Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, December 21, 1900, Page 3, Image 3

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    THE MOttNINQ- OEEGONIAN, FRIDAY, DECEMBEB 21, 1900.
RANSOM WAS PAID
Return of Young Cudahy Cos
His Father $25,000.
HOW THE BOY WAS ABDUCTED
Menacing- Letter of His Kidnapers
Omaha Millionaire Packer Lost
Ko Time In Depositing the Gold
at the Point Designated.
OMAHA, Dec 20. Edward Cudahy,
Jr., who was kidnaped Tuesday evening
and held 3S hours for a ransom of $25,000
In cold, which the young man's father
unhesitatingly paid, has been returned to
his family.
At 9 o'clock, Wednesday, a horseman
rode past the Cudahy mansion on Thirty
eighth street and threw a letter Into the
lawn. A servant noted the action, and,
seeing the letter, found It contained the
Information that the young man had
been kldnaied and was safe and was
being held for a ransom. Three hours
later. Mr. Cudahy received through the
mails a second communication, naming
the conditions under which the lad
would be surrendered to himself. The
condition named was that Mr. Cudahy
should deposit $25,000 In gold coin in a
place indicated about five miles north of
the city on a lonely road leading up the
bank of the Missouri River.
Mr. Cudahy shortly after supper en
tered a light road buggy. and, after se
curing the money, started out entirely
alone for the place designated by the
kidnapers. To identify himself, he had
attached to the dashboard of his buggy
a red lantern, which was one of the con
ditions of the letter. Mr. Cudahy drove
north on the Sherman-avenue road to a
point about Ave miles from the city,
where he found near the road a white
lantern suspended from a short stake
driven in the ground. This signal he had
been watching for as the place to leave
the money. The lantern was near the
river bank, but when Mr. Cudahy arrived
there nobody was in sight. He at once
alighted, placed the bag of gold conve
niently near the stake, and, without wait
ing for developments, returned to the
city without hearing a sound.
That the bandits were near the spot
and at once secured the valuable pack
age cannot be doubted, for about 1
o'clock this morning the young man ran
breathlessly up to the front door of his
father's home and rang the bell for ad
mission. Two policemen, who In the early
evening had been placed near the family
mansion, had later been sent to the sta
bles by Mr. Cudahy, who feared that
should the men returning the boy see
the policemen they would drive away
without leaving him. The boy came In
o suddenly the police knew nothing of
It until a member of tne ramily went to
the stables and Informed them that the
young man had returned and that .their
cervices could be dispensed with.
Notwithstanding that the entire police
and detective force of the city, several
"Plnkertons" from Chicago and half a
hundred of Mr. Cudahys own men have
been F.irching diligently for a clue look
(rg to the capture of the outlaws ever
since the disappearance of the young
man, up to 11 o'clock tonight nothing has
beoa develo. ed to give the least Idea of
the Identity of the men who perpetrated
the crime. Younc Cudahy says there
were six of the men. but that all wore
ma.ks whenever In his presence, and
that the onjy one he. would attempt to
idrntifj' W4is the one who kept guard
over him during hi? incarceration In. the
lonely building in which he was confined.
The Kidnapers' Letter.
The letter sent to Mr. Cudahy is as
follows:
"Omaha. Neb., Dec. 19. Mr. Cudahy:
We have kidnaped "sout child and de
mand 525.000 (twenty-five thousand dol
lars) for his safe return. If you give us
the moner the child will be returned as
safe as when you last saw him, but If
you refure. we will put acid In his eyes
and blind him, then we will Immediately
kidnap another millionaire's child that
we have shotted and demand $100,000, and
we will get it. for he will see the con
dition of your child and realize the fact
that we mean business and will not be
monkeyed with or captured.
"Get the money all in gold, $5, $10 and
$20 pieces, nut it in a white wheat sack,
get in your buggy alone on the night of
December 19 at 7 o'clock P. M. and drive
south from your house to Center street,
turn west on Center and drive back to
Ruser's Park and follow the paved road
toward Fremont. When you come to a
lantern that is lighted by the side of the
road, place the money near the lantern
and immediately turn your horse around
and return home. You will know our
lantern, for It will have two ribbons,
black and white, tied on the handle. You
must place a red lantern on your buggy,
where it can be plainly seen, so we will
know you a mile away. This letter and
evorj- part cf It must be returned with
the money, and any attempt at capture
will be the saddest thing you ever done.
"If you remember, some 20 years ago
Charier Ross was kidnaped In New
York CJty and $20,000 ransom asked. Old
man Ross was willing to give up the
money, but Burns, the great detective,
with others, persuaded the old man not
to give up the money, assuring him that
the thieves would be captured. Ross died
of a broken heart, sorry that he allowed
the detectives to dictate to him.
"This letter must not be seen by any
one but you. If the police or some
stranger knew its contents, they might
attempt to capture us, although against
your wish, and some one might take a
lantern and represent us, thus the wrong
party securing the money, and this would
be as fatal to you as if you refused to
give up the money. So you see the dan
ger If you let this letter be seen.
"Mr. 'Cudahy. you are up against It,
and there is only one way out. Give up
the coin. Money we want and money
we will get. If you don't give up, the
next man will, for he will see that we
mean business, and you can lead your
boy around blind the rest of your life,
and all you will have Is the copper
sympathy Do the right thing by us and
we will do the same by you. If you re
fuse, you will soon see the saddest sight
you ever seen."
"Wednesday, Dec. 19. This night or
never. Follow these Instructions and no
harm will befall you or your son." J
The Boy's Story.
Young Cudahy detailed the following
circumstance of his dappearance:
He said he was In front of General
Cowan's house, just across the street
from his own home, on his way back
from the Rustln residence. Tuesday even
ing, when two men approached him. One
of them stepped up to him and said: "We
are Sheriffs from Sarpy County, and ai
rest you as Eddie McGce. who escaped
from the reform school." The lad pro
tested that he was not the mythical
Eddie McGee, but his captors said that
he would have to be identified. They
placed him In a buggy and drove to
Thrity-slxth street, and thence south to
Leavenworth street. As they approached
Leavenworth street, a motor car passed
them. The lad recognized the conducto.
and said to his captors: "There Is a man
who knows me: he can identify me." But
the captors immediately blindfolded hln
and whipped up the horses. The lad
thinks that they crossed Leavenworth
street and then drove In a southerly di
rection. Presently they came to a house,
which, in the orinion of the lad, is some
where in the southwestern part of South
Omaha.
Young Cudahy was taken from the
buggy and placed in a room and chained
to the floor. He remained there all night
and the next day. His hands were tlea
and the chains on his feet prevented him
from getting a good view of his sur
roundings, even after the blindfold hao.
been removed. He knows, however, that
he was in an empty room and that the
blinds of the windows were closed. At
night, for some unknown reason, the
men released young Cudahy from his
chains, and said: "We are going to take
you home." Then they led him to .-
hack. He was driven rapidly through
darkness to Thirty-seventh and Leaven
worth streets, where he was allowed t
leave the carriage. From there he walkeo
home, arriving there shortly after i
o'clock In the morning. The bandits
made no explanation to him why they
gave hlrr. his freedom.
How He "Was Treated.
Speaking of his experiences while in
the power of his kidnapers, young Cud
ahy said:
"I could tell by the men's footsteps re
sounding throughout the house that 2i
was vacant and stripped of furniture. I
observed also that they struck no l!gh.
I would have been conscious of a sense
of light had they made one, for the
bandage could not have excluded all Its
rays. The men still moved about In ab
solute silence, exchanging no word. One
of them found an old rickety chair some
where and pushed me down upon It. Then
he removed the cords from around my
wrists and substituted for them a pair of
handcuffs, with chains attached, and
made the latter fast to the rounds of the
chair. A pair of leg Irons were c'apped
upon my ankles, and the chains of these
were also locked about the legs of the
chair.
"In this uncomfortable position I speni
most of the 24 hours of my Incarcera
tion, though at one time, for a period oi
about five hours, I should Judge, the
chains from my wriFts were removed ano
I was permitted to lie down on the floor.
One. of my captors provided an overcoat,
which served as a pillow. I tried to sleep,
but my nerves were too badly shattered
to nermlt It.
"During all this time I partook of no
nourishment but once, although the man
who was with me often asked me If T
wanted anything. Once I said I did. and
he went and got me a cup of coffee and
some crackers.
"As soon as I was chained to the chair
one of tho men went away, but he kepi
returning even few minutes, when he
wouM tap lightly upon the door, and
would engage my guardian In a whis
pered conversation. I could not catch a
word of what they said. After each one
of these Interviews the man on the out
side would go away, and after a moment
or so I could hear the tinkle of a tele
phone bell, which sounded a long way off.
I believe they were in telephonic com
munication with some persons in Omaha
all the time.
"The man who kept watch over me was
drinking heavily all the time. At first he
did not talk at all. but after we had
been alone for six or seven hours he be
gan to get garrulous. He talked about
all sorts of things, and his talk rambled
throughout, whether from drink or de
sign I could not say. Finally he became
bolder. Two or three times he touched
upon the subject of my abduction, and I
gathered from his remarks that there
were six men In the gang, of which he
was a member. He said one thing which
was very much to the point, and which
startled me.
" 'Do you know,' he asked, 'that wu
have been watching that house of yours
out there for the last two months? Well,
we have. What we really wanted was to
get one of the little girls your sisters
but we did not get a chance. Finally we
became desperate, and determined to take
the bull by the horns and nab you.' "
The boy tonight Is apparently none the
worse for, his experience.
Late tonight Mr. Cudahy announced he
would pay $25,000 reward for the appre
hension of the abductors of his son, $5000
for one or $15,000 for two of them.
THE CASTELLANES' DEBTS.
Snlt of Werthelmer Began In a Paris
Court.
PARIS, Dec 20. The suit of Charles
Werthelmer against Count Boni de Cas
tellane to recover payment for art ob
jects sold the Count and Countess de
Castellane began today In the first civil
chamber. The transaction is taken as a
test case, and Involved the sum of 12,450
francs. The hearing was devoted to the
arguments of counsel. None of the par
ties was in court.
Count and Countess de Castellane have
replied with a counter suit, demanding a
full statement of all transactions. They
demand a reduction of the debt provision
ally estimated to be at least 2,000.000 francs
and the restitution of the objects taken
In exchange by Werthelmer under the
penalty of 1000 francs for each day's de
lay In the restitution of the day of Judg
ment. Finally, they claim damages to
the amount of 300,000 francs.
Werthelmer's counsel, Maltre Foucald,
In a speech lasting several hours, made
a most vigorously worded reply to the
Castellane contentions. He said there
was nothing serious in the observations
and criticisms, "behind which the Castel
lan es were screening their temporary In
solvency." He denounced the Count's
conduct scathingly, referring to his "pre
texts to delay payments," and did not
hesitate to accuse him of telling untruths.
Counsel explained how the Count cheer
fully accepted all the transactions, ex
pressing satisfaction until the last mo
ment, when he turned and accused Wer
thelmer of' usury. Maltre Foucald pre
sented details of the various transactions
and replied to the contention that the
articles were sold at exaggerated prices.
Counsel quoted one article In a batch
which the Count asked him (Werthelmer)
to sell on the eve of his departure for
New York. Count de Castellane. counsel
said, asked a hlsher price than he had
paid for the article. Werthelmer, never
theless, sold the batch at the Count's
figures. The Count, when hard pressed,
told Werthelmer that Mr. Gould would
pay. The Count's conduct at this period,
according to the counsel, resembled that
of a child. He was surprised at his
WTongdolng, and requested his creditors
to keep from Mr. Goul me real extent
of his Indebtedness. Later the Count
afllrmed that his own brother would pay
Werthelmer, but through his brother's
lawyers, not through his (the Count's)
hands.
"What an affront." said counsel. "Count
Bonl was thus obliged to admit that his
own brother would not trust him with
money."
Maltre Foucald contrasted Count Bonl's
conduct with the glorious traditions of
the Castellane family. One felt grieved,
he said, to find such falsehoods written
with the pen of a Castellane. Count de
Castellane wired Werthelmer after his
arrival In New York that he was well sat
isfied with the voyage, which counsel said
Werthelmer Interpreted as meaning that
the Goulds would finance him.
Counsel for the Castellanes claimed that
Werthelmer had abused the confidence of
the young people, and If the latter had
committed follies. It could be said that
for the last IS months they had been cru
elly atoning for them. Moreover, hence
forth they would devote themselves to
wiping out the indebtedness. Before the
conclusion of the argument, the case was
adjourned for a week.
Recruits for the Phtlli.pines.
COLUMBUS. O.. Dec. 20. A detachment
of 1S4 recruits left the United States bar
'racks here today for San Francisco,
destined ultimately for service in the
Philippines. They were under command
of Lieutenant E. B. Wlnans, of the
Fourth Cavalry, and Lieutenant Heres
chel Tuppons of the First Infantry. They
will go Into camp at the Presidio on ar
rival at San Francisco.
Anger never made good guard for It
self. Shakespeare
THE COMMON POINT RATE
ARGUMEXT IX FAVOR OF THE COX
CESSION. L. B. Seeley Says That a Seaport
Right at the Ocean Shocld Be
Recognized.
PORTLAND, Or., Dec 15. (To the Edi
tor.) The time has arrived when the City
of Portland must decide to use Its seaport
at the mouth of tne Columbia River, in
replying to Mr. Hughes, 1 wish to state
that we are agreed that no unnecessary
delays oi expense must be permitted
against the shipments of the products
ot cither Oregon, W&bhington or laano.
We are frienas and aie both firm believ
ers In the Pacinc Noithwe&t and loyal
to Portland. I make this explanation oe
cause a friend of mine understood from
my last ictter that I was against Port
land. vh:ch is not the truth.
I believe that unless a seaport right at
the ocean Is recognized ana utlilzea, and
quickly, too. Puget Sound ports will com
mand the largest per cent of the man
time business of tnls country; while it
the common point Is extended to the
mouth of the Columbia River, then it
will be settled for all time to come that
the harbor at the .sea is the great sea
port of Oregon, snington and idano,
and Portland, S. 'tie, Tacoma and Spo
kane wi.t be moiu .aperoua and greater
cities, because there Is sucn an eay and
favorable way to ship the produots of the
entire country enu.aced in the territory
or this trinity of statehood.
Mr. Hughes In h.s letter to The Sunday
Oregonlan, November 11, makes three
declarations which I will quote, and en
deavor to show that they are not based
on facts.
First declaration: "The seaport of the
Columbia Is at Portland, for the sole and
only reason that this Is the proper and
only natuial piace ior It, and it will re
main here for the reason that it cannot
be established and maintained at any
other point on the Columbia River save
at a steady and continuous expense for
maintenance." My answer to this is:
No ship can come to Portland unless
It first reaches and then passes Astoria.
The expense to the Federal Government
and Port of Portland for dredging the
channel from Astoria to Portland for the
last 10 years has been probably not less
than $2,000,000, and the towage bills of the
O. R. & N.- Co. up and back for this 10
years are probably not less than $600,000.
Lighterage, say, for 10 years, $200,000,
making a grand total at least of $2,800,000.
These figures are approximated, and I
would like them given accurately, if
those who can will furnish them to The
Oregonlan. But no matter what they are.
If actually only half the above, even then
they will show It costs more to bring
ships to Portland Instead of loading them
at Astoria. All this expenditure, except
the bar towage, is entirely unnecessary
If Astoria were a common point, and the
seagoing tonnage had been transshipped
at Astoria instead of Portland. How does
this showing not prove Mr. Hughes Is
wrong In regard to the cost of main
tenance of a seaport at the mouth of the
Columbia being greater than at Port
land, and is not the exact contrary the
fact?
Second declaration: "There Is Ho such
thing In the world as tbe principal sea
port located on a river being below the
head of navigation for -sea-going vessels,
where the course of the river Is In the
line of the commerce which passes
through the port." My reply to this state
ment is:
New Y,ork City, a the mouth of the
Hudson the largest seaport not only In
America but in the world also San Fran
cisco, the largest seaport on this Coast,
both located right at the ocean; the
first Is 100 miles and the other a long dis
tance below the head of natural (not
artificial) deep-water navigation. These
two exceptions prove that Mr. Hughes
Is wrong In regard to the two most im
portant seaports on the Atlantic and
Pacific seaboards of America. We men
tion as additional proof of his error
Liverpool, the greatest seaport in all
Europe; Hong Kong, the leading seaport
of ah Asia. Both of these ports are right
at the ocean.
Third declaration: "When the means or
transportation can be found cheaper than
the hold of a sea-going vessel, the seaport
of the Columbia will move from Portland
to the mouth of the river." Answering
this I again state:
In the 10 years mentioned, probably
4,000.000 tons has gone out of the river
foreign, and the cost of getting this from
Portland to sea, as shown, is some $2,800,
000, or 70 cents per ton; while this ton
nage could have been delivered from
Portland to Astoria by rail for not more
than 40 cents per ton. which Is $1,600,000;
add a half more for bar towage, making
a total of $2,400,000, which is $400,000 less
than If It had not gone In the "hold of
a ship" from Portland to Astoria.
If this showing Is true, and It Is ex
actly trus as to the principle, if not
right as to the amount approximated,
then according to Mr. Hughes' own dec
laration, "the seaport of the Columbia
will move from Portland to the mouth of
the river," because the "hold of a ship"
is not the cheapest way to take ocean
bound freight from Portland to Astoria,
but to the contrary It is the most expen
sive way.
In explanation of the general rule, that
the transportation of cargoes In the hold
of a sailing ship Is cheaper than by rail,
we must remember that this applies only
to a vessel while at sea, under sail, In
her natural element, propelled by the
"wooing winds" free as air, costing noth
ing: but If she Is towed at sea to her
destination, or takes a tug outside to
come Into the river, or a river steamer
to tow her 200 miles up and back from
Portland then the "hold of a sea-going
vessel." 'navigating rivers under tow,
costs more than rail service, especially if
she has to have an artificial and expen
sive waterway provided for her, and
comes In ballast, as do SO per cent of the
ships to Portland. To make it plain, if
Portland was right at the ocean and
without river towage, as Astoria Is, so
that sailing vessels under sail could come
right Into her harbor, as they frequently
do at Astoria (but as a rule they are
towed), then Portland would be as cheap
a seaport as Astoria now is. Look at it
another way. If Portland had Astoria's
location, and Astoria Portland's, would
Mr. Hughes then advise taking the ships
past Portland and 100 miles inland to
Astoria, and pay useless river towage and
expend thousands of dollars to dredge a
channel continually, or would he not ad
vocate a common point at the sea, and be
entitled to It by all the natural laws that
govern commerce? "Poor rule that won't
work both ways."
Here I beg leave to quote from "An
address by George H. Daniels, general
passenger agent. New York Central &,
Hudcon River Railroad, and President of
the American Association of General Pas
senger Agents, before the International
Commercial Congress, at Philadelphia,
October 25. 1S29."
An Ace of Transportation.
"Transportation underlies material pros
perity In every department of commerce.
Without transportation commerce would
be Impossible.
"Those states and nations are rich, pow
erful and enlightened whose transporta
tion facilities are best and most extended.
The dying nations are those with little or
no transportation facilities.
Railroads Supersede Canals.
"One hundred years ago the Governor
of the great State of New York advised
his friends not to Invest their money or
waste their time in aiding the building of
railroads, expressing the opinion that,
while it was possible that improved meth
ods of construction and perfected ma
chinery might. In the remote future, ena
ble the people to move a car upon a rail
road at the rate of five or six miles per
hour, he did not believe thit they could
ever be made of material advantage. and
that any attempt to transport passengers
and freight by railroad, from one part of
the country to another, must result In end
less confusion and loss. The Governor died
In the belief that the canal was the only
means of conveyance for a great com
merce. "Notwithstanding his prediction, the
railroads have grown to .such vast pro
portions that today the world's entire
stock of money, gold sliver and paper,
would not purchase one-third of its rail-ror-.
Tne building of the Erie Canal, extend
ing from Buffalo to Albany, a distance of
,U1 miles, was commenced July 4, 1S17. It
was ccnoletcd In. 1S25 at a cost of $.C02,
000. In 1495 the Stat of New York appro
priated $3,000,0.0 for enlarging and Improv
ing this canal, and a few figures from the
state report on canals may be of Inter
est in this connection:
Reliable statistics of Its traffic are not
.obtainable for the earlier years of Its op
eration, but. In. accordance with the last
annua) report of the fcupenntendent or
Public Weil of the State of New York,
we lind that the tonnage canled on a.l
the canals. In both direction?, in 1S37 was
1.171.2W tons, valued at $55.St9,2SS.
"The tonnace. ai.d the value increased
until 1S72 when it amounted to 0,b7a,.v
tons, valued at $220,913,321.
"From 1S72 the tonnage and the value
of the property carrica decreased, until
in 1897 there wa.i only 3.G17.SCW tons car
ried, with a value of $95,053 338.
"This, In face of the fact that the re-
f-elpts of grain and flour at Buffalo had
ncrcascd from L1S4.655 bushels in. 1S37 to
242.llu.206 bushels in 1897.
Decline in Cnnnl Tranlc.
"The greatest number of new boats reg
istered as operating on the canals In a
single year was in 1SC2. when there were
S50 new boats. In the' year 1E97 there were
only 16 new boats registered. You will
wonder what has caused the abandonment
of several canils in the State of New
York, and the steady decline in the com
merce passing through the Erie Canal.
"There are three general causes for
these results. The first is the great re
duction in the rates of freight by the rail
roads in the United States, and notably
In 'the State of New York. The second
cause Is the marvelous development of
the motive power and rolling stock of
American railways. Less than a quarter
of a century ago, upon the average Amer
ican railroad, the capacity of a freight
car was 20.000 pounds; the capacity of a
freight engine was from 20 to 30 of such
cars to the train.
"Today, on the New York Central,
whoso six tracks xun alongside the OSrte
Canal for the entire distance from Buf
falo to Albany, the capacity of the grain
cars si from 60,000 to 65,000 pounds, and a
locomotive of the latest type will haul
from 75 to 90 such cars loaded to their
full capacity. It Is not an Infrequent
occurrence for a single engine to haul
through the Mohawk Valley, beside the
Erie Canal, 85,000 to 90.000 bushels of grain
in a single train. The same engine will
haul from 110 to 125 empty cars. When
you consider that In the busy season there
are from 75 to 100 such trains a day pass
ing over the New York Central alone,
you will get some conception of the situ
ation. Export Trade Requires Fast Time.
"The third cause for thft fnfhiro nf fhA
canals Is the general demand of the
American public for quick time. A ship
per having 100,000 barrels of flour, or L
000,000 bushels of grain for export, must
move it from Buffalo to New York within
a specified time, and he cannot risk the
slow process of the canal.
Railroads Essential to Progress.
"In a recent address before the Cham
ber of Commerce of Rochester, N. Y., 1
cited this illustration of the difference be
tween modern railway transportation and
transportation by canal.
"In 1S22 Thurlow Weed, one of the great
newspaper men of his day wrote of what
is now the City of Rochester, as follows:
" 'Rochester is a straggling village con
taining about half a hundred Inhabitants,
but It Is a go-ahead place, and from Its
advantages Is destined to become an Im
portant Inland town.'
"At that time Roche, j's only means
of transportation was the Erie Canal, and
the difference between the Insignificant
village of Rochester in 1822 and the mag
nificent City of Rochester or today Is the
difference of its transportation facilities,
and this difference is E-ranhlnaiiv chmm
by a comparison of the canal packet
towed by a mule at the rate of four miles
an hour and the Empire State Express,
thundering through the Genesee Valley
at a speed, of 60 miles an hour."
Has the time not ripened when we
should open our eyes to truths as plain
as "A B, C"? The great Columbia River
basin has its water-level grade to the
ocean, and one of the finest natural har
bors In the world right at the coast. .Ex
tend the common-point rate to this sea
port and let nature's laws of gravity have
full sway.
California, Washington and British Co
lumbia have utilized all their ports. Do
not their prosperity and progress the last
10 years teach us the wisdom of such a
policy, or are we still going to throw
away our golden and winning opportuni
ties, and be left on account of our own
short-sightedness and stupidity, while the
products of the Columbia River basin are
being diverted across the mountains to
the Sound, and the Oriental and Alaska
trade done entirely by San Francisco,
Tacoma and Seattle? Does Oregon give
up, with a sure and easy remedy at hand,
untried and begging to be used?
These are questions for the producers of
the Inland Empire and the Willamette
Valley very thoughtfully and carefully
to consider. The easiest and cheapest
way to market is the true way to suc
cess. The producer pays the freights,
towing Included, and the greater these
are the less he gets.
Where, naturally, should the jexport
products of the Atlantic and Pacific sea
board meet ocean carriage? Along the
chain of the Great Lakes, Mohawk Val
ley and dawn the Hudson to its mouth Is
New York, the maritime city of the At
lantic seaboard, handling two-thirds of
the exports and three-fifths of the Im
ports of the United States. It is the
ocean terminus of the Vanderbllt system
and Pennsylvania Rallroact, and also
reached by the Baltimore & Ohio, the
three great t-unk lines of the East, and
connected by rail with every important
city In the Union. Philadelphia Is at the
head of Delaware Bay, 100 miles from
the ocean, and Baltimore, on the Chesa
peake Bay. Is still farther Inland, but
these cities must be reached by crossing
the Alleghany Mountains.
Why do these roads all reach New York,
and the Pennsylvania line haul thousands
of tons of export freight right through
Philadelphia to her Jersey City elevators
at the Hudson River's mouth? Why, be
cause there Is the best harbor, so superior
z.000a that on ow them hemahcahtresc
to the rest that no foreign-bound tonnage
has ever been hauled away from New
York to either Philadelphia or Baltimore.
Nor Is it necessary for the- Vanderbllt
lines "America's Greatest Railroad." to
reach those cities, for it has the only
gravity route to the seaboard, terminal-J
Ing at the best harbor, and so situated
that it will forever hold its prestige.
Now, If the geography of the country
regulated and established the greatest
and best harbor at the mouth of the
Hudson River on the Atlantic seaboard,
are there not geographical reasons why
the mouth of the Columbia River on the
Pacific seaboard should command all the
export products produced In Oregon and
Washington, or especially grown In the
Columbia River Valley? Do not both Se
attle and Tacoma stand in the same re
lation, and are they not at the same dis
advantage that Philadelphia and Balti
more are to New York? It so. to main
tain them they must stand on unnatural
and therefore artificial supports. Neither
In transportation nor commerce can man
overcome nature, for ultimately the nat
ural, which is the right, way will prevail.
If the natural harbor or Oregon and
Washington is at the mouth of the Co
lumbia River, then Oregon's seaport
stands to command the export tonnage,
and Seattle and Tacoma must bow to the
Inevitable. Just as Philadelphia and Bal
timore have, and all the transcontinental
roads .of the Pacific Northwest must
either build to or seek through an alliance
with roads already built an outlet at the
mouth of the Columbia. The mighty river
breaks through the Cascade Mountains in
a westerly direction, exactly on the line
of travel both in and out of the country
and from ocean to ocean, and Is Amer
ica's natural gateway to the Orient. The
Hudson breaks through the extension of
the Alleghany Mountains, and is the grav
ity route to the sea on the Atlantic sea
board, and New York harbor is America's
natural gateway to all-Europe.
These" fine harbors naturally command
all the commerce tributary to them, either
Import or export, and as great and pros
pcrous cities will grow up east of the
one as are already thriving west of the
other Both will command the country
behind and tributary to them. New York,
the maritime city of the Atlantic, will
have her counterpart, equally as Import
ant, and as favorably located, on the
shores of the Pacific.
The most prosperous cities of the Mid
dle Northwest are Mlnneapol's and St.
Paul. Neither one has ever loaded a
deep-sea vessel, and never will; but to
the north of :hem, at West Superior and
Duluth. the grain of Minnesota and the
Dakotas is trans-shipped from rail to the
Lakes, east-bound, via Buffalo, to tide
water at New York. The producers reach
market the easiest and cheapest way, and
therefore rcallzr the greatest net profits,
and this Is Just what the great Twin
Cities, the business center of that coun
try, favor and are Interested In promot
ing. Does not our oeautlful City of Portland
spo for herself the same future and re
sults mirrored In the prosperity of these
cities, and is it not for every business
man's Interest to have all the products
of tho Willamette Valley and the Inland
Empire reach market by the natural, eas
iest and cheapest route, so that the In
creased profits will encourage greater
production and bring more money into
the country, where prosperity will attract
immigration and make more consumers
for Portland's goods and wares? The
Dakotas and Minnesota ship annually 200,
000,000 bushels of grain. Oregon and Wash
ington and Idaho have an area of terri
tory suitable to easily produce as much,
and they will do so, but not If the ways
to market are blocked or made too ex
pensive by unnatural routes.
With a million people In the Willamette
Valley and as many more east of the
mountains, can any one doubt Portland's
future? It Is assured now; what will It
be then?
Let Oregon's and Washington's natural
seaport, the mouth of the Columbia, and
its railroads, open "America's natural
gateway to the Orient." This will bring
us to the front first and foremost, and
Seattle and Tacoma can no longer menace
our trade, either foreign or domestic
We have already been too long without
a railroad direct to the sea along the
south shore of the Columbia; and we
could no more afford to be without It
than Minneapolis or St. Paul could pros
per and close the gateway north of them
at West Superior and Duluth, to the chain
of lakes.
Should prices come down, then the near
est, cheapest and easiest way to market
will be very important to the farmers of
the Pacific Northwest. In early times,
and with a small volume of business, be
cause the old wayB of getting into and
out of the country answered every pur
pose. Is no reason that we should still cling
to them when the Increased volume of
trade and growing commerce demands
broader plans, the most feasible routes,
and utilization of the best harbors. The.
canoe of the Indian, the ox cart of the pio
neer, gave way to the stage coach, small
coasting steamers and crude steamboats;
these answered the necessities of the ad
vance guard of civilization, and werje all
that were needed then. Today with rail
roads and steamships, their exchange
point murt be at natural harbors, to hold
and command the commerce. New Yoric
demonstrates this. Buffalo, at the foot
of the chain of Great Lakes and West
Superior and Duluth at their head, is an
other proof; while Chicago and Cleve
land, Intermediate, add .their Indorse
ment, all plainly, all unmistakably show
ing us that as surely as the waters of
the Columbia flow into the ocean, the fine
harbor at its mouth is where our com
modities will pass from rail to ocean
carriage and vice versa. North and south
of New York City are rival ports, but
they are unsuccessful competitors. We
will have competitive ports at tide water,
but, like New York City on the Atlantic,
the mouth of the Columbia will handle
the most of the In and out-bound tonnage
of this country, as long as Its waters
seek the sea. One glance at London,
the largest city of the world, and its
shipping ports, Liverpool and Southamp
ton, again demonstrates that the geog
raphy of a country regulates where rail
and sail must meet. Nothing short of a
change of the topography of the surface
of the earth will ever divert the traffic
of tho world from the natural channels
of commerce. Like the trade winds, the
Gulf Stream, the Japanese current, the
flow of rivers to the sea, and the tides
of the ocean, they began at the creation
under natural laws, and will continue
till the designer becomes the destroyer.
L. B. SEELEY.
"Widoir of Admiral Stemhle Dead.
NEW YORK, Dec 20. Mrs. Laura McB.
Stemble." widow of the late Admiral Rog
er N. Stemble. Is dead at the home or
her daughter, Mrs. C. S. Schmidt, of this
city. Admiral Stemble died two weeks
ago at the Fifth-Avenue Hotel. Two
weeks before her husband's death Mrs.
Stemble was out shopping and in attempt
ing to cross the street she stepped back
ward to avoid a passing cab, lost her
footing and in falling broke her thigh.
The nervous shock followed by her grief
at her husband's death, together with
a heavy cold, developed the ailment which
caused her death. Mrs. Stemble was Miss
Laura McBrlde. daughter of James Me
Brlde, of Hamilton, O.
The Joint Note.
PARIS, Dec 20. The Havas Agency has
received the following dispatch from
Pekin, dated December 20:
"The foreign Envoys have signed the
Joint note with the adoption of England's
stipulation that China cannot be allowed
to foresee a cession of the Province of
Chi Li 'so long as she has not conformed
to the conditions of the powers.' Mr.
Conger has deferred signing owing to in
structions to Insist on final moderation,
but he thinks Washington will not in
sist." Negroes for Hawaii.
CHICAGO, Dec 20. A special to the
Record from Nashville, Tenn., says:
About 200 negroes will leave Nashville Iff
the morning for San Francisco, whence
they saU for Honolulu. The negroes are
going to work en sugar plantations.
Readjusting X. Pa Capitalization.
NEW YORK, Dec. 20. The Commercial
Advertiser says:
"There Is good authority for the state
ment that a plan for a radical readjust
ment of the capitalization of the North
ern Pacific securities is under way."
A WINTER RODTE 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. 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 beauty
to the unsurpassed wonders of nature
along the Grejt Salt Lake Route. Tickets
to all points East mav b obtained at 253
Washington street.
RISING OF THE DUTCH
DISTRICT SOUTH OF THE ORANGE
RIVER OX "POINT OF REBELLING.
Colesberg Country Is Seething With
Anti-British Excitement More
Mounted Troops.
LONDON. Dec 21. Since Lord Kitch
ener's dispatch formally confirming the
Invasion of Cape Colony and expressing
a hope not to capture the Boers but
only to "drive them north again," not
a word has been Issued officially as to the
situation.
Considerable activity now manifested
at Aldershot. A large draft of mounted
troops will be ready to start for South
Africa January 6, while others have been
notified to hold themselves In readiness
for the same destination.
According to the Cape Town corres
pondent of the Daily Mail, wiring yester
day, the treason court, sitting in Coles
berg, was obliged hurriedly to remove to
Cape Town with the records and docu
ments owing to the vicinity of the in
vading Boers.
"The Colcaberg district," says the cor
respondent, "Is seething with antl-Britlsh
excitement. A recrudescence of rebellion
is perceptible in the district immediately
south of the Orange River. Yesterday
morning a fight was proceeding at Phll
llpstown, presumably with a commando
which crossed at Sand Drift."
KITCHENER'S REINFORCEMENTS.
Ten Thousand 3Ien May Be Sent to
South Africa.
NEW YORK, Dec 20. A dispatch to
tho Tribune from London says:
There are persistent rumors that Gen
eral Kitchener has asked for large rein
forcements of mounted men. Various fig
ures, ranging from 20.000 to 40,000 men, are
named, but theWar Office is silent and
the reports are not credited by military
men. No action In the direction of
strengthening the army. In South Africa
Is probable until Lord' Roberts' return.
If reinforcements are sent It Is not be
lieved that they will exceed 10,000 men,
A picked body of mounted Infantry Is
already under orders to sail early In Jan
uary, but It will not be over 1000. The
supply of horses Is reported to be scant
In South Africa. Some experts consider
that there are men enough already In the
field, and the proper course would be
to send horses by thousands and put In
the saddle the Infantry now suffering from
Inaction and weariness of camp routine.
Attempts on the part of the press agencies
to magnify the services of mounted In
fantry under Clements, and explain away
the recent reverse are not convincing.
The strictures of veteran officers here
upon the management of the British
forces In that engagement are most se
vere. Lord Kitchener maintains silence" with
respect to the lnyailon of Cape Colony,
and there is bound to be considerable
anxiety until the trath Is known. It Is
difficult to believe that the Boers who
crossed tbfe Orange River can be In suffl
clent numbers to frighten the War Office
authorities or to cause General Kitchener
much annoyance. One of the comman
dos la, however, reported to be in the
neighborhood of Allwal North, which Is
about the worst center of disaffection
In the whole colony. The Invading Boers
are probably receiving considerable as
sistance from the local Dutch, and In case
of a general uprising the troops at the
disposal of the British authorities would
not be sufficient to cope with the situa
tion which private advices depict as
somewhat ominous.
Delarey seems disposed to follow up
his success at Nooltgedacnt. Hitherto
the Boer Generals have been content to
rest on their oars after a victory, but
Delarey, If he Intended profiting by his
defeat of General Clements, should not
have given the latter time to be Joined by
General French. As was generally ex
pected, the losses of the Northumberland
Fusiliers at Nooltgedacht a week ago
were much heavier than official accounts
at first reported.
Owing to the altered arrange.ments for
Lord Roberts' return and the short route
in London which the Field Marshal will
cover In his drive to Buckingham Palace,
It Is feared by a good many people that
the crush will be very great. The au
thorities are, however, determined to pre
vent a repetition of the scandalous
scenes which marked the return of the
City Volunteers.
Society gossip now proposes to reward
Lord Roberts with an Earldom and
50.000.
St. Paul's was well filled at the service
in memory of the soldiers and sailors
who have fallen during the war. The
Lord Mayor and Sheriffs attended In
state, and there were files of Cold
Streams and Blues, with a full military
band. Lord Wolseley and Mr. Broderick
represented headquarters and the War
Office. The service was impressive, with
funeral marches and dirges by Bethoven,
Wagner and Chopin.
TWO BODIES OF INVADERS.
Efforts of the British to Drive Them
From Cape Colony.
CAPE TOWN, Dec 20. A government
memorandum, issued this evening, makes
the following announcement:
"The principal seat of action has been
transferred to the northern part of Cape
Colony. Early December 16 a large body
of Boers crossed the Orange River to
ward Burghersdorp. A British force fol
lowed, to avoid which the Boers turned
westward and occupied Venterstad De
cember IS, but they evacuated the town
the same day, on the approach of the
British, and marched In the direction of
Steynsburg. The Boers, however, have
been Intercepted, and find difficulty In
m'ovlng In any direction. Steynsburg,
Burghersdorp, Stormberg, Rosmead and
Naauwpoort are all strongly held by the
British, and the Orange River has risen
considerably.
"Another 2C0O Boers crossed at the
drift, making for Colesburg, but on the
dispatch of a British force they diverged
and occupied Phllllpstown December 19,
cutting the telegraph wires between
Phllllpstown and Houktkraal. Early this
morning, a large portion of these Boers"
reached Houktkraal Station and cut the
line there. Considerable reinforcements
have been sent to De Aar and Hanover,
and It is expected that further invasion
will now be stopped, except in the case
of scouting parties which may slip
through to raid cattle ana obtain much
needed supplies.
"Hitherto there has Deen very little
fighting, as the enemy In every Instance
have retired before the British. They
took our garrison of 20 men at Venterstad
prisoners, but the Magersfonteln garrison
repulsed their attacks, inflicting "heavy
loss after some hours' fighting, and a re
fusal of a demand to surrender.
"It Is probable that of the two invad
ing forces, the former is a part ol De
wet's commando and the latter consists
of small commandos hitherto operating
in the west of Orange River Colony, and
a number of rebels."
Martial law has been proclaimed In the
following additional districts: Brltstown,
Victoria West, Richmond, Hanover, Mur
raysburg, Graaf Relnet, Aberdeen, Mid
dlesburg. Steynsburg, Craddock, Tarka
and Molteno.
Cannonading- at Krngcrsdorp.
NEW YORK. Dec. 20. A dispatch to
the Journal and Advertiser from Jo
hannesburg says:
Heavy cannonading was heard this
morning In the direction of Krugersdorp.
Marauding Boer parties still infect that
district-
The Invasion Spreading.
CAPE TOWN. Dec 20. The invasion of
Cape Colony is spreading. It Is reported,
that the Boers have occupied Colesburg.
near the Orange River Colony frontier.
BO YOU GET UP
WITH A LAME BACK?
Kidney Trouble Makes You Miserable.
Almost everybody who reads the news
papers is sure to know of the wonderful
cures made by Dr.
Kilmer's Swamp-Root,
the great kidney, liver
and bladder remedy.
It is the great medi
cal triumph of the. nine
teenth century; dis
covered after years of
scientific research by
Dr. Kilmer, the emi
nent kidney and blad
der specialist, am) l
wonderfully successful in 'promptly curinj
lame back, kidney, bladder, uric acid trou
bles and Brighfs Disease, which is the worst
form of kidney trouble.
Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root is not rec
ommended for everything but If you have kid
ney, liver or bladder trouble It will be found
Just the remedy you need. It has been tested
In so many ways, in hospital work, in private
practice, among the helpless too poor to pur
chase relief and has proved so successful in
every case that a special arrangement hat
been made by which all readers of this papw
who have not already tried it, may have a
sample bottle sent free by mall, also a book
telling more about Swamp-Root and how ta
find out if you have kidney or bladder trouble.
wnen wrmngmentton reading thlsgenerouj
oner in this paper and
send your address to.
ur. Kilmer & Co., Binsr-
hamton. N. Y. The
regular fifty cent and Eonoof Smuap-Root.
dollar sizes are sold by all good druggists.
The people here are much disturbed. A
mixed force of 1000 men was dispatched
north yesterday evening.
DISAPPOINTMENT FOR CLAIMANTS.
Feir Large Unclaimed Estates 1m
British Courts.
NEW YORK. Dec. 20. A dispatch to
tho Journal and Advertiser from London
says:
So many expectant American heirs of
vast fortunes supposed to be held In tho
English Court of Chancery are being
fooled by unscrupulous agents that the
American Embassy made a formal request
to the court for a statement of unclaimed
propertv ln which Americans might be
Interested. The court sent to Mr. Choate
an official statement, showing the absurd
ity of the American expectations. The
court holds a total of 5200.OO0.0CO worth of
property, of which JlSO.000,005 Is desig
nated as trusts for wards in chancery and
known heirs of estates In process of ad
justment, leaving a balance of $20,000,000
open for claim. But a large part of the
latter sum is "already claimed, and only
awaiting a decision of the court for set
tling. Most of these unclaimed estates
are very small, only one being more than
$500,000. A coterie of claim agents In
London has been living off the contribu
tions of American heirs for many years.
Row in Spanish Chamber.
MADRID, Dec. 20. During the discus
sion in the Senate of the royal message
announcing the marriage in the near fu
ture of the Princess of Asturias.
heiress presumptive to the throne, with
Prince Charles, second son of the Count
of Caserta. Senor Ortega, a Republican,
raised a storm of protest by recalling the
conspiracy of the Bourbon Princess
against other Bourbon RoyaUets, which
he feared this marriage wculd have a ten
dency to renew. Amid insults from all
parts of the house, the speaker was finally
called to order.
Wllhelmina's Marriage Approvctl.
THE HAGUE. Dec 20. Bills were in
troduced in the Second Chamber today
approving of the marriage of Queen Wll
helmlna to Duke Henry of Mecklenburg
Schwerln regulating the procedure of the
celebration and the contingencies arising
therefrom, providing for the naturaliza
tion of the bridegroom and making pro
vision for an allowance payable to the
Duke from the national treasury in the
event of the Queen dying before.
Scotch Steel "Works Snfferln.
GLASGOW. Dec. 20. Clyde shipbuilders
recently placed orders for 1G0.C0O tons of
plates lit the United State's at a saving
of 50000. The depression in Scotch steel
and malleable iron trades is acute. Four
teen furnaces will be damped at the end
of the year. The steel works are talking
of closing indefinitely.
Slighted by the Crar.
BERLIN. Dec. 20 The Frankfurter
Zeltung says the Czar, In his reply to
Mr. Kruger's Marseilles telegram an
nouncing his arrival In France, addressed
It to "Mr. Kruger."
Chosen Friends Receiver.
NEW YORK. Dec 20. Justice Leven
tritt. In the Supreme Court, today ap
pointed Jacques H. Hertz, receiver In this
state for the Order of Chosen Friends.
The receiver's bond was fixed at $50,000.
At the same time. Justice Leventrltt
handed down an injunction order restrain
ing creditors of the society from bring
ing new suits against it or, from prose
cuting old suits pending theprgnrn .of the
injunction order December S.
Lentz "Will Contest.
COLUMBUS, O., Dec. 20. Congressman
John J. Lentz, of the Twelfth Ohio dis
trict, announced today that he would
contest the seat In the next Congress of
E. Tompkins, by whom he was defeated
at the late election by a majority of 18
votes. Mr. Lentz claims to have evi
dence of the alleged corrupt use of money
to secure the election of Mr. Tompkins.
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