lO
THE 2IORNIXG OREGONIAN. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1906.
COUNCIL NAMES
HEW EXPERTS
Committee of Citizens Will
Have Charge of Examining
the City's Accounts.
ASKED BY AUDITOR DEVLIN
A. Ii. Mills, J. C. Ainsworth and
Robert Livingstone Are Asked
1 to Take Charge of the
Investigation.
Experts to be selected by a committee
of business men are to investigate the
records and business methods of the City
Auditor's and City Treasurer's depart
ments but the committee of councilmen
now going over the report of Clark & Bu
chanan Is to continue its work. This
latest phase of the controversy between
City Auditor Devlin and Mayor Lane de
veloped at the special meeting of the
Council held yesterday afternoon. A. L.
Mills, J. C. Ainsworth. and Robert Living
stone have been requested by the Council
to serve on the committee, and it Is un
derstood that they will accept.
While ostensibly to clean up accumu
lated routine business the special meet
ing of the Council was called yesterday
afternoon to play a part in the fight
between the two' city officials. It was
known that action would be taken to call
in outside experts and it was generally
believed that Councilmen Kellaher, Rush
light and Vaughn would be recalled from
the special committee appointed several
weeks ago. A hard contest was made to
unseat them.
Devlin Asks lor Committee.
As soon as the body convened yesterday
afternoon at about 2:30 o'clock. Auditor
Devlin read a communication from him
self in which he suggested to the Coun
cil that a committee of citizens be're
iie.ted to employ experts to examine the
records of his office. The communication
stated that he had placed with City
Treasurer Werlein a certitled check of
$1000 to meet the expenses of the investi
gation If the Council was not willing to
pay for the' same.
Councilman Wallace immediately made
a motion' that the suggestion of Auditor
Devlin be ' carried out ' and that Mr.
Mills, Mr. Ainsworth and Mr. Livingstone
be requested to perve on the committee.
Then the verbal lire-works began to play
and while they were not as spectacular
as promised they were very interesting
for a while. It seemed as though every
person in the Council Chamber had an
amendment .to the original motion and
two- hours were consumed voting down
amendments and' listening to speeches.
"It looks to me as though the Auditor
thinks that the special committee will not
give him a fair deal," said Mr. Rush
light whose feelings were hurt as he Is
one of the members of the committee.
"The only question involved is whether
the experts employed by the Mayor did
expert the books."
He offered an amendment to the motion
of Mr. Wallace to appoint three addi
tional members from the Council on the
special commttee instead of appointing
a committee of business men. Mr. Ben
nett led the forces which opposed Kel
laher, Rushlight and Vaughn.
Bennett Supports AYailace.
"I fail to see anything wrong in Mr.
Wallace's motion and believe it to be
fair in every respect," declared Mr. Ben
nett. "This matter has practically re
solved itself Into a dispute between the
Auditor and the Mayor. The books have
been experted after a fashion but not
the way they should be. Why the ex
perts didn't even count the cash and
securities on hand which I believe to be
one of the requisites of an expert ex
amination." "T don't consider the report of Clark
& Buchanan worth investigating," stated
Mr. Eclding. "I believe the records
phould be examined by disinterested
parties."
"I am pained to think that any member
of the Council believes that the members
of the special committee will not treat
the Auditor fairly," said Mr. Kellaher.
"t cannot see why It Is necessary to turn
down the committee."
The exchange of words waxed hot until
every Councilman had expressed his
opinion.
The report of the ways and means com
mittee which harshly critisised Clark &
Buchanan was threshed over. Mr. Ben
nett explained that the ways and means
committee obtained some information
relative, to the incomplete work of the
experts from Auditor Devlin who, he
said, did not prompt the information and
who acted as though he would rather
have had nothing to do with it.
Auditor Devlin himself upon request
took the floor and told what he knew.
He declared that Clark & Buchanan had
most carefully checked up the receipts
and disbursements in his department but
that they had not gone into the cash
account and the securities. He expressed
the opinion that it was only fair and
right to have experts, selected by a com
mittee of practical business men, go over
the records in his department and that
his only -wish in the matter was to show
to the public that everything was absolu
tely straight.
City Attorney McNary, In answer to an
inquiry, said that, whether or not the
report of the experts was a good one, the
city would have to pay the bill for their
services. Mr. Shepherd lined up with
the members of the special committee,
and said ho thought it unnecessary to
employ other experts.
Wallace's Motion Carries.
Mr. Shepherd made a motion to ap
point Messrs. Wallace, Bennett and
Masters on the special committee with
Kellaher. Rushlight and Vaughn, which
was promptly voted down. When the
original Wallace motion to appoint a
committee of citizens came up the vote
was: Yes Annand, Belding, Gray, Mas
ters, Preston, Sharkey, Wallace and
Wills. No Kellaher, Rushlight and
Shepherd. Absent Dunning, Menefee and
Vaughn.
Mr. Bennett then made a motion which
practically meant the discharge of the
special committee, and which carried with
it a vote of thanks. This greatly in
censed Messrs. Rushlight and Kellaher,
and City Attorney McNary was asked
whether the Council had the right to
discharge the committee when its labors
were not completed. He, replied in the
affirmative.
:'I would like to know, Mr. Bennett."
sarcastically Inquired Mr. Kellaher, "if
this Is the way Abe Ruef operates in San
Francisco. You appoint a committee one
minute and the next minute you want to
discharge it."
Six voted for and six against It. Mayor
Lane was called upon to cast the decid
ing ballot, and he voted to retain the spe
cial committee which he appointed. In
explaining his vote he said that, inasmuch
as the committee had been appointed and
had held several meetings, he could see no
reason why Its members should discon
tinue their work. The vote was: Ayes
Belding, Bennett, Masters, Preston, Shar
key and Wallace. Noes Annand, Gray,
Kellaher, Rushlight, Shepherd and Wills.
Mr. Masters made a motion that the
City Treasurer's department be exam
ined along with that of the Auditor,
which passed by a vote of 7 to 5, and the
discussion was over.
The committee of citizens, if the mem
bers all accept, will assemble immedi
ately and decide upon the expert or ex
perts to do the work. While Auditor
Devlin has put up a $1000 check to cover
the expenses, of the investigation, it is
generally understood that the Council
will stand for the expenses.
Auditor Devlin's Letter.
The communication from Auditor Dev
lin, which was submitted yesterday aft
ernoon, and which precipitated the action
of the Council In appointing a commit
tee of citizens, is as follows:
To the Honorable, the Council of the City of
Portland, Oregon.
Gentlemen: I have the honor to request
your honorable body to provide for the ap
pointing'of a competent expert or experts to
examine the accounts, records and methods
of keeping the'same in my office. In this con
nection I suggest that the utmost pains be
taken to secure a thoroughly Impartial and
competent party, and to that end I would
suggest that a committee of citizens be re
quested to employ such expert or experts. I
further beg to inform your honorable body that
I have placed in the liand of J. E. Werlein,
as custodian, a certified cheque for the sum
of $1000, to provide for the payment of the
cost of said expert work In the event that
your honorable body is not willing to pay
the same from the city's funds, or In the
event that the charges made by His Honor,
Mayor Lane, be sustained by the report of
said expert or experts. Respectfully.
THOMAS C. DEVLIN.
Auditor of the City of Portland.
WIRE ORDINANCE PASSED
Council Rejects Amendments Pro
posed on Behalf of Idnemen.
The overhead wire ordinance was
passed yesterday by the City Council,
as recommended by the ways and
means committee. F. S. Bennett, a
member of the committee, proved a
champion of the linemen and proposed
three amendments to it, all of which
were tabled. H'is amendments covered
three points for which the linemen
have been fighting tor ever since they
first presented their ordinance several
months ago. One was not to exempt
poles with' but two cross arms from
the four-foot spacing clause. Another
was to give the companies but a year
and a half to make changes, whereas
the ordinance provides lor two years,
and the last to provide that the super
intendent of the police and firm alarm
system or City Electrician see to it
that the ordinance is enforced.
When the measure was being argued
before the ways and means committee
representatives of the linemen and the
electric companies each submitted or
dinances. They failed to agree on im
portant provisions nd becoming tired
of their failure to come together the
members of the committee drafted an
ordinance to suit themselves and that
was the one which was passed yester
day. The vote was unanimous. Mene
fee, Dunning and Vaughn were absent.
Lobbyists will shortly be excluded
from the ground floor of the Council
chamber. A resolution signed 0by eight
members of the Council was submitted
yesterday, which permits only city offi
cials and representatives of the press
to be on the ground floor during the
meetings. It was referred to the judi
ciary committee. Of late the galleries
have been deserted, lobbyists, specta
tors and all others who attended the
meetings mingling with the Council
men. Oftentimes persons addressed the
Council without invitation and the dig
nity which is supposed to mark the
deliberations of the body was lost.
When the resolution goes into effect
any person who wishes to go -on the
ground floor or to make an address
can only do so with permission to be
obtained by a vote.
The Kxecutive Board was authorized
to advertise for bids for the erection
of an East Side barn for the street
cleaning department.
KLEEMAN GIVES FIGURES
Architect Submits Estimates on the
East Morrison Viaduct.
At the meeting of the East Side Im
provement Association last evening it was
announced that at least two propositions
would be submitted for filling up the
warehouse territory between Union ave
nue and the river and south of Belmont
street by a private dredge. It was expect
ed that the owner of a dredge would be
present last night, but he cent word that
he could not attend, but would be present
at the next meeting.
W. L. Boise also announced that other
parties were figuring on making the fill
by dredges, and some important develop
ments would be made in a few days.
Thomas Hislop, chairman of the com
mittee on replacing Madison-street bridge
with a modern steel structure, reported
that he had taken the matter up with City
Auditor Devlin, who had prepared the
form of a petition and ordinance. Both
petition and ordinance had been submitted
to City Attorney McNary for examination.
Mr. Hislop said the City Attorney had in
formed him that, in order to get the ques
tion of a new bridge before the voters
next June, the signatures of 15 per cent of
the legal voters were necessary, but they
could be taken anywhere, and not by
wards.
H. H. Newhall and W. L. Boise, com
mittee on East Side opera-house, reported
the general committee was visiting push
clubs and meeting with indorsement and
encouragement everywhere.
Architect Otto Kleeman submitted the
following figures of the cost of a viaduct
on East Morrison street between Grand
avenue and the first bridge span: Rein
forced concrete, per block, $21,060; steel,
$l'S,250. This would make the cost of rein
forced concrete viaduct a total of $105,255,
and for steel $141,250. It was decided to
take an entire evening in considering the
question after the first of the year.
FAN TAN GAME IS RAIDED
One Chinese Gambler Disappeared
Through Trapdoor With Evidence.
A raid made on a Chinese gambling
den at 84 Second street late yester
day afternon by Acting Detectives Hill
and Mallett revealed a new plan of
the wily Celestials to evade prosecution
and hide evidence of their gaming. As
the officers entered they saw one of
the gamblers disappear through a
trapdoor, taking with him a bag of
money and fan tan paraphernalia. Al
though they searched high and low
for the man, not a trace of him could
be found. They discovered that he had
made his way through a secret alley
way to the street, and that he had
removed most of the evidence of
gambling.
The raid resulted in seven arrests,
all Chinese found in the resort. They
were taken to police headquarters,
gave bail and were released. This is
the first raid made by the Chinatown
squad as at present constituted. Last
Saturday night Acting Detective Hill
was substituted for Acting Detective'
Kienlen, the latter being transferred
to the "moral squad."
Are unlike all other pills. No purging
or pain. Act specially on the liver and
bile. Carter's Little Liver Pills. One pill
a dose.
MAYOR
WHITES
OPEN LETTER
Reviews Controversy Over the
System of Accounting Used
by the City of Portland.
NOT MATTER OF POLITICS
Kenews Complaints of Lack of Sys
tem and Careful Scrutiny of the
City's Business Affairs, but Im
putes Dishonesty to 'o One.
Mayor Lane added a chapter to the
controversy he began over the keeping
of the city records. He reiterates his
charge that the present system is
loose and defective; declares that he
has not made the criticisms from per
sonal or political motives, and, further
more, alleges that the city's method
DEATH OF PROMINENT ODDFELLOW
at
'--Si'--. 3-3 "Vl-
fiffiapS -3."
BllpiJiirtifciHiiiiS
Lewis C. Parlser.
Oregon jurisdiction in 1S94, and Gra
term as Grand Master he visited
as an Oddfellow was an honorable
better beloved amongst his brethre
H. Parker, and a daughter, Lura
of friends to mourn his loss. The
nounced later.
of doing business is careless, with a
tendency to encourage dishonesty. His
open letter follows:
To the People ot Portland: Inasmuch as
an effort has been made to create an im
pression in the minds of the public that the
criticism of the city's records, which has
been indulged in by me, were aiot made
in good faith, but rather were impelled by
motives of either a personal or political na
ture, I have to say that what I have said
In respect to them more fully applies to
such records as they were made in the
past, for It is bu,t fair to state that dur
ing, say the past year, some considerable
improvement is to be noted in them, for
which credit Is dueand should be given.
At all times have I called attention to
this defect in the city's affairs, not to
one person alone, but to many. To the
City ..Auditor; to the City Council; to the
members of each and every board or com
mission, and to every committee of which
I am chairman; to the press of the city
and the people of the city through the
press, have I plainly set forth such defects
as I have seen them.
I have not done this, nor do I again
refer to it, to cast aspersion or bring dis
credit upon anyone; such is not my object,
and I hope that I may be given credence
when I say that my interest in the matter
is due to a desire to place the city's doc
umentary evidence of its expenditures in
a position which shall be as nearly impreg
nable as possible, with the additional mo
tive on my part as a public official to be
allowed to occupy a safe and tenable po
sition myself just that, and nothing more.
Not Matter of Politics.
It is not a matter of "politics," nor spite,
nor personal pride with me. It, in my opin
ion, is a matter of vital interest to the city,
and one which reaches deep down to the
very tap-root of the city's financial safety
and Integrity.
It is not a subject to be lightly set aside,
or attributed to petty motives, for it has
within its far reach and at its mercy the
good name of every employe of the city
from the hardest working "buncher" to the
highest paid city official. It brings either
good or evil to every home in the city. It
is a question which will not down until it
has been settled and settled right. Yet
withal it is simple, and to me the road
to pursue seems plain and may be trod
fearlessly In the sight of all men.
All that is necessary, all that I ask, or
have asked, is that the documents present
ed to me upon which to sign warrants upon
the City Treasurer in payment for such
claims shall plainly yet exactly state upon
their face a few facts for the guidance and
protection of the city and myself, viz.:
the name and official position of the person
who asked for the supplies; the name and
official position of the person who author
ized the purchase of such supplies; the ex
act purpose (as near as it can be stated)
for which such supplies were purchased;
what these supplies were and the quantity
purchased. Then I want a carbon copy
made and kept of that order or "requisi
tion," as It is called. After this, I want
written assurance across the face of the
bill, which the city has to pay, stating
that the supplies were actually received,
such assurance to be over the signature
of the person representing the city who
received them.
After this I want the voucher to give
a statement of the Items, which it is is
sued to pay for, and a further statement as
to the purpose for which such items were
purchased, and I want it to state the fund
upon which it is drawn and certified as to
its accuracy, and also to state the amount
for which it was drawn.
All of which are simple safeguards which
permit of an article being traced to its
destination and the responsibility fixed for
Its purchase.
The above necessary checks, it would seem
to me. the Auditor should insist upon be
fore he would coifsent to issue warrants
in payment for claims; yet at no time in
the past have such precautions been fully
taken. At present more care is being exer
cised. Has Not Alleged Dishonesty.
I have complained of a lack of system
and careful scrutiny of the city's business
affairs. I have not alleged dishonesty, but
I have said that the system of which I
speak tends to encourage dishonesty and be
speaks an amount of carelessness almost be
yond belief. - . .
As an example of such carelessness and
lack of attention to necessary details of
ordinary business precaution, take the fol
lowing instance:
Less than two weeks ago, or, to quote
his statement, "upon the 28th day of No
vember, 1906," the City Auditor "discov
ered" that supplies for the use of the Fire
Department were being purchased upon or
ders which had been "signed In blank"
in job lots, after which they were "filled
in" by another person than those author
ized to sign it.
This method, white convenient, is wrong,
and the Auditor did right to stop it. I
had ordered it discontinued last Summer
(as soon as I heard of it), but my order,
it seems, was not obeyed. On Investigation,.
I find that this custom in that depart
ment has been in continuous use for over
five years, and for all that length of tlms
it has openly been carried on In the office
of the City Auditor himself.
Orders Signed in Blank.
.1 find that the "signed in blank" orders
were actually kept on deposit In his office
until such time as they were "filled in"
and used. Also I find that when they were
so "filled in" as a rule such "filling in"
was done by a deputy auditor. All of
which, I think, proves my contention that
too little care has been exercised In the
past in such matters. For over five years
Mayors of this city have been unwittingly
signing warrants on the certification from
the City Auditor that he had examined
such claims and that they were regular,
when, as a matter of fact, they were being
irregularly made up in his own office in
the City Hall. . It seems a pity that he did
not by some accident stumble onto the
facts many years ago.
So far as I am concerned I shall repeat
what I have said before, that I am afraid
of this city's records, and shall decline
to be held responsible for the results of
a system of "auditing" which is as "loose"
as this seems to be.
As further confirmation of my asser
tion that the methodB in use by this city
were dangerous, there comes following right
upon the heels of the former discovery,
another one. also made by the City Auditor
within the past few days, which Is likely
to prove a death blow to the entire sys
tem. On looking through his files, the Auditor
finds that since August, 1903, a member of
the fire commission has been making sales
trf the city of supplies, which Is contrary
to the provisions of the city charter.
Fire Commissioner Involved.
On Inquiry, I am told that such supplies
have been purchased upon the orders men
tioned above, which were "signed in blank,"
and that they were "filled In" and the firm's
name of which such member of the fire
commission was a partner was also "writ
ten In" by a deputy auditor of this city..
Afterward these claims were sent up to
me, attested by the City Auditor as being
regular and lawful, and, accepting his cer-
One of the most prominent Odd
fellows in the state, Lewis C.
Parker, died yesterday, December
31, of typhoid fever, at his home,
620 Northrup street, in this city,
after an illness of three weeks.
Mr. Parker was born at Akron,
Ohio, August 18, 1S48, and came to
Oregon in 18S8, locating at 3allas,
where he owned a fine fruit
farm. He moved to Portland a few
years ago, and had recently been
employed as an engineer at Linn
ton. His career In Odd-fellowship is
briefly as follows: Initiated March
17, 1870, In Summit Lodge, No 50,
of Akron, Ohio; became a charter
member of Nemo Lodge, No. 746,
of the same city, in 1886, and join
ed Friendship Lodge, No. 6, of
Dallas, Or., in 1889; joined Akron
Encampment, No. 18, in February,
1875, and was transferred from
there to the Encampment at
Dallas, Or. He was Grand Patri
arch of Ohio n 1SS5, and in 1887
was elected Grand Representative
to the Sovereign Grand Lodge. He
was elected Grand Master of the
nd Representative in 1S96. During his
ver 100 lodges in this state. His career
one, and no member in the state was
n. He leaves a widow, one son, Karl
V. Parker, as well as a large circle
funeral arrangements will be an-
tification (as I must do in almost every
case), I have gone along signing such claims'
in ignorance of the fact that such claims
were unlawful, or of the further fact that
his department was giving its clerical aid
in making up such unlawful claims against
the city.
Upon such showing as this, which comes
from the Auditor himself, I do not see how
he or anyone else can question the wisdom
of making the changes I am asking for.
It will inure to his benefit as well as to
the city's and mine. In all the transac
tions which I have mentioned I make no
charge of fraud, for I have reason to be
lieve that they were more due to careless
ness than anything else, but just the same,
any method -of keeping the city's affairs
which permits such errors to exist year
after year, in my opinion, is dangerous.
City's Claim Compromised.
As an example. of the lack of care which
is extended over the affairs of the city in
a more general way, I wish to call atten
tion to a report which lies before me as
I write, which was adopted by the City
Council at Its last meeting. This report,
which has been submitted to me for ap
proval, agrees upon the part of the city
to accept $345.50 in payment for a claim
of $ 772.83 due for street assessment in
curred in 1891; at the same time binding
the city to pay out $427.33 due, for interest
upon such claim.
In what I say here I am making no ques
tion of the justice of the 'proceeding
(though upon the face of It I confess that
I find no profit to the city); it may be
all right, and it may not; but whether it
is ail right or in part wrong, or all wrong,
the documents presented to me nowhere
give any reason why the city should pay
out $427.30 to get back $345.50, or, in fact,
why the city should not collect the full
$772.83. Neither the City Council nor the
Council's standing committee offer a word
of explanation of the proceeding, neither
does any opinion from the City Attorney ap
pear stating it to be the proper step to
take. It is but a sample of the documents
which I have said are "loose at both ends
and defective in the middle" for want of
proper certification, yet coming to me in
a mass of other city documents I might
easily have signed it, not suspecting but
what it had been so examined and cer
tified. Open Highway to Public Money.
The road which lads to the people's
money is an open highway to the wary.
No barbed wire "trccha." guards it at any
crossing. Not many persons lie awake at
night trying to devise schemes to safe
guard it. Many troubles and much care
beset the fatuous person who sets out on
such a mission. The eagles who feed upon
it have sharp beaks to tear, and strong,
flapping wings to confuse the person who
tries to beat them off their prey.
HARRY LANE, Mayor.
TABOO ON CEMENT BRICK
Building Inspector Refuses to Allow
Use of New Material.
At the Instance of Building Inspector
Spencer, the police served notice yester
day that work would have to stop on a
building now under construction for C.
W. Strahlman, at Sellwood. It is located
at East Thirteenth street and Spokane
avenue, and is planned to be two stories
In height. The Building Inspector objects
to the kind of brick that is being used.
Notice that the work must stop was given
by Patrolman Hirsch.
The material used in the building to
which objection is made is cement brick.
It is the first structure to be erected of
this material in the city, and the Building
Inspector takes the ground that as there
Is no provision for its use In the building
ordinance he has no right to authorize
the erection of any building composed of
it. Cement brick, he holds, a satisfac
tory building material if properly made,
but- until he can govern its composition
under the provisions of an ordinance he
will not allow it to enter into the con
struction of any Duilding.
A plant for the manufacture of cement
was recently established on the East Side.
Its first run was last month, and It Is
from this that the Sellwood building: Is
being erected. Its owners claim that their
brick is first class and that they are being
done an injustice. They have had several
stormy interviews on the subject with Mr.
Spencer, but the latter is firm in his stand
and declares that he will not allow the
brick to be used until it is authorized un
der the provisions of the building ordinance.
L
MYERS
WOULD
ACTAS REFORMERS
Members of the Bar Propose
x New Statutes for Passage
by the Legislature.
DIVORCE FEES TOO HIGH
Assessment of Railroads, Combina
tions to Harass Persons or Firms,
Issuance of Notarial Commis
sions Are TTp for Discussion.
Members of the local bar are prepar
ing measures to be Introduced at the
next meeting of the Legislature. Sev
eral of these proposed laws were dis
cussed at last night's. meeting of the
Multnomah Bar Association held at the
Courthouse, and while action on the
measures was postponed until the next
meeting of the society, it was declared
that many new statutes may be made
through the action of the members of
the local bar.
The valuation of railroads,' combina
tions of persons and firms to harass
others, the value now placed upon one
killed in a manner not affected by the
criminal code, the court's fees in di
vorce proceedings brought in this coun
ty, the issuing of notary public com
missions, the liability act, the fee re
quired for securing of a jury in a civil
action and many other laws are to be
reformed if the measures proposed by
Portland attorneys are passed by the
solons.
At last night's meeting of the Bar
Association, which was presided over
by Vice-President Judge A. T. Lewis,
after the routine business was trans
acted, the matter of proposed legis
lation was taken up. The legislative
committee of the society was not ready
to report, but W. R. McGarry intro
duced four proposed laws that will no
doubt be acted upon soon. Two of
these deal with questions of practice,
while the others attack the assessed
valuation placed upon railways by their
officials, and combinations of persons
and corporations to choke competition.
Assessment of Railroads.
Mr. McGarry's proposed law to force
the railroads to give the true valua
tion of the road to the various County
Assessors follows:
That in placing: a valuation upon the tax
able property of railway corporations doing
bueinees in the various counties of this state,
the amount at which such railway shall be
capitalized and bonded per mile shall be taken
and deemed by the Assessors of said countries
as prima facie evidence , of such valuation;
and that whenever such railway corporation
shall deem Itself aggrieved by such valuation,
it may, by filing -satisfactory evidence with
such Assessor or Assessors, obtain a reduction
upon such assessment correponding to the
actual valuation of such property. All acts
and parts of acts contravening this act are
hereby repealed.
"If this law is enacted it will catch
the roads both goin' and comin'," Baid
the father of the proposed measure.
"Nearly every railway in this Nation
is capitalized at several times its value,
and so if this capitalization is taken
as a basis of the assesor' report, the
counties- will be getting something out
of the gaint corporations as well as
the multi-millionaire owner of the sys
tem. If the officials of the road swear
that the line is not worth what its cap
ital stock declares it to be, then watch
the stocks of that corporation tumble
in Wall street."
To Prevent Combinations.
An act to protect persons in their
trade, occupation and calling, follows:
Sec. 1. That if two or more persons,
firms or corporations shall intentionally
combine, conspire or agree together, by
any act, device or means to injure another
in his person, occupation or property or to
oppress, harass or annoy such person in
any lawful pursuit, or who shall knowingly
co-operate with another to deprive any per
son, firm or corporation of a fair and equal
opportunity to prosecute their trade, call
ing or profession within the state, such
person or persons shall be guilty of & felony,
and on conviction thereof may be punished
by imprisonment in the state penitentiary
for a period not exceeding five years.
Sec. 2. That any person, firm or corpora
tion engaged in the business of a common
carrier, or in the distribution of commodi
ties, who shall be guilty of any of the acts
specified in the next preceding section of this
act shall forfeit the right to maintain any
action, suit or proceeding in the courts of
this state for the enforcement of any debt
or obligation directly or Indirectly growing
out of any such transaction; and shall in
addition be liable to the person aggrieved
for all consequential damages, which may
arise in consequence of such acts.
Sec. 3. That if any person or persons shall,
by threats. Intimidations or otherwise, and
without authority of law, interfere with or
in any way molest or disturb, without such
authority, any mechanic or other laborer,
In the quiet and peaceable pursuit of his
lawful avocation, such person or persons
shall be deemed guilty of a -misdemeanor,
and on conviction by a court of competent
jurisdiction, shall be severally punished by
fine of not less than $10 nor more than $100.
or by imprisonment in the County Jail
where the offense Shalt have been com
mitted, not less than one month nor more
than one year, or by both fine and Imprison
ment, in the discretion of the court; but it
such punishment be by fine, the offender
shall be Imprisoned in such Jail until the
eame be paid, not exceeding ninety days.
Capital Driven Away.
Speaking in favor of this measure,
Mr. McGarry stated:
"There exists in this city a combina
tion of interests that has driven away
from Portland and from Oregon a large
number of persons and millions of dol
lars in capital that would have been
invested here had it nqt been for the
agreement of the others to hang to
gether and push away anything like
competition. During the past three
months a great deal of trade that
rightfully belonged to the commerce
of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers
has been forced away from here by a
combination of interests. This propos
ed law, if enacted, wilt strike down the
attempts of middlemen! to keep up a
corner on some article by refusing to
unload cars that are here with this
commodity."
W. M. Davis declared that an act will
be, framed and presented at the next
Legislature asking that the law be re
pealed that fixes $5000 as the highest
sum which the heirs of a deceased can
sue for for damages. Mr. Davis stated
that it was the opinion of many attor
neys here that there should be no fixed
sum, owing to the fact that some men
are -more valuable than others, illus
trating: this remark by saying that one
who was making $5 a day was no doubt
a more valuable man to his family than
a rruin who was only getting $1 a day,
but that no life was worth less than
$5000.
Fees in Divorce Suits..
The $20 fee required to be deposited
in this county for the filing of papers
In an action for a divorce will be at
tacked in the form of a measure reduc
ing the requirement to $10. Mr. Davis
Willamette Valley
From Portland to the mouth of the
"Willamette River it is 12 miles. From
Portland to Divide it is 1 -49 miles. This
great valley is 161 miles long and from
20 to 60 miles wide. The Willamette
River runs through the entire length
of it. It is navigable to Eugene, 123
miles from Portland, part of the year.
At a relatively small cost it could be
made navigable all of the year. The
Southern Pacific Railroad "permeates
every part of it. Five crops of alfalfa
were produced near Corvallis this
year. Five millions of people are
wanted to populate it. Advertise the
fact to your friends in the East by a
subscription to Oregon's peerless
newspaper The Oregonian Daily,
Sunday or Weekly. Order now at the
Business Office, through your local
agent or by mail.
MOST PRECIOUS JEWEL IN THE WORLD
A precious" gift to your friend. The recipient knows that the heart goes
with this token of affection. We have a very large stock of these rare
stones bought before the producers increased the prices and we
KNOW that buyers can be suited here.
A Word to the Public:
Every year this thoroughly equipped and largely stocked jewelry estab
lishment experiences a tremendous rush of business just before the
world's great jubilee day. OfVen this taxes our capacity, elaborate as it
is, and THIS year we have been wondering if our friends would not in
dulge us a little by making early purchases, especially of articles requir
ing engraving. Our manufacturing and engraving departments are most
complete,' and so many know this that our workmen are required to labor
long after hours for days and days before Christmas, but if our good
friends would just come in now, make their selections and leave them
with us, we KNOW we could render them so much better service that
they would be glad they followed our advice.
WE HAVE A FINELY APPOINTED OPTICA!, DEPARTMEXT ALSO.
Inquiries and orders by mail carefully attended to.
THE G. HEITKEMPER CO.
JEWELERS, DIAMOND DEALERS & SILVERSMITHS
286 Morrison Street
"The Lowest-Priced Jewelry House for Fine Goods."
declared that while a corporation
might sue for a million dollars, it will
only have to pay a fee of $10 to file
its complaint, whereas a poor woman
has to deposit twice this sum, $20, in
order to sue for a divorce from a
worthless husband.
"We will also propose a measure
tending to stop the issuing of notary
public commissions to every Tom, Dick
and Harry," said Mr. Davis. "I am in
favor of a law that wll only permit
ARCTIC
270 WASHINGTON STREET
J Our furs are now at the zenith of
their popularity.
(ff They are unrivaled in Quality,
Style and Price.
ff We have fur scarfs at $5, $7.50,
$10, $15, $20, $25 and at all intermedi
ate prices up to $125.
CJ Muffs to match at correspondingly
low prices.
WRITE IF YOU
If you want the very same treatment
that the most successful druggist would
take or give to a member of his family
suffering with your ailment ask for the
particular A. D. S. prescription you re
quire. There is one for each common ailment.
All A. D. S. remedies are owned and
guaranteed by an association of 3000
qualified druggists. They are owned by
this association of chemists and are also
guaranteed by the local druggists whose
names appear below who sell them.
Ask for information; it is valuable to
you.
The following local druggists are mem
bers of the American Druggists Syndi
cate and handle these goods:
A. W. Allen, 241 North Sixteenth
street; Arleta Pharmacy. Arleta;
E. W. Ball. 355 Seventh street;
Blumauer Frank Drug Co., 144-146
Fourth street; The Brooke Drug Co.,
67 Third street North; Brooklyn Phar
macy, 579 Milwaukie street; W. C.
Cable, 255 Holladay avenue; The Dun
TO
the issuing of these commissions to
attorneys."
It is expected that at the next meet
ing of the Association, which will bo
held Thursday night, Dec. 27, the texts
of all the new measures proposed by
the members of the local bar will be
presented.
R. C. Wright. W. H. Fowler, L. W.
Darling. C. A. Beit and Harry Yanck
wich were elected to membership in
the Association last night.
FUR CO,
CANNOT CALL
can Drug Co., Marguerite and Haw
thorne avenues; Eyssells Pharmacy, 227
Morrison street; G. H. Hemstock. Uni
versity Park; The Jancke Drug Co.,
280 Grand avenue: B. F. Jones Co.,
Front street, corner Gibbs; Knight
Drug Co., 307 Washington street; H.
W. Little. 692 East Morrison street; W.
S. Love, 393 East Burnside street; Mo
Common's1 Pharmacy, 594 Washington
street; Woodlawn Drug Co. (McGilliv
ray Bros., Props.), 459 Durham avenue
(Woodlawn); Murphy Bros., 320 Will
iams avenue; R. Neubaucr. Union and
Failing streets; R. A. Preston & Co.,
755 Savier street; Redd & Bates, 494
Washington street; J. M. Riccn, 315
First street; H. P. Rinker, S30 Belmont
street; J. H. Ruperts, 460 Jefferson
street; Simmons & Heppncr, 113 Russell
street; University Drug Co., University
Park; H. W. Viets, 420 Washington
street; Washington Pharmacy, Fif
teenth and Glisan streets; Watts &
Matthieu Co., 275 Russell street; J. B.
Williams, 579 Milwaukie street; J. E.
Worth, 999 Belmont street; Edgar
Stipes, 227 Morrison street