thrilling story to tell of the disastrous floods that swept that state in the wake of tor rential and "unusual" rains. Dr, Mount didn't get into any of the floods him.lf, but kept just about ten hours ahead of the destruction. "Every night when we'd pull into town," the doctor says, "we'd hear that the town we had left in the morning had been wiped out by a bursting dam or by a sudden rise in the same river." Dr. Mount says that the Califor- nians were prompt with relief meas ures, freely offering money to the stricken communities, and doing all possible to aid the homeless and the sufferers. In some parts of the tour Dr. Mount lmost got intimately acquainted with the floods. Sometimes he struck bridges that were being undermined by swollen streams, but he always managed to keep ahead of the real destruction. EGG CASE UNSCRAMBLED Mrs. Mary Gestra Gets Divorce and Custody of Her Three Children Mrs. Mary Gestra, who was hit and kicked by her husband because she placed an egg in the luncheon of one of her daughters, secured a divorce from Ambrose Gestra Tuesday in the circuit court. Mrs. Gestra was given the custody of her three minor chil dren and rights to the farm, subject to a mortgage, which the court gave to the husband. The egg episode was the final one in a series of troubles, according to Mrs. Gestra, who aleged cruel and in- uman treatment on the part of Am brose. Ambrose said eggs cost too much to be given to his children for lunch, and in the argument that fol lowed he is alleged toh ave beaten his wife. Following the argument she came to Oregon City and swore out an assault complaint against her husband,, but later dropped this pro ceeding and filed suit for divorce. HOGS GET DRUNK Technical Violation of Prohi Law Re ported in Estacada Some sections may be maintaining blind-pigs" during these days of pro hibition, but it remains for Alspaugh to announce "intoxicated hogs." John Githens believes he has solv ed the problem of making alcohol from frozen squashes, at least he knows that frozen squashes contain the necessary bug juice, as his herd of hogs last week became disgrace fully drunk and disorderly, after par taking of a dessert course consisting of the frigid dainties. (Estacada Progress.) Special Election Called West Linn's city council has set St. Valentine's Day February 14 a? the date of its next election to determine upon the annexation of the city of Willamette. This was voted upon once, but a technical error made the vote void. Willamette has already gone on record as being desirous of merging with West Linn, so that it may get South Fork pure mountain water; and it is expected that West Linn's vote will favor the consolida tion of the cities. WHO ASS m mm CONGRESSMAN NOT OPPOSING "PREPAREDNESS," "3UT IS AGAINST METHODS TAX UNEQUALLY DISTRIBUTED Increase of Income Taxes Urged for Raising Munitions Revenue, so Labor may be Given Relief Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner, of Illinois, whose exposure of the methods of the munitions ring have been printed in the Courier from time to time, and who is in favor of a sen sible plan of -national defense, with all the graft squeezed out of it, re cently made some remarks in Con gress on the injustice of the proposed taxation plan to raise a "preparedness fund." Congressman Tavenner is not opposed to adequate defense in fact he favors government-owned and gov ernment-operated munition and ar mor plants. : But he is opposed to op pressing farmers and laboring men with an unjust tax to fatten the fpockets of the leaders in the munition ring. In his address Mr. Tavenner said: "It is proposed to meet the cost of preparedness' by taxes on sugar, on gasoline, and by other direct taxes which bear heavily upon labor. It is also proposed to continue the present indirect taxes on the things people use which yield $620,000,000 a year. It is proposed to burden the worker and farmer by taxes on the things they consume, and spend the proceeds on armament, with colossal profits (to the armament ring, for an Army and Navy to protect principally the things that privilege owns. "First, why tax labor when, ac cording to the report of the Commis sion on Industrial Relations, from be tween one-third and one-fourth of the male workers 18 years of age and over in factories and mines earn less than $10 per week, while from two-thirds to three-fourths earn less than $15 per week; when 2 per cent of the people own 60 per cent of the wealth, and 65 per cent own only 5 per cent of the wealth. "Why not compel 2 per cent of the people -to pay 60 per cent of the taxes instead of making the great mass of the people, who owns 5 per cent, pay 95 per cent of the taxes? "Second, why tax Hbor when war- munition stocks have' increased in value in one year by $866,000,000 ? "Third, why tax incomes in Amer ica but $80,000,000, when incomes in Great Britain even before the war, paid $236,245.00? England contains less than one-half our population and wealth. "All tol, England taxed wealth, in comes and inheritances to the extent of $380,115,000, and collected 45 per cent of its revenues from wealth, in comes and inheritances. "Fourth, why tax labor on its ne cessities, on the things it needs to merely live, when inheritances have not as yet been taxed a penny by the Federal Government? "Fifth, Great Britain taxes incomes up to 33 1-3 per cent for war purposes; Germany levies taxes for imperial purposes, for state purposes, and for municipal purposes as well; the com bined rate running often to 15 per cent or 20 per cent. Democrat Amer ica taxes Incomes from 1 per cent to 7 per cent, the maximum up t $100, 000 being but 4 per cent.' "A tax of $10 to the wage earner means giving up clothes, food from his table, possibly the doctor for his chil dren. A tax of $10,000 to a man with an income of $100,000, or $100,000 to a man enjoying an income of $500,000 means no sacrifice whatever. "Sixth, why tax labor, when an ad ditional tax of 1 per cent on the gross earnings of railroads, public-service corporations, mines, and other public utilities would yield $50,000,000. It could be easily collected. It could not be escaped. In most instances it could not be passed on to the consumer. "Seventh. Preparations for war should call for equal sacrifices. De fense should not mean sacrifice for the millions, and only profits for the few. Preparations for war means profits to the railroads, to mine own ers, munition factories, banks; it means that the bended backs of labor will carry the Army and the Navy, WHICH, IF THE EMERGENCY ARISES, WILL BE USED AGAINST LABOR AT HOME AND FOR THE PP.OTECTION OF OVER-SEAS IN VESTMENTS ABROAD." Presbyterians Entertain Mrs. Frank B. Schoenborn in Ger man costume sang a German song and Mrs. Glover, dressed as a Swedish girl, gave "Barbara Freitchie." A Scotch poem, by Mrs. P. D. Forbes in Highland costume, was much ap preciated. Mrs. George Ely gave a darky recitation; Miss Emma Inskeep appeared in a recitation and Mrs. J. R. Landsborough and youngest daugh ter, Miss Isabel, both in Japanese cos tume, sang a duet. MILWAUKIE WINS FIGHT Injunction Against City Completing Bull Run System Is Vacated Saturday Judge Campbell dissolved the injunction obtained sometime ago by the Muwaukie water companies and forbidding the city to continue with the work of installing Bull Run water within its limits. A year ago the people of Milwaukie disgusted at the water service they were getting from the private com panies, voted to install a municipal system and connect the mains with Portland's Bull Run supply. As soon as construction work began the three local water companies commenced a legal battle to hamper the city in its efforts to get better water, and final ly secured a temporary injunction against the city hoping by this to force the municipality to buy the pri vate plants at a fancy figure. Though it cost the city upwards of $1800, to say nothing of costly delays on contract work, the council stead fastly fought the contentions of the private water companies: and Satur day secured the victory. Though one of the cases involved in the legal fight is pending before the supreme court, Milwaukie people do not look for any further trouble from the water com panies, as attorneys representing them admitted Saturday that they had lost their strongest case. - In dissolving the injunction Judge Campbell made no ruling on the mat ter of the purchase of the private water concerns. He said that the city was not legally bound to give them anything, but expressed the opinion that morally the city should make some reparation to the private companies. This will be done, the council always having been ready to pay a reasonable valuation lor the pri vate plants. However, the figure that will be offered by the council now will be considerably less than- formerly; the council feeling that the cost of the legal fight should be subtracted from the purchase price of the plants, Milwaukie has been using Bull Run water in its public school for some time, Judge Campbell believing that the health of the children should not b jeapardized by forcing them to drink the water furnished by the pri vate concerns. All speed will now be made in completing the installation of Bull Run water in Milwaukie. LIVE WIRES AID POLAND Substantial Sum Raised for Sufferers in Europe by Many Contributors Meeting for their weekly luncheon Tuesday, the Live Wires of the Ore gon City Commercial club listened to an address by Col. C. E. S. Wood, of Portland and auditted accounts of the special committee appointed to raise a fund to aid the suffering Jews in Poland. Col. Wood proved him self an interesting speaker and was well received. Those who have not yet contribut ed to the Jewish relief fund may still do so by leaving any sum they desire to give at either of the county seat newspaper offices. Funds have al ready been contributed as follows: B. T. McBain, $5; E. R. Brown, $5; Bank of Commerce, $5; Bannon & Co., $2; L. L. Pickens, $2; Drs. Mount, $2; J. E. Hedges, $3; Frank Busch, $2; Pacific Highway Garage, $2; Oregon Commission Co., $1; Larson & Co., $2; Straight & Salisbury, $1? First Na tional Bank, $5; E. C. Hackett, $1; John Loder, $1; T. A. Burke, $1; R. B. Cox, $1; Dillman & Howland, $2; W. A. Huntley, $2.50; E. H. Cooper, $1; L. Stipp, $1; E. E. Brodie, $5; F. T. Barlow, $1; H. L.' Martin, $1; H. E. Cross, $2.50; W. A. Dimick, $1; Wm. Krassig, $2; Dr. M. C. Strickland, $2; Linn E. Jones, $2.50; C. W. John son, $2; Wm. Andresen, $2.50; A. L. Obst, $5; L. A. Morris, $2; C. Mount, $2; J. A. Van Brakle, $2; Eaton & Butler, $2.50; J. W. Moffatt, $2.50; H. E. Draper, $2; Miller-Parker Co., $2; Chs. T. Parker, $2; Bank of Ore gon City, $10; A. A. Price, $10; Ore gon City Manufacturing Co., by A. N. Jacobs, $25; Willard P. Hawley, Jr., $5; Hawley Pulp & Paper Co., $25; H. L. Price, $5; L. Adams, $5; R. Petzold, $2.50; Hogg Bros., $2; H. G. Starkweather, $5; C. W. Risley, $5; O. D. Eby, $2.50; J. K. Hawkins, $1; H. D. Olson, $1; P. J. Houlton, $1; E. K. Stanton. $3. ABOUT FRUIT TREES Possibly moved by the recent let ter in the Courier from a corres pondent who signed himself "Troubled Farmer," or possibly just because it is approaching springtime, Fruit In spector Standish has issued the fol lowing notice in regard to pruning and spraying fruit trees: "First, determine by a close in spection the trees in orchard that are to be cut, bearing in mind that it is more economical to cut down diseased and unproductive varieties than to clean them up by spraying and prun ing. After selecting trees you wish to Bave, prun thoroughly by fiirst cut ting out all dead and intersecting limbs. If trees are exceptionally tall and rangy, it would be well to cut off the tops, in each case cutting back to lateral limbs in order that the trees will spread out rather than grow tall. After the pruning is finished, it is advisable, where trees are covered with moss, to remove this with a hoe, then follow up by thoroughly spray ing with lime sulphur, winter strength. Where trees are at all mossy, add two pounds of lye to each 50 gallons of mixture. Spray trees until drenched." If WESTERN WILLAMETTE RIVER AT FLOOD STAGE ABOUT COUNTY SEAT AND POINTS ABOVE LIVE HORSE GOES OVER FALLS Mass of Driftwood and Rubbish Being Swept Down Stream on Crest of High Water Blocks River Wednesday evening the Willamette river above Oregon City was flowing merrily along the Canemah road, while a Bcore of 12-ton freight cars were holding down the tracks of the Portland Railway, Light & Power company. Interurban cars were be ing turned back at the Hawley mill; the mills themselves were shut down, and a vast crowd of spectators was lining the banks and points of van tage watching the boiling cauldron of water below the dam. Below Oregon City the Willamette and Clackamas rivers had spread out over the hopyards and the China gar dens, had flooded the county road to a depth of several feet, and stopped all but interurban and train traffic to the' north. Tuesday night Dr. Hemp stead, county coroner, managed to negotiate the county road in his auto mobile but the water was hissing and spluttering from the lower part of his engine for most of the way. Since then the county road has been out of use. Wednesday at five o'clock the level of the back-flow in the angle between the Clackamas and the Willamette was between one and two feet be low the Southern Pacific tracks and was still rising. Livestock was ma rooned on islands near the Baby Home and beyond the hopyards, and birds were wheeling disconsolately in the air seeking a place to light and scratch food. While flood con ditions were not the equal to historic heights of the past, they were plenty exciting enough for most spectators. Tales of what had already happen ed in the raging torrents that flowed past the county seat were frequent. Ed Shaw, former chief of police, and now yard boss at the Hawley mill, says that Tuesday afternoon a live horse, which had evidently been swept into the river above Canemah, came sweeping down with the current to wards the falls. The steed fought valiantly against the current, but was unable to make any headway, and a moment later was carried with a rush over the sloping wall of dingy water that marks the site of the big con crete horseshoe dam. In the torn waters below the dam the horse was seen momentarily, and later word was brought that its dead body was floating in the eddy below the suspension bridgt. Nothing could live in the swirl of waters below the dam great sawlogs were there caught and splintered, or driven head on at terrific speed against the rocks. Wednesday afternoon there floated down the Clackamas river a live pig, perched on the crosstrees of a tele graph pole. The pig evidently was a good navigator, for he kept his pre carious craft on an even keel. But nobody who saw him put out to the rescue, and the pig continued on his way to Portland and lower , river . points. The Hawley pulp mill that perches on the northeastern end of the horse shoe dam was awash all day Wednes day, and drifting wreckage and logs were rapidly tearing away the gang way on the south front of the build ing. A broken scow had become wedg ed under the flooring of the struc ture, and with every heave of the great waves that thrashed about in the basin was straining the founda tions of the building. Water was flowing down Main street past the mill late Wednesday, but was only an inch or so in depth. Most of it seeped up through the planking, though in the basin the water was two feet above the level of the gates. Over in Gladstone rain and melt ing snow formed a large lake in the heart of the community. Some wag posted on a telegraph pole that stuck up out of the water a notice, which read: CITY BATH HOUSE Free baths while the water lasts. Take your "annual." Also in Gladstone the school dis trict hired a husky man to carry the children back and forth across a deep and treacherous puddle in front of the school house. Rain Wednesday night was adding still more volume to the flood, and re ports from the Columbia river gorge were to the effect that the ice was fast breaking up and that in all prob ability more water would be released. Thee rest of the flood is expected to reach Oregon City Friday, and by ; that time, if the Columbia comes up very much, the backwater will flood the lower valley from Portland to the county seat. The Courier $1.00 per year. 1