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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1900)
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 1900. GAPE NOME MIN Gold Belt Has an Area of 8000 or 10,000 Square Miles. OUTPUT LAST YEAR $2,000,000 Region I in the Great Yukon Field, and Probably Extends Into Siberia. Several members of the United States geelogica! survey made a brief reconnols cance of the Cape Nome country in the latter part of September and early in October, 1S99. They wjere on their way back to the United States from the Yukon region, and, while waiting for a steamer, collected such geologic and topographic data as time, circumstances and climate would permit. The topography was in charge of T. G. Gerdine and D. C. "Wither spoon, and the seology and topography were done by Messrs. Brooks and Schra der. The latter, with sleeping bags and provisions, made a several dajs' trip into the mountains and gulches to examine the formations and gold diggings. On ac count of the snow, cold weather and freez ing up of the creeks, most of the gold claims had been closed down early in October, and the operators had departed. P. C. Shrader writes of the work of the party in the 2Cat.onal Geographic Maga zine for January. He says, among other things: The Cape Nome district is situated on the northwest coast of Alaska, on the northeast arm of Behring sea, at the en trance of Norton sound. It is the south ern promontory of a large peninsula, ex tending westward toward Siberia between Kotzebue and Norton sounds, and largely separates Behring sea from the Arctic ocean. "Westward this peninsula termi nates at the 168th meridian, in Cape Prince tf Wales, the most westward extension of the American continent, which is here separated from Asia by Behring strait, about 60 miles In width. The promontory on which the Cape Nome district is situated has long been lenown on nearly all Alaskan maps by the name of Cape Nome. The district lies aDout 100 miles northwest or St. Michael, and just outside of the Fort St Michael military reservation. By ocean steamer robte it is nearly 2700 miles northwest of Seattle, and about 750 miles from Dutch harbor, Unalaska. The Cape Nome re gion, as known at present, extends from Cape Nome, the apex of the promontory, some 30 miles or more northwestward along the coast, and about 20 miles in land to the north. In the m'ddle of this shore line, at the mouth of the Snake river, the thriving city of Nome is situ ated. "From Cape Nome for 30 miles or more westward to Synrock, the ehore line' is compaiatlvely straight and smooth, but l5lng back of the shore line, between It and the base of the mountains, occurs the well-known tundra. This consists of a strip of treeless, moss-covered, marine gravel, forming a costal shelf, which, along the beach, is about 30 feet above sea level. From here it slopes gently upward until at the base of the moun tains, some four or five miles from the beach. It attains an elevation of 150 or 200 feet. During the summer it is usually wet, soft a.nd boggy, and is dotted here and there by a few ponds, and is traversed by the Snake, Nome and Cripple rivers and other smaller streams, which carry out the drainage from the mountains. Land Elevation Still Going: On. Along the north edge of the tundra, at the beginning of the mountains, the topo graphy is low and rounding, with the floors of the main valleys rather flat, and from one to three miles in width. Seven miles north of Nome, crude gravel terraces, seemingly marine, rise to a height of about 1500 feet. These seem to mark suc cess.ve stages of land eevatlon still go ing on. Farther northward, 20 or 30 miles from the beah, the mountains become more rugged, and rise, in some instances, into seemingly permanent snow peaks, nut probably nowhere exceed 3000 feet in ele vation. The nearest liarbors for deep-sea or ocean vessels are Port Clarence, B0 miles northwest of Nome, and Golofnln bay, the same distance northeast. It Is not unlikely that one or both of these harbors will be connected -with the Nome district by rail should the district prove as rich as present prospects indicate. Port Safety, a small "harbor to the east of Cape Nome, will admit vessels drawing not over eight feet of water, but is not adequate for the accommodation of deep sea-going ves sels. In front of Nome the sea is so shallow that the larger vessels cannot approach the shore, but are obliged to d scharge their cargoes by means of boats and lighters, a method which is very pre carious on account of the combers and breakers that usually sweep the coast. The mountains thus far examined are composed of mica-schists and limestone, alternating In layers and beds with each other. They are thin or medium bedded rocks, and strike and trend northeastward and southwestward, and dip southeast ward at an angle of about 45 degrees. The limestone is bluish gray, and comparative ly fine grained, and more or less well metamorphosed, often becoming crysta 1 ne marble. The mica-schist is sometimes slaty, but it also shows considerable metn morphie action .and is garnetiferous. Xiocally, the rocks are sometimes folded and traversed by quartz veins and velnlets of both quartz and calclte, with also some iron and copper pyrites Pyrites are also disseminated sporadically in the schists. The quartz eins and ve'nlets traversing the rocks are supposed to be the source of the gold. Far back in the mountains, granite Is said to occur, but It may be represented merely by granitoid dikes, some pebbles of which occur in the beach gravels. The tundra is composed of apparently marine gravels, derived from the rocks Sn the mountains, and is almost exclusively mica-schist and limestone. Toward the mountains the gravels are often coarse, cairying boulders of considerable size, but along the beach they have been largely reduced to fine gravel and sand by wave action. It is in this reduced material that the beach gold occurs. The first d.scovcry of gold In the Nome district was made in September, 1S9S, when a party of Swedes found It on the creeks and in the gulches, but not until July. 1S89, was the discover' of beach old made. In the gulches along the edge of the mountains the diggings are coarse gold, the largest nuggets found being about $350 each. Here the gold occurs on the bed rock under the creek gravels, which are six or eight feet In thickness. Gold Output Last Year $2,000,000. Along the beach the gold 4s quite fine, having been reduced by wave action along with the gravel and sand to the size of bird shot, or even finer. Its occurrence here Is. for the most part, under two or throe feet of gravel and sand, on a bot tra layer of clay or argillaceous sand, called bed rock by the miners. Thin lay ers of ruby sand Inter-stratified along with the gravel, near the so-called bed rock, are also often found to be richly auriferous. Beach diggings were operated last summer and fall for about 30 or more miles from Cape Nome "to near Syn rock. ?oarse sold is being mined in An vil, Glacier, Dexter and Osborne creeks and along Penny and Cripple rivers. The production of the region in the season of 18S0 amounted, as near as can be esti mated, to ?2,OD0,0O0. of which one-half was produced by the beach. Discovery claim and one below on Anvil creek produced $225,009, while Snow gulch, a very small tributary of Glacier creek, is reported to have yielded over $200,000. In the gulches the work is carried on by stripping, sluicing and, to some ex tent, by rocking, while on the beach the method of extracting the gold has thus far been almost exclusively by rocking. Here the water used lor rocking Is gen erally that of the ocean. In a few cases, however, the sea 'w-ater has been t-alsed by steam power, and sluices constructed along the beach. In the rocker the gold Is caught on blankets, and, to some ex tent, on copper plates, coated with mer cury. In many Instances, where the sup ply of copper plate "could not equal the demand, the bottom of the rocker was covered by United. States silver coins, "principally- $1 pieces, and these, coated with the merctiry, Which caught, the gold. During the latter part of- last sunrtner and fall it is estimated that an average of 2000 men were working along the beach, and that they took out an average of about $20 per day per man. In many cases the amount taken out was much I J I lit 0.1IHIU1IL LURCH UUL IIU,iJ XiiUWl jrreater The tundra between the beach Xnd thP base of the mountains lias been prospected to some extent and has not infreauently yielded from 10 cents to 30 cenSr pan Capital however, will doubtless be required to handle the tun- dra with profit. The benches in the lower region of the mountains have been found to be auriferous and have been largely staked. Good Prospects to the Northeast. The country about the head of Solo man and Bonanza rivers, 40 miles north east of Nome, reports good prospects. In the Golofnln bay country, on Fish river and its tributaries, coarse gold was taken out last summer. At Ophir creek, one of the chief tributaries, a single claim is said to have yielded $75,000. Prospects have also been reported on the western shore of Norton bay. Late last fall It was rumored that gold had been found at Cape York by a native employed in herding the government reindeer. These rumors have since been more than veri fied by Captain Jarvis, who visited this region with the United States revenue cutter Bear and by a recent number of the Alaskan Miner, published at Juneau, which reports the country rich, and that more than nine square miles of it were staked late In November and early in December. There seems good reason to infer that substantially the entire south ern half of this large peninsula, cover ing more than 8000 or 10,000 square miles. Is gold-bearing and much of It very rich. .. ... -.,!. Vo,. . fn,n It lies in the great Yukon gold belt, ex tending from the Klondike westward, and probably continues across Behring sea into Siberia. It seems more than prob able that the Siberian coast will be visited by enterprising American prospectors be fore another season has passed. There Is no timber in the Nome district. The nearest approach to it is a scanty growth of very stunted willow or elm along some of the waterways, but it Is wholly Inadequate for ordinary camping purposes. A growth of moss, which fur nishes an abundance of food for reindeer, covers the surface except in the upper slopes of the mountains. There is, how ever, a sufficient growth of grass to sus tain horses and cattle during the short summer months. F. V. Covllle attributes the absence of timber to the rigors of the Arctic climate. x Phenomenal Growth of Nome. Prior to the discovery of gold there were a few natives, all Eskimo, scattered along the coast from near Cape Nomo northward, and a small village on Sledge island during- the seal-fishing season. At Port Clarence, which has been the head quarters of the United States reindeer industry In Alaska, Is a mission with good schools. The srreat movement of the white popu lation toward Nome began early In the summer of 1S99, and continued until the middle of October, building up a city of over 5000 people on a previously barren beach. Nearly every boat which descend ed the Yukon from Dawson and other points on the river Tvas loaded to its fullest capacity with passengers, while many came from the southeastern dis tricts of Alaska and the Pacific coast of the United States. The rapidity in growth of the city of Nome has probably never been precedented, especially in so remote a Tegion. A thousand or more unsuccess ful prospectors descending from the Koyu- kuk district, ana an equal number irom the Kotzebue sound and Kowak river dis trict, arrived in St. Michael In a finan cially stranded condition; but, hearing of the diggings of Nome, a majority soon found their way thither, and In a few days' work on the beach had rocked out sufficient gold to place themselves in mod erately comfortable circumstances and pay their transportation back to the United States. The principal trading companies operat ing at Nome are the North American Transportation & Trading Company, the Alaska Commercial Company s.nd the AJaska Exploration Company, all with fairly well stocked warehouses and plants and abundant supplies for next spring. Of newspapers there are at the present time the Nome News, the Nome Gold-Dig-ger and the Nome Herald. The Nugget, with printing-press and equipments from Dawson, went down In a gale on Norton sound in September, while a similar out fit bound for Nome from the United States went down on the Laurada at St. Law rence island a few weeks later. A com pany Is now being organized with a view to constructing a deep-water pier for a temporary harbor, to be extended far out Into the ocean, whereby deep-sea vessels may be unloaded. Until more definite arrangements can be perfected, the United States postoffice is endeavoring to send the mails to Nome semi-monthly during the present winter by way of "White pass, Yukon river and the Unllakllk and St Michael route. On account of the ice in Behring sea, Nome cannot be reached by ocean vessels earlier than some time in June, though the Nome coast is free from Ice later in the fall and earlier in the sum mer than the coast about St. Michael. Climate of Cape Nome. The climate of Cape Nome Is mild, and for the most part moist or rainy during the summer, but cold and severe Jn the winter, which extends from late In October to May. The climate, however, Is healthful. Last summer the only dif ficulty the population of Nome seemed to encounter was typhoid fever, and this, it seems likely, would not have occurred with a good drainage system and a whole some water supply, which may be read ily obtained with a little care and labor. Several hospitals were organized and equipped and -did excellent service to "their fullest capacity. Other patients were shipped to the United States in every re turning vessel during the latter part of the season. There are probably about 3000 people wintering at Nome, and, judging from present indications, it is not unlikely that next summer the population will be 23,000 or 30,000. Lhlng last year was pretty high board and lodging $6 per day, and with room $10 per day. The price of an ordinary meal was from $2 to $3, while wages ranged from $12 to $15 per day. "Wood .gathered from the drift along the beach cost $40 to $50 a cord; coal, $123 a ton; lumber, $123 per thousand feet, and other necessaries almost in proportion. The population, though considerably mixed, Is pre-eminently American, and contains a good business element and law abiding people. The government Is a self- organized municipal government, giving 4 good order throughout A police force 1st on dutyrTherels- also located "here a detachment of United States soldiers, under Lieutenant Cregie, who did much in the earlier stages of Nome toward the preservation of order and the protection of individual rights, Marine Engineers. HARRISBURG, Or., Jan. 22. (To the Editor.) Is there a law requiring all steam engineers to nave a license? If so, where can we get "them, and from whom can we get them? A. K. Marine engineers only are required to have a llcensp. The federal government has supervision over them. For a dellcions smoke, try Zarina Cigar arettes, Russian blend. The best AGAINST STORAGE OF OIL PROHIBITING LICENSE PROPOSED IN THE CITY COUNCII. Ordinance Also Wlilcli Favors the Standard Oil Company lilauor License Again Amended. At the adjourned meeting of the com mdh council yesterday, the award of $25,' uw oi improvement bonds to A. u. .tuos- terman was approved. Cameron s ordi- nance, imposing a license of $400 per an- .... n"m ?n, a11 Persons oeaiing m liquors, , u"er Dein&. "nenaea to exciuue uiusgwu, ' " ,,'TT ;r ;" TmIa" r,w- nili "filiate the storage of inflammable oils " th iTZSiaF '!" " 0"ci2Uonir S?"".. I" -A, ". ll, ",, """""u.r- .oiuicy pieameu. aim un me mcmucia 1D present except Meyer, who is absent from the city. Inflammable Oils. Hansen introduced a license to amend section 23 of the ordinance imposing and regulating licenses and regulating the manner of regulating licenses so as ' to make it read as follows: "Section 23. Any person or persons, firm or corporation who. shall store, permit the storage of, or keep any crude pe troleum cr any rectified or refined product of petroleum or any hydro-carbon liquid emitting an Inflammable vapor, In any building in larger quantities than 100 gal lons, within the corporate limits of the city of Portland, shall pay a quarterly license in proportion to the number of gallons kept, as follows: For over 100 gallons and less than 500 gallons, $3 per quarter; for 500 gallons and less than 1000 gallons, $10 per quarter; for 1000 gallons and less than 2000 gallons, $20 per quarter; for 2000 gallons and less than 5000 gallons, $40 per quarter; for 5000 gallons and any greater quantity than 5000 gallons, $500 per quarter; and no license shall be granted for the storage of petroleum or any recti fied or refined product thereof or any hydro-carbon liquid, emitting an inflammable vapor, unless a permit therefor shall first be obtained from the chief engineer of the fire department, approved by a'nia jority of the board of fire commissioners. "Any person who shall violate the pro visions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof before the municipal court shall be punished by a fine of not less than $300 or be imprisoned not less than 90 days, or by both such fine and imprison ment" The ordinance was read twice and Han sen moved that it be referred to the com mittee on health and police. Baker moved in amendment that it be referred to the license committee. A vote was taken, resulting: Yeas, 5; noes, 5. The mayor, whose pompadour forelock had been removed and who had his hoir parted in the middle, was so evenly balanced that he did not wish to give a casting vote in the matter. He suggested that the council take a recess (which has become quite a common thing when business does not proceed smoothly), and decide among themselves what refer ence to make of the ordinance. Some of the members failed to see why the mayor should not give a casting vote on this, as well as other matters, and he finally said the ayes have it, and the ordinance went to the license committee. The section which Hansen's license Is Intended to amend Imposes a quarterly li cense for storing petroleum, etc., within the city limits in proportion to the number of cases kept, running from $3 per quarter for amounts less than 100 cases, up to $20 per quarter for over 1000 cases, so that by paying a paltry license of $20 per quarter any one could store a million or any num ber of millions of gallons In the city. Harris Introduced the following license ordinance, Intended to prevent disastrous fires in the city: "Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to permit the storage of or keep within the limits of the city of Portland In larger quantities than 500 gallons, any refined product of petroleum oil, or any kind of combustible oil, unless the same shall be stored in iron tanks in a building or warehouse con structed of brick or stone, not to exceed two stories in height, which warehouse must in all respects be fireproof, and wh'ch iron tanks and warehouses shali be sur rounded by a stone or brick wall of suffi cient height, and such Inclosure to be or sufficient capacity to secure the whole of the oil that could be placed in the iron tanks within such inclosure. "Sec. 2. Upon the conviction of any per son violating any of the provisions of this ordinance they shall be fined ia a sum of not less than $250 for each day for each offense, and each day from tne date of passage of this ordinance that any person shall store any such oil without such inclo sure they shall be liable to be punished as in this ordinance provided." This is the kind of a license, it is under stood, which the Standard Oil Company wants. It was read twice, and, by the casting vote of the mayor, referred to the committee on health and police. The tlo votes on the reference of these ordinances recall the days of the solid six, and solid five, and do not promise well for united action of the council In this Important mat ter. It Is probable that powerful influence will be brought to bear to secure the pas sage of one of. these ordinances, but wheth er it will be the one to subserve the best Interests o the city remains to beseen. The latest proposition was for the two committees to whom the. ordinances .have been referred to get together and con sider them and decide which to recom mend. There arc three members in each committee, but the chairman of the li cense committe, Meyer, Is absent from the city at present, but, as the next regular meeting of the council will not occur for two weeks, he may be home by that time. Nexr IiIqnor License. Cameron's ordinance providing for a flat license of $400 annually for all persons dealing in liquors, was amended by the license committee to read as follows, and as so amended they recommended its pas sage: "Section 5 Every person or corpoiation to whom a license shall be issued under the provisions of this ordinance, shall pay Into the city treasury license lee as fol lows: "First for the sale, or offering for sale, section jup op P ffigr&mr asy' dSS IlS OOLOPWIN BAY AND ,0 . 9' ', . .w'lJSli !A.PfNOME GOLD PIBLD3.1 ,W ss" f tzhxstutiPtm V barter or delivery of any spirituous, vinous or malt liquors In any place within the corporate umus oi me cny ol jroruauu, the applicants shall be deemed a dealer in spirituous, vinous or malt liquors, and shall pay the sum of $400 per annum In quarterly payments. And all such dealers In spirituous, vinous or malt liquors are hereby prohibited from selling or deliver ing any spirituous, vinous or malt liquors in any restaurant or place where meals are served, unless" such restaurant or place where meals are served Is owned, managed and controlled by such liquor-dealer who has obtained a license, as in this ordinance provided, for the sale of spirituous, vinous or malt liquors. Provided, however, that the provisions of this ordinance shall not apply to druggists or pharmacists who, in g00d falth sell or aoge of aicohol or compoun,3s thereof for mechanical, medl- Inal SoP.ramental nurnnses solelv. the . w. wuw4uutw4 kwuwwi-r wwm.tb ,-- Bame m no case to be soldj elven a or ,n manner disposed of to be drank on tne premises -nnere tney are ao sow, given or dl6posed qL "Provided further, that no druggist or pharmacist so selling spirituous, vinous or malt "Quors shall, In any manner, publicly expose the same for Gale in his store or elsewhere, or advertise the same in the public press or otherwise, and any drug- gist or pharmacist so publicly exposing or advertising for sale spirituous, vlnoua or malt liquors shall be liable for the pay ment of the license aforesaid. "And no license shall In any case be Is sued until the license fee for the ensuing quarter or unexpired portion thereof haa been paid. MAP OF CAPE NOME GOLD FIELDS. "Any person violating any of the provis ions of this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than $100 or more than $300, or by imprisonment not less than 30 days or more than 90 days. "Provided, however, that all offenses committed against any ordinance of the city of Portland and all violations of any of the ordinances of said city, and all pen alties or forfeitures, or penalties and for feitures incurred under any ordinance here by amended prior to such amendment, may be tried, prosecuted and punished, and such license forfeited as in said ordinance provided in the same manner and to the same effect as if said amendment had not been made." The ordinance was passed by a unani mous vote. The amendment, which ex empts druggists from paying license un der certain conditions, and protects res taurant men who payllcense by forbidding liquor being served in restaurants by saloon-keepers, was agreed upon at a con ference of druggists, restaurant men and retail liquor-dealers, and the ordinance as passed probably comes as near being the proper thing as It is possible to get such a measure. Other Business. An ordinance providing for the time and manner of improving Taggart street was repealed on account of an error contained in it, and a resolution giving notice of intention to improve Taggart street, from Tabor avenue to Habersham avenue, was adopted. An ordinance exempting block 14, Couch addition, from the fire limits, was passed. This is the block bounded by First and Second, Davis and Everett streets, on which stands NIcolal's sash and door fac tory. It Is desired to put up a new factory, and if it was required that this should be a brick building it would necessitate piling the ground for the foundations, as the ground there is filled in and not solid, and the expense would be too great. Under these circumstances and as the block 's at the extreme end of the fire limits, the council concluded to exempt it. The acceptance of Tyler Woodward, trustee, of the terms of the franchise for an electric railway from Hamilton avenue to Southern Portland, and the agreements of the Metropolitan Railway Company In regard to a 5-cent fare on their line, and of the City & Suburban Railway Company In regard to giving transfers In connection with the line to Southern Portland, were all referred to the committee on streets. A resolution giving notice of Intention to Improve Front street, from Quimby street, 404 feet south, by paving with stone blocks on a macadam foundation, was adopted. COUNTY EXPENSES $328,000. Tax Levy of 3G Mills Formally Levied by the Commissioners. The county commissioners yesterday an nounced the tax levy for Multnomah county for the year to be 36 mills. The expenditures of the county for the year are estimated at $328,000, composed of the .following items: Current expenses $25,000 County court, including salaries 4,700 County commissioners 5,000 Circuit court 25.000 Justice courts, above fees : 7,800 Municipal court 2,000 County jail expenses, including board of prisoners 9,000 Armory 2,500 Sheriff's office, above fees 10,000 Recorder's office, above fees 1.SO0 Assessor's office 12,000 Treasurer's office 2,300 Office of county clerk, above fees.. 3,900 Office of circuit clerk, above fees.... 3,500 Auditor's office.., 4,003 School superintendent 2,100 Coroner's office 4,000 Poor farm 13,000 Indigent soldiers 7 2,500 Hospitals and outside charity 7,500 Insane GG0 Stationery 1.S00 Assessment and collection revenue. 25,000 Registration 2,000 Road districts 50,000 Roads and bridges 15,000 City bridges and ferries 50,000 Elections 9.0C0 Interest 27,000 Total $328,000 The commissioners ignored the levy of of a mill prescribed by the legislature for scalp-bounty purposes, they being ad vised that the law is unconstitutional. Scalp bounties for Multnomah county are not likely to amount to over $100 per year, while the levy of of a mill would raise about $5000 for the benefit of other coun ties. BUSINESS ITEMS. If Baby Is Cnttinj- Teeth, Be sure and use that old and well-tried remedy Mrs. "Wlnsiow's Soothlnff Syrup, tor children teethlnjr It soothes the child, softens the gums, allays all pain, cures wind colic and diarrhoea. a Pain In the side nearly always comes from a disordered liver and is promptly relieved by Carter's Little Liver Pills. Don't forget this. I j a TUT C Hrn k I TAI IDTC I JH ' L JLVLltAL LuUlIJ CITY BEGINS SUIT TO RECOVER UN DER CURATIVE ACT. Many Parcels of Front Street In volved in tlie First New Iitl sation Court Notes. Suit has been filed in the state circuit j court by the City of Portland, as plaintiff, lo recover assessments for the repair of I Front street, from a line on Front stieet I 60 feet southerly from the north. nolnt of . block 16 Watson's addition, to the north erly line of block 31, Sherlock's addition. The defendants are: C. Logus, Christina Sechtem, Olga Sechtem, Hilda Sechtem. Albertlna Sechtem. and Lewis Sechtem, heirs of Lewis Sechtem, deceased; L. NI colal, T. Nicolai, William Sherlock, George i Clark, Ralph W. Hoyt, Louise Hoyt Cook, Etta Hoyt, T. A. Davis, Robert E. Davis, Thomas G. Davis, Kate D. Davis, Lizzie B. Story, Harry Story, George Story, Davis W. Burnside, Frances F. Canby, Nellie Burnside and Thomas Burnside, the Sterling Land Company, the "Willamette mills, Duniway Lumber Company, W. F. Whlttier, F. P. Mays, Ellis G. Hughes, the ( Bank of British Columbia, G. "W. Marshall, William a. Marshall, George w. Marsnau, Margarette A. Marshall, Vidae L. Mar shall, Arthur D. Marshall, Mary E. Mar shall, J. W. Cook and Vincent Cook. In a suit previously brought by J. W. Cook and others against the city, the su preme court held that the city was with out authority to make the Improvement, as the majority of the property-owners af fected thereby did not petition for it, and also that they remonstrated against it and ousted the common council from jurisdic tion, and' that the assessment is uncollec tible. The city of Portland now seeks to collect the assessments under the curative act of the new charter, which the supreme court has sustained, and which the city attorney holds enables the city to collect the money notwithstanding the first de cision In favor of the property-owners. The amount in controversy altogether Is about $2000. Kiernan-Krntz Suit. The taking of testimony in the action of John Kiernan against V. Kratz was con cluded in Judge Sears' court yesterday, and the arguments of counsel will be made today. Henry E. McGinn, attorney for the plaintiff, will make the opening and clos ing speech, and Ed Mendenhall and W. D. Fenton, counsel for the defendant, will come in between with their arguments. The witnesses called yesterday for the plaintiff were A. E. Kratz, Frank Kiernan, James Mott, L. "W. Robertson, John Kier nan and Lansing Stout. The evidence of Mr. White, a broker, was read, he not be ing present. Its purport was that he of fered Kratz and Kiernan 93 cents on the dollar for the certificates, shortly after the Portland Savings bank closed, and was unable to get them. John Kiernan testified that he had to sign off the certificates he received from Kratz, and could not now collect them. Fred R. Strong testified that he drew up the agreement between Kiernan and Kratz by the forms of which Kratz guar anteed to pay Kiernan the cash or balance due on the certificates if they were not paid by the bank in three years. Kratz, in his own behalf, testified that he never signed off, and that Kiernan did, when the bank reopened, and occasioned all of this trouble, as the certificates could have been realized upon had Kiernan not extended the time of payment to the bank. Mr. McGinn cross-examined Mr. Kratz vigorously, asking him if he was not one of a committee which advised people to sign off, and counsel produced newspaper articles published at the time to prove that such was the case. Kratz admitted that ho was a member of a committee, and that the matter of giving the bank time was discussed, but he refused to acknowledge that he himself ever signed off. He said he changed his mind about it after having advised himself. Mr. McGinn, In his ques tions, then accused Kratz of counseling other people to do what he would not do himself, and spoke of the bank having been looted, and things were pretty hot for a while. Herman Varwlg, who was receiving tel ler of the Portland Savings bank, testified that the extensive agreements which de positors signed, could not now be found. His recollection was that they were de stroyed by the receiver. Herman J. Jubitz, who was assistant re ceiving teller, was called by the plaintiff to prove that Mr. Kratz did sign the ex tension agreement. The witness produced a book into which the names of those who signed off were copied. According to this he testified that Kratz was one of the signers. He kept this book, and the names were taken from the agreements. The agree ments could not be found. On cross-examination by Mr. Mendenhall, the witness said he did not remember seeing Kratz sign off, nor having seen the name of Kratz on any agreement. The defense tried to show that Kratz name might appear in this book, although John Kiernan, as the owner of the certificates, was the'only per son who signed the agreement of exten sion. To counteract the effect of the evidence of this witness, the defense called Henry Kahn, whose name also appears in this book. Kahn testified that he never went to the bank to sign off, and said he trans ferred his certificate to Inman, Poulsen & Co. There was considerable evidence of various kinds concerning the extension agreements, and various occurrences at the time of the bank failure, and the jury Willi doubtless be able to reach a definite conclusion as to what did take place. Petitions in Bankruptcy. Petitions In bankruptcy were filed in the United States court yesterday as follows: David A. Clanlnger, an old resident oi Scappoose; liab'llties, $1311 SO; assets, $70. Essie "Watkins, of Portland, boarding house keoper; liabilities, $7295, the holders of t$1700 of which are secured; assets, in wearing apparel, exempt, $150. E. F. McKInney & Co., of Turner, Mar ion county, dealers In general merchan dise; liabilities, $9139 10; their assets amount to about $5000. McKInney & Co. have been In business at Turner for many years, and in addition to their merchandis ing, operated grain warehouses at Patrum, Switzerland, and Turner. In these ware houses are several thousand bushels of wheat, and among the creditors of the firm are many farmers, from whom they bought wheat. Of their liabilities, the sum of $2960 85 Is due a San Francisco firm, which is secured by a mortgage on their warehouses valued at $4500. Probate Court. L. C. Henrlchsen petitioned to be ap pointed guardian of Harry Danielson, a minor. The petitioner states that Albert Danielsen, deceased, who was the father of the minor, had an insurance policy for $1000 in the Knights of Maccabees. Of this sum, $900 is payable to Alice Danielsen, a daughter, and $100 to Harry Danielsen. The society desires to pay the money, and as Harry is only 2 years old, a guardian for him Is necessary. Mr. Henrlchsen asks to be appointed If Helen Danielsen, the mother, does not desire the trust She has so far not applied to the court Louis Brandes, administrator of the es tate of E. Louis Ehlers, deceased, filed his final report showing $595 receipts, and $270 disbursements. The balance or the money and a house and lot are Inherited by the widow and four children. J. C. Moreland, administrator of the estate of A. G. "Walling, deceased, reported that $10,907 claims have been filed, anJ that the Interest and taxes amount to $602. The general expenses were stated to be $162. The receipts were $2591, and the dis bursements $2252. Macmaster & Blrrell hold a mortgage for $5000 on lots 1, 2, 3 and 4, block 119, city of Portland. The ad ministrator asked that citation be issued to the heirs to appear and show cause why the property should not be sold In order to satisfy the mortgage. Henry Holtgrieve, guardian of Margaret A., Annie J. and Charles H. Pike, minors, was authorized to sell an undivided one ninth of lot 5, block 103, East Portland; an eleventh-eighty-first of lot G, same block, and five acres of land, to provide funds for their support In the matter of the estate of Henry Ackerman, deceased, M. C. Lyon filed a pe tition stating that he is Indebted to the estate to the extent of $760, and that 3.20 acres of land in the name of Ackerman was held only as security for the Indebt edness. The court is asked to so declare. Conrt Notes. Judge George will announce a decision this morning In the case of R. H. Homan vs. Society Christopher Columbo, on the motion for a new trial. Gottfried Fick, a subject of the emperor Of Prussia, and "W. F. "Walker, a. subject of the queen of Great Britain and Ireland, were admitted to citizenship yesterday by Judge Frazier. Mary "W. Gaston, B. "Wistar Morris and N. M. "Wood have appealed to the circuit court from the ordinance passed by the common council In the matter of the pro posed laying out. opening and establish ing' of Main street from the west line of A. N. King's addition to the east line of King street WILL RUN CARS LATER. City & Suburban to Operate on a Longer Schedule. Later service will be given the resi dents of Portland by the City & Suburban railway on and after February 1. Coinci dent with this Improvement, a large ad dition will be made to the force of em ployes of this street railway system. Be tween 30 and 40 more men will be put to work operating the cars required for this additional service. About the same time the new schedule of pay takes effect, by which the operatives receive 20 cents an hour. This speaks prosperity in words plainer than columns of writing. The great sys tem of the City & Suburban touches every business interest In the city. If people have work they can ride. If they are pros perous they can seek the refreshing suburbs for homes of their own, and reach their work on the cars. No institu tion of the city can be more safely relied upon to reflect the general business situ ation, and the fact that the managers of the concern are branching out, adding to the convenience of the public, and in creasing largely the force of employes, is accepted by the knowing ones as the best possible indication of sound, stable pros perity. The increase of employes will not bring from the outside any new men. There were more than enough extramen or sub stitutes on the list to make up the full complement required under new regula tions. This fact also does away with the necessity of teaching a number of new men the work. All the extramen put on the cars are thoroughly trained, some of them as efficiently as the regular em ployes, which is another excellent feature in the Improvement There will be no hazard of unskilled operators handling costly machinery. Of course an addition will have to be made to the extramen list equal to the promotions to regular work. But even In this no dlfflcuulty will be experienced on the part of the company, or in fact Incon venience. The promotions of extramendid not absorb all of those formerly on "the list. Besides those who were occasionally given work, there is a list of applications on hand from which the company could draw enough men In one day to duplicate their operators of cars. These, In due order, will be placed at work as extra men until vacancies In the regular line are made. One of the main objects of the later service Is to accommodate theater-goers, or any who care to be out at night In the past, persons residing any distance from the center of the city were compelled often to rush from, places of amusement before completion of the programme, else walk home. Those young men whoso women friends resided out on the East Side thought themselves fortunate to get a car for the outward journey, and had to content themselves with footing It back after seeing her safely home. Their bless ing upon the railway management Is due. There are many others engaged in mors serious occupation who will be accommo dated by the improvement in service. o PERSONAL MENTION. Miss Jacobs, of Corvallls, Is at the Port land. L. A. Loomis, of Ilwaco, is registered at the Perkins. Herman "Wise, of Astoria, is registered at the Imperial. Mrs. J. "W. Conn, of Astoria, is a guest of the Perkins. J. R Yeon, a Cathlamet logger, is at the St. Charles. Oak Nolan, of Tillamook, Is registered at the Portland. R P. Lewis, of St. Louis, Mo., is reg istered at the Portland. J. "Waterhouse, of Gearhart, Or., is reg istered at the Perkins. Charles H. Fisher, of Baker City, la registered at the Imperial. Thomas H. Rogers, a McMInnville drug gist, is at the St. Charles. James A. Stapleton, of Vancouver, "Wash., is registered at the St. Charles. George "W. Easterbrook, a pioneer of Oceanside, "Wash., Is registered at the St Charles. "W. F. Hiatt, of Placervllle. Idaho, a prominent lumber dealer, is in the city on business. D. B. Kelly, a Prinevllle stockman, is registered at the Ferkhi3, on .his return from San Francisco. C. A. Schafer, who died in perfect unity with his family, at the Good Samaritan hospital, was yesterday buried by them. Arthur Hodges, of Prinevllle, registered at the Imperial yesterday on returning from Salem, homeward, with his bride. G. C. Flavel, of Astoria, is at the Im perial, accompanied by h's wife. Mrs. Flavel will leave for a visit to California this week. J. O. Spencer and B. "Wall, formerly 1 GOING BLIND? (The army test. Hold this 15 inches away and count the spots.) If your sight is per fect you can read the following paragraph 20 inches away. Most diseases march in etep with the advance of civilization; but troubles with and diseases or the eyes are Ealloplrs through tha length and; breadth of our country, leaving ua and our children with algbtlesa eyeball3. The Reason? Few are taught how to use the eyes, and secondly uric acid in the blood has a strong affinity for the optic nerve. If your eyesight is fail- C and blurs before your eyes you are the victim of kidney disease, and no time should be lost in securing and using Warner's Safe Cure, which will put over worked and diseased kidneys in good health, and the excess of uric acid will be driven from the system in stead of passing into and poisoning it. Fail ing eyesight in eight cases out of ten is a danger signal which should be heeded. connected with the Clifton cannery,, but now engaged la the cannery business at Port Townsend, are at the Imperial. Captain "W. C. Langfitt, engineer of the 13th lighthouse district, and G. "W. Free man, superintendent, left yesterday for Yaquina, to make an inspection of the lighthouse and other government properrs there. A 0 KNOTTY LIQUOR PROBLEM. Is a Lodslngr - House Keeper Who Serves Drinlcs Liable t "Whether liquor can be served In a lodging-house without the keeper first takirg out a. retailer's license, is a question which Judge Hennessy has now under his hat. License Collector Beach was on hand yes terday afternoon to prosecute Beatrice Summerfleld for selling liquor to J. P. Crowscn without a license, defendant's counsel maintaing that the liquor cama up from the saloon below on a dummy, and that his client was, therefore, exempt from license. Croweon, who is nightwath at the Northern Pacific mills, swore tiat he went to Mrs. Summerfleld's lodging house, at the corner of Second and Morri son, in search of a runaway daughter, aged 15, whom he had reason to suppose was concealed In the place, and that w hlo there he ordered two glasses of "regular barroom whisky," which was promptly served at an expense to him of 25 ccnis. The case will be decided tomorrow morn ing. Mr. Beach has also a case against Sam uel "Walfler, whose arrest he caused yes terday on a charge of selling Hquor by wholesale without a wholesaler's license. "Walfler, It is alleged, has a saloon-keeper's license only, and has been guilty of selling larger quantities than one gallon. Mr. Beach says he has two-gallcn lots In h!3 possession, which were purchased by per sons sent to Walfler's place for the pur pose. This case will be investigated thia morning in the municipal court o DAILY METEOROLOGICAL REPORT. PORTLAND, Jan. 24. 8 P. IT. Maximum temperature, 42; minimum temperature, 30; river reading1 at 11 A. 31.. 8.G feet; changa la last 24 hours, .8; total precipitation. S P. 31. to S P. 31.. 0; total precipitation from Septem ber 1, 1S00. 23 30; normal precipitation from September 1, 1S00. 24.06; deficiency. 1.57; total eunahlne January 23. 100O, 1:13; possible sun shine. 0 20. WKATHER SYNOPSIS. There haa been no raiit la the past 2i hours oer the Pacific Northwest. Cool weather pre- nll3 cAer the plateau region, the temperature havlnff fallen la Idaho. Utah and Nevada. The high Is nowoer Idaho and -will mm rap- Idly toward the southwest. In the coast sec tion, there hna been a fall in pressure, and a. low area appears off the California coast. Rlslne temperature, with weather becoming cloudy Thursday afternoon, and rain oa the coast. Is indicated. WEATHER FORECASTS. Forecasts made at Portland for the 2S hours ! endlnp midnight Thursday, January 25, 1000. Western Oregon Fair, cloudy In afternoon, with rain, on, coast; south-east 'vylnda. Western. Washington Fair, cloudy In after noon and rain on coast: winds east to south. Eastern Washington, Eastern, Oregon, and rfort&ern loano air. warmer, southerly winds. Southern Idaho Fair; variable Winds. Portland and vicinity Fair, cloudy la after-1 noon; southeast winds. Mr. H. T. Shobe. 2704 Lucas Ave.. St. Louis. Mo., aavsr "Hv daugh ter had Eczema, which covered her head and spread to her face. She wag treated bv -physicians and, taken to celebrated health springs, but only crew worse. Many patent medicines were taken, but withoufcl result, until we decided to tryi S. S. S. A dozen bottles cured heri completely and left her skin per fectly smooth. Not a sign of the! dreadful disease has ever returned. (Swift's Specific) is the only cure fori Eczema, and all other obstinate blood! diseases. Valuable books mailed ireaf by Swift Specific Company, Atlanta, Ga.S Radwoy's Heady Relief for all aches aad. S.S.SBlood emu. oiua wj us uj auuii oc '"rTrTi