OREGON
ENTEKPK
;fifty-sixth YEAR. No. 18.
OREGON CITY, OREGON, FRIDAY, MAY 5, 1 922.
ESTABLISHED 1866
y
REDUCTIONS IN
FREIGHT RATES
HELD IMMINENT
Fourth Section Relief Wi
Be Granted Is Opinion
Local Delegate to Sessi6n
Of Interstate Commission,
POSTAL SERVICE IS
TALKED AT MEETING
Cooperation of Business Men
Urged by Department Head
In Talk bef6re Live Wires
Oregon City can expect reductions
dn the freight rates on a number of
commodities without any material in
crease in. any classifications, if the
requests for a revision, made -by the
Southern Pacific to the Interstate
Commerce commission, are granted.
according to Ralph Shepherd, who re
presented this city at the hearing in
San Francisco during the latter part
of April.
Mr. Sheoherd. who went as a dele
gate from the local commercial club
made his report to the Live Wires of
the organization at their meeting
Tuesday noon. The decision of the
examiner, he explained would probab-
lv not be given for some time, and
might involve a rehearing of the en
tire case. It developed, he said, that
there was very little opposition to the
company's request for revision of the
fourth section rates, involving a re
duction, of the charges on port to port
shipments by rail in order to meet wa
ter competition.
Class Rates to Stand.
The movement to increase the class
rates was recalled at the opening day
of the hearing, due to the opposition
developing in the inland California
towns. This would leave Portland
and Oregon City with the 'same class
ification rates as now in vogue, w ita
tha exception of a few minor cases.
In the event that the petition of the
railroad is granted, it would also ma
terially reduce- the cost of quantity
shipments from this district to ter
minal Doints in the south and vice
versa, he stated.
The fact that the fourth section re
lief and the local increases were ask
ed for in the same petition, may result
in ' the holding of a new hearing in
order to separate the two issues, Mr.
Shepherd said, but he regarded it as
very probable that the railroad would
be allowed the port to port reduction.
Postal Service Txplained,
Postmaster John J. Cooke spoke to
the Live Wires on the subject .of pos
tal improvement week, and urged the
cooperation of the merchants in find
ing out what the postal rules were,
so that they could comply with them,
. Mailing early to avoid congestion, and
similar aids to the department were
suggested. The postmaster outlined
the different types of service and
showed the growth of the office dur
ing the past six years by the fact that
the business had grown from $20,000
to $32,000 in volume in this time. This
figure represented merely the postal
sales, and does not include postal
savings, or any check upon the incom
ing mail handled by the office.
New Building Said Need.
Oregon City, he pointed out, needs
a federal building, and he urged that
when an opportunity should come for
a government appropriation for this
purose, the people should cooperate
in securing it. He cited the former
attempt to secure a public building
here which was lost through the hag
gling "of the different elements in the
town over the location."
The postmaster showed that it was
"impossible to locate a federal build
ing so that it would bring people by
every business place in the city," and
urged cooperation an the obtaining of
an appropriation and less contention
as to the detail of it3 location.
John T. Hawkes, a new resident, re
cently from Wyoming, was introduced
by O. D. Eby. He compared the. scenic
and commercial " advantages of Ore
Son with the middle west and laid
especial stress upon the fishing here
which he said surpassed anything he
bed ever seen.
J. W. Yoder, representing the Wil
liamson Bros, plant here urged the
merchants to attend a demonstration
of their ' newly perfected fire alarm
system which was being staged at
their factory above the Hawley Mill.
A number of Portland fire officials at
tended the demonstration.
OIL TANKER IS WRECKED;
CREW, ADRIFT, RESCUED
POINT ARENA, Cal., May 1. Cap
tain Lohen, and 13 members of the
crew of the Union Oil company's tank
steamer Whittier, which went ashore
10 miles south of here early this
morning, were safely landed at Point
Arena at 7 a. m. today. They had
been forced to abandon ' the tanker
and had spent three hours at sea in
open boats.
JUDGE CAMPBELL
IS REVERSED BY
SUPREME COURT
SALEM, April 28. The state of
Oregon is upheld against Charles
Gates in a case involving the right of
the state fish commission to regulate
commercial fishing in the Willamette
river, handed down today by the su
preme court. Justice Harris wrote
the opinion which reversed Judge J.
U. Campbell of Clackamas county and
remands the case. The state was ap
pellant. In May, 1921, the fish' commission
made an order which said in effect
that after June 6, 1921, it would be
unlawful to fish for salmon with nets
or for commercial purposes in the
WTillamette river north of the sus
pension bridge at Oregon City. It said
the order would be effective until it
should be rescinded, but it never has
been rescinded.
In . January, 1922, a complaint
against Gates was filed i nthe justice
court at Oregon City alleging that on
January 4, 1922, he had fished for
salmon with a net north of the bridge.
Convicted in justice court he appealed'!
to the circuit court, which held that
the complaint was not good. Judge)
Campbell dismissed the case on
grounds that the order of the commis
sion was ineffective.
The state appealed, the appeal In
volving two questions set forth by the
defendant: First, that the fish com
mission was without authority to
make U nalid order affecting) the
Willamette river north of the sus
pension bridge, and, second, that even
though it be assumed that the com
mission had authority to make an or
der, its authority was limited so it
could do no more than prohibit the
catching of ''stocked salmon."
The opinion points out that in chap
ter 105, laws of 1921, a general code
relating to the fish commission, the
commission is given authority to
close any of the waters of the state
to commercial salmon fishing except
the Columbia river west of the mouth
of the 'Deschutes river. Further, the
legislature said it should be unlawful
to catch salmon for any purpose be
tween March 15 and May 1 and be
tween June 15 and November 1 of
each year.
Falls Are Line
This act, it appears, has established
the Willamette river line near the
falls at Oregon City. Later, however,
the same legislature passed an
amendatory act changing - the base
line in the Willamette to the sus
pension bridge and extending the first
closed season ten days and the second
closed season thirty days. Gates con
tended that the legislature had taken
from the commission all power over
the Willamette north of the suspen
sion bridge.
The supreme court, however, sets
forth the policy that has prevailed in
the state since the year 1901, where
by it has 'been held that the adminis
tering commission has authority to ex
tend a closed season that has been
established by a legislature, or to
close any waters that the legislature
may not have closed. It is held
therefore, that the commission had a
right to make the order fought by
Gates.
DEPARTMENTS FORMED.
BY COMMERCIAL CLUB
Completion of the assignment of
members to the new departments of
the Commercial club was announced
Monday; and during the coming two
weeks meetings of the individual
branches for purpose of organization
are to be held. Under the new sys
tem, every individual members serves
in one of the 11 departments. Kach
indicates his choice as to his field
of activity.
The retail trade extension depart
ment will be the largest, with 69 ac-
ive members. This body will meet
Wednesday night, May 3, at 7:30
o'clock to organize, and elect its offi
cers.
The personnel of the other depart
ments is: Agriculture, 35; conven
tions, 32; civic improvement, 38; ed
ucation, 9; good roads, 33; industries.
48, publicity, 25; transportation, 14 ;
wholesale trade extension, 10.
The plan is for each department to
elect a chairman, who becomes an
exfficio member of the board of
governors of the club, in aaaiuon
the departmental members elect an
executive committee of two who with
the chairman conduct the affairs of
the department. Deviating from par
liamentary rule, no quorum is requir
ed at department meetings. Any num
ber of the members of any depart
ment may can-duct- business at any
regularly called session of their di
vision.
The departmental memberships do
not include the block memberships of
the industrial plants - and larger cor
porations, though the individual mem
bers in the block, .serve on the depart
mental committees.
AfEST LINN LEGISLATES
AGAINST VAGRANT COWS
For the first time in the history of
West Linn, cattle will not run at
large after Sunday, May 7th, for at
the special election held at that place
on Monday, April 24, the vote stood
in favor of impounding cattle when
running at large after that date.
FARM BUREAU
OPPOSES CUT IN
EDUCATION TAX
Executive Committee Passes
Resolution Favoring Wide
Retrenchment If Possible
I n Agricultural College.
EXTENSION DIVISION
WORK IS SUPPORTED
Probable Action of
On Millage Law
I s Indicated, I s
County-
Repeal
Belief.
Any movement to interfere with the
appropriations for the higher educa
tional institutions or to curtail their
sphere of activities will not meet with
the support of the Clackamas county
farmers, the Farm Bureau indicated
through the action of their executive
committee. The governing board, at
its regular meeting passed a resolu
tion favoring retrenchment of expen
ditures on the part of the institutions
but opposing any attempt to reduce
the mdllage appropriations which
would impair their work.
The farm bureau especially decried
any attempt to discontinue the work
of the extension division of the Ore
gon Agricultural college. This pro
posal has been made in Eastern Ore
gon as the means of cutting down the
expenses of the college.
lne action of the executive com
mittee of the farm bureau is regarded
as indicative of the stand to be taken
locally for the reason that the mem
bership of the organization at present
comprises more than half of the
farmers in this distract and any leg
islative action is generally supported
by a large following.
Complete sympathy with the outside
work of the agricultural college was
expressed by the executive body. The
college at present has an extensive
program for promoting the use'' - of
scientific methods of farming. The
farmers, it is pointed out, are general
ly the ones who are the most radical
ly in favor of -curtailment of taxes.
However, following the action of the
farm bureau here, it is regarded as
doubtful if any attempt to cut the
millage appropriations, will carry in
this county.
PULP MILLS CLOSED AT
HAWLEY PAPER PLANT
Capacity In Production Hit;
Employment Condition Not
Materially Affected, Claim.
The pulp mills at the Hawley Pulp
and Paper company plant here were
closed down Saturday night, ending
pulp production until the high water
period at the latter part of the pres
ent year.
The closing of the pulp mills came
about a month earlier than usual this
spring. The reason for the shut
down is given by the company as the
fact that there is plenty of pulp on
hand to run the mills until the next
high water period. Production dur
ing the past few months had been
exceptionally ihigh and though the
water would possibly permit the use
of the pulp mills for another three
weeks at least, -the material is not
needed.
About 10o men are thrown out of
employment by the closing of this
part of the 'plant. The unemployment
resulting, however," is not serious, as
the majority of the workers there are
transients, many of them figuring on
the mills for winter work and then
going to the harvest fields during the
summer. The pulp mills are usually
expected to close down about the mid
dle of May or a trifle later and con
ditions will not be materially effect
ed by the earlier action. Y
Members Added to
Local Farm Bureau
Market Committee
Two additional members, to aid in
the growing activity of their depart
ment, have been added to the market
ing committee of the Farm Bureau
federation, of Clackamas county, Mrs.
A I. Hughes and N. H. Smith have
been named.
The marketing committee at pres
ent has plans under way for the for
mation of a potato organization to
handle the marketing of the local
crop. The potato project, including
the improvement of the yield, is one
of the fields to which the farm bureau
this year is giving special attention.
The working out of the marketing
problems In other' lines, including the
berry and small fruit industry, is in
the hands of "the committee. The
other members are O. R. Daugherty,
H. H. Chindgren and P. O. Day.
'RYAN FOR TREASURER'
CLUB INSTITUTED HERE
Candidate for Head of State
Finance Department Has
Large Local Endorsement.
A "Ryan for Treasurer" club is be
ing formed here among prominent cit
izens to foster the candidacy of Judge
Thos. F. Ryan for the state treasurer
ship. Ryan was formerly assistant
state treasurer, under- Kay, and has
the endorsement of a great many in
fluential men. He is president of the
Bank of Commerce, and has been ac
tive in local civic and commercial af
fairs for a great many years. Dur
ing his eight years as deputy treas
urer he' instituted many profitable
plans for the conduct of the office,
and the local committee is enthusias
tic over the support that is being ac
corded their man from all over the
state.
FIRE EQUIPMENT
TO BE USED ONLY
IN CITY ALARMS
Fire protection for Canemah, Glad
stone and the adjacent districts to
Oregon City, has been removed, as far
as the Oregon City fire department
is concerned. The "52" and "53" calls
have been taken from the alarm, and
the department has .been instructed
to answer no calls, outside of the city
limits except of the most urgent na
ture, and only then with special per
mission from the committee on fire
and water. The order has been issued
pursuant to action at the last meeting
of the eity council.
In order to cope properly with the
fire menace which exists in Oregon
City and provide a means of aiding
the surrounding district more equip
ment is necessary, according to Chief
William Priebe. . While the present
truck is functioning well and deliver
ing good service, the city, the chief
says, has not nearly the protection
that is necessary, and cannot have
until some means of providing auxil
iary equipment is furnished.
. . J v Protection Js Osrn'U ...'
Chief Priebe points out that any
call outside of the city limits would
require sending the big truck which
would leave the city without any pro
tection whatever.
The solution, Priebe says, would be
to purchase a light auxiliary truck,
equiped with chemical tanks and
hose. This could be used out of town
and would be doubly valuable for the
reason that the outlying districts have
no hydrants and the chemical could
be used. "Of course the main thing
is to give Oregon City protection,"
the chief said, "but it is mighty hard
to refuse to go a mile or so out when
someone Is burning up. In the fire
at Parkplace the other day, we re
fused to go at first, but it was either
that or to let a man lose all he had,
with no insurance to cover it, and no
hope of saving a thing.
Light Truck Said Need
"A light truck, operated occasional
ly outside the city with a fixed sys
tem of charges for the service would
not only solve this one problem, but
would help inside the city itself," he
said. "If two fires would break out
at once, we would be terribly handi
capped as it is now, but with two
trucks could handle such an emer
gency very easily. Another feature
would be that we would have added
chemical equipment, which is badly
needed for small fires, where at pres
ent the majority of the damage is
done by water."
Priebe points out that a small truck
would solve the question of adequate
protection for both the hill and the
down-town districts. Oregon City, he
says, is 'better protected than it ever
has been against fire, but the equip
ment is still incomplete. The neces
sary additions would not entail a very
great expenditure, it Is shown, and
the added protection would be mater
ially In advance of the increased cost.;
HEAVY TRAFFIC BANNED
ON ABERNETHY BRIDGE
Entry to Oregon: City from the
north, via the Abernethy bridge, has
been denied all trucks carrying loads
of over one ton. The unsafe condition
of the structure prompted the action,
taken by special order of the street
committee. Signs, directing heavy
traffic over the Green point route,
have been posted.
Large trucks coming from Portland
have been in the habit of using the
Green Point route for the reason that
their high tops have prevented them
from going under the Southern Paci
fic crossing at 14th and Center streets
All heavy traffic will be forced to
take the round-about routing.
Boy 19, Girl 17, Get
Marriage License
Don W. Thomas, 19r and Irene W.
Muff, 17, were granted a license to
marry Saturday. , Both being under !
age, the consent of their parents was
required before the certificate could
be issued. Both reside on Route 1,
Oregon City.
CHARGE IS FILLED
IN POLICE COURT
AGAINST OFFICER
ratrolman Caeorge Titus to
Answer Complaint Entered
By W. S. Bennett Alleging
' Night Gun Pulling Affair.
ACTION IS RESULT OF
ARREST FOR SEARCH
Law Guardian Said Influenced
By Former Record of Man
In Cases Involving Liquor.
A complaint charging Night Officer
George Titus with "pulling a gun" on
him without provocation, was filed
here Tuesday by W. S. Bennett, pro
prietor of a local barber shop.
The complaint technically charges
Titus with disturbing the peace and
cites that the officer "poked the gun
into the man's stomach."
The action is the result of an arrest
made at 1:30 o'clock Sunday night.
According to Bennett's story, he was
just leaving his Main street shop
when the officer suddenly confronted
him with the gun, and told him that
he wanted to search him. Bennett re
fused to allow it without a warrant.
He was taken to jail, where, he says,
he was searched, and then released.
Bennett had just returned from Mo
lalla, where he claims to have been
in company with some officers, who
were not connected with the city. He
bases his complaint upon the ground,
that having been arrested In several
liquor escapades before, the officer
just took the chance to molest him
because he happened to be out at an
unusual hour.
The case is to be tried in the re
corder's court: The .date has not been
fixed.
MASONIC ORDER HERE
FORMS SHIER CLUB
Organization Perfected and
Officers Chosen; 40 Local
Men Included as Members
The Oregon City Shrine Club was
officially organized Wednesday night
when a large number of local Masons
perfected a social organization.
The club, while it has . been in ex
istence for about a month, was not
officially formed until Wednesday's
meeting. About 40 shriners are mem
bers of the organization.
James Lovett was elected president
of the club and Harvey G. Stark
weather, vice-president. Other offi
cers are W. Brown, secretary, J. G.
Nash, treasurer and M. W. Hedden, E.
A. chapman, and E. T. Band, trustees.
Meetings are planned for the third
Thursday in each month.
3 KILLED. 28 ARRESTED'
IN FLOODED AREA CLASH
BEARDSTOWN, 111., April 29. -.jf
of the greatest flood in its
into the center of the sxe&tejr
ing affray it has ever experif
city of Beardstown and the f
Frederick, separated by t'
Illinois river, were joineJ
break today in an atte
justice for tne nmmeyr
last night of Sheri'
brook and Deputie
Frank Utter of Scl
Stories of. the sh
and the subsequent
eight Greek sect!'
with the killings,
from the C. B. &
ed into Beardstowu
faction.
KANSAS CITY,
Davis, 20, died froir
this morning, an hi
"The Castle," a roaii
city. Police were
ports of a fight at tl
were seeking the
girt.
$802.60 Lien
By CamrA,
Nine labor liens, tit
were filed here Friday
Klliott and the Hult Lucf
of Mulino. The liens ar
ployees of the camp ft
over a short period of ff
last activity.
RECORD FISH OF
IN STREAiRE
-nX . r.
Whether or notf,"s'r due to hia
name, the god of hefc followed Wil
liam H. Lucke, of Canby, Thursday.
Lucke is boasting what is believed
to have been the largest catch of this
season, a 58 pound salmon, landed
from the mouth of the Clackamas
river The catch was made Thurs
day afternoon.
This is thought to be one of the
biggest catches made in many years,
rivalling the 68 pound salmon caught
by Phillip Secor about 20 years ago.
The run this year has been notable
for big fish, and many catches are
over 30 and 40 pounds. But some of
the old timers say that it cannot com
pare with the run of even a few years
ago. '
Many Craft On River
An average of loO fishermen have
been on the river every day since the
opening of the season, and the craft
nearly double this number on Sun
days. Some contend that although
the catches have been strong in a few
cases, conditions have not been alto
gether favorable so far this year. Still
others voice the opinion that the fail
ure to restock the river with salmon
fry has been laregly responsible for
the depletion of the salmon.
Trout fishing this year has not been
exceptionally good so- far but the sea
son is still comparatively early. There
was a short spurt the few- days fol
lowing the opening of the season but
reports from over the county show
that it has dropped off considerably.
It is probable that this year will
see a large number of -brook trout
planted in the local streams. "Babe'
Elliott has forwarded an application
for 30,000 to Henry O'Malley, head of
the fisheries department in Washing
ton, asking for an assignment from
the U. S. Hatchery at Clackamas to
be placed in the local streams. There
are a quarter million of these frys at
the Clackamas fish hatchery, their
growth at present being about at the
one inch stage.
Hatchery Is Success
About 250,000 fry have been planted
in the streams during the past eight
years, and the hatchery has made
what fishermen consider an excellent
record in restocking the trout. They
decry however, the fact that practic
ally no salmon have been replaced in
the Willamet. ..
An applieafaen for 30,000 trout for
Milk Creek has already been placed
In addition to the application for the
brook trout. It is expected that this
will be granted as the similar applica
tions were allowed last year.
The organization of the Oregon City
Salmon club this year has stimulated
I in light tackle fishing, and the record
j in this class is still held toy Dewey
Kreuger with a 48 pound fish. -Some
larger catches have been made but
not with the restricted gear. '
LOCAL POPIL IS HEAD
OF SCHOOL PRESS BODY
Albert Grossenbacher, junior in the
Oregon City high school, was elected
president of the Clackamas District
High School Press Association at its
initial meeting Saturday afternoon in
the Commercial club rooms. The
new association will be a branch of
the state organization of high school
publications and comprises all high
schools in Clackamas county as char
ter members, and its purpose is to
scho
nu
f Vnojortii nrnrriPi .nit
kL DRAWN FOR
EQUALIZATION OF
TAXESJPPROVED
Measure Drafted by Local
Man Sponsored by Clubs
At Election In November;
Few Changes are Required.'
NEW BASIS IS FOUND
FOR ASSESSMENTS
Millage Levies Protested by
New Provision; Education
Impost Repeal Is Included.
The equalized assessment bill
drawn by Chris Schuebel of Oregon
City was considered Monday by the
executive committee of the Oregon
Tax reduction 1 clubs. Some minor
amendments were made but the prin
ciples were left without change.
The bill is to be placed on the bal
lot next November as an initiative
measure. - It provides for a 100 per
cent of value assessment of business
property and 5o per cent assessment
of farm land and home property. An
appraisal comma sion is to fix the val
uation once in every five years. 'Dur
ing the intervening years the tax
payers would be required to make af
fidavit as to what improvements had!
baen made or other action affecting
the valuation taken.
- Land Is Classified.
Under the present law lands are
classified as . either tillable or non-
tillable. Under the measure proposed
lands for taxation are to be placed in
four groups, farming lands; pasture
lands; timber lands; mineral lands
and all other lands.
Farming lands are to be divided in
to two classes, tillable and pasture.
These in turn are to be classified ac
cording to grade.
Combined with the bill is the re
peal of the 1.2 millage tax for the
higher educational institutions but it
is provided that the several millage
taxes, highways, market roads, sol
dier's add and elementary education
shall be levied only to the extent that
the proceeds therefrom do not exceed
the proceeds from the same sources
as based upon the assessed valuation
of 1921.
Other Measures Talked. -.
In addition to passing on the assess
ment bill the committee took action
on other measure a which are to be
submitted to the voters.
One of these will provide that the
legislature cannot refer to the people
any measure excepting one amending
the state constitution or providing for
bond issue.
In case of bond issues another
measure will require that a two-thirds
majority be obtained before becoming
law. .
It is also proposed to put restric
tions around tne use of the emergency
clause to legislative enactments, mak
ing it effective only when a real emer
gency exists.
Another change proposed is that the
registration be taken as a basis for
initiative petitions instead of the
vote on justice of the supreme court.