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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1900)
$mm txamtttttk VOL. XL.-NO. 12,485. PORTLAND, OELUON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1900. PRICE FIVE CENTS. lA, m" lS Any Size Any Quantity MACKINTOSHES, RUBBER AND OIL-CLOTHING Rubber Boots and Shoes, Belting, Packing and Hose. Largest and most complete assortment o f all kinds of Rubber Goods. L Goodyear Rubber Company R. H. PEASE. President. P. M. BHEPARD. JR., Treasurer. J. A- SHEPARD. Secretary. Shaw's Pure Malt the Condensed Strength and Nutriment of Barley and Rye BlUmaiier & HoCf, 108 and IJO Fourth Street Sole Distributers for Oregon HOTEL PERKINS Fifth and Washington Sts. . . . PORTLAND, OREGON EUROPEAN PLAN . - , -. Rooms Single 75c to $1.50 per day First-CIass Check Restaurant Rooms Double $1.00 to $2.00 per day Connected With Hotel. Rooms Family $1.50 to $3.00 per day J. F. DA VIES, Pres. St. Charles Hotel CO. (INCORPORATED). FRONT AND MORRISON STREETS PORTLAND, OREGON American and European Plan. Useful USEFUL SUCCESSOR TO Crowds... Pi If! t tl'-Wi 1-' '-til loM Ml II 3pw?2?1 1 Have made their selections and purchases from our Rich and varied stock And still it seems as if it had been hardly touched. We have everything conceivable in Diamonds, Watches, Cut Glass, Sterling Silver, Silver, Gold, Ivory, Pearl, Ebony and Leather Goods, dainty and unique articles for the dressing tables. It will be wise to make your selection early. Goods will be reserved if desired. Out-of-ToTra Orders Receive Careful Attention. jfe&3dm& Diamond Importers Manufacturing: Jewelers. Store open evenings during December. Third find Washington Streets Simply a Perpetual Treat Every home which has a piano and a Pianola has music otherwise accessible only to the wealthicst.and then only in limited quantities and at rare intervals. M. B. WELLS, Northwest Atjcnt for the Acojan Company Aeolian Hall. 353-355 Washington Street, cor. Park. Portland, Or. Wo are Sole Agents for tho Pianola; also for the Stelmray, the Chase and the Emerson Pianos. 'Helena "Wnter Case. HELENA, Mont., Dec. 17. The Su preme Court of Montana today affirmed the Judgment of the District Court in the case of the Helena Water Works Com pany against the City of Helena, holding that the contract for water between the two was not legal, because the city has exceeded its constitutional limit of in debtedness. The company is Incorporated under the laws of New Jersey, and is owned by Eastern men. Appeal to the United States Supreme Court may be taken. Dailr Treasurr Statement. WASHINGTON. Dec 17. Today's state ment of the Treasury balances, exclusive of the $150,000,000 gold reserve In the di vision of redemption, shows: Avullaable cash balance J140.S6.229 Gold S9.556.721 Any Style 73-75 FIRST ST. PORTLAND, OR. BETTER THAN EVER, Beau Brummell BEST 5-CENT CIGAR BLUMAUER-FRANK DRUG CO.- 144-146 Fourth Street PORTLAND, OR. C T. BELCHER, Sec. and Trcas. American plan European plan $1.25. $1.50. $1.73 50c. 75c, $1.00 Xmas Presents. Scroll Saws, $4 Tool Chests, $5 Magic Lanterns, $10 Skates, $1 Printing Presses Cutlery Fine Carvers - Electric Novelties' DAYTON HARDWARE CO., 192-194 First St. AND ORNAMENTAL For the Holidays A nice pair of Andirons or Fire Set. . J. Walsh - 245 Washington St. FRAXK HOLCOMB & CO. Headquarters for high-grade artistic fire place furniture, grates and grate renewals. Estimates kU en on the construction of tile and brick mantels and fire-place repairing. Call up on either "phone. teener. Ansvrer In the Caatellane Suit. NEW YORK, Dec. 17. An answer was made today in the suit or Anton J. Ditt mar against George J. Gould. Edwin Gould, Howard Gould and Helen M. Gould, as trustees under the last will and testament of the late Jay Gould, to re strain them from continuing to pay the Count and Countess Bonl Castellane the money due to tho Countess from the es tate of Jay Gould. The defendants allege that the Supreme Court of this state has no Jurisdiction over the person of the Count or Countess Castellane the alleged debtors; that they had neither of them been served with the summons in the action, and have not appeared therein, and that the court Is, therefore, without Jurisdiction to decide the question of how much Income is necessary to the proper support and maintenance of the Countess Castellane. On request 'of Mr. James, the case went over until Thursday. STATUS OF ISLANDS Important Matter Now Before the Supreme Court. ARGUMENT IN THE G0ETZ CASE Tvro Salts to Determine the Question Whether the Constitution Fol io vrs the Flag: Fourteen Diamond lllng Case. WASHINGTON. Dec 17. In the United States Supreme Court argument was be gun in two cases, the decision of which Is expected to fix the status of Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands and other In sular possessions acquired through the war with Spain, with respect to the United States proper; to say whether their people are citizens and Indicate whether the Constitution follows the flag. One of the cases Is that of John F. Goetz, who in June, 1SS9, Imported from Porto Rico a quantity of leaf tobacco Into the United States through the port of New York and protested against assess ment of duty on the importation, claiming that the tobacco was not subject to duty "because Porto Rico at the time of the Importation was not a foreign country, and because, therefore, the Imposition of duties on goods brought from a place within the territory of the United States Into a port of the United States Is not lawful and valid under the Constitution." The Collector of the Port and the Board of General Appraisers both ruled against him. as did the United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York, when Goetz took the case before that tribunal. From the opinion of the court the Importer appealed to the United States Supreme Court, The other case Is known as the 14 dia mond ring case. In that suit the claimant Is one Manuel Peppke, who served as a soldier of tho United States In Luzon, Philippine Islands. While there he pur chased or acquired the rings In question, and brought them to the United States without paying dutj on them, some time in the year 1599, between January 1 and September 23. The rings were seized on May 18. 1900, at Chicago, by a United States custonys ofllcer, as merchandise liable to duty, which should have been Invoiced, and which were fraudulently Imported to the United States contrary to the law. Information for the for feiture or the rings was tiled on behalf of the Government June 1, 1900, to which the claimant pleaded, setting forth that at the time he acquired the property Lu zon was a part of the territory of the United States, and that the seizure was contrary to the claimant's rights as a citizen of the United States under the Constitution, and particularly tinder sec tion 2, article 4. thereof, and he Insisted that under article 1, section 8, Congress Is required to see that all taxes and du ties shall be jinlfprm throughout -the Unlte'd "States. To this plea the United States demurred, and upon hearing of the demurrer the District Court gave Judg ment of forfeiture for the Government, This Judgment claimant removed to the Supreme Court by a writ or error. The case of John F. Goetz vs. the United States was taken up at 3:30 P. M, Attorney-General Griggs was present In behalf of the Government, and a number of prominent attorneys. Including ex Secretary Carlisle, were interested listen ers. Edward C. Perkins, of counsel for Goetz, asked that the Porto Rlcan case and that involving the status of the Phil ippine Islands be combined. The Attorney-General assented to this, and it was arranged that each side should have live hours. The opening argument in behalf of Goetz was then begun Dy Mr. Brown, of the counsel for the appellant. Mr. Brown rehearsed the main features as to the cession of Porto Rico, with the circumstances of the enactment of the tariff law of 1S97 and the Imposition of the cutles on the goods of Goetz. The main point, he said, was that Porto Rico was net a "foreign country," as contem plated by the tariff act, and that Porto RIcd was in the United States, so that an impost against the goods of Porto Rico v.ou.d be In violation of the pro vision that "all goods, duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States." Mr. Brown remarked that the counsel who had opposed this view had maintained that Porto Rico was a part of the United States, only In a Pickwickian sense. It was conceded, he said, that "the people of the United States consUtutcd an absolute sovereign nation: that the power to declare and carry on war had been delegated by the people to Its constitutional agents, and that this Includes the power to occupy foreign territory and to govern it and Its inhabitants while It remains foreign ter ritory, subject to the rules and usages of civilized warfare and international law." It was also conceded, Mr. Brown said, that the people had delegated the power to add paramount acquisitions to Its ter ritory. But with these concessions, the people had established certain constitu tional limits never to be transcended. This case was something more than one of ex proprlo vlbore. It went to the ex tent of denying the rights of any branch of tho Government to transcend the limits laid down by the Constitution. Mr. Brown closed his brief introductory pres entation of the case by referring to Its momentous character, which he and hl3 colleagues regarded as the most profound ly important that they ever had been called upon to present, Mr. Perkins followed, taking up more particularly the constitutional phases of the case. He maintained that the Con stitution was In effect a power of at torney, and said the question was as to what were those powers. The prosecu tion of the war In Porto Rico or else where, or the acquisition of this or that place, were all acts which must be brought within the powers of the Consti tution. The metaphor as to the Consti tution following the flag. Mr. Perkins regarded as equivalent to saylntr that a man's shadow followed him. The flrst constitutional point urged by .Mr. Per kins was that the "claims of unlimited power in new territories is opposed to our entire Uieory of constitutional govern ment," A large number of cases were cited to show the attitude of the United States Supreme Court on analogous Is sues In the past. An unbroken line of decisions. It was maintained, established the prohibitory clauses of the Constitu tion applying to the government of the territory of the United States. In one decision as late as last March. Mr. Per kins said. Justice Harlan had held that the seventh amendment to the Constitu tion, securing the right of trial by Jury, applies to Judicial proceedings in the ter ritories. The other chief points advanced In "behalf of the appellant were: The treaty of Paris is not open to the construction that It provided for the governing of Porto Rico without regard to .constitutional limitations and as a coun try foreign to the United States. If It were possible to place that construcUon upon the treatly, the provision would be void, as contrary to the Constitution, but this would not In any way prevent or affect the accomplishment of the usual results of annexation. If the tariff act imposes a duty of tax upon goods brought from Porto Rico to a place elsewhere In the United States after the annexation, the Imposition is void as being In con flict with an express provision of the Constitution. When the treaty of Pars took effect, Porto Rico ceased to be a "foreign country" within the meaning of those words as used In the tariff act, Mr. Perkins' argument was In progress when, at 4:30 P. M., the court adjourned until tomorrow. Chief Justice Fuller today advanced a number of cases Involving the relations between the United States and Porto Rico so as to be heard with the De Lima case, In which this question Is at Issue. The De Lima case Is set for January 7, and will be argued by ex-Secretary Carlisle. It was at his Instance that three of the cases were today advanced. Two of the cases so advanced are in the name of Dooley, Smith & Co., and both come from the Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York. In one case the action Is brought to recover money exacted from them at Porto Rico as custom duties, upon merchandise taken from New York to Porto Rlco, between the date of the ratification of the Paris treaty and the date of the enactment or the Porto Rlcan civil government act. In the other case the duties were collected after the Porto Rlcan law was enacted. A third case is that of Carlos Armstrong, coming from the Court of Claims, and also Involving the same general .question; and still an other, that of Samuel B. Downs. In the last-named case Frederick Coudert, Jr., appears a? counsel. BATTLE AT ORANGE 'RIVER Lone Fight, In Which the "Boer Were Totally Defeated. LONDON, Dec. 17. The report of an other severe battle, resulting In a Brit ish victory. Is current here. According to the story, the lighting began at day break today, and lasted ror several hours. The Boers, who numbered from 1500 to 2000 men, were surrounded at Orange River and totally defeated, with very heavy loss In killed and wounded. A number of Boers, it is added, were cap tured General KJtchener, In a dispatch re ceived by the War Office, confirms tho Associated Press dispatch from Allwal North of last night announcing the cap ture by the Boers of a detachment of Brabant's Horse December 11 near Zas tron. Orange River Colony, and says 107 men were made prisoners on that occa sion. The Colonial Office, In announcing that Sir Alfred Mllner succeeds Lord Roberts as administrator of the conquered terri tory In South Africa, says nls taking up his residence at Johannesburg, on ao count of his health, must not be regarded as a settlement of the capital ques tion. , Devrct Twice Repulsed. MASERU. Dec. 17. It appears that De wet's force -nerd twice repulsed before breaking through the British lines In the neighborhood of Thabanchu. In the third attack Dewet led In person. With a few determined men,, he charged, and broica. the British "lines; the resfc'OHh.e com mand following. He waV forced, how ever, to leave In the hands of the British a 15-pounder and 15 wagons with ammuni tion and stores. Commandant Haasbrook, with a commando and two guns, tried t get through Sprlngkant's Nek, but w driven back, losing 40 men. The eiv Zcalnnd Contingent. WELLINGTON, Dec. 17. Lord Kitch ener has requested that the New Zealand contingent may remain In South Africa until the war Is over, and the New Zea land Government has consented. Boers Cross Into Cape Colony. CAPE TOWN, Dec 17. Seven hundred Boers have crossed from Orange River Colony Into Cape Colony near Allwal North, and have reached KaapdaL McKinley's Western Trip. WASHINGTON, Dec 17. President Scott, of the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, the builders of the new battle-ship Ohio, saw the President today and received his assurance that. If noth ing occurred to prevent, he would go to San Francisco some time next May to witness the launching of the big vessel. The exact date has not yet been decided upon. SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT NEWS. Federal Government. The Porto Rlco case Is before the United States Supreme Court. Page 1. The Monroe Doctrine may be applied to France. Page 2. The military commission begins Its Inves tigation In the Booz hazing. Page 3. Congress.. Congressman Boutelle was placed on the retired list of the Navy. Page 2. The Senate will vote on the canal treaty Thursday. Page 3. There Is no prospect of passing tho sub sidy bill this session. Page 2. China. Fresh Instructions sent to Conger will clear the way of all obstacles. Page 3. Loot sent to France will be embargoed. Page 3. Foreign. In tho sinking of the Gnelsenau, 136 per sons .perished. Page 1. The Boers were defeated in a battle at Orange River. Page 1. Domestic. A cure for strikes was discussed by the arbitration conference at Chicago. Page 2. A third negro was lynched by tho Rock port, Ind., mob. Page 5. Pacific Coast. A resolution was Introduced In the United States Senate for an. Investigation of the conduct of Judge Noyes in Alaska. Page 4. Preparations are being made for develon- " ment of natural gas near Rosalia, Wash. Page 4. A Washington! County farmer was mur dered oy a snot nreo tnrougn nis win dow. Page 4. The Oregon Supreme Court decided that the Portland vehicle license ordinance was Invalid. .Page 4. Commercial and Marine. American wheat visible shows a decrease. PagelL Enormous liquidation In New York stock market. Page 11. November wheat exports from all ports. Page 5. Sailing ships will race to Europe. Page 5. Steamer City of Topeka wrecked. Page 5. Umatilla reef lightship again adrift, PageS. The steamer Alpha was wrecked on the Vancouver Island coast. Page 1 Portland and Vicinity. Forger Dixon sentenced to 10 years In state's prison. Page 8. Rev. A, W. Ackerman reads a paper on "Change in Thought on the Bible." PageS. Economies of the fuel question in Port land. Page 1. Messenger boys kidnaped a 10-year-old son of Lawyer Dltchhurn and demand ed ?75 ransom. Page 7. WRECKED ON A REEF Last of the Famous Steamer Alpha. NINE PERSONS LOST WITH HER The Vessel Struck a- Rock at the Entrance to Union Bay on the East Coast of Vancouver Island. A Sailor's Heroism. VANCOUVER. B. a, Dec. 17. News of the worst marine disaster of the season In British Columbia waj brought here tonight by the steamer Czar, from Union Bay, on the east side of Vancouver Island. The steamer Alpha was wrecked on a reef near the entrance to Union Bay, and not a vestige of the 1000-ton steamer re mains. Ker managing owner, captain. purser, three engineers, two able-bodied seamen and a stowaway were drowned. GENERAL - WHOSE FORCE WAS DEFEATED BY and the rest of the crew of 34 were saved by the pluck of an unknown member of the ship's crew, who swam In a raging sea from the wreck to a lighthouse with a line around his waist. The names of the victims follow: Samuel Barber, of Vancouver, manag ing owner. Captain F. N. Yorke. of Victoria, Chief Engineer Wattenson. Engineer Dunn, Victoria, Second Assistant Engineer Murray, Vancouver. H. L. White, purser, Vancouver. Crosby and Sullivan, able-bodied sea men. Stowaway, name unknown. The Alpha was valued at $45,000. Her cargo comprised 750 tons of salt salmon and 350 tons of coal, consigned to Yoko hama, and valued at $SO,000. The total insurance on the ship and cargo was 565,000. It Is two weeks since the Alpha first started from .Vancouver ror Japan. After she had been four days out she returned to Victoria partly disabled, and accusa tions of tampering with her engines were made. Some of the crew and several of the officers left the steamer declarlne that she had been Improperly loaded, and one of the officers was tried and sen tenced to six weeks imprisonment for de sertion. Last. Saturday the Alpha left Victoria for Union to replenish her coal supply. A terrific gale was raging, and late Satur day night the steamer ran on a rock at Baynes Sound, at the entrance to Union Bay. She was quickly dashed to pieces, and all would have perished had not one of the crew made the desperate and suc cessful effort to swim with a line to the lighthouse on Yellow Island. In the rag ing sea only part of those on the Ill fated ship managed to reach safety, the officers and owner remaining on board last and falling to reach the rock. The 25 survivors remained on Yellow Island, which Is a rock 200 yards wide, until Sun day night, when the sea moderate some what and a sloop was able to call and take them to Union. But the storm which had wrecked the ship had also pros trated the wires, and so no tidings cf the shipwreck reached the outside world un til the little steamer Czar brought the story to Vancouver tonlght- The Alpha gained notoriety last Spring when, as a Canadian ship, she landed freight and passengers at Nome in defi ance of the instructions of the Treasury Department, and, it is said, against the advice of the British Embassy at Wash ington as well. She was chased on her return trip from Nome by a United States revenue cutter, but managed to show her pursuer a clean pair of heels. Since that exciting experience the Alpha had been engaged in the British Columbia coast ing trade until she started on her pres ent disastrous trip. FIGHT WITH A BURGLAR. Terrible Struggle of a Woman In Chicago. Young CHICAGO, Dec 17. Miss Lillian Beat ty, formerly of San Francisco, lies at the residence of Dr. E. Lyman Dennlson, 5S60 State street, hoverinir between life and death as a result of a terrible fight with a burglar tonight. For half an hour she fought him unaided, struggling back and forth through three rooms, resist ing until the loss of blood from her wounds stopped her. So hard was the fight that her clothes were torn and a half dozen chairs and a heavy operating table were overturned. During the scuf- fle, the thief tried to chloroform the girl, and, falling In that, beat her with a heavy pair of shears. Before her strength failed he beat her head against the floor until she became unconscious. All he succeeded In getting was $50 worth of surgical instruments. Miss Beatty, who Is Dr. Dennlson's stenographer and pri vate secretary, came to Chicago from California three years ago. LOSS OF THE GNEISENAU. AT Least 13G Persons "Went Dovrn With the German Frigate. BERLIN, Dec 17. An official dispatch from Malaga received here this morning accounts for 314 survivors out of the 450 persons who were on board the German training frigate Gnelsenau, which foun dered at the entrance to the port of Malaga yesterday, while she was taking refuge from the terrible storm prevailing at that time. It Is rumored that the commander of the Gnelsenau committed suicide when he saw that all was lost, A nephew of the Imperial Chancellor, Count von Bulow, named Berndt, was among the saved, though he was Injured about the head. A sailor who survived the wreck went mad. The first engineer, the assistant engineer and a number of petty officers were drpwned. It is hoped that the guns, the treasure chest and perhaps part of the hull will be salvaged. Of the 314 survivors, 30 who were In jured, were transported to the local hos pital, 125 were sheltered In the barracks CLEMENTS jet THE BOERS AT MAGALIES BERG. and 130 lodged In th.e Town Hall. The municipality is providing for all. Mem bers of the German colony and many Spanish ladles have offered to nurse the Injured. The flags all over tho Consul's headquarters are at half-mast. The foundering of the Gnelsenau cre ated a most painful impression in Berlin, following the jubilant reception, tendered the sallprs and marines from China yes terday. The news spread rapidly through the city this morning. Great crowds thronged the Admiralty building and the Ministry of Marine, inquiring as to the state of relatives. Many touching scenes were witnessed. Emperor William has received a. telegram of condolence from the Spanish Queen Regent. The Captain Was Warned. MADRID, Dec 17. Dispatches from Malaga confirm the statement that the naval commander there had warned Cap tain Kretschmann of the approaching storm and had recommended that he en ter the port, but It was of no avalL The shock on the rocks Is described by an eye-witness as terrible. Many- holes were driven In the vessel's stern and she sank within 10 minutes. The Captain refused assistance. When a Spanish sailor got wlthln a short distance of him and threw fcim a rone. Cantain Kretschmann was so greatly agitated that he threw his sword to the sailor. The first mate strug gled for an. hour against the waves, clinging to a piece of wood, but he finally went down. The Spanish gunboat Nueva Espena has left Cadiz to render assistance. The German steamer Neva has arrived from Gibraltar to assist In the rescue work. As yet. the sea Is too rough to permit tho divers to Inspect the wrecked ves sel. THIRTY REBELS CAPTURED Soldiers nnd Police Made a Raid on n Suburb of Manila. MANILA. Dec 17. Thirty rebels were captured this morning near San Pedro MacatI, four miles from Manila, by 25 men of the Twentieth United States Infantry and 20 members of the native Manila po lice. The force landed from small noata and surrounded the suburb. Seventy per sons were captured, but only 30 were Iden tified as Insurgents. Advices Just received from Ho Ilo say that the insurgents Saturday night burned a part of the village of Cabatuan. Assistant Surgeon Frederick A. Wash burn, Jr., of the Twenty-sixth Volunteer Infantry, 'with 18 men. held the principal buildings. A strong wind was blowing at the time. The Americans sustained no casualties. Later advices from Ilo Ilo announce that detachments of the Twenty-sixth Infant ry this morning surprised the headquar ters of Qulntln Salas, capturing consid erable quantities of stores and some pa pers. Several natives were killed. The Americans, who had no losses, were still In pursuit of the fleeing Insurgents when the dispatch left Ilo Ho. Auditor Tor the Philippines. WASHINGTON, Dec 17. C. A. Lawshe, Deputy Auditor for the Postofflce De partment, has been appointed Auditor for the Philippines. Woman Suffrage In Porto Rlco. SAN JUAN, Porto Rlco, Dec 17. In the House of Delegates today, Descarts in troduced a bill granting unrestricted suffrage to' women on "the same terms as men. NEED OF CHEAP FUEL Portland's Heavy Consump tion of Wood. PRICE IS RAPIDLY ADVANCING Southern Pacific Test Shows Wood ta Be Cheaper Than Coal, but Coal Tried AVas More Expensive Than Would Be the Nehalem. Portland consumes annually fully E0O.00O cords of wood. This does not include the fuel consumed by steamboats and railroad trains running out of the city. The O. R. & N. Co. uses in and from Portland about 25,000 tons of coal a year. The Southern Pacific uses fir wood, which Is abundant along its railway. The Northern Paclflo burns coal from its own mines. Tho steamboats use wood; which they get on the river bank. The new Oriental steam ship line will materially Increase the fuel demands on the Columbia River. Fir has been a comparatively cheap fuel, but It is rapidly rising in price. A the country i3 cleared up and the demand on timber for manufacturing purposes In creases, the price naturally rises, and then the increased cost of hauling longer distances to river or railroad adds an other factor to cost of the fuel In the market. Fir wood has advanced about 331-3 per cent in price in the Portland market in the past four years. At this rate. It Is only a question of a few years when It will be a luxury that few can afford. Hence the wisdom of developing a cheaper fuel supply, which, beside tho economy In the matter of direct cost, leaves the wood for other uses and thus conserves natural forces. Instead of burn ing the wood for fuel w,e may get coal cheaper and turn the 'Wood Into lumber, ax handles and potato mashers. Not only Is wood becoming dearer, but no practical steps are being taken to sup ply Its place for the coal now in thr. market can hardly take lhe place of wooc1. The price Is too high. As between fir wood at $4 50 a cord and coal at $S a ton, there would be small choice, and both would lead to the bankruptcy court. Both may be had In large lots at smaller prices yet; in fact, wood has not yet got to that figure In any quantity, and that's why it is the chief fuel of tho town. But fir wood at $3 Is not a cheap fuel. Experiment With Fuel. Some time ago the Southern Paclflo Company conducted a Quite -elaborate ex periment to determine whether wood or coal was the cheaper fuel for its loco motives. It bought 00 tons of Puget Sound coal for this test, thereby getting the benefit of the lowest price. The wood it obtained along the road in the ordinary way. The result of this experiment was that the wood was found to be 22 per -cent oheaper fuel than the coal; that Is. a given amount of service was obtained by tho use of wood at but 78 per cent of. the cost incurred when coal was used for the same service under the same condi tions. This led the company to continue to use wood for fuel. The price paid for the coal for this ex periment Is not given out, but It is said that coal for such use would cost In Port land between ?3 and ?4 per ton when bought In large quantities. There are varying grades of the coal as there are of wood, and varying conditions of deliv ery, that woufti need be considered In an accurate statement of the case, but under average conditions the Southern Pacific found that it was materially cheaper for It to use wood. If coal were in the Portland market at prices that prevail In many other localities, no more advantageously situated than Portland, the usual result of such test would, of course, be altogether different. According to tho annual reports of the several companies, the cost of coal used for fuel for tho various railways was as follows per ton last year: Southern Pacific $4 03 Northern Pacific 1 63 Union Pacific 14a New York, New Haven & Hudson River 2 31 Texas Pacific 2 24 Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 1 73 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 1 63 Rio Grande Western 1 53 Denver & Rio Grande.... 1 33 Chicago & Northwestern 1 45 Lehigh Valley 145 Missouri Pacific ;, & Lake Shore & Michigan Southern 129 Pennsylvania Railway 1 23 Central, of Georgia 105 tVabash 97 Pennsylvania & Reading SO Chesapeake & Ohio 63 Norfolk & Western 59 No comment is needed to show the ne cessity of cheaper fuel than Is now pro cured In Portland for the success of tho transportation interests that center here if the carriers are to be held to anything like Eastern rates. And if they cannot get down to something like those rates, Western producers are under a heavy dis advantage in the world's competition. While there is no reason to look for such coal prices on the Paclflo Coast as prevail in the midst of Eastern coal dis tricts, the record of the Northern Paclflo and Union Pacific shows the Western roads can get coal at reasonable prices, and the conditions at Portland are such that they ought to be able to get It here. And with coal cheap for the railroads here It would be cheap for other consum ers, and' it would be a great spur ta manufacturing industries. The Nehalem Coal. Men acquainted with the business say that the Nehalem coal could be sold at retail In Portland for less than $3 per ton, and still yield a good profit. In largo quantities, of course, the cost would be materially less. Good coal in Portland at less than $3 per ton would transform the city In a short time. It would add im measurably to the equipment of the Co lumbia River for trans-Pacific trade, for fuel Is an Important consideration for tho great liners. In this respect it would bo hardly secondary to the deep channel to the sea. The problem of cheap fuel for all purposes would then be solved. Wood Would cease climbing' so rapidly, and would remain within bounds for other uses than to burn. W. J. Wood, a mining engineer of Ta coma, a few months ago made a thor ough examination of the Nehalem coal, and this Is what he reported: "The character of tne vein is seml bltmulnous, which Is low In ash and has but little trace of sulphur. The Govern ment analysis also show3 that It con tains less than 8 per cent of ash, which, I observe, is less than the average of some of the Washington coals. With every Indication of quality and thickness, .there Is also reason to believe that there Is also sufficient quantity, for all the ad- Joining sections1 east and west along tha foothills of this Nehalem range show out cropplngs of coal. I considered the coal to be a good quality of seml-bltuminou3 (Concluded on Fifth Pose.)