The Corvallis times., December 13, 1902, Image 2

Corvallis Times.
' BY B. F. IRVINE.
Official Paper of Benton County,
CORVAIXIS, OREGON DEC. 13, 1003.
; THE DEVIL'S OWN
The coal miner in the Anthracite
districts 6f Pennsylvania worked
lor the Markie company until, as
the result of various accidents and
the exposure incident to mining,
lie was no longer able to earn his
living. His skull had been fractured
his ribs, crushed, and one eyeand
lr wpre . pone. - - With his
WUV ' ' o
blind mother-in-law- and his sick
-"wife he was ejected from the com
pany's house that he had so long oc
The party walked seven miles and
Camped in a damp building, and as
a result of the exposure the wife
died. This is the story told under
oath by one of the actors in the
grim tragedy before the strike com
mission this week.
But even this tale of heartlessness
and rapacity by a rich coal baron
is not the worst brought out in the
testimony. Two women testified
that . Markles henchmen deducted
house rent from the last wages of
their husbands who were killed in
the mines, and how officers of the
company attempted to get them to
sign a paper which would absolve
the Markles from damage for the
death of the men. The women
also confirmed the story told by a
breaker boy that the children had
to work without pay until the debt
contracted by the dead father was
paid off.
- One man .testified that the comp
any charged him 35 cents a gallon
lor. oilthat sells in Hazelton, a few
miles away at 18 cents, and 32
cents a quire for blasting paper that
can be had for 15 cents, and other
- necessaries in proportion.
The coldblooded cruelty and in
human rapacity manifest in the
yabove incidents cause one to wonder
what crimes may not be committed
in the mines in the name of industry.
Out in the west the cattle and sheep
in the farmer's fields and even the
dogs and cats about the house" are
- given shelter and abundant food.
s But apparently ," at least in the case
of the Markles, and heaven only
- knows how many others, human
life and human comfort so far as
the miners families are concerned
are mere trifles, and human suffer
ing a thing to be dispised. If, as
some hold, the arrangements for
. the hereafter do not include a well
appointed hell and a terrible Satan,
then indeed there ought to be, for
. nowhere else will the Markles get
an adequate squaring of accounts,
and the devil get his due.
' . INGRAM'S ERRAND.
It is doubtful if Ingram has
claims on the stale legislature for an
appropriation. It is not very likely
that the legislative aesembly will
aid him. It is true that his efforts
to wrest the Winchester from the
escaping Merrill is an act that the
etate should recognize and reward.
"The common wealth might have
future prison escapes, and its treat
ment of Ingram's act should be
such as to induce other convicts in
future emergencies to emulate it.
It is true that the encounter with
Merrill cost Ingram a leg. But it
also gave him liberty, and liberty
with one leg is better any time than
life imprisonment in a penitentiary
with two. On this eeore, Ingram
is ahead in the account, and it is
nrnhable that . legislators will so
regard it. In fact, back of it all is j
that ugly-memory of a fratricide,
which neither the noblest deed nor
the lapse of time can quite wipe
out, "even in the presence of crutch
es and a lost leg.
Situation Wanted
By girl to do house work,
quire at the Times office.
Ea-
Found
Chlld's locket.
Times office. -
Has Initials. Is at
For Sale.
Milk cow also several stock cows for
sale. One goodjjlow horse to let to good
party for feed.
. Orgsn & Carriage Factory,
MERRILL SHOT HIH
Iugram, Victim of the Famous Prison
Escape in Corvallis His Errand.
',. i : : -'
Marked for life by David Merrill,
the noted Oregon convict,- and
making his way about on a pair of
crutches, F. S. Ingram, the convict
who lost a leg in the famous escape j
of Tracy and Merrill from rfc
- . . vr
gon penitentiary on the ninth of
last June, has been j in Corvallis,
soliciting signers fo a petition ask
ingthe state legislature to make . a
small appropriation to enable him
to earn a livelihood. He has re
ceived much encouragement in his
errand. He has only been in Eu
gene and Albany with his petition
when he reached Corvallis, and had
already secured 350 signatures.
Nearly all of those whom the ex
convict approaches read his peti
tion, make a quick survey of the
face and form before them, see the
two crutches on which he leans,
and then reach for pencil and affix
their names to the paper, A kind
ly thank you in a pleasant voice
from the one living example oi
Merrill's vicious character, and an
other interested glance by the sign
er at the maimed man, and the
interview closes. But few persons
Ingram says, have refused to sign
his petition. About ten in Albany,
and an equal number in Eugene,
read the petition, asked a question
or two, and then with a remark that
they did not believe in petitions or
something of that sort, handed the
paper back, unsigned. Of a" dozen
or more who had signed when In
gram was met by a Times man in
Corvallis, only one had declined to
sign. "Is it necessary to petition
the legislature for this?" he asked
of Ingram. "My friends say it is
better to do so." the latter rr1ief1.
f "and I am acting on their advice."
,The petition is as follows: "The
undersigned petitioners, citizens of
the state of Oregon, would most
respectfully represent that Mr. F.
S. Ingram, who was serving a term
in the penitentiary of said state at
the time of the escape of Tracy and
Merrill, and who in a deadly
struggle and encounter ; with said
desperadoes at the time of their es
cape, was shot by one of said con
victs, from the effects of which one
of his legs had to be amputated in
order to save his life, thus leaving
him a cripple for the remainder of
his days. He is without any
means of support. We '. would
therefore pray your honorable body
to made a suitable . appropriation
in his behalf, to enable him to en
gage in some business by which he
can make'a living 7 for-. himself"
Among the signatures on the paper
are the names. of ex-senators, ex
representatives, bankers, lawyers,
physicians, merchants, mechanics
and men in all walks of life. Ex-
Senator Dawson of Xinn, ex-Sena
tor Walton of Eugene, and ex-Re
presemative Mcuiung ot the same
place are signers.
After a day in Corvallis, Ingram
left yesterday for Salem, where he
is to continue , his canvass. He
hopes for a small appropriation
trom the legislature to. enable him
to invest in some business for which
he is fitted. He bases his claim on
the part he took in the escape. -It
was his act in " grabbing for. Mer
nil's famous Winchester that cost
Ingram his leg. The place was in
a panic, and on all sides there was
the crack of Winchesters and con
victs fleeing like rats for places of
salety. - lracy, at the moment
stood in the door of one of the
shops, shooting at guards on the
prison walls. : The skull of . one of
the latter had been creased by a
bullet and he had fallen to the
ground from the 18-foot wall. An
other guard, frightened beyond
reason, had deserted his post on
the wall where , a four foot breast
work of brick afforded him perfect
shelter had he cnosen to remain
there, and had jumped to the
ground on the outer . side, where
he had hidden himself behind a
brace. He was Tiffany whom, la
ter, the two escaping convicts des
patched, after marching , him at
the point of their Winchesters to
the race, -
It was in the east end of the
shop, called the finishing room that
Ingram stood when the firing be
gan. He was at the moment put
ting on his apron. Panic seized
all the convicts , and they began
running here and there .- in the ef
fort -"to escape. Some dashed
through windows without ever
stopping to lilt the sash, but dived
through . panes and sash .without
regard to consequences, in their
mad haste to get away. Ingram
followed the others, slightly in the
rear. As he entered the paint
room, Merrill appeared, gun in
hand. . 'Take out that ladder and
plant it against the wall, " Merrill
shouted to aconvict. "I won'tdoit,"
was the answer, and Merrill raised
his gun. The convict , stumbled
and fell backward, just as. the gun
was discharged, and the ball failed
of its errand. With a leap Ingram
grabbed for the breech oi - Merrill's
Winchester, and at the instant the
desperado turned. The breech
was missed, and instead the gleam
ing barrel was quickly presented.
Ingram seized it, and it ,waS dis
charged iust as the muzzle was
forced downward by Ingram. The
ball took effect in the left knee.
sh attering the, bone completely.
.-ain a few hours, the limb was
rapntated three inches above the
wound. The test of the sfory, in
cluding Merrill's seizing of the lad
der, Jand carrying it himself through
a wiadow and out Jo the wall, the
daring escape of the two despera
does, their spectacular flight with
the subsequent tragic death of both,
is well remembered by all. -.
Ingram "was shot at seven o'clock
in the morning of June 9th , Ten
days afterward, or on the 19th of
June, he was pardoned by the gov
ernor,- for the part taken in the en
counter with Merrill.
; Ingram was a life prisoner. He
was sentenced from L,inn county
for the murder of his brother. The
daim is made that there were mi
tigating details in the homicide, a
fact apparent by reason of the cir
cumstance that he was not hanged.
He served 10 years, four months
and ten days. He will be 43 -years
of age on his birthday. . He says
that in prison, Tracy and -Merrill
were not known as desperate men,
but that on the contrary, they
were always civil and well behaved,
due.doubtless to their maturing
plans for an escape.
; . r ... . . .' .
MEASURED BY METRE -
All Water the Countv Uses at. Court
House Portland Rates in Vogue.
A new water, metre does duty at
the court house now, and keeps a
constant eye on the amount of wat
er the officials use. Incidentally,
too, it keeps a . focus on Brother
Groves and-his water bills.
v The machine was installed " De
cember 1 St.: It registers every
drop of water , that passes out of
the pipe. Even a leak it keeps
cases on, and one that was wasting
water in the jail was reported, by
the metre to Janitor Lane, who
with much trouble and . time dis
covered the drip and stopped it.
The metre marks in gallons and
plain figures the amount of water
consumed, and so plainly that even
the Corvallis school board . can
read it correctly. The prices are
the Portland rates, or 30 cents per
thousand gallons for the first 25,-
000 and 25 cents -from that up to
5o,ood The watery is used for
the steam heat in the building, and
for the ablutions and to quench the
thirst of the officials. It looks
now as if the metre would effect
large saving in the water account.
COMING .NEXT WEEK
Pickings From Puck It -will hi at the
Opera House Thursday Evening
"Pickings From Puck" ; which
will open here uec 10 provides an
entertainment for everybody and all
tastes are gratified. Thcsuccess of
the play lies in the fact that so
many new and interesting novelties
are introduced. Popular songs are
sung and the chorus chimes in well
and with snappy dancing makes it
go, introducing some quick changes
of costume. Mr Willard Simms who
is the chief tun-maker has no better
on the American stage. He is as
sisted by Miss Katherine Linyard,
who sings sweetly and knows how
to wear elaborate costumes in a
more distinguished manner ' than
the average actress.
, WANTS VALUATION RAISED
In Benton County Assessment Cor
vallis Business man Does-His View"
A Corvallis business mad talked
horse feenee yeterdav. He-eaid:
"There ought to be a horizontal
raise in the assessment of B.nton
county. State taxes are no - longer
figueed on a basis of county valua
tion?, and a raise would make no
difference in the amount of taxes
on that score. But it would make a
mighty difference otherwise. New
comers are arriving. Uneof the first
questions they ask is, what is your
tax levy, lell them it la 1 2 mills
for county purposes and they near
ly fall dead. Tell them it is six
mills, and they smile sweetly, and
begin to look for land to buy. They
find it, buy it and settle among ns.'
: Again one Of these new comers
is asked $2,000 for a piece - of land.
He goes to the court house and
fiods that it is only assessed at may
be $800. He begins at once to get
scared. He thinks he is asked too
much for the land. He - fignres it
out tbat he is being jobbed, and
perhaps hurries out of the country.
Now a raise in the valuation would
be equitable to all, if made hori
zontally that is proportionately.
It would lower the tax levy, and
each taxpayers would have to pay
1 '
before. It ought by all meanB to
be done."
SUGAR JUMPED AGAIN
ii was five uouars per sacfc, and is
Now FiveSixty Further Rise Expected
.The expected advance in the
price of sugar mentioned a couple
of weeks ago- fn the Times, has
come After a jump from $5 to
$5 40 per sack the latter part of
ifid
last week, sugar went up inthe local
market Tuesday to $5.60, at which
figure it now stands.. It is, how-
eve believed by local dealers that
it will make a suuriirther advance
and they watch the telegraph and
market reports with much interest
How much higher sugar, may go
dealers do not pretend to say, but
that it will again advance, all seem
to believe. A reason for the rise is
thus set forth in one of the market
reports received by a local dealer:
7iugar moved up 20 . cents per
loo yesterday, an advance .of 60
cents in the past week and 80 cents
in the past fortnight. The advance
which was expected covers all
grades, both cane and beet. One J
reason for the strength of the sugar
market is said to be the short crop
of beet sugar in Europe, which in
Germany alone - is estimated to
amount to 1 ,200,000 tons. This
shortage has caused a material
advance of raw sugar all over the
world, particularly in Germany.
which seems to be the present con-
trolling factor in establishing the
values of sugar. The raw sugar is
today higher in Hamburg and
London than in the United States.
America is still compelled to draw
a good portion of her supply from
Jiurope. ; J.ne remers have to pay
this advance, and in order to get
out even, they necessarily have to
advance the price of therefined
article. The prices that have been
ruling up to about 60 days ago for
the raw article have been the low
est ever existing, and far below
the cost, of production."
Salt, concerning which there has
been much speculation among
local dealers, continues to be an un
known and unguessable quantity
with respect to future prices. A
big combination is trying to corner
the independent salt concerns of
California. '.So far the deal has
not been consummated. If nego
tiations fail, a local dealer predicts
that prices will decline; if it sue
ceeds, that prices will advance,
Tee condition leaves the question
of Future prices, badly mixed.
IN TIMBER CAMt
Bunk Houses. Office. Dining Room and
Other Improvements Made.
With the advent of the new tim
ber camp, which for the next three
years, or as long as the timber is
available, is to get out piling for
distant railroads, Blodgett is
transformed town. A correspond.
ent says, the contractor is H C
Mahon, a younger brother of Sam
uel Mahon of Eugene. He has
built two bunk houses, each 30
feet square, with three tiers of
bunks to the house. He has also
established a store and office.
blacksmith shop and a feed. '
The grain warehouse at the sta
tion has been divided off, and num
erous windows put in, and is used
as a kitchen and dming room,
meals 20 cents each. The rail'
road company has put in an extra
side track on which are several
box cars for use of men with their
families who are working in the
camp. - There has also been a long
sidetrack built in Mr Wamsley's
field to the west of the camp for a
general loading place and where
the cars of piling will start from on
their journey East. -"'
The piles are to be from 12 to 18
inches in diameter at the butt, and
not less than 35 feet long. Mr
Mahon will have a telephone in
his office as well as , the telegraph.
There will be an engine and flat
cars in constant use taking the
men and teams back and forth to
their work and to collect the piles
into the loading yard.
, ; Notice to Creditors
Notice id hereby (riven to all persona that the
undersigned has been duly appointed admin
istrator with the win; annexed et th estate, ot
Jane Elizabeth Fisher, deceased, bythe County
Court of the State ot Oregon, for Benton County
All persons having claims against saia estate,
of said Jane Elizabeth Fisher deceased, are
hereby required to present the same with the
proper vouchers duly verified, as by law re
quired within six mouths of the date hereof to
the undersigned at his law office In Corvallis
Benton county, Oregon. .
Dated this Nov 8, 1902. , r
Administrator with the will annexed of the
estate ot Jane Elizabeth Fisher, deceased,
Notice to Creditors.
Notice is hereby given that the under-
eigned has been duly appointed ad
ministrator of the estate of Lina Nue-
gass, deceased , by the County Court of
tne state or Oregon, tor Uenton county
and that Leters Testamentary theiia
have been issued to him.- All persons
having claims against said estate are no
tified to present the same verified as by
law iequired to me at the office' of W S
McFadden, ist Nat'l Bank Building in
City of Corvallis said County within six
months from this dateV -
; M. Jacobs, v
A rIniirtrof Af rvf irtA Aofat r4 Tina
Neugass, deceased.
Christmas
Suestiqns.
y
We take the liberty of suggesting any of the following as aa
: appropriate
FOR LADIES, V
Fine Cloak or Jacket,
Fine Dress Pattern, .... r
Fine Fur Boa'or Collarette,
Walking or Dress Skirt,
Fine Black Petticoat, J
A Royal Worcester Corset,
Silk or Wool Shirt Waist,
Fine Silk House Jacket,
Silk Umbrella,
Rug or Art Square,
-Fine Shoes or Slippers,
Fine White Blankets,
A Marseilles Quilt, ; ; '
A Silk Waist Pattern,
A Good Fascinator.
For Boys, Girls and Children
Premium Dishes to redeem all
Headquarters for
Holiday Goods,
Our patrons will find our se
lections unusually v large
, and attractive,
. Good Suits for the Boys, $1.50 up.
Other Holiday Goods.
Neckwear, Collars and Cuffs , Shoes,
Suspenders, ' Dress Suit Cases, Hats,
Gloves, Handkerchiefs, .: Shirts;
SPECIAL,
Teh Percent Reduction
Owing to the latearrival of part of our men's suits,
for the rest of the month we place them at 10 per
cent reduction. .
Sole agents for the Ralston Health Shoes for
Men, the best Winter shoe made, $4.00.
L. 1ESLX.
IBAI
H odes'
Qrocery,
Wood for Sale j-
I have 500 acres of timber land to clear.
Will sell wood in stump or give wood for
clearing ground, have fir, oak cedar and
asn. . 5 miles west ot uorvams.
PA Kline.
Xmas Gift. . . ; - i
FOR MEN,
A Business or Dress Suit,
Overcoat or Cravenette,
'Hawes" $3.00 Hat, ;
Douglas or Walk-Over Shoes
A Dress Suit Case, j ;
House or Smoking Jacket,
Fine Slippers or Suspenders,.
Warm or Dress Gloves,
Silk or Iinen Handkerchiefs
A Fine Muffler,
Silk Umbrella, i
Monarch Whie Shirt, ; 1
A Fine Dress Scarf
Suit Good Underwear, . .
Good Sweater. f
we have lots of good things'
outstanding Coupons.
Our Men's Suits and Over
coats cannot be equaled at
the prices quoted.
Glassware.
Toilet Sets,
Albums, Etc
on Men's Suits.
G
Abstract of Title Conveyancing
Soscpb E.aJiison
Attorney-At-Law
Practice in all the courts. " Notary Public,
Office in Burnett Brick. .
IPOWMf