University
CITY
34th Year
OREGON CITY, OREGON, THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1916
Number 2
OKEG0N
TOO MANY BIDS
L
ENTIRE ISSUE OF REFUNDING
SECURITIES DISPOSED OF
UNDER NEW SCHEME
LOCAL BANKS TAKE MAJORITY
Council Authorizes Minor Change in
Details of lssuej and offers arc
Made to Extent of $285,000
Alter considerable campaigning
between Friday night of last week
and Monday night of this week, the
entire issue of $275,000 worth of re
funding bonds, authorized by the
voters of the county seat last fall, has
Been disposed of. Oregon City's three
banks will absorb all but $50,000
worth of the securities, and this
allotment will go to the Lumber
men's bank, of Portland. The First
National bank takes $60,000 -worth,
the Bank of Commerce $75,000 worth,
and the Bank of Oregon City will get
the balance though it notified the
council that it would take $100,000
worth. This means ' that the four
banks were willing to take $285,000
worth of the securities; and that
they will be satisfied with all they
can get.
The offers of the four banks were
accepted Monday nightnta special
meeting ofthe council, which authoriz
ed the finance committee and the city
attorney to complete the deal, and
also to make certain slight changes
in the form of the bonds which would
make it possible for the issue to be
handled with but a seven-mill levy
for this purpose.. The bonds will each
bear 40 coupons, and Will rull a full
20 years; but the city still reserves
the right to take them up in the order
provided by the original schedule.
Thus if the seven-mill levy is not
sufficient to follow the schedule as
originally laid out, the 40-coupon
arrangement will care for interest on
the securities. .
When the deal was closed Mayor
E. C. Hackett said that he was very,
glad the issue had been absorbed vir
tually by the home banks, as it re
flected great credit on the city's fi
nancial standing, and would also keep
the money and interest at home. The
determination to absorb the bonds at
home came as a climax to several
moth's dickering with outside bond
buyers. Last Friday night the
tangle regarding possible sale of the
bonds outside was thoroughly discus
sed, and determination to market the
issue at home was virtually reached.
E. G. Caufield, when asked by the
mayor to express an opinion in re
gard to the bond situation on Friday
agreed with Mayor Hackett that the
bonds couldn't be sold for less than
par.
"The council must obey the people,"
said Mr. Caufield. "They can't con
sider paying somebody a commission
to sell the bonds. Such a plan to
get around the requirements of the
bond amendment is too shallow even
to be thought of. The voters, when
they endorsed the bond issue, didn't
think of peddling them off for any
price, just so that somebody could
come in'on a commission. And there
is no reason why the council should
think of such a thing; municipal
bonds are so valuable that they can
not be bought in the open market at
less than a four and a half percent
advance; and if the council goes after
the sale of these bonds in a regular
manner, there will be no trouble."
City Attorney Schuebel asked Mr.
-Caufield what he meant by "a regular
manner."
"Follow the law," replied Mr. Cau
field. "If you can't get par for
hese bonds, come back to the people.
The principal objection that the bond
buyers have made to these securities
has merit; they claim that the assess
ed valuation of the city does not war
rant the supposition that a seven-
mill levy will care for the issue. When
the bond schedule was planned, the
assessed valuation was ample; but
since then over $100,000 of assessed
valuation has been cut off and given
to West Linn. Of course we have
the new Hawley mills and some other
contemplated enlargements of local
mills that will offset this, but people
in the east do not know this or under
stand the-situation. . There is no
question in my' mind that if you put
this matter squarely before the
people they will authorize an addition
al levy for the bonds. It is better, it
seems tq me, to have the expense of
a special election for this than it is
to pay the bond tyrs all sorts of a
commission even if ybn had ' the
right to pay such commissions."
B. C. Haines, representing Clark,
Kendall & Co., of Portland, pleaded
for a change in the optional date of
taking up the bonds, as well. He
suggested that the optional time
ought to be extended from two to ten
years, so that the securities would be
more attractive as an investment. He
also offered, if the council desired to
sell the bonds on a commission basis,
to handle the deal at par and accrued
interest within 15 days, and only
wanted $750 for his end.
Councilman Roake expressed the
FDR
BAD EXAMPLE SET
County Seat's Councilmanic Wrangl
ing Leads Milwaukie Astray, Too
First it was Gladstone that adopt
ed the Oregon City scheme of "play
ing horse" in its council meetings,
and now Milwaukie has climbed on
the. circus band-wagon, end is at'
tempting funny stunts. Milwaukie's
advent into the clown class, as far as
council meetings go, came a week or
so ago, when the city fathers of the
northern county community decided to
have' a general manager to run the
city's water works, have charge of
street work, generally look after
municipal affairs and when not doing
anything else act as police force.
Marshall Sam Riley, who hereto
fore has been in charge of street
work and police matters, has been
politely invited to resign. Riley says
he wont, as he was elected to office
by the people, and is not under the
council. To get even, the council
shaved off half of Riley's salary, de
claring that as there were no sa
loons in Milwaukie, there wouldn't be
much police work.
At present things have progressed
no further, but an. interesting fight
promises to commence the minute the
council tries to get rid of Riley.
JOB FOR FOUNDRY?
Promoters of Gold Separator Seek
Plant That Will Build Machines
H, L. Sherwood and J. L. Sherry
arrived in the county seat this week,
seeking to form connections with a
foundry which would manufacture a
gold separating machine which they
are promoting. The device is a modi
fied form of oscillator, and is said by
the two to work equally well in brok
en quartz or in hydraulic ore; but will
give better results with the latter.
The promoters believe that a market
for the machines can be found in
Souhern Oregon or in California; and
are also hopeful of developing with
their device platinum deposits which
they say Jhey know of in the neigh
borhood of Bandon.
Mr. Sherwood, who does the talking
for the pair, is a genial, white-haired
man, with a readv fund of conversa
tion which he iillustrates by photo
graphs, drawings and a miniature
demonstration screen. When not en
gaged in boosting his device, he is
also a ready talker regarding modern
scientific miraicles, such as wireless
telegraphy, wireless telephony, and
such, subjects. . ,.
F. T. GRIFFITH NAMED
W. V. S. Directorate Passes into the
Hands of P. R. L. & P. Co.
At a directors' meeting of the Wil
lamette Valley Southern last week,
Franklin T. Griffith, president of the
Portland Railway, Light & Power
company, was named chairman of the
board of directors of the valley road.
Grant B. Dimick continues as presi
dent of the line. The election of Mr.
Griffith is taken to show that con
trol of the line has virtually passed
into the hands of the big Portland
company, and radical changes in
management and operation are ex
pected. Among other things it is be
lieved that the "overhead" expenses
of the system will be cut to the bone.
George A. Harding was re-elected
vice-president. O. B. Eby was elected
secretary instead of C. M. Baker of
Portland, who desired to resign,
since the secretary should reside in
Oregon City. ' Mr. Baker, however,
continues as auditor of the road. W.
A. Huntley was continued as treasur
er.
SECOND SMOKER SET
Boxing Exhibits will Feature Meet
ing at Armory Thursday
Encouraged by the success of last
week's smoker, members of the Ore
gon City Athletic club will stage some
more boxing bouts at Armory hall
Thursday night of this week. Alex
Trambetus, a brother of Valley Tram
betus, will be in the headline act, be
ing matched against an unknown at
105 pounds.
Other boxers who will be seen are
Kid Weston and Tuffy Winger, Na
gel and Bill Gold, and Matt Story and
"Blacksmith" Martin. Jakie Schultz,
La local "comer" will try his luck with
Sam Gordon, who is a brother of the
much-touted Abie Gordon whom
Schultz chased round the ring at the
last smoker.
belief that the bonds could be absorb
ed in Oregon City and Portland by
warrant holders and the local banks.
He said he knew of several men who
would be willing to buy small blocks
of the bonds, and knew other people
who were willing to buy small blocks
of the bonds as an investment. Mr.
Haines advised the council to hold a
special election, and so gain power to
change the levy if necessary. He said
if the unlimited taxing power of the
city was behind the bonds, they
would command a premium on the
market, and that even a premium of
one point would amount to $2700, or
much more than the expense of $200
caused by a special election and print
ing of the amended form of the char
ter provision.
Mr. Caufield again favored the
special election plan, saying that if
the council went before the people and
frankly confessed failure to sell the
bonds as things were now, that the
responsibility would be transferred
entirely to the people.
COUNTY
TEACHER
SYSTEM
MAPLE LANE INSTRUCTOR SAYS
HE'S SOLVED DRUDGERY OF
TIRESOME ARITHMETIC'
'BUSINESS' AND 'MONEY' USED
Robert Ginther Completes Method of
Instruction after Sixteen Years
of Careful Experimentation
Editor, Courier: It is a daring
proposition for a "common" teacher
to come forward with an announce
ment that he has developed some
thing that is far in advance of pres
ent methods, but I wish to say to the
educational interests of this county,
yes, to all patrons of our schools, that
after sixteen years of spasmodic at
tempts, or rather experiments, I have
this winter here in my school finally
developed a system of teaching Arith
metic from-the 5th grade to the 8th
grade inclusive, that is a revolution
in itself. I jiave brought the business
idea into the work.
For instance, after having put a
day or two in studying page 44 and
45 in White's Arithmetic, I start each
pupil in business with $2,000 cash;
have him make his bookkeeping set
of three books out of a 10 cent, 5-frlch
width tablet; show him the simple
science of bookkeeping, the begin
ning of it, teach him the first principle
that underlies entries, i. -e. Debit
what you receive,. Credit what you
give, and have him make two trans
actions each day, one buy and one
sale.
Does it work? It certainly does!
The 22 boys and girls in my 5th and
6th grade at the end of their first two
weeks work for themselves, got their
trial balance, closed their accounts,
gained in business, all with the excep
tion of six pupils, ranging in age
from 10 years to 14 years.
We have our buHetin board, with
the prices changing alternately each
day, and the instructions for the pu
pils for the day's work. The 7th and
8th grades also get a thorough review
of pages 44 and 45 before beginning.
They eventually do work in their
grade such as buying merchandise for
note, etc., or at a discount, etc., their
personal, individual notes and work.
Of course a teacher must be a mas
ter of Bookkeeping and Business
methods. In my opinion, this plan
must eventually r drive out the old
plan we have so long wearied our
selves with. Measurements must of
course be kept in a place by itself.
Even this can be made practical. We
make our merchandise out of the
backs of tablets and shoeboxes. The
The children make this under my di
rection, also our money. We make
our money out of tablet paper, about
2 by 1 inches in size, red ink being
used to write the denominations with.
To explain all the details would re
quire too much space, but I wish to
simply give a general idea of the
plan.
Anyone wishing to see the plan in
successful and pleasant operation, just
visit us at Maple Lane and investi
gate. 1 : .
ROBERT GINTHER.
PECULIAR WELL FOUND
Two Kinds of Water Pumped from
Same Hole in Ground in Florida '
In their investigation of the wells
and underground waters of Florida
the geologists of the United States
Geological Survey have noted many
interesting things. Among these is a
well at Welaka, on St. Johns River,
from which two kinds of water are
obtained.
This Well is 309 feet deep. The
length of the casing is 110 feet. The
well was first drilled to 160 feet, and
from this depth ordinary "sulphur"
water was obtained. The drill was
then carried to a depth of 309 feet,
where it encountered a strong mineral
water, having a disagreeable, salty
taste. In order to use both kinds of
water an inner tubing was run nearly
to the bottom of the well. Both this
and the outer casing were connected
with pumps, so that ordinary water
and mineral water can be pumped at
the same time. A favorite joke play
ed on visitors is to give them a drink
of the weaker water in the first glass
and to replace it with the brine in the
second. '
Not more than a half dozen wells
of this kind are known in the country,
but there is no reason why similar
wells can not be obtained in regions
where the waters in the upper strata
differ from those lying deeper.
KirJcpatrick's Body Found
The body of Charles Kirkpatrick, a
young Portland bank employee, was
recovered this week in the river near
Linnton. Kirkpatrick was drowned
off Rock Island on Lincoln's birthday,
when he tried to make a trip from
Salem to Portland by canoe. With
him at the time was also drowned
Harry Gammie, another Portland
bank clerk. The second body has not
been recovered.
DON'T KICK ABOUT IT;
REGISTER, AND THEN YOU
CAN VOTE FOR REFORMS
' . v
J Don't talk so much about
high taxes, the inefficiency of J
our law-makers, or other v
i things that don't please you.
Talk doesn't amount to much. .
J Go to the county clerk's J
J office, or to the office of one of J
J the district registrars, and reg- &
istet before April 18. Then
you can vote at the primaries. J
And you can also vote at the
v general election. J
If you don't register be- J
fore April 18, you can't vote. .
J Get that into your head now. J
Then go and register.
J After you have registered
i you can vote against high J
J taxes, inefficient officers, or
anything else that you don't
J like; and you can vote for the
men whom you believe will do 'J
better. Voting is better than J
J kicking. st
But if you want to vote J
YOU MUST REGISTER BE- J
Jt FORE APRIL 18. M
t? ' t? t? t? ff I? If ' K t? K t" t? ?
GRAND STAND DOWN
Recent Wind Storm Left Trail of
Ruin Down Clackamas Valley ;
Among the other things it did be
sides taking roofs from barns in the
neighborhood of Clackamas station,
the tempestuous wind of a week ago
Sunday also blew down the roof of
the grand stand at Gladstone park,
damaging that structure so much
that it will have to be entirely rebuilt
for the coming Chautauqua season.
The gale also uprooted about a dozen
of the gigantic trees that in the past
have added so to the beauty of the
grounds.
Along the right-of-way of the Car
ver line, between Milwaukie and Ded
man station, the gale felled trees by
the score. Owing to a peculiar freak
of the wind, however, none of the
trunks fell -across the rails; though
many smashed through the fencing on
either side of the track.
The wind also ripped out many
trees along-the cutoff road between
Dedman s farm and the rifle range,
blocking this thoroughfare in many
places. The farmers' telephone line
on the Bakers Bridge road also was
wiped out.
$15 LEFT OVER
City of Willamette Had Something in
m the Treasury When It Quifr'
The former city of Willamette had
fifteen dollars left in its treasury
when it quit this week, after all bills
had been paid and its accounts wound
up. This $15 was given to West Linn,
along with everything else that Wil
lamette had, for the merger of the
two communities is now officially
completed.
Willamette joined with West Linn
chiefly to avail itself of South Fork
pure mountain water, which it will
obtain as a portion of West Linn.
The only other way in which Willam
ette could have obtained this water
would have been by buying it direct
from Oregon City and constructing a
pipeline; and the people figured out
that it would be more economical to
merge with, the new manufacturing
town on the west side of the river.
HOME IS DESTROYED
Failure to Get Aid from Neighbor
Causes J. P. Strahl Bad Loss
The house of J. P. Strahl caught
fire Sunday afternoon and burned to
the ground. Mrs. Strahl and father,
Mr. DeMoss, were visiting at the time
with Mr. and Mrs. Brasch, who live
nearby. Mi. Strahl and son Leslie
were at home, and along about 2
o'clock found the house was filling
with smoke and after investigating,
discovered that it was on fire. It is
thought it caught from the stove
pipe or flue, as the fire was on the in
side, between the ceiling and the roof.
As Mr.' Strahl could not reach it
from the inside he climbed onto the
roof, and pulling some shingles loose,
it blazed forth. As they could not
make the Brasch family hear; they
shouted and discharged the gun, but
to no avail and having to fight it
alone, were unable to save the house,
although they saved a little of the
furniture. (East Clackamas News.)
MOLALLA COACH BURNS
Excitement at Canby when Southern
Pacific Relic Catches Fire
Wednesday afternoon of last week
the historic relic used by the South
ern Pacific to haul passengers be
tween Canby and Molalla caught fire,
and great; excitement resulted. The
old coach caught fire from an over
heated stove while it was standing in
the Canby yards.
A bucket brigade was formed, and
by strenuous efforts managed to keep
the aged car from complete destruc
tion. The car is said to be one of
the oldest still in use in passenger
service.
Wallace Buried at Canby
Richard P. Wallace, who was last
Week killed at Mulino by a delayed
blast of stump powder, was buried in
Zion cemetery at Canby Thursday
afternoon. Mr. Wallace was a native
of North Carolina, and -came to
Clackamas county some score of years
ago. '
LIGHT TURNED QN
IN FESTIVE
SECRETS OF CONGRESS TOLD
IN BRIEF PARAGRAPHS
WORTH THE READING
SOLONS LIKELY TO OBJECT
Publication Devoted to Getting Its
Readers "Acquainted" with Rep
resentatives is Refreshing
The Courier doesn't like to "clip"
things over much, but once in a while
it runs across something that has al
ready been printed that it thinks well
worth passing on to its readers. Such
is "The Searchlight on Congress,"
published at Washington, Di C, by
the National Voters' League, and de
voted to "acquainting the people with
their law-makers." This little publi
cation is sponsored by a group of 16
members of an executive committee;
and among the sixteen are Irving
Bacheller, Ida M. Tarbell, Mrs. Alice
G. Brandeis, and "our own" William
S. U'Ren. :
Aside from giving roll-calls on
many of the important votes taken in
congress, the publication has a de
partment entitled "Day by Day,"
which gives a brief and enlightening
review of the labors of both branches
of congress. These reviews are so
very enlightening that the Courier
herewith takes the liberty of reprint
ing a few for the education of its
readers who do not often get such
a clear vision of what congress does,
we are sure. Here is some of the
"Day by Da,y" record:
January 21.
Senate Rested.
House Sherwood resigned from
Committee on Claims because too
busy as chairman of Committee on
Invalid Pensions., Passed second ur
gent deficiency bill. Decided to have
ten hours of general debate on
Sheckleford post roads bill, and
speeches began. ; Numerous leaves-to-print
granted. ..... 4...
January 22.
Senate Not in session.
House Resumed "general" debate
on post roads bill. Thirteen got leave
to print undelivered speeches.
, January 23.
House Held a Sunday session to
memorialize Joseph A. Goulden, a
former New York member.
January 24.
Senate Jones, of Washington, and
Lane, of Oregon, appointed members
of the Joint Select Committee on the
Disposition of Useless Papers in the
Executive Departments. Passed an
omnibus pension bill. Debated the
Philippine measure. Went into se
cret political session to consider a
district judge and some postmasters.
House Session began and closed
with promiscuous permissions to print
undelivered speeches. More talk on
good oads bill. Houses took first
official notice of seven election con
test cases, which should have been
considered at very beginning of Con
gress. .
January 25.
Senate Created a few more clerk
ships. Considered the possibility of
repairing the old frigate, "Constitu
tion," Resumed on Philippine bill.
Closed with a postmaster session.
House Mann made a preparedness
speech. Passed Shackleford road bill,
282 to 81, with 71 not voting. Every
body granted privilege of "extending"
remarks on the measure. Back of
record contains" several undelivered
discussions.
January 26.
Senate Smoot called attention t
fact that: at least one-half of matter
appearing in Congressional (Record
was never read or spoken in either
House or Senate. McCumber, chair
man of Committee on Transportation
Routes to the Seaboard, which never
meets, asked for additional clerk for
that committee. Lane resigned from
Committee on Disposition of Useless
Paper; Phelan elected to the place.
Continued on Philippine bill. Locked
the doors for a postmaster session.
House Took up Keating Child
Labor bill. Southern Democrats fili
bustered and prevented a vote.
January 27.
Senate After long characteristic
Senatorial wrangle over petty par
liamentary matters, resumed on Phil
ippine bill. Forty-six postmasters
confirmed and one rejected in secret
session.
House Met at noon as usual.
Found several errors in the Congres
sional Record. Practically the whole
session given to campaign speeches,
under guise of consideration of a bill
to appropriate $40,000 for our part
in an International High Commission,
to continue the work of the First Pan
American Financial Conference held
in Washington. Adjourned at 4.33 for
want of a quorum.
January 28.
Senate Arranged for printing
much miscellaneous matter in the
Congressional Record. Got a little
farther with the talk on Philippine
bill. Passed the $40,000 bill for In
ternal High Commission to promote
South American trade. Cleared the
(Continued on Page 8)
FINE TEAM WORK
Sheriff Catches Cow While Chief and
Constable Catch' Alleged Thief
The purple cow made famous in
petry by Gillette Burgess was rivaled
this week by a "blue white" cow own
ed by J. W. Passamore, of Tigardville,
which disappeared Tuesday night just
before milking time. The color of
the cow is vouched for by Sheriff Wil
liam J. Wilson, who ' explicitly states
that "it is a blue white cow." Maybe
it was blue because it was stolen from
its Tigardville home.
At all events, Mr. Passamore last
night reported the theft of the cow
to county seat officers. This morning
a man who said he was William John
son sold a cow with a broken horn, a
stumpy tail and plenty of fat on its
ribs to the Engelbrecht farm for $50.
Mr. Engelbrecht gave him a checque,
and the man cashed the checque at the
Cox poolhall. Constable Jack Frost
by that time was close on the trail
of the man who sold the cow, and
confiding a description of hiin. to
Chief Bla'nchard, asked the chief to
keep his eyes open.
A few minutes after this request
was made Chief Blanchard saw a
stranger on Main street, and calling
Constable Frost, suggested that the
stranger might be the wanted man.
Constable Frost called Frank Cox
from the pool hall, and Mr. Cox said
the stranger was the man who had
cashed the checque. So the stran
ger was pinched. Later he said his
name was not Johnson, but was
Claude B. Graves, and that he lived
in Lents. The cow, he said, had been
his sister's' property.
Sheriff Wilson, meanwhile, had not
been idle. By dint of much sleuthing
he traced the cow to the Engelbrecht
place, and there apprehended it. So
now it is all fixed up; Graves is in
jail, the checque he got for the cow
he sold is in hock, the sheriff has in
custody a "blue white cow," and Mr.
Passamore of Tigardville has been
notified to come in and get his bovine.
APRIL DOCKET SET
Many Cases to be Heard by Juries in
Circuit Court During Month
The April circuit court docket fol
the jury term was set this week by
Judge J. U. Campbell, and pending
matters will come up as follows:
April 17: W. Yonce versus J. W.
Ferguson; plaintiff asks for $75 dam
ages ..for . a. brokeTt harness and $45
for the usa.of a horse. -
April 18: W. S. May versus "Rob
ert H. Hunt; plaintiff asks $150 for a
horse defendant rented and which died
on defendant's hands.
April 19: Ferm Matthews versus
Orella E. Bussa, George Brooks, Art
Cotzhausen, J. R. Kelso and A. L.
Reed; suit growing out of alleged
wrongful iseizure of household effects
in Milwaukie justice court case.
April 20: The Willamette Valley
Southern railway versus C. T. Tooze;
right-of-way case.
April 21: W. W. Graves versus A,
E. Breeden; suit to collect bill of
$155.42.
April 22: Jdh'n Miller versus Joe
Odermatt; suit for rent, appealed
from justice court.
April 24: State versus Mary C.
Wells; defendant accused of having
caused William Newman to set fire to
Oswego houses.
April 25: Harrie Morehouse ver
sus T. A. Snook; suit for $135 alleged
to have been obtained by misrepre
sentation of (stock sale.
April 27: R. W. Clark, adminis
trator of Davidella Clarks, versus
Willamette Valley Southern railway;
suit to recover damages of $7500 for
death of Mrs. Clarks on September
16, 1915.
April 28: Frank T. Collier versus
Friars' cjub; suit to recover attor
ney's fees.
April 29: William Lepinsky ver
sus Carrie Walker, suit to recover
$150 alleged to be due for work done.
LIFE IN MOLALLA
Assorted News Items Show Activities
In Up-County Metropolis
J. V. Harless, the new Chief of
Police says that hereafter when a
fellow is on the streets stewed he is
going to put him in the city jail.
There has been too much carelessness
here in the matter since the first of
the year and it is only a matter of
time until someone gets pinched.
W. A. Shaver played the hero role
Monday when he saved the life of a
small white dog that was being chew
ed to pieces by Mr. Shaver's own big
shepherd. "Bill" had an armful of
groceries when the battle started be
tween the dogs. Quick action be
ing necessary, he threw the bunch of
groceries at the offending canine.
The desired result wag attained but
the groceries got soaked in the nwd.
On Wednesday afternoon the resi
dence of C. W. Honeyman caught fire
and but for the immediate arrival of
help would have been destroyed. Sev
eral were in Vick's store and rushed
to -the house and the fire was exting
uished before much damage was done.
The walls were badly charred. (Mo
lalla Pioneer.) ' ,
, Married Too Soon
Because the statutory requirement
of six months had not elapsad be
tween Frank M. Heuenhofer's divorce
and his second marriage, Judge Camp
bell last week annulled his marriage
with Willie E. Wilson, of Portland,
Heuenhofer's second marriage was on
January 19, 1913.
BUY IT AT HOME,
IT
ENTERPRISE TRIES TO FREEZE
OUT OSWEGO NEWSPAPER
BEFORE IT STARTS
"TRUST" AMBITION IS SEEN
Weekly Annex of County Seat's Small
Daily Prints "Phony" Sheet on
Inside Page to Get "Ads"
Sometime ago we heard a lot in
these parts about "buy it at home."
We heard some of our distinguished
citizens get up nd make speeches,
and tell the people how the home mer
chant ought to be supported, how the
home paper ought to be supported,
and how money ought to be kept roll
ing around at home.
The Oregon City Enterprise was
one of these reformers who wanted to
knock the spots out of foreign com
petition, and booat things along at
home. The Oregon City Enterprise
was a fine little booster for "buy it
at home, and for giving the home
merchant a square deal, and all that
sort of thing.
Sure it was. And then something
happened.
E. J. Jones, publisher of the North
Portland Record, a thriving suburban
newspaper in the metropolis, thought
he saw a chance to establish a news
paper in Oswego. He leased quar
ters in Oswego, moved his plant to
Oswego, laid in stock, and got ready
to publish the Oswego Times.
MrS; Jones was going to establish
a new industry at Oswego. He was
going to give Oswego a local news
paper after a lapse of nearly 25 years.
He was going to give employment to
Oswego people, to give the Oswego
merchants a medium of publicity, to
frivA h nonnla nf CiawatM - an "all
A V- V..U V " Jli V v.. XSUT.rW - .... ....
home print newspaper."
And did any peep of joy come from
The Enterprise?
Not so you could notice it.
The Oregon City Enterprise! before
Mr.. Jones could, jeet his Osweiro Pa
per started, printed on page six of itsi
weekly, picked-up reprint annex some
thing that it called "The Oswego
Record," a jumble of old-fashioned
type and rehashed news from the
columns of its daily parent sheet. It
butted right Into the Oswego field
in an effort to throttle the real, hon
est, Oswego paper before it started.
In its so-called Oswego Record, the
Enterprise has a mushy editorial, in
which it let the cat out of the bag.
It says that the Oswego news it had
published in the past had helped its
circulation a little bit, and that in
order to boost its circulation still
more, it was going to make the "Os
wego Record" ' a regular department
hereafter. -
The Courier has seen tricks like
this tried before. They are not new
in the newspaper game. But they'
are contemptible. They show a fear
of a "home paper" on the part of the
Enterprise, a ear that the Enterprise
might lose a few of its very few sub
scribers. The Enterprise trick of try
ing W bunk the people of Oswego out
of a real paper with that poor page
of assorted type, is just the sort of
a trick that a tottering and decrepit
wreck of a paper would try.
And not only does the Enterprise
try to kill the news end of the new
Oswego Times, but it tries to under
mine its advertising support by ac
cepting at special rates advertising
from such Oswego businessmen as it
could persuade to become a party to
its plan. :
It is noticeable that the Enterprise
didn't think of establishing its "Os
wego Record" until Mr. Jones com
pleted arrangements for putting in a
plant for the Oswego Times. Be
fore that a couple of columns of cor
respondence would do for Oswego,
hidden away between patent medicine
ads and last week's Oregon City news.
But with the appearance of a real
newspaper in Oswego, the Enterprise
blooms forth with its ,"Oswego
Record" as plain a grab for the leg
itimate business of the Oswego Times
as could be made.
. Talk about a hold-up man going
out at night with a gun such a man
is fair in his dealings when compared
with this trick of the Oregon
City Enterprise.
"Buy it at home" "trade at home"
oh yes, they're all fine phraBes for
the Enterprise to use. But when it
comes down to helping a community
industry, to extending the warm hand
of fellowship to a brother editor who
is trying to make an honest living in
the community; then it is another
matter. Then all the "community
helpfulness" is forgotten by the En
terprise, and that scintilating sheet
puts on its masK, graos us oiuugeon,
and sneaks out in the dark, and grabs
all it can grab for' the few cents and
the few subscribers that might go to
the "home paper." ,
If you want to keep informed
about politics election is near sub
scribe for the Courier now. $1 a
year when paid in advance.
OW