Morning Oregonian., May 23, 1906, Image 1

VOL. XLVI 0. 14,182.
PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1906.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
FIRE DESTROYS
FAIRBANKS CITY
LargestTowninAlaska
. in Flames.
FOOD SUPPLY MAY BE LOST
Citizens Center Efforts on the
Great Warehouses.
FLAMES LEAP STREETS
Hlaze Starts in Fairbanks Building
and Quickly Destroys National
Bank Greatest Alaska Min
ing Camp in Ruins.
FAIRBANKS. Alaska, May 22. Fire
has broken out here and is threatening
the town with destruction. The Washington-Alaska
Bank is burned. The
flames have crossed First and Second
avenues, and are rushing up Cushman
street' with great speed. The National
Bank is doomed. Nothing can save the
town.
SEATTLE. May 22. A special to the
Post-Intelligencer tonight states that
the entire business section of the town
of Fairbanks. Alaska, was destroyed by.
a fire which started In the Fairbanks
building, a three-story frame structure,
at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
Details of the disaster are very meager,
hut it Is feared that the food supply of
the town has been destroyed and great
suffering may result.
Nothing was left standing In tho sec
tion lying between the water front and
Third avenue and Stacey and Turner
streets. The work of the fire fighters
was centered on the block of warehouses
owned by the Northern Commercial Com
pany, in order to protect the food sup
ply of the town, and the result Is still
In doubt.
The loss la estimated at Jl.OOO.OOO. and
U Is nTirwmififcdndUttfc i.ithr heaviest Inter
ests of the town are already preparing
to rebuild.
No lives were lost.
Fairbanks Is a mining town on the
banks of the Tannna River In Alaska.
It Is the entrepot for the miners in
the great Tanann section, one of the
richest gold-producing regions in the
great country in the North that was
bought from Russia by the I'nited
States. The output of the Tanana
mines has been enormous, and the
town has lately assumed the propor
tions of a city, being credited with a
population of about 15.000.
The site of the town is near the
Junction of the River Tanana with the
River Yukon, about half way between
the mouth of the Yukon and the bound
ary line of the British possessions. The
course of the Tanana. from Its rise in
Southwestern Alaska, is in a general
northwesterly direction until it flows
into the Yukon.
NOT AS OTHER MEN ARE
HAEU SAYS IlKADINO OFFICIALS
AUE ABOVE GRAFT.
President or Coal Trust Congratu
lates Associates on llijsli Honor.
Flings, Shafts at Neighbors.
PHILADELPHIA. Ta.. May 2i (Spe
cial. George F. Baer. president of the
Reading Road, told some things about his
company at a dinner in the Bellevue
Stratford this evening that will undoubt
edly be of great Interest to members of
the Interstate Commerce Commission. It'
was at a dinner given by 'William R.
Taylor, Secretary of the Reading Com
pany, that Mr. Baer spoke. Mr. Taylor
was celebrating his SOth anniversary, and
in honor of the event had gathered
about him 60 or his fellow-workers from
various departments and proceeded to do
honor to himself, his co-workers and the
Reading Railroad.
Mr. Baer was called on for a few re
marks, and he plunged Into that all-absorbing
topic, railroad investigations. He
referred to "graft" In other companies,
and. while not mentioning the Pennsyl
vania Railroad, sent a few shafts of
criticism flyfng at the rivel road, and
pointed to his own company as a model
for the other -roadB In the country. He
said among other things:
"There is too much looseness in Amer
ican methods today. We are hearing
snd reading of investigations and criti
cisms on all ides. but let me tell you
that we in the Reading system are as
fire from criticism as any guild of rail
road men in the I'nited States or else
where. "We can congratulate each other that,
come what will, in Investigations, we
need fear nothing. Those who know us
not believe us to be tainted. Investigat
ors will be surprised that they can find
no wrong In the slightest detail of our
management. We will not tolerate
among us men who are not men of the
highest honor."
OHIO WILL INDICT THEM
Standard Oil Officials Are Liable to
Fine and Imprisonment.
ri.KVEIAXD. O.. May 2. tSpeclal.)
uuirnej-Geiierl Kills today made ar
rangements to procure indictments
againsf not only the officers of the New
York Standard Oil Company, but also
Its subsidiary companies. The indict
ment, he expects, will be returned by the
grand jury of Hancock County June 20,
and will charge violation of the anti
trust laws. Each offense is punishable
by a jail sentence of six months or a fine
of $5000 or both, in the discretion of the
court. '
MORE ABOUT STANDARD OIL
Garfield Preparing Further' Sections
of Report on Methods.
WASHINGTON. May 22. Commissioner
of Corporations James R. Garfield stated
today that he would submit to the Presi
dent further information on the result of
his investigation' of the oil Industry. It
has not yet been determined, however,
whether this will be in one single report
or several separate reports. The report
recently submitted to Congress covered
the question of transportation and freight
rates, and Mr. Garfield is now engaged In
preparing reports on the production and
refining of oil, the control of pipe lines,
organisation, foreign trade and conditions
and competitive methods. The data for
the first four has practically all been re
ceived, and tho report on competitive
methods Is well under way. Mr. Garfield
said he did not believe he would be able
to submit to the President any of these
reports before the adjournment of Con
gress. Republic Oil Quits Ohio.
COLUMBUS, O.. May 22. The Republic
Oil Company, subsidiary to the Standard
Oil Company, today announced to the
Secretary t of State its withdrawal from
Ohio.
E
GREAT 1XQUISITOK TALKS TO
I XS VU AXCE M EX.
Evils Due to Autocracy and New
Law Will Remove Them Xo
Excuse for Lobbying.
NEW YORK, May 22. Charles E.
Hughes, former counsel of the Armstrong
insurance investigating committee, spoke
at the annual dinner of the T-ife Under
writers Association at the Hotel Savoy
tonight, given In honor of the executive
committee. Among those present were
representatives of life insurance com
panies In nearly all the prominent cities
of the country. Mr. Hughs said:
Even jcreat life insurance companies are not
autoorHtic or oligarchic; they are democratic,
and nothing of greater importance than that
every one connected with a mutual company
should realize first and always his responsi
bilities to the policyholders who are the
beneficiaries of hla work. It has been for
Retfulness of that renponsibillty and a sense
of autocratic and despotic power which has
created the evils which It has been the en
deavor of the Legislature to end.
I believe It will be found that under the
conditions that am enforced by the legisla
tion recently enacted conservatism will pre
vail; that thoae only will be entrusted with
the Important duties who are worthy of
confidence-. In no other way can I conceive,
the choice to be made when those who are
voted for stand exposed to public criticism
for a. period of several months. By limiting
the votes to those which are oast for duly
nominated and publicly proclaimed caadldates,
we have every assurance that the business
of these great companies will be put In the
hands of those who will duly conserve them.
The line of safety for the life Insurance
company Is the line marked out by the law;
the line of prudent Investment; the line of
maintaining the life Insurance business as
life Insurance business; the line which will
he followed by those who have an eye single
to that business and not to other undertakings
which promise larger benefits for themselves.
There Is no reason why the life Insurance
companies should be banded together In a
systematic effort to control a large part of
the legislation of this or any other state.
There & no reason why efforts should be made,
by political contributions or by the purchase
of those who are supposed to have Influence
In political affalm, to safeguard the interests
of policy holders.
I believe we are entering upon a new era
In this business. I believe most confldently
thst what has been done has not been de
structive hut constructive, and the motive and
excitement which have been forced up has
been concerted into a powerful correction of
evil.
MAN AND WOMAN MUST DIE
6cnten.ee of Mrs. Myers and Hottman
Confirmed.
JEFFERSON CITV. Mo., May 22.
(Special.) The Supreme Court today af
firmed the conviction for the murder of
Mrs. Agnes Myers and Frank Hottman.
They will be hanged June 20 unless the
Governor Interferes. Hottman will be
executed in the Jail at Kansas City, while
Mrs. Myers will meet death In her cell
in the Courthouse at Liberty, Clay
County.
It Mrs. Myers la hanged she will be
the first white woman hanged in Mis
souri. The crime of which Mrs. Myers and
Hottman were convicted was the killing
of Clarence Myers, husband of Agnes
Myers. Mrs. Myers had formerly lived in
Higglnsvllle. Mo., and was in love with
Hottman. They conspired to murder
Myers, so they could go away together
and be married. Mrs. Myers planned the
murder. She sent Hottman money to
come to Kansas City. She admitted him
to her house after midnight and direct
ed him to the bedroom where Myers lay.
Hottman carried a club. The husband
awoke as Hottman entered the room, and
a fierce fight ensued.
Mrs. Myers went to .the assistance of
Hottman. cutting her husband several
times across the throat with a' razor and
later stabbing him repeatedly in the back
with a pair of scissors until he was dead.
The couple was arrested shortly after
the crime and Hottman confessed, giving
all the details. Mrs. Myers has never con
fessed. She denounces Hottman as a
liar.
nankrupted by Disaster.
FOSTOX. Mass.. May 22. (Special.)
Miss Nance O'Neill, the actress, took the
poor debtor's oath at the Pemberton
Square Courthouse today, being heavily
Involved in financial difficulties. She lost
heavliy In the San Francisco fire. Nearly
everything she owned in the way of cost
ly scenery, costume and stage effects was
destroyed. Her step today was absolute
ly unavoidable, she says.
The California tragedienne was given
a big benefit last night to recoup some
of her losses, at which she gave scenes
from her most successful plays.
Mrs. Davis Has Relapse.
NEW YORK, May 22. Mrs. Jefferson
Davis was reported to have had a re
lapse tonight. Shortly afterwards her
physician left. This was taken as an
Indication that - her condition was not
serious.
FORM OF PRAYER
AROUSES STORM
Presbyterians Cheer Franti
. cally at Mention of
Priestcraft.
MOVE . TO SHELVE SCHEME
Injunction Against I'nlon With Cum
berland Dissolved Southern
Churches Charge Proselytism
and Meets .Flat Denial.
DES MOINES, May 22. The, much-talked-about
debate upon the adoption of
the book of forms and services recom
mended by a special committee of the
Presbyterian General Assembly material
ized late this afternoon, continuing for
two hours. No conclusion was reached
and further discussion Is to be made a
special order at a later session.
Not in many years has an assembly
been so stirred as it was today over this
issue and the most intense feeling was
shown during the debat. The Rev.
Robert Johnstone, of Montreal, waved a
copy of the book in the air as he spoke,
and declared that "it smells of priest
craft." The request was made by the
moderator that all applause be discon
tinued, but when Dr. Johnstone, stretch
ing himself to his full six feet four inches
and waving his hand frantically, declared
that the book smelled of priestcraft ' ap
plause came out In a tremendous roar..
Van Dyke "Joshes-' Opponents.
Dr. VanDyke, chairman of the commit
tee, opened wtth a witty allusion to the
psalm of David, which he said he had
repeated. "For what we are about to
receive, make us truly thankful." "There
seem to be two extreme opinions," he
said: "some want it put out anl strangled
under foot; Others want it adopted. Your
committee stands where two seas meet."
He then took up the book and explained
its adaptability to the services. He said
it only carried out the instructions of the
General Assembly.
Dr. McCauley, of Cincinnati, was the
speaker for the opposition. He declared
that the question was the most import
ant that will come before the assembly.
He based his assertion principally on
the growH-Tjrt-the authorisation by the
General Assembly would be interpreted
by the churches everywhere that the
Assembly wished Its adoption, although
It was not mandatory. He said that such
an authorization mtght prevent the union
with the Cumberland church.
Move to Shelve Prayer Book.
Dr. McCauley offered a resolution ex
cusing the conimittce from further work
and thanking it and declaring It Inex
pedient to make any recommendation on
the matter; and that, in case editions
of the book of common worship are here
after Issued, they shall omit any state
ment of authorization by the General
Assembly. This resolution was referred
to the clerk.
Dr. E. S. Toung, of Pittsburg, and
Dr. Jessup, of the Presbytery of New
York, spoke for the book, and Dr. John
stone and Rev. Mr. Galloway, of Oregon,
against It."
More Cash for Home Missions.
Today's sesisons were devoted largely
to home missions and in adopting the re
port of the home mission board. The as
sembly voted that 1,000.000 be set aside for
the work next year, an increase of tO0.
000. The assembly gave a vote of in
dorsement to the Piatt bill In the United
VOCIFEROUS
j j g S '
'
j
States Senate for the suppression of po
lygamy. .
L Clerk Roberts, of the Presbyterian gen
eral assembly, interrupted tonight's pop
ular home mission platform meeting with
the announcement of the dissolution of
the injunction proceedings against tha
union with the Cumberland Presbyterians.
The news was received with tremendous
applause.
The assembly voted to authorize Mod
erator Hunter Corbett to name a commit
tee of 10 ministers and 11 elders, one of
whom shall be from the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, in case union Is ef
fected, to draft a plan for consolidating
ail the boards o the church into one or
ganization, to be divided Into executive,
legislative and Judicial departments.
Stop Sectarian Appropriation.
A resolution was offered by Dr. F. T.
of Philadelphia, memorializing Con
gress to stop appropriations for sectarian
purposes. This Is the outgrowth of the
recent charges in Congress that Catho
lics and Lutherans are receiving substan
tial assistance from the Government in
their religious work among the Indians.
The resolution was referred to the com
mitters on overtures, and It will undoubt
edly be adopted by the assembly.
The assembly voted to combine with
the Hungarian Reformed Church and the
Reformed Church in the United States
(German) In Hungarian religious work.
The organizations were Invited to name
committees of three each, to serve with a
similar committee from the general
church in carrying on the work. About
45.000 Hungarians ode to America yearly,
and the desire is to bring them Into the
Presbyterian Church. '
Accusation From the South.
The assembly received a telegram from
the Presbyterian Church. South, in ses
sion at Greenville. S. C, accusing the
homo board of the Presbyterian Church,
North, of offering Southern churches
financial aid to persuade them to change
their affiliation. The Southern church
asked that a committee be appointed for
an Investigation. The North church re
plied by telegraph that the home board
was guilty of no such action, and refused
to appoint the committee.
Dr. Edward 8. Young, of Pittsburg, stat
ed that In the offering of many overtures
having to do with benevolences and the
support of members in sickness, he sees
the ultimate organization and mainte
nance of an Insurance society whereby the
assessments are made by the church
boards and the distribution of benefits and
premiums conducted by them. The propo
sition will b discussed by the Assembly.
More Money for Colleges.
The report of the standing committee on
the college board shows a large increase
In the number of individual givers to col
leges and consequently a large Increase
In amounts of gifts; the past year also
marked an increase In the ordnary offer
ings of the church, there being 271 more
contributing churches and 2294 more indi
vidual i-.v.itvUmtutm. thfrnattig' the tt'tal
of gifts -to fl.nft,6 beyohij the preceding
year, an unparalleled record. Especially
Important was the gift or &20O.OQ0 to the
endowment of Occidental College, in Los
Angeles, and a similar gift to Pennsyl
vania College, for Women, at Pittsburg.
Generous offers were also received from
Andrew Carnegie. The recommendations
of the committee deal largely with in
creased effort in securing gifts and en
dowments to colleges.
Work of Home Missions.
The Board of Home Missions closed
April 1 with, all obligations met and $2411
In the treasury. In addition to new work
in the field. It expended $10,840 for new
churches and school buildings In Porto
Rico, Cuba and the West. The mortgage
debt of the home and foreign boards on
the Presbyterian building In New York
City has been canceled.
The new department of church and labor
has been In operation for three years.
Notable success has been achieved in
bringing church and labor into closer rela
tion. The board has accomplished much
with the problem of bringing the gospel to
14,000.000 foreigners who have reached our
shores.
The board reports the past year In Porto
(Concluded on Pace 5 )
APPLAUSE FROM HIS APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE
NORTH BEND IS
If GALA ATTIRE
Delegates to the Farmers' and
' Shippers' Congress Arrive
on the Alliance.
DELIGHTFUL TRIP AT SEA
Mayor Simpson and Committee of
Business Men Kxtend a Hearty
Greeting at the Wharf.
Sessions Begin Today.
BY WILL, a. MACRAE.
NORTH BEND, Or., May 22. (Staff Cor
respondence.) With whistles screeching a
welcome and flags fluttering In the
breeze, the delegation from Portland,
Salem, Astoria and other Oregon cities
were welcomed to North Bend this morn
ing as the steamer Alliance gently made
the landing. Mayor L. J. Simpson, sur
rounded by a committee of about 25 North
Bend business men, met the visiting dele
gation at the pier and after introductions
all around the delegation was escorted to
the North Bend Hotel,
The trip from Portland was a delightful
one. Pleasant weather prevailed through
out the entire trip, although a number of
the delegates left their seamanship be
hind and proved to be poor sailors. After
laying at Astoria for several hours the
Alliance steamed for the bar about 9
o'clock, giving everybody a chance to ad
mire the scenery as they crossed out.
Fun for the Seadogs.
All of the delegates were crowded on
the upper deck, determined to stave off
the seasickness until after the bar was
crossed. Not all of them were able to
stick it out, in spite of the fact that the
weather was calm and no sea was run
ning. As each delegate sought the se
clusion of his stateroom he was checked
off, and the misery of the few furnished
a great deal of amusement for those who.
were not affected.
Yesterday . the delegates amused them
selves by playing cards. Whist and five
hundred entertained the players. Last
night there was a championship game of
five hundred. Captain Kelly and First
Officer Oleson were pitted against two
landlubbers. The landlubbers won and
Captain -Kelly threatened to 'scuttle tire
ship. Ho changed his mind, however,
and brought us through safe and sound.
Once Had Dreams of Greatness.
The trip up Coos Bay was enjoyed by
everybody aboard. The Alliance lay out
side the bar until the tide began running
and we crossed in on a sea that was as
smooth as glass.
Only one stop was made after leaving
Astoria. That was this morning at Em
pire City. This city, so the legend runs,
had hoped in years gone by to be the
greatest city In Oregon. One old gray
bearded man, 30 years of whose life had
been spent at Empire City, said that at
one time business men of the town had
their main stores in Empire and their
branch houses In Portland.
The little town looked sleepy from a
distance, but when they caught sight of
the Alliance as she steamed up the bay,
the townspeople sprang suddenly into
view, waving a welcome. Here also steam
whistles sang out a cheerful greeting. .
North Bend Gaily Decorated.
The Farmers' and Shippers' Congress,
which the visiting delegation came here
to attend, does not convene until tomor
row morning. This afternoon the visitors
spent their time in sightseeing and visit
ing the various business enterprises of
North Bend. Tho city Is in gala attire for
the occasion, all of the business housea
being decorated with Port Or ford cedar
and the beautiful wild rhododendrons.
Across Virginia avenue is a beautiful arch
built entirely of Port Orford cedar, with
the word "welcome" set In white on an
evergreen background.
. 'Forty Feet on Bar' Is Slogan.
Sherman avenue, the main street of the
town, looks like a great gheen avenue. In
one shop window is a miniature of Coos
Bay with a bridge spanning the bay. Over
the bridge are two hands clasped. On one
Is printed "Coos Bay" and on the other
"Willamette Valley." This is indicative
of the spirit that prevails here.
Here the slogan is "Forty feet of water
on the Coos Bay bar." With Mayor
Simpson as their leader, and with the
piuh and vim that characterizes the peo
ple of North Bend, they will get their 40
feet of water. The congress which con
venes tomorrow morning and which lasts
for two days will stimulate interest in this
great project.
Programme of the Congress.
The programme for the two days fol
io w: '
Wrdnday. May 23. 1ft A. M. CaMM to
order at pavilion; AMre not weletmie. Mayor
L.. J. Flmpson; -"The Development La;ue
and lta Work." E. Hofer. president Willamette
Valley Development League; response for
City of Portland, F. W. Leadbetter, president
Portland Commercial Club; response for Coos
Bay. J. W. Bennett, Marshfleld; greeting from
Jbdarehfleld, Mayor EL E. Straw, Marahneld.
Wednesday afternoon. May 23 "Doing
Things," J. B. T-aber. secretary Portland
Board of Trade; "Forty Feet of Water on the
Bar." Hon. .ipffersoni Myem; "What Orecon
Needs, and How to Secure It.' William
Kramer, Mount Angel; greeting from Yam
hill, Charles V. Galloway.
Wednesday Evening. May 2.1 "Out of the
Earthquake Belt," Henry Westbrook, Ore
gon City Transportation Company : "FtiUe
Development and Good Roads." Judge Sivjtt.
president of State Good Roads League; "Mer
chants' League." Colonel J. S. .Stockfton.
Salem; "Southern Oregon and Coos Bay."
Honorable B. F. Mulkey. Ashland; "Agricul
tural Possibilities of Coos Bay," Rev. J. C.
Elliott.
Thursday, May 24. 8 A. M. Excursion over
Coos Bay. iind harbor; 12 M.. clambake, barbe-c-w
and crab bctl at park; 12 to 5 P. M..
band concert at park : I P. M., banquet to
delegates, , dance In pavilion.
PREPARES TO SAIL NORTH
YVellnian Sends Horsey to Build
House for Airship.
PARTS. May 22. Major K. B. Hersey
left Paris this evening for Tromsoe,
Norway, where he will meet and con
duct to Danes Island . the first party
of the Wellman Polar expedition. Eigh
teen joiners will accompany Major Her
sey to put together the timbers and
canvas shed in which the dirigible bal
loon will be housed. All the parts of the
shed .are numbered and ready to be
placed in position.
Mr. Wellman is expediting the con
struction of the balloon in order to be
able to leave Paris as early as possi
ble. One hundred mechanics are en
gaged In the construction of the motors,
40 men are' at work on the envelope, 15
are building sleds and 50 others are at
work on various appliances in connec
tion with the airship. , , -
LIFE NOT WORTH A DOLLAR
Negro Lynched for Holding I'p and
Robbing Boy.
SHREVEPORT, La., Slay 22. Tom
Jackson, a negro, who had been arrested
for holding up and robbing Henry Barnes,
a white boy. of Jl. was lynched at Blan
chard. 12 miles north of here, today. The
negro's body, riddled with bullets, was
found In a Held a half mile from where
he had been hanged.
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather.
YESTBRDAT'B-Meximutn temperature. 59;
minimum temperature, 50. Precipitation,
.03 Inch.
TODAY'S Partly cloudy, with probably light
ehown. We.erly winds.
Foreign.
Czar will grant amneuty next Sunday.
Page 4.
Parliament will go to work on land laws.
Page 4.
Rumored alliance, of Rusaia, Austria and
Germany. Page 4.
Three Turks arrested on suspicion of mur
dering Consul Stuart. Page 4.
National.
Movement to expe Smoot abandoned for this
session. Page 2.
Forest reaervw states to get share of timber
revenue. Page 2.
Agreement in conference on statehood.
Page 4.
Texas Representative denounces House lead
ers. Page 4. ,
House will adopt or reject rate bill amend
ments In gross. Page 4.
Iomestlc.
San Francisco banks open and receive more
money than they pay out. Page 3.
Additions to list of dead at San Francisco.
Page 5.
Lumber output of Nation by states. Page 5.
Josephine Terranova tells why and how she
killed uncle and aunt. Page 3.
Pleas of not guilty and demurrers in sugar
rebate case. Page 3.
Presbyterian Assembly has hot debate on
prayer book. Page 1.
Injunction against union of Cumberland with
old. Presbyterian Church denied. Page 1.
Hughes makes speech on insurance. Page 3.
Baer says there Is no grafting on Reading
road. Page 1.
Sport.
Senator Pendleton and associates may be
given Los Angeles club franchise, page 7.
Miss Sutton starts for England to defend
tennis championship. Page T.
Taclflo Coast.
Fire at Fairbanks. Alaska, wiped out the
business section of .the town. Page 1.
S. A. t. Puter. In Jail at Alameda, keeps his
mouth tightly closed. Page .
Oregon State Grange in session at Albany.
Page ti.
Supreme Court decisions handed, down at
Salem. Page tt.
Delegation from Oregon towns arrives at
North Bend to attend Farmers,' and Ship
pers Congress. Page 1.
Dudley R. Newell. Oregon University student,
drowned near Eugene. Page tf.
Commercial and Marine.
Heavy buying of flour by Japanese is expect
ed. Page 17.
Chicago wheat market drop on weather
news. Page 17.
New York stock market neglected. Page 17.
Annual wool sales open at Pendleton.
Fage 17.
Portland and Vicinity.
Farmer vote is solid for Withycombe.
Page 10.
TV. I. Vawter elected gand patriarch by
grand encampment. Page 11.
Vicar-General Blanchet passes away. Page 10
Wilcox chosen president of the Oregon De
velopment League. Page 11.
Wirtanen on trial for murder of. friend in a
drunken brawl. Page 12.
Superintendent Watson, ousted from school
at Vancouver, will have charge of Institu
tion for defectives at Boise. Page 18.
Steamer Geo. W. Elder Is floated and Is on
the way to the drydock. Page 1.
Initiative One Hundred wants change made
In Front-street franchise. Page 12. -
Seattle cannot oust Portland Jobber from
Alaska field. Page 16.
Entertainment at the Armory proves fine
feature of the "Made in Oregon" Exposition-
Pam a
STEAMER ELDER
RAISED AT LAST
Captain Baker Floats
the Vessel.
ON THE WAY TO DRYDOCK
How the Task Was Finally
Accomplished.
BIG PROFIT FOR NEW OWNER
Over a Year Has the Ship Been
on tlie Submerged Hock Near
Goble, After Repeated Fail
ures to Remove Her.
TACTS ABOUT THE ELDER.
The ' Geo. tV. Elder was built in
Chester. Pa., and was launched In Jan
uary. 1874. at the shipyards of Roach
& Son. She was brought around the
Horn for the Ran Francisco-Portland,
trade, and has been continually in that
eervlce with the exception of a short
time on the Alaska run.
The Elder was transferred from the
pose.'esion of the O. R. & X. Co. to
the San Francisco & Portland Steam
ship Line when the water lines were
taken from the O. R. N. Co. by the
Harrlman interests during the lat
Spring. The length of the boat la1 2.0
feet, the beam 3.5 feet and depth 21
feet. She is equipped with triple-expansion
engines and has a rtom ton
nage of 1710 and a net tonnage of
1225. The hull Is of Iron with a spar
and hurricane deck. Portland is her
home port.
While bound for San Francisco from
this port on the night of January 21.
lis5, she struck a submerged rock
near Goble and sank. All hef pas
sengers and crew were rescued with
out difficulty, but the cargo and per
ishable materials were totally de
stroyed. Numerous- '"attehYprs""'were made to
ralte the vessel, and all had failed
when J. H. Peterson secured the hulk
for $10,400 and brought Captain
Baker, a successful wrecker from
Michigan, out, and his efforts were
successful yesterday. Just 1 months
from the date of the accident.
After lying half-ubmer;pd on a sunken
rock in the Columbia near Goble for al
most 16 months to the day the steamship
George W. Klder was successfully floated
at 7:30 o'clock last evening, and Is being
towed to the Port of Portland drydock nt
St. Johns, where she will be docked and
the large hole In her hull repaired and
the vessel put in condition to be operated
as her new owners desire.
Saturday night, January 21, 1905, the
George W. Elder, while under charter and
operated by the Portland & San Francisco
Steamship Company, left. Portland for San
Francisco, carrying 23 cabin and nine
steerage passengers and the usual con
signment of freight for the Bay City.
Wreck of Steamer.
The vessel was in charge of Captain
Randall and Pilot Snow, the latter being
at the helm at the time of the grounding,
and, according to his statementi when the
Elder was passing Hunters he noticed
that she did not answer her helm pro
perly and shortly afterwards, or, to be
exact, at 10:50 P. M., the wreck occurred
at the point opposite Goble where It Is
necessary to njake a sharp turn. The
rock on which the ship struck Is wedge
shaped and made a jagged hole In the
vessel's hull Just under hatch No. 2, with
the result that she filled with water and
gradually settled on the ledge. The pas
sengers were taken off and brought back
to Portland, but the vessel's cargo, which
consisted of 1100 tons of flour, oats, crack
ers, tallow, paper and other perishable
materials, was a total loss, although In
sured for about J50.000.
After several unsuccessful attempts to
float the vessel the underwriters disposed
of the wreck to J. H. Peterson, of Port
land, who secured the vessel for $10,400
and Immediately laid plans for raising
and repairing her.
Captain Baker Secured.
The services of Captain Baker, a suc
cessful wrecker from Michigan, were se
cured on a conditional contract, which
provided that the sum of $30,000 be paid
him for the successful accomplishment of
the feat, and the contractor to assume the
responsibility of failure. Captain Baker,
immediately on examining the wreck, was
positive that the . vessel could be raised
and had made many preparations to do
so during the past few weeks, but owing
to adverse weather conditions the suc
cessful climax of his efforts was not
reached until yesterday. The towboats
Harvest Queen, Oklahoma and M. F.
Henderson, which had been called upon
to stand by on several different occasions
recently, were again ordered to Goble yes
terday, and Immediately on the arrival
of the flotilla the work of floating the
sunken vessel was begun. The prelimin
ary steps toward the raising of the veasel
had consisted of pumping her out and the
Installation ot several hundred barrels of
cement in the sunken craft over the hole
stove by the collision with the sub
merged obstruction, and all that remained
for the final work to be done was favor
able weather. ,
Weather Proves Favorable.
High winds and strong currents had
previously delayed the work, and yester
day the signal was given that all was
Concluded on Page 10.)