t
wmi OREGON' CITY ENTERP.RISEf
County-
clackk ' ury
FAIR, CA4Y, "EH
SEPT. 24, 25, 2, 27,
r0RTVIIVtNTH YIAA-No.
20,
OREGON CITY, ORKQON, Fit 1 1 AY, MAY 16, 1913
ESTABLISHED ISM
STRONG CM Id lilt
AGAINST LA FRANCE
Clackamai and Multnomah Authorities Piece
Together Operations of Insurance Swindler
and Hi Confederates in Securing Body Which
They Set Afloat in
isted in Moving Corpse to River, and Prison-
er'i Wife, to b Arrested and Prosecuted.
Wlill no decision bs m ret been
rrtfhrd by Clackamas county author
him and DUtrirl Attorney Waller
Knit, ot Multnomah county ( J.
,Z , ths trial of J- C LaFr.nc. will
t hulil. developments In the Investl
nikio of the esse to'Hctt
uat U M I '"'"d advisable to ar
rttis snd try the Insurance, swindler
to cUrkswss comity, lo connection
with ths It l said to be extreme
ly likely that others will also be lm
niriJ lu the miliar. and wilt be ar
rrttrd ind chawd wlih aiding end
(MilM ijI'Viiim In bis successful
slot (o eoHwt $l&.0uo In Insurance
ud kxlco benefits for bis supposed
dMtB.
Nelihrr Hherlff E. T. Mass nor
Coronor Wilson, who hss been In
roaounkstlon and consultstlon with
lU Multnomah county officials, will
talk slwtit (ha developments of lbs
csMttruif itut they believe sny an
looncfdwnn ought to com from Dis
trict Attorney Evans, of Cortland, ss
it prlNinrr U st present In ths
ifllhborluit county. In spit of tbelr
cpuripir to tli Multnomah official In
Hut miller, however, news of the pro
treM of the Investigation has "leaked"
from Portland sources, snd lbs
swindle now seems to give promise of
resultlni In a Kroiip of cbsrs.es
smloit UKrsnre and confederates
ho ikied blm In "planting ' tba body
found In the river, snd subsequently
kisollfled as that of 1-aFrance.
tiMi
Wlf to bs Prosecuted
Mrs. UFrsnee, wbo collected the
luannr which her husband carried,
snd wbo Uler sent It to blm under sn
twmed nime In Teiss, will In tit
probability be prosecuted for her part
Is ths rsae. It was thought by offl
clals la churns of the Investigation at
first that Immunity might have to be
offers Mrs. laFrance so that she
tssii U btlSI;.m ss witness for tho
sun, but detectives and other Invest!
(Mori who have worked on the esse
kit obland so much Information
that It It now believed thst a com
pics cms ran be made out without
th womin's asslslanc. In fact the
officials have not even gone to the
trouble of sscirtiilnlng whether or
not iho would turn stste's evidence
snlntt hr husband; though It Is
imerallr bclltived that she could be
persuided to do so.
J-tFnim'o himself la said to hsve
la the Investigators a great
deal of assistance, willingly Ulktng
shout molt f the details of the crime
On certain Milnt, however, be hss
refused absolutely to give any Infor
M'lon. The prisoner, It Is ssld, baa
pertinently refused to tell how be
sm Into possession of the body In
ths first pinre. and this reticence on
' part at first led to the suspicion
that he might have commlMad a mur
r as the itiltli.i st,.p n his swindle.
Eld.nc has since been discovered,
however, that hne caused the author
Itlei to discard the munler theory,
snd they am now prnctlcnlly certain
r dm ,ly was obtained, and
hoae It was. This detail, however.
not almolutely aottlod. and until
1" Identity of Ixxly baa liwn defin
itely aacertulned, Informntlon In re
mrd to this lHint Is belnu withhold
L no n,lve UHsrdedly talked
snout oth,.r Incidents In the swindle.
Body Not Williams'
It has iweii practically established
n"ui!h, tlmt the body Is not thiit of
''"yd Willlaiiia. who dlsupiiearcd, and
"Ho poHHlbly i,my nttve jioj ionlB
jo months before the body supposod
o bs UKrunce'a was found. There
reawiiianiy wol.roiindd evidence
that w
Hums did not die at the time
of his
myatorioua disappearance; In
fact
sonictlmn ii r, .... .)....,,. .4 Mm
'KHt In Oregon City be waa seen In
,.n '"inclsco ly a man who Is poel-u-io.
hl" Identification. With the
"III ami noHsihtity removed, tome
!' I IhiIhr had by the aulliorltles
' ' nliiK the Identity of the body used
ny UPRinco.
thl1 ih"? ,"', n lp'rned that In taking
pe tKuly used in the substitution to
"h nnks f t!le Clackamas' river,
, ",''p?, 'a,',"nce sent it adrift, the
7 hn,, ,hB aM ot one. and pos
: ,,'y.nf ' men. The body was pro
red B,.n,o distance from the river,
ln i 'I"I""V,1 nt night from Its orU
nai resting place to the stream. De-
,."""'n,H lo 1n,e I" the case Indl
. .h:lt fter the corjise hnd been
rll l'-irt of the way. LnFrance's
"""f'tcs rofus-d to further shnre
thr.7,1, u ,n ,,lfl '"mmlBslon of the
nleu ork' "nd lfift him to com
.I ' 'h, fnrrylng of the body to the
"T 'unaided. Thla grewaome feat
tvilr' """PllKhed. It Is said, by
gin. i t F('SPH' ,0 Ple' ""O draK"
oo,u . r hT I""hs snd fnrounb the
rl, J polnt 0I 'he shore of the
hli !,lKht t' 't In a suit of
i. mm1! r. ,et 11 dr1ft- u
hod ,ook three ln to move the
to ttv p,ace 11 WM procured
No Compromlie Allowsd
can hi UFn,nc nl his confedera'es
LTT"tei ,or llIpWl trans-
ZZ."' Corp"e ta but 008 of
"on w i J hloh the prosecu
lral m" Me CRM- That this II
Clackl 'n of the y occurred In
conty will be the basts
m sh m v. n
River Persons Who As
of transferring the rase lo the local
courts Is bluted by those now Inves-
tlxnllng the crime. Tbls will be done,
It U said, so that If a conviction Is
not secured on the swndllng elisrne.
tjirrsncs and the others may be held
for trial upon another court. Other
chargeg will also be contained In the
Information, It Is said, so Uist there
wilt be no opportunity for the ends of
Justice lo be defested.
These varloua charges are lo be
placed agslnsl Iji France, It la hinted,
so that tha prisoner cannot avoid
punishment by arranging a set' la
ment with the Insurance companies
and fraternal organisations thst he
swindled by paying back a part of
the moneys he received. It la report
ed that through bis .le mill at Co
qullle the prisoner secured a consid
erable quantity of aaseta, which he
could convert Into cash were the op
portunity offered him to avoid pun
ishment by making a cash settlement
I.S France la Weskenlng
In a partial confession made tale
Thursday night In the county Jnll at
Portland, UaFranre said that the men
who bad bellied him remove the body
to the river, and who had ta'er balked
at carrying out their part of the
work, were a couple of medical stud
ents. The nsmes he gsve the deputies
are wlthehld from publication, mainly
because some doubt Is still held as
to 'he truthfulness of this confession.
Officials who hsve been working on
the esse are Inclined to believe that
Iji France waa aided by men who lived
near ths place where the body was
obtained.
E
IS FOUND INTACT
CORONER EXHUMES CASKET
LAST RESORT IN PROBING
LAFRANCE SWINDLE
AS
MULTNOMAH OFFICIALS GRATEFUL
No Trscs of Tsmperlng Discovsrsd
by County OfMcsr, snd Thor
ough Inquiry Is Thus
Closed
To determine whether or not the
body of the late Chsrles M. Abbott
bad been removed from Ita grave and
utilized by J. C. Urranoe In his plan
to swindle Insurance companies out
of ,14.000, Coroner Wilson Monday
afternoon exhiimod tho caket It was
found that the remains were Intact.
Though not pluclng over much be
lief In the theory advanced that Ab
bott's body had been used by U
Franco, Coroner Wilson considered It
his duty to Investigate the possibility.
Inquiry on hie part, though thorough
In every way, fulled to couvlnce him
positively that the body had not been
inudu away with by the Insurance
swludlor, and as long Ss there re
mained a possibility that it had, Mr.
Wilson felt that no stone Bhould be
left unturned In his efforts to run
down the case. Hence his determin
ation to open tiie grave.
This was dona Monday afternoon
with tho greatest nmoiint of privacy
possible. No trace of any tampering
with the remnlns was found, and fol
lowing the Investigation the grave
was returned to its former, order.
The action of the coroner
closes one angle of the Investigation
Iwlng mndo Into the UFrunce affair,
and so simplifies the work of tne
officers working on the caso. Inquiry
will now be turned to olhor chan
nels. Multnomah county offtclnla feal
deeply Indebted to Coroner Wilson
for his thorough Investigation of the
Clnckamas county end of the matter,
and while regretting thut It was
necessary to disturb Abbott's grave
feel suro that In no other way could
the uncertainty be reduced to a cer
tainty. ESTACADA SEEKS CA9H
FOR IMPROVEMENT WORK
The first entertnlnmrnt for the pur
pose of raining funds to Improve the
streets of fcstacada was given Sntur
day evening at the Family Theater,
under the asuspires of the Udles
Civic Improvement club. The enter
talnnent consisted of a concert In
which talent from Vancouver. Port
Innd snd Sprlngwater took part A 1
tho.iga the weather was unfavorable,
a large and appreciative audience
greeted the participate. The stage
was prettily decorated with dogwoot
blossoms snd plants. Mesdames Mor
ton, Somers. Ilartlett and Sparks act
ed as ushers and hit. Yonce sold
tickets. The proceeds of the enter
tainment amounted to nearly &.
ABBOTTS
GRAY
JAPANESE PERIL
ROUSES
PASTORS
CONGREGATIONAL CONFERENCE
IS AGAINST ALIENS, BUT
TAKES NO ACTION
BIG GATHERING HELD AT HUBBARD
Or. vsn Brskle, of Orsgon City, Talks
on "Eugenics," Revlswing Sub
ject Bsfore Ministers
at Mtotlng
Antipathy to Japanese Immigrants
was nisnlfest at the conf runoe 01 the
Kust Willamette association of Con
gregatkmal churches, beld at Iluhard
Wednesday, accordiirg to Oregon City
pvople who Journeyed south to the
meeting. Though the conference wss
railed primarily to consider church
mat ten topics of general Interest
were taken up, snd among these wss
the Japanese matter.
Discussion of this was started by
tbi presentation of a paper by one
of the delegates, in which he set
forth 'he desirability of welcoming
Japanese to the coaat as useful forces
In agricultural devuiopmmt A visit
ing minister from California rose, fol
lowing the paper, and gave an out
line of the "Japanese situation' In
that sate. Tula brought on general
consideration of the matter, and It
seemed to be the concensus ot opin
ion that the Japanese were not want
ed. One minister admitted that while
"It Is unchristian to say so. the fact
remains that we do not want the Jap
anese.'' Among others who spoke wss Pr.
J. A. van Urakle. of Oregon City, wbo
discussed "Kugenlcs." Dr. vsn
llrakle rivleVed the suhjoct general
ly, saying In part:
'In old Japan tbey have a Bbumlte
maxim which runs something like
this: 'Ut men know by your deeds
wbo were your ancestors.' This same
Ides Is given more modern expression
by Usrrie, the Scotch author, wbo re
marks thst. If we know ourselves
well, we know our parents also.
The science of Kugenlcs Is simply a
somewhat belated attempt to reduce
to scientific rules the thought ot
these two quotations.
"Eugenics, which strictly -"derived
means perfect generation, may be de
fined as 'the science and art of be
in well born.' or as Onlton the found
er of the science said some ten years
ago. 'Eugenics Is the study of agen
cies that may Improve or Impair the
racial qualities of future generations
either mentally, physically or splrtu
ally.' "Oliver Wendell Holmes tells us
that the time to b.-gln the education
of a child Is a hundred years bsfore
it Is born, and If this Is true, as we
are now beginning to reallxe, we may
agree wltn tho president of the first
International congress of eugenics
hold in London only last year, that.
At present the most urgent need is
for more knowledge.' In line with
tbls plea there has been founded the
Carnegie station for experimental
evolution at Cold Spring Harbor,
which Is now busied collecting great
masses of Interesting statistics.
"Hut to us the question that eu
genlci rulsea must come closer home,
and at present there sre three funda
mental and essentia! problems which
we are all Interested in solving.
"First we must secure wiser mat
ing on the purt of men and women of
Inlelllgvnce and education. The
prime Importance of spiritual educa
tion makes itself shown here. In ad
dition, make the cnurch a meotlng
plnw for young people. Acknowledge
Natures great force In securing mat
Ing propinquity, and let the church
guide it by throwing the youth of
both sexes Into good companionship.
"Our second problem is the im
mediate ono which sonw of the states
are already meeting; limitation by
public authority of the marriage of
the defective, the liiBune and the
crlmlnnl. The vast amount of harm
done to the ruco as a whole by our 3
or 4 per cent of this off-color human
i,v .hi.niii mrtiilnlv lend the church
to stand firmly and agresBlvoly for
progrens In this type ot legislation.
"Lastly, remnlns the fantastic prob
lem of breeding the suporman. This
third problem, if It may even be call
ed such, gives ample ground for the
roving scientific imagination but In
a practlcnl way, offers little of real
merit. The emotlou of love abso
lutely controlled, presents Just as sor
ry -.a spectacle as tho passion we
kuow of as utterly uncontrolled love,
and the superman will for a long
time remain the visionary product of
that Impossible conception scientific
love."
TREASURE SEEKERS
AWAIT DRY ROAD
I W Rivers, who a short time ago
announced that he had received
knowledge by which he would be able
to discover the whereabouts of the
treasures of Captain Kldd snd other
plrntos, states that arrangements are
being made and that a company is be
ing formed to go to Tillamook county,
where the treasures are supposed to
be hidden. Mr. Rivers says that n
number of Oregon City and Portland
pople have algnlfied their intention
of Joining his compsny. and he does
not expect any difficulty In financing
tha proposition.
As soon as the roads to the coast
have become dry enough, a start will
be made from this city by way of Wll-
ENTERPRISE THANKED
FOR BOOSTINO SHOW
f
The following letter has been -
received by The Enterprise from
the publicity department of the
$ Oregon City Commercial club:
"The I'ubllclty Department of
the Oregon City Commercial
club wishes to tbank you for the
publicity and advertisement you
have given the Clackamas Coun- 4
ty Htock Show and ltooster Day.
The committee appreciates the 4
4 publicity given the celebration,
and again thanking you, we beg
4 to remain,
Very truly yours,
O. C. COMMKHCIAL- CLUB.
Uy O. E. KHKYTAO,
Secretary.
COUNTY
DISPLAY
PLANS UNDER WAY
GRANT B. DIMICK ELECTED PRES
IDENT OF FAIR BOARD AT
MEETING FRIDAY
THREE EXHIBITIONS TO BE HELD
Clackamas Resources to bs Seen at
Csnby, Salem and at Big Land
Show In Portland Late In
Present Year
At a meeting of the Clackamas
County Fair board beld Friday after
noon, Judge Grant 0. Dimlck waa
elected president for the ensuing
term, and matter pertaining to the
big annual display were taken under
consideration. Owing to the lateness
of the hour at which the meeting was
called, much ot the detail work was
left untouched, and will be taken up
at a later date.
There la a state appropriation of
$1,708.40 for the Clackamas county
fair, and aalde from this various con
tributions are usually volun'.eered in
the line of prises and awards. Wheth
er or not an effort 'lll be made to
obtain a larger working fund this
year or not la still a matter ot doubt,
owing to the fact that demands are
going be made upon the county j
count for funds to finance county ex
hibits at the state fair at Salem and
at the Portland land show.
It la hoped that the commissioners
will provide a sufficient amount so
that the county can be well represent
ed at these two state-wide exhibits.
While the county fair Is already-pro-vided
for. It Is also hoped that some
further support can be obtained for
It, as well, so that exhibits can be
pu'. In better shape than usual, and
some inovatlons Instituted. All these
matters will be taken up by the fair
board at later meetings.
In connection with the matter of
fair exhibits, 0. E. Frey'ag, manager
of the publicity department of the
Commercial club, Is seeking between
$600 and $600 so that the displays ot
fruit and produce now In the hands
of his department can be renewed.
These exhibits are a part of the coun
ty's show each year, and during '.he
balance of the time when the fair is
not being hold, serve as examples of
the resources of the county. They
have proved ot valuable aid In ad
vancing the county's claims for set
tlers, and are thought to be well
worth the cost or preparation and
upkeep. Much of the fruit, vege
tables and other products thus pre
served are taken from the prlxe-wln-nlng
displays at the county fair.
Mr. Freytag received a letter Fri
day from Frank Meredith, secretary
ot the state fair board. In which the
hope was expressed that Clackamas
county would make a good exhibit at
the big display at the capital. Mr.
Meredith was one of the visitors to
.he city during the ltooster DayB, and
at that time was much surprised at
the showing made by farmers and
ranchers of the vlcluity, and urged
all of them to enter similar displays
at the county and state fairs.
Clackamas county people have
learned the value of advertising the
resources of the section at all pos
sible places and times, and It Is be
lieved that as a result there will be
no trouble in regard to the county
fair or state displays. Neighboring
counties, however, have not in the
past been as keen In this line of en
deavor, and because ot this It Is ex
pected that Clackamas county this
year will stand forth with greater
prominence than ever when her re
sources are placed on view.
PLANS ACTIVITIES
Invitations will be extended to a
large party of Oakland, Cal.. boosters,
who are coming north to attend the
Rose Festival In Portland, to stop en
route as tho gueets of the Oregon
City Comtnercinl club. If the invita
tion Is accepted the Oakland people
will be taken on an automobile tour
through the nearby agricultural dis
trict of the county. Opportunity will
also be afforded them to view the
falls and the timber resources of this
section.
Members of the Commercial club
are also taking Interest In the con
ference to be held In the offlee of the
state ImmiKratlon commissioner In
Portland on Thursday, when discus
sion will be held as to methods best
suited to attract to this vicinity, and
to the state at large, as many Oerman
agriculturists as postlB- Germsn
Immigrants have proven good farmers
In many other communities, and It is
believed that if a laree number of
them can be brought to Oregon the
states development will be material
ly sldd.
TRADE TO BOOM
WITH HEW ROAD
COMPLETION OF CLACKAMAS
VALLEY LINE WILL BE IM
PETUS TO BUSINE8S
LUMBER ACTIVITY TO BE RESUMED
8srvlce From Beaver Creek to Put
Many Dollar Into Circulation
Locally (Much Progress
Being Made
That the Installation of service on
the Clackamas Southern railroad, the
latter part of this month or early In
June, will result In a renewed and
Increased prosperity In Oregon City
Is the general beliet ot those who
have been watching developments
along the line and at It local term
inal. Freight service will be com
menced on the line as soon a track
age to Heaver Creek Is completed, and
initial shipments will consist largely
of cord wood and timber. Boon after
wards, It is expected, heavy ship
ments of agricultural products will
be made over the line, and refm
loads of supplies will be taken In.
While the cordwood traffic will
mainly provide the road with re
sources with which to meet Its oper
sting and construction expense, bring
ing to Its Oregon City terminals of a
large quantity of timber is expected
to result In full time operation at the
local mill. This will give steady em
ployment to a large number of men In
the different departments of the mill,
and will renew the market for ties
and other mill products at Oregon
City.
Preparations are already under way
for the handling ot tbls work at the
mill, and machinery Is being over
hauled, and some new apparatus is
being Insulted. As soon as ship
ments of timber come In on the new
road, mill activity will commence, and
material that cannot be handled at
once will be stacked In the yards. Men
will be needed to handle the stuff,
and in this way the pay-roll will be
considerably Increased, and this mon
ey In turn will find Its way Into city
trade channels.
The traffic In agricultural products
and aupplies on the road will make
Oregon City a clearing bouse and
point ot exchange tor many commodi
ties to even a greater extent than It
Is at present, and so again me nne
will aid smterially In adding to the
volume of business daily transacted
here. With the extension of the line
this business will Increase, and as
practically all the profits of this busl
n will find their way into Oregon
City trade channels. It Is generally
expected that the completion ot tue
line will mean many thousands of
dollars of annual Increase In local
business.
with ili nisnl hricht weather.
completlon'of the line is being rapid
ly advanced towards Beaver Creex,
and track laying la going on - dally.
Steel Is being hauled out over me
line from Oregon gCity, and as the
rails are nut down the instruction
train is steadily advancing towards
the first main station on tne roaa.
Grading crews are completing their
wnrir fur In advance of the track lay
ing outfit, and a large crew of tamp
ers is pounding ballast behind the
end of the steel. Bridge and culvert
work has been practically completed,
so there Is nothing to delay the hur
rying of the line into Beaver Creek.
The light rain of Thursday did not
Interfere seriously with progress that
Is being made, and tracking and em
bankment work so far completed is
reported to be fast getting Into
permanent shape.
"BETTER FRUIT"
Ranchers and farmers of the Clack
amas valley gathered at Sunnyside
Saturday evening to hear O. E. Frey
tag, of the Oregon City Commercial
club talk on "Better Fruit" Mr.
Freytag gave his audience many
valuable hints as tcthe manner In
which high grade yields ot orchard
and ebrry crops could be secured,
and was given a most cordial recep
tion. On Saturday, May 24. Mr. Freytag
wlU trvel again to Sunnyside, and
will visit several local orchards, dem
onstrating to the ranchers the sev
eral ways of using sprays and other
Insecticides. One old orchards,
which is badly pest-ridden, will be
visited in the course of the afternoon
and Mr. Freytag will show those in
terested how it may be prevented
from menacing nearby fruit. -
Monday Mr. Freytag received a let
ter from C. E. Arney. western Immi
gration agent of the Northern Pacific
saying that the big transcontinental
road wanted to offer a prize for com
petition at the Clackamas County
fair, to be held at Canby. and asking
what the award had better be offer
ed for. Mr. Freytag has replied that
a prlie for the best general farm
products display of grown by one
man would probably best serve to
bring out the resources of the county-
PLATS ARE FILED
rMot. lint heen filed with the
county recorder dedicating Metxier
Hart's sddition to Molalia, tne town
ita nf Onnortunltv. Britten's Subvdi
vision snd Willamette Falls Acreage
All the plats are large tracts that
have been divided for residence prop
erty.
FOR AIDING SHOW
O. E. Freytag. manager of the pub
licity department of the Oregon City
Commercial club, has issued the fol
lowing note on behalf of the organ
ization: "The Oregon City Commercial club
desires to extend a vote of thanks to
the merchants and business men of
Oregon City for their support and
interest In making a grand success
of the Clackamas County Stock show;
snd also to extend thanks to the
livery bams for tbelr donation of
hacks used In the parade. Thanks
are also extended to the fraternal or
ganizations that helped add to the
unique character of the various page
ants, and to all others who did their
share In making the Booster Day cel
ebration a happy affair for young
and old."
In addition to those whose names
have been already published as con
tributing to the success of the the
annual celebration, the Commercial
club also acknowledges receipts of
material assistance from the follow
ing: Gsmbrinus Brewing Co., Lar
son k Co., The Morning Enterprise,
Elk Horn Stable, C. Krohn, F. J. All
dredge, E. L. Walters, F. D. Cox, Bell
Theatre, Welnbard Brewing Co., Cal
vert Studio, Salisbury Straight, P.
N. Hart, J. W. MfcAnnlty John
Leary.
NEW BRIGK PLANT
READY FOR WORK
The organization of a company for
the promotion and operation ot a
new industry In this vicinity has
been completed, and the concern
known aa The Bolton Brick A Block
company baa a plant at Bolton, on
the west side, where t"o?y will fur
nish wall cement building blocks and
brick.
Their products will be made by the
Helm process, the latest Improve
ment in that line. Shrinking and
opening of the joints at the rim and
rotting of woodwork are entirely
eliminated.
J. H. Graw, the manager, has al
ready Installed a machine ot tiw lat
est pattern with a pressing capacity
of forty thousand pounds, which
turns out five thousand bricks dally,
worked by hand, and an amount
many times greater when operated
ty gasoline or electric power, one of
which he will install In the near fu
ture. Besides bricks and blocks the ma
chine can also turn out door and win
dow caps and sills, ornamental tiles
tor mantels and ever-lasting posts for
outside work. There are also at
tachments for making special blocks
and brick for building fronts and
turn-corners.
Four bricks, from three to eight
weeks out of the machine, were sent
to the engineering departmnt at the
stat university for tests, and the re
sults showed pressure tests of 10,
600, 17,809, 40.600 and 78,200 pounds
respectively, according to the age of
the brick, being pressures of 303, 609,
1160 and 2230 pounds per cubic inch.
This shows that the only effect time
has on them is to make them all the
stronger.
The products of the machine are
ready for use In twenty days after
leaving the machine.
FISH OIL PLANT
IS
E
A company of which II. M. Platch
of this city is one of the principal
stockholders has been organized and
is at present building a fish-oil plant
on the river front. The concern.
known as the Columbia Fish-oil and
Fertilizer company, is installing ma
chinery in a large barge whlca can
bo stationed at any point along tae
river where material Is at hand. The
nlant will be taken to the Columbia
after tue machinery has been placed.
and will be stationed near Corbett.
All the waste matter from the fish
such as heads, tins, and tails, will be
used. Such fish as carp, chub and
suckers will also be used. Mr. Platch
states that the plant will not be com
pleted as soon as was at first expect
ed, owing to the fact that the floods
In the Middle West delayed the ar
rival of the machinery.
It Is understood the plant will be
the first one on the Columbia river
to be engaged In the refining of fish
oil. Mr. riateh, who recently arrived In
this city from Minnesota and bought
the Oregon City Machine shop, has
opened a garage In the building re -
cently vacated by the Pacific High
way garage and adjoining nis ma
chine shop.
Mr. Platch was forced to wait two
months before he could move his fam
ily into the city, owing to the lack of
suitable dwelling houses for rent.
He stated that be was scarcely able
to find a neat and modern dwelling
in the town which was for rent
SURVEYOR AWARDED $500
Full Judgment was given Saturday
In the verdict of the circuit court Jury
that heard the suit of Frank Bryant
against the Canby Canal company
before Judge Eakln. The sum of $500
was asked by the plaintiff for salary
for work done upon land owned by
the defendant and payment of which
had been refused on the ground that
Bryant was Incompetent Evidence
was Introduced to show that Bryant
had surveyed such lines and parcels
of land as he had been lnstmcted to
cover, and the Jury decided that his
claim for salary was fully Justified.
LIVE WIRES GET
PROBE"
T
COMMITTEE OF MEMBERS WHO
INVESTIGATED COURT'S
ACTS GIVE SUMMARY
COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE JUSTIFIED
Complaint Carefully Reviewed and
Found to be Biased or Bated
Upon Faulty Interpreta
tion of Evidence
Charges against the county court
of Clackamas county were clearly dis-
proven Tuesday In a report made to
the Live Wires by O. O. Eby and
John W. Loder, who made a very
plain demonstration that tbey had
sought snd obtained information up
on which they based their comprehen
sive report Mr. Eby, who read the
report, went to the bottom ot all the
charges filed against the members of
tne court, and treated them fairly.
Following the presentation of the
report, which was ordered filed for
possible future reference, voluntary
statements were made by Mr. Loder
and Dr. Hugh S. Mount commending
the contract for a timber cruise. Dr.
Mount said upon more than one mil
lion feet of standing timber had been
added to the taxable property ot
Clackamas county on his land alone
in the Molalia district, and MY. Loder
referred to the practical value of the
cruise.
M. J. Brown, chairman of the mass
meeting committee, who asked for
the appointment of the Live Wire
committee and afterwards refused to
work wth them, heard the report In
silence and declined to comment up
on the Invitation of L. Stlpp, wbo was
in the chair.
"I made my report to the mass
meeting," said Brown.
The report of the committee, who
were thanked for their labors, by the
Live Wires, follows:
Oregon City, Oregon,
May 13, 1913.
To the Officers and Members of the
Live Wires of the Commercial Club
of Oregon City:
Gentlemen: .
We, your committee appointed to
assist M. J. Brown, Robert Schuebel
and S. L. Casto appointed at Mass
Meeting, to investigate and make a
report upon the charge of extrava
gance and incompetency made against
the County Court ot Clackamas Coun
ty, Oregon, beg leave to submit the
following report:
A few daya after our appointment
the first joint meeting ot the two com
mittees waa held in the office of John
W. Loder with aii members present
at which meeting W. S. U'Rren, mem
ber of the Live Wires committee ask
ed to be excused from service on ac
count of pressure ot business, which
request was granted. At this meet
ing a general plan of investigation was
discussed and It waa finally unani
mously agreed that a public Joint
meeting of Xhe committee should be
held at the Court House on Tuesday,
April 29, 1913, at 10 o'clock, A. M.,
for the purpose ot receiving any in
formation in the possession of any
person relative to the charge made
and also any other matters relative
to the expenditure of County money
and we asked that such charges be
made In writing.
A notice of this meeting signed by
all of the committee was published
in the County papers and pursuant to
this notice a meeting was held at
which a number of citizens attended
some ot whom made statements in
writing and others made verbal state
ments, declining to put the Bame in
writing.
In the matter of the charge made
by E. D. Olds that the County Court
paid approximately $1000.00 above
the market price for a Buffalo Pitts
steam roller, will say that this charge
was investigated by Robert Schuebel
and M. J. Brown and that they re
ported to us in person that their In
vestigation had satisfied them beyond
a doubt, that the charge was not true
and that the price ot $3250.00 paid for
such roller was the price at which
the same is and has been selling and
that the difference in the prices quot
ed by Mr. Olds is explained by the
fact that the rollers sold at Seattle
and North Yakima were second hand
rollers. This explanation is also con
firmed by Judge Beatle and we
take it for granted that this is the
fact
In tho matter of the charge made
by E. D. Olds that the County Court
let a contract for a bridge across Clear
Creek at Fischers Mill for the buui
of $2900.00 complete and then after
wards spent approximately $800.00 in
addition for concrete foundation ana
other things connected with the
bridge which Mr. Olds claims should
have been done by the contractors at
the contract price, we find the con
tract for said bridge recorded in Vol.
24, page 400. of the Journals oi tne
, ' Court and tnat tne
contract shows that The Cotst linage-
Company was to furnisa ail oi m
steel, ship It and haul It to the site
of the bridge and erect the bridge
and lay the floor and put up the rail
and paint the same, that the contract
says nothing about furnishing cement
or labor for the foundation or furn
ishing any timber or plank golug in
to this bridge. In the absence of any
agreement on the part of Coast Bridge
Company to put In the foundation and
furnish timber and lumber, we can
arrive at no other construction of
the contract than that the same was
to be furnished by the County which
was done snd we therefore conclud-.t
that this charge is not supported by
In'the matter of charges made by
E. D. 01dJ that the County Court ba
paid exhorbitant prices for steei
bridges snd material, will say that the
only evidence we have on this point.
Is the statement of Mr. Olds and al
io figures submitted by him from oth
er bridge companies, which flsures are
given uion certain plans and speci
. (Continued on page (-)
REO