Morning Oregonian., July 28, 1900, Page 8, Image 8

s
THE MORNKSFGr OBEGONIANr BftUS-DAY, JULY '28, 1900.
CAVES OF ML ST. HELtNS
l. i ha'ctkxxs has just visited
- 'them.
HI Interesting Account of the "Won
ders He Explored Extinct
Lava Stream.
I. I. Hawkins, who has Just returned
Irom an exploring trip to Mount St. Hel
ens, furnishes the following interesting
account of the wonderful caves in the
lava beds at the foot of the mountain:
These caves are wonderfully interest
ing. They are the channels of a once
molten submerged river of lava. They
have been explored a mile and a half,
and possibly would bo found to be several
miles longer if more thoroughly explored.
They are in one of the numerous lava
streams that pour down from the sides
of St. Helens. This flow is at least nine
miles long, and the caves about eight
miles from the base of the mountain.
The general direction of the cave Is di
rectly towards the mountain, though con
tinually winding in exceedingly graceful
curves. The roof, at all places, is about
35 feet below the surface. The Beveral
openings to the cave aro where the. roof
has fallen in, and show a continuation
in both directions.
"The bed of the once molten river aver
ages about 20 feet wide, almost perfect
ly level, and covered with fine dregs of
the last flow. This flat floor gives good
level footing for one's feet, but the sharp-1
ness of the lava as It crunches cuts the
shoe leather very fast.
"The banks of the river are exceed
ingly well defined. They are about six
feet high, and nearly perpendicular. They
sweep in such graceful curves, always
being parallel, that they form the most
attractive part of the cave. The streaks
along these banks are smooth and paral
lel, and suggest high-water marks. On
top of the bank there is occasionally
room enough to walk or crawl without
bumping one's head against the arch of
the roof.
"The roof averages 20 feet high, usu
ally semi-circular in cross section, though
sometimes approaching V shape. The en
tire roof Is glazed, save wher tho glaz
nig had cracked off, and is covered with
drippings about an inch long, and a few
Inches apart. The cave is a"n uniform,
gentle grade, of about 3 per cent. There
ere no bars to this river, or sharp turns
where the bank is cut away.
"Occasionally, in going through, one
climbs or crawls over high, angular
blocks, and in all such cases, upon look
ing up, he sees where they have fallen
from the roof. There Is a cool draft, that
obeys the law of gravity, and always
flows down and out of the lower open
ings. "The cave Is intensely dark after one
once gets a few rods away from the open
ing, owing to the black nature of the
lava. The rocks, floorroof and banks
as you enter are covered with moss. This
disappears within a rod or two, and tho
rest of the way is as fresh and clean as
though the molten river had Just stopped
flowing long enough to give its confines
time to cool.
"There is no water to speak of. "We
found about a half-gallon In one place
that was fresh and cold. Occasionally
one finds moist places along the walls.
"It took our party one hour and 10
minutes to go through the longest cave.
Each member was well shod, and had a
good lantern. We entered through a hole
about 25 feet in diameter, where the roof
had fallen in, climbing over the angu
lar, moss-covered blocks of lava. About
the middle of this portion we saw a small
beam of daylight through the roof. This
passage was a good mile in length. "We
emerged through an opening similar to
where we entered. A portion of the
party continued on and reported two
more opening's about 900 feet apart.
"The rest of the caves we did not ex
amine, as I was positive as to my pet
theory as to their origin, namely, that
the hot core ran out, leaving the caves
in its wake. I afterwards learned through
Olle Peterson, who discovered the cave
in 1S95 while hunting a deer, that the cave
continued down from where our party
first entered, a half-mile, maintaining all
essential features just described. At this
end, however, the cave was completely
plugged up with lava.
"Mr. Peterson told me of a side cham
ber or channel entering this lower half
mile that made me regret that I did not
make a personal examination of It. How
a side channel could come in is not quite
clear in my mind. I learned, however,
that on the side, and not far from where
this channel came In, there is a circular
hole SO feet deep and 300 feet across,
filled with angular fragments. It Is Just
possible that this hole was filled with
molten lava and the hot contents broke
through into the main river, and allowed
its floating roof to cave In when the
liquid contents went out This, however,
is pure conjecture on my part. I hope
some day soon to clear up my ideas on
this point.
"One can ride on a bicycle from Port
land to within a mile and a half of the
cave, mat is, to the end of the wagon
road on the north fork of the Iewls
River. A good, easy trail from there
takes one to the cave. In due time
samples of the roof, floor and banks, ac
companied by flashlight views of this
modernf'etitict, submerged, molten river
will be.on exhibition in Portland's Free
Museum.
"From a business point of view, I would
like to see a simple air-line bicycle path
to these caves, and one to St Helens.
The farming community nearly the en
tire distance would reap a large benefit,
to say nothing of the Increased value of
their land, and Portland could compete
with Kentucky, and take advantage of
some of the wonders that lie at her feet
This would be simple to build, and could
pass over so many fine trout streams and
through such a wealth of magnificent vir
gin forest that in many respects it would
be superior to Mount Hood path.
"But this will not do, because some self
ish fellow will try to declare it uncon
stitutional, because his grandmother does
not ride in that direction or care "for the
wonders of Nature, or progress."
NOT IN WANT OF FOOD.
Bnncnprrnss Resident Tells of Good
Things He Gets to Eat.
Some people who live in cities Imagine
that people who live In the country have
few of the luxuries of life in the way of
eating. This all depends. In some places
some people do manage to live on a diet
of fat bacon, hot bread and coffee three
times a day, but good farmers who havo
good wives to look after them manage
to have good gardens and have about as
many luxuries in the way of fruits, ber
ries, vegetables, chickens, eggs, etc., as
most city people, and generally of a su
perior quality.
A wealthy sheepman from the south,
eastern part of Oregon was being enter
tained bjr a friend, at a dinner at a popu
lar restaurant last evening, and, after an
elegant meal had been disposed of, from
cantelopc on ice down to a bottle of
champagne and cigars, tho host asked his
bunchgrass 'friend how he managed to
live "on the range."
"I suppose," answered the sheepman,
"that you imagine we eat grass and have
bacon and beans as a luxury on Sundays.
"We, however, do not exactly graze or live
on the range We have a little farm near
a fine spring, and have an orchard and a
garden which would probably surprise
you. Having water to irrigate the gar
den, we grow every kind of vegetables
and berries to perfection, and have them
as early as you get them here from Cali
fornia, and much better. At this season,
of course, we keep plenty of poultry and
come cows, and havo fresh eggs, butter
and chickens galore. At this. season I
can walk down around tho haystacks in
the meadow and knock over half a dozen
prairie chickens, before breakfast any
morning, or by going out on the range I
can shoot as many young sage hens as I
want, and they are both delicious when
young. I can walk down to a branch of
the Deschutes In 16 minutes and catch
a basket of -trout almost any day In the
year, and a ride of half an hour takes
me to where a deer or perhaps an ante
lope can be shot almost without Tail.
We have plenty of beef, veal, lamb and
mutton of the best, and If you will come
out and stay a month with us I will show
you that we manage to exist pretty comfortable."
AN EARNEST PROTEST.
Dr. Hill Strexraonsly Objects to "Rk
nlatin&r" Gambling?.
HmLARDEN, Wash., July 20. CTo the
Editor.) The action taken by our Port
land officials concerning gambling- seems
to me so outrageous and the protests
so strangely lacking, that I am moved
to break, my rule of not writing to
the papers. It seems that the Mayor,
the Chief of Police and the District At
torney have taken upon, themselves the
task of regulating the gambling evil ac
cording to a plan of their own choosing,
tossing aside the people's will, as ex
pressed by laws, with a singular disre
gard of those whose servants they are
supposed to be.
Two reasons are given for this high
handed proceeding. First gambling can
not be stopped. Therefore, let it be regu
lated. Under the plan now adopted, of
fining monthly the keepers of gambling
houses, the establishments can be kept
in the second story and the police depart
ment can give them oversight
Second The criminal classes necessitate
in large measure the expenses of city ad
ministration. Therefore, let them bear
their share of the burden.
These arguments are plausible; but they
will not bear examination. let the Chief
of Police reply to the first A few months
ago, he stated, in the presence of 50 men,
that he could stop gambling within 24
hours if the Police Commissioners ordered
him to do so. But even if It could not
be entirely stopped, that fact Is no more
of a reason for licensing It than for
licensing prostitution and thieving be
cause they cannot be entirely stopped.
The seconl arugment standing alone,
is the reason with which Judas hastened
to the betrayal of his Master. Neely
robbed the Government because of the
money there was in it If this matter is
wrong, that should be the end of it
Just consider how these gentlemen,
whom we have elected to office are plan
ning to fill our depleted treasury. They
are saying to Fritz and Blazler and the
rest "You may get some unsuspecting
farmer into your place, rob him of $103,
and we will see that no harm comes to
you provided you put J10 of the 'swag
Into the city treasury. You may get hold
of young clerks, returning miners, any
fools who aro not onto your game, skin
them of their money, and we wllL give
you protection provided you turn a per
centage of your booty Into the city treas
ury." This, In plain language, is the new
plan.
The next logical step would be to say
to such persistent highwaymen, as the
two who caused so much trouble last
year: "We have difficulty In stopping this
thing. You are putting the city to extra
expense and should help to bear the bur
den. Therefore, every month you are to
pay a fine Into the city treasury. Then
you may go out without interference and
hold up belated travelers to your hearts'
content"
Any one can, see, after a few moments'
thought that It is not the gamblers who
are going to contribute towards the city's
expenses, but the poor dupes whom they
are going to rob.
If anything else were needed to show
the significance of this new plan, it will
be necessary simply to state that this is
the identical scheme proposed a few
months ago by the gamblers themselves.
They circulated a petition, which their
own crowd generously signed, and a few
respectable men were Induced to sign by
means of misrepresentations and threats,
requesting the Police Commissioners to
do this very thing, which is now being
done. Is any one so simple-minded as to
suppose that the gamblers went to all of
that trouble In order to injure their own
business? The names of Fritz, Blazier
and Erickson were on that paper, and
now, when they walk up and pay their
fines, thus securing the protection of the
police, they say loud enough for your re
porter to hear: "I suppose we'll have to
stand it" And then they wink the other
eye.
The Mayor, the Chief of Police and the
District Attorney, belong to the execu
tive branch of the government Iaws
are already provided for their direction.
They have no option in the matter. They
have no more right to license gambling
than murder and robbery.
A large class of our people are- terribly
in earnest on this question. They feel
that they are being trifled with. Months
ago they were promised that something
should be done In the way of restraining
the frightful evils which are destroying
so many of our young. The Republican
party seemed to realize this when It
placed In its platform, a pledge to do its
utmost to correct the city's vice and
crime. And now this gambling scheme ia
launched as one of the first acts of fts
Mayor and Chief of Police. Hundreds of
us were Induced to vote for the present
State's Attorney because -of the assur
ance that he would earnestly endeavor to
enforce the laws; and here one of the
first acts of his administration Is to throw
wide open the doors of lawlessness.
I write these lines with the greatest re
luctance. Two of these gentlemen I am
glad to call personal friends. It is to be
hoped they will reconsider their action
and give us an administration of which
Portland may be proud.
EDGAR P. HIIAm
DAILY CITY STATISTICS.
Real Estate Transactions.
R. M. Dooley, trustee, to R. J. .Eck
crson, quit claim deed, to lot 1,
block 4, -Mount Tabor Villa, March
8. leoo $ i
A. W. Lambert and Bella L. Lam
bert, to Julia E. Uiorand and D.
B. Ulbrand. lot 10. blocK 28, Mult
nomah. July 6, 1900 $75
Joseph Kehoe and Josephine Kehoe.
to Otto Tretag, weBt half of lots
7 and 8, block IBS, East Portland,
July 24. 1900 1600
Alta. Munroe and W. H. Munroe, to
Elizabeth Wunder. north 40 feet of
lot 4, block 7, in the original town
site of AJblna, July 9. l500.. 450
Minnie C. Dammler and George H.
Dammler, to B. E. Wrignt lot 4,
block 128, Irvlngton, July -25, 1900.. 2500
John P. Watson to John Latta,, the
southwest quarter of the northeast
quarter: the southeast quarter of
northwest quarter, the northeast
quarter of the southwest quarter:
the north half of tho southeist
quarter, of section 1, township 1
south, range 4 east, containing 200
acres, July 26, 1900 720
William Mackintosh, trustee, to LUa
B. Bliss, lot 5, block 1, Jefferson
Street addition, deed given in con
firmation of previous deed, July 18,
1900 1
Deaths.
July 25 Samuel W. Starr, aged 61 years,
8 months; 475 Broadway street senile
paralysis.
July 23 Sadie Johnson (Calhoun), aged
28 years; Lambert House, carbolic add
poisoning.
Births.
July 22 Boy. to the wife of James H.
Woodard. 194 East Eighteenth street
Contagions Diseases.
Clara Bufllngton, 333 Third street, ty
phoid fever.
Will positively, cure sick headnche and
prevent its return. .This -is not talk, but
truth:- Carter's Little Liver Plus: one
pill a dose. Try them.
WAS WILLING TO SELL
PARMER'S HBASOK.FOR IXrSTTSZk A
-GdcMTTHura Gov -
Scrap of .History W&iefe Snows Gift
for Oooalag Real Estate In Not
a Modern One.
Something over & score of years ago a
family coming from one of the. large cit
ies of the Bast where they had lived for
a number of years, purchased a farm in
the Willamette Valley. It is not neces
sary to state the -location of the form
more definitely, although all the family
left Oregon a dozen or more years ago.
and, so -far as known, all of them are
dead. They were probably lonoly In their
new home, and wrote back to their old
home and induced a neighbor there en
gaged in commercial business to come to
Oregon and buy an adjoining farm. The
newcomers did not fall in love with farm
life, and, after a few years, they went
back East where they have prospered.
Some years after they went back, the
ex-farmer, by way of Joke, wrote to his
old neighbor in Oregon under an assumed
name, asking for information in regard to
the farm he had advertised for sale, and
he received the following letter In reply.
Knowing all about the place, and being
able to read between the lines and to seg
regate the truth from the exaggerations
In it, he had many a hearty laugh over
it and finally sent it to a friend here, as
a pattern for real estate agents to follow
In booming farms they had for sale:
"Salem, Or., Dec 1, 1881 Mr. .Dear
Sir: I received yours today and hasten
to answer. In tho first place, I will state
our reasons for wishing to sell this fine
farm, the finest to be found in this Wil
lamette Vfilley the flnest farming valley
In the world, the best climate, water, tim
ber and market; the depth of clay Is no
where to be found equal to it I fell over
a year ago, and have not been well since,
and need a rest
"We have done well here, and plenty of
money can be made, as sheep pay so
well. Ours cut 10 pounds of wool aver
age, and the price is generally 25 cents.
No Winter to roqulre feeding, but we have
put up In a central part a shed 60 feet
long, 26 feet wide, to hold our straw, haul
ing our grain to the shed and machinery
Into it We have 100 acres of wheat grow
ing, and we offer the farm and crop for
$15,000.
"California has droughts; we have none;
our crop never fails. In California you
cannot get a good apple or potato we
beat the world on both (no brag). The
quality of our grain Is nowhere equaled.
We grow 3000 bushels of wheat, besides
oats, yearly; sell from 80 cents up to H 10
per bushel. We have about 350 acres
cleared, and 100 acres of swamp, which
can bo cut and burned for $10 per acre.
This land Is worth 100 per acre. It will
keep SOO sheep. We have no snow to speak
of; we plow and sow all the 'Winter. I
came from the south of England, and
Oregon Is the best climate I ever struck,
dry In July, August and September. With
the management we adopt 0 acres of
wheat can be put In yearly, which will
yield 40 bushels to the acre. The title Is
perfect the original donator Is still liv
ing. "Clay soil 20 feet deep no sand or
gravel not much resistance to the plow
two horses plow easily 10 inches deep
rail fences large flr trees sufficient to
keep same in repair rail lumber ad lib
itum within two miles for cutting. Our
swamp is hard to discount; beffvers dam
ming the water and turning it in every
direction. It is a mile long has trout in
it everywhere. Three hundred have been
taken at one time. This has now been
stopped by legislation, and trout culture
would pay big .as the trespass act will
keep them for the tenant Two ditches
or water courses ought to be cut the
whole length which Tommy the Ditcher
(who cuts all dikes in this part of Oregon)
offers to cut for $600. After the ditches
are cut the beavers leave.
"There Is lots of fall, and any amount of
trout can be grown there. I may add the
snipe and duck shooting In the swamp is
worth mentioning. We have the blue
grouse, weighing as high as three pounds;
willow grouse, V& pounds; quail, 12 ounces.
On our farm the house Is small; large
barn, a granary, large orchard fruit su
perabundant "Land is assessed low; taxes on money
are high; as it is only a few miles to
town, or friends are mostly there. The
farmers aro all well-informed, well-to-do
men; two district schools within reach.
Bad farmers have wild oats; they disap
pear before stock or Summer fallowing.
Farmers farm badly burn their straw
and sow wheat years In succession. I
believe I have answered all your ques
tions. My paper Is so bad and I am writ
ing In a hurry to mall this tomorrow, so
pleaso excuse the writing. Yours, etc.,
"P. S. It is hard to And such a farm as
this two rivulets so arranged to water
each field, that never fall. Land Just
rolling enough to be pretty. I bought a
160-acre farm next me for a man, and put
12000 in his pocket by the transaction."
(This was the man to whom the letter was
addressed.)
EAST SIDE AFFAIRS.
Family Safferlnff From Typkoid
Fever Other Matters.
The family of Rev. John Gibson, pastor
of the Grand-Avenue United Presbyterian
Church, Is having" a very severe time
with typhoid fever, caused, without doubt,
by fver germs In tho milk they received
up to a short time ago. First Mr. Gib
son's 17-year-old son was taken down with
typhoid, without any apparent cause. The
fever kept up In spite of all efforts to
combat It, until It was discovered that
the milk was coming from a place where
,there was typhoid. The attending physi
cian saw mat tne noy was being fed rever
germs, and on discontinuing the use of
the milk the patient commenced to im
prove. He Is now out of danger, but still
very weak. Mrs. Gibson Is down with
the fever, and yesterday the f$ver wis
very high. She has been sick a week,
but hopes are entertained that she will
not have a serious time, now that tho
cause of the illness in the family Is
known. The illness of the family has
caused them to give up their Summer va
cation, and It has also greatly Interfered
with Dr. Gibson's pastoral work.
Funeral of Samuel W. Staver.
The funeral of Samuel W. Staver, whq,
died Wednesday evening, took place yes
terday forenoon from his late home, on
the corner of. East Ninth and Broadway
streets. A large number of the friends
of the family from different portions of
the city were present at the services, the
rooms of the house being filled and the
porch In front occupied. An appropriate
service was conducted by Rev. Charles T.
Hurd, pastor of the First United Evan
gelical Church. He was assisted by Rev.
Charles C. Poling, of La Fayette, and
Rev. M. J. Ballentyne, of St Johns. Other
ministers also were present Many beau
tiful floral tributes were sent and brought
by friends. At the close -of the services
at the house the remains were taken to
Greenwood Cemetery.
The deceased was a brother of the late
George W. Staver, and was connected
with the Arm of Staver & Walker for a
number of years. He had been -a resi
dent of Portland for 17 years, and formed
a wide acquaintance. There was a uni
form courtesy In his dealings with people
In a business and social way, and he will
be kindly remembered. His sickness ex
tended over several years. Only a week,
ago the family occupied their new home:
Transferred to Snnnyslde.
Rev. H. B. Ellworthy, D. D., pastor of
the Methodist Church at Cresswell, Or.;
has been transferred to the SunnvcM
I Methodist Church, to take the .place -of
uic ouDyciiutru muusier. xxe is expectea
to arrlva in Portlai&l ba next Wednes
day, and will at one enter on his duties
as pastor. Mr. EUifarlhy'-Is one of- the
prominent members th$ Oregon con
ference. Dr. Que saja he 'regards him as
a' careful and safe jhlnister, and highly
Tespected wherever he has gone. He has
been a member of ,r the, Oregon confer
enee for the past 2? years, and is spe
cially fitted for the -6rk to which he has
been, assigned at Stmhyside, where the
church has been somewhat broken up. He
will receive a hearty? welcome in his new
field. Dr. EllworthjffcwU have charge of
the Sunnyslde church unfil the annual
conference convenes):!. September at Ashland.
Fixing Jflde-rhhlc.
The repairing of s&ew&lks Is gong for
ward all over the 'East Side. Recently
sidewalks were carjfully inspected and
the notices, were &rred on property
owners where the Aralka:.were in par
ticularly bad eanditjart. .There has been
quite general response, an the result will
be desirable. In some, places the result
however. Is amusing One,1 will pass over
a long stretch of really dangerous, rick
ety sidewalk, and 9brne to 100 feet of
nice new walk, while. Just beyond the
walks are broken upy This Is where the
owner of one or more lots haB responded
promptly to the ndtce to-repair, wnlle
owners on either sld&of his grounds have
not done so. On thewhole there is much
repairing in progress A sample of the
best and most enduring walks are those
ex-Mayor Hill, of Arblna. Js putting down
on. the two sides of -bis new dwelling on
Williams aVenue. He Is using concrete,
which will last for atl indefinite period.
r- 1
Wat tin fif for -oot Girders.
Contractor Bridges' has taken a run
down to the seaside for a little rest
while waiting for the steef roof girders
of the machine shops of the Southern
Pacific Company. Superintendent Klee
mann and a few men are on the grounds
at present They are faying concrete
foundations for the machinery Inside the
building. New and up-to-dato machinery
will be placed In the hew structure. Part
of the machinery froth thd old shops will
be used, but the main ,portlon will be
new. Power will bo supplied by elec
tricity, as It Is cleaner "and better. The
company may have Its own power plant.
Roof "girders are 'expected within a
month. . '
New SchdbTUonsc.
It Is expected thijt wor;k en the new
schoolhouse at Gresham . will be com
menced the first of' the month. Most of
the taxos have been ''collected, and public
opinion favors the erection of the build
ing. It is proposed' fo put up a two
story structure, with the basement In con
crete. It will cost; about, ?3000. Only
the lower portion will be finished this
season. There will be" nb debt contracted,
and tho Directors wffl only go as far as
tho money will last and then stop. Thero
are two acres In the schbolgrounds, and
these may be fixed up In an attractive
manner. Contract fopthe schoolhouse will
probably be let In a .short time.
East Side Notes.
Miss Tlllle Lammer, Mrs. F. F. Jancke
and Miss Helen Eilcrs-dre registered at
LockBley Hall, Seaside, and are having an
enjoyable time. '
Mrs. George B. Van Waters and children
are at Vosburg, Clackamas County, tak
ing a vacation. Mr. Van Waters was
there with them until yesterday, when
he returned to the qltyv. He left yester
day for Newport, and will be out of the
city for some time.
Rev. C A. Blair, who recently retired
as pastor of the First Cumberland Pres
byterian Church, will arrive from Gear
hart Park today and be In the city over
Sunday Mr. Blair writes that he is Im
proving constantly, and expects to be
fully restored by Fall, when he hopes to
resume work. . '
Mrsj Sarah B. Coffin, wldqw of the late
Captain L. Coffin, died 'Thursday evening
at the home of her'spn, 305 East Sixth
street Holladay Addition , after a linger
ing Illness. She lived at an early daj at
The Dalles, but for 'several years made
her home with her son at Portland. The
funeral will take place Sunday from the
house.
Dr. Wise, room 614, The Pekum.
EXCURSION TO BONNEVILLE
A feature of the O R. & N. excursion
to Bonnevillo next Sunday will be the
vaudeville performance, under the pa
vllllon, and the good music This Is free
to all who attend the, picnic. Train leaves
Union depot Sunday morning at 9:30.
Passengers have the privilege of getting
off train at any point this side of Bonne
ville, if they prefer, -and train will stop
coming back. Fare, 60 cents, round trip.
London has 13.564 policemen, or 19 to the
square mile. Sixty per cent of them are
on night duty. - ' .
"
H
v
Kf$S IlliaSaSsk
imigiitL iff w iHf JkilBfflk llii M
V A ",; ' -
- -ilk.
MAY HELP-NOME BOOMERS
WAR .DEPARTMEjrr WJLh PROBA
BLY COME TO THE RESCUE.-
Commissioner Hermann . Says He
Forsaxr-Failure 'and Kept Gov
ernment Front SoJXerlns tons.
WASHINGTON, July H. Recent re
ports from Cape Nome have given various
Government officials In Washington con
siderable concern for the welfare of the
vast throngs that are now strewn about
that' newly discovered gold field, or are on,
their way there. One who Is deeply in
terested in this matter Is Commissioner
Hermann, of the General Land. Office. In
speaking of the Nome situation recently,
the Commissioner sold:
"Developments have proven that my
suspicions were correct For a time we
heard nothing but flattering reports from
Nome, and great strikes were reported
day after day. It was not long before
the Interest centered in the Cape Nome
"beach was greater than that ever beforo
shown in any one mining region. Last
year, when the Nome discoveries were
first reported. I had a suspicion that de
velopments would prove that gold existed
In. paying quantities only .in streaks, and
that much of the region would be barren,
or practically so.
"Now we have reports day af,ter day
to the effeot that tho Nome beach Is
worked out. This, as & general thing. Is
undoubtedly the case. There are spots
where paying quantities of gold aro yet
to be found, but these spots are few and
far between. And even In that case, the
pay ground has long, ago been taken up.
It' Is the lucky few that are making motl
ey at Cape Nome, while the struggling
thousands are poorer than when they
started, and growing more distressed as
time goes on. Reports- coming in tell of
new strikes that are made, and with each
strike a fresh rush. But It is the fow
that profit and the hundreds who lose.
The poo: miners are scattered along- the
beach as far north as Cape York, and
south to Golofnln Bay, but those who are
making dally wages are considered lucky.
"It is to be regretted that the geologi
cal survey put out such an alluring report
of the gold fields of Nome. Their re
port while It.was true as far as It went
did not properly represent the true con
ditions, and give a fair Idea of what
the miner at Nome would have to con
tend with. For Instance, they reported
much gold, which, at tho time their ex
perts were la Alaska, was to be found on
the Nome beach and In the tundra. But
before their report was published so long
a time had elapsed that most of this gold
had been extracted. Then, too. In de
scribing the tundra, which has been
known to contain more or less gold, they
omitted to tell of the difficulties of min
ing in that part of the gold field.
"As a matter of fact the tundra Is cov
ered with a. heavy layer of moss from
one to two feet deep, wet and soggy,
that has first to be cleared off before the
ground can be worked. This requires
considerable labor In Itself, but when the
moss has been removed It Is found that
the tundra proper Is a solid frozen mass,
that cannot be mined until it is thawed
out And herein comes the great diffi
culty." Stripped of Its gold. Cape Nome
is one of the most desert and barren sec
tions In the world. There Is no sign of
vegetation to be found in any direc
tion. Wood there Is none. and
coal sells at 12 cents a pound.
The miner that can afford suffi
cient fuel to thaw out the tundra Is
wealthy enough to get along without tho
gold It contains, and the man who has to
work the frozen mass con never expect
to make a living at It. Had there been
an abundance of firewood or "other fuel
available, the tundra might have been
successfully mined, but under existing
conditions It Is almost an impossibility,
and altogether beyond the reach of the
poor miner.
"So, on the whole, Nome has proven a-
boom gold field, and, like all other Dooms,
has burst or will burst and leave many
and many a poor prospector stranded and
without hope or possibility of reaching
home, unless the "Government comes to his
assistance. The Interior Department has
been unable to give warning to the min
ers bound for Nome,, but we have con
ferred with the War Department and
that branch of the Government service
will probably be compelled to again come
to the rescue and see that the helpless
miners are released from an almost cer
tain death, .before they are penned In by
the Ice. The outbreak and spread of dis
ease Is now working great havoc among
the poor miners, due to Improper and in
adequate sanitary provisions, which could
not be supplied In so short a.tlme for a
country so suddenly and extensively pop
ulated. I confidently expect that by the
first of August there will be fully 30.0C0
people on the Nome beach, and of this
number but a very few will ever be re
Absolutely Pie
Makes hot breakfast-breads wholesome no yeast germs, no alum.
Makes cake, biscuit and pastry of superior fineness, flavor and delicacy.
Makes food that will keep -moist and sweet. Is most economical, because
it is the purest and greatest in leavening strength. In the easy, expedi
tious preparation "of the finer cakes and pastries appropriate to the
season, Royal is fti'dispensable.
i -
ROYAbBAKINQ" POWDER CO.
warded for thdr hardship and- their4 cut
lay. The transportation companies will
grow wealthy from their SummefB work,
and the merchants selling to the miners
will reap great harvests, as ! shown by
current prices in Nome, for every com
modity, every article of food and every
Implement has to ba Imported or carried
from the States, giving "both the mer
chant and the carrier an opportunity to
reap a great profit.
"I venture to say that if the miners
who were In the Yukon country a year
agoK and who forsook, their claims, when
tho Nome rush began, had remained on
their original claims, or had taken up
some of the richer filings which were dis
posed of at nominal prices, they would
today be- better oft than 90 per cent of all
who went to Cape Nome. There were
some rich fields- In the Yukon country,
but because they did not develflp rapidly
at first they were abandoned, and good
prospects were thrown -up in the mad
rush for a country where it was reported
a fortune could be picked up off the
beach In a fow days. A few fortunes
may have been made In a short time, but
such could easily bo counted on the fin
gers of one's hands, while the failures
will number up Into the thousarids."
In speaking further of Alaskan condi
tions. Commissioner Hermann said that
business In the Upper Yukon was .prac
tically dead. Last Winter the three land
offices In that region were cut down to
one. that at Rampart because of the lack
of business. Since then, however, he s&ys
that not a single filing has been made at
that office, and If thero Is not a great
change in the next six months, he will
recommend the discontinuance of the
Rampart land office. He explained that
each land office entailed a great expense
to the Government, and where no busi
ness was being done it meant simply
throwing away so much good Government
money.
At the time the readjustment of land
offices was made, there was a great pres
sure tb have an office established at
Nome. To this Commissioner Hermann
strongly objected. It was his contention
that Nome was a boom locality, and that
the chances wero that In a year's time
there would be no call for a land office
at Nome. Subsequently he has become
convinced thit he was right He showed
that the establishment of a land office at
Nome would mean the purchase of a site
and the erection of a new building for the
land office, as no buildings could be rent
ed, and that such a building. If the gold
rush should suddenly flop, would be a
total loss to the Government He there
fore had the office located at St Michael,
which Is a fixed point and the headquar
ters for the Army stationed in Alaska.
This point Is within 100 miles of Nome,
and reached In the course of 10 or 12
hours, and has proved ample to meet and
conduct all business coming from Nome.
In fact the land office at St Michael Is
the most successful one In all Alaska, and
will probably be one of the two that Is
retained after the close of the present
season.
Sullivan Gulch Bridges.
Some general repairs are being made
to the Union-avenue bridge across Sulli
van Gulch. At the north end of the
bridge timbers at the foot of some of
the bents had become decayed, and these
have been replaced with new pieces. This
will greatly strengthen the structure. On
the whole, the bridge is in fair condition
considering the years it has stood. It "was
the first bridge to be built across Sullivan
Gulch. Since It was built nearly all the
timbers have been changed, and It bids
fair to last a good while yet City En
gineer Chase watches the substructure
closely and makes repairs where they are
needed. The Grand-avenue bridge Is also
In good condition, and is carefully
watched for any weakness. It Is really
In better condition now than when first
put up. The decking of the East Twelfth
street bridge Is badly worn, but the own
ers of the adjacent property will not re
pair, and nothing can be done with it
The East Sixteenth-street bridge la kept
in fair repair by the city, but It would
not stand heavy travel.
Mnntolpal Court.
B. P. McCroskey, a local employment
agent, was fined ?20 In the Municipal Court
yesterday for assault and battery on R.
Clyde, proprietor of the Commoner. Mc
Croskey pleaded guilty to slapping Clyde
In the face on two occasions when alter
cations .arose between them, and paid his
fine.
Robert Gilbert, arrested on a charge of
embezzling 5171 50 belonging to the Colum
bia and Willamette River Opposition
Stevedore Company, waived examination
and was bound over to the grand Jury
under 5300 bonds.
The case of M. Houda, a Japanese ar
rested by Officer Warner at Erlckson's
yesterday morning for stabbing another
Japanese, named K. iCamey, went over
until today. Houda and Kamey quarreled
over a game of cards, and Houda com
mitted the assault with a Jack-knife.
The charge against John Towes, Six
teenth and Overton, for the larceny of
a bicycle belonging to J. H. Burton, will
be decided Monday.
cfPo
JtHlllllllv
Care must be taken to avoid Dakln? powders made
from alum. Such powders are sold cheap, because
they cost but -a few cents per pound. Not only
will they spoil the cake, but alum, is a corro
sive arid, which taken hi food means-injury to 'health.
ICO WILLIAM ST.) NEW YORS
WHEAT BY IRRIGATION
COLORADO FARMER DESCRIBES HIS
gTATB'B METHODS.
It Is Hard for Him to Comprehend
Nature's Better Plan Oat Here
In Oregon.
Scott Garrett "who has been feeding
Oregon sheep for the Chicago markets for
a number of years in Big Elk Valley,
Colorado,. was In the city yesterday, ac
companied by his wife. The couple were
on their way to vi3lt a brother of Mr.
Garrett at Myrtle Point Coos County,
aqd they will Incidentally take notes of
the great state whose sheep the farmers'
of the Big Elk have been making money
on.
Mr. Garrett said the farmers and stock
men of his region depend entirely on Ir
rigation for growing their crops of wheat
oats, clover, etc. as the rainfall Is so
light that It cannot be relied on. The
land of the valley slopes from- the foot
hills to the Cache la Poudre River, with
a uniform fall of 24 feet to the mile, and
this permits of easy Irrigation by percola
tion from tho supply ditches above, with
out the necessity of flooding the lands.
He has 200 acres under a complete sys
tem, half of which Is down to alfalfa, and
the remainder to small grain. He cuts
three crops of alfalfa every year, th?
land thus producing six and a half tons,
on an average, and upon this ho depends
mainly to fatten the yearling lambs which
arrive every Fall, over the trails, from.
Oregon. Some corn Is used, he said, to
"top-off on." but this 13 brought In from
Nebraska, the cold nights of Colorado
preventing the maize maturing In the Big
Elk Valley.
Fattening sheep has long been a profita
ble Industry In his portion of the state,,
he said, and 52 a head is not considered "
extraordinary when figuring up the bal
ance sheet after tho stock has been dis
posed of to Chicago butchers.
The raising of large fields of wheat, en
tirely by Irrigation, has not been a big
success in some countries, but In the Big
Elk Valley 60 to 60 bushels per acre Is
the average yield. The farmers are aided
by gentle rains In sprouting the wheat
In early Spring, so that a uniform stand Is
always secured. When a growth of six
inches has been reached, Irrigating begins,
no matter whether rain falls or not; In
fact the Irrigators often work during
showers, and are clad in slickers to pro
tect their bodies from the Irrigation of
the clouds. Wheat is thus artificially
moistened twice In a season, after which
tho grain ripens and fills without further
aid from man.
Water has thus far been abundant for
all purposes, and very little friction has
occurred between neighboring farmers
who desire to use "the lifegiving fluid from
the same headgate at the same time.
One dollar per acre per year covers the
cost of the supply, which, considering
that It creates a value of 530 to 6Q, Is not
extortionate. All the products of the
farm And a ready market at home,
though the markets of the world govern
the prices around Fort Collins. Thus
wheat sells readily at the barn for $T10
a cental, which would correspond with
60 cents a bushel, Oregon measurement
while the cost of freighting and commis
sion is all saved to the producer.
Mr. Garrett's remarks en gazing up and
down Portland's streets Indicated that
he was surprised at the bustle and vol
ume of business in the metropolis of the
Northwest The balmy air, the lovely
flower gardens, the splendid perspective of
luxurious shade trees, the spontaneous
growth of creeping vines In the resident
portion, and the great stalwart telephone
poles carrying their cross-arms and
myriads of wires, came In for due com
ment And all this exuberance of growth
without great ditches and canals' to carry
water for irrigating, seemed altogether
out of place. He is used to clear, bright
skies, while the wetness that produces
fertility In his country Is carried by
aqueducts, from the melting snows of tha
distant mountains.
STR. T J. POTTER FOR THE
BEACH.
The Potter, leaving Ash-street dock, at
1 P. M. Saturday, runs through to Ilwaco,
stopping only at Astoria, Business men,
by taking the Potter, can have Saturday
night and Sunday at the beach and reach
Portland Monday morning in time for
business. Take the Potter and enjoy the
ride down the Columbia.
Maris Kretos (Frau Brennms), wnesa death
was announced recently at Dresden, whore aha
had been a teacher for many years, was one
of the most notable of pianoforte prodigies.
Her childishness of manner when In 1864 she
first appeared at Covent Garden. 'London, made
her a treat favorite. Her technique was re
markable for a rlrl who had only Just entered
her teens. She was very successful later on In
America.
torn