Morning Oregonian., August 06, 1906, Page 4, Image 4

TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN, MONDaV, AUGUST 6, lyoti.
PHASES OF INDUSTRIAL GROWTH IN THE STATE OF OREGON
UNCLE SI WILL
SELL TOWN LOTS
Government Offers Two Sites
in Heart of Minidoka Project.
OESERT MADE FRUITFUL
Jack Rabbit and Coyote Are Dis
possessed la Tract of 130,000
Acres Along Snake River
In Southern Idaho.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington. Aug. 6. A unique event is sched
uled to take place in Southern Idaho the
latter part of this month, when Uncle
Sara will offer for sale the lots contained
in two townsites situated In the heart
of the Minidoka irrigation project.
This project provides for the reclama
tion of about 130,000 acres lying on both
sides of Snake River. The land was all
yublic domain, and when engineers de
signed the system they did not neglect
the splendid opportunity for establishing
an ideal farming community. Three town
sites were laid out in the center of the
tract on the proposed line of the Oregon
Short Line Railway; the towns were plat
ted with wide streets and boulevards, and
parks, and extensive areas for public
buildings were reserved. All the agricul
tural lands were cut into farms of 40 and
80 acres, so that the instant the tract is
brought under cultivation it will become
one of the most densely populated agri
cultural communities in the country. Its
prosperity is assured by the unfailing
water supply which will be furnished by
tiie big Government canals and ditches,
and this prosperity will be reflected in the
future success and substantial growth of
the towns which Uncle Sam proposes to
establish there.
Once a Sage Brush Plain.
Two years ago the Minidoka country
was an uninhabited sagebrush plain. The
railroad was miles away, and it seemed
destined forever to serve only as a haunt
of the Jackrabbit and the skulking coy
ote. Far below the surface the Snake
River cuts its way through a canyon
across the plain, offering no opportunity
for the pioneer with his simple ditch to
lead the water out upon the thirsty soil.
Only skilled engineers, backed by vast
capital, could tackle such a proposition
as this. Many men without the necessary
wherewithal had looked at it, but its great
cost had forced them to give it up. With
the passage of the reclamation act on
June 17. 1902, one of these engineers who
had joined the Government force rushed
a field party to this point and in a single
season prepared and presented a set of
plans for a comprehensive system of irri
gation. They were accepted and bids
were asked and contracts awarded for
construction.
To Irrigate this broad expanse of plain
the Snake River must be lifted from its
bed, and a dam was laid across the stream
at Minidoka Rapids, a great rock-fill
structure 50 feet in height and 650 ffcet
long on top, which' raised the water sur
face 47 feet at flood level and backed it
up for 35 miles. The dam is near comple
tion and will cost nearly $500,000. When
the immense gates in the diversion chan
nel are lifted, the water w-ill pass into
high-line canals on both sides of the river
and be led from them through hundreds
of miles of laterals to every farm in the
valley.
Settlers Rush In.
The initiation of this great work was
followed by an influx of settlers from all
over the country, ana soon every farm
division had been filed upon. While the
Government proceeded with the construc
tion of the dam and canal system, the
settlers were busily engaged upon their
own buildings. The coming of large num
bers of farmers created a market and
stores sprang up. An enterprising young
man established a newspaper, and as if
by magic doctors, lawyers and mechanics
of all classes flocked in. The intoxication
of creation was in the air. Other news
papers were started, three banks were
established, a school was opened and 70
pupils greeted the teacher the first morn
ing. Meanwhile, two lines of steel like
ribbons came creeping over the plain,
crossed and passed the townsites, and
the shriek of the locomotive was added
to the creaking of the derricks as great
blocks of stone were dropped into place
on the dam.
Today a population of over 4000 awaits
the completion of the canals and ditches.
Scattered here and there In an? around
the townsites are 122 mercantile institu
tions, waiting for the town-lot sale, so
that they can move over upon their own
property and no longer remain tenants by
sufferance of the Government.
Idaho is famous for its irrigated fruits
and fields. The soil and climate are
adapted to a wide Variety ot crops. Ow
ing to the importance of the livestock in
dustry in this section, alfalfa and other
forage crops will always find a profitable
market, and all the vegetables and fruits
of the north temperate tone may be
grown here.
Power Developed at Dam.
With all -these manifold advantages a
prosperous future and rapid growth are
assured for the new towns. The lots in
Sherrer will be reserved for future sale.
An important feature in connection with
the construction of the irrigation system
is the possibility of power developed at
the dam. This power can be transmitted
economically to the towns and utilized lor
municipal and other purposes.
The optimism of the settlers on the
Minidoka project has gone abroad through
the enterprising little newspapers which
have grown and flourished on the sage
brush desert, and ere the waning of the
moon hundreds of tenderfeet will "hit
the trail-' for this land of opportunity.
NEW SAWMILL FOR UNDERWOOD
Washington Town Already Feels
Stimulus of New Railroad.
HOOD RIVER, Or., Aug. 6. (Spe
cial.) The stimulus that is being felt
by the building of the north bank rail
road was further emphasized today by
the announcement that a large sawmill
will be built six miles back of Under
wood, Wash.
The projectors of this new enterprise
are Porter Bros., the contracting firm
which la constructing the section of
the north bank road from Vancouver to
The Dalles. They have Just closed the
purchase for $.10,000 worth of timber
in the vicinity of the point where the
new mill will be located, with a stip
ulation in the purchase clause that the
mill will be completed within a year.
Most of the timber bought is in small
tracts belonging to ranchers and its
cutting off will very materially aid
them in developing their ranches more
rapidly. The mill it is said will have a
capacity of 100,0-00 feet per day. The
lumber will be transported by flume
to the railroad, where a sidetrack has
been laid at a point known as Hun
slker's Flat. This is a mile and a half
below Underwood, and will be made
the shipping point.
Residents of Underwood have been
anxiously hoping that the railroad
company would give them a station or
at least a shipping point there, but so
far there is no indication that it will
do so. It is said that the high figure
asked for land at Underwood, which is
owned by Amos Underwood, the 'oldest
pioneer in this part of Oregon, has
caused the railroad company to select
Hunslker's Flat as a shipping point
for the country back of it.
WATER SUPPLY. FOR LA GRANDE
Forest Reserve Examined for Stream
of Sufficient Flow.
LA GRANDE. Or., Aug. 5. (Special.)
D. B. Sheller, superintendent of the Blue
Mountain forest reserve, and Thomas H.
Parker, ranger for district No. 2, arrived
here yesterday. These two Just com
pleted a seven days' tour over that por
tion of the reserve lying south and west
of this city. One of the objects of the
trip was to look over two townships in
the Grand Ronde and Beaver Creek water
sheds, which the City of La Grande de
sires to have withdrawn for the special
purpose, of a water supply.
Mr. Sheller stated at the Council meet
ing last night that a great deal of the
territory sought would be useless to tno
city, and he could not recommend the pe
tition in its present shape. What the
city needs is to secure the source of
Beaver Creek, which he says is furnish
ing more water now than is being sup
plied the City of Tacoma. If a petition
is formulated covering the waters of
Beaver Creek, Superintendent Sheller will
recommend it.
FOREST SERVICE ENCOURAGES
ITS MORE GENERAL USE.
Trees Killed and Charred by Fire
Contain Excellent Material
for Many Uses.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington, Aug. 6. The Federal Forest Serv
ice is endeavoring to encourage the gen
eral use of fire-killed timber for com
mercial purposes. In every Western
State and in every forest reserve are
vast areas of timberland that have been
burned over. Frequently the forest firea
have failed to utterly destroy the tim
ber, though the trees in the burned area
were killed. The Forest Service finds
great quantities of this timber uninjured,
save for a burned layer on the outside.
In Colorado this fire-killed timber has
been extensively used for mining and rail
road work, and has lately been put to
other uses. It haa been discovered that
in many cases this timber is superior to
green wood.
These facts are deduced from a study
of conditions on the Pikes Peak Forest
Reserve, where the ravages of fire have
been particularly . wldsspread and de
structive. In many instances the burned
timber is the only kind available at a
particular point, for example, in prox
imity to a mine or a spur of railroad,
mo for timber and ties the dead material
has been used for many years 15 years
at Palmer Lake, seven years at Floris
sant for railroad ties, and longer than
this for mine timbers. Three years ago
it was first used for box boards and has
proved excellent. In May, 1905, there
was a sale for telephone poles.
Timber Extensively Used.
The species are red fir, yellow pine,
lodgepole pine, limber pine, range pine,
pinon. Engelmann spruce, and blue
spruce. Of these, the pines, red fir and
Engelmann spruce furnish the bulk of
the material. Time elapsed since burn
ing seems to make no difference in the
value of the wood, except that when
serious checking results it loses its
value for box purposes. The timber
used has been burned all the way from
three to 65 years.
The amount of this timber which haa
been used is very considerable. There
has been one sale from the reserve for
box boards apd one for telephone poles,
but the three main uses continue to be
for mine timbers, railroad ties and fire
wood. Red fir is preferred for railroad ties,
then yellow pine, limber pine, and range
pine. White pine has been objected to
because of its lack of durability, but it is
now taken in many places. At Rosemont,
Colo., burned timber of all kinds is
made into ties, some of the material
having -been burned 50 years ago. It is
asserted that dry ties last as long as
green ties and in. many cases longer. On
the "Cripple Creek "short line" they were
more satisfactory than green pine ties
from Texas. Dry ties hold a spike well,
and a tie plate does not cut into the
wood so seriously as it does .in the case
of a green tie. Engelmanji spruce is as
good as other species so far as me
chanical wear is concerned, but it de-
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cays much quicker and so should be
given a preservative treatment.
Burned Timber for Boxes.
Burned timber was first used for boxes
by the Denver Crate and Box Company
in Februaray, 1903,. the species used being
Engelmann spruce and lodgepole pine,
with some red fir and limber pine. The
material used had been burned from one
and one-half to four years. The Engel
mann spruce was excellent, and the
lodgepole pine also gave good results.
The fire seasoning had driven the odor
out of the pine so that it could be used
fpr packing crackers and biscuits. Also,
on account of the perfect seasoning the
boxes remained tight when put up and
therefore sold better than green boxes.
For mine timbers all species- are used.
If of the requisite size. Dry timber is
preferred because of its lightness, dura
bility and stiffness, all principally due
to its better seasoning.
For many purposes fire-killed timber
should be preferred to green timber be
cause it is so well seasoned. This sea
soning makes it more durable than green
timber, and also makes it lighter, so
that its cost of transportation is ap
preciably less, and it is therefore availa
ble, not only for numerous local uses, but
for shipping long distances. Actual ex
perience with the , fire-killed timber
proves that its utilization should be a
source of profit to the reserve.
AURELIA CO. BUILDS MILL
Carson Camp Quartz Will Be Con
centrated at New Plant.
LA GRANDE, Or., Aug. 5. (Special.)
Superintendent Thronson, of the Aurelia
Mining Company at Camp Carson, has
nearly finished the building for the new
mill, which is to concentrate the mineral
bearing quartz for the Aurelia and other
claims of the group belonging to the
company. The mill machinery will ar
rive from San Francisco this week.
S. B. Williamson and J. M. Furgeson,
who have been working in the old pit on
Carson Hill during the Summer, have
closed for the season. The clean-up was
satisfactory, giving good wages for the
season's work. The shutdown was earlier
than usual, on account of failure of the
water supply, due to the hot weather.
MATERIAL FOR CENTRAL ROAD
Cove to Have Early Rail Connection
With Union.
LA GRANDE, Aug. 5. (Special.) A
trainload of material for the Central Rail
way of Oregon will arrive this week, con
sisting principally of rails for the first
section of track toward Cove. The gap
of about two miles and a half to connect
with the Union railway has been graded,
and ties have been distributed over the
greater part of the distance between
Union and Covet Four thousand ties are
piled up in the yards near Union, a full
rigged piledriver is doing work, and grad
ers, engineers and right-of-way agents
are all busy.
"
MINIDOKA DAM. VIEW
HKADGATE8, MATH CANAL, SHOWING SNAKE RIVER POURING THROUGH.
REPORT ON
Irrigation Expert Investigates
This State.
ISSUES BOOK ON SUBJECT
Finds Great Opportunities Here for
Making Arable Land Valuable
' While Abundant Streams
V Supply Water In Plenty.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash
ington, Aug. 5. Oregon farmers who re
sort to irrigation, will .be deeply inter
ested in a 30-page circular Just issued by
the Department of Agriculture, entitled
"Investigations of Irrigation Practice in
Oregon." The booklet is written by A. P.
Stover, irrigation engineer, who spent
last season in Oregon, making a study of
Irrigation as it is practiced, so as to
find out the errors that have been tnade
and gather data which would be help
ful in instructing the irrigators how
to avoid the mistakes of the past. The
report is not as comprehensive as might
be desired, but contains a great many
valuable suggestions, and is worth the
perusal of every farmer who is obliged
to artificially water his lands.
Mr. Stover made a study of the pre
cipitation in various parts of the state,
and to a limited extent gathered data on
the discharge of the principal streams
that can be utilized for irrigation. Ha
states, in opening his report, that the
greater part of the arable land of Oregon
lies in the arid section and can be
brought under intensive cultivation only
by irrigation. He found that the low
water flow of most of the streams of
Eastern Oregon has already been ap
propriated for private irrigation, but as
yet practically no steps have been taken
to conserve the Winter floods.
Water Now Wasted.
He finds that little of the water now
being diverted is used economically, so
that there is a large supply for future
development. Mr. Stover is not con
nected with the Government Reclamation
Service, and his studies have no ref
erence to Government projects. Indeed,
while he made investigations in the very
country where the Government la about
to build the Umatilla project, he makes
no mention of that work, though he
comments on private, irrigation that is
to be brought under the Government sys
tem. Because of its comparaively low ele
ITtOM HEADTOWERS.
:3
vation and consequent mild climate, Mr.
Stover says that Northeastern Oregon
has advantages over the southeast.
The investigation made last Summer
were confined to the Umatilla country,
Crook County and the Klamath region,
F. L. Kent of the Oregon Experiment
Station being in charge of the latter
work, and Ellas Nelson in Crook County.
Mr. Stover himself went to the Umatilla
Valley.
Mr. Stover embodies in his report valu
able suggestions about removing sage
brush from the virgin land, and leveling
the land preparatory to constructing the
ditches. He explains the different meth
ods of applying water to the lands, vis..
by flooding, by small furrows and by a
system of checks, the particular values of
the respective methods being fully set
iortn.
Winter Irrigation In Umatilla.
The practice of Winter irrigation, now
practiced along the Umatilla River, is de
scribed, and the value of this practice is
indicated. It Is shown that these Uma
tilla lands, under the Maxwell flood
water canals, yield a net profit of $24 an
acre, when planted in alfalfa. It seems
that the Umatilla Valley, however, is
exceptionally well adapted for this sort
or irrigation, because of the unusual
formation of the soil and the underlying
bedrock. Few localities will be found
where Winter Irrigation will be as sue
cessful. On Butter Creek, where Winter
irrigation has reached the highest stage
or perfection, fruits are successfully
grown by combining the principles of
Winter irrigation and dry farming.
Several pages are devoted to a detail
description of Irrigation canals along the
Deschutes River, which have been in
operation for the past few years, and also
of the Maxwell and Irrigon canals in the
Umatilla country. For some reason there
is nothing in the report bearing directly
on private irrigation in the Klamath
country. The report, however, contains
something of interest to all irrigators.
ana will be rumished by the depart
ment upon application.
FREIGHT ENGINES FOR O. R. & N.
Ten New Balanced Compounds Due
for Blue Mountain Divisions.
LA GKANDE, Or.. Aug. 5. (Special.)
len new rreight engines, of the balanced
compound type, built by the Baldwin
Company of Philadelphia, , will arrive
here soon for use on the mountain divi
sion of the O. R. & N. These engines
will be the most ' complete of any yet
sent -out. They will have square tanks,
carry 200 peunds of steam, be equipped
with the 12-inch New York air pump and
New York valves, and will have Vander
bilt fireboxes and battledores.
Kills Playmate With Toy Pistol.
LEADVILLE. Colo., Aug. 5. Martin
Healy accidentally shot and killed Ar
mond Veatch in Leadvllle today. xne
boys were playing "Wild West," and
were using bank cartridges in a toy pis
tol. By some mistake a loaded shell got
mixed with the blanks and resulted in
the death of Veatch.
DEALS IN STUMPAGE
Government Is Largest Lum
ber Dealer in Country.
HUGE BUSINESS IN 1905
By Prompts, Business-Like Manage
ment, Forests Are Savel While
Selling Trees Great Rev
enue for Uncle Sam.
A natural feeling among lumbermen to
ward the forest work of the Government
is that the Government is not in the lum
ber business and cannot, therefore, take
the lumberman's business point of view.
Yat a greater misconception could scarce1
ly exist. As a dealer in stumpage the
Government is the largest lumber dealer
in the country. Further, it applies to its
sales the practice of scientific forestry, re
quiring the removal of the timber under
the same sort of instructions which it ad
vises for private operators. Thus the For
est service, in its reserve work, is giving
an object lesson on a huge scale to en
force its teachings that conservative man
agement and profit may go hand in hand.
Jn the year 1905 the total sales reached a
value of $273,659.82.
By the act of March 3, 1891. the Presi
dent of the United States was authorized
to proclaim forest reserves; a power first
exercised by President Harrison, who, on
March 30 of that year, created the Yel
lowstone Park timber land reserve. Au
thority over these reserves was given to
the Secretary of the Interior, the admin
istrative work to be conducted by the
General Land Office.
The mere creation of forest reserves.
however, without provision for their ad
ministration, was both ineffectual and an
noying to local interests dependent upon
their resources. Consequently the Secre
tary of the Interior, in 1896, requested the
roationat Academy or Sciences to recom
mend a National forest policy. This re
sulted in the passage of the act of June
4, 1897, under which, with several subse
quent amendments, forest reserves are
now administered.
Change of Administration.
Still, the result was not satisfactory
Scientific knowledge and a technically
trained force were necessary. The Bu
reau of Forestry had frequently to be
consulted. Finally, the act of February
1, 1900, was passed, transferring the en
tire jurisdiction, except In matters of sur
veys and passing of title, to the Secretary
or Agriculture. The actual work of a"fl
ministration was thereupon given to the
Bureau or Forestry, since July L 1906,
styled the Forest Service.
- The policy upon which these reserves
were to be administered is indicated by
the following extracts from the letter
written February 1, 1905, by the Secretary
or Agriculture to the Forester:
"In the administration of the forest re
serves it must be clearly borne in mind
that all land is to be devoted to its most
productive use for the permanent good of
the whole people, and not for the tempo
rary benefit of individuals or companies.
All the resources of forest reserves are
for use, and this must be brought about
In a thoroughly prompt and businesslike
manner, under such restrictions only as
will insure the permanence of these re
sources. .
"You will see to it that the water, wood
and forage of the reserves are conserved
and wisely used for the benefit of the
homebuilder first of all. ... In the
management of each reserve local ques
tions will be decided upon local grounds
. . . where conflicting interests must be
reconciled, the question will always be
decided from the standpoint of the great
est good to the greatest number in the
long run."
The principal object of the forest re
serves Is use. The policy governing these
great storehouses of natural wealth is
not one of locking up and rendering In
accessible their resources, but of conserv
ing and multiplying them and making
them available to consumers.
Effective Organization.
That a Government bureau can actually
thus subserve the Interests of users is at
first a matter of same skepticism with
practical lumbermen. Their fear is that
such work will be conducted from a re
mote Government office by men unfa
miliar with local needs.
It has remained for the Forest Service
practically to demonstrate the groundless
ness of these fears. To t Ills end It has
rapidly developed an organization. On
July 1, 1898, the Division of Forestry em
ployed II persons, of whom six filled cleri
cal or other subordinate positions, and
five belonged to the scientific staff. Of
the latter, two were professional foresters.
The Division possessed no field equip
ment; practically all of its work was office
work. At the opening of the present fiscal
year the employes of the Forest Service
numbered 821. of whom 163 were profes
sional, trained foresters. The field, force
of the Forest Service contains the grades
of Forest Inspector, Forest Supervisor,
Forest Assistant, Forest Ranger. In so
far as possible the administration of the
reserves takes place on the ground and
with the promptness that is supposed to
characterize private business.
One of the most Important aspects of
forest administration is the sale of tim
ber. All timber on forest reserves which
can be cut safely and for which there la
Forest Service , and in accordance with
actual need is 'for sale. Applications to
purchase are invited. Green timber may
be Bold except where its removal makes
a second crop doubtful, reduces the tim
ber supply below the point of safety, or
Injures the streams. All dead timber Is
for sale. The cutting of this timber Is
done under the local supervision of the
certain clearly defined and practical rules.
Speculation Is Prevented.
The restrictions governing the timber
sales, while effective, are simple.- Appli
cation is made to the local officer in
charge of the reserve from which the tim
ber is desired, who executes small sales
on the ground. In case of large sales,
the application is forwarded to the For
est Service, from which the advertise
ment of the sale Is made. Applicants
for timber are required to send eealed
bids to the Forest Service. Small bidders
enjoy exactly equal opportunities with
large, and monopolization is effectually
forestalled. The highest bid fixes the
price. Should the first applicant desire to
begin cutting immediately he may (ex
cept in California) do so, on condition
that he pay in advance at a price al
ready fixed by the Forest Service, and
that he obligate himself to pay the full
amount named In the highest bid. Thus
delay Is avoided and the Government is
protected. Speculation in reserve timber
is made Impossible by the provision that
the timber must be removed within a
specified time, and that when a contract
extends over several years a proportion
ate amount of timber must be removed
each year. Five years is the extreme
limit of a sales contract.
That these restrictions are not onerous
is shown by the numerous sales made
under them. A single sale of 50,000,000
feet of lodgepole pine for railroad ties
is pending on the Montana division ot the
Yellowstone Forest Reserve. It is esti
mated that 165,000,000 feet board measure
of lodgepole pine can be taken from one
watershed in the Medicine Bow Forest
Reserve, still leaving a large percentage
for future crops. Much timber Is sold in
small lots; 50 applications for such sales
are made to each single application for
1.000.000 board feet or more; the prompt.
businesslike consideration accorded such
applications standing in marked contnst
with the slow methods once prevailing,
when all applications had to be made
through Washington.
During the year 1906 the sales of tim
ber from the National reserves were as
follows:
The largest sales so far made are 71.-
466.537 board feet from South Dakota:
68.255,916 from Wyoming, and 5,327,443 from
u can.
In sales of wood for fuel South Dakota
led with 29,814' cords; Arizona followed
wun lb,M9, and Colorado with 10,795.
The total number of cords sold was
74,130.
In sales of posts and poles Montana
led with 119,500, followed by Wyoming
with 30,750, and Colorado with 13,988. The
total number sold was 1S8.740.
The largest timber sales were made in
Wyoming, where they reached $143,894.81.
South Dakota sales ranked second in
value, amounting to $78,958,24. and Colo
rado's to $23,937.07. The total sales for
1905 reached $273,659.82.
Nor are the receipts from these sales
swallowed up by the cost of administra
tion. The entire property of the forest
reserves, worth $250,000,000 in cash, is now
being administered at a cost of less than
one-third of 1 per cent of its value, while
increase in that value of not less than
10 per cent a year is taking place. As
the use of the reserves Increases, 'the
cost of administration must, of course,
increase also, but receipts will certainly
Increase much more rapidly. The time Is
not far distant when the forest reserves
will become self-sustaining. Later, they
may confidently be expected to become a
source of public revenue.
BINDERS HUM IN PALDUSE
ANNUAL GRAIN HARVEST IS ON
AND EVERYBODY WORKS.
Yield Will Average 25 Bushels an
Acre Throughout the Big
Upland Wheat Belt,
GARFIELD, Wash., Aug. 6. (Special.)
Harvesting throughout the Palouse coun
try is progressing nicely. The weather Is
ideal for harvest, and farmers are work
ing early and late. Everybody who will
work is being pressed into the service.
Little boys and young men are receiving
wages paid in former years to old hands.
Men are scarce, and wages paid are from
$2 to $3.50 per day. Those who will not
work are not allowed to remain in town
unless they are able to put up at a ho
tel and have money to pay their way.
The city police keep their eyes open for
the hobo who usually appears at harvest
time, and if they refuse to work at good
wages, they must move on.
Thirteen threshing machines will be in
operation in this vicinity next week, and
the work of threshing out the golden
grain will not cease until every wheat
field has been completely finished. Tne
crop will be a good one, and a conserva
tive estimate puts it at 25 bushels on an
average per acre. Senator R. C. McCros
key, the wheat king, who has had eW;nc
binders in his 9u0-acre wheat fields the
past week, has finished cutting and shock
ing. Next week the grain will be threshed,
sacked and delivered to the warehouses
along the line of the O. R. & N. and the
Northern Pacific Railway.
Mr. McCroskey has 1200 acres Summer
fallowed, and as soon as this crop Is
housed the seeding campaign on this
Summer fallow for another big crop next
year will begin. From 900 acres Mr. Mc
Croskey will harvest this season not less
than 30.000 bushels of grain.
Hay is turning out well. Dullng A Bish
op will harvest from 200 acres of land 600
tons of splendid hay, or three tons per
acre. This firm has 100 acres of oats
near Garfield, from which It is expected
to harvest 10,000 bushels this season.
STEVENSON GROWS RAPIDLY
North-Bank Town Feels Impetus of
New Railroad.
STEVENSON, Wash., Aug. 5. (Special.)
Stevenson is steadily forging ahead, and
what a short time ago was a compara
tively unimportant landing on the Co
lumbia is now assuming the air of a pros
perous and growing county seat. Real
estate values have trebled during the last
six months, and are steadily advancing.
A building boom is now on, and work
men in all lines are receiving the highest
scale of wages, but the constant com
plaint of contractors is that skilled la
borers cannot be secured. The north
bank road is experiencing the same dif
ficulty In securing laborers to work on
the right of way, but construction work
in the vicinity of Stevenson Is progress
ing rapidly, and a large camp Is now lo
cated at the edge of town. The railroad
will appropriate one side of what has
hitherto been the principal business
street of Stevenson, and persons owning
buildings on the right of way have been
served with notice to remove them with
in 30 days. The building of the rail
road has driven business up the hill to
ward the Courthouse, and several fine
business structures have been erected In
what was formerly the residence dis
trict. The citizens of Stevenson are very op
timistic concerning the future of their
town, as they realize that the unex
celled water power of Rock Creek, and
the resource of the territory "tributary
to the town are sure to make this one
of the best cities on the north-bank road.
A commercial club has been Incorporated
with a paid-up stock that would put many
much larger cities to shame, and every
one expects Stevenson to be one of tha
progressive cities of the West.
FIGHT A DUEL TO DEATH
Merchant and Boy Enemy Die In
Street at Chadwick, Mo.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Aug. 5. In the
streets of Chadwick, a small town 30
miles south of Springfield, today, Charles
Freeman, a merchant, and Robert Keene,
18 years old, fought a duel to the death
with revolvers. Suit was recently brought
by Freeman against Keene, charging the
latter with assaulting his 15-year-old
daughter. Freeman was reported to have
threatened to shoot Keene on sight, and
both men went armed.
When they met on the street today the
two men immediately drew their revol
vers and began firing. Freeman was shot
twice, one bullet penetrating the fore
head and another entering the region of
the heart. Keene was shot three times.
one bullet striking him in the heart Both
men were dead when the spectators
reached them.
Freeman left a widow and several chil
dren. He was well-to-do. being the pro
prietor of stores at Chadwick and Garri
son, Mo. Keene was the son of Thomas
Keene, a wealthy farmer living near
Chadwick.