OREGON CITY
35th Year
OREGON CITY, OREGONTHURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1918
Number 42
IIT
2G46 QUESTIONNAIRES SENT TO
DRAFT REGISTRANTS. ONLY
FEW CLASSIFIED
MANY BLANKS ARE RETURNED
Board Pleads for Aid in Great
Amount of Work. "Don't Ask
So Many Questions"
The local exemption board this
morning sent the last series of 2646
questionnaires to draft registrants in
Clackamas county. Seven days are
allowed for filling out and returning
the blanks and those who have not
filed their statements with the board
are subject to immediate certification
in class 1-A, for immediate military
service.
The board has been working night
and day in preparing the question
naires and in receiving and filing
those returned by registrants. Meet
ings have been held during the even
ing hours to give the board time to
classify the questionnaires as they
are returned, but because of the holi
day rush of work and the idle days
the board is far behind with its tasks.
Classification will resume when the
board gets back from a meeting
with the district board at Portland.
Up to yesterday 67 of the total num
ber had been classified, with the result
that 16 young men, were put in class
1-A, as subject to answer the first
call, for soldiers. It is believed that
the proportion of one-third will main
tain as to class 1-A, throughout the
list. Those whose questionnaires are
not returned, or whose addresses are
unknown and will be put in that class
and may swell the total considerably.
It is estimated that there will be
approximately 800 men in class 1-A
when all questionnaires have been
returned and filed.
Those classified by the local board
at its first meeting, 38 in all, include
"12 in the first class. At the second
meeting 4 out of 29 were put in the
first class. The registrants classified
already are: .
Paul Plath, Oregon City; Oscar
Crawford, Estaeadaj Hjalmer J.
Erickson, Barlow; William Charles
Maskell, Aurora; Walter Carlton
Moore, Oregon City; Jahn Joseph
Egr, Oregon City; John Russell
Tracy, SeattlejRex Vaughan Stubbs,
Molalla; Thure Larson, Oregon City;
waukie; Albert Dave.Baurer, Colton;
Earl Herbert Sheppard, Oregon City;
Ernest Joose, Willamette; Roscoe
Chamberlain Iteming, Estacada; Carl
Rudolph Lamp, Parkplace; Constan
tinos Vaselin, Oregon City; Robert
Edgar M. Henderson, West Linn;
David Elmer Fosberg, Boring; Char
les Edward Larson, Bull Run; Charles
Wieland, Oregon City; John David
Closner, Estacada; Bruce Ruminski,
Oregon City; Jonas T. Peterson, Col
ton; August Gust Heller, Boring;
Dudley Henderson, Oregon City; Mel
vin Bernhard Hult, Colton; Joseph
Walker Garner, Oregon City; Sol
Elven Cox, Oregon City; Benjamin
R. Wolfer, Aurora; Rayvel Thomas
Landes, Clackamas; Robert A. Delk,
Portland; Herbert Leonard Thomas,
Oregon City; Rolf Lawrence Sand
strom, Portland; Aime Beaudoin, Ore
gon City; John Valintin Gawlista,
Oregon City; George A. Odell, Bull
Run; Louis Napoleon Vallen, Colton;
Otto Ficken, Sherwood; George Cyrus
Mitts, Canby; Clarence L. Chandler,
Milwaukie; Lester ,W. Hugett, Ore
gon City; Wilson Edd Test, Eagle
Creek; Robert J. Ma toon, Oregon
City; Jacob Karl Kraft, Canby; Will
iam H. Thompson, Milwaukie; Alva
C, Hughes, Oregon City; Gustive M.
Landeen, Oregon City; Frank Dury,
Molalla; Marvin H. Herbaugh, Aur
ora; Josiah W. Rodgers, Oregon City;
Fred Yeomans, Molalla; John J. Mil
ler, Oregon City; Heppell R. Shipley,
Oswego; Phillip L. Young, Oregon
City; Chester Erwin Carothers, Ore
gon City; Ernest Douglas, Barton;
Hector R. Morrison, Oswego; Albert
(Continued on Page 8)
PAPER MILLS RAISE PAY
OF ALL LOCAL EMPLOYES
The Crown-Willamette and Hawley
mill managements last week joined
in a statement by which a minimum
wage of $3.10 a day is established
for paper mill workers in Oregon
City, which is an increase of approx
imately 20 cents a day over the
former minimum wage. The new
scale takes effect on January 1. A
statement to the employes says:
"Now that the Hawley. Pulp &
Paper company mills here" and the
West Linn mills of the Crown-Willamette
Paper company are in full
operation and all evidence of the re
cent strike obliterated, the cost of
living, however, staying about the
same', the local managers have to
day given notice that commencing
January 1, 1918, the minimum wage,
until further notice, shall be $3.10
a day, which is equal or better than
the best common wages in these
parts, and much better than in
other paper making districts."
BOARD
S
GLASS nCTflt
CUPID OUTDISTANCES
LOCAL DIVORCE EVIL
RECORDS OF PAST YEARS BROK
EN IN MERRY CONTEST.
269 LICENSES ISSUED
Because of the war, or shall we
say, in spite of it, Clackamas iounty
has sent two more records tumbling
into, oblivion by the accomplishments
of the past year. Incidentally one of
the finest little races ever staged be
tween our old friend, D. Cupid, and
our enemy, Divorce Evil, was
brought to an end with the dawning
of the new year.
A consultation of records in Coun
ty Clerk Harrington's office reveals
the surprising equality of the two
participants in this odd race, for
D. Cupid came out at midnight, De
cember 31, 1917, with a record of
269 marriage licenses issued since
the first day of the year. And no
sooner had he crossed the goal lines
a winner than Divorce Evil, panting
from the exertion of keeping apace
with wartime marriages, arrived at
the threshold of 1918 with 268 di
vorce cases to his credit.
Taken in a purely mercenary man
ner, the divorces have been far more
profitable to the county than have
the marriages, although, no doubt,
we must consider it in the form of
tainted money. At $5 a case, which
is ' the customary filing fee, the di
vorce cases filed in 1917 brought to
the county $1340. And those $5 bills
and gold pieces came from all cor
ners of the earth. Oregon City is
the best little competitor Reno, Nev.,
ever had as a divorce market and in
consequence many strangers have
been attracted to our hamlet. In
1916' just 237 divorce cases were
filed, so that the record for 1917 is
better by 31 cases.
At $3 each the marriage licenses
issued during 1917 brought $807 in
the county. And the past year has
seen 59 more couples married on
Clackamas county licenses than were
married in 1916, when 210 licenses
were issued. The fact that divorce
cases exceed marriage licenses is ac
counted for by the fact that mar
riages are purely local social af
fairs, while the divorce cases brought
here come from other cities, other
states and other countries.
MILK JOINS OLD BOSSY
AND JUMPS TO THE SKY
We have heard the old story of the
cow that jumped over the moon, but
it took the dairymen operating in
Oregon City to send Bossy's pro
duct milk into the skies.
At a meeting of dairymen and dis
tributers here last week it was vot
ed to charge the consumer $3.50 a
month per quart and that price went
into effect on January 1, marking an
advance of from 50 to 75 cents over
prices of the past. Heretofore milk
has sold to the consumer at $3.00 a
month per quart with a discount of
25 cents if paid in advance. From
now on the price of $3.50 prevails.
Distributors blame the necessity;
for the advance upon the increased
costs of feed for dairy animals. The
dairymen have been selling to the
distributor at $2.20 a hundred pounds
for milk, a price1 which is said to have
long ago been increased elsewhere.
Now the dairyman will get $3.00 for
each hundred pounds of the fluid.
J. D. Mickle, state dairy and food
commissioner, approved the in
crease, it is said, as did Judge Grant
B. Dimick, Dr. M. C. Strickland and
Frank Busch, members of a commis
sion appointed by Mayor E. C. Hack
ett to investigate the necessity of
an increase. Mr. Mickle pointed out
the prices elsewhere and said that
with the rise here the price would
not be as high as that charged in
Portland. It was pointed out that
dairymen can sell their milk to con
densates for as much as the new
price will bring them.
CASE AGAINST UNION MAN
DISMISSED BY RECORDER
The charge against J. E. Brenner,
a striker, was dismissed by City Re
corder Loder Monday aftei.ioon after
a hearing brought about by the ar
rest of Brenner for disturbing the
peace. It was chaged that Brenner
called M. Fox, a paper mill worker,
a "scab." Chief of Police Henry
Cooke immediately arrested Brenner
and his trial followed. He told the
court that he intended his remark to
have an offensive meaning.
Recorder Loder notified Brenner
and all union men that he consider
ed the term "scab" a violation of the
rules of law and order, and announc
ed that he would have to deal severe
ly with anyone brought before him
on a similar charge. Attorney
Christian Schuebel, representing
Brenner, charged the court with us
ing unfair tactics in the examination
of Brenner, and threatened to appeal
if a conviction resulted on the
charge.
Believe Brooks Insane
Authorities believe that Joseph
Brooks, who was arrested Tuesday,
and who is now in the county jail,
is mentally unbalanced. Brooks was
arrested following a call from the
Pete's mountain country, where he
is said to have threatened to take the
life of Mm. W. H. D'Hondt
II READS AN
ANNUAL MESSAGE
ADVOCATES IMPROVEMENT IN
CITY GOVERNMENT AND
BUSINESS FOR YEAR
WANTS CITY PAVING PLANT
Care in Expenditure Urged. Water
Board Report Shows Good Net
Profit for 1917
That Oregon City, through the city
council, has lived within its means
and enters upon the work of 1918
with a balance of $1192.43, is the in
teresting news contained in the an
nual message of Mayer E. C. Hackett,
read before a meeting of aldermen on
Wednesday evening.
In the annual statement to the
council the mayor reiterated the ad
visability of the establishment of a
municipal paving plant; asked that
unusual care be excercised in the ex
penditure of city money; suggested
great care in the operation of Moun
tain View cemetery; brought out the
need of new and complete traffic reg
ulations and asked that some meas
ure be provided to assist the police
force in keeping order and for the
protection of ttie public. ,
No important committee changes
were ordered by the mayor and all
city officers were reappointed, includ
ing City Engineer C. A. Miller and
Street Commissioner Charles Bab
cock. The appointments of Henry
Cooke as chief of police and F. C.
Burke and Ed Surfus as night pa
trolmen were made permanent by
executive appointment. Committee
appointments were:
Finance H. M. Templeton, J. J.
Tobin, George Ely. '
Fire and water-Fred Metzner, L.
C. Bridges, A. B. Buckles.
Streets and public property E. D.
VanAuken, A. B. Buckles, George
Ely. '
Health und police H. M. Temple
ton, E. L. Moore, I. C. Bridges.
Cemetery Fred Metzner, J. J.
Tobin, C. W. Frederkh. ...
In his message Mayor Hackett
said:
(Continued on sPage 8)
MILL MANAGERS PUT
BAN ON LABOR UNION
EMPLOYES SIGN PLEDGE TO
TAKE NO PART IN ORGAN
IZATION OR MEMBERSHIP
There will be no more labor union
ism in the local paper mills, which
have "been handicapped somewhat
during the past two months by
strike conditions. This is the edict
of the Hawley Pulp & Paper com
pany and the Crown-Willamette Pa
per company. Yesterday the two
mill companies issued to their men
employment contracts and thereon
demanded that each man in their
employ pledge himself to refrain
from activity in connection with la
bor organization, either by present
or future membership.
It is reported that in both mill
plants the contracts were heavily
signed. It is known that the Hawley
company employes to "the number of
close to 500 have agreed not .to rec
ognize any present affiliation they
may have with labor organizations
and not to take part in any future
organization. The employers an
nounce this action together with a
statement that their plants have been
practically restored to normal condi
tions as to labor and output.
The penalty for uniting with labor
unions in the future will be the ex
action of the demands of the pledge
signed by each man. By his pledge
he agrees to voluntarily resign from
the employment of the company if
he joins or takes part in the work
of a labor union. The pledge each
man is asked to sign reads:
"I am employed by and work for
the Crown-Willamette Paper com
pany with the expressed understand
ing that I am not a member of any
labor union, and will not become so
while an employe of the Crown-Willamette
Paper company, that the
Crown-Willamette Paper company is
run non-union and agrees with me
that it will run non-union while I am
in its employ. If at any time I am
employed by the Crown-Willamette
Paper company I want to become
connected with any labor union or
any affiliated organization, I agree
to withdraw from the employment of
said company, and agree that while
in the employ of that company I will
not make any efforts amongst its
employes to bring about the union'
izing of that company against the
company's wish. I have either read
the above or heard the same read."
The Hawley and Crown-Willamette
company pledges are identical with
the exception of the firm name. They
are each to be signed by the employe
and one witness.
CRIDGE TELLS ABOUT
CITY MANAGER PLAN
WOULD HAVE ELECTION BY
EFFECTIVE BALLOT SYS
TEM. OFFERS SERVICES
- (Alfred D. Cridge) '
Oregon City is talking .about
a new charter with commission form
of government.
'The manager form is all right.
The best form of the managerial plan
is that of Ashtabula, Ohio. The
council of seven elects a manager. It
has proved satisfactory there. The
council of seven is elected by the
effective ballot ; , without any prim
ary. ' . '
That is the most advanced form
of municipal government known.
Three in any governing and legis
lative body is too small a number.
Two get together and put one man
in a hole. No, motion can be second
ed except those already agreed upon
to go through. Five is too few, but
is better than three. Seven is cap
able of better action in a town of
10,000 or more. Nine to 15 is adapt
ed to large cities with many inter
ests. The effective ballot is what is
needed as much as the manager
system to break up rings, combines,
party superstitions, and to produce
honest efficiency and to keep it on
the job.
It is simplicity itself for the voter.
He marks on his ballot the figure 1
opposite "his first choice among all
the candidates. He marks two op
posite the name of his second choice,
and three opposite his third choice.,
The ballot is counted for one of
those choices. It is effective in as
sisting to elect in from 92 to 99
times out of 100.
If the ballot as cast by the indi
vidual voter is not needed to assure
the election of his first choice then
it is counted for his second choice.
If not needed for that choice it is
perhaps available for the third
choice and made effective in assisting
to elect him. In Tasmania, where
the most perfect system of effective
voting is in operation, the voter can
indicate his choices, if he choose, un
til there art nr-wmore candidates to
mark. This enables him to cast the
full power of his ballot for the first
choice v and also against the candi
date that in his opinion is the worst
of the lot.
The number of votes to elect a
candidate is decided by the number
of seats to be filled. The total num
ber of votes is divided bv one more
than the number of vacant seats and
to this is added one, making an
elective quota.
Thi' elective ciuota assures minor
ities and majorities their just share.
It secures, local, party, race, relig
ious or other divisions of the com
munity, as mav come un from timn
to time, representation whenever and
to the extent to which its imnnrtanre
may appeal to the understanding of
tne people. ,
I have some information on the
workings of the effective ballot, and
if the people of Oregon City, or any
group of them wish to hear about it
in detail I would be nleased to make
arrangements for a hearing. My
services are free.
While there are but two cities in
the United States with the effective
ballot, there will certainly be more.
CHAUTAUQUA TO BE HELD
IN SPITE OF CONDITIONS
All fear that there would be no
assembly under the auspices of the
Willamette Valley Chautauqua asso
ciation at Gladstone next year was
dispelled at a meeting of the stock-
Holders of the association at the Com
mercial club Friday. They have de
cided that the Chautaunua shall hp
held and that every effort will be
made to improve its quality over
past years. A letter from President
Wilson to the National Chautauqua
association urging that the work of
such a nature continue regardless of
the war had something to do with
the decision of stockholders.
Greater conveniences for Chautau
qua visitors were discussed at the
meeting, such as a new walk sys
tem, better water and better auto
mobile parking provisions, as well as
the removal of the old auditorium
building. Such plans were left in the
hands of the new board of directors.
C. H. Dye was re-elected president of
the association and Secretary Thomas
A. Burke and Treasurer E. G. Cau
field were continued in office. ' G. A.
Harding was elected as vice presi
dent. The board of directors elected for
the year includes George A. Harding,
H. H. Cross, C. H. Dye, W. A. Hunt
ley, Fred Olmstead, George Arm
strong, E. G. Caufield, John Loder,
Emma M. Spooner, E. L. Pope, Mary
b. Howard, Helen D. Manley, C.
Schuebel and R. L. Holman. Com
mittees to carry on the work of as
sociation for the coming year were
appointed by President C. H. Dye.
Annlication for Citizcnuhin FiloH
Arthur Spencer Bailev. a resident
of Oregon since 1891, the year he
came to America, has applied for fin
al certificate of citizenship. Mr.
Bailey is 60 years old and would for
swear allegiance to Great Britain.
F
IS
COURT DIVIDES MONEY AMONG
ROAD . DISTRICTS AND
SCHOOL TREASURIES
LEVY IS PLACED AT. 18 MILLS
Money Will be Considered as Cash
on Hand in School Funds. Levy
is Reduction
Clackamas county taxpayers owe
a vote of thanks to all who were
concerned in bringing to its proper
treasury the delinquent tax money
from the Oregon-California land
grant. By the distribution to several
funds of that money Clackamas coun
ty's tax levy for 1918 has been re
duced by half a mill over the total
levy for 1917. The 1918 levy is di
vided as follows:
General county fund 0048
Schools and libraries...'......, .0027
State tax 0035
County roads 007
Total 018
Aside from the levy for road funds
the present levy is practically the
same as that of last year. This year
the road levy is a whole mill less
than in 1917.
Delinquent O. & C. land grand tax
money for the three years beginning
with 1913 and' ending with 1915, to
taling $100,254.89, was distributed
by order of the county court on Fri
day to the several road districts
which have funds coming and to the
school fund treasuries. The greatest
part of the fund, or $22,339.07, goes
to the county's special road fund;
the county school fund gets $20,349.
90. Other funds' among which the
delinquent tax money was divided
are: General county fund, $18,439.43;
general road fund, $18,339.03; dis
trict road fund, $6738.86; special high
school fund, $441.04.
The district road fund share of the
tax money is divided principally as
follows: Garfield, district 49, $6111.
76; Colton, district 21, $4216.24; Wil
hoit, dstrict 28, $2832.24; Cherryville,
district .7,' $2168.07; Eagle Creek,
district 41, $1987.87; George, district
9, $1386.63; Highland, district 56,
$1085.12; Districts 9, 19, 22, 33, 35,
45 and 55 divide the balance in sums
of a few hundred dollars each.
The district apportionment was
made by the court on the basis of the
valuation of Oregon-California land
in each. County funds will be con
sidered as cash on hand, as is the
special nign scnooi fund. The gen
eral road fund's share will be used
by the court to retire outstanding
warrants.
GREAT LIQUOR HAUL
PAYS FOR VIGILANCE
COUNTY GETS $400 AND 72
QUARTS IN NEW YEAR AR
REST AT CANBY
Seventy-two quarts of assorted li
quors, and the man who guarded the
rich stock on its trip from Califor
nia to Oregon, was the net result of
the New Year's day work for Sheriff
W. J. Wilson and his force. Tuesday
evening Sheriff Wilson was at
Canby, just to see what he could see,
and he watched the unloading of
two "steamer"' trunks and four suit
cases. When, the owner appeared with his
baggage checks for the shipment the
sheriff took charge of the business.
The man gave his name as Brown,
and later changed it to Fisher, but
both of these, the sheriff says, are
fictitious. The details of the affair
were learned Wednesday and the
authorities are resting content with
having captured what is believed to
be one of the largest shipments of
intoxicants received in the county
since the state went dry.
As Tom Brown the bootlegger, was
hailed into Justice of the Peace John
N. Sievers.' court yesterday. He plead
ed guilty but said he could not pay a
hne. ihe judge assessed him $400
and within a short time a woman giv
ing the name of Mrs. Tom Brown,
but claiming no kinship, came from
Portland and paid the fine in green,
backs. She is said to be the brains of
a gang of bootleggers in Portland
and Brown is thought to be only one
of several tools she uses in violating
tne prohibition laws of the state.
Some months ago bootleggers re
ceived a large shipment at Canby and
made their escape in automobiles.
Thinking that it was about time for
the same group to reappear, the sher
iff and Deputy Richard Garrett
watched all trains on New Year's eve.
Tuesday night they resumed their
watch and were rewarded.
The best newspaper in Clackamas
county The Courier offers a year's
subscription to The Courier and the
Oregon Farmer for $1.00.
0.&C.
AND
DISTRIBUTED
ODD TALE REVEALED
AT DEATH OF CHILD
POVERTY-STRICKEN CHILD IS
THE MOTHER OF BABY. MAY
BE AN INVESTIGATION
A rare human interest story has
been revealed by Acting Coroner
John N. Sievers and Dr. O. A. Welsh,
county health officer, who Sunday
visited the poverty-stricken home of
William Taylor, a lumber mill work
er, in the vicinity of Mulino.
It was at the home of Taylor that
the infant daughter of a 14-year-old
girl died last week under highly pe
culiar conditions that may result in
an investigation conducted by the of
fice of the district attorney. The
matter is now out of the hands of
the coroner and any further action
must come from other sources.
Neighbors about the' Taylor home
reported to the officials that a babe
had been born in the shack occupied
by Taylor and his seven children, the
oldest of which is the mother of the
dead child. She is 14. That the baby
died from absolute neglect and ig
norance on the part of the mother is
the report brought to Oregon City.
The officers who visited the home
found conditions of abject poverty.
They found the 14-year-old mother
and heard from her that she had
been married at sea off Columbia
river bar at the age of 13 years, to
Ralph William Taylor, a name whose
similarity to that of the man said to
be the dead child's grandparent, is an
unexplained coincidence. The hus
band is also said to have been a saw
mill hand.
The mother says that her husband
deserted her soon after their mar
riage and she, with the six other
children and their father, moved to
Mulino from Alsea two months ago.
They are domiciled in a slovenly lit
tle hovel and are said to be denied
any of the comforts of life. The
baby was born soon after the mother
arrived in this county, it is said. No
record of a marriagecould be pro
duced by the child-mother, and she
did not know who had performed the
marriage ceremony. The where
abouts of the Ralph William Taylor
who the mother charges is the father
of her child, is not known, by the
mother or her father, William Tay
lor. The father is said by the girl
to be about 25 years old.
REGISTRANTS ARE ASKED
NOT TO QUESTION BOARD
Classification of registrants for the
draft in accordance with the answers
to questionnaires sent out has been
stopped temporarily. The local
board today will attend a meeting of
the district board at Portland to re
ceive instructions on handling the
many questions that arise. Follow
ing the meeting classification will be
resumed.
In the meantime County Clerk Iva
Harrington is besieged with ques
tions. Scores of young men each
day ask: "What class am I in?" The
local board knows little more about
that than the registrant himself and
has asked respectfully that regis
trants cease questioning the board.
Its members are working under a
great strain brought about by the
rush and the constant questioning is
a great source of trouble. The board
will advise all interested in the mat
ter just as soon as possible about
every detail of the classification.
Until that is complete the request to
leave the board to its labors should
be very generally heeded if regis
trants care ever to find out their
status. s
REV. MR. CROCKER CALLED
BY LOCAL CONGREGATION
The Rev. Herbert G. Crocker.
formerly of Portland and recently of
Newberg, has been called to the pas
torate of the Oregon City Congrega
tional church, according to the an
nouncement last week of the trustees.
The Rev. Mr. Crocker appeared in
the local pulpit some time ago and
returned on bunday last to Dreach his
first sermon as the regular pastor of
tne charge here.
ror some time Mr. wocKer was
pastor of the well-known Atkinson
Memorial church at Portland and is
well known throughout the valley for
his clerical activities. Mr. Crocker
will not bring his family to Oregon
City until February, inasmuch as a
move at this time would interfere
with school work already started.
ihe bunday school and choir of the
local church rendered their annual
Christmas concert at the church last
Sunday evening and were assisted in
the program by Flechtner's orches.
tra.
SHHSlSSlHSlffl EfflfflfflffllllSISH
El m
STAMP SALES LARGE 1
m
ffl Clatsop county leads with H
BE total thrift stamp sales for the
H last week outside of Multno-
m mah, with $4505; Lane county ffi
M is second with $2880; other
leaders are Marion $2597; SI
Jackson $1663; Clackamas $15
68 77; Baker $1430 and Joseph-
II me $874. The total for the H
II state is now $149,640.17. H
YUKON VILLAGE
DESERTED
DICK
TOWN BOOMS AT BEDTIME AND
IS ABSOLUTELY ABANDON
ED BY BREAK OF DAY
MAKES BIG STRIKE
Somewhere in Alaska is Rich Mine
That Starvation and Mosquitos
' Have Hidden Away
(M. J. Brown)
I am going to open this story by
telling a story one of the most un
usual that ever came out of Alaska.
It is an absolutely true tale, and I
got it directly from the main actor
in the silent drama or rather trag
edyas we sat on the bank of the
Yukon one night, smoking and fight
ing mosquitos.
He was a watch repairer and kept
a few clocks and a little jewelry in
the little river town a supply town
for the mines back in the hills.
Spring -was breaking, (the spring
of last year), daylight had returned,
the ice was going out and everybody
was looking forward when the first
beat would come in and new face3
and new grub could be met.
"It was a bright, warm Sunday,"
said my friend, and then I wondered
if the story would be as vexatious
as the mosquitos.
(But he soon made me forget the
insects).
A friend hunted him up, he said,
and told him it was his birthday and
he proposed that a few of the A. B.
(Alaskan Brotherhood) boys gather
at a cabin and celebrate both the
birthday and return of spring by see
ing how much booze they could drink
in a given length of time a sort of
capacity and endurance contest. As
fast as a man went down they let
him lie and the victor had the privi
lege, and distinction, of rubbing ba
con grease over his face and then
sprinkling on ashes. """
I will cut the details short. My
storyteller said that at supper time
he realized he would soon be among
those "laid out," so he slipped out,
staggered to his bachelor cabin and
went to bed.
During the night there was an
alarm at the outer door, and the men
called on him to get up and come out.
He answered he would in a few min
utes and they went away. Then he
went back to sleep. He had had all
he wanted of that celebration crowd.
He awoke at daylight. His head
throbbed and his stomach was on a
strike, so he rolled over and slept
again.
At about noon he again awoke,
washed and beat it for the nearest
saloon for a cocktail. But the sa
loon was closed, the door locked and
no one around.
"I couldn't make it out," said the
man. "Certainly this was Monday
and the saloons were never closed on
this date. So then I went across to
the store postoffice to find the reason
for this strange condition. The post
office was closed. There was not a
man in sight.
I looked up the street not a liv
ing thing. I looked across to where
a bunch of dogs had been tied for a
month and they were gone. Then I
thought I had it. A new strike had
been reported and the whole town
had stampeded.
"But on closer investigation I
found the harnesses, sleds, packing
outhts, etc.,, had not been taken, so
it could not have been a rush. I
must be crazy or dreaming.
(Continued on Page 8)
CITY LIFT WILL BE IDLE
UNTIL RESERVOIRS FILL
The city water board has announc
ed that the municipal hydraulic ele
vator probably would not be in op
eration before the end of the week.
The South Fork pipe line has been
completely repaired, but the large
reservoirs which hold the supply of
water for Oregon City and West ,
Linn are not half full. They attain
their capacity of 9,000,000 Blowly be
cause the water is constantly being
used. To make certain of sufficient
water for fire protection, no unneces
sary water will be taken out of the
reservoirs until they are full. Until
the reservoirs are filled, water will
be shut off at the mains every night
and will be turned on again at an
early hour in the morning.
MILL GETS BIG ORDER
Orders, said to call for more than
50,000 pieces, have been received by
the Oiegun City Manufacturing com
pany from the war department.
The order includes blankets and
overcoats, although the company will
not give information concerning it.
It is said that the one order, is suf
ficient to keep "the plant going on
government work alone for nearly
two months. Relief from a shortage
of labor is hoped for at once, so
that all energies can be directed to
i ward rushing the government work.
i
i
Jo