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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1900)
N THE MOEjNG OBEGOA.t MONDAY, OCTOBER,. 8, 1900. WITCHERY OF THE SEA CONCLUSIONS OP H. H. DMA RE GARDING A SAILOR'S LIFE. Abases Blast Abide the Issue of Thins Working: Slowly Together for Good No Sudden. Reform. " In the concluding chapter of that charming: and instructive narrative, "Two Years Before the Mast," R. H. Dana sums up the condition of the sailor, and makes pertinent suggestions for his betterment. It was written more than 60 years ago, but It applies to the situation today as well as it did to the time in, which It was written, for there have been few changes in the business. .Following are his conclusions: -'There Is a witchery In the sea, its songs and stories, and in the mere sight of a ship, and the sailor's dress especially to a young mind, which has done more to man navies, and fill merchantmen, than all the press-gangs of Europe. 1 have known a young man with such a passion for the sea that the very creaking of a block stirred up his Imagination so that he could hardly keep his feet on dry ground; and many are the boys, in every seaport, "who are drawn away, as by an almost irresistible attraction, from their work and schools, and hang about the decks and yards of vessels, with a fondness -which, it is plain, will have its way. Ko sooner, however, has the young sailor begun his new life In earnest than all this fine drapery falls off, and he learns that It Is but work and hardship, after all. This Is the true light in which a sailor's life is to be viewed; and If in our books, and anniversary speeches, we -would leave out much that is said about 'blue water,' ""bluejacket, 'open hearts, 'peeing God's hand on the deep.' And so forth, and take this up like any other practical subject, I am quite sure we should do full as much for those we wish to benefit. The question Is, what can be done for sailors, as they are men to be fed, and clothed, and lodged, for whom laws must be made and executed, and who are to be instructed in useful knowledge, and, above all, to be brought under religious influence and restraint? It Ib upon these topics that I wish to make a few observations. No Equality Aboard Ship. "In the first place, I have no fancies about equality on board ship. It is a thing out of. the question, and certainly, in the present state of mankind, not to be desired. I never knew a sailor wbo found fault -with the orders and ranks of the service; and if I expected to pass the rest of my life before the mast, 1 would not wish to have the power ot the captain diminished one lota. It is ab solutely necessary that there should be one head and one voice, to control every thing, and be responsible for everything. There are emergencies -which require the instant exercise of extreme power. These emergencies do not allow of consultation; and they who would be the captain's constitutional advisers might be the very men over whom he "would be called upon to exert his authority. It has been found necessary to vest In every government, even the most democratic, some extraor dinary, and, at first sight, alarming pow ers; trusting in public opinion, and sub sequent accountability, to modify the ex ercise of them. These are provided to meet exigencies which all hope may never occur, but which yet by possibility may occur, and if they should, and there were no power to meet them Instantly, there would be an end put to the government at once. So it is with the authority of the shipmatesr. It will not answer to say that he shall never do this and that thing, because it does not seem always necessary and advisable that it should be cone. He has groat cares and responsi bilities; is answerable for everything; and is subject to emergencies which perhaps no other man exercising authority among civilized people is subject to. Let him, then, have powers commensurate with his utmost possible need; only let him be neld strictly responsible for the exercise ot them. Any other course would be Injus tice, as "well as bad policy. "In the treatment of those under his authority, the captain is amenable to tne common law, like any other person. He Is liable at common law for murder, .ai sault and battery, and other offenses; and in addition to this, there is a special statute of the United States which makes a captain or other officer liable to Im prisonment for a term not exceeding live years, and to a fine not exceeding 51000, for Inflicting any cruel punishment upon, withholding food from, or in any other way maltreating a seaman. This Is the state of the law on the subject;, while the relation in which the parties stand, and the peculiar necessities, excuses and provocations arising from that relation, are merely circumstances to be considered in each case. As to the restraints upon the master's exercise of power, the laws themselves seem, on the whole, to be sufficient. I do not see that we are in heed, at present, of more legislation "on the subject The difficulty lies rather in the administration of the laws; and this is certainly a matter that deserves great consideration, and one of no little "em barrassment. "I know there are many men who, when a few cases of great hardship oc cur, and it- is evident that there is an evil somewhere, think that some arrange ment must be made, some law passed, or some society got up. to set all right at pnee. On this subject there can be no call for any such movement; on the contrary, I fully believe that any public and strong action -would do harm, and that wo must be satisfied to labor in the less easy and less exciting task ot gradual improvement, and abide the Issue of things "working slowly together tftr good. Leave Ship's Arrangements Alone. "'Equally injudicious would be any in terference with the economy of the ship. The lodging, food, hours of sleep, etc., are all matters which, though capable of many changes for the better, must yet be left to regulate themselves. And i am confident that there -will be, and that there Is now a gradual improvement In all such particulars. The forecastles ot most of our ships are small, black -and wet holes, which few landsmen would believe neld a crew of 10 or 12 men on a voyage of months or years; and often. Indeed in most cases, the provisions are not good enough to make a meal any thing more than a necessary part of a day's duty; and-on the score of sleep, i fully believe that the lives of merchant seamen are shortened by the want of It. I do not refer to those occasions when it is necessarily broken in upon; but, for months, during (fine "weather, in many merchantmen, all hands are kept, throughout the day, and, then, there are eight hours on deck for one watch each night. Thus It is usually the case that at the end of a voyage, where there has Ieen the finest weather, and no disaster, the crew have a wearied and worn-out appearance. They never sleep longer than four hours at a time, and are sel dom called without being really in need of more rest. There is no one thing that a sailor thinks more of as a luxury of life on shore than a whole night's sleep. Still, all these things must be left to be gradually modified by circumstances. Whatever hard cases occur, they should be made known, and masters and owners should be held answerable, and will, no doubt, in time, be influenced in their ar rangements and discipline by the in creased consideration in -which sailors are held by the public It is perfectly proper that the men should live in a different part of the vessel from the officers; and if the forecastle is made large and com fortable, there 1 jo reason "why the crew should not live there as "well as In any other part. In fact, sailors prefer .tee forecastle. It is their accustomed place and in it they are out of the sight and tearing of their officers. "I am not sure that I have stated,, in the course of my narrative,' the manner in which sailors eat on board ship. There are neither tables, knives, forks, nor plates, in a forecastle; but the kid (a wooden tub, with iron hoops), is placed on 'the floor, and the crew sit round It, and each man cuts for himself with the common jackknlfe or sheathknlfe that he carries about him. They drink their tea out of tin pots, holding little less than a quart each. These particulars are not looked upon as hardships, and, indee,d, may be considered matters of choice. Sailors, In our merchantmen, furnish their own eating utensils as they do many ot the Instruments which they use In the ship's ' work, such as knives, palms and needles, marline-spikes, rubbers, etc. And considering their mode of life in other re spects, the little, time they would have for laying and clearing away a table with its apparatus, and the room it would take up in a. forecastle, as well as the simple character of their meals, consisting gen erally of only one piece of meat It Is certainly a convenient method, and, aa the kid, and pans are usually kept perr fectly clean, a neat and simple one. "'As to their food and sleep, there are laws, with heavy penalties, requiring a certain amount of stores to be on board, and safely stowed; and, for depriving the crew unnecessarily of food or sleep, tne captain is liable at common law. as well as under the statute before referred to. Farther than tills, it would not be sare to go. The captain must be the judge when it is necessary to keep his crew from their sleep; and sometimes a re trenching, not of the necessaries", but or some of the little niceties of their meals, as, for Instance, duff on Sunday, may be a mode of punishment, though I think generally an injudicious one. Much Slight Be Said. "There are many particulars connected with the manning of vessels, the provis ions given to crews, and the treatment of tnem wniie at sea, upon wnicn tne might be a good deal said; but asI have, for the most part, remarked upon them as they came up in the course of my nar rative I will offer nothing further now, except on the single point of the manner of shipping men. This, it is well known, is usually left entirely to shipping-masters, and is a cause of a great deal ol difficulty, which might be remedied by the captain, or owner, if he has any knowledge of seamen attending to it per sonally. One of the members of the firm to which our ship belonged, Mr. S ., had been himself a master of a vessel, and generally selected the crew from a number sent down to him from the snip ping office. In this way he almost always had healthy, serviceable, and respectable men; for any one who has seen much of sailors can tell pretty well at first sight, by a man's dress, countenance, and de portment, what he would be on board ship. This same gentleman was also in the habit of seeing the crew together and speaking to them previously to their sail ing. On the day before our ship sailed, while the crew were getting their chests and cloth os on board, he went down Into the forecastle, and spoke to them about the voyage, the clothing they would need, the provision he had made for them, and saw that they naa fe!amp and a feW other convenience" If owners or mas ters would more generally take the same pains, they would often save their crews a goood deal of inconvenience, beside cre ating a sense of satisfaction and "grati tude, which.mako.a voyage begin uimef good auspices, and goes far toward keeping up a better state of feeling throughout Its continuance. "It only remans , for me now to speaK of the associated public efforts which have been making of late years for the good of seamen; a far more agreeable task than that of finding fault, even when fault there is. The exertions of the gen eral association, called the American Sea men's Friend Society, and of the other smaller societies throughout the Union, have been a true blessing to the seaman; and bid fair, in course of time, to change the- whole nature of the circumstances in which he Is placed, and give him a new name; as well vas a new 'character. These associations have taken hold In th right way, and aimed both at making the' sailor's life more comfortable and credit able, and at giving A him spiritual in struction. Connected with these, efforts,-, the spread of temperance among seamen; by means of societies, called, in their own nautical language, Wlndward-Anchr So cieties, and the distribution of Jbooks; ttio establishment' of Sailors' Homes, -where they can be comfortably and cheaply boarded, live quietly and decently, and be in the way of religious services, read ing and conversation; also the institution of savings banks for seamen; the distri bution of tracts and .Bibles are all mean3 which are silently doing a great work Tor this class of men. These societies make the religious instruction to seamen their prominent; object. If this is gained, there is no fear bu that all other things nec essary will be added unto them. A sailor never becomes Interested In religion with out immediately learning to read, if he did not know how before; and regular habits, forehandedness (if I may use the word) in worldly affairs, and hours re claimed from indolence and vice, which follow in the wake of the converted man, make it sure that he will instruct him self in the knowledge necessary and suit able to his calling. The religious changa Is the great object If this is -secured, there is no fear but that knowledge of things of the world will come In fast enough. With the sailor, as with all other men in fact, the cultivation of the Intel lect and the spread of what is com monly called UBeful knowledge, while re- .llglous instruction Is neglected, is little eise tnan changing an ignorant sinner'in to an intelligent and powerful one. That sailor upon whom, of all others, the preaching of the Cross is least, likely to have effect Is the one whose understand ing has been cultivated, while hia heart has been left to its own devices. I fully bellex-e that those efforts which have their end In the intellectual cultivation of the sailor, in giving him scientific knowledge; putting It in his power to read everything, without securing, first of ail, a right heart -which shall guide him In Judg ment; in giving him political informa tion, and In giving him newspapers an end in the furtherance of which he is exhibited at ladles' fairs and public meet ings and complimented for his gallantry and generosity are all doing a harm which the labors of. many faithful men cannot undo. Good Worlc of Bethels. "The establishment of Bethels In most of our own seaports, and In many foreign ports frequented by our vessels, where the Gospel Is regularly preached, and the opening of Sailors' Homes,' which I have before mentioned, where there are usu-f ally religious services and other good In- fluences, are doing a vast deal in this' cause. But it is to be remembered that the sailor's home Is on the deep. Nearly' mi nis me must De spent on board ship; and to secure a religious Influence there should be the great object The distribu tion of Bibles and tracts Into cabins and forecastles will do much toward this. There is nothing which will gain a sail or's attention sooner, and Interest him more deeply, than a tract, especially one which contains a story. It is difficult to engage their attention In more essays and arguments, but the simplest and shortest story, in which home is spoken of, kind friends, a praying mother or sister, a sudden death, and the like, often touches the hearts of the roughest and most' abandoned. The Bible is to the sailor a sacred book. It may lie in the bottom of his chest voyage after voyage; but he never treats It with positive disre spect I never knew but one sailor who doubted its being the inspired word ot God; and he was one "who had received an uncommonly good education, except that he had been brought up without anj early religious influence. The most aban doned man of our crew one Bunday morn ing asked one of the boys to -lend- him his Bible. The boy said he would, but was afraid he would make sport of it 'No! said the man, I don't make sport of God Almighty.' This is a feeling gen eral among sailors, and is a good founda tion for religious influence. . "The good which a single religious cap tain may do can hardly be calculated. In the first place, as I have said, a kinder state of feeling exists, on board the ship. There is no -profanity allotted, and-the men are not called by any opprobrious names, which is a great thing with sail ors. The Sabbath is observed. This gives,, the men a day of rest, even if they. pass It in no other way. Such a captain, too, -will not allow a sailor on board his ship to remain unable to read his Bible and the books given to him, "and will usually Instruct those who need it, in writing, arithmetic, and navigation; since he has a good deal of time on his hands, which he can easily employ in such a man ner. He will also have regular religious services; and, In, fact by the power of his example, and, where it can judicious ly be done, by the exercise of his au thority, will give a t character to the ship, and all on board.' In foreign ports, a ship is known by her captain; for, there being no general rules in the mer chant service, each master may adopt a plan of his own. It is to be remembered, too, that there are. In most ships", boys of a tender age, "whose characters for life are forming, as well as old men, whose lives must be drawing to a close. The greater part of sailors die at sea; and when they find their end approach ing, if it does not as is often the case, come without warning, they, cannot as. PORTLAND'S FIRST When Its Supremacy In the' Northwest Was Established Fifty 'Yeqrs Ago. Portland did not establish Its position as the .metropblis of the Northwest without a struggle. For many years It was' under the shadow of Oregon City's greatness. Other near-by towns also vied with It for the supremacy, but they were soon distanced. Of late years the rapid development of "Washington has brought Seattle to the fore, but) the Federal census just taken leaves it a respectful distance In the rear of Portland. When Oregon City was In Its prime and Portland only a' landing-place, this unique advertisement appeared In one of the issues of the Oregon Spectator for January, 1846: s ' JUST RECEIVED PER "TOULON, OF NEW TORE, ON CONSIGNMENT, THE FOLLOWING GOODS, VIZ.: 20 CASES WOODEN CLOCKS, &C, &C., &C.; FOR. SAMS AT REDUCED PRICES FOR CASH BY F. W. PETTTGROVE. AT THE RED HOUSE, OREGON CITY; AND AT PORTLAND, TWELVE MILES BELOW OREGON CITY. JANUARY. 20. 1840. The Weekly Oregonian of April 3, 1852, reprinted the Pettygrove advertisement, accompanied by the following exultant 'comment: As will be seen by the above advertisement, taken fromthe Oregon Spectator of 1846 six years ago the spot on which Portland now stands was only known as being "twelve miles below Oregon City" and had, as we are informed, but-two or throe log huts "to bless itself with. sAnd now what a change! ' We may all look back upon Portland now. In 185! with pride, and congratulate ourselves upon the rapid strides It is mak'ing toward be coming a large city of great commercial Importance. So rapid, . indeed, is its growth that were it not for Ban Francisco, we holght almost imagine ourselves living in the days of the .fabulous .Aladdin, with hi3 wondrous working lamp, raising up palaces in a single night by his conjurations. The history of San Francisco dissipates our unbelief lit the super- natural. Buildings are rising up about and around our city aa if the hand of some Eastenfmagician was at play. Six years ago the paddle of the Indian canoe alone rippled the -surface of the Willamette's waters; but now the ploughing ocean steamers and our numerous river steamers make our noble river "dash on either side Its waves, as if in very madness at their intrusion upori the bosom .of her waters. We hear nothing now of the senseless gambling Song of the stolid Indian; or If heard at all, the grated sounds are drowned by the more welcome song of the jolly, worklnc sailor, the wild shrieks of our busy steamers, and the thunders of the Columbia's ' cannon, telling U3 of thousands of treasure are semimonthly arriving and departing. Portland at this time is emphatically a city. It Beems now. no "twelve-miles-below-Oregon-Clty" designation to tell its whereabouts' in Oregon. Our merchants are men of enterprise and means. , Our me chanics, the bone and sinew of the country, .are Industrious, and have abundance or work to keep them busy. "All the sounds of advancing civilization are here. The sound of the woodman's ax Is heard, herald- ing the approach of the Indomitable Industry tfrat conquered America's 'primeval forests." The sound' of the church bell is heard, proclaiming that the institutions of religion are here. The sounds of children "Just loose from school" are here, showing that education's doing H;s double . if work. '.It is but yesterday that tjho great poet wrote of this as the land Where rolls the Oregronand, hears no sound "r f Save its own dashincs, . " s , ..but It is no longer that the "dead are only here." The living: are here. . And here, too, the ease-loving bon vivant can be regaled with the viands of our cafes, and the latest style 'from Paris dispensed to trip ping belles and elegant beaux. H The wood3 changed to' this in the short space of six years. ' Portland's supremacy restB upon Its population, the enormous re sources tributary to it, its large mercantile capital, and the great ex tent of the field in which its merchants operate. Its jobbing trade is greater than that of Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane combined. Its annual wheat shipments are 'double those of all Puget Sound. In manufactures it surpasses any city of the Northwest. It '1b what Se attle, Tacoma or Spokane can never hope to be the mining center of the Northwest. It is on more cordial' relations with its tributary country than ever before in its history. And it can be depended upon to hold the prestige that has cost 50 years of the hardest kind of work. eeiteet9tetttaici on shore, send for a clergyman, or some religious friend, to speak to them of that hope in a Savior, which they have neg lected, If not despised, through life; but if the little hull does not contain such an one within its compass, they must be left without human aid in their great extremity. When such commanders ,and such ships, as I have Just described, shall become more numerous, the hope of the friends of seamen will be greatly strengthened, and It is encouraging to remember that the efforts among com mon sailors will soon raise up sucn class; for those of them who are brought under these Influences will" inevitably bo the ones to succeed to the places of trust and authnrltv. Tf thro ta nn north an instance where a little leaven. may. leaven the whole lump, it is that of -a religious shipmaster." THROWN FROM A BUGGY. Bride and Groom Flgrure in a Runaway- Accident. Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Reid who nave Just been,"married had an experience yesterday .which will give them cause to remember their honeymoon. Yesterday the weath er was. so dftHerhtful thatthw rnnnliidprl to take a drive. A pair of spirited horses onl n hiin-rt-tr -ntaya. cwi.rofl an tViAxr Viort ' OOJ .... .w-.v.v., " "- "" , a very enjoyable drive unIl just as they i arrived at the intersection of Third and ' Washington streets about 2 P. M., whenj something frightened the horses, and Mr.-1 Reid.- although a skillful driver, lost con- irui ui. iiiuu. ' xiiuy uiuucu uu uia biuo- walk in front of Lipman, Wolfe &-Co.'s store, and, narrowly missing one of the large plate-glass windows, struck the end of the pole against the pier on the north side of the Third-street entrance, break ing the pole, knocking down the show case attached to the pier, upsetting the buggy, and, of course, pitching Mr. a"nd Mrs. -Reid out Dan Wagnon and P." J. Maher, who hap pened to be near, rushed to the .scene of the disaster, and Wagnon, who is a pow erful man, seized the horses - and clung to them, despite their frantic efforts to get away. " . ' ' Mr. Reid was tmieklv on his feet, and soon had hiswife out of danger. They were both somewhat bruised, but neither seriously injured. Wagnon held to the horses till they were quieted down and taken away to their stable, sustaining an abrasion, on one of his hands. Mr. and Mrs. Reid, after a while, were able to proceed "home onfoot. Mr. and Mrs. Reid were married last Wednesday. Mrs. Reid, who was former ly Miss Myrtle Tlckerson, of Portland, has just returned from a six months' stay In China, and Mr. Reid came from Daven port," la., to meet her and make her his bride. ' . . Palpitation, of the heart, nervousness, tremblings, nervous headache, cold hands and feet, pain in the back, relieved by Carter's Little-Liver Pllli OREGON FOREST RESERVE MR. LEIBERG EXAMINED OVER EIGHT THOUSANb'SQ,tARE SIDLES. Great Timber Wealth, Floarisalngr Iiosrslner Operations and Effects of Forest Fires. WASHINGTON, Oct 3,-0 that volume of the -forthcoming annual report of the geological survey devoted to forest re serves, the Cascade Reserve, of Oregon, occupies the greater "portion, and is brought most prominently to the front. The southern portion o'f this reserve, to gether witb the ABhland Forest Reserve, was examined by Mr. J. B. Lelberg during the past season. Altogether, In, the neigh borhood of 8000 square miles were exam ined by him. Upon the west side of the Cascade Mountains, with an ample rain- EXULTANT SHOUT, a. 0i e 0 0 0 0 0 o 0 0 o o o 0 e o 0 0 0 o 0 000000000 fall, the forests were found dense and the undergrowth luxuriant. Upon the east, where more arid conditions prevail, the forests are open, with no underbrush. On the west slope, the red fir predominates, and on the east the yeliow pine. Of the area examined 'by Mr. Leiberg, a little less than two-thirds, or -perhaps 65 per cent, is forested, and 35 per cent not for ested, the nonforested areas lying mainly in the extreme west and in the eastern part of the area examined. The amounf of timber found upon the forested area is estimated by him as a little less than 20. 000,000,000 feet, an average per acre of the forest land of 6660 feet. Of the total stand of timber upon this area, yellow pine uoPses Per cent, or nearly one-naif; red fir, 33 per cent; white flr, 6 per cent; npble,flr and sugar pine', each 4 ner cent. while the remainder Is made up of small amounts of othe,r species. Tree Distribution. An interesting table is embraced in tha report, whfch 'shows, the percentage of coniferous species of the forested'area on ,the two sides of the mountains, and is a follows: . West slope. Bast slope. per cone per cent. Yellow .pine Sugar pine .. .....zt.b 2.8, -SuJe PIne .... .35 . .03 .01 22.6 1.23 3.7 .5 .02 "ite bark pine 03 jjodgepole pine 6".3 R,efl fl ......44 White flr "." .",.".'.' J5.4 Noble fir ,.... 58 lp,:e Ar .2 ffin!,Tjjf ff - Engelmann spruce 6 Incense cedar 03 Western juniper ....... . .25 Lacking. From this it will be seen that yellow nine and red fir together constitute 71.5 per cent of the coniferous forest on the west slope. It is generally supposed that the red fir is superior to all other species In this region. The contrary, however, is the case, the excess over tbe yellow pine com ponent being only 16.5 per. cent. The cause He3 entirely in the oft-repeated forest fires Ich f through these wooded areas, The seeJllni33 and young, trees, possessing "IU 'eaie!'1 "rc resiamnue, auivivc; wie others die. In. Its capacity to endure fire and survive, the yellow 'pine Is greatly the superior of all the other conifers In 'this region. The large area of lodgepole pine is wholly owing to extensive fires In the subalplne areas, which have destroyed large and dense growths of alpine hem- I lock and noble flr, and have induced soil ! conditions exceptionally favorable to re- 1 forestatlon by lodgepole pine. I The yellow pine easily ranks above all The reason for this lies chiefly in the smaller precipitation on the sub-humid areas of the eastern slope. The large pro portion of lodgepole pine Is chiefly due to forest fires. At least 90' per cent of the species owes its growth Jo this cause. The balance occurs as the first' forest covering I on areas .gradually being Jaid baer alongj margins of marshes and lakes by the lowering of their waters. The Forest as a Commercial Factor. "The forest In this region possesses a twofold value," to quote from the report. "First, as a commercial factor in its re lation to the demand and supply of lumber products an.d fuel; "second, in its more or less obvious effects 'upon streams. Tha total quantity of timber, with sufficient diametrical and longitudinal dimensions to make it available for sawmill purposes growing lnthe region under examination was 19,981,209,200 feet, binocular measure, in, the year 1899. It was divided among the various species as follows: Yellow pine, 9,477,520,400 feet; red fir, 6,638.264,800 feet; ,white-iuv 1,215,526,000 feet; noble flr, 885,824,400 feet; sugar pine, 813,902,100 feet; alpine hemlock, 609,619,800 feet; white pine, 130,470,500 feet; Incense cedar, 9193,600 feet; Engelmann spruce, 71,969,400 feet, and Western hemlock 48,718,200. feet. A&e, Dimensions and Soundness of Trees. "The age of the timber utilized In saw mill consumption varies from 1C0 to 350 years. Most of the yellow pine falls below 175 years; the higher limit is reached chiefly in the sugar pine. Most of the sugar pine in the region is of great and mature age. Comparatively little red fir is sawn. It varies in age from 100 to 500 years, and some of the very large indi viduals are doubtless even older. The no ble flr and white pine of mill-timber size varies in. age from 100 to 350 years, most of it falling below 180 years. The alpine hemlock runs from 80 to 250 years, 120 to 140 years, representing the age ofthe bulk of the standard growth. The white flr, with sufficient clear trunk development to come within the limit of these estimates, varies In age from 75 to 120 years. "The most serious defects of the timber consists of fire scars In the yellow pine and sugar pine, usually occurring as spots in the lower third of the trunk denuded of. bark, and with wood charred or burned more or less . deeply. These defects are extremely common In the yellow pine east of the Cascades, where the wood of the species Is more highly reslnlferous than west of the range, and where. In conse quence, Injuries of this nature are apt to extend over a larger proportion of the trunk. This defect often diminishes the lumber contents of the trunk in scaling bv10 to 20 Der cent. "Most of the very aged sugar pine and red flr have rotten cores or gum cracks in the lr trunks. The incense cedar on both sides of the Cascades rarely has a sound cented. It is seldom sawn except for shingles. The alpine hemlock is usu ally sound, even where the individuals have attained a high old age, provided nre has not swept through the stands. Where such has been the case, most of the trees will be found to have dead and decayed streaks through the trunk. The sugar pine on the west of the Cas cades reaches a greater diameter than any other trees in the reserve, a maxl mlm of 96 inches being noted. The yellow pine varies from 14 to 60 inches in Its base diameter, the white pine from 20 to 36 Inches, red flr from 14 to 84 Inches, while the other trees range all the way from 10 to 72 Inches In base diameter. The red flr has the clearest trunk, often reaching a height of 120 feet before branching. The white pine reaches any where from 40 to 100 feet, the sugar pine from 16 to 70 feet, and the other trees range anywhere from the ground to 60 or 65 feet, according to species. Logging? Operations. "West of the Cascades 145,460 acres have been logged; east of the Cascades 57,000 acres. These operations involve the re moval all the way from 100 per cent or the timber to the culling of the sugar pine alone. The most extensive operations have been in proximity to the Rogue River Valley settlements and the placer diggings southwest of the valley in tha spurs of the Siskiyou Mountains. Satf mills have been erected at many places. They were small plants, sawing awhile in the adjacent forests, then pulled down and removed elsewhere. The most oxten sive logging operations are now carried on In township 40 south, ranges 4 and 5 east. 'ILarge amounts of the logged areas have been culled over by shakemakers, and much of the sugar pine cut for such purposes, Involving a waste of a vast amount of valuable timber. As a rule but 10 or 12 feet, or even less, of the larga growth sugar pine splits straight and easy enough to furnish shake material, the balance is rejected. It is not always possible to tell by a superficial examl nation if the grain of a standing tree 1? straight or more or less twisted. The forest In the sugar pine areas of town ships 34, 35, 36 and 37 south, range 3, and a part of range 4 east, are littered with many millions of feet of rotting sugar pine rejected by the shakemaker on ac count of slight imperfections of gram. "Consumption of timber for fencing ma terial is not large. On the western side of the range firewood Is mostly cut from the oak copses which grow at lower and more accessible elevations than most of the coniferous species. "Owing to the Intermittent character of the smaller logging operations, It Is Impossible to state with any degree or certainty the yearly consumption of mill timber. The probability is that it amounts to something In the neighbor hood of 100,000,000 feet B. M. per year, in cluding the areas east and west of tha Cascades, and taking into account the quantities used by shake- and shingle makers. The logging operations have been confined to areas of yellow pine and red flr, forest types. No logging or lumbering has been done in stands of tne alpine-hemlock type, owing In part to the high elevations at which the type grows, which renders access to its stands dim cut and expensive, and m part to the circumstance that, with the exception ot the white pine and portions of the noble flr growth, the species which compose It are generally considered undesirable and unsalable. "Fires have widely ravaged the region examined. There is not a single town ship in which the timber Is not more or less Are marked. Without much doubt tha present agricultural areas, once grass covered and carrying scattered stands of oak, were burned over quite as ex tensively as the timbered tracts. Th only tracts that have escaped are the swampy sedge and tule-covered areas bordering the Klamath lakes and marsn. and such spots in the higher elevations where bare lava or pumice fields made the spread of flres impossible. Of the forested area examined, comprising in round numbers 3,000,000 acres, a total or 2,975,000 acres, or S9 992 per cent, are fire marked. The remaning 25,000 acres which have escaped He mostly In the swampy bottoms of the Rogue River forks and iso" lated tractsalong the higher summits of the Cascade main range. While the. number of flres has much diminished In recent years, they have not by any means entirely ceased. Every year certain areas are burned over. None on the regional divisions are exempt." Bnbonic Plagrue in Britain. LONDON, Oct. 7. A bacteriological ex amination has been made in the case of Seaman Garnett, who arrived at Newcas tle September 23, on a vessel from the Rio de la Plata and went to Llandeff, Wales, where he died last Thursday, supposedly of fever. The reports show unmistakably that the dlseafie was the bubonic plague. GLASGOW, Oct. 7. A man who was brought here from Govan-on-the-Clyde, just below Glasgow, and received at the City Hospital on September 20, died there today of the bubonic plague. Rollinic Mill Men Accept Reduction. DANVILLE, Pa., Oct. 7. The employes of the Danville rolling mill held a meet ing last night and decided to accept the 25 per cent cut In their wages against which they struck last week. The pud dlers will now be paid ?3 for their work Instead of ?4. formerly paidand a propor tionate cut in wagtes will be made in oth er departments. The reduction affects several hundred men. The flres Were started today, and work will be resumed tomorrow. THE HARM OF CRAMMING PUPILS HATE TOO MUCH 'WORK 32 . PUBIilO SCHOOLS. Wita Smaller Tax Itvrr Taere 'Would Be Fewer Fteas TanRkt and Less Ears Done. PORTLAND, Oct, & (To the. Editor.) Your editorial In yesterday's paper on the recent articles in the Ladles Home Journal must meet with the approval ot all parents In the city who take any in terest in their children's welfare. The Oregonian has won many hard fights for various reforms and for other laudable objects, and it is to be hoped that in this case It "will keep up its record. The facts as to the disastrous- effects of the system of cramming and overstudy prevalent in our schools are so apparent, and are so generally acknowledged by all parents, doctors and others who have looked into the subject that it really seems surprising that , they should be so persistently Ig nored by the City Superintendent and the directors. There is not a parent in the city who cannot name half a dozen cases of hi3 own knowledge of children belng taken out of school broken down with overstudy, and the constant transferring of children from the city schools to pri vate schools is proof of the case to any observing person. What a farce is the claim made by the Superintendent that he is in favor of & reform in face of the facts 1 If he is In favor of a reform why does not he start It? I do not personally know him, and have no prejudice against him in any way, but I cannot be blind to the facts. Under the last Superintendent the chil dren In the school near my home had time for physical drills, club swinging, wand exercises, and even had a smair gymna sium in the basement. Under the present rule all these are done away with. Even in recess (the hoys are not allowed to run around, but stand up in a row till it is over and then return to study without even a chance to stretch their limbs. We used to hear of a little relaxation in all the schools (high school and all), when there were recitations, drills and other small entertainments by the chil dren which broke the monotony of cram ming; but we never hear of that now. There is no time now for any of that. But we do hear that the doctor has or dered this one and that one to leave school. In Boston, New York and other cities we read of the children being taken out by their teachers for study of public in stitutions, such as the Postoffice; of their being taken out into the parks to make practical study of natural history: and of various combinations of study and recre ation. Now, if they have time for all this in those cities, the average man fails to understand wherein our schools differ so radically from these that these things are not possible here, and why not? In all reason, it is certainly "up to" our Su perintendent to explain. The idea of hav ing the parents write to the teachers and forbid home study does not appear to me one that will result In any good. In the first place, some home study in the higher grades is necessary, and unless it was unanimous it would do no good, but would resuit only in the discomfort of the chil dren whose parents dared to act. It is only excessive home study that is doing the harm. So does the present system of all the study being done at home, and the school hours being only-used for reel tatlon and the exploiting of the different fads of the teachers in politics, religion, etc. I would suggest that at the next meet ing of the taxpayers we vote only a small levy for the schools, and then if they have not the money, there will be fewer fads taught and fewer teachers to teach them. It may temporarily cripple the schools, but will result in the end in a benefit, and it appears to be the only way to get any reform started. It may necessltate the dropping of the physical culture and the music teacher and per haps the drawing teacher; but as these teachers have no opportunity under the present system of accomplishing anything practical, what is the use of retaining them? 'It Is practical results people look for nowadays; and a practical lesson may be learned by any parent who will watch the pupils of our High School who have toiled through our school system and are the "results." Watch them. Round-shouldered, stooping and struggling under a load of 10 pounds of books, toiling Up the long steps, and stopping frequently to rest; mentally bright boys and girls load ed up with education and loaded down with weariness, with a look that plainly tells of the fact that It is a long time since they had time to go to bed for a good night's rest; even going home Fri day night with an extra load of lessons because the teacher says they will havo lots of time on Saturday and Sunday to do so much more. The directors say it Is not their fault. The Superintendent says it is not his fault. We know the teachers ana principals have no choice In the mat ter; so it must be the parents' fault. Well, the parents hold the purse strings. If we tighten them, we probably will soon hear of a means of accomplishing tha de sired end. And we will probably be of fered something better than the "father less bill" that was offered as a reform. Parents, don't sacrifice the bodily health of your children for a few extra frills In Latin. There is nothing better In this world, nothing that gives greater re wards, nothing that Is more valuable than good health. A good, sturdy boy, even if he Is not a marvel of learning, Is better than an educated invalid. Don't ruin the poor little bodies of your children for the sake of a so-called education, and the operating tables of the hospitals won't be worked overtime as now. Give the lit tle ones a chance in life without the load of 111 health to weigh them down. Insist on a reform, talk of it, write of it, agi tate it, and a way will be found to reach whatever reform Is needed. The profes sional educators are the parties who are paid to find the Teform needed, and they will find it all right when they see the funds getting low. ALLAN-A-DALE. New "Wife in the Case. CINCINNATI, Oct. 7. Word has been received of the death in San Francisco of C. H. Honkel, a prominent business man of Cincinnati, who went to San Francisco with a considerable sum of money seven months ago. Since Mr. Henkel's death his relatives here were surprised upon re ceiving from San Francisco a telegram signed "Mrs. C. H. Henkel," and request ing a member of the family to come to San Francisco. Mr. Henkel's sisters and relatives here did not know that he had been married. They have sent representa tives to San Francisco to investigate Mr. Henkel's affairs. Colored Republicans. The Fred Douglass Industrial League (colored) is preparing to take part in the Presidential campaign, and to that end a meeting will be held tomorrow evening In the league's hall, Second and Taylor streets. The or ganization has been quite a factor in poli tics since its inception four years ago, and did yeoman work for the Republican party last June. This meeting is called by Lee Rodgers, chairman, and George B. Slyke, secretary. Struck: lor Higher Pay and Got It. WEST POINT, N. Y., Oct. 7. Twenty, two waiters in the cadet mess stopped work just before the dinner hour last night and demanded a raise of $5 per month in their salaries. Major Hall, treas urer of the commissary department, ac ceded. A strike Is also pending in two other departments. The grievances are based upon the recent Increase in the number of cadets, which naturally makes additional work for the civilian employes. The old scale for the mess-haQ itslte2$ was $20 per month, with ratloaja. 1 WAHT STREETS VACATED. Plan, io Malce Warenonao "Diatriot c4 Sullivan's Gulch. Vacation of moat of the streets la Sullfc van's gulch, between East Sixth and Eoai Eighteenth streets, will be asked in thq near future. The Oregon Real Estata Company, which handles the Holladay estate property, will make the applica tion, and aa it owns all the property in the gulch along this section, except the 60 foot right of way held by the O. R. & N., there seems much likelihood that the petition will be granted. Im proved streets, of course, will not ha affected. These are only Holladay ave nue and East Twelfth, over each, of whics. Is an elevated roadway. It is now 23 years since Holladay ad ditlon was platted. Sullivan's gulch is so deep that none of the streets In its bed. as dedicated in that plat, have been used. The two elevated roadways are the only exceptions. In the bottom of the gulolj and on either slope there is considerabla land, which the owners regard as prao- tlcally useless under the present arrange ment. The railroad franchise in the bot tom strikes most of the blocks diagonally, thus forming? fractlona of lota that would be almost worthless on level ground. The purpose in replatting that ground in tha gulch Is to accommodate streets to thesa conditions and those formed by the lr regular contour of the slopes. Secretary C. K. Harbaugh, of the company, saya that in this arrangement lies the onlfl hope of using a considerable quantity of good land. He does not expect much opposition to the petition, as the company owns most of the property adjoining and' does not believe residents thereabout will be inconvenienced. There are enough! elevated roadways, he says, to accom modate all reasonable uses of the dis trict as residence property, Replatting the gulch and terminating cross streets at the brow of the slopes will not changa conditions aa they have existed to tho1 present date, as people have not felt tha need of more elevated roadways. Another object Mr. Harbaugh has la vacating the streets in the gulch is ulti mately to establish desirable ground for factories, warehouses, etc If the gulch were filled to the level of the railroad track Borne fine sites would be made for such purnoses. As such low ground will hardly be desirable for residence proper ty, Mr. Harbaugh thinks no other use is open to the company. By the rearrange ment of streets the ground on top can be used for residences, up to the brink, and that below can be platted for switches and sidetracks. Several blocks of land lie within the gulch. At three o four places the streets to be vacated, striking the gulch at an angle, are four blocks long. All the streets bflrtnwvon &. Sixth and East Eighteenth will not be covered by the petition. The district la divided Into three sections, one between the Holladay avenue elevated roadway, and Eighteenth, street, another between Holladay and East Twelfth and the third between East Twelfth and East Sixth. The petition will be presented to the Council some time next month. To va cate a etreet two-thirds of abutting prop erty must be represented on the petition as well as property abutting the street for a distance of 200 feet at either end ol the section In question. WANTED RICH MAH'S MOUEY Story Affalnst Valet Now in Jail toa Forgerx, NEW YORK, OctT 7. Albert T. Pat rick and Charles F. Jones, attorney and secretary, respectively, for the late William M Rice, whose checks they are accused of forging, are still In the Tombs, whither they were committed on Friday last la default of $10,000 ball. Attempt will be made tomorrow to ob tain possession f the will alleged Mo have been drawn by Mr. Rice in which he gave to Mr. Patrick his entire for tune after dividing about SCOO.OOO amona- I his relatives. If the will can be ob tained handwriting experts will try to determine Its genuineness. The experts will also continue their examination of the alleged forged checks and the two documents. The World tomorrow will pubUsh a statement bearing upon tho recent developments growing out of tho death of Mr. Rice. The World states: The District Attorney la prepared to prove that In January last before Law yer Patrick had established intimate re lations with Rice, Valet Jones tried to form a conspiracy with another person to get his employer's fortune. Jones' affidavits allege, in the pursu ance of his duties frequently came in contact with a trusted friend of his aged employer. This man is a person of position and standing in the financial world. The valet studied him carefully for several weeks until he thought he dared approach with his mysterious scheme. To this person Jones stated that he knew the provision of Rlce'a will; that the estate was worth several millions and that he (Jones) had abso lute control over the old man. "I have it in my jower," he is alleged to have said to Rice's friend, "to get the old fellow to make a new will and to put you in it for a very large sum of money. I will do thl3 if you will divide with me. The plan 13 perfectly safe and will make us millionaires.' It Is stated that the man who was approached by Jones in this manner ap peared when he met Jones on subse quent occasions to enter half-heartedly Into his plot and for a time even played fast and loose with the scheme. Fin ally Jones told him he did not think tha scheme possible and they ceased to dis cuss it. To Work for McKlnley. The Railway and Telegraph Em ployees' Political League of UllnoU has blossomed into an organization National In its scope and pur poses, and Instead of retaining Its for merly avowed non-partisanship It will bear the colors of Republicanism and work for the re-election of William Mc Klnley to the Presidency. It will be offi cially known as the National Railway and Telegraph Employes' Political League. At present organizers are working In In diana, Michigan, Wisconsin, the Dakota", Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Missouri, as well as In Illinois. George Groobey, secretary of the Illinois league, says: "The work of organization Is being car ried on satisfactorily. In the Western states the railroad men are adding their names to the membership rolls rapidly, and I have not the slightest doubt that by September 20 the league will have be tween 300,000 and 35O.C0O members. Two Bodies in an Old Well. WINNIPEG, Oct. 7. The badly decom posed bodies of Charles Dawes and Jacott Smith, well-to-do farmers, were found burled in an old well today. They had been missed since last July. Just after having sold their farms to a man named Goveton. Goveton. It Is said, has not been seen since Sunday. t NEW TODAY. MORTGAGE LOANS On Improved city and farm property, at lowesi current rates. Building1 loans. Installment loans. llacmanter & BJrrell. 211 Worcester bik. SAILORSWANT For the voyage to United King dom; wages 6 per month. Ap ply to P. L. Cherry, Astoria, or Balfour, Guthrie & Co., Portland. -J A