12
PUSHING WORK ON EAST WASHINGTON-STREET EMBANKMENT
HE Pacific Bridge Company, -nrhieh
eeured the contract for filling
East Washington street between
Vnion avenue and East First street, and
Gelbish & Joplln, who have the con
tract to fill the street between Water
and First, are now hard at -work. It
will take nearly three months to com
plete tne embankment and lay the plank
roadway, -which Is Included In the con
tracts. The Pacific Bridge Company Is
filling by means of dump cars from the
grrav-ol pit at North Mount Tabor,
about three miles from East Washing
ton street, over tho Consolidated Rail
way Company's Montavilla branch. At
present two trains of dump cars are
operated alternately, the cars being
filled at the pit by a steam shovel.
Manager Simon 1b making arrange
ments to operate night and day, which
will greatly expedite the completion of
the embankment. To finish Its three
blocks of the fill the company will have
to move 49.000 cubic yards of material,
for which it receives 40 cents a cubic
yard. Gelbish & Joplin will use 10,000
cubic yards on the embankment be
tween Water and First streets, and they
will receive 35 cents a cubic yard. The
firm Is filling by means of wagons, and
obtains earth from the basements of
new buildings.
Approximately the embankment on
East Washington street will cost $24,
49L62. Those were tho figures of the
Pacific Bridge Company's bid for tho
entire street, but Gelbish & Joplin bid
less for the single block, and the con
tract was divided between the com
jmny and the firm. The bids submitted
for the fill follow: Pacific Bridge Com
pany, $24,491.62; George Brown, 527.890.48:
Smythe & Howard, $23,026.48; Gelbish &
Joplin. $24,539.25. The material brought In
from the Mt. Tabor pit is mainly fine gra
vel. At the bottom of the fill the em
bankment will spread, out moro than
300 feet, and to protect the buildings
along the street their foundations have
been braced. It is not Intended to plank
the surface of the fill until the em
bankment has settled. East Washing
ton street was once the principal street
on the East Side, as the Stark-street
ferry was operated at Its foot, but it
lost its prestige when the ferry ceased,
and the breaking up of the elevated
roadway caused it to be abandoned as
a general business street It will prob-
FAVORS USE OF KNIFE
PHYSICIAN RECOMMENDS OPER
ATION FOR "DEFECTIVES."
Means Chance of Recovery for Un
fortunates Themselves Prevents
Procreation of Unfit Children.
NORTH YAKIMA. Wash.. March 11. (To
the Editor.) 1 have been much interested
always in the problem of race improve
ment, and especially of late In the discus
sion in your Invaluable paper on the hu
manity or inhumanity of sparing or cutting
off at birth the lives of physical or mental
defectives
However strongly I might believe that
the death at birth of all such -would be best
for them and for humanity, I could never
accept the solemn responsibility of taking
a human life, and I am persuaded that It is
a power not to be safely or properly in
trusted to any private human. Judgment.
And yet the human race should and could
b largely protected from monstrosities and
deadly diseases without resort to the tak
ing of life. Certainly parents should think
and live rightly. This course, in time,
through generations of parents, would,
doubtloss produce a race very near to phys
ical and mental perfection; but at present
unfavorable ancestral Influences are too
ptrong for one right-living pair to more than
partially overcome them, therefore it is not
wholly within the control of parents to pro
duce just the kind of children they desire.
If It were, we should soon have a whole race
of Itoosevelts, 'WUIards and Shakespeares a
condition delightful to contemplate, but I
fear still far In the future.
Here Is a case in point which occurred re
cently In my own practice, of a handsome
young Scotchman, full of life and health, '
with a beautiful young American wife ages
ST and 24 (the most vigorous time of life,
aecordlng to Dr. Oeler). This happy couple
of IS months' wedded life were looking for
ward with joyful anticipation to the stork's
visit to their home. In time be came, and
brought a poor, frail, six-pound babe, with
an unnaturally long neck, and an abnor
mal growth or the size of a hen's egg on
each side of its throat. Ca you attach any
blame to these healthy, rlght-llvlng. ot-tprlng-deslrins
parents? No. for it would
he palpable injustice. Should I have killed
that child? No. a thousand times, no.
Besides, who can tell at the child's birth
v hether. though seriously handicapped
physically, it may not one day become a
power In and blessing to the world.
For Instance. Alexander Pope. Lord Byron,
the present Emperor. William of Germany,
and. to come near home, our own able his
torian and man of letters. Professor H. S.
Lyman, all physically imperfect at birth,
might have come under the proposed plan
of extermination.
That we have not complete control of the
situation, nowever. Is no reason why we
should not use our best effort, by right
thinking and living, to have our children.
no far as our power and responsibility go,
well born.
This is a deep and serious subject, and one
far too great to cope with In Its entirety,
vet. I repeat, much can and should be taken.
Some of the worst Ills to which humanity
Is heir, such as insanity, epilepsy, and can
cer are almost certainly transmitted by the
Immediate progenitors. The greatest curse
of the race comes through our vicious crim
inal and Insane classes, and to my mind
this is the element that should be dealt
with, not by chloroform or strangulation,
but by the science of surgery, for if their
power to reproduce themselves were ren
dered null a tremendous Important step In
advance would have been taken, not only
without Injury to life, but often with posi
tive benefit to the victims themselves.
Over 20 years ago I visited our State In
sane Asylum at Salem. My friend Sr. H..
then in charge, received me graciously, and
conducted me through the various wards.
On our way from the wards back to lunch
eon X said: "Doctor, this Is a horrible
phase of life; and when Is it to end?" 'T
do not know. It is hard to tell," he re
plied. "If I had the power." I continued,' "I
would curtail It. for I would see to it that
not 'one of this class should ever be per
mitted to curse the world with offspring."
He stared at me and finally said: "Would
you advocate that method?" "I certainly
would. If X wexo -not a woman, .and a
ably regain Its rank on completion of
the embankment.
The Oregon Water Power & Railway
Company Is now engaged in filling East
Water street on a contract at the rate
of 12 cents a cubic yard, or a total of
nearly $8000 for the work' between
Hawthorne avenue and East Oak
street. This low rate was obtained as
compensation for the franchise to lay
a track on tho street. On East Water
street the property-owners get a solid
fill for half what an elevated roadway
would cost to build.
On completion of tho fill on East
Water street the Pacific Bridge Com
pany, so It is announced, will complete
the filling of East Morrison street.
About 20.000 cubic yards have been
dumped In East Morrison street, leav
ing between 35.000 and 40.090 cubic
yards to complete a solid embankment
on this street.
To build an elevated roadway on East
Washington street, where the fill Is be
ing made, would cost more than $10,000,
and it would have to be replaced In
time. Now that the actual work of fill
ing streets has been started In this ter
ritory between Union avenue and tho
Willamette River it Is not considered
probable that any more elevated roal
ways will ever be ereoted In this dis
trict, and that In a few years all those
woman M. D.. to whom, X know too well
that at this day and age it would simply
mean ostracism." I answered. "Well, doc
tor," he rejoined. "I beg you not to mention
this subject to my wife, for she would be
shocked and horrified." "I shall not mention
It to your wife." I assured him. "but I want
to tell you right here that if I were In
control of th.s Institution, as you are. I
would at least give many of these pitiable
unfortunates the one chance of recovery
through a surgical operation, which might
restore their reason. You know, doctor, as
well as I do that hysteria and Insanity are
often due to diseased reproductive organs.
Think of those loathsome victims of an un
namable vice under your charge. It would
be nothing les than common humanity to
relieve them of the source of their curse and
destruction by a simple surgical method
that might give them a chance to recover
their reason."
Eight or ten years since, in a conversation
with an eminent attorney concerning a
mutual friend and near neighbor, whose
wife had recently called upon this attorney
at dead of night to protect her and her chil
dren from her husband, who had for the
second time become suddenly Insane, be
said to me: "This Is terrible. But who would
have thought of this level-headed business
man going Insane?" I responded, "Remem
ber, we know it is in his blood by family in
heritance. And now I am going to say
what will shock you, which is that every
person admitted Into an Insane asylum
should be so dealt with as to preclude re
production." Instantly and warmly he ex
claimed. "I sanction that, and I will go
farther by Including every criminal that
goes through the penitentiary doors."
Thereupon we shook hands on it then and
there, feeling sure that the time would
come when the commonwealth, forced to
grapple with this vital subject, would be
able to adopt these measures with the full
accent of a majority of its citizens.
MRS. OWENS ADAIR, M. D.
Discusses Sidewalk Ordinance.
PORTLAND, March 11. (To the Editor.)
Th. iaaok of the Chamber of Commerce Clvlo
Improvement Club and .those of the Front-
rtreet merchants qo not teem w
n fh rmc hand the Civic Improvement Club
Is using Its Influence and efforts to clean up
the city generally and to correct apparent vio
lations or the city ordinances. On the other
hand the Front-street merchants know full well
that they cannot carry on their business suc
cessfully under a strict obedience of the ordi
nance regarding the placing of wares upon the
sidewalks. ,
The letter addressed to merchants by the
Civic Improvement Club seems reasonable to
the fair-minded man, ana. no ooudi, it is ra
intention or the club to put as liberal a con
struction as possible on the ordinance far
as it affects these men. Some of the mer
chants, however, seem to take rather a dog-m.-Mn
view or the situation. In today Tele
gram the sentiment of Front-street commission
men was stated as louown; e wui we? a
sinp tho sidewalks as we have always done.
xt the Civic ImDrovement Board have one of
us arrested. We will get a Jury of buslneea
men. and we will beat the city."
is this not a wrong stand for the commission
men to take? They are using the sidewalks
In violation of a city ordinance. There is no
disputing this. But. suppose another case.
Imagine a burglar making this statement: "We
will keep on breaking Into houses as wa always
have done. Iet the oSoers arrest one of us.
and we will get a Jury of criminals and will
beat the city." The law-abiding cltlsens would
be up In arms at once. Without a doubt, we
Front-street merchants have been breaking a
law. but the nronoeed enforcement of the law
should not elicit such a defiant statement as
we have been charged with making.
Now for a remedy. Should the law be en'
forced to the detriment of business? Should
the authorities enforce the ordinance In certain
sections of the olty and allow It to be broken
In other sections? My employes havo been in
atructed to keep the sidewalk clear except of
wares actually being received or shipped: but.
fortunately. X am not la the produce and com
mission business. There ia no disputing the
fact tnat such a business would be sorely ham
pered by a strict, literal enforcement of the
law. Then what should be done? One commis
sion man suggested yesterday that we appoint
a representative committee and petition the
Mayor to Instruct the Chief of Police not to
enforce the Ordinance on Front street. This
plan met the approval of many of the by
standers, ana at nrst teougnt seems plausible,
But is this a proper adjustment of the diffi
culty? The trouble Ilea not In the enforce
ment of the law. but in Ue law Itself. It Is
an old saying that the best way to find out
the merits of a. law Is to enforce It. Everyone
agrees, that If -this particular, ortflnaaco -wars
THE MOEmNG 'OBEGONIAN. M05DAX " MAECH 13, 190o.
FUtE-TCG
utrfrttv enforced the business interests would
suffer; and at the came time no particular
good would be accompnsneo. ironi sireet
nnt nwl as a. nromenade. as some other streeUi
are. While the presence of vegetables and
other wares on the sidewalk does reiaru. pass
age, the street Is lsrgely used by these who
display their goods and those who wish to In
spect them.
Then, in my Judgment, the proper thing to
do is to get the Council to amend the present
ordinance in such a way as to permit tho dis
play of goods under certain restrictions In cer
tain localities. This would. I believe, give tne
desired result, and would permit the commis
sion merchant to show his wares without vio
lation of the law. GEORGE T. MURTON.
Gum and Polo.
La Fayette, (Ind.) Call.
The same of polo baa taken a great hold
on the people of Lafayette, as the crowds
that go to witness the games amply tes
tify. The game Is one of the swiftest in
the world, with something doing all the
time, and It Is no -wonder that spectators
become enthusiastic over it. Most of the
polo players chew gum while the game Is
In progress. This Is to keep their mouths
moist and prevent tho parching of their
throats.
Very few of tho spectators can play
polo. But they can all chew gum, and
most of them do. It is an interesting
sight to -watch the long lines of moving
Jaws. Some of the people chew quietly,
some otherwise, but as the game pro
gresses you can almost tell what Is going
on without watching the ball. Just watch
the Jaws. "When the play Is swift the Jaws
move with sympathetic rapidity and -when
there Is a lull they move more slowly.
In a moment of suspense, -when a goal is
at hazard, the chewing stops, only to be
renewed with added vigor when the crtu
cal moment has passed.
We know how it is ourselves. Gum
seems to be a necessary adjunct to polo.
We should therefore suggest that a large
gum factory bo erected In this city. All
the polo cities of Indiana would more than
consume the output and It would be an
extremely profitable enterprise.
"Mammy," said the little Georgia pickanin
ny, "Ah's heard tell of dese hcah autymoblles
so much. What do dey look lak?" "D
goodness only knows!" responded his mother,
"but Ah specks dey looks lak de or Nick.
Ah've heahd dey -al bab horns." Chicago
Pally News.
Most people began drink
ing Ghirardelli's Ground
Chocolate because of its
digestible deliciousness: but
its food value made it a fixed ,
choice.
' Always fresh in patented ' hermeti
cally sealed cans.
' J A S '2r5rA jrJ?0Vr ' JC3'-S'Jr-Z'T I j
IIKRTH. rOOT OF EAST WASHINGTON' STRKKT.
Near the Junction of Snake
and Columbia Rivers, In
Walla Walla County, Wash.
,Bl K. Davli, "Pendleton, Or.
T. A. IlHtUoa, The Dalles, Or.
SeIeTrfc Co Luzon rbuildlner. Tacoma,-"Wasli.
Hereford & Fisher, 41-42 Jameson bloclc, Spokane, "Wash.
ORCHARD
LANDS
AT TWO
Watered by the Snake River Irrigation Co.'s
Immense Power Plant
Choicest lands in the Northwest. Warm, sandy soil, with southerly slope, insures the
earliest crops of any place north of Los Angeles. Snake River furnishes the water
supply, wtiich is unfailing. . . . Two transcontinental railroads afford quick and
easy access to all the markets of the Pacific Coast, the Orient and the East.
5, 10 and 20-Acre Tracts Offered at From
$60 to $100 Per Acre
Strawberries grown in this neighborhood
last year were on the market two weeks
before any others in the Northwest, and in
some instances netted the grower nearly
$700 per acre.
Can you afford to' overlook this oppor
tunity? Prepare your ground and raise a
crop this year.
An investment in these lands means a
handsome income for life. To induce set
SEE OUR AGENTS AND ARRANGE FOR TRANSPORTATION
EXCURSION RATES MADE FROM ALL RAILROAD POINTS TO TWO RIVERS
E. S. JACKSON, GeaM Sales Ageat, 246 Stark Street, Portland, Or.
J-
now existing will give way to solid
embankments. In this direction much
progress has been made. East Clay
street Is filled solidly between East
Second street and the river and Haw
thorne avenue Is filled between Water
and East First streets. In 1904 It Is es
timated that nearly 40,000 cubic yards
of earth were dumped in the streets" in
this district, taken from basements of
buildings.
W. E. Spicer. who. with C. W. Not
tingham, worked to secure the filling
of East Washington street, says that
East Stark street will be the next street
to be filled. With these central streets
filled he proposes that the property
ownera should form a combination to
fill up the Intervening- low lands. s
"Material could be pumped from the
bottom of the river," said Mr. Spicer,
"to fill up all these low lands at a very
low cost, probably 10 cents a cubic yard,
at the same time deepening the channel
of the Willamette. With East Water
street as a bulwark all the low land
could be filled up say 12 feet deep,
which would bring it up to where the
basements of buildings would start, and
still it would be higher than Front
street on the West Side. Many Imagine
that It would cost several thousand dol
lars to fill up a single lot. The cost
would be much less. To fill up a lot 12
feet deep will require 2244 cubic yards,
which, at 10 cents a cubic yard, would
make the cost $224.40, and that is not
RIVERS
tlement we are offering a limited number of
acres at these low prices and upon easy
terms. At the opening of the Clarkston district
similar lands sold at $250 per acre, arici now"
are rated at from $1000 to $1500 per acre.
At Kennewick lands which sold two years
ago for $40 per acre now command $400
and upwards. Kennewick is an object
lesson.
Boyer Ttewcemb, 10 N. Second street, Walla
Jaha A. Loreas, Colfax, Wash. , J.
J. F. Grlner, Chehalls, "Wash: Fr
C C Farrevr & Co., Bug;ene, Or. E.
J.
very high. I have no doubt that a con
tract could be made by which the whole
of the bottom lands could be filled for
about 10 cents a cubic yard. At least
the central portion of the district could
be filled at once say between East
Stark and Belmont streets. If this low
ground were filled it would Increase
the value of the land three or four
times over, and instead of having a
swamp In the center of the city m
would soon see the district built over
with brick structures. l.et us get to
gether and have it done."
The Pacific Bridge Company ha
enough earth at North Mount Tabor to
fill up all the low territory- There Is
also unlimited material along the lines
of the Oregon Water Power & Railway
Company, besides the gravel now in tha
bottom of the Willamette River be
tween tho Steel and Madison-street
bridges.
WILL EXTEND THE CAE LINE
Mississippi-Avenue Branch to Con
nect With St. Johns Line.
The Mississippi-avenue branch of tha
Portland Consolidated Railway Com
pany will be extended to a connection
with the St. Johns line on Killings
worth avenue. It was reported at tha
meeting of the Central Albina Board of
Trade yesterday that the extension
would be made on Albina avenue from
the present end of the track at Pres
cott street. Money -has been raised to
pay for two lots required for the curv
of the tracks from Mississippi to Albina
avenues. Councilman A. F. Flegel will
attend to the vacation of the street
and the franchise for the Extension.
The work of securing money with
which to purchase the lots and much of
all the other work incident to the ex
tension was done by M. E. Thompson.
It Is expected that eventually the
branch through Lower Albina will bo
part of the route of the through cars
for St. Johns, It being the shortest.
At this meeting, which was attends
ed by the ladies, Mrs. W. H. Moore ex
plained what the women of that dis
trict will do In the civic Improvement
movement. Tho Board of Trade ap
pointed J. M. Turner. A. R. Zeller, W.
H. Payne and T. A. Goffe onTclyIc improvement.
IMMEDIATELY OPPOSITE
THE FAMOUS
KENNEWICK DISTRICT
"Walla. Wash.
II. Elirell, Vancouver, Wash.
ot fc Bryamt, Moro,. Or.
Z Feranaoar Astoria, Or.
A. MoeluOce, Oregon City,. Or.