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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1902)
12 THE MORNING- OBEGONIAN, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1902. FIRE IN NEWCASTLE Flames Break Out in Third Street Apartment-House. TENANTS TRY TO SAVE EFFECTS Scene of Confusion Results Three Women Rescued From Third Floor by Firemen Loss Will Reach $10,000. Dinner among the tenants of the New castle apartment house, Third and Har rlEon streets, was rudely Interrupted yesterday afternoon by an alarm of lire. Flames gutted the entire top floor, spread ing with incredible fury from room to room. All the people In the burning bullding"escapedr without injury, and Miss Webber, Mrs. Xewcactle and Miss Lillian Fisher were taken from the third-story windows, on ladders by firemen. The loss is about $10,000, partially covered by insurance. Many of the tenants lost their all, without a cent of Insurance. In. the confusion one or two tenants missed several articles of bric-a-brac, when they visited their rooms after the flames were extinguished, and it is not known wtictner these articles were lost among the debris or were stolen. The fire is supposed to have started from a defective Hue. At first a still alarm of fire was sent out, and a few minutes elapsed before the regular alarm was turned In at 2:03 o'clock from box No. 125. at Fourth and Mill streets. Consequently the fire gained a good head way before the -seven pieces of fire appa ratus arrived. The Newcastle apartment house is a frame structure of three stories, includ ing a mansard addition, and was built about 10 years ago. It is owned and managed by Dr. Charles C. Newcastle, and was valued at $22,000. The ground floor is mostly occupied as stores, at the corner of Third and Harrison streets be ing G. H. Ray's drug store. Next along Third street are A- Horn's grocery, a etoreroom, a vacant store, a kindergarten and a dancing school. The upstairs rooms are let to families, and the rooms along the third floor were mostly let to young women, trained nurses, stenog raphers, etc. Some little time before 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon the Newcastle apartment house -was bathed in its usual Sunday stillness when smoke and flame were suddenly, seen to shoot up from the center of the roof on the Harrison-street side, near the trick chimney. A boy ran to engine house No. 4, located at 370 Fourth street, only a short distance away, and gave the alarm, and was close ly followed by a policeman. Engine No. 1, hose No. 2 and chemical No. 2 instant ly responded. Scene of Confusion. Two policemen ran upstairs and alarmed the roomers of their danger, and person ally assisted women downstairs. A scene of considerable confusion ensued. One woman grabbed her hairbrush and comb, and ran. Another woman carried her heavy valise downstairs, and other ten ants grabbed the articles that lay hand iest to them, and fled. At first the Etream of water from engine company No. 4 was weak and did not seem to be able to reach beyond the second-story windows, until the engineer was able to make enough Are to get a full pressure of steam. A northwest wind was blowing and ihowers of fiery sparks fell on Charles H. Dodd's house, Second and Harrison ttreets, and on James A. Blpperton's House, to the southward. At one time It looked as If both these houses would ro, but Mr. Dodd took off his coat and worked like the veteran volunteer fire aian that he is, and the Ripperton fam ily organized a bucket brigade. Mean- j while the tenants of the upper and sec ond floors of the Newcastle apartment aouse were busily engaged saving what furniture and general belongings they rould. There was an excited procession carrying bedclothlng, parlor chairs, mlr- i rors and Sunday hats. Mrs. R. E. Blake, who had occupied ipartments on the third floor, suddenly remembered that sho had left her purse ontalnlng $220 in gold lying in her bureau Irawer, and she told Policeman Carr Ibout it. He saw there was a faint thance to get the purse "before the thlrd itory rooms were swept from end to end Kith flame, and he consented to accom pany Mrs. Blake In her search. The oom was nearly filled with smoke, and ilrs. Blake pointed to where her bureau aad been. It was nearly turned to a :risp, and the purse, also burned, was found on the floor by Fireman Fitzslm nons, of hose No. 2, and Policeman Carr. 3ut the 11 $20 gold pieces lay there un ttuched, and they were gathered In. Ac Jompanled by firemen and the policeman, ilrs. Blake was conveyed downstairs, where she was asked to count the gold. "It's all here, and I'm ever so much Jbllgcd." said Mrs. Blake, with a happy i mile "You're lucky," said a voice in the axjwd. Women Saved "by Ladders. Up to this time everybody had got out f the building, except Miss "Webber, Mrs. Newcastle and Miss Fisher, who found lhat their way of escape from the third itory was cut off by smoke and flame. Hiss Webber was sick and Miss Fisher isleep when the alarm of fire was given. The three appeared at their windows, and "he hurrying firemen by this time had adders placed along the Harrison-street lide. Firemen ascended the ladders with Jhe rapidity born of hard practice, and ost no time in assisting the three women to descend. Everything was done very luietly, and the women came down the adders with a coolness that won the ad miration of their rescuers. About this Ime the fire had broken through the en-, dre upper floor, and the flames were driv en eastward by the wind. Mr. Dodd and jls friends were, however, capable in tak ng care of the Dodd residence, and the toof was only slightly damaged, possibly :o the extent of $150. Policeman Carr soon saw that the fire was spreading, and he ran to Fourth and mil streets and turned In an alarm of Ire. Engine No. 1, truck No. 2, chemical So. 1 and hose No. 1 responded, accom anled by Acting Chief Laudenklos. It was noticed that one or two of the fire :ompanies were short-manned, on account f the fact that substitutes who had tromlsed to take the places of regular call nen, who had specially asked off, failed io show up. Not understanding that the alarm had Just called the additional companies into ervlce, a minority in the crowd became ipatlent at the time taken to extinguish !he blaze, and one man said that 18 mln ites had elapsed between the time of the r itill alarm and the time ' of the regular tlarm. This caused a dispute and an ar gument. "Only four minutes elapsed," remarked one man, who stood up for the lremen, and this was the general sentl nent of the crowd. Firemen Worlc "Like Trojans. Meanwhile L.audenklos .and his men vere working like Trojans, but the flames rwept the entire upper floor, and it was ill the firemen could do to prevent the sntire building from being burned up. Vt 3:15 o'clock the flames were practically mder control, and 15 minutes later only he smouldering ruins of the mansard ad lition remained. Borrowing a man's derby hat, a young roman, escorted by a young man, forced ter way through smoke and pools of rater to what had been her own trim, llt- le room. In 10 minutes she came back triumphantly. "See what I've saved," she said, and she displayed to her friends' ad miring gaze a dainty gold watch. After that -other hurried trips to the burned rooms took place, and Fireman Jacobson escorted a nurse to the mansard addition to find some curios she had bought in China. They were found, to her delight, safe, but tinged with smoke and soiled by water. , These graduate nurses of the Good Sam aritan Hospital roomed on the upper floor of the Newcastle, and they lost nearly all their clothing, furniture, etc., with no in surance: Miss Gertrude Churchman, Mrs. R. E. Blake. Miss Minnie Eborall, Miss E. N. Dyer, Mrs. M. Fulton and Miss M. Johnson. Curiously enough. Misses Ebor all and Dyer are at the Coast, and their personal property had only been placed in the rooms 24 hours before the fire started. Other people who had rooms at the New castle are: Mrs. L-avack, Miss Robinson, Miss Lang, Miss Bose, Mrs. Relnhart, Mrs. Laldlaw. Mrs. Donnell, Mrs. Alison, Miss Evans, Miss Hooker, Mrs. and Miss Hutchison. Building Weft Insured. Dr. Newcastle carries $9000 insurance on the building and $2000 on furniture. Mr. Horn's stock is worth about $1000, and he carries $500 Insurance. Mr. Ray's stock is valued between $3000 and" $4000, -and his loss is covered by insurance. So far as could be learned last night, no other per son in the building carries insurance, and the individual loss will be heavy. Dr. Chance's residence, 415 Second street, east of the burned apartment-house, Is prac- GENERAL MILES ON VISITS PORTLAKD "WHILE EH tlcally uninjured. Tho fire was a difficult one to fight, and tho firemen worked hard. They were all wet to the skin when they returned tq their fire stations.' There are no fire escapes on the build ing, and had the fire happened at night, with the roomers asleep, a number of fa talities would no doubt have taken place. DAY OF MANY FUNER ALS, Victims of Birmingham Church Panic Given Interment. BIRMINGHAM, Ala.,- Sept 2L This was a day of funerals In Birmingham, the remains of the victims of the panlo in Shlloh Church being Interred in the va rious cemeteries for negroes around the city. All the negro churches "were filled, and the excitable nature of the Southern negro was wrought to a high pitch by the eulogistic sermons over the dead bodies at the various churches. The death list is now known to number 105 and 100 of these have been identified. The police assert that in addition at least five bodies were taken to private houses-. This would swell the" number to 110. In nearly all of tho churches for whites, sums were raised today to assist the ne groes who are unable to give their dead proper burial, and a fund aggregating (500 has been accumulated. Among the victims of the disaster was Kassougo, an African boy brought from the Congo Free State two years ago by Rev. S. H. Phillips Verner, of"Tuscaloosa. J. H. Ballou. who is in Jail charged with precipitating the stampede, says ho does not feel responsible for the accident. His statement follows: "I was seated In the front row of the rear platform of tho rcetrum in company with Major R. R. "Wright, president of the Industrial School of Georgia. The president of the convention was arrang ing seats for the delegation, but evident ly was having some trouble. In the same row with me were other delegates whom the president had required to give up their seats. He said nothing to Major Wright or myself, and I, of course, being in company -with Major Wright, thought -that as he was to retain his seat I would also. Hicks came.to us and said we must give up those seats, and used abusive language. We paid no attention to Mm. All of thla was before the arrival of Mr. Washington. "All this trouble was reported to be caused by Hicks and myself, but such Is not the case. All the people present came only to hear Washington, and immediate ly he closed his address they left their f.eati and started for the door, not only from the first floor, but from the gallery as well. "About this time Hicks, again ap proached Major Wright, and myself and ordered us to move) and I aa spokesman refused. He then caught me by the lapel of the coat and reached In his hip pocket While we were scuffling the stampede oc curred. Every one in the church was un- .easy. owing to the fact that the chairman naa given instructions that no one elae be admitted, as the building would not be safe." Target Practice at Oregon City. OREGON CITT, Sept 21. (Special.) Company A, Third Regiment, Oregon National Guard, held target practice at its Tange on the west side of the river this morning. The practice was in charge of First Sergeant Keubl, and the range was 200 yards. The following scores were made out of a possible 100: Private Hum phrys. Si; Private Noble, 28. Out of a possible 75: Sergeant Keuhl, 27; Private Graham, 54; Private McCully, 50; Sergeant Chapman, 55; .Private Ham mond, 33; Corporal Boylan,x49. Out of a possible 50: Private -Soylan, 27; Private Marshall, 12. ' EXCURSION TO WASHINGTON, D. C. For G. A, R. encampment, Washington. D. C, October 6 to 11, the O. R. & N. w-I sell roundtrlp tickets for $77 35. good CO days. Dates of sale, September 29 and 30. MILES GOES SOUTH General of the Army on His" Way tolhe Philippines. AFTER VISITING COAST FORTS Naval Officer Disagree With Him on Efficiency of Forts When Smoke of Forest Fires Affords Cover to Invading -Fleet. General Nelson A. Miles, commanding the Army, returned yesterday morning from the forts at the mouth of the Colum bia River, and spent the day in tho vicin ity of Portland. General Miles is accom panied by Mrs. Miles, Colonel and Mrs. Marlon P. Maus and B. Frank HalL He left on the evening train on the Southern Pacific for San Francisco, whence he will WAY TO PHILIPPINES. .ItOUTE TO SA!f FRANCISCO. sail for the Philippines. Ho will then make a tour of tho principal countries of Asia, and return home across toe Atlan tic The General's private car had been sent down to Astoria while ho was making the round of the forts, and It brought him and bis party up to Portland In the morn ing. On arrival here he went by motor car to Vancouver, where he inspected the barracks, grounds and troops. Returning to tho city, he took a drive around the suburbs with ex-Senator II. W. Corbett during tho afternoon, and then took din ner on his car at the Union Depot Hot Willing to Talk. The General was decidedly averse to discussing the affairs of the Army when approached by a representative of The Oregonlan. He said he found the forts at the mouth of the Columbia in fair con dition, and that he was going to Inspect all the fortifications down the coast after which he would start from San Francisco for Manila. When asked whether he was going to Inspect tho troops in -the Phil ippines, he said: "I won't tell you anything about it I don't care to be interviewed. I may stay there 30 days, and I may stay 60 days. I will not say. how long I may stay." Tho high opinion of tho fortifications of Puget Sound expressed by General Miles when he was in Seattle does" not agree with that expressed by a naval officer in an interview published in tho Post-Intel-Ugenccr. General Miles said on his re turn from Forts Casey, Flagler and Wor den to Seattle: Trro Conflicting Opinions. "When the Government completes its fortification work on Puget Sound, It will be absolutely impossible for a hostile fleet to enter. The fortifications,- are well planned and will be ampljable to protect the Sound cities against foreign invasion." In contrast with this opinion, the naval officer mentioned said on the following day: "It. is my opinion that Forts Casey, Worden, Flagler and Lawton aro abso lutely valueless during the prevalence of smoke on the Sound from the forest fires. It is absolutely Impenetrable with the strongestsearchlight, and the largest ves sel can pass another within an amazingly short distance without detection. The chief thing responsible for this Is the ex traordinary depth of water about the forts on the Sound. It is absolutely impossi ble to mine the water in front of them. This is tho one thing that makes the de fense of the forts on tho Atlantic Coast, especially the entrance to the port of New York, complete. Depth Increases on a slight decline before nearly all these forts, and submerged explosives can be set and controlled at will. "Conditions on the Sound are little bet ter during fog, as It is almost as dense, and I am told sometimes equal to the smoke of last week. Unless some light powerful enough to pierce the smoke and fog Is invented the War Department must use other means to secure complete pro tection of Puget Sound." He Refuses to Answer. General Miles was asked last night what he thought of the possibility of a hostile fleet's entering the Sound unop posed, under the protection of the smoke, but he positively refused to express an opinion. The General" is making his last inspec tion of the Army before he retires from active service, on reaching Che legal limit of age. Ho will be C4 years old August 8, ,1903, and the law requires that at that age officers of his rank shall retire. Found, Elk-Horn Moss. During his visit to Huckleberry Moun tain near Welch's, on Salmon River, Ed ward Renter secured a considerable quantity of elk-horn moss. He found this moss growing above the timber line in considerable quantities. It is very rare .and very beautiful. The vine runs along close to the ground like a cucumber plant, and every little distance puta down a root into the ground. It derives its name from the shape of the moss, which resembles the spreading prongs of the elk. It remains green for several months and is sometimes used on ladles' hats. Mr. Renfer has planted some of the vines he brought home to see if they can be cultivated. POWER OF DEMOCRACY. People Can Stop Legislative Abases, bat Will They? v SILVERTON, SeptTlS. (To the Editor.) I observe by several Eastern Journals that the Oregon people are credited with a forward movement in democracy this year, by the adoption of the constitution al amendment permitting the initiative and referendum upon demand, and some of the more hopeful are quite jubilant over this manifestation of progress. But our cheerful friends over there and their com panions in arms here, who engineered and promoted the passage of the amendment, should consider that real progress In democracy consists rather In doing than declaring, in practicing rather than pro fessing. Hence, in speaking of what we did as progress, a qualifying word should be used to express the fact vis.: "Pa per progress," merely an additional oppor tunity to enforce the popular will and praotice democratic government If, however, the amendment Is a dead letter, like a majority of tho legal opportunities unused ever since the formation of the state, how can we speak truly of it as progress? I hato to say a discouraging word to our ever faithful and energizing friends of progress, but judging the fu ture by the past the Oregon people will continue to do as they bave done, neglect their opportunities and let the politicians run the government according to their own sweet wills and the exigencies of partisan politics. And to show how potent Is this kind of government, let me say that in comparison therewith, the consti tution and laws of the state are of minor Importance when in conflict And though the people have had it In their power to compel obedience to the Constitution, the enactment of just and equal laws and to punish officers who have proved unfaithful to 'their trusts, they have not done so, and to all appearances they have been part and parcel of the prevailing governmental profligacy and mismanagement This habit of submitting patiently to misgovernment, or uttering no effective protest, so common among the Amer icans, struck Herbert Spencer as being rather paradoxical for a professedly dem ocratic" people, and ho declared that the people in his country would not tamely submit to such abuses. The patent fact is that not only in Oregon, but everywhere In America, the people are not democratic up to their opportunities. They could have better laws and administration If they would"; they could have obedience to tho Constitution" if they Insisted upon obe dience; and they- could retire every delin quent public servant at a word uttered at the proper time, but they are inactive and silent In the language of a State Sen ator from Washington County, who had been prominent In stopping the swamp land frauds, "the people do not care." The question Is, now and henceforth, "Will the people ever care?" And it cannot bo said with truth that the popular careless ness is the result of ignorance of the faulty conditions, for there Is always outcry from that small class of citizens who merge their own In the public wel fare, even though political ostracism or stripes be their reward. And this Is the saving spirit of democracy, more effective than mere paper progress,N which may bo called "dormant democracy." If our so-called public servants obey the present Constitution only as it promotes or accords with their selfish purposes, what right have we to assume that they will obey a law adopted by tho popular referendum and of no higher authority? For instance, every member of the Legis lature of 1899 disobeyed a positive prohi bition of our Constitution in voting for members of the said Legislature to fill tho office of United States Senator. Now, doe3 any sane person believe that if the said prohibition were readopted by the people, it would make a particle of differ ence with the average legislator? If bo, we should like to hear his reason, and If It were valid we might learn something of tho true Inwardness of human nature not heretofore discovered. The prohibi tion in question is one of the most essen tial, if tho law-making function of the Legislature is to be preserved from con tamination by the squabbles and dicker of politicians who are unscrupulous enough to violate their oaths and degrade the public service to get an office. And this conscienceless game -of office-seeking by members of the Legislature Is to be repeated next Winter. Already we 'hear of two or three members of tho State Senate who are on tho track for the Unit ed States Senate, and unless human na ture has changed since the Juno election, combinations are formed and being formed that must be prejudicial to the public interests by reason of the promo tion of special, personal and class inter ests. It is bad enough at best for the Legislature to elect United States Senat ors, but when members enter the arena as candidates, then farewell constitutional oaths and public duty. If wo were so scant of Senatorial tim ber, or so unlucky aB to elect all of our competent men to tho legislative assem bly, there might be some excuso for such action; and even then there would be so many Dark Hroses that an election would be impracticable. . . Let The Oregonlan call public attention rto this flagrant abuse and have it stopped. If that will not succeed, let us resubjnlt the question to the people, and see what effect that will have upon the Legislative conscience. T. W. DAVENPORT. MAY LEAD TO SCANDAL. Evil That Larks Behind Proposed Cuban Loan. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, Sept 21. Recent advices from Havana are to the effect that evil lurks behind tho proposed Cuban loan, tfiat will certainly lead to more or less scandal In tho end. It is the present Intention that $4,000,000 of the money to be secured by this loan shall go to aid the sugar plant ers. In accordance with ex-Secretary Terry's original plan for the advance of money by the Government upon crop Hens to be given by needy agriculturists whose past year's production taken Into consideration upon a pro rata basis will warrant their being trusted to repay the amount within one or two years. The balance of the loan It Is proposed to use to pension the "patriot army" of Maximo Gomes, the Maceos and Garcia, which kept "up the guerrilla warfare until the Americans Intervened after the destruc tion of the Maine. There is a resolution pending before the Cuban Congress providing that those "patriots" who died upon the field or in hospitals during the war for Independence shall be taken into account and their heirs paid, the same as If they had fought through to tho end of the cam paign. If this ohall become operative It will pave the way to a great padding of the revolutionary army roster with frauds. Its passage Is generally approved by leaders of the military, or National ist, clement in both branches of the Con gress. The Civic Fuslonlsts fear the con sequences of any attempt to defeat so popular an Idea. At the same time It is proposed to shut off from the benefits of the pension sys tem those Cubans who-enlisted only after the United States determined to espouse the cause of Cuba, as this class Is held In more or less contempt by the self etyled "patriots." Match. Declared OCT. ' CHICAGO, Sept 21. The Benny Yanger Abe Attel match, scheduled to take place at Oakland, Cal., October 4, has been de clared off by John Hertz, Yanger's man ager. Yanger is threatened with a rup tured vein on his thigh which may neces sitate a, slight operation. Meier (S Frank Company "Peninsular" Stoves and Ranges Models from $8.75 to $65 (Basement). Sole Portland agents for the famous Ostermoor Mattresses All sizes (Third floor). From Sunday's Oregonian A sale extraordinary of .six great lots of Ladies' Imported Hosiery, many styles, at A great sale of Cloth -Top Shoes for ladies, patent kid, vici and cadet calf, all sizes and widths, at First showing of the New Millinery in walking and dress shapes Newest shapes and trimmings (Second floor.) Fall styles in Men's and Boys' Clothing at prices 25 per cent below what you have to pay at the exclusive clothier. Meier LURLINE ON ROGKS Columbia River' Steamer Knocks Hole in Bow. PASSENGERS LANDED SAFELY Dense Fog Causes Boat to Strilce Hidden Trap, and. Sho Is Beaclied to Avoid Sinking Wrecking Apparatus Going to Rescue. ASTORIA, Sept 21. The Vancouver & Lewis River Transportation Company's river steamer L-urline struck a rock while coming down the river about 6 o'clock this morning, and is now on the beach near Waterford, "Wash. At tho place where the accident occurred a rock point Juts into, the river. Above It 13 a strong eddy, while in front there Is a swift current, making It a most difficult place to navigate. "When the Lurllne reached thero this morning a dense fog had settled over the river, and Pilot Kano Olney, who was at the wheel, ran too cloee to tho point, the steamer striking one of the rocks with her starboard side, well forward. The steamer Immediately began to fill, and she was run forward under a full head of steam, turned around and beaihed on the port side with her bow up stream a short distance below where sho struck. There were about 50 passengers on board, many of whom were in their berths, but all were landed safely with their baggage, although two men became excited and Jumped overboard. The passengers were conveyed across the river in launches and reached here on the morning train. Among them was Captain Charles Kamm, superintendent of the company, who left Immediately for "Portland on a special train, and said ho would havo a wreck ing crew at work tomorrow raising the vessel. Steamer Tied to Shore. How badly tho steamer is injured is not known, but the hole in her elde is not thought to be large, as she filled very slowly. Shortly after being beached she careened until the promenade deck on the starboard side Is under water. Tho steamer Is held In position by a number of lines run ashore, and her greatest danger lies in the possibility of the lines giving way on the falling tide and allow ing the steamer to topple over Into about 20 feet of water. Thero were about 150 tons of freight on board, much of which Is feed, and it will undoubtedly be badly damaged. Captain Kamm, in speaking of the ac cident today, said he did not attach blame to any one. The weather was very thick, and the other conditions were such that he did not think the pilot was at fault. He expects to have but little diffi culty In floating the jvessel. The steamer "Mayflower left here this evening for Waterford with a barge in tow, and will remove the freight. Captain Charles Kamm, manager of the line returned to the city on a special tram, and said of the accident: Captain Knmiu's Story. "The Lurllne started from Portland for Astoria about 10 o'clock Saturday night, and had to feel her way down the river through a very thick fog. She was under the command of Captain W. E. Larkln and Captain Kano Olney, was the pilot. The boat had gone within about 30 miles of Astoria when her breast struck a glancing blow on a point of rock Jutting into the river Just above Waterford. A hole four by 20 feet was torn in her side, extending from the throat to the knuckle, and she began to fill rapidly. "Sheslld off the rock, and the captain rounded her to and beached her with her port side high- and dry, her starboard side being under water. Fortunately the tide was high, or the damage would have been greater. "When she left Portland the boat had about 150 passengers, and 73 or SO re maincd on board when the accident hap pened. They were all asleep In their berths, but were aroused by the officers and John Moran, tho night clerk, who assured them that there was no danger, so that there was no undue excitement. They all dressed and were landed on tho beach, while launches were brought from down the river. Within an hour and a half they had all been transferred to the launches, which" took them to their des tinations "I shall get together wrecking appar atus and go down the first thing In the morning to put the boat In condition. I do not believe the damago will prove se rious." CUT RATE FOR A CARGO. Ho-rr Portland & Asiatic Company Got Tea Shipment. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept, 2L The accept ance of a cargo of tea from Yokohama to San Francisco at about one-third the usual rate by the Portland & Asiatic Steam ship Company, says the Chronicle, pre cipitated a wrangle among the members of the trans-Paclflc freight combine that promises the defeat of the high tariff which shippers are subject to at present. The Portland & Asiatic people were forced to take the cargo at the reduced rate by the M. J. Brandensteln Company, who threatened to charter a sailing vessel and begin shipment on their own account un less the rate was reduced. Their cargo consisted of 2000 tons of tea, and, rather than lose this big haul, the steamship company broke away from the agreed rate. The company Is now the object of attack by the other members of the ship- Meier b Frank Company new Fur Scarfs and Jackets Frank Company ping combine, who are accusing them of treachery, and threaten throw up the agreement entirely. The combination on freight rates was entered into last year by tho Pacific Mall Steamship Company, the Toyo Klsen Kal sha, the Oriental & Occidental Steamship Company, the Nippon Tusen Kaisha, the Portland & Asiatic Steamship Company and the Canadian Pacific, all of whom made a flat raise from ft to $5 per ton to J6 and ?S per ton. Miller Says There's 3t"o Wrangle. R. B. Miller, general freight agent for the O. R. & N.. was shown the foregoing dispatch last night, and made the follow ing statement: "The Portland & Asiatic Steamship Company's steamship Indrapura arrived in Portland yesterday with " this qargo aboard. It is thoroughly understood by all of the companies why the cargo was taken at these rates, and there Is no dan ger of any trouble over it. As to the wrangle, I think that that is a mis statement. I do not think that there has been any wrangle, for the matter is thor oughly understood.?' Arrival of Transport Solace. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21. The trans port Solace, Captain Singer, which left this port on May 4 last, with soldiers for the Asiatic squadron, and to make a trip to Manila, Guam and Honolulu, for tho purpose of collecting naval officers and marines whose terms of service had ex pired, arrived today with a long list of passengers and naval officers. She also brought 269 bluejackets, 30 prisoners, sick and 143 marines. Among the prison ers were the marines who were recen.ly court-martialed for insubordination at Guam. m Narrow Escape From Stranding. VICTORIA. B. a, Sept. 21. The ships Glenesslin and Linlithgowshire arrived today from Melbourne, and the former had a narrow escape from going ashore In the fojr. She brouerht nn 200 vnrrt off the rocks oft Victoria. Battle-Ship Oregon In San Francisco. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21. The battle ship Oregon arrived today'from Bremer ton. Domestic and Foreign Ports. ASTORIA, Sept. 21. Sailed at 2 P. sr. Steamer Despatch, tor San Pranclaco. Arrived down at 4:30 British ship Brambletye. Ar rived at 4:30 Schooners John A. and Metha Nelson, from San Francisco. Condition of the bar at 5:30 P. M., moderate; wind northwest; weather hazy. Saa Francisco, Sept. 21. Arrived Steamer Kviehak, from. Bristol Bay; schooner Laura Madscn, from Gray's Harbor; bark Alice Marie, from Tacoma; steamer Chehalls, from Qray's Harbor. Now York. Sept. 21. Arrived Neckar, from Bremen; Zeeland, from Antwerp. Lizard, Sept. 21. Passed Vaderland, from New Tork. via Antwerp; Frlesland, from Ant werp for Now York. Scilly. Sept. 21. Passed Minneapolis, from New York for London. London, Sept. 21. Arrived Menominee, from New York. MoviUo, Sept. 21. Arrived Parisian, from Montreal for Liverpool, and proceeded. Queenstown, Sept. 21. Sailed Etraria, from Liverpool for New York. Southampton. Sspt. 21. Sailed Frlederlch der Grosse, for New York; Blucher, from- Ham burs for New York. MODERN OFFICE METHODS Useful Inventions Wlthont "Which Trasts Would Be Impossible. Kansas City Star. The reported breakdown of Mr. Schwab has caused more or less comment on the strain put upon a man at the head of a great corporation. No matter how well organized tho business may be, the man ager must be subjected to an Immense amount of nervous wear and tear. He may shift the details to subordinates, but there will still be left an excessive num ber of questions that must bp referred to him as the unifying head of the busi ness. Thirty or 40 years ago such a concern as the United States Steel Corporation could hardly have been conducted even had the ore been accessible and the pres ent methods of making steel been per fectly developed The business methods of that day would have been unequal to the task. It would have been almost im possible to keep the correspondence rec ords of tho company up to date. In all probability affairs would finally have fall en into confusion and the combine would have gone to pieces. People outside of business houses generally fall to recog nize the vast Improvements that have been made in the merely mechanical side of business within the last few years. The changes have been forced by the de velopment of great industries which found existing methods inadequate to handle their Increased business. The card catalogue system 13 at the bot tom of most of these improvements, al though dhere Is to be added the Invention of typewriters and telephones and the general employment of stenographers. A few years ago replies to all letters were painfully written out in long hand, and there wa3 comparatively little writing to dictation. The stenographer was prac tically an unknown person. Under the old system it would have been almost impossible for a head of a big company to take care of his mall. Now he can dictate or Indicate replies to an enormous number of letters in a comparatively short time, and they can all be sent out the same day. The saving of timo Is an im portant commercial consideration. An other convenience for the same end Is the telephone, by means of which the head of a company can keep in personal touch with subordinates throughout the plant, or throughout the country, for that mat ter. The comparative celerity and satis faction of tho use of the telephone for short and long distances gives It an Im portant advantage for many purposes over the telegraph and makes it a busi ness necessity. But even with the facilities of dispos ing of business provided by the stenog rapher with his typewriter, the office of a Meier & Frank Company 35c pair $2,05 pair Grand variety at all prices. big concern would be in danger of being swamped were it not for the extensive application of tho card catalogue princi ple. An Important feature of this la the care of correspondence. Formerly letters were put away In pigeon-holes, and to save space the communications of several persons wero usually bunched. To refer to one was a tedious task. Now every man with whom the firm does business has a number. To look up a letter one simply finds the number of the corre spondent from a card Index. Then he turns to a cabinet drawer, the label of which shows it to include the desired number. Here he finds numbered folders. The one bearing the proper numerals con tains the desired correspondence, Includ ing copies of replies. It may be taken out whenever its removal Is necessary. Everything desired Is compact and easily accessible. By the use of Ingenious devices such as Index cards of different colors, a glanco at the Index box may show, for Instance, the men whose business is to be looked up at certain seasons of the year. These de vices are capable of infinite multiplica tion. Another great modern Improvement Is the use of the loose-leaf ledger or tho card ledger. In either of these a man's account statement may be Inserted In Its alphabetical order. When the account Is closed the leaf may be removed and filed, so that it is not constantly In the way while the book Is still In use. Bookkeep ing systems In almost every respect havo been simplified and made safer. It is only by the employment of modern methods with the economy of space and time that It Is possible to carry on business on the extensive scale common today. Comparatively Qulot. The Russian Grand Duke thought Niagara Falls rather restful after the whirl ho had in Chicago. Philadelphia Ledger. First Chappie I wonder now, Chollle, how the donkey ever came to be used as the er, emblem of stupidity? Second Chappie (with a yawn) Don't know, I'm sure, dear boy; must bave been before our day. Town and Country. DAILY CITY STATISTICS Marriage Licenses. Charles F. Bergmann. 25; Cora Gentiss. 18. John C. Delns, 22; Roso Schvantz, 19. Deaths. September 19. Lawrence Noble, 45 years, 26S Front; consumption. September 16, Fannio E. Haynes, 43 years, 360 Ross; cancer. September 19, Ida Rae Myrlck. 43 years, 595 Johnson; pneumonia. September 20, Myron Hutchinson, 29 East Fourteenth North; still born. September 19,. Baby Murry, 418 Union avenue; two days; exhaustion. September 1C. Lyman B. Trowbridge, G3 years. Izeo; pneumonia. Contagi6us Diseases. Gertrudo E. Stevens, 8 years, 435 East An keny; scarlatina. September 15. Mrs. Julia Grayson, 27 years, 190 12th; diphtheria. Births. September 8, to wlfo of John Spltzenberg, 260 Front; girl. September 8, to wife of Theodora Anderson, 1231 Hawthorne avenue; girl. To wlfo of William A. Dunn, 72 Union ave nue; girl. September 18, to wife of Virgil Coomer, 403 East Ankeny; boy. September 19, to wife of Charles W. Doncca, 91 East Thirty-third; girl. Building Permits. September 20, Gordon Manufacturing Com pany, Clinton, southeast corner Mllwaukle, two story house; $2000. Real Estate Transfers. A. T. Ellis and wife to Otto Stark, W. of W. Vt of lots 9. 10. block 9. Alblna Homestead $1200 Charles H. Sholes and wife to Margaret C. Wolf, lot 17, block 21. King's Second Addition 6500 Martin Foster and wife to Mathllde Gull land. E. 25 feet of N. 07 feet of V. of lots 7. 8. block 238 1D0O James M. Myers to Mary J. Woodward, 5. V3 of lot 1. block IS. city - 1 Annie M. Pearce and husband to Nelllo M. Thorn, W. Vi of lot 5. block 3, Do lan's Addition to East Portland . 1 Cenora E. May to C. S. Rockenfleld, lots 1. 2. 19, 20. block 10, Sunset Park Addi tion - 175 Alice McCauIcy and husband to C. R. Johnson and wife. lot 23. Marysvllle.... 800 Ohio S. Watt to Annie P. N. Steel, 50x24 feet. Twentieth and Upshur street 100 E. E. Mallory to Daniel Sprague, lot3 5, 6. 7. 8. 17 to 20. block 'Z; lota 1 to 4, block 2. Norroandale....- 1 E. E. Ponnay and husband to Tllllo Lin coln, lot 11, block 11, Sunnysido Addi tion - 873 H. B. Miller and wife to Amos Bungey et aL, lots 17, 18. block 28S Couch Addi tion - - 3600 H. C. Wilson to Mary E. Preston, lota 7, 8. block 14. Kenll worth 110 Caroline Collins et al. to Emma J. Arch ambeau. undivided hi Interest In E. of lots 3. 4. block 63. Holladay Addition 1 William Ladd and wife to R. H. Blgham. lot 14, and 12 feet of alley adjoining on N. sldo HHlcrest - 65? William Seyler and wife to Nelson W. Bowland. 9.63 acres, section 19, T. 1 S., R. 3 E 571 For Guaranteed Titles See Pacific Coast Abstract, Guaranty a Trust Co., 204-5-6-7 Falling building. A CAT'S INTELLIGENCE. Dumb Animals Can Scent Danger. A cat will refuse to drink coffee but will drink and thrive orr Postum Food Coffee. Mrs. Alice Gould, of Maywood, HI., says: "Coffee drinking made me very much run down, thin and nervous and 1 thought I should-have to give up work. "I was Induced to try Postum by a friend who suffered four years from se vere sick headaches lasting for several days at a time, who eald that since using Postum Coffee she had been entirely frea from an attack. I found that by making Postum according to directions it was equal to coffee in flavor. "It is now six months since I began drinking Postum and I have gained IS pounds' In weight. It has built me up and I feel like a new person. "We all drink It now, even to the cat, who Is the pet of the family and it la funny to see him drink his bowl of Postum Food Coffee every morning. We often try to get him to. drink coffee but. he hnfl the good sense to refuse It."