Morning Oregonian., October 21, 1903, Page 4, Image 4

THE MOKNTOG OKEGONlAtf, TV EDS EST) AT, OCTOBER 21, 1U03.
WORTH LITTLE NOW
OOWINNORTHWEST
Klamath Marsh Needs Care
in Handling..
" 5
COST- OF DRAINAGE IS SMALL
ames J, Hill TeHs How Land
irrigation Will Help.
GREAT ADVANCE OF SECT10H
OPrfvate Interests Will Have to Bo
Considered la Blasting; Roclc Ledge
. oh, "Williamson, lilver Odell First
Saw, tke.Talue to the State. .
Railroad Magnate Sho-tvs Freight Iv
Sixteen Times Greater Nov- Than
Tiyenty Years Aero Humorous
Reference to the .Merger.
SALEM, Or., Oct 20. (Special.) Great
tare in selling; -the swamp lands on Kla
math marsh will be necessary if Oregon
It to realize the full benefit of 'the title
phe has to that land through a Federal
grant To make the good land reclaim the
poor and to prevent some private inter
ests from standing in the -way of the re
clamation of the whole of the 100,000 acres
Js the problem that confronts the tate
(authorities.
In its present condition only a com
paratively small portion of the land Is
of value, but if properly managed and
drained it will be worth $1,000,000, or nearly
half the total assessed value of all the
property in Klamath County at tho pres
ent time.
The state's claim to this great tract
of land was established by General W.
K. Odell. ex-clerk of the State Land
Board, who furnished the proof of the
swamp character of the land and prose
cuted the state's claim before the Federal
Land Office. As to 93,000 acres the state's
claim has been acknowledged, but there
Is still pending a contest over 7000 acres.
General Odell iwas over this land, which
lies north of Klamath Lake, In 1855. Hp'
has been thoroughly familiar with the
character of, the land ever since.
Protest Made Xo Impression.
In 1896, when he heard that the Govern
ment had begun making allotments to
Indians on the Klamath reservation and
was locating some of them on Klamath .
marsh, he filed a protest with the Depart
ment of the Interior and claimed that the
lands belonged to tho state under the
ewamp land grant. No attention was
paid to the protest until 1901, after Sir.
Odell had gone out of office, when the
Btate was asked to submit proof of Its
claim to the land.
The state had no funds applicable to
the prosecution of its claim, but General
Odell volunteered to do the work. He
made two trips to Klamath County, ex
amining the marsh and securing the tes
timony of W. H. Byars and others, who
knew the character of the land. Upon
the evidence he submitted the claim was
allowed, except as to 7O00 acres. "When
asked today concerning the character of
this land and Its vajue to the state and
to Klamath County, General Odell said:
'In its present condition this land is
not worth over $100,000, or about $1 an
acre. Some of the land is now producing
hay and is good pasture, but the greater
portion of it is too wet to be of any
use. If the state should put it up at auc
tion it probably would not bring over
$100,000. By blasting out a ledge of rocks
In "Williamson River, the water in the
mash "can "he lowered so as to reclaim prac
tically all of-the land and then it would
bo worth about $1,000,000. To remove the
rock -would -cost from $15,000 to $40,000.
Reclamation. Must Be Made Certain.
"The great danger," continued General
Odell, "is that some private interests will
Intervene and prevent reclamation of the
marsh. I do not believe it will be prac
ticable for the state to sell that land in
220-acre tracts, as it has been doing in tho
past, xou can readily see that if the
land is sold in 320-acre tracts, the best
of the land will be purchased and the
rest of it left. Those who get the good
land would refuse to help reclaim the
poor land and much of the marsh would
never be drained.
"a mahvwho secured land on the edge
of the marsh might object to the lowering
of the water on the allegation that his
water rights were being interfered with. It
seems to me that the only way to secure
the reclamation of that great tract of land
is to sell it in a body to one company and
then the purchaser could and would re
claim it."
State Slight Reclaim It.
""Would it pay the state to conduct the
reclamation work, by entering Into a
contract with some one to blast out the
channel In "Williamson River so as to
lower the water" on the marsh? "Would it
not be possible for the state to pay $40,000
for reclaiming the land and then sell it
for nearly $1,000,000?"
"Possibly." General Odell replied. "I
Tiad not considered that, for it has not
been a part of the stale's land policy. If
the state should-reclaim the land before
selling it, it could then be sold In 220
acre tracts.
"Yes, I think perhaps the same end
might be accomplished by the passage of
an act before selling the land, provid
ing for the reclamation of land In drain
age districts and requiring all the land
in the district to bear a proportionate
share of the expense. The chief pur
pose should be to dispose of the land in
such a way that a few owners of swamp
land cannot stand in the way of the re
clamation of the whole tract. If tho
state is not careful In his respect the
reclamation of the land will be prevented.
Private Interests Have n Say.
"I think also that there is danger of
private interests attaching at the ledce of
rock on "Williamson Rier, whereby the.
reclamation wonc might be prevented.
There is a water power there and If that
property passes into private ownership
the owner could object to the cutting
away of the rock and the lowering of the
water. The land at that point is owned by
the United States Government and It Is
of great importance to tho state and to
the industrial interests of Klamath jCounty
that some action be taken so that tho
control of the water shall not pass from
the Government Into private ownership.
This should be looked after In due time
so that upon the opening of the Klamath
Indian reservation the state's interests
shall be protected.
"The state has a direct Interest In the
marsh because of the money that the
land will bring to the school lund. The
commercial Interest of that portion, of
the state is still greater, however, for
the reclamation of that land'wlll add an
-enormous amount to the wealth of Kla
math "County." i '
General Odell was employed by Gov
ernor Geer to present the state's claim
to the land. It was agreed between the
Governor ' and General Odell that he
should await the pleasure of the legis
lature for his compensation.
W. C. T. XT. SESSION AT SALEM.
Addresses of "Welcome to the City
Delivered by N. J Judnh.
SALEM. Or., Oct 20. (Special.) The
21st annual session of the Oregon
Women's Christian Temperance Union
convened In this city today with about 75
delegates In attendance. At the session to
morrow over 100 delegates will be present
This evening a welcome meeting was
held in the assembly-room of the First
M. E. Church, with State President Helen
D. Harford presiding. Addresses of wel
come were delivered by N. J. Judah, on
behalf of the city of Salem: Rev. F.' W.
Cllffe. on behalf of the churches; Colonel
E. Hofer, on behalf of the press; Dean W.
C Hawley. for the University; Professor
L. R. Traver.4, for the public schools; Mrs.
T. T. Geer, for the Salem "Women's Club;
Mrs. R. M. Steele, for the County Union,
and (Mrs. E. C. Matheney, for the City
Unicn.
Tho addresses contained many express-
g iir: tXS, : ''til ?C Vg&Ki L
Ions of high appreciation of tho work of
tho "W. C. T. U. and assured the visiting
delegates of the pleasure the citizens of
Salem feel in being permlted to entertain
the representatives of this great organiza
tion. A response was made by Mrs. Eva
C. "Wheeler, of Eugene.
At the opening of the evening exercises
a brief song service was conducted by
Professor Z. M. Parvin and the Misses
Johnson and Byars delighted the audience
with vocal solos. Professor Parvin and
Miss Johnson sang a duet The formal
opening of the business sessions will occur
tomorrow morning, when the usual com
mittees will be appointed and the annual
reports received. Sessions will be held
every forenoon and afternoon and evening,
closing Friday evening with a gold medal
oratorical contest, in which competitors
have entered from Clackamas, Douglas,
Lane, Linn, Marlon, Multnomah. Polk,
Sherman and Yamhill Counties. The an
nual election of officers will be held Fri
day morning.
INCIDENTS OF A STAGE RIDE.
Upset, Fire and Spill on the Way to
Tillamook.
TILLAMOOK, Or., Oct 20. (Special.)
The west-bound stage on the North Yam
hill toll road met with an accident Sun
day night, in which the stage was par
tially destroyed by Are, and the mall
sacks had a narrow escape. A tree had
fallen across the road about a week ago.
three and one-half miles east of Trask
House. The mail contractor and lessee or
the toll road had been n6tified to remove
It, but had failed to do so, so the stage-driver-
had to get o;er It with the stage
the best he could.
Charley Smith was the driver Sunday j
night, and when he came to the obstruc-
tion he made tho passengers got out, but
in trying to get over the fallen tree the
stage tipped over, and was set on fire by J
the overturned lanterns. j
"With the assistance of the passengers
H. C. Batman, a traveling salesman, and
John Jones and bis sister-in-law, Mrs. ,
Llndslcy. of this city, the horses were cut J
loose. Mrs. Lindsey hold the horses while I
the men saved the mail sacks from tho
burning stage. The passengers were left
in the mountains at the top of the three
mile grade from' the Trask House while
the driver went there for another convey
ance, and It was past midnight before
they arrived.
In starting again early next morning for
this city, with Baxter as driver, he missed
a small culvert after leaving Trask House.
and Mrs. Lindsey was thrown out of the
stage, out rortunateiy sne was not Injured,
but was shaken up some. It is said that
Baxter's eyesight Is none too godd.
TVagron Crushed Out Her Life.
ELMA, "Wash., Oct 20. (Special.) Last
evening as "William Donaldson and his
doubletree of the wagon broke, letting it
run backward down the hilL Mr. Donald
son was thrown from the wagon and had
his back somewhat Injured, and hardly
knew what happened.
His wife probably jumped and the -wagon
passed over her body, causing such an in
jury that she died in less than an hour.
Dr. Blair was summoned, but waa too
late to do anything. Mr. and Mrs. Donald
son bad lived in the vicinity of Elma for
many years, and are well known by alL
Damaged by the Search.
GRANT'S PASS, Or., Oct 20. Because
she was searched, so she alleges, by City
Marshal John Lockhard when that officer
had no warrant Justifying nlm in such ac
tion. Miss Cora Ramsey wants him to pay
her $10,000, and will go to law to enforce
collection of her claim.
The trouble arose over a woman being
robbed of $10 while at a hotel in this city."
She accused Miss Ramsey, who was an
employe of the hotel, of the theft The
woman notified Officer Lockhard and re
quested him to search the glrL This ho
did, and found $5, which ho turned over
to the woman, and she "went on her way.
The young woman believes herself dam
aged .by being searched "by Lockhard. and
has instituted a suit to recover $10,000
LOST OFF CAPE BLANCO
(Continued from First Pago.)
well she would have reached San Fran
cisco at midnight last night
List of Passengers.
The 14 passengers carried south from
this city were the steamer's limit P. F.
Du Flon, the agent of the vessel here,
gives the following complete list of pas
sengers on board:
Cabin Mrs. Fletcher Bent of Nova Scotia;
Guy Bent, her son. aged 12; H. Weber; S.
Baker, of Alameda; J. S. Lahey; Mrs. W. B.
Tyrrell, of Portland; Mrs. Tyrrell's son,
aged 14.
Steerage A. li. Bailey, of'jforth Dakota; F.
Meringe, C. Hallenbeck, D. McKay, Paul Reln
xnuth. J. C. Wright, J- Watson.
Most of the passengers were from East
ern States bound to California. So far as
could be learned, only two were from
Portland, Mrs. Tyrrell and her son. Mrs.
Tyrrell's husband is chief clerk in the
office of British Consul James Laldlaw.
Mrs. Fletcher Bent's home Is In Nova
Scotia. She Is the wife of one of the
owners of the Ill-fated steamer and was
on a trip to California accompanied by
her young son.
Officers and Crevr.
The South Portland was manned by 23
men in command of Captain James Mc-
j Intyre, who was considered a thoroughly
competent navigator.
a no iouowing is a
list of the officers and crew
Officers-James Mclntyre. captain; Charles
Bruce, first officer; KIHgore. second officer;
James "Ward, chief engineer; Charles Huson,
first assistant engineer; T. Plzzotti, second
assistant engineer; "William Holman. steward.
Crew Emanuel Pasomenls, chief cook;
George Jackson, second cook; E. Humphrey,
cook; John Relraer. seaman; James Alwood.
eeaman; C. Johnson, seaman; N. Chrlstffen,
sn:m: jonn McKenrle. seaman; Charles
Peterson, seaman; "W. Hughes, fireman; "W,
Robertson, fireman; B. Doherty,. fireman: P,
Wolf, fireman; J. .Driscoll, oiler; John Mc
Iteown. oiler.
Skipper Is "Well Known.
All the officers on the South Portland
were well known in shipping circles here.
Captain Mclntyre, though but 36 years
old, was a careful, able officer and knew
the coast well. He had not been long
on the South Portland, having made but
three trips in her to this port Previous to
that he visited Portland several times on
the steamer" Fulton, of the Gray Steam-
' ship Company. He has seen a great deal
j Qf service in Alaskan waters and has
i made a number of trips down the coast
from San Francisco. Ho was "at one time
master of the steamer Michigan. His
father. Captain Mclntyre, of Port Town
send, was one of the best-known skippers
on the Pacific Coast and lost his Hf a
short time . ago by a wreck .In Alaska,
having passed his 70th birthday.- yirst
Officer Bruce 'is the son of a San Fran
cisco shipmaster. The second officer,
though known by the name of KlUgore,
was really , the stepson -of Captain Kill
gore, of Seattle, but took his stepfather's
name.
The Steamer's Cargro.
The South Portland reached this city
last Friday morning and discharged a
cargo of groceries and general merchan
dise at tho foot of Oak street Later in
the day she moved down to Irving dock,
then to Mersey, to Oceanic and finally to
Montgomery dock No. 2 where she com
pleted her outward cargo. It consisted of
C59 tons of wheat 150 tons of oats and
about 400 tons of barley. Tho shippers
were Balfour, Guthrie & Co., 100 tons of
barley and 55 tons of oats; Northwestern
"Warehouse Company, 400 tons of wheat
The remainder" of the' carjb, fconsfstins of
C7 BLftNCO
barley nnd oats, was dispatched by Kerr,,
Glfford & Co. Tho total value of the carga
was about $25,000.
Value of the Vessel.
- The South Portland was worth perhaps
$150,000 and there was $40,000 worth of In
surance on her. The Insurance is held
by M. C. Harrison & Co., of this city and
San Francisco. Thb Portland office of
the company holds the principal insurance
on. the cargo.
The steamer belonged to the Merchants'
Steamship Company, of San Francisco. P.
F. Du Flon was tho general agent of the
line In this city. The vessel wisan old
timer, having been built in 1SS3. She was
first known as the Dawn and later was
given the name of Caroline Miller. She
was 1S2JJ feet loryr. 29 feet beam and 19.7
feet depth of hold. Her gross tonnage
was 909 and her net register 579 tons. Dob
son & Charles, of Grangemouth, England,
were tho builders.
The Merchants' Steamship Company
bought the South Portland only a few
months ago from the Progreso Steamship
Company, of San Francisco, and spent
considerable money in remodeling and
overhauling the vessel. Three years ago,
while lying in San Francisco Bay with a
cargo of lime, the vessel caught Hre and
wa3 almost destroyed. She sank until
only her decks were above water. Subse
quently she was raised and at large ex
pense put in condition to tesume service.
"WRECKED TWICE BEFORE.
Steamer Had Damped High Places of
Ocean Floor Several Times.
SAN FRANCISCO. Oct 20. The South
Portland had visited Davy Jones' locker
twice before and had humped the high
places of the ocean floor on various oc
casions. She was wrecked once on the
Cuban coast On a later occasion, she
took, fire while tied at the sea wall and
for her salvation had to be filled with
water until she foundered.
The South Portland commenced her
career as the- British steainshlp Dawn. She
sailed to America and entered the fruit
trade between New York and Baracoa. On
her first voyage, however, she was
wrecked on Hogsty reef on the north coast
of Cuba, . She was afterwards raised,
repaired and purchased by a syndicate
which secured or her American register
and changed her name to Caroline Miller.
ThoCarolIne Miller traded alongitho At
lantic Coast for some time and was final
ly purchased by the Progreso Steamship
Company, renamed South Portland and
brought" out to .this coast where she re
mained ever since. A few weeks ago she
again changed owners
IiOOKING FOR. BRIDGE SITE.
Tvro Surveying: Parties Are at Work
Near Deer Island.
RAINIER, Or.. Oct 20. (Special.)
Two surveying parties are operating in
the vicinity of Hoffman and Deer Isl
and. Tho Columbia River Is being sound
ed and surveys are being made for the lo
cation of a bridge across the Columbia.
It Is said that tha Northern Pacific has
abandoned the Idea of a bridge at Van
couver, but will put in a bridge at the
head Yf Deer Island or. at tho mouth of
Nigger Creek (St Helens) and will then
double-track its right of way from "War
ren Into Portland.
The Northern Pacific people own one
mile of water front at Hoffman's and
with their road running down the 'Co
lumbia from "Wallula, could reach Port
land by crossing the Columbia at either
of the points indicated' easier and
cheaper than from Vancouver.
DO YOU WEAR GLASSES T
Properly fitting glasses and MURINE
promote" Eye comfort Murine makes weak
Eyes strong. Druggists-and opticians, or
Murine Eye Remedy Cc Chicago.
r.At f AM TUC CUMCU1TMA
UULU Ull I IIL JSiUJill I M.
PROSPECTORS RETURN TO VALDES
' WITH RICH CLEAN-UP.
Tvro Men "Wau Out lOO Ounces in
Fifteen DaysTwo Hundred 3IIles
From Const by "Winter Route.
VALDES, Alaska, Oct 20. (Special.) A
big strike Is reported on the Upper
Shushitna Qf coarse gold. Monahan, Clark
son, Smith, Johnson and "Wlndemlller havo
Just returned to Valdes with $1S00 In dust
They say that Valdes, White and Wicker
sham Creelcs are rich and that other
nelchborinjr creeks are very good. Tho
discovery was made August 16. Two men
In 15 days with two boxes, cleaned up
100 ounces of gold. The gold is evenly
distributed. The bedrock is four feet
deep.
Tho Winter route to the new strike Is
over the Valdez glacier, a distance of 200,
miles. The Summer route Is by way of
Copper Center to and up the Tazllna 250
miles.
George P. Hughes and John A Carson,
both of Salem, are here and are very en
thusiastic over the discovery and the dis
play of dust
KIERNAN WILL BUILD A CANNERY.
Cold-Storage Plant to Be Run at
Ilvraco in Connection.
a crnpT A nr.. Cirt. 20. fSneelal. Tho
announcement Is made that John, Klernan,
of Portland, will erect a large cannery at
Ilwaco during the coming Winter, and
that In connection with It the Vendsyssel
Packing Company will operate a cold
storage plant. Besides this the Indications
are that thero will bo two 6r three other
new canneries built on the Lower Colum
bia before the next season opens.
A number of the Puget Sound packers
are already making Investigations, with
the expectation of building, and reports
from Seattle say that at least three of
those Arms will be" represented hero next
year. Among those mentioned Is J. W.
Cook, who operated a cannery at Clifton
for a number of years and sold out to the
Columbia River Packers' Association when
it formed a combine of several of the
Lower Columbia River plants.
"Want to Be Rid of Mrs. Tromley.
HILLSBORO, Or., Oct 20. A petition Is
being circulated by Attorney W. D. Smith,
addressed to Harrison Allen, District At
torney for this district on behalf of
Mrs. L. J. Tromley, who Is now confined
in the county Jail. Mrs. Tromley is held
on a charge of larceny by bailee, and the
petition requests tho District Attorney
to file an information against her and
Iesuo a warrant of arrest to be placed
1 nthe hands of the Sheriff and she be
permitted to leave the state with the un
derstanding that the warrant be served
and she again be placed In custody
should she return. The petition Is being
signed by nearly all the business men
and residents of HUlsboro and vicinity,
and It is urged this 'is the, better way to
dispose of her case. Mrs. Tromley Is
the wife of the man of tar-and-feathers
fame, whoso house was destroyed by
fire under peculiar circumstances about
six weeks ago.
NORTHWEST DEAD.
II. B. Holland.
SALEM, Or., Oct. 20. (Special.) H. B.
Holland, formerly manager of the Salem
Flouring Mills, died at his home In this
city last night of paralysis.
Deceased was born in Iowa In 1S38 and
came to Oregon In the early '50s. He par
ticipated in the Indian wars of 1S55 and
1E56, and afterward located at Oregon
, City. Ho waa for several years agent
for the flouring mill company at that
Place and about 20 years ago he came to
saiem to till a similar position nere. vtnat
position he held until about a year ago
when he was stricken with paralysis. He
left a wife and four children: Remoh and
Leon, of Salem; Miss Constance and Mrs
lima Hurd, of Portland. The funeral will
be conducted Wednesday morning from
the late residence In South Salem by Rev.
F. A. Powell, of the Unitarian Church,
Wilson Dennett.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal.. Oct. 20. (Spe
cial.) Wilson Bennett, who was the old
est of the surviving Oregon pioneers In
California, is dead. He passed away at
his home in Santa Cruz. He was
years of age and a native of Georgia.
He left Arkansas with the first Eastern
emigrant party, and after eight months'
travel across the plains, arrived in Oc
tober, 1S42, in .Oregon.
Later he came to California and en
listed under General Fremont He par
ticipated in all the Mexican War battles.
In the early '50s he was Sheriff of Santa
Clara County and was owner of an ex
tensive ranch lri that county. He leaves
two sisters, Mrs. M. A. Shelby, of Santa
Cruz, and Mrs. D. L. Adams, of Lofs An
geles.
Mrs. Clara Stamp.
FISHER. Wash., Oct 20. (Special.)
Miss Clara Stamp, a prominent teacher of
Clark County, 24 years old, died at her
home Saturday evening at. 9 o'clock of
bralu fever, and was burled yesterday In
Fisher Cemetery. Her funeral was large
ly attended. Fisher, East Mill Plain, and
Harmony schools wera-closed and teach
era and pupils marched to the grave,
A sad Incident was that Miss Stamp'.
wedding with Mr. Wiggins had been set
for the day In which her burial took
place.
Charles Stone.
RAIND3R, Or.. Oct 20. (Specials
Charles Stone died of consumption at
his home In this city yesterday. Burial
will take place at Cathlamet Wash.
Will Answer to Forgery ChnrKe.
SALEM, Or.. Oct 20. (Special.) Sher-
Iff B. B. Colbath went to Portland this
evening to bring back H. E. Allen, an
ex-convlct, who Is wanted here to answer
to a charge of forgery.
Allen was discharged from the pen!
tentlary several months ago and was
given employment by John Porter, form-
erly farmer at the prison. Not appreciat
ing this effort to get him started again In
the world. Allen soon forged the names
of M. Boedlnghelmer and Matt. Spanlol
to checKs amounting to $300. Nothing was
heard of his whereabouts until his arrest
at Portland today.
Prise. Herd of Sh6rthorns.
PULLMAN, -Wash., Oct. 20. (Special.)
Whitman County, Washington, leads the
Northwest in thoroughbred ShoAhorn cat
tie, as well as In many other products of
the farm and range. Metsker & Klem
gard, proprietors of the Hillsdale herd of
Shorthorns, have returned from a tour of
the fairs of Washington and Oregon, with
a list of premiums of which any county iij
any Fiaie migiit leei proua. xne iirm cap
tured two first premiums at the Orego
State Fair at Salem, a first at tho Wash
lngton State Fair at North Yakima, and
eight firsts at the Whitman County Fair,
at Colfax.
Aberdeen's Loss Over Half a Million
ABERDEEN, Wash., Oct 20. (Special.;
A complete statement of the losses by
the fire of Friday makes the total $532,050,
with a- total Insurance of $152,450. In
surance rates were raised today 10 per
cent on temporary buildings.
Charged Us Irk Mail-to Defraud.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 20. George W.
Rumble was arrested today on the charge
of using the malls for the purpose of de
frauding people by inducing them to buy
mlnlng stocks-
BISMARCK. N. D., Oct. 20. A nesc Irri
gation congress, primarily a state organ
ization, but Indirectly affecting the entire
Northwest, was formed here today, James
Hill, president of the Northern Securi
ties Company, delivering" an address lato
this afternoon. Mr. Hill talked on irriga
tion and its relation to the development
of the Northwest, and incidentally re
ferred to the merger case, the trade of tho
Orient and Its effect on the northwest
Referring to the Great Northern Rail
way, he seated the mileage of the system
had Increased since 1SS2 from 100 miles to
E59S miles in 1902.
"Now, here," said Mr. Hill, "Is the ma
terial growth of. tho Northwest In 1SS2.
we moved 1.007,000 tons of freight; In 1903,
we hauled 16.1W.0G0 tons. In 1SS2. our rata
for carrying a ton of freight that Is. tho
average rate of freight over the whole
line, 100 miles, was $2.51. In 1892, It was
$1.52, and in 1903 it Is 55 cents, which is
one-third of what the rat was 21 years
ago.
"Had the company received the samo
average rate per ton per mile in 1903 as in
1SS2, it would have collected $30,820,109 for
ireignt earnings durlnc the past year.
while actual collections were $30,015,000, a
decrease, through a reduction of freight
rates, of $59,901,875. That means that If
the rate of 21 years ago had been In force
j-ou could not have raised grain enough
to pay tne cost of cultivating the soil and
of paying us for carrying it to the mar
kets. The reduction In freight rates has
been brought about by increasing the vol
ume of traffic, so that we have created
new traffic by making it possible for you
to cultivate the soil and raise crops which
we carry to the market
Before you can get the traffic vou must
make It and I want you to bear In mind
that whatever, benefits you. Indirectly or
directly, whatever gives you pleasure. dL-
rectly or Indirectly, will, in almost every
case, put money into our treasury."
Mr. Hill referred only once, indirectly.
to the merger, when he stated, laughingly,
that ho was charged with owning all the
railroads north of St Louis, but declared
he was kept pretty busy looking after his
own line.
Going to the subject of Irrigation. Mr.
Hill gave some interesting history, after
alluding to the diminishing public do
main and gradual settlement of the coun
try that Is capable of producing without
irrigation. Just five years ago. he said.
seeing the necessity for the remaining
public lands for the creation of homed,
nve railroads, his own among the num
ber, subscribed $25,000 a year to pay for a
campaign of education on the subject of
irrigation and started it all over the coun
try. He related the gradual development
of the Irrigation sentiment until last year
it was successfully brought to a fruition
on the floor of Congress. The land not
susceptible of agricultural pursuits but
which would be valuable If Irrigated. Mr.
Hill gave as follows: North Dakota. 10.-
0CO.0O0 acres; South Dakota. 5.000,000 acres;
Idano, 10.000.000 acres; Washington, 15.000.-'
000 acres. He continued.
"You can add l,000,00fr farmers to this
state and provide them each with a farm
of 200 acres with Intelligent Irrigation "
Mr. Hill predicted the gradual lessening
of the size of farms until each farmer hai
only as much land as will yield him tha
highest returns for his labor. Tho sub
division of the great farms Into smalle
ones, he predicted, would bring more
advantages abd comforts.
M'KENZIB BRIDGE OPENED.
Cohurjr People A;?nin Have Access
to Eugene.
EUGENE. Or., Oct. 20. (Special.) The
wagon bridge spanning the McKenzIo
River near Coburg is again open for
travel. Repairs are not completed, but
have so far advanced that the travel that
has been put to some Inconvenience for
several weeks past is again allowed tho
use of the bridge.
This bridge has been giving considerable
trouble this season. It was discovered to
be giving out in some points early In the
Summer, which was due to natural de
cay and wear and tear. Work was be
gun to .repair the weakened portion, and
this work was just nearlng completion
when along came a drive of logs for tho
Coburg mill, and, striking tho false work
supporting the structure while the Im
provements were being made, tore thl3
out and a portion of the approach with
It
Then tho work of rebuilding had to be
gin, and as a result the people of Co
burg and vicinity, who do a great deal
of business in Eugene, have been put to
some inconvenience fqr several weeks.
NordXy Will Build on Old Site.
RAINIER. Or., Oct 20. (Specials
Thomas Nordby, who purchased hi3
partner's interest in the Nordby-Olson
site for a mill, has the old junk about
qleaned up and will proceed to erect a
sawmill on the site of the one recently
burned.
College Gradnates' Ignorance.
Boston Herald.
The other night we were invited out to
dinner and met an Englishman who Is
visiting this country to study up our insti
tutions. Among the other guests was an
eminent graduate of Yale and a high
standing graduate of Harvard. In the
course of the dinner conversation the Eng
lishman asked how many states there were
in our Union. The Harvard graduate an
swered 4S. and hla accuracy being doubted,
the question was referred to the eminent
graduate of Yale, who promptly confirmed
the Harvard graduate's figures. And the
visiting Englishman would no doubt havo
accepted this Information as correct if a
rude member of the dinner party had not
resorted to an lamarrac to show that tho
Harvard and Yale graduates were both
wrong. It's a fair question as to what
the Englishman in the case thinks of tho
status of university education In thi3 coun
try. Yaller" Journalism of the Future.
(Leonard H. Robblns, in Newark News.)
(3 o'clock Extra.)
MURDER!!!
P. Y. Spassam, the billionaire, will bo
shot and klled In the study of his home,
769 Blue avenue, at 9 o'clock tonight by
an assassin whose Identity will not be dis
covered until tomorrow morning.
Mr. Spassam will ne reclining In an
easy chair, smoking an after-dinner cigar.
The shot will be fired through a window.
Detective Grapes and Shoes will be de
tailed on the qase, and up to midnight to
morrow will have no clue.
, ; (4 o'clock Extra.)
CAPTURED!!!
Slugger Sloggs, Bowery bad man, will
be arrested at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning
for the murder tonight of P. Y. Spas
sam. the billionaire.
Ho will confess bis guilt before Magis
trate Bloomers.
The Mayor will commend Detectives
Grapes and Shoes publicly at 11 o'clock.
Mrs. Spassam, wife of the bullet's Yic-
tim, will be prostrated with, grief.