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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1900)
THE MORNING OREGONIAff, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1900; DIXON GETS 10 YEARS Tlie Real Estate Swindler and Forger Sentenced. HE DID DOT ASK FOR LENIENCY Former Postmaster at The Dalles on Trial for Failing to Deliver Letter to Addressees Litigation. Xotes. George Dixon, the convicted real estate- swindler and forger, nonchalantly re ceived a sentence of 10 years' Impris onment yesterday. Judge George pro nounced the sentence. Dixon's demean or was watched with curiosity by those In the courtroom, and any evidence of a. breakdown would have been immedi ately noted. Before the forgery and real estate swindle In Portland whereby Dix on sold for $2125 the property of Henry Wilson, deceased, to J. M. Hodson, he had made a narrow escape In Seattle. When he was cornered by the detectives he leaped through a window into the bay and escaped. In Portland he displayed the same dar ing In the conduct of all his fraudulent negotiations. The deeds to the property were so carefully prepared as to pass the scrutiny of trained lawyers and real estate men. His haste to get his liands on the coin and his connection with Mrs. Frost were the flrst things to arouse sus picion that the transaction, was crooked. When the detectives were .n his trail he ued vari6us devices to throw them off the track. He managed to get one de tective pulled off the detail temporarily by telephoning to the station a summons thit the detective's wife was seriously 111. He trailed the detectives over town, while his supposed wife changed their boarding place, and rejoined her at the new one. On an extra man detailed on the case he passed himself off as a prom inent railroad attorney, handing him the card of the latter. When Anally cornered and arrested by Detectives Ford and Cor nano. he assumed an air of Injured in nocence and conducted his own defense Et the Municipal Court. Yesterday when asked to show cause why he should not be sentenced, he stood up calmly and Bald. "I have nothing to say." His attornry urged clemency on the ground that he had already been sen tenced to tvo years' Imprisonment for executing a deed and conveying property to which he had no title; that the charge of forgery wa virtually trying him again on the same transaction, and that In both cases he had .een convicted on the cor rupt tebtlmon;r of one deeply connected with the transaction. Judge George, in giving the sentence, Stated that h would take into consider ation the recommendation of the Jury for clemency, anL made the total sentence tor the two crimes 10 years, to date from the time he la taken to prison. MISCARRIED LETTERS. Former Postmaster at The Dalles on Trial for Misconduct. The case of the United States vs. H. H. Riddell. charged with holding back let ters and falling to deliver them to the persons to wnom they were addressed, went to trial in the United States Court yesterday before Judge Bellinger and a Jury. Riddell was formerly Postmaster at The Dalles, but when he -was arrested on the charge mentioned, several months ago, ho was removed, and Foster Fisher put in his place. Tho circumstances con nected with the ousting of Riddell are -somewhat complicated, but, briefly stated, are about as follows: Osborne & Co., of this city, directed Riddell to collect a bill due them from a farmer, amounting to 590. He gave them to understand that It would be necessary to compromise the matter, and was Instructed to do what he thought best In the case. After a while tho man paid the bill to the County Clerk end secured a release of the mortgage se curing it. Tho money was handed to Rid. dell, but he did not send It to Osborne & Co. They wrote to him about it. but received no reply. Then they wrote to Huntington & Wilson, lawyers; to County Clerk Kelsay and to W. H. Wilson, at torney. These letters did not reach the parties to whom they were addressed. Some time after they were found by an employe of the postofflce in a pigeon-hole, and Riddell took them to deliver them to the addressees, but did not do so. The case occupied the time of the court all day yesterday, and has not yet been sub mitted. SUIT FOR SUPPORT. Morris LabbTrltch Demands ?50 Month of Ills Sons. Morris Labowitch, GO years of age, has filed a suit for support In the County Court against his three sons, to compel them to pay $50 a month to supply his wants. The County Commissioners have allowed him on petition to flle his suit without the charge of the usual fees. Labowitch states in his petition that fie is 60 years old. and that he made his 4rvlng by peddling until his sickness incapaci tated him for work, and since that time he has een obliged to seek charity, his sons refusing him assistance. The latter, ho declares, are amply able to provide for his support, carrying on & merchandise business worth $30,000 a year. The case Will be heard Wednesday. Criminal Cases. The Fay Severe murder case was set for trial in Judge George's department of tho Circuit Court for January 17. George Swartzrock pleaded not guilty to a larceny charge, and his case was set for January 23. The cise of Charles Lun deen. who pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, was jet for January 24. Lundeen is being prosecuted for firing at and wounding a small boy Halloween night. Conrt Xotes. Judge Cleland yesterday denied jb. mo tion for alimony and for leave to file a mipplemental complaint In the divorce case of Edith Johnson vs. F. W. Johnson. In the estate of T. M. Williams, George Williams, his son. filed a petition In the Probate Court for letters of administra tion. The estate is valued at $11,000. Judge Cleland set the folio wing divorce cases for trial December 21: J. H. Hooper vs. Mary Hooper; Mary McBreen vs. Will lam McBreen; Mary Zeek vs. Horace Zeek. F. M. Lelchtenthaler has brought a suit against George H. Thomas, administrator of the estate of D. W. Llchtenthaler. to recover $2600. secured by a mortgage on property of the deceased. George Harris was before Municipal Judge Cameron yesterday, charged with stealing a field glass, an opera glass and a watch from Mrs. A. J. Fuller, Port land Heights. Harris was bound over to answer to the grand Jury. In the case of A. L. Maxwell vs. the East Side Railway Company et al In the United States Court, a motion to set for. rehearing the objections of C F. Albee to the master's report of the sale of the company's property was filed yesterday. The time for hearing will bo set here after. A motion for a new trial was argued before Judge Frazer yesterday in the case of Mrs. Ada Mazorousky vs. the City & Suburban Company. The grounds were the discovery of Important new testi mony, strengthening the position of the plaintiff, who was suing for damages for Injuries received while attempting to board a moving car. Judr Uriht ni the'inotlon, on the ground that tho evl-j dence was cumulative, covering points al ready brought out In the hearing of the case before a Jury. L. T. Keady and W. J. Curtis have filed a suit against J. W. Helsner, in which a receiver Is applied for the firm of Keady. Helsner & Curtis. It Is alleged that the partnership of the three men was dis solved In September, but that Helsner secured to himself the Issue of 153,000 shares of oil stock, which should have been the property of the partnership. For this reason the suit was begun, and a receiver to straighten out the company's affairs and recover and divide the prop erty Is asked for. SPLENDID COMIC OPERA. Frank Daniels Delights a Packed Honse at the Marqnam. Frank Daniels and his opera company gave a magnificent production of the "Ameer" last night at the Mamiiam Theater. Every available seating space In the auditorium and standing space three or four deep in the foyer was oc cupied by the largest and most appre ciative audience of the year. It was a dress occasion, and society was present in force. Satisfying and very pleasing to the musical ear, exquisitely beautiful to' the eye In stage groupings, pictures and set tings and funny to the verge of tears, the "Ameer" established Itself as by far the best attraction of the season. As far as the music is concerned, there are enough solos and rousing choruses to give the rendition the semblance of an orthodox opera. There are topical songs In abund ance, but an almost entire lack of con certed numbers among the principals. The arrangement of the characters Is so arranged by the author that this feat ure of opera music Is necessarily cut out. The leading soprano and tenor are search ing one another, one in disguise, the other as a British officer. The contralto Is a member of the Ameer's household, and rarely leaves the palace, while the basso is a wild and rampant brigand, out in the mountains somewhere. The diversity of pursuits among the principals naturally deflects from the pleasing concerted num bers so essential to orthodox opera. As a singing production, however, the opera was a success. The chorus is large In numbers, attractive In appearance, and the voices are very pleasant to hear. As in the previous appearances of Daniels' companies hero, the chorus of pretty girls is a feature. In the "Ameer" there Is ample opportunity for spectacular group ings and Amazonian marches, when the graceful, uniform, shapely figures of the girls are shown, to great advantage. The stage training, both in singing and In business, came nearly to the Ideal ope ratic rendition. Frank Daniels has the part of his career In the character of the Ameer. He Is and always has been a very funny actor. His stereotyped make-up look of mock" serious surprise, unny costumes, funny walk, funny use of his hands, and hl3 killing use of some little fad carried al most to the point of distraction, are all earmarks and are fully developed In this opera. Daniels' fad this year Is the re curring effort to remove a hang-nail. Afghanistan is the scene of the plot of the "Ameer." In the flrst act the open ing scene displays a magnificent Oriental scene Indian temples and mosques in the foreground, backed by a snow-capped mountain effect. The Ameer Is on the verge of bankruptcy. His brother Is In revolt, and the sole hope of the monarch lies in the arrival of an American heiress whom the Ameer Intends to marry and thereby replenish his treasury. A .mort gage company. Cut & Slash, Is formed, of which the Ameer Is secretly the head, and this, with the aid of a band of bri gands. Intends to circumvent the British loan. In the second act the mountain home of the brigands is shown, the heiress arrives in disguise, her carriage Is captured by the Ameer and his brigands, and her supposed wealth car ried off. The throne-room of the third act Is a beautiful vision of cardinal, old gold and green, fn perfect accord for color effect are the costumes of the nautch girls, palace guards and nobles. A compromise is effected through the handsome British officer, who is the lover of the American heiress, and all ends happily. Helen Redmond, as Constance, the American heiress, sang the soprano role well, but looked the part much better. In her disguise as a guard her symmetri cal proportions made a very handsome picture. Her song In the flrst act. "If Cupid Shall Guide," at once placed her in strong favor with the audience. Norma Kopp, as Fanny, her pretty traveling companion, came In for a large share of the honors. Also of the gracefully sym metrical mold as to figure, a pretty face and vivacious air, she was a striking feature in the stage pictures. Her "Pos ter Girl" song was well sung. Kate Uart. as Mlrzah. the Oriental dame, sang the contralto role. She fully came up to the requirements of the role. William Corliss showed himself to be a capital comedian in the part of the court Jester, Jim McGuire, as the Ameer called him. His topical song in the last act, "As In Ben Franklin's Days," received numerous recalls. Will Danforth. as Blackjak. the brigand, did a clever bit of acting In the part, and was sufficiently fierce In de meanor and make-up to satisfy the most bloodthirsty. Rhys Thomas, as Captain Winston, the British, officer, sang the tenor role. The chances for displaying his voice were few, and, strange to say, he had no set solo. He was picturesque, and what chances there were to hear his voice were acceptable. Owen Westford, as Heezaburd. the chamberlain, made the most of a grotesque part. The caste was numerous one, but all the characters were in capable hands. The "Ameer" will be sung tonight and tomorrow night only In the present en gagement. ORIENTS AT FORT STEVENS Defeated by a Henvier Team by Score of 5 to O. The Orients were defeated at Fort Stev ens Sunday by the Fort Stevens foot ball team, made up of the light artillery. The score was 5 to 6. The Orients con sider this a victor', as their opponents' average weight was 170 pounds. The Ori ents' average was only 133 pounds to the man. The members of the visiting team were treated royally at the Fort, and enjoyed themselves In every way. Charles E. Dav enport, as manager of the soldier team, had everything arranged for the visitors' reception. The manager of the Orients has issued a challenge to the Ilwaco foot ball team for a New Year's day game, to be played at Ilwaco. The star players of the game for Fort Stevens were Dav enport. Mitchell and Rupert: for the Ori ents, Hlgglns. J. Smith. Delschnelder and Allen. Tho line-up was as follows: Orients. Position. Ft. Stevens. Hlgglns C Beasly HerSerT-;, ',' -v5 Henderson Ford. Kelly (mgr).RT Lester Delschnelder R E Rupert Bird LG Rollins Stamp v.LT Pendergrass Iader E (cant) Heaton Allen .....R H Thomasson Swanson (capt) Moreland L H Mitchell Durhot F.....(mgr) Davenport J. Smith Q Barker Officials, Young and Smith; timekeep ers, Scranton and Fletcher. Time of halves, 0 minutes. East Side Stone Throrrers. The police had eight East Side boys at the police station last night, and the visi tors gave evidence regarding stone throwing, calculated to lead to arrests among the "S. S. S." society. m Police Commission's Meeting. The Police Commissioners had a meet-. ing last night and formulated estimates" for the Police Department for 1S0L Oh, TVhat a Headache! Relieve it In five minutes with Wright's Paragon Headache and Neuralgia Cure MEN NOT YET PLACED MR. CAMPBELL ttot ready fob OFFICIAL AXNODXCEMEXT. " His Trip In the East "Was Largely Get Transcontinental Trade Through Portland te Orient. Traffic Manager Campbell, of the O. B, & N.. returned yesterday from his East ern trip, but he brought no news for the public as to the details of the readjust ment by which the Union Pacific and the Oregon Short Line offices are withdrawn from Portland, and the O. R. & N. given control of the united interests in this field. He admitted that the matter had been arranged at the Omaha meeting, but it was not yet In shape, he said, for official announcement. Mr. Coman, of the Short Line, has already been transferred to Salt Lake City. Mr. Lothrop, of the Union Pacific, is still unplaced, except by the unconfirmed report that ha will be come assistant general freight agent of the O. R. & N.. thus crowding R B. Mill er up to the position of general freight agent. As to what disposition will be made of the other members of the local Union Pacific and Short Line staffs, noth ing definite is known. It Is said that their respective companies will make places for some of them In other fields, and that others will be needed In the O. R. & N. service. F. R Olln, Short Line city ticket agent, already has a new position as ticket agent at the Union Passenger Station. Mr. Capipbell thinks the dispatches made too much of the O. R. & N.'s move to get cotton for shipment to the Orient through Portland; that is, its relative im portance was put too high. Since tho Oriental steamship line from Portland was definitely secured by the O. R & N the company has been completing ar rangements in several quarters for freight to fill the ships. They are enor mous carriers, and will more than meet the local demand for Oriental tonnage. It was designed from the beginning to train a great deal of transcontinental commerce through Portland for trans-Pa-clflc shipment, and the cotton from the South will constitute but one of the many Items that will compose this busi ness. Cotton is a very convenient freight to carry In parts of the ship where not much dead weight is wanted, and it will help utilize all the carrying capacity of the big Pacific liners. T see the news of what I did on my trip has already been told pretty fully in the newspapers," said Mr. Campbell. "I found business generally In good condi tion, and I expect we shall get our share of transcontinental traffic for the Orient. The action taken to establish an agency at Hong Kong shows that an aggressive policy has been entered upon. Here after, Portland's Oriental line will not be left to the representatives of shipping houses for its service In the Orient, but the company will have its own men to handle Its business there and look out for every Interest. Mr. Cameron will be located In Hong Kong, and will have gen eral charge of the Oriental field, but there will be other agencies at other ports In China and In Japan. This part of. the business will be accommodated to the ex pansion of trade as It grows." Allan Cameron, who recently resigned a position with the Canadian Pacific to take the general agency of the O. R & N. at Hong Kong, was in Portland yes terday. He Is pleased with the change that has come to him. which Is a ma terial advancement, and hopes to be able to organize extensive transportation affil iations In the Orient. He expects to leave for Hong Kong the last of this month. BOYCOTT FOR A COMMON POINT. Proposed Br and For Astoria Mer chants and Dnslncss Men. ASTORIA. Dec 17. A meeting of about 50 of Astoria's business men was held to day, pursuant to a call issued by Presi dent Van Dusen, of the Chamber of Commerce, to take steps to secure common-point rates for Astoria. After con siderable discussion a committee was ap pointed to draw up an agreement for all the merchants and business men to sign, to patronize only such railway and steam ship lines as will grant this city equal rates with Puget Sound, Portland and other points In this district on all Im ports and exports. A committee" was also appointed to ascertain what could be done In having the passenger rates raised be tween this city and Portland. It was the sense of the meeting that all should work together in developing the natural re sources of the community and In securing the establishment of one or more large lumber mills here. Another meeting is to be held tomorrow, when the commit tees will report, and when It Is expected some further action will be taken. Hantlngrton "Will Not Retire. NEW YORK, Dec 17. Vice-President Huntington, of the Southern Pacific Com pany, is reported to have had an audience J today with President Hays and Chairman Tweed, of the board of directors. It is said that Mr. Huntington will not retire from his present position, but he will ac company President Hays to California next week. COMMON-POINT QUESTION. Views of Judge Gray, "Which Are Elsewhere Considered. ASTORIA. Dec 10. (To the Editor.) in your editorial of November 23, referring to the Columbia River common-point proposition, you ask several pertinent questions, which, to my mind, clearly in dicate a misconception of the subleet. which I contend should be considered in the light of a proposition -for the bene fit of the producers and inhabitants of the valleys of the Columbia River and Its tributaries clear Into Idaho. With your permission, I will endeavor to answer them. L "Why should not a vessel take Its cargo at Astoria, instead of being dragged' up and down the channel to Portland?" Why, indeed? Because of the discrimi nating freight rates against Astoria and the Columbia River producers demanded by the O. R. & N., which controls the principal traffic tributary to the Columbia River and charges the same rate ($3 per ton) for wheat or flour from Walla Walla or Pendleton, about zH miles down water level grades to Portland, that the Northern Pacific Railroad Company charges per ton, over mountain grades, from Pendleton or Walla Walla (Wallula Is not a wheat center), about 320 miles to Tacoma or Seattle, which makes them a common point with Portland, only 214 miles from the producer. 2. "Then why doesn't Astoria get the grain and load the ships T' Give Astoria, the same, or "common-point" rates, with Tacoma or Seattle, and within 90 days wheat will be bought here at San Fran cisco prices and shipped from Astoria to Liverpool, at not to exceed 50 cents per ton higher freight rates than from San Francisco In ships, of much greater draft and tonnage than can ever go to Port land. 3. "There Is lumber there Astoria can build docks." Yes. But why does your O. R & N. Railroad deny us even a. com-mon-polnt rate on lumber, when It has given that rate to every other port along the coast except Astoria? Such taunta remind us of the fable of the wolf, stand ing on the cliff above and demanding of the sheep below why he had muddled the water of the stream they were both drink ing from? i. "Why Is It that ships continue to pass by Astoria to Portland and go down again, carrying lumber to Asia. Austra lia and South America past her very doors?" Because of the O. R. & N. rn refusal to give common-point rates on lumber. Those countries require rough, merchantable lumber that can be xnanu fartured and sold 'at a lower price, ana the clear portions of the saw logs can be sawed, dressed and manufactured into a more costly product that wiU Juatlij shipping by rail or water to all parts of untimbered America. It can then be sold at higher prices that justify or make up any loss by reason of cheap prices re ceived for rough, merchantable lumbei. "It does, not look at all well for Astoria to be reproaching Portland continually for doing Portland's business at Port land." Out of your own mouth, Mr. Ed itor, "It does not look at all well for" Portland "to be reproaching" Astoria for not allowing Astoria to have a common-point rate, to do Oregon's business, at, at least, that portion Portland can not do without excessive charges. Is not the O. R & N. Co. paid about' one-third more per ton per mile for freighting wheat from Pendleton to Portland than the Northern Pacific charges from Pen dleton or Walla Walla to Tacoma? Are not ships paid from $1 50 to $2 60 per ton more freight rates from Portland to Liv erpool than from San Francisco to Liv erpool? If so, why can't ships be char tered to carry wheat for the same prlco per ton that they can from San Fran cisco to Liverpool, or not to exceed 50 cents per ton more. Ships that carried 3000 tons have often been towed from San Francisco to the Columbia for $1500. or less. Would not this save the pro ducers from $1 to $2 per ton, or 2 to 6 cents per bushel on cargoes of wheat, that Is now paid ship-owners and agents, for the, expense, delay and risk of taking their vessels 100 miles up the river to an inland port, where a railroad company had left the cargo two-thirds of the dis tance they had been paid to deliver It? J. H. D. GRAT. ZIONISM IN MANILA. Jewish. Residents Organise Into a Society. The .following letter was received from George Rubensteln, a former Portland druggist, now with the United States Hospital Corps In Manila: Manila, P. I., Oct. 30. Being a Portland boy myself, and thinking that it might Interest some of our people at home to know of the doings of their soldier boys at the front, I take the liberty of sending this letter to you. On Sunday ufternoon, October 4, we, the members of the Hospital Corps, U. S. A., have met with the Jewish resi dents, and soldiers serving in the various regiments in and about Manila, for the purpose of establishing a local "Chovvei Zion" society, to be known as the "First Zion Society, of Manila. P. I." The fol lowing officers were elected: President, Joseph Levy, Manila; vice-president, Louis A. Dessen, Hospital Corps, U. S. A.; treasurer. George Rubensteln. Hos pital Corps, U. S. A.; financial secretary, William B. Sandhaus, Hospital Corps, U. o. a.; recoraing secretary, L. A. David, Hospital Corps, U. S. A. It wUl no doubt surprise our co-religlon-Ists at home when they hear of a Zion society In the far-away Philippines, as. In fact, we ourselves are, surprised, and often wonder at the rapid growth of our membership rolls. One month ago I had no Idea that there were nearly so many Jewish young men serving In our Army today; and although Joseph Levy, a business man of this city, kindly provid ed a large hall, where divine services were held during the holidays, still, on "Kol-NIdrae" evening, the hall was en tirely too small to accommodate the large congregation of soldiers which gathered from every part of this archipelago, crossing rivers and passing difficult mountains to come to the city, in order to keep holy Israel's feast and fast days. It was while at this temporary syna gogue that the idea originated among a few of us to organize into something distinctly Jewish. My argument then, "The beginning, of knowledge is the fear of the Lord." In other words, I was arguing for having a synagogue erected, but was at last overruled on being con vinced that we had not sufficient resid ing members here to support a syna gogue permanently'. Even civilians, who are living here now. do not care about making their permanent homes in a coun try so near the equator. So it was at last decided and agreed upon to form a Zion society. We have gained 48 new members In the past two weeks, and ap plications for membership are constantly coming In. Vice-President Dessen, a medical stu dent of Baltimore, Md., now on duty In this hospital with me, was a leader of a similar movement In his own city, and we are much Indebted to his earnestness, and ability as an organizer, for our pres ent success; for what was at flrst re garded merely as a Joke by some, or an Impossibility for such an Ideal among young soldiers by others. Is now known as a distinct organization, and we are often very favorably commented upon by nearly every right-thinking person, and by the public press in general. But, I very much regret to say, we are sadly ignorant os the subject of "Zionism." Aside from Its general pur pose and aim sought by the society, not one of us Is able clearly to explain by what means or ways may we hope of ever restoring the poor Jews who are still suffering from persecutions In certain countries, to their long-lost home In Pal estine. We have heard of the fourth Jew ish congress, which was held at London a few months ago, but we don't know for what purpose that congress was con vened or what was there accomplished. We have but a vague Idea of the prac ticability of the movement. It was mere ly as a faint echo which struck a gentle chord in the breasts of our young men here, to unite for a noble purpose, and to learn all we can on the subject. That the Jews are pretty well repre sented through the rank and flle of our Army, and that their behavior, manners and moral habits In general arc irre proachable, can be evidenced by glanc ing -over the Army records. Out of 152 corps men which have recently arrived here, 42 were Jews. I think It would be greatly to the credit of Jewish people as a race were they to take some Interest In their own men who are serving their country honestly and faithfully In a dis tant land. We are greatly In need of good literature literature of some kind which should remind our young men that we were a nation once, that we, too, had our heroes.. Hoping these few words will strike the eyes and hearts of my people through the medium of your valuable paper, I am, respectfully. GEORGE RUBENSTEIN. Santa Mesa Hospital, Manila, P. I. N. B. Any donations in the shape of books or magazines on Jewish history may be sent to the foregoing address. East Taylor Street. The work of graveling East Taylo; street was commenced yesterday morn'ng at East Thlrty-flfth. Gravel was hauled from the pit on the North Mount Tabor branch of the Base Line road, when.- an excellent quality of gravel Is found. It was necessary to lay plank on the street so the gravel wagons could be taken where it was wanted, as the ground it very soft. Two blocks west from East Thirty-fifth street were rolled before the rains came and can be graveled. It will not be "easy to roll the remainder of the street while the storm lasts, but the grad ing and sidewalk building can go aheau and are progressing. A WIXTER ROUTE TO THE EAST. The climate of Utah and Colorado is temperate the year round, and clear skies and sunlit days are as proverbial in Win ter as in Summer. The mean annual tem perature in Salt .Lake City or Denver Is about 55 degrees, and the average annual precipitation 14.77 Inches. With such in consequential precipitation there- can be little or no trouble from snow In the dis tricts traversed by the Rio Grande West ern Railway, and Its Immediate connec tionsthe Colorado Midland or Denver & Rio Grande Railroads. In fact Winter adds but new grandeur and charm to the travel scenes, and In fuses an element of variety and hemitv J to the unsurpassed wonders of natur along the Great Salt Lake Route. Tickets to all points East may be obtained at 253 Washington street. THOUGHT OF THE BIBLE WHAT CHANGES A CENTURY HAS WROUGHT. Rct. Arthar W. Aclcerman'a Paper Read Before the Portland Con gregational Ministers' Clah, At' the Congregational Ministers' Club yesterday. Rev. A. W. Ackerman. pas tor of the First Congregational Church, read a paper on "The Change of a Cen tury In Thought of the Bible." Ho said In part: "The 19th century, which carries In Its heart the most glorious history of re ligious activity which the world has ever known, save one other, emerged from the darkest shadows that have ever rested on the Christian church in America. So licitous observers noted a prevailing im piety, a contempt for religious observ ances and a consequent low state of mor als. The Lord's day was desecrated, pub lic worship was scoffed, preaching was supposed to have lost its power, young men were expected to be Infidels, pro fessional men who believed In Christi anity were rare, and ministers are known to have resigned their positions because of the conviction that soon there would be no opportunity to preach. "Among thoughtful men the Blblo was considered to be a valuable book. It had been the means of promoting the cause of liberty; It had brought on the Reformation; it had been the guiding star of the founders of the Republic; both in dividual liberty and federation had had their birth In the book; England recog nized this and forbade the distribution of the scriptures in the colonies before the war, and one of the flrst acts of our Colonial Congress was to Import 20.000 copies of the Bible for distribution. But as a gospel of grace It was thought to be superstitious and fictitious, possibly written by unprincipled men. If not by Impostors. Its sayings and proverbs were thought to be on a par with the prudential morality of Benjamin Frank lin, certainly no better. In religious cir cles the prevailing belief was In the verb al Inspiration of the book men had simply wrlten down the words as they came from the Holy Spirit. There was a disposition to question this theory and supplement for It a divine superinten dence or a supernatural elevation of the writer or a miraculous insight. The ar gument for the authority of the scrip ture would be based on Its claims for Itself, the opinion of wise and good men, the nature of its truths, the ch'aracter of Christ drawn by unlearned men and the effect of the book upon those who read it. This exalted character w6uld be shown to be the result of inspiration. The argument for Inspiration would pro ceed from the promise of Jesus that his disciples should be led Into all truth; the apostles affirmed that they had been thus led; their claim was supported by their miracles and prophecies: It was also ad mlted by the church of their age and the age that followed. It must be admitted that the apostles wrote the New Testa ment and that their use of the Old Testa ment proved its inspiration. In general usage the appeal to the Bible was final. It was customary to argue flrst from rea son and then support the finding from the scriptures. If there was conflict be tween reason and scripture it was gen erally considered best to hold to the scrip ture and wait for further light. "Now what have we gained from the struggle and passion of the century over the Bible? Well, today, a man may be considered orthodox If he has a theory of Inspiration, or If he has none most men have none: If he believes that every word was dictated or that no word was dic tated; If he believes that the Bible In spires us because we know that It Is In spired of God or that It Is Inspired be cause It Inspires us. Those who believe In the verbal inspiration of It are rare; those who believe that the Bible has God's breath, in it because it breathes God's spirit Into the hearts of those who receive it in faith are in the overwhelm ing majority. And yet there is greater love for the book than there ever was, greater admiration for Its staying qual ities, greater faith In Its teaching's, great est faith In Its spirit. It is the best sell ing book In the market today. It Is the testimony of booksellers In New York that neither 'David Harum nor 'Trilby nor any other story has ever touched the Bible as a seller. Beside the indifference, scorn and contempt of 100 years ago this is a sublime advance. "Then we have gained courage in our approach to the book. It Is no longer necessary to defend everything that i3 found In the Old Testament or to believe in ancient theories of the universe and the creation of man and the world. Rev erent scholarship dares to believe that the end of revelation was not the production of a book, however sacred; that revela tion was not primarily a writing nor largely a speaking, but the historical and providential doings of God. God dwelt In the tents of Shem, as he had prom ised, not that a book might be written, but that men and women might know him and be taught to minister as priests to the needs of mankind, that In them and through them God might be seen and reverenced. The Old Testament Is tho record of the self-revelation of God. The New Testament Is the record of the self manifestation of God flrst in Jesus and then in his followers. The book Is thought to be sacred, not so much in it self as In the life which It contains. We say no longer, 'Here's God's hand writ ing," but rather. 'Here's God revealing himself.' We have courage to put the Bible by the side of the sacred literature of "other peoples, believing that God did not shut himself up to one channel of revelation, and, having sailed through the seas of Ignorance, amid the fogs of superstition. In the starlight of scant knowledge which are found In these sac red books, we have learned to appreci ate the wonderful sunlight of the Bible. We know better than we ever did that it Is the supreme. Inimitable, pre-eminent revelation of God In .human literature.- "We have gained also In the thought of the breadth and greatness of revela tion. Human history, all human history, has become the world's bible as truly, if not as clearly, as the history of Israel. The Bible records human experiences that are repeated every day. Here are men who have lived and suffered, sinned and sorrowed, wrestling even unto de spair, as men do now. But the good news Is here, a gospel of comfort, pardon, re demption. Whenever a man reaches that point In his pathway where the flowers of hope bloom In the darkness of de spair, because of God's presence and love, there Is a bible In miniature as truly as there Is a perfect rainbow In a drop of water when the conditions are right. The marvel of the holy scriptures 13 In the fact that a line of men, ranging through 16 centuries, were given the power to see God In his grace, walking by the side of man In his need. And having seen him they had the heart to say to the rest of sorrowing and discontented humanity, 'Come and see.' "We do not say that all are agreed. It would, no doubt, be difficult to find two thoughtful men who would agree. In every particular as to the character, value, purpose and authority of the Bible. But the times are hastening when there shall be greater agreement than there Is now in the fundamental con tention whose worth has but recently been estimated the essential In the Bible is the heart of Christ, and the heart of Christ is the heart of God, and by this redemptive, spiritual personality all men shall be judged and the Bible also shall be judged as to Its truth or Its error. We believe that the Bible is not a book of rules for the outward conduct so much as of principles for an ideal manhood, not a divine authority for denominational pol ities the personal relation of the soul with God must find its best and most efficient channel of service, not a treatise of theology, but a storehouse of theolog- leal material not the only one, "but the best one. .We wish to have no supersti tious reverence for the book; we revere the life which it reveals; we ask that all authorship shall be genuine, that we may have confidence In its integrity; we care less for the personality of the writer, more for the truth which he has writ ten. We beUeve that the Bible as a whole is authoritative not necessarily the whole of the Bible, but the book as a whole: that to reach out after the ex alted ideals of life and character which are there presented to us Is to reach out toward God and eternal life." MAY JOIN WITH SELLWOOD Brooklyn Residents Mar Get Better Service from East Side Railway. The prospect of failure of the Council to pass 'the Brooklyn street railway fran chise Is causing the residents of that dis trict to begin to look to other sources for car service. Quite a number are talking of Joining forces with the people of Sell wood, and those living along the Mll waukle road In an effort to get the Eaat Side Railway Company to put on at least a 20-minute, and. If possible, a 15-mlnute, service. This would help out the people of Brooklyn, a large district along the Mllwaukle road and Sellwood. At pres ent, the schedule Is every 45 minutes dur ing the day and longer time at night. Un der the new ownership better time Is promised between Portland and Oregon City, and Sellwood Is hoping for 20-minute service to Portland. Under the present schedule, the East Side Railway does not give a street-car service within the city limits. To miss a car means a long wait, long enough to walk to the West Side, but with a quick service all this would be changed. It Is thought the East Side Railway Company will see at once that it is necessary to provide a street-car service inside the city to compete for the traffic In the southern district. This will not benefit residents of Brooklyn as much as the proposed branch of the City & Suburban Railway Company, nor will It help the car-shops district very much, but it would greatly Improve conditions for that part of the city If the pending fran chise does not pass. However, It Is be lieved that the franchise for the City & Suburban branch will yet pass the Coun cil and the district get the benefit of that line, as well as Improved service on the East Side Railway. Laying a 10-Inch Gas Main. The Portland Gas Company has .com menced laying a 10-inch gas main from the station, on East Ankeny and East Second streets, to Hassalo street. In Hol laday Addition. This pipe line begins at the station and extends to Grand avenue, and thence north on the avenue to Has salo street. Heavy cast-iron pipe, simi lar to water main. Is being used, and ths joints are connected with lead. This Is the largest gas main ever put down ot the East Side. A connection will be made with the Alblna service main, and that section given better service. There is a six-Inch pipe along Union avenue, but It Is too small for what Is required of It, especially in tho Alblna district; hence the larger main Is being put down. It will be carried across Sullivan's gulch on the Grand-avenue bridge. These im provements are permitted through the better facilities for getting gas to ths East Side through the submerged main on the bottom of the Willamette River. This submerged pipe Is working finely. At first there was considerable leakage, but this has decreased so that only a few gallons of water are pumped out dally. The pipe Is being covered with sediment. Campaigning In the Philippines. Clarence Wells, an ex-memberof the Second Oregon, who enlisted In th"e regu lar service after returning with his regi- f ment, writes his father, J. L. Wells, of his experiences. He was in company L, with his brother Harvey, with the Sec ond Oregon, and returned to get some more fighting. JJe has,, been getting it. For some time he was very sick In the hospital, and then on recovering went Into the Interior with his regiment, several months ago. Orders came to go to Chi na, and the regiment started back to Ma nila. The soldiers, says Clarence in his letter, had to wade for miles through swamps, sometimes breast de,ep In water. They underwent severe hardships on tho return trip, only to And their orders to embark for China had to be revoked. Ex posure and hardship again caused him to be taken down ill, but his recent letter says that he has about recovered. Caused His Son's Arrest. John Watrin yesterday swore out a war rant in the Police Court, charging his son, Fred Watrin, with destroying property and threatening to kill. Watrin charged that since last Wednesday this young man had been hanging around his place, on East Washington street, smashing the windows and threatening to kill his fa ther. On advice, he caused the warrant to Issue, and the young man was brought to the Police Court. The Chief gave him a severe lecture, and he promised that he would keep away from his father's placa of business. He did not deny anything alleged In the warrant and agreed to stay away. With this understanding, the war rant was not served, and he was let gc, for the present. Watrin said he was compelled to take this action for his own protection. Worlc of the Repair Man. The East Side street repair man Is kept busy patching holes on the elevated road ways. Yesterday he was engaged in open ing up the gutters along Mllwaukle street south from the Southern Pacific Railway, which had clogged up. On this street, between Powell and Frankfort, there Is little drainage, and very Jlttle can be ac complished toward improving conditions. The repair man Is pleased with the pros pects of getting East Water street road way oft his hands, as the decking Is to be renewed as soon as the preliminaries have been settled. Over 1000 patches havo been put on the decking of this roadway and this cannot be continued much longer. Complaint Is made over condi tions, but with no money for repairs the best is done. Electric Christmas Decorations. Elaborate electric decorations are belns prepared at the Sunnyslde Methodl3t Church for the coming Christmas exer cises. The members of the Sunnysldi church are always full of enterprise, ard this year will eclipse former events. The church Is being wired for an electric dis play of colored lights on the occasion of Christmas festivities. There will be a magnificent star, representing the Stir of Bethlehem, worked out with electric jets of many colors. An expert electrician hai the matter In hand, and with the all 01 members he Is putting In the wire. With the electric Jets. Christmas decorations at this church will be very beautiful. Masonic Election. Alblna Lodge. No. m'. A. F. & A. 31., elected and installed officers as follows: W. M., J. L. Tousey; J. W.. A. F. Gor don: secretary, A. J. Handlan; J. D., E. Shupe; J. S., R. J. Williams: S. W., A. G. Bachrodt; treasurer, F. A. Nichols: S. D., J. H. La Moree; S. S.; R. B. Farr; tyler, Edwin Fry. East Side Xotes. Mrs. M. D. Crum, sister of W. R. Ins ley, who lives on East Thirty-fifth street, Sunnyslde, slipped and fell on the side walk Sunday, fracturing her right arm at the elbow. It was a very severe and painful Injury. The remains of Dr. M. N. Clark, who died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Henry Moyes, at Falrview, were brought to Portland yesterday and buried at Lone Fir cemetery. Funeral services were held at Falrview the day before. "Mrs. M. Flora, who lived at 470 Eait Burnside street, died shortly after 12 o'clock Sunday night from a. stroke of aoonlexv. At- no time after the strnlcn 1 did she recover consciousness, and passed j away very easily. Mrs. Flora was years old, and; had lived in Portland years. A husband and several grown chl aren survive ner. A still fire alarm was sent In from thj home of Joseph Resing. at 20 East Slxtl street, yesterday afternoon. It was chimney, and no damage was done. sun alarm was sent In from 2S9 East At keny street, where there was a chlmncj are. No damage. Mrs. Fred Clayton, llvinsr at Sllwoc fractured her right ankle last week, whlil in tne woodshed. As she was returning she stepped on a round stick, whlcl caused her to fall to the floor heavlljl "lenening ner anKie in such a way tha me none was broken. An East Side resident, while driving b the Intersection of East Tnth and Tt mont streets, last week, was surprised t see half a dozen pairs of men's shoes lv ing in tne street. He do. r,nt imxt whether the shoes were stolen somewherl ur ucciaemauy dropped where he picked ..i.e. ui. j.nere is about $23 worth shoes In the lot. Professor W. C. Hawlev. of tVi wnior ette University, delivered a lecture at thl Sellwood Methodist Churoh s9hmiJ evening on "TJie Declaration of Independl j...j.v. . mtu 1a me nrst in tne course not being given at this phnrxh -r . . scholarly and entertaining address. Othcl similar lectures will be delivered. Thl course is nigniy creditable to the churcl una neignDornood. PERSONAL MENTION. Judge J. J. Balleray, of Pendleton, l ui. uio imperial. . -. Atwood, a merchant of Wascc is at tne dentins. H. J. Baron, a mining man. of Wrangell Aiuofi.ii, is at xne .ferians. J. W. Scriber. a banker of La Grande 15 regisierea at tne Imperial. John Finley, a timber man of Astoria is registered at the St. Charles. Charles Cartwrlght. a Hay Creek sheepi raiser, 13 registered at the Perkins. W. G. Howell, a timber man of As! tona, is registered at the Imperial. E. C Kirkpatrick. a hopbuyer of. Dallas ana wiie, are guests of the Perkins, E. JDlven, a New York City dry gooal mercnant, is registered at the Perkins. A. W. Glesy, a Salem Insurance- ma registered at the Imperial yesterday. Charles E. Comstock, an Insurance mar 01 Jjundee. Scotland. Is at the Imperial nthony Moore, a Bridal Veil sawmill man, 13 registered at the St. Charles. S."F. Ghadwlck, a Colfax. Wash., at! torney, is at the Imperial with his wtfej W. H. Wilson an attorney of Thd Dalles, registered at the Perkins yesterl aay. George Conser, a banker of Heppnerl is at tne .Perkins, accompanied by hid wue. Fran,k Dow, a cattle-raiser of Oak IbJ land, registered at the St. Charles yesJ leraay. L. K. Pearson and wife have eone 'to Honolulu for the Winter for the benefit of their son Roderick s health. J. W. Cliff, of Des Moines. la., one oJ the owners of the North American copJ per mine, in Baker County, was at thi rerxins last evening. Sherwood Gillespy, the general agent oi tne Mutual Life insurance Company o: New York for the States of Oregor anc Washington and the Province of. Brltlst Columbia, Is at the Portland. Morten L. Power, local United States Inspector on the Jetty work at Coos Bay J Is in the city, consulting with Capt air Harts, united States Engineers, In regard to the further progress of this work. George L. Hutchln, newspaper man ant Democratic politician, returned iron Bloomfield, TIL, yesterday, after several weeks absence from Portland. He was employed in superintending the erectior of a. new building on his farms there. Henry Goodman, late manager In Portf land for the- Pope Bicycle Company, has gone -"East with the expectation of. mak- ing arrangements to establsh a bicycle and sporting goods bouse in his city J .air. uooaman wiu do aosent about a month, and his many friends trust that his mission will be entirely successful. NEW YORK, Dec. 17. Northwester people registered at New York hotels to day as follows: Frpm Portland Mrs. W. J. Burns, Mlssj K. Burns, Miss Wilson,- Mls3 L. H. Lewis, at the Manhattan. From Seattle J. E. Boyer, at the Her.J aid Square. From Spokane S. Armour, at the Grand Union. From Centralla, Wash. F. Gauger, at the St. Denis. "W. C. T. V. At-Central W. C T. U. yesterday, after! business had been attended to, Mrs. N. W. Kinney was present, and gave a re port of a letter received from the Na- tional president, stating that the recent! National convention was very successful i and the largest increase had been made! In the membership of the National union) during the past year ever known. Mrs.l Kinney spoka very earnestly of the need! of a spiritual awakening In the churches I of this city. A letter was read from Mrs. Addlton. She also reported! a delightful! National convention. Wennat Proved Fatal. BAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 17. Paul An-1 tolne. the French Vice-Consul who on Fri day last attempted suicide by shooting! himself in the head, on account of thej threat of his wife, whom he had married! clandestinely, to expose their alliance. died today at the French Hospital. DAILY METEOROLOGICAL REPORT. PORTLAND, Dec IT. S P. ST. Maxlmuia temperature, 48; minimum temperature-, 84;' river reading: at 11 A. II., 7.3 feet; change to! the past 24 hours. 1.0 foot; total precipitation. 5 P. U. to 5 P. M., 0.12 inch; total precipita tion, since Sept. 1, 1000, 13.23 inches; normal I precipitation since Sept. 1, 1000. 15.74 Inches; j deficiency, 2.51 Inches; total sunshine Dec. 10, 1 0:18; possible sunshine Dec 10, 8:39. .. Faclac Coast Weather. Wind. 12 STATIONS. Astoria Baker City Bismarck Boise Eureka Helena Kamloops, B. C Pocatello ......... Portland Red Bluff Roseburg Sacramento Salt Lake San Francisco ... Spokane Seattle Walla Walla Light. Trace 0J4 BW.Cloudy SB Snowing NTV Cloudy SE I Raining SW Pt. cloudy SW 1 Cloudy ClmiPt. cloudy 0.02 :O.00 0.40 0.00 0.00 O.OOI 8 N Cloudy 0.02 8.SE Pt. cloudy Cloudy Pt. cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Pt. cloudy Cloudy 0.1M SW SE SE N N S SR O.04 0.03 10 0.00 0.08 0.001 0.02 10.04 lE WEATHER CONDITIONS. Unsettled weather continues In the North Pa-1 cine States, and storm southwest -warnings are displayed at all points along: the coast from! Point Harford north to Cape Flattery. It lsl decidedly colder east of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, and snow! has set In at some of the high-level stations. The rains continue in Northern California. Or egon and Washington. The Indications are for occasional rain in this district Tuesday, with. 9 brisk southerly winds. WEATHER FORECASTS, Forecasts made at Portland for the 28 hours I ending at midnight Tuesday. December 18: Portland and vicinity Occasional rain; brisk southerly winds. Western Oregon and Western Washington I Occasional rain; brisk southerly winds, contin uing high along the coast. Eastern Oregon. Eastern Washington and! Idaho Occasional rain or snow; southerly ! winds. EDWARD A. BEALS, Forecast Official.