THE ilOENING OREGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1900. FAVORS A WOOLEN MILL THE MA2TUF.ACTURERS ASSOCIATION T.VAXTS ONE IX PORTIiAXD. Committee Reports That It Is a Pay- ins; Proposition, and "Will Issue a Prospectus. A -full meeting of the board of directors of the Manufacturers Association was held last evening, President M. Zan In the chair. The committee appointed to1 investigate the matter of establishing j woolen mill In Portland made the following report: Portland, Or., Jan. 2. To the Manufacturer Association, Portland, Or. Gentlemen: "We, jour committee appointed to Investigate the matter or a. -woolen mill for the city of Port land, beg leave to submit the following report: From, all sources of Information -we are led to bellee that such an enterprise will be a good-pajlng- Investment as conditions prevail at the present time and likely to continue in the future. Prom all reports received 2rom woolen mills In Oregon, we learn that they have refused or ders to the amount of eeeral hundred thou sand dollars the last two or three months, all mills having orders to their full capacity for the next six months. Tour committee think the time has now ar rived for some action to be taken in this mat ter, and an effort made to secure the necessary capital to build, equip and operate a three-set mill In our city. We respectfully submit the following plan: This organization, through a committee ap pointed from the association, and other Inter ested parties not members, organize themselves Into a company with a capital stock of $100,000 1000 shares at the par lalue of $100 each, pay able not less than 10 per cent per month until fully paid up. - As a protection to the minority stockhold ers, we suggest that the amount of stock held by any one indiUdual is not to exceed 50 shares, and that all stock for sale must be first offered and refused by the company before hclng sold to any outside parties. We suggest that all moneys collected shall be deposited In some bank until such time as the stockholders shall elect directors and officers. All of which is respectfully submitted. H. METZGER. E. H. KIT-HAM. r " t Tne report was acceptea, ana a iuu ais- cussion followed. The directors seemett. 4 to realize that this was the real thine now, and the time had arrived 'for the association to do something. T' - President Zan said that the association could give moral support, and its members mhrht take all the stock they could. The question was as to the best methods of launching the proposition. The general idea was to make It a popular measure, and Mr. Coopey knew of many men who would become small stockholders. They could be given ample protection and be retained as sharers in a paying proposi tion. The only question was as to how best to go about building a woolen milt in Portland. Finally, on motion of Mr. Killam, it was voted that the same committee or, three, which had made the report, be au thorized to Issue a prospectus in regard to the mill project and push the matter along. In regard to the permanent exhibit of the state's manufactured products In con nection with the mineral, agricultural and horticultural exhibit, the directors strongly favored the project, and Secretary Mc Isaacs told of the progress already made. Messrs. Holmes, McMonles and McMas ters were appointed a committee to rep resent the Manufacturers' Association in pushing She good thTnTTSieaEr The association is in crorrespondence with Professor Trlpler, of New York, witb a view of having him come to Port land and give a demonstration of his liquid air. He asks ?1200 net for one lec ture.1 " President Zan thought that if the pr&e&g3rnRnew hbw"muc"H liquid Portland wasrjhftMiPfe'tejitfcy qwnnsjbj-rfrigre now, he would not charge so much. The associa tion will never agree to pay him any such price, but may go in with him on a profit- sharing lecture. TRUTH ABOUT .SANTA CLAUS One "Who Disapproves Governor Geer's Idea in the Matter. MARSHFIELD, Dec 26. (To the Edi tor.) In The Oregonian of December 24 Governor Geer has an article on the belief in a Santa Claus by children, in which he says: 'It is just and justifiable, and there should be statutory penalty Imposed on ever,y jersqn wjip presumes to disabuse the, mind of any child of its beauties at any period before the age of 10 years has been reached." While a little Innocent misrepresenta tion may seem all well enough, there Is still another side to the matter, and one offjgreater and .of mpre far-reaching im pprance4b.an,i at first, might be seen. It iss.tated that.vwhatsoever a man soweth that jshall-hejlso reap' and if he sows thehseedsof -deception lit -the young and confiding .mind of a child, and in after years he harvests a crop of deceit himself it might not be more than logical to trace it back to his own planting. I am curious to know what reply the governor would have given to the little 5-year-old boy who is in our house when he asked in all sincerity, "Isn't Santa Claus just a man when his rags is off? He sounded like John when he talked." It seems,to.;me that in a case of that kind the sort of answer we give will in the future be returned to us. If we lie, flat footed, and then in time get it back, of course, we would have to lay it to innate total depravity. It would be the easiest way for us to get out of it. Had there been a law imposing a penal ty for disabusing the mind of the child, there would have been no other way than to .have lied to him, because, had we be gun to equivocate, the boy would have seen that he was on the right track, and no doubt would soon have paid us back in equivocation. JVhen .h$ tender mind of childhood goes to Jts parents to learn of things that are puzzling its brain, and goes away after havlng received an answer, confident that j It knows the truth, and then later on learns that It has been grossly deceived, it has a disgust and lack of confidence to Uil Its breast that is poorly compensated for by any pleasure the deception might have temporarily produced. It -would seem that the Santa Claus deception might be Innocent enough, but, stripped bf all covering, it Is simply a falsity, and a falsity that is planted In very fertile soil, the Innocent mind of childhood, and that it should bring forth in after years would be but in conformity with the law. "that each should bear after its own kind." That we see fruit of that kind, no one will dispute; even politics Sis"-moti free ifrom it, and relig ion has been accused? of. having it found In Its make-up that Is, the other fel lows religion. Hopestly now, (governor don't you think it would be pressing matters a little too far not to allow a parent to tell the truth to bis chUdjtmtil after it Is 10 years old? It oertaln7ywduii3.$ea.Avery stupid child that, would Tiot A',cafcch n"i-Itself before that aire."" and from -mv vjrnrinrv th. can ,learn-o .deitfe. list enough without having thatrkind iofra. standing lesson before them all the 'time. After the 10. years, and they had been told the truth, tney would nave to lie to the smaller ones all the time to keep them from find ing out. My Idea of the matter is "that honesty Is the best policy," even though Santa Glaus -should be unmasked. I am not saying anything against Christmas f estlvl tesr .and, Jj" like to takq a part in them aaa wjeafeenerosjty manifest one day in the-year' is better than no generosity at all,' and the presents given make the heart of a child glad in most Instances; though I have seen where envy and jeal- ousy have rankled so as to neutralize quite an amount of heart and Joy on the other side. I, like thgrgpvernor,y"wiHr-not,oj) to discuss whether SChrIs w-aspm 3h te 251H dayof December rnol, -"but. yill'-lej theologians settfe tba matter, "-if "'they can; but the winter solstice has been a time for festiviry,and.:reJolcIng, for thous ands of years before the time of Christ, so-history shows, as upon that time the sun turns back and moves northward In Its rising and setting, which gives prom ise of another spring and summer. Should such a Jaw as the governor speaks of be placed upon the statutes. It is my" opinion that he would And It very difficult to enforce; and in the common mind it would create a disgust for law, and make many feel that It was trenching upon personal freedom to such an extent that It would be set at defiance, as they could argue that any law whose purpose was but to protect and cherish a falsity could be of no real good when all its en vironments were considered. Of course, I wish the governor a happy new -year, but under no ancient fable of sacred ness. - THOMAS BUCKMAN. DECEMBER .WEATHER. Month. Just Post a Trifle Cooler Than tne Averace. , sis. -Km 5. fZpo - ft t DATE ,' ?3J?e!K; 1 ,v ! 1.. 2.. . V &"1 P cldy Pt cldy Clear Cloudy Cloudy ,-3 ;.; ;4..; ,5.-. ..Tj -6..5..f..... 9.:....:.... 10 Cloudy Clouay Cloudy Cloudy ciotroy 11 12 13.. 14 15 1G 17.. 18 Cloudy Pt cldy Pt cldy Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Pt cldy Pt cldy Cloudy 19 20... 21; vtr' Pt cldy 22-,i., Pt 6idy, -u....ifr..r..t gloujfo y!r.?'iil": JSg'v""1 K97 ""'"" uiouoy.t Pt cldy-J Cloudy- Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy l, i.;. Means ... Indicates trace of precipitation. Summary. Mean atmospheric pressure, 30.10; high est pressure, 30.52, on the 22d; lowest, 29.44, on the 15th. Mean temperature, 43 deg.; highest, 58, .on the 23d; lowest;, 30, on. the 28th; great- daily 'range, 5 deg., on the 6th, 9th" and 16th. The following table shows the mean temperature for the month of December in the years given: O Temperature. 0S0 -? f is fg: l& ev j: ?t-fifs" ;hr - 1 "49T- 33 41 ..:. 44 39 42 .03 45 39 44 .24 49-e-40 44, .04- 54 43 48" ;09 47' 41 44 .24 45 40 42 .03 49 40 44 .82 47 40 44 .54 48 39 44 .40 46 38 42 .... 41' 33 37 .02 45 36 40 .31 39 34 36 .14 46 37 42 .04 47 35 41 .... 40 32 ,36 .... 46 , 36 -41 .36, .5S 'MS 2 k .10. i7 vm, fgiV gS- 49';:?;. '48 W 44". i .01. 43 34 38 ' .... 44 30 37 .... 42 36 39 ..20 51 36 , v44 ' .36 46 38 42 .05 47.7 38.5 43.1 5.91 1872 42 1879 39 1886 46 1893 44 1873 36 1SS0 40 18S7.....42 1894 40 1874 43 1881 44 1888 44 1895 41 1875 48 1S2 46 1S89 39 1896 44 1876 40 1883 43 1890 43 1897 43 1S77 42 1884 32 1891 42 1898 38 1878 40 1885 44 1892 38 1899 43 The mean temperature for December for "T28years wasT2 'degr"" T " ""- " Average excess of dally mean tempera ture during month, 1 deg.; accumulated deficiency of dally mean temperature since January 1, 1899, 336 deg.; average deficiency since January 1, 1899, 1 deg. The prevailing direction of wind during December was southeast; total movement, 6357 miles; maximum velocity, 14 miles, south, on the 1st. Total precipitation, 5.91 inches; number of days with .01 inch or more of precipi tation, 2L The following table shows total precipi tation (In Inches) for December in the years givgn; 1871.. 7.62 1872.. 9.47 1873.. 5.25 1874.. 5.24 1875.. 3.41 1876.. 0.S8 1877.. 6.87 1878.. 4.52 7.36 3.93 1885.. 7.17 1886. .11.52 1887. .11.34 1888.. 5.19 1889.. 5.79 1890.. 4.34 1891. .11.45 1S92.. 6.69 1893.. 4.61 1894.. 3.47 1895.. 7.79 1896.. 6.26 1897.. 8.84 1898.. 1.29 1879.. 1880.. 1881. 6.64 1882. .20.14 1883.. 6.34 1E84.. 7.52 The average precipitation for December for, 29 years was 7.08 inches. Total deficiency in precipitation during month, 1.17 inches; total precipitation from September 1, 1899, to date, 18.81 Inches; average precipitation from September 1 to date, 19.37 inche-; total deficiency from September 1, 1S99, to date, .56 inch; aver age precipitation for 24 wet seasons, 46.153 Inches. Number of clear days, 2; partly cloudy days, 9; cloudy days, 20. Greatest daily precipitation, .90 Inch, on December 10-11. GEORGE N. SALISBURY, Local Forecast Official. 4 0 IK AID OF MISSIONS. Programme for Tonight's- Blecting at First Baptist Chnrch. Following Is the programme of the In terdenominational meeting to be held to day, in the First Baptist church: Afternoon Session. 2:00 Devotional service, leader, Mrs. L. E. Rockwell. 2:20 Temporary organization. 2:30 "History and Aim of Missionary Social Unions," Mrs. J. F. Ghormley. 2:45 Hymn. 2:55 "Echoes From Great Assemblies," Mrs. Frederick Eggert. 3:10 Hymn in Malayan language, Mrs. Whlttaker, of Singapore. 3:15 "Cbrea," Miss Ellen Strong. 3:30 Hymn in Chinese language, glrl3 from Chinese mission home. 3:35 "Results of Unselfish Service," Miss Carrie O. Millspaugh. 3:50 Hymn, Chinese children from mis sion school. 3:55 "Question Box and. General. Confer- ence,". Mrs. Belle J- Sellwood. 4:20 Report of committees and organi zation of missionary social union. 4:30 Social season. 6:00 Dinner. Evening Session. Rev. Alexander Blackburn, D. D., presi dent Ministerial Union, presiding: 7:30 Hymn, "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow." Prayer Rev. H. W. Kellogg, D. D. Scripture reading Rev. George B. Van Waters. Swedish duet "Fram en Suck zlg Smy ger," Misses Schultz and Lindell. Address, "The Transvaal Crisis and Mis sions," Mrs. Mary F. Farnham. Song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," Afro-American choir. Collection. Hymn "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name." Address "Missionary Outlook In the Philippines," ex-Chaplain Gilbert. Hymn (In Japanese language and na tional air) Japanese mission students, Hymn "From Greenland's Icy Moun ' "Closing prayer and benediction Rev. J. ."Gibson. 'J f. i ,;, ,r 1 n 0 College Totto Afraid of -Football. Weston Leader. . "Bye and bye' therejll be no football play ers left alive, and the nation will return to baseball, sanity and peace. Then Wes ton will go down to Pendleton and proudly remove the scalp of the county seat team as of yore, but football-crazy people there need never expect any rural con tingent from this part of ,the county to Do led Into slaughter. Some of our young athletes have met the Mauser without flinching, but they are too discreet to go up against football CONTRACT LET FOR SHOPS POHTIiAND MAN WTLI ERECT SOtJTHERX PACIFIC BUILDINGS. Sadden Death of an East Side Candy " Dealer News From Across " the River. The contract, for the erection of the machine shops, of the Southern Pacific Company was yesterday let definite ly to J. p. Bridges, a Portland contractor,- and the work of construction of this first building will be commenced as soon as the weather will permit. For this building the contract is for $17,000. The machine shops will be 243x179 feet, and the brick walls will be about 30 feet high. It will stand back on the open ground west of the present office, where the clearing was made last fall. Grading for the foundation of this structure will first be commenced, and this will con sume considerable time before work on the foundation walls can be started. It will probably require from three to four months to erect this building. It will be modern, and will contain the best machine tools and equipment. It is to be erected first for the reason that the present ma chine shops are wholly inadequate to the demand made upon them. The old build ing has stood ever since the grounds have been used for railroad purposes. It is understood that this structure is the first of several to be erected and that eventu ally all the wooden structures will be replaced with brick ones. There wiir'be considerable changing in the trackage in the grounds also within the next few months. The recent pur chase by the company of about five acres at the south end and on the west side of the main line 'was for the purpose of al lowing certain changes in the trackage. The other acquisitions of land at the north end of the grounds were also for this pur pose. For the next four months there will be some lively times on the grounds, as building operations are. being pushed forward. 'Died From Paralysis of the Heart. At the inquest held by the coroner yes terday morning, at the East Side morgue, te j evidence. Indicated that George H. Freeman. foAind dead at his home near M&untSb"pttKdted from paralysis of the ?h'6art, wnlclnay have been the result of a'falntlng spll. The first evidence given Was by the Italians who found the body Sunday, while they were keeping an ap polntpient at his place to consider the ipurchase of his ranch. The body was found bent forward, and in a very cramped position, in a narrow space. He appeared to have fainted first and then fallen forward. The statement of Dr. Ar thur H. Johnson, who performed the au topsy, was that the death was the result of paralysis of the heart. He gave It as his opinion, from his examination, that deceased fell In a fainting spell, and the collapse resulted from his cramped posi tion, which compressed the lungs and pre vented the action of the heart As near as could bo ascertained, he had been dead since about 8 o'clock Sunday morning. There were no marks of violence on the body, and Dr. Johnson said the organs were in a healthy condition. The verdict of the jury was in accordance with the facts brought out. The funeral of the deceased took place in the afternoon, at 2 o'clock. Lone Fir cemetery was the place of Interment. -. .jerohaMy-started,,, bx JS$!&u The only reasonable explanation of the starting of the fire In Captain Coleson's house, East Second street, Monday even ing, is that It was probably started by rats Igniting matches in the upper por tion of the house, above the door. An examination of the door and the surround ings showed -that this might haye. been done. The door, which was charred, is a suaing one. iu.is. uuicwu " Jtiiu..u.j that the door was pushed back into the casing, and that she pulled it outward, when she discovered the fire. The blaze was inside the casing, and it can be seen that the inside casing in which the door was inclosed is charred, showing that the fire started there and not on the face of the door, as first supposed. As the casing is open at the top, there is a possibility that some matches dropped there may have been ignited by rats running in that part of the house, and, dropping down, set fire to the casing first and the door afterwards. Mrs: Coleson's nephew dashed water down from above and ex tinguished the fire in the casing, and a pan of'water extinguished the blaze on the face of the door. Dropped Dead of Henrt Disease. Leander Quivey, an old-timer of Port land, died suddenly of heart disease yesterday afternoon in Albina. At the moment of his death he was visiting a friend named Mrs. Reed, at Ross and Clakamas streets. He entered the front door, passed through the house to the kitchen, where the family was gathered, and fell prostrate upon the floor, without warning. Quivey kept a small confection ery stand near Russell street and Williams avenue, and also owned the little fruit stand and confectionery out on the Canyon road, a few hundred yards above the reservoirs. Hislace there was well known to bicyclists and ramblers up this pictur esque road. He was 73 years of age, and for many years has been a familiar char acter of the city. One son-in-law lives in Boise City, Idaho, who was telegraphed at the request of friends of the old man. Late in the evening a response was re ceived by Edward Holman from Mrs. Quivey, the old man's wife, stating that she would be here Thursday evening, and asking that the remains be held until that time. .,J HIT... Inlniuin c-rtljH .rZir A,rf O V East Side Notes. G. W. Miner and wife will leave for San San 'Francisco this evening, where they will be absent for about two months. The trip is made for the benefit of Mrs. Miner's health. Jack Penney, a well-known East Side fireman, left yesterday for Alaska. It is his intention topugh on through to Daw son and try his fortune in the far north. His friends hope that he will come home with a long sack. TAME STURGEON. He Is Said to Catch Fish for His Owner's Living. The following story is contributed to The Oregonian by an old subscriber. It Is not vouched for: A citizen who has an old friend residing on the lower Columbia was surprised and delighted by receiving from him a fine mess of Columhla river smelt every few days af,ter the smelt put In an ap pearance, and when they were selling in the market here for 50 cents per pound. A few days ago he visited this old friend and found out how the smelt were caught. His friend has a huge sturgeon, over 12 feet long, which Is kept in captivity by a long rope attached to an- ingeniously contrived "harness," and which is Treed tov operate a "pleasure boat, used 1?y the family on a large bayou near tne House, and which is often used to tow the boat back" and forth across the Columbia, where it Is aboqt three miles in w'ldth. The sturgeon is staked out whep' no't needed, and picks up his own living. About December 1, when the smelt are expected along, the sturgeon fs staked out in an eddy which is frequented by them, and generally has the first 'mess ,of smelt caught on the river. Every morning he is hauled up to the shore and examined, and as soon as smelt 'are at all plentiful, and before the gill nets begin to catch them In any numbers the sturgeon will be found chockful ffnd running over with them. Now a large sturgeon has a sort of flexible trunk or suction pipe, which he can extend for a I foot or more, and which Is large enough to take in a man's armband when this is found filled with smelt, all alive and kicking, which have not reached even the mouth of, the huge fish. It is an easy matter tp secure eight to 10 pounds of the delicious little fish, and this is the way those sent to the sturgeon owner's friend here were secured. "SLIM PIETr "'TEiXS TRUTH There "Was Gnile, hat There Is Nose Now. New York, .Tribune. General Joubert, as we" have hitherto frequently remarked, Is one of the worthi est figures In the whole Transvaal oli garchy He is a brave soldier, a skillful commander, a clear-sighted statesman and an honest man. His countrymen call him "Slim Piet," or "SlyPeter." That is a deserved tribute to his shrewdness, but no reflection upon Ijls Integrity. In the present war he has conspicuously vindi cated his right to the name, for not in all the century has any military leader more completely outwitted the enemy than has he the British. "Nofr-eyen the French in 1870 were quite so deceived" by the Ger mans, or rather, so much deceived them selves, as the British tirmy staff was de ceived at the beginning of this campaign. And so far as they were anything more than self-decelv.ed, it was "Slim Piet" who deceived them. That, too, we may say without reflection upon his Integrity, for deception of the enemy is fairplay in the great game of war. "Slim Piet" now tells us how hedld it. In a letter to the Echo de ParlB he says frankly' that the Boers have for years ever since the Jameson raid been secret ly preparing for war. "To arm ourselves unremittingly and to ' hide these arma ments from the British such was our object. We have fully succeeded therein. We often allowed secret English agents to penetrate into our arsenals, where there was merely old artillery material, but we carefully concealed our modern material, of which they thus knew nothing until the very eve of the war." Thus were the British tricked, as they have since been tricked in the field. It was clever work, akin to that of Hannibal, and Washing ton, and Dundonald, and all great cap tains who have eked out Inferior strength with superior and successful skill. Of a truth, "Sly Peter" is worthy of his name. In what predicament, however, does this honest statement of an honest man place the pretenses of. those overzealous friends of the Boer states who would have us believe that the latter were unprepared f6r war and undeslrous of it, and that all the aggressloa was on 1 Great Britain's part? General Jouberts plain tale and the corroborative events of the last two months show beyond all question thatit was the Transvaal that began arming, and that when Kruger resorted to the diplomatic ruse of protesting against the sending of a few more British regiments to Natal the Transvaal already had, In trim for instant action, a force many times as large as that with which It was "menaced." Instead, therefore, of there having been British aggression upon a couple of peaceful -pastoral communities. there was Tiothing.but a tardy British rls- lng and arming to meet a great menace of military aggression against British col onies. For, while "Slim Piet" has told the truth, he has not told all the truth. He has not told us the object of the Boers In thus secretly and formidably arming. But Mr. Reltz has done so, In a plain talk with Olive Schrelner's brother, and Mr. Kruger has done so, in his ultimatum to Great Britain, and, "Indeed, the Boer gov-, ernments have done so still more recent-, ly, in their "annexation" of British terri tory. The object was not defense, but offense. It was not to keep the British out of the Boer states, but to drive the British out of Cape Colony and Natal and all South Africa. It was, in the words of the founders of the Afrikander Bund,c to make South Africa a Dutch confedera t, j th t th f , I ' turpitude. The rights of rebellion and conquest are "unalienable rights," provid ed you have the strength to enforce them. The Transvaal had the same right to take Natal and the Cape from England if it could that England had to take them from the Dutch a century before. The Cape Dutch had the same right to rebel against Great Britain that the Thirteen Colonies had in 1776, or the Southern states against this Union in 1861. Only, it is to be regretted that a "decent re spect to the opinion of mankind" did not move them to "declare the causes which impel them to the separation." By all means let us on all points have General Joubert's straightforward truth telling emulated; and whether we sym- pathize with Briton or with Boer, or re main unsympathetic In our impartiality, let our attitude be based on facts, not fancies. Both parties to this sad war are too brave and manly to heed the shel ter of the baby act. 0 a DAILY CITY STATISTICS. Real Estate Transfers. James S. Polhemus and wife to Prls- -cilia M. Daly, lot 9, block 6, High land; December 30 $ 650 Zelma Underwood to Amanda M. Jer man, lots 7, 8, block 2, Farrell's ad dition; December 15 500 Associated Banking & Trust Co. to C. V. Kllppel, lots 9, 12, 13, block 11, Portsmouth Villa; December 28 65 Northern Counties Investment Co to Albert W. Olson. W. lbtsriJl,5c2, block 6. Elizabeth Irvlng's addi tion; December 30 650 Northern Counties Investment Co. to Edward J. Grahs, E. lots 1, 2, block 6. Elizabeth Irvimr's addi tion; December 30 650 Elizabeth J. Ryan to Northern Coun ties Investment Co., lots 5, 6, 7, 8. block 4; lots 1, 2, block' 5; lots 1, 2. block 6, Elizabeth Irvlng's addition; December 29 l Maria Llndhard to Frank Burkholder, lot 4, block 41, Sunnyslde; January 2 400 Births. December 31, boy, to the wife of Ludwig Folk, 628 1 Second street. December 1, boy, to the wife of Eertram F. Hancock, 403 Second street. December 20, boy, to the wife of George Moore, .122& Union avenue. December 4, girl, to the wife of Andrew Hohn, 251 East Thirty-sixth street. December 25, girl, to the wife of Chris Hanson, Cosmopolitan hotel. December 21, girl, to the wife of Will iam L. Abrams, 325 East Nineteenth street. December 19, boy, to the wife of John E. Kane, Twelfth and Marshall streets. December 22, boy, to the wife of Philip Surad, 306 Sherman street December 4, girl, to the wife of Fred D. McDonald, 764. Missouri avenue. December 13, girl, to the wife of Julius Calfelt, 369 Factory street. December 20, boy, to the wife of Louis Haar, 511 Jefferson street. "December 21, girl, to the wife of Carl Caltfeit, 553- Clay street. December 29, boy, to the wife of George Eisenhauer, 415 North Twenty-third street. December 27, girl, to the wife of Will iam Barton Wilson, 211 Bancroft avenue. December 8, girl, to the wife of W. W. Harts, 405 West Park street. December 23, girl, to the wife of Charles Lownsdale, Forty-third and East Salmon streets. December 12, girl, to the wife of William 'A. Groce-, 228 Columbia street. December 11, girl, to the wife of John W. Jiaker, 649 Hood street. . Deaths. "December 31, George H. Freeman, age ,76 years, Lents; by fall. January 1, Ji D. Churchley, age 54 years, 347 Everett street; caeclnoma. Contagions Disease. Mrs. Bamfleld, typhoid fever, St. Vln .cent's hospital. Marriage License. C. E. Rogers, aged 46; Annie Akin, 22. l O E When the hair la thin and gray, Parker's Hair Baleam renews the growth and color. Greve's Ointment makes a healthy skin, 6O0. IN THE SEVERAL COURTS judges cake wul ciosb up maky estate: matters. About 250 Coses Since 1800 That Have Not Been Disposed Of Notes of Litigation. Judge Cake has had prepared from the record journals in the office of the clerk of the county court, a list of about 250 estates, dating back as far as 1860, which Bhould be finally disposed of. The list wa3 made up from nine different books, con taining several hundred pages each, by Miss Bertha Waldman, the court stenog rapher, and considerable time was con sumed In the work of copying. An exam ination of the list has disclosed that in the first record journal there are 29 es tates on file, in which there Is no property, and in the other books there are many Instances of the same kind. There are, perhaps, 20 or 30 cases where no adminis trator or executor was ever appointed. There are other cases where there was property which may or may not have been legally accounted for by the administra tor or executor, but no reports have been submitted showing the same. In numer ous instances the administrator or execu tor has long ago died, and in the remain ing cases there Is property still in the pos session of the executor or administrator, and probably no heirs. Judge Cake will close all of these estates of his own mo tion, if necessary, and make orders set tling accounts, and where there is prop erty will leave it In the hands of the administrator or executor until the proper authorities can be notified and escheat proceedings brought. Probnte Matters. In the contempt proceedings institutea by Miss Alice Gibson, administrator de bonis non of the estate of E. J. Partridge, deceased, against George M. Weister, tne former administrator, Attorney A. King Wilson for the plaintiff, and Attorneys Williams, Wood & Linthlcum for the defendant, were granted 10 days time to file briefs. The supreme court, over a year ago, decided that there was aue from Weister to the estate as administra tor about ?4700. He was ordered by Judge Cake to make a settlement with the aa minlstrator de bonis non, and paid over only some 51600. She recently filed- a pe tition asking that he be made to appear and show cause why he should not be committed for contempt, because of fail ure to liquidate In full. Counsel for Weis ter demurred to the petition on the grouna that the court has no jurisdiction to com mit Weister on account of his failure to pay the money. This is the point on which briefs are to be filed. There Is a decision of the supreme court that In an action other than one for the recovery or money, a person cannot be committed by contempt proceedings for refusal to pay. Whether the decision fits this case or not remains to.be seen. The final account of H. Cook, adminis trator of the estate of A. C. MacDonala, deceased, wag approved. The receipts were $2996. There was considerable liti gation over certain matters, and the at torneys for the estate were allowed 5300 for their services. The fees of the ad ministrator were 5160. Lemuel Scott es tablished a claim against the estate for 51693, which was made a lien on property in Stephen's addition. One-half of tne property was sold, and recently the other half for 5450. This claim used up most, of the estate. All of the lunds have been disbursed. D. J. Moore, administrator of the estate of H. B. Borthwick, deceased, was author ized to sell the barge Defender subject to a chattel mortgage held by S. A. Mllea for 52000, and the barge Columbia subject to a mortgage of Miles for 52512. Tne administrator thinks something over and above the amounts of the mortgages may be realized. The administrator was also empowered to accept 5693 in settlement 01 a contract with the Pacific Export Lum ber Company. The final account of Benjamin R. Patton, executor of the will of John R. Patton, de ceased, was approved, and he was dis charged. Inventories in the matter of the estate of Thomas J. Black, deceased, were filed. The property In Multnomah county Is val ued at 5522, and that In Halsey, Linn coun ty, at 52699. An account wa3 filed by the administra tor of the estate of Mary M. Overhaltzer, deceased, showing 5154 receipts from rents and 540 balance. Melissa E. Hug, administratrix of tne estate of John Hug, deceased, was author ized to receive 51025 balance of the sale price of the" west 47 feet of lot 5, block 113, Caruthers' addition to Caruthers' ad dition. The property was sold to Herman H. Stelnforth for 51800. B. Pape, executor, and Louise Strube, executrix of the estate of Gustave Struao, deceased, were discharged. Divorce Cases. Antonio Decico has filed suit again3C Rosa Decico on the ground of cruel treat ment, and other cause. He avers that she commenced a suit against him for tho dissolution of the matrimonial bonds, June 1, 1898, accusing him of cruelty and drunk enness, and on a trial Defore the court the case was dismissed. Decico states that four days thereafter the defendant se cretly carried away their children to San Francisco, and caused them to beg upon the streets of that city. The plaintiff al leges that upon being Informed of this he went to San Francisco and, with the police, went to remove the children from his wife, when she viciously struck him upon the head with an ax, inflicting a dangerous wound. She repeatedly threat ened him afterward, and on November 16, 1899, he caused her arrest on a charge of threatening to kill, and had her bound over to keep the peace. Decico asks for the legal custody of the children. The lit igants were married in this city in Janu ary, 1894. Anson C. Rogers has sued his wife, Edith Rogers, for a divorce, in the state circuit court. He charges her with Improper con duct at the Imperial hotel. In December, 18S9, and at other places. T hey were mar ried In Coos county in January, 1899. There is no Issue of the union. It "Was a Gambling Debt. In the suit of Dudley W. Evans against James S. Ray, to recover. 5121, in which Ray was arrested as an absconding debtor, it being alleged that he was about to leave the state, Attorney Schnabel yes terday filed an answer setting up that the debt was a gambling debt, and not col lectible. It is alleged that Ray gambled In the place conducted by B. Gildner and A. L. Belliveau, losing a large sum of money, and that he borrowed 5221 so as to continue the game. Of this sum it Is said he paid back $100. Belliveau and Gildner assigned the note representing tho claim to Evans. Ray's counsel has also filed a motion to vacate the writ of arrest, and a motion to strike out the complaint, and further a demurrer to the complaint, evi dently desiring to catch his opponents both coming and going. The defendant is at liberty on cash bail. Judge George will hear the matter today. Another Trial Denied. Judge Frazer yesterday denied a motion fOr a new trial in the uuit of J. M. Hu ber against Charles "W. Miller, and the defendant was allowed 30 days to file a transcript for an appeal to the supreme court. The suit Ib to recover 52000 money, which Huber contends he loaned to Miller. Judge Frazer, in passing upon the case said he previously granted a new trial on the evi dence because Hubers only evidence was that of himself and some letters as against Miller and five or six other wit nesses for the defendant. His honor fur ther stated that he did not feel disposed to disturb the verdict of the jury after KliiTiiii'ii 1 in ir iiiiiiyhiMfiifitiitiii,pKSafe&. Red, Rough Hands, Itching, Burning Palms, and Painful Finger Ends ONE WIC3-I1T CUISJEDo Soak the hand's on retiring; In a strong not, creamy latner of CUTICURA SOAP. Dry, and anoint freely with CUTICURA, the great skin cure and purest of emollients. "Wear, during; the night, old, loose kid gloves, with the finger ends cut off and air holes cut in the palms. For red, rough, chapped hands, dry, fis sured, itching, feverish palms, with shapeless nails and painful finger ends, this treatment h simply wonderful. Complete External and Interna! Treatment for Every Humor. THt ufelj $!iio all elio fails. Portsa two trials, both verdlct3 being in favor of the plaintiff. Concerning the alleged abuse of the de fendant by Attorney Henry E McGinn. In his argument to the jury, the court said "Thompson on Trials" allowed considerable latitude In arguments, and the court did not think Mr. McGinn went beyond the limit. Nerv Snita. James B. Montgomery has commenced suit against Carl B. Skogler to forecloso a mortgage for 5300 on lot 12, block 14, Albina. A. J. Farmer has filed an action against J. "Westenf elder to recover 5100 on a note executed to O. P. Mason, m May, 1S95. and has attached some property. The note was In favor of O. P. Mason, who assigned it to L. Delschnelder, and the latter transferred it to the plaintiff. A. Fehrenbach has commenced suit against P. A. Marquam, Jr., et al.. to fore close a mortgage on block 3, Alberta, for 52S90, executed in 1S91. Guardian for a Spendthrift. John Epperly yesterday petitioned tho county court to be appointed guardian of his nephew, Charles Schmeltzer, a spend thrift. Schmeltzer Is said to oe 30 years old and a habitual devotee of cocaine and morphine. He- Is now in jail, serving a sentence for having unlawfully used these drugs. The petitioner recites that Schmelt zer Is to receive 5900 from the estate or his uncle. Isaac Epperly, who recently died Intestate in Iowa, and that Schmelt zer will squander the money for cocaine and morphine, as he spends every cent he gets hold of in this way. Decisions. Judge George today, at 1:30 o'clock, will decide the motion for a new trial in the case of Peter Briborg, convicted of lar ceny, and a like motion, in the caso cf Charlie Law, convicted of selling lottery tickets. Court Notes. Judgment by default in favor of J. S. Polhemus against Charles Ohle, for 5230, was rendered by Judge Frazer yesterday. Counsel for Frank E. McDanlel was al lowed 60 days' further time by Judge George yesterday to prepare and argue a motion for a new trial. The motion for a new trial In the case of Lang & Co., vs. Fisher Bros., was with drawn, and Judgment was rendered on the verdict for the plaintiff. The case was twice tried. At the first trial, Fisher Bros, won, and at the second trial the Jury re turned a compromise verdict for Lang & Co., for about half of the sum sued for. IS IT POSSIBLE? Here Is n Correspondent With a Word of Praise for Somebody. PORTLAND, Jan. 2. (To the Editor.) I note the complaints appearing In your columns on the management of the steel bridge. I have been crossing that bridge since the day It was built, in all kinds of vehicles, weather, floods and at all hours. The steel bridge Is the finest struc ture spanning water west of the Mississ ippi river, and I consider It the best managed draw on the Pacific coast. Per haps more valuable freight, commerce, shipping and men of war have passea through this bridge than any bridge In the United States, excepting the Brooklyn bridge. More passengers have passed over the bridge than over any bridge on tne coast. It has had less accidents tnan any similar structure with which I am ac quainted. The man selected to handle this bridge was for 14 years superintendent of the Burlington bridge, spanning the Miss issippi, and he made no mistakes there. The company made no mistake In select ing him as superintendent of thi3 bridge, and he has made no mistakes since the day he opened the draw. No engine, no Pullman car, no street car with Its pas sengers has plunged into the 80 feet of water from this draw. No Monterey or Lennox has struck this draw while the superintendent was asleep. If there Is any structure in Portland of which I am proud it 13 the steel bridge and its calm, cau tious, careful and considerate manage ment. Patience, gentlemen, patience! Stand on the Grand-avenue bridge, of Milwaukee. "Wis., and see two Swedes and an Irish man pulling their fishing smack through the draw for 15 minutes and 1500 people waiting. Then stand on the steel bridge and see a 5000-ton Oriental liner within 300 yards approaching the draw and in six minutes the draw closed behind it. Superintendent Follett knows every boat approaching, its velocity. Its destination and tho time he has at his disposal to dispose of It, but if the battleship Iowa, under full head of steam, within 300 yards from the draw whistled for an opening, some belated pedestrian, on his way to Albina to feed his dog, would insist on crossing first and block the man of war or damn the management. That man on the fence can always play ball the best. MAC MAHON. The Twentieth. Century. FOREST GROVE, Jan. 1. 1900. (To the Editor.) In your issue of the Weekly Oregonian of December 29, you say: "Did It or did It not take 100 yeara to make the first century?" I answer it did. Tou then say: "If It did, then It must be admitted that the second century be gan with the beginning of 10L" I see no necessity for making this admission, and will give my reasons. To do this- let us- go back to the beginning not of tho present era but to the time when, the v Ktf- X mm Vyonaiaungot uutxcuisa aoxriiac.;, 10 cjcanso mo sua 01 crosia auu scales andioften the thickened cuticle; Ctmoxnu. OnmreMT (50c), to instantly allay ltchlny, inflammation, and irritation, and soothe and heal; and Crnornu Rssoltest (50c), to cool and cleanae the blood. a. atNOLE HtTU often aunicient to cure tne moat torturing, msugunn?, and humlllatintr skin, scalo. and blood humors, with lots of hair, when Sana msb C&xx. Cob?., Bole Prop., Boston, ' earth was made and started rolling In her orbit around the sun. Did time, or did !t not then begin? If it did. then it must bo admitted that the year 1 would be writ ten when the earth had completed her first circuit. It could not be written when tho earth first started, for there had been no year. From this point of view I argja that the dates we use indicate thia num ber of years already past. When wo wrlto as we do, thi3 morning, January 1, 1900, we mean that 19C0 years of ou1 era Is past, just as the year 1 was raa: before It was written. When a child la born we wait 12 months before we say It is 1 year old. When the clock strikes ID we understand that 10 hours are past. The Nineteenth century has been ai eventful one. and this morning g'cs place to the twentieth. Let U3 not wa-o the first year of It in trying to find ot where we are, but with the clear-hea led emperor of Germany take a fair start. "A. E. DAVIS, "A Victim of the Fixed Idea." The correspondent would bo correct if. as a matter of fact, we had waited Li the first year had passed before wrltig 1 A. D. The year 1 A. D. began w'tfc the first moment of our era. Therefore the first century ends with the close o A. D. 100, and the nineteenth century wilh the close of 1900. When the child is ber we do not wait 12 months before saying he is In his first year. In chronology tho clock strikes at the beginning" of tho year or tho century, not at its close This might have been arranged otherwise, but it wasn't. m e ' ' NEW YEAR'S DAY GOLF. HncKlns Wins First Prize In Men's Singles Tie for Second Place. At the New Tear's contest on the club's links, T. A. Huggin3 won first prize for men's singles, and Wirt Minor and D. C. Lewis were tied for second prize. There was a large attendance, and the weather was pleasant, though the grounds were a bit sloppy. Scores were as follow: 01 a 2i 3 2i?2J rt tn M r r, I PLATERS. :?3 Men's singles T. A. Huggins, first prize W. Minor D. C. Lewl3 P. G. Glfford Dr. H. E. Jones P. H. Blyth J. B. Toung J. K. Kollock J. C. Alnsworth..... J. H. Soadone T. N. Strong .... R. Livingstone J. W. Ladd M. H. Insleyv Mixed foursomes T. Kerr and MSss Macleay Blyth and Miss A. Heitshu.... Linthlcum and MI33 Ayer Glfford and Miss King Whidden and MIs3 Lewis Burns and Mrs. Koehler...... Alnsworth and Miss Flanders. Macmaster and Mrs. Burns.. Stevens and Miss Russell 97 107 6 i:. 1. 1 : ill 1021 ... 1I U4i 10 1!M 101 108 120 4 lu3i 2 IMS 10 113 7 VL2l 10) llll 6 1151 10 1151 119 121 122 1261 132 132 52 53 122$ 1: 61 57 64 66 m 78 831 .Owe points Indicated. Tne men's foursomes were not coraplet ed, owing to lack of time, and will bal played over again next Saturday after noon. Steel Rail Prices. Tho yearly average prices of steel raI'3,S at the mill3 in Pennsylvania, from. 1867 tap 1897, were as follows: Tear. Price. 1867 5165 00 1863 153 50 1869 132 25 1870 106 75 1871 102 50 1872.... 112 00 1373 120 50 1S74 94 25 1875 68 75 1S76 59 25 1377 45 50 1878 42 25 1879 48 25 1880 67 50 1S81 6113 1882 43 50 Tear. Pric? 1883 $C7 73 1884 30 73 1885. 23 :i 1886 31 Of 1837 C S 18S8 23 131 1889 2D 5 ISSO CITS 1891 23 '2J 1SS2 20t Of 1893 2S 12j 1S94 4 008 1805 24 '3f 1896 2S00 1897 13 751 The highest price in 1S98 was 518. frol January to May, the lowest was 51? Ie July, and the average of the year was about $17 65. Thus far In 1899 the highest price has been 535. the lowest 513, and the average nearly 527 50. m The Clearwater "Truce.' Athena Press. Despite reports to the contrary, indlca-i uons rather go to show that there w!J bo no permanent truce between Northern Pacific and the O. R. & N lai tha Clearwater country. February 4 th ' present truco will cease, and it Is lleved that construction will be resume immediately fallowing that date. Coaaij and Eastern papera of late have bee- publishing articles alleging that the tw: roads had come to an agreement, but giv this simply as rumors. lacking conflmaz- uon. Happenings last week at Lewistrr indicate that the O. R. & N. proposes ts build In that section. For Infants and Childreiu Tha Rind You Have Always Bought Bears tha Signature of