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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1910)
JJfic Hcvds (cads, M you voant tfie tieus,su6scri6e for tfie Hcvos. fjf you voant printing, ficroe us do it ....if AH. I ITFiE HOOD RIVER NEWS VOLUME 6, NUMBER 23 HOOD RIVER, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1910 SUBSCRIPTION, $1.50 A YEAR Citizens Protest Against Raise in Phone Rates Merchants Association Takes Up Matter and Discovers Other Oregon Cities Have Cheaper Rates. Want Better Service The raise Id telephone rates an nounced by the Home company June ' 1st, and which will become opera tive July 1st, U meeting with strong protest from Hood River business men and iiImo private users of phones. A raise In the rate had leen antici pated, hut It In stated by many nub scrlbers that It was not thought that It would lie as sweeping as an nounced. Mauy say they would not have objected to a 25 cent raise for the use of residence phones while others lielleve that the rates were sufficiently high to Insure profitable returns to the company If the system was properlp managed and operated. It Is shown that the rates which the company proposes to put Into effect are higher than most of the towns In the stute where systems are helug successfully operated and that while residents here are willing to support the company lu putting the telephone system ou a. paying basts, they object strongly to paying a rate that Is higher than uecessary to do so, The rates now la use were put Into effect when the company had 800 phones. Accordlug to Its statement It now has 1,2) with about 500 lines In use. It Is pointed out that while the number of phones has doubled there has been but little In crease In the number of lines and that therefore the company U getting the IienefU of large additional Income without a corresponding additional expense. The circular of the telephone com pany states that the raise Is neces sary to put the business on a dlvl dent paying basis and announces the following rates: Main line business phone $3.25 Tarty line busluess phone 2.25 Main line residence phone 2.25 Tarty Hue residence phone, city.. 1.50 Kxtenstou phone .... 1.00 Tarty line, rural 1.75 Extension bell 50 Desk phone In residence, extra 25 Extra listing In the directory, 25c a month. 25c a month discount for rural phones If paid quarterly on or before the 15th of life first month of the (juarter, Tosltlvely no discount after discount date. Trlvate line in thecountry by speci al arrangement, based on distance from exchange. Mt. Hood rates remain the same until the construction now under way Is completed. According to letters received from four towns lu Oregon the proposed rates are from 50 cents to $1.25 higher than those In effect In these cities. The letters were received lu response to requests for Information sent out by the Hood River Mer chants Association and arc as follows: Oregon City, Oregon. June 4. 11(10. Hood Klver Merchants Association, Hood Illver Oregon. (ientletnen: jn reply to your Utter of the 2nd nt., lu regard to our service, rates, etc., would say that the service we are giving here Is of the best that can be given on a common battery exchange. In our trouble department we had only seven cases In April and three cases In May, and everything run tilng fine at present. Complaints we seldom ever have. Our rates are as follows: lluslness private line, $2.50 per month. lluslness two party line, $2.00 per month. lluslness four party line, $1.50 er month. Kesldence private Hue, $1.75 per month. Kesldence two party line, $1.50 per month. Residence four party line, $1.25 per month. Yours very truly, T. II. Haviu hst, Manager. Albany, Oregon. June a, 1010. II oiid Hlver Merchants Association, lood Hlver, Oregon. Ienr Sirs: In reply to yours of no date to hand this morning we respectfully report as follows as to telephone rates In Albany. We have both tho Hell and Home systems. Kesldence phones, party lines, four party, f 1.00; two party, $1.25. Kesldence phones, private lines, $1.50. Business phones, $2.00. The Home company gives us free service to all points In the county while the Rell company charges lor all service outride the city. In other f-sjiccts the charges of both compan s are about the same. Itespect fully yors, V, p. GlLUKitT. The Dalles, Oregon, June 3, 1910. flood Klver Merchants Association, Hood Klver. Oregon. Dear Sirs: As per your request I send you the fol lowing phone rates as given me by the company here. Business Thones One party line, $2.50 a month; two party Hue, $2.00 a mouth. Residences One party line, $2.00 a mouth; two party llne,$1.50ainouth; four party line, $1.25 a month. Kxtenslons, $1.00 per month. Yours truly, J fini S. Fish, Secretary. Eugene, Oregon, June 4, 1110. Hood Klver Merchants Association, Hood Klver, Oregon. Gentlemen: 1 have your letter of Inquiry In regards to telephone rates. We are having fairly good service here. It is better than It has been heretofore. We pay on main lines 2.50 per month for busluess phones, and $1.50 for party lines, residents. Yours truly, C. F. LtTTl KKIKI.I). It Is claimed that with the Increase lu the business the local company should be In a position to furnish phones cheaper now than when the service was Installed and to give a better service. Many state that tbey would not object to paying some of the Increased rate If the service was satisfactory. It Is also stated that when the local company was being organlged It was loyally supported on the promise of cheaper rates and lietter service and that on this ac count the company was given an unlimited franchise in the matter of rates in the expectation that they would not be raised. The original amount of stock was $15,000. Ac cording to the company's statement to the Glacier the amount now In vested is $70,000. It Is argued there fore that while the company has not paid any cash dividends the earn ings of the plant must have gone In to Improvements and that subscrib ers should not be asked to take up a profit making burden by paying higher telephone rates than Is paid elsewhere. The Merchants Association has de cided to take action In regard to raising the telephone rates which will come before a meeting to be held next week. BRINGS SUIT " AGAINST COUNTY A suit against Hood Klver county has lieen brought by ('has. W. Went! assignee of the firm of Hughes & Wentz, who entered Into a contract with the county to copy the records of Wasco county pertaining to real property In Hood Klver county. Mr, Went! sues to recover $9t!0 alleged to be the balance due from the county for copying the records. Mr. Went! alleges that when the work of tran scribing the records commenced County Clerk Cultiertson explained to the county court that he could not certify to the records unless he or his deputy had compared them, and wanted the court to furnish a deputy to compare the records as they were transcribed so he could certify to them. This the court refused to do, and the copies were delivered ns fast as transcrllied to the county, who ordered warrants drawn In payment of the same, except abont 25 per cent of the copying price, which was retained to tdemnlfy the county against defective work. When all the records were transcribed and de livered to the county the clerk still refused to certify to them as true and correct copies unless he or his depu ties compared the same. The district attorney and attorney general were consulted and advised no certificate could be made until the records had lirst been compared by either the clerk or his deputies. The court then directed the clerk to employ deputies and compare the records, which, hp did. During the course of compar ison many errors were found In the work of the contractors and cor rected ns they went on comparing records. fter the records were compared they were certified to by the clerk and accepted by the county, (lu May lOlh Cl)ntj. . euti, assignee of the firm of Hughes & Went!, met with the county court nt the court house, and after going over the ac counts It was found there was f!M0.0 (Continued on I'm 10) XOater Company Again At the council meeting held Tues day, May 31. the Light & Tower Co, submitted Its option on the water plant, which It offered to the city for $40,000 accompanied by a letter from the Tortland Trust Company, the bond holders, offering to re lease the plant for that amount. The option and letter were re ferred to the fire and water com' mlttee. After some deliberation the committee handed In a report pre pared by City Attorney Derby as follows: To the Fire and Water Committee. Gentlemen: I have examined the option tend ered the city of Hood Klver by the Hood Klver Light and Tower Co. of the purchase of the water system eloiglng to said corporation by the City, and In response to your re quest for an opinion as to the form of the option, I beg to say that I would suggest that the following formalities be required: 1. That the option be prepared so as to read that the Light & Tower Co. will transfer this property, If voted ou favorably by the people, free and clear of all encumbrances whatsoever. This Is not expressed definitely, though probably Intended. 2. That proper assurance be re quired from the Light & Tower Co., that In case this proposition be submitted to the electors of the City of Hood Klver and favorably acted upon by the electors, the City could enforce the transfer and not be placed In an awkward position if the matter should miscarry In any way without the City's fault. , 3. I would suggest that the sec ond paragraph on the second page lie required to be In somewhat differ ent form. The wording of it as It now stands leaves more or less op tion with the Light & Tower Co. to cancel the option If the City Is not proceeding speedy enough to meet their views. I think ninety days Is ample time to act upon the proposi tion If the Council so desires, but do not think that the option should be open to be cancelled at the Instance of the venders. Further than these points enumer ated, find no objection to the form of the Instrument. Yours truly, A. J. Derby. A letter was also received from X. C. Evans, the minority stockholder In the old company, who has refused to accept the money offered him for his stock, claiming that the sale was not bona fide. The letter says: Hood Klver, Ore., May 27, 1910 To the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Hood Klver. Gentlemen: You will hereby take notice that I, N. C, Kvans, as a stockholder, owning and holding 133 shares of stock in the Hood Klver Electric Light, Tower & Water Co., do here Issembly Will 'Preserve Tarty Says Tbvin City Man Deploring the fact that Minneapo lis has nothing to compare with the Republican assembly, of Tortland. John Van Nest, president of the Min neapolis city council and a member of that body for eight years; A. W. Armatage, a prominent Minnesota business man, and James Gray, asso ciate editor of the Minneapolis Jour nal, talked Friday at the Tortland Commercial Club of the admirable position a city occupied by nomina ting oflicers on the assembly plan. Mr. Van Nest Is spokeu of generally as the future Republican mayor of Minneapolis, to succeed Mayor Haynes, the Democrat nt present In ofllce. "As things are," said Mr. Van Nest, "In the Republican primaries we h.tve hosts of candidates for every office. For the minor offices there may be dozens of candidates, Everyone who has a few friends seems to decide he will run for ofllce and there Is no way of weeding out In the public mind the hopelessly In efficient ones. "To do this I can see the assembly Is the most effectual way possible. Just as we have a Republican con vention for gtuto officers, we ought to have a Republican convention for city oflicers. Think of the Tark. nnd Health boards, for Instance, having to, he fought out in the primaries by scores of candidates, no one know ing what their qualifications are." Mr. Van Nest would not discuss Offers Vlant to City by protest against the purchase of the water plant of aforesaid corpor ation, from the pretended owners, the Hood Klver Light & Tower Co. The pretended transfer by the officers of the Hood Klver Electric Light, Tower & Water Co. to the Hood Klver Light and Tower Co. were preceeded by a long chain of abuses and frauds committed by the officers and directors of the Hood River Electric Light. Tower & Water Co., against my Interests as a stockholder In said company, and that they had no authority or right to transfer the property of the com pany, notice of which I served J. D. Wilcox, Wert Minor, and Robt. Smith April 0, 1910. I also notified them as officers of said Hood River Light & Tower Co. on May 12, 1910 not to attempt to transfer any part or all of the property attempted to be transferred to them by the officers of said Hood River Electric Light, Tower & Water Co.. You will there fore proceed In the purchase of said water plant at your peril as I claim that the Hood Klver Light & Tower Co. do not own and have no authority to sell the water plant to the City. Yours respectfully, N. C. Evans. June fl, 10 To cover the objections set forth above the Light & Tower Company has submitted to the city a copy of a letter addressed to the First Na tional Hank as follows: First National Hank, Hood River, Oregon. Gentlemen: The undersigned, the Hood River Light & Tower Co., hands you here with a warranty deed duly executed by the Hood River Light & Tower Co. for the purpose of conveying the water system from which is supplied the city of Hood River, which said pror-rty Is more particularly de scribed In said deed, and wherein the said city of Hood River U named as grantee. It Is respectively requested that you hold this deed In escrow and deliver the same to said grantee, Its officers or agents duly authorized, upon Us paying to your bank and to the credit of said undersigned, the sum of $40,000 cash, or In lieu of cash the duly executed 20-year five or six per cent bonds of the city of Hood River, provided that said sum of $40,000 or the bonds duly executed, as aforesaid, be delivered ou or be fore 10 days from date. Respectfully, Hood Right & Tower Co., By Albert S. Hall, Manager. It has also had prepared and sub mitted to the council an uncondi tional option on the plant for a period of 90 days from June fith, which agrees to deliver to the city all the property of the water com pany free of encumherauces and to take the responsibility of satisfying the lawful demands of any person or persons against the plant. his own uomlnatlou ns Mayor, but the other members of the party said that he was a strong candidate and a business man, something much needed In Minneapolis, with the Re publican majority In the city council offset by unbusinesslike tactics of the Demoratlc mayor, Mayor Haynes Is In favor of munic ipal ownership, nnd when the city council voted to renew the franchise of the local gas company when defi nite pledges were given as quality of service and rates, he declined either to sign or veto the franchise. The council had granted a, 5-jear fran chise with privilege of purchase In 20 years, and Mayor Haynes desired that the plant should be bought by the city. He Insisted, said Mr. Van Nest, on the Insertion of a purchase clause nt the end of five years, which, In view of Its concessions, the gas company declined to grant. Eventually, after long bickering, the council passed the franchise In the teeth of the mayor. To avoid such dissensions ns this, which had even caused the business men of the city to appoint rt eoiunilt tee to urge the Uia.vor to meet the demands ol the people. Mr. Van Vest said a Republican mayor was demanded. "The lVtlKHTAt was elected," he said, ,(Iy Democrats registering as Republicans nnd getting a very weak Republican elected at the primaries. Prof. Cord ley Allays Fears of Apple Growers Mass Meeting Called to Discuss Spraj Burn Listens to Expert Who Says Burn Injur Preferable to Diseased Fruit Alarmed by the number of apples that were apparently ruined by be ing sprayed with lime and sulphur during the hot weather of a week ago apple growers of the east side Invited Trof. Cordley of the O. A. C. experiment station, who has lieen an earnest advocate of this spray as a fungicide, to come to Hood River and make an Investigation. Mr. Cordley arrived here Friday and In compauy with E. H. Shepard made an extensive tour of the east side orchards. In many of them evidence was not lacking that apples that had been sprayed with the lime and sulphur solution previous to the hot days or on those days were badly burned. The Investigation also showed however that In every in stance the burning was on the side of the tree where the hot afternoon sun struck the fruit. In order to get as much Information as possible a mass meeting of growers was held Saturday afternoon at Tine Grove Grange hall. The meetluir was attended by 100 or more growers from the east side and several from other sections of the valley. A. 1. Mason was chairman and first called on the growers to tell how they had sprayed, what with, and when. A great deal of testimony was given most of which showed that the burned apples had been sprayed with lime and sulphur, either Just previous to or on the excessively hot days. One grower stated that the tempera ture In his orchard on the day after his trees were sprayed was 116 In the sun. The growers also bore out the findings of Mr. Cordley and Mr. Shepard to the effect that the apples were Injured on the side of the tree touched by the afternoon sun. A good many of the opinions were con flicting and a number had varying Ideas as to the cause of the damage. Also It was stated that some of the varieties of apples were much more affected than others, Baldwins, Spltaeubergs and Black Twigs being seriously burned while Newtowns, Ortleys and other varieties were harmed very little. Some had used the straight lime and sulphur spray, others In combination with arsenate of lead, a number of brands of the latter having been used. In one or two Instances growers reported that they had sprayed with lime and sul phur but found no fruit damaged. They had however noticed some damage to the foliage. Some of the growers thought the injury was due to the spray, others thought It due simply to the extraordinarily hot sun at this season of the year and a good many more evidently didn't know what to attribute It to. August Taaseh thought It was the lime. L. J. Goodenough who said he had had a great deal of experience with lime lu manufacturing paper said he didn't believe this was possi ble ns the lime became neutral after being slacked. Mr. Goodenough said that In his oplulon If the burning was doue by the spray It must con tain au acid and possibly was caused by the arsenate of lead used, depend ing on whether the lead was an acid or neutral. He asked If the lead used by growers here this year had been analyzed. This question brought out the fact that It had not and Trof. Cordley stated that It would be analysed ns soon ns he returned to the experiment station. The discussions brought out a numlH-r of Interesting and valuable points among them that the proper way to slack lime was by steam or hot water nnd also the admission by Mr. Mason who has beeu experiment ing with lye as a fungicide that the latter Is a failure. M. M, Hill and Geo. Sargent gave some Interesting Information by stating that there were no burned apples lu their orchards and no scab. It developed that Mr. Hill had used bordeaux Instead of lluiennd sulphur as a fungicide and had sprayed his Of course, when the general flection came the weak Republican was over whelmed. With our voting machine and other 'advanced' methods, there Is no means to check the dishonest lK'inocrnts who vote one way at the primaries and another at the gen eral elei'tlou." trees thoroughly with this mixture last fall and also this spring. Mr. Sargent's treatment was similar and both orchardlsts had manufactured the spray themselves. The bordeaux was applied In light strength. Mr. Mason said that Mr. Hill bad the cleanest orchard In the valley. At the end of the discussions Mr. Cordly was given a bearing and said that he had come to Hood River be lieving that It would be necessary to conjront the meeting with a pair of guns, but was glad to discover that this was not necessary. In regard to the Injury to the fruit he said that he had no hesitation In saying that It was caused by the spray In con Junction with the hot weather, but that as far as he could discover It was the only case of Injury from lime and sulphur on record In the United States. Before coming here he had communicated with a num ber of places In the Willamette valley where the spray was being used and bad examined the orchard at the ex periment station. None of these In vestigations showed any Injury. The fact that the spray had Injured the fruit he said was very disquieting to hi m as his principal reason for advocating it was to provide a fun gicide that would not be Injurious as was so often the case with bor deaux which although a standard remedy for a long time If applied during wet or damp weather invar iably caused damage, sometimes running as high as 50 per cent. He stated that the elimination of apple scab as well as other tree diseases through the use of chemicals always contained an element of danger. It was necessary to use something powerful In order to have It efficient and It was simply a case of whether It was not better to lose a small per centage of fruit now and then by the use of spray than to allow a big per centage of It to be ruined by pests that would flourish If the trees were not sprayed. From his examination of the orchards he thought the amount of damage done was com paratively slight and not nearly as great as would have resulted If the trees had not been sprayed. It was also suggested by Mr. Cordley that the advanced growth of the fruit this year might have rendered the apples more susceptible to burn than they would ordinarily be at this season of the year. He promised that the case would lie thoroughly Investigated and au effort made to determine just how much the spray had assisted In caustug the damage. Another matter that was brought up was that of obtaining an expert to reside permanently In theeastslde district and also If possible to secure a sub-experiment statlou here to work In conjunction with the one at Corvallls. Mr. Cordley said that the funds alloted the agricultural college by the government for this purpose were exhausted and that It would not be possible to secure any assist ance from the legislature until 1911. The ouly way to procure Immediate results was to secure funds through private subscription. To secure a competent man would cost $1,500 to $2,000 per year. The best plan to select a man he thought would 1h to have a committee appointed consist ing of one of the growers here, a memlier of the college faculty and one of the experts connected with the experiment station. As it was necessary for Mr. Cord ley to catch a train he left the meet ing nt this juncture, being conveyed to town by W. F. Laraway in his automobile. A committee to Investigate the matter of securing an expert was ap pointed consisting of T. S. Davidson, (i. R. Castner, Geo. Sargent, Frank Cutler, XI. M. Hill, E. II. Shepard. Rae Rabson, Dr. Stanton Allen and A. W. Teters. Monday night the committee met In the I'ulverslty Club rooms nnd organized the Hood Klver Apple Growers' Fellowship for this purpose. A sub-committee was ap pointed to draft bylaws and another meeting will ! held Saturday to perfect the organization. It Is then expected to adopt a plan of scurlDg funds which It Is probable will lie on a basis of assessment according to acreage.