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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1906)
4 THE MORNING OKEGONIAN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1906. PREPARED TO DIG CANAL RAPIDLY Commission Announces Com pletion of Preliminary Work. YELLOW FEVER IS EXTINCT Peath Kale of Negroes Higher Than of Whites Railroad Is Double tracked, Harbors Deepened and Machinery Installed. "WASHINGTON, Dec. 1!. Tho annual report of the Isthmian Canal Commission, tent to Congress today, records the com jiletion of the preparatory work on the -anal and tne Deginntng of construction. Chairman I. P. Shonts, in opening the report, states the problem and the char acter of its solution thus: iJurliiff the year the first atago of canal work, that of preparation, has virtually lieen parked, and the Commission finds itself In position to enter upon the second stage, that of actual construction of a lock canal Bt an elevation of Ho feet, authorized by Congress In June last. Of these two stupes, the first was at once the more difficult and the mure im portant, it not done thoroughly and in telligently in every part the actual work of construction ouhl be handicapped from the start. It was necessary, as in the launchfns of any Ktoal enterprise, to create an organization with which to work. i t was necessary also to make the Isthmus, by thorough sanitation, a healthful place in which to work ; to provide suitable quar ters and fond for employes; to construct proper terminal yards and railway tracks and intermediate ardn for the handling of the vast quantities of materials and sup lilies; to install a system of railway tracks through the cuts; to put the various levels in the cut in proper condition for the in stallation and operation of the maximum number of steam shovels; to purchase and assemble the plant for constructing tho canal; to work out all engineering problems; to perfect a government and create a sys tem of account ft, and to formulate a preliin Innry plan fr carrying forward the work in ach department. Senate Said "Well Done." Kmphatic testimony to the thoroughness n iih which the pi eliininary work has been dnne was borne by the Senate committee on Interoceanic canals in its majority report, made to the Jjetialc on May 17, lilOti, after an investigation which emended over a per iod of six months. Yellow Fever Extirpated. The work of sanitation throughout the canal zone has been continued with great energy during the ear. The most serious problem that confronted the health depart ment when it was organized two years ago was the elimination of yellow fever. This obstacle has been completely removed. Al though there has never been so large a number of non-immunes on the isthmus as during the past year, there has not been, a single well-authenticated case of yellow lever during thut period. The Isthmus is now completely free of this disease, an achievement which demon strates the high efficiency of the health de partment. In combating other diseases the department has been scarcely less success ful. Tho average dally sick rate among em ployes of tho Commission during the ten months from January 1, 1906, to October :tt, 1006. was lis per 1000. which is no higher than might be expected in an equal body of laborers engaged in construction work in any part of the world. During the same period the death rate among the whites was about 3 7 Vsi per inoo, and among the blacks nearly 53 per 1000. Houses, Food, Amusement. Great progress has been made In provid ing for the welfare and comfort of tiie em ployes. The commission now has sufficient buildings to provide quarters for all its bachelor employes. These . buildings are screened, and provided almost universally with running water and with modern plumb ing, and are comfortably furnished. In ad dition, aC5 separate houses and l.'i larger buildings have been constructed for mar ried quarters, providing accommodations for :t7r families. There are still many mar ried men. however, for whom no quarters are available, but upon the completion of the houses now authorized these will be pro vided for. There are now approximately 1U00 American women and children ou the istnmus. Fourteen "hotels and messhousea nave been established along the line of the canal. The result of the messhouses has been generally satisfactory. At the end of the fiscal year a total 1 net gain for the entire period of operation of over $3000 was shown. It is not intended to make any profit whatever, but that every cent taken in hall be given back to the employes in the form of the best food that it is possible to obtain for the money or in reduction of price to em ployes. For the amusement and recreation of canal employes,, a building has been set aside as a clubhouse at Cristobal, and lour clubhouses are being built at other points. The commission, working hi conjunction with the Young Men's Christian Association, wiu manage these and other similar build ings in the chief labor centers. Authority lias been given by tne commission for the construction of buildings to 'accommodate properly those who wish to attend religious services, to be available for all denomina tions, and creeds, the upper floors to be fitted up as lodge rooms, and the lirst floors to be need for religious services. Employes About J 7,000. The force employed on the Isthmus on November 1, lOOti, was as follows: In November, 1903, 'the commission's em ployes numbered approximately 17,000, and In November, 1906, the number was practi cally the eame. Of these 12,612 were under the department of construction and engi neering; 1129 under the division of material and supplies; 2291 under the department of government and sanitation, and 137 in the auditing and disbursing offices. Of the 17,000 men, about 1 ,"700 were on the gold rolls, virtually all white Americans, and 13, MOO on the Bilvor rolls, mainly aliens. This number does not include 4000 people employed on the Panama Halt road. The above number .does not Include a large number of men especially West In dian laborers who are not continually em ployed by tho commission, but who pos sibly work a few month's each year. Includ ing these men. there' are in round numbers 2."t. 000 men under tne direct jurisdiction of the Isthmtnn Canal Commission and Panama Kali road Company. , The report reiterates the former un favorable opinion of "West '"Indian ne proes as laborers. Jt says they lack both vitality and the disposition to work, and do so only until their actual necessities are supplied. Many of thein settle in the jungle; build little .shacks. raise' enough to keep them alive, and only work a day or two occasionally.. By removing from the Commission's quarters, they make eontrol difficult. Nor can . they be in duced to take enough nourishment to sustain strength for labor. The report continues: The most serious question in regard to this class of laborers is that of feeding them, ordinary methods having failed to in duce them to take sufficient nourishment to give tnem the physical strength neces sary to enable' them to work efficiently. The experiment with laborers from North ern Spain has proved very satisfactory. Their efficiency Is not only more than double that of the negroes, but tey stand the climate much better. Since January there have been about 90ft of these at virk on .tho canal, and of this number not oi has died from disease. They have malaria In about eame degree as the white Americans, but not at all to the extent that the negroes have it, and there has not been a sing; case of yellow fever among them. Their general condition is about as good as It was In their tiomes in Spain, and they stand the climate very much better than the negroes. The chief engineer la convinced by this experi ment that "any white man. so-called, under the same conditions, will stand the climate on the isthmus very mucii better than the blacks, who are supposed to be immune from practically everything, but who, as a mat ter of fact, are subject to almost every thing." The capacity of the Commission's steamers has been taxed by the stream of new appointees coming and old ones going home- on leave. Of engineering and construction the report says: Excavation in Culebra Cut. .The engineering work of the year has been almost entirely preparatory. Owing to the delay in the decision aa to the type of canal It was Impracticable to locate perma nent and well-arranged dumping grounds for the disposal of waste material. The general plan of the work which has been done In the Culebra cut has been in putting the various levels In proper condition for the installa tion of the maximum number of stcamshov cls, and the construction of a system of railways on each level and a doublo track at the bottom, "connecting with yards estab lished along the line of the Panama Rail road. While no special effort has been made to get out yardage, yet during the fiscal year the amount of material excavated from the canal prism was 1,500,000 cubic yards, as against 742,000 cubic yards the previous fiscal year. Notwithstanding the rainy season, which extends from the end of April to the end of December, there was during the month of August, 1906, a total excavation In the Cule bra cut of 244,844 cubic yards, which was the largest amount taken out up to that time during any one month since the canal has been under American control. In Sep tember, 1006. the total excavation was 291, 4."rt) cubic yards, and in October 1900, it was 326,000 cubic yards. A large amount of the material taken from the cut has been used for nillng for the double-tracking of the Panama Railroad. At the close of the fiscal year, which was practically the date of the decision as to the type of canal, the conditions in Culebra cut regarding the In-j stallation of shovels and consequent large increase in the output, were generally satis factory. At the beginning of the fiscal year there were 10 shovels erected and ready for work. There was available In September. 1906, a total force of 46 steam shovels, of which 27 were at work in the canal prism, two outside the prism, -four on the Panama Railroad, and the rest set up and ready for work in various places. The main receiving and forwarding yards, one on each side of the cut, which are to act as clearing-houses for the dirt trains moving down from the various levels of the cut to the yards, there to be switched and forwarded over the main line of the Panama Railroad for final, disposition, are practi cally completed at Pedro Miguel on the Pa cHte side and l-as Casca'das on the Atlantic side. Improvement of Terminals. In improving and enlarging its terminal facilities the commission has pursued the polu-y of expending upon such facilities sit uated within the Republic of Panama oniy such sums as arc sufficient to keep them in a proper slate of repair, and of locating all necessary additions within the Canal Zone. Two large wharves have been com pleted at Cristobal, each capable of accom modating at the same time two ships of the largest draft. One of these has been roofed over, and both are equipped with the most modern appliances. A modern coal-hoiMlng plant ha been established which will reduce the cost of handling coal from 2:1 to cents per ton, and will make it possible to discharge coal vessels approximately every live days. The harbor has been dredged so t hat the largest fhlns can use the new wharves, and in future all the steamers of the Panama (hie will dock there. Tho term inal railway yards at Cristobal are fin ished and in operation, and they would be a credit to any railway in the United States. The I.a Boca yard is advancing rapidly, and Is about 73 per cent finished, as is also the double track addition to the steel pier at that point. The new wharf at I -a Boca is completed, and is connected with the old steel wharf, thereby providing berths for three additional ships. Panama Made Over Again. The water system of Panama is complete, with the exception of the house connec tions, of which the larger part have been made, and the remainder are being made rapidly. Fire hydrants and cranes for the use of water curts have also been placed. The sewerage system of the City of Panama is virtually computed. All the principal streets have been thoroughly paved with the best variety of paving brick, laid on con crete foundations. Other streets, most of which are short and unimportant, are to be macadamized, and this work has already begun, it is believed that the City of Pan ama is today the best paved, the best wat ered and the best sewered city in Central America, or in the- northern half of South America. Colon and Cristobal now have an abun dant supply of pure and wholesome water, drawn from a receiving reservoir two miles back from Mount Hope, and which has a capacity of about 50S.OhO.000 gallons. With in both placet a system of mains has been designed and approved and is being laid as vapidly as possible. All houses In Cristo bal occupied by whites have been connected with this system. All other houses, as fast as they are completed, are being- connected. A complete sewer system has been ap proved for Colon and work for its instal lation has been begun. Front street, the main thoroughfare of the city, has been paved with vitrified brick; other streets are being raised and their surfaces covered with crushed rock. Panama Kaiiroad Improved. Great progrcFS has been made during the year in enlarging and improving the facili ties of the Panama Railroad so as to en able It to perform adequately its double functions of handling general commercial business and at the same time serving as the essential instrument in the construction of the canal. Evidence of the Improved ef ficiency of the road and its terminals is afforded in the fact that during the last eight months of the present year the steam ers of the Panama Railroad Company oper ated out of New York with sailings every five days have been promptly discharged and loaded at Colon, and the schedule has been properly maintained. The service has continued to improve to such an extent that on November 9, 1906, a new schedule cutting off one day from the layover at each end of the route was put into effect. There has been no conges tion of freight on tho isthmus since the mid dle of December, 1903. Tho reconstruction of old tracks and the laying of new ones, and the double-tracking of the Panama Railroad for nearly its entire length, has been pressed forward with all possible energy. Of the 35 miles of ad ditional track contemplated about 20 miles have been completed and are ready for use, and the remaining J 5 miles are about 75 per cent completed. The probability is that sections of the road will require three or four tracks. The new railway equipment, ordered In 1903, has in large measure been delivered on the isthmus. Purchase of Supplies. The practice established in the Spring of 1905 of calling for bids on material and sup plies on tho basis of the price covering de livery on the isthmus has been continued, which gives each section of the country equal opportunity for bidding on the ma terials needed, so that the manufacturers, railroads and steamship lines in each sec tion and through each port may figure on the business on a combination of prices and rates. The general purchasing officer is located at Washington, with assistant pur chasing and shipping agents at New York, New Orleans, San Francisco and Tacoma, The total amount of purchases made for the year ended June SO, 1906, was $8,743,482.05. The work of the division of material and supplies on -the isthmus has been reorgan ized and new and modern methods of hand ling material have been installed. One general storehouse has been established at Mount Hope, near the Atlantic entrance to the canal, which'is the general supply depot for the entire work on the isthmus. This consolidation of stock at the general store house has made possible a reduction in the quantity of stock carried and has also ef fected a large saving on payrolls. The total stock of materials and supplies on hand June 30, 1906, in charge of the division of material and supplies, which have been purchased since the United States took charge of the work on the isthmus, amounted to approximately $1,400,000. Funds are now obtained by shipment of United States money direct from New York, which effected a saving of $19,815.39 between May and October as compared with the old system of paying a premium to Panamanian bankers. The report con tinues. Dams and Locks Located. Since the decision by Congress, In June last, decreeing the. construction of a lock canal at an elevation of So feet, the Com mission has fixed definitely the location, on the Atlantic side, of three sets of locks and a grat dam at Gatun, and, on the Pacific side, of one set of locks at Pedro Miguel and two sets at La Boca and two dams in the vicinity of Ia Boca, a large one between Sosa High and Coroxal, and a smaller one between Sosa High and San Juan Hill. The report recapitulates the plans for the employment of Chinese labor and the construction of the canal, which have been published from time to time. The report of Chief Engineer John F. Stevens mainly deals with details of sub jects discussed in the Commission's re port. He conveys an idea of the difficul ties of work on the isthmus in the fol lowing paragraph relating to topo graphical surveys along the Chagrea River: Surveying in tlie Jungle. In considering the extent of the territory covered it should be borne in' mind that every foot of every line run has been cut but through a dense tropical jungle, and during the rainy season, which continues during the greater part of the year, these surveyors are working in water from ankle to waist deep and are subsisted and quar tered in. temporary camps. Undoubtedly the engineers and their assistants employed on this particular work are laboring under more adverse and uncomfortable conditions than any other class of employes on the isthmus, and much credit is due to them for the splendid progress in the work they have made. Of the work in the Culebra cut he says: "During the year the amount of mate rial excavated from the canal prism was 1.500,000 cubic yards, at 79.5 cents per cubic yard, as against 742,000 cubic yards, at a cost of 58.6 cents per cubic yard the previous yeaf .' ' He explains the increased cost to the fact that in the previous year 60 per cent of the output was taken out in the dry season, when there was only 7.8 inches of rain, while in the 1906 dry season there was 18.4 inches of rain and only 54 per cent of the output was taken out; also in li06, 49 per cent of the material was drilled and blasted, while in 1905 the pro portion was only 13 per cent; also the men worked only eight instead of ten hours a day, and wages have been in creased 25 to 50 per cent. He continues: With the completion of the double track of the Panama Railroad, which is now well along, so that our trains will not be de layed in getting over the road to the dump ing grounds, the cost of transportation can be reduced at least 50 uer cent, and the transportation proposition, including the dumping of the material, is the greatest problem . connected with the . excavation of the Culebra cut. Water Supply of Colon. Regarding the water supply of Colon, which Has been the subject of some crit icism, Mr. Stevens says: At no time during the past year has Colon or Cristobal suffered from a lack of water supply; at the height of what was called the water famine there was dally more water In Colon per inhabitant than was ever known there at any previous time. And the charge which has been publicly made that salt water was pumped through the water muins to Colon, for supplying the inhabitants of this place with water for domestic purposes, is absolutely and unqual ifiedly false. The only salt or other brack ish water which was pumped at all was through the old French main leading to tho baths and water closets at Cristobal. The drinking and cooking supply was obtained and always available from rainwater tanks and water hauled in by the Panama Rail road. In fact, no possible physical connec tion existed, or ever did exist, whereby salt water could be handled by any pumps, or through any mains, into the City of Colon, and the statement that such salt water was pumped was a lie, direct and simple. Beats Oregon in Rainfall. Panama can beat Oregon in rainfall. Mr. Stevens gives the total for the year at different stations, ranging from 60.64 at La Boca to 104.17 at Cristobal. The maximum temperature at Naos Island was 97 degrees, the minimum 67 degrees, the mean 84.4 degrees, and the mean hu midity 87.3 degrees. Of the supply of skilled .labor he says: Skilled labor has been recruited through recruiting agencies which have been estab lished In the United States. Men are being furnished in most cases in fairly satisfactory numbers, and an improvement in the grade of these men Is steadily observed. An in creased wage rate for all- classes of me chanics became necessary and was author ized in December, 1905, but even our scale of wages Is not, In some Instances, any higher than that prevailing in the United States, which makes it difficult to supply men of certain classes as rapidly as needed. MINERS WANT INSPECTOR AVill Ask Legislature to Create Mew State Office. A stale mining inspector in Oregon is proposed by the Bourne Miners' Union, of Bourne, Baker County, which has tent a circular letter to members of the Oregon legislature, urging creation of puch an ofllce. The union wants also enactment of an eight-hour law and laws to compel employers of miners to pay employes within 24 hours after quitting their em ploy and to prevent employers from coercing employes Into buying provisions or boarding at any particular place. Dan Evens, secretary of the union, writes to Representative Beveridge, of Multnomah County: "We believe these proposed laws will be very beneficial to every laboring man, every business man and every good citizen in the State of Oregon." The duties of the Inspector would be to inspect mines so as to correct their ventilation and unnecessary dangers, to make rules for safe working of mines and to prosecute violators of the rule?. The miners wish to select the inspector, in stead of having him pirked out by the Governor, their reason being that they want' in the office a practical and well qualifled miner, selected In competitive examination. "The examination should cover all the underground work especially," says the circular letter, "but need not require technical knowledge. Bribery or graft should be punished by immediate dis missal and prosecution. The length of the term of office should not be longer than two years unless reappointed at the request of the miners." The miners suggest that "if any cor poration or other employer fails to pay an employe within 2 hours after quitting employment, the wages must be paid for every day that the employe waits for payment-" Sellwood Board of Trade. Sellwood Board of Trade received encouraging reports from street work and committee on improved car ser vice last night. It was announced that East Eleventh street will be improved with crushed rock. The Port land Railway Company promised to take up tho matter of improved car ser vice as soon as the strike is out of the way. Progress was reported on the Se'I wood Bank. Assurances were given t.iat the concern would certainly open for bust ness in a short time and have permanent quarters on Umatilla avenue and East Thirteenth street as soon as a brick build ing can be put up on that corner. There tv as a large attendance. D. M. Donausn presided. Accused by License Inspector. Upon complaint of License Inspector Hutchinson, warrants for the arrest of Adolph Wolfe and Isaac N. Lipman. of the firm of Lipman. olfe & Co., were issued from the Municipal Court yester day afternoon on charges of selling liquor without a license. The warrants were placed in the hands of Patrolman Barter for service, and he took Mr. Wolfe to po lice headquarters, where bail in the sum of t'200 was deposited for his appearance in court this morning. It is charged by the inspectors that Henry Barnhart pur chased a quart bottle of whisky from the store yesterday. 5c Kach Original Photographfi . 5e. High-art genuine photos. Pacific North west scenery. Fine for Holiday souvenirs. Other sizes also. Kiser Photo Co., La dies' Lobby, Imperial Hotel. PATRICK MUST LIVE Granted Commutation Against His Protest. WILL CONTINUE THE. FIGHT Governor's Action Prompted by Di vision in Appeal Court Believes Lawyer's Mind Unhinged by Long Confinement. ALBANY, N. T., Dec. 20. Albert .T. Patrick was saved by Governor Higgins today from the death chair, in the shadow of which he has stood for nearly five years. He was convicted in March, 1902, of the murder of William March Rice, an aged millionaire. In a brief memorandum laying stress upon the dissenting opinions of the Judges of the Court of Appeals, which affirmed Patrick's conviction by a vote of 4 to 3, the Governor announced that he had com muted the death sentence to imprison ment for life. Later the Governor in timated a doubt of Patrick's sanity, at tributing his mental state to. the strain under which the condemned lawyer has labored for years in the death cell at Sing Sing. ' Cannot Choose Penalty. The Governor was shown a dispatch in which it was assterted that Patrick would refuse to accept the commutation and insist upon his "right to die." 'Patrick cannot determine what his punishment shall be," said the Governor. 'He is mistaken jif he says he sent me no application. In fact, I have several, one in particular, asking for a pardon. He will have to be careful or he may find himself in Matteawan. The long strain seems to have been too much for him." Matteawan is the state hospital for insane criminals. The Governor said he had nothing further to say as to his reasons for commuting the sentence. Governor States Reasons. In announcing the commutation. Governor Higgins issued the following memorandum: ' "Albert T. Patrick has been convict ed of the murder of William M. Rice, and the Judgment of conviction has been affirmed by a divided court. It is not claimed that Patrick committed the murder in person, but that he pro cured the act to be done. He has been convicted principally upon the testi mony of Charles E. Jones, who con fessed that he murdered his master while he lay asleep, instigated thereto by . Patrick, and Jones by his testi mony has purchased his own immunity from trial or punishment. Neither this fact alone nor the review of any of the facts already passed' upon by the courts at some stage of these proceed ings would seem to me to warrant in terfering 'with the Judgment of death pronounced against the defendant; but three of the seven Judges of the Court of Appeals were so strongly of the opinion that errors were committed at the trial which were substantially prejudicial to the rights of Patrick, that I feel that the death penalty ought hot under all the circumstances to be inflicted. 'In view of all these facts, and the grave doubts expressed by these Judges, I am satisfied that I ought to .relieve the defendant from the extreme penalty of the law and commute his sentence to imprisonment for life." Patrick's brother-in-law. John T. Mini- ken, of St. Louis, is said to have financed Patrick's tighufor freedom at great cost. WILL FIGHT FOR HIS PARDON Palrlck Not Content With Commuta tion of Sentence. OSINTNG. N. Y., Dec. 20. Albert T. Patrick announced tonight that he is not satisfied with commutation and at once will begin a fight for freedom. A writ of habeas corpus will be applied for, it was said, ' in the United States Court, making Warden Johnson the defendant. ACH QUESTIONS BURNS Detective Says He Has Received Xo Money From Heney. SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 20. William J. Burns, the detective who has been gath ering the evidence upon which the recent indictments found by the grand Jury have been based, was a witness today in the case of Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz and Abraham Ruef, charged with extortion. In answer to a question, the witness stated that for IS years he has been em ployed as a special agent of the Interior Department. An attempt was made by Attorney Ach, for the defense, to show that Burns severed his connection with the Government at the request of Spe cial Prosecutor Heney, but the evidence was not admitted. The court also sustained the objections of the prosecution to questions concerning when Burns arrived in San Francisco, whether he knew James D. Fhelan or Rudolph Sprockets, or whether he had re ceived money from them. . He stated, however, that he had received no money from Heney. In answer to further ques tions, he stated he had known Ruef for about three years. He stated he did not know Grand Jurors Gallagher, Dwyer or Young. In fact, he stated he knew none of the members of the grand jury except in a very casual way. "Is it not a fact that your sole reason for being: in San Francisco is to aid the prosecution in . securing indictments?" asked Ach. The question was objected to and the objection sustained. Burns stated that he had been intro duced to Grand Juror Sonntag. but had never discussed with him any of the mat- CASTOR I A For Infants and Children. The Kind Yon Have Always Bought Bears tho Signature of ATHLETES TO KEEP IN GOOD TRIM MUST LOOK WELL TO THB CONDITION OF THE SKIN. TO THIS END THE BATH SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH HAND SAPOLIO ' .iAs.'ji,; iA $12.50 House Coats at $8.45 $10.00 House Coats at $6.65 - V $8.00 House Coats at $5.35 $7.00 House Coats at $4.65 $6.50 House Coats at $4.35 $4.65 House Coats at $3.10 Cor. ters under investigation by the grand jury. He had. he said, talked perhaps three or four times with Foreman Oliver. Nothing was said about Ruef, Schmitz, Nicholas, Duffey or any of the witnesses. "Did you talk about a conspiracy to in dict Mr. Ruef and Mayor Schmitz or about a meeting between Fremont, Older. Mr. Phelan, Mr. Heney and Mr. Hearst?" "I never spoke to 'Mr. Phelan in New York in my life," spoke up Heney. "Well," said Ach,. "we'll leave your name out of it." Burns told of a conversation he had with Jean Loupe, a restaurant man, at which time Loupe denied having paid Ruef for police protection. "I told him," said Burns, "that I did not believe him. I said we knew the facts." Burns was on the witness stand when court adjourned. French Voile Dress Skirts. Just arrived, the latest and prettiest styles in the city. Take a look at them; it will do you good. Le Palais Royal, 375 Washington street. H FURS FOR CHRISTMAS MAKE BEAUTIFUL PRESENTS What could a woman appreciate more than a Fur from Liebes'? Fur Jackets, Stolls, Scarfs, Ties and Muffs in wonderful assortment, and in every style, of every fur the world produces, are here for Christmas choosing'. 'Tis a veritable Christmas paradise for seekers of presents of the finer sorts, for furs are most wanted by all women folk. But the best news for all is the wonderfully reason able prices we are asking on rarments, all bearing name of "Liebes," our guarantee of satisfaction. CHRISTMAS SPECIALS Grey Effects Brown Effects Natural Squirrel Ascot Ties 94.50 River Mink Ascot Tics $3.50 Natural Squirrel Throw Scarfs 5j57.'50 Sable Squirrel Four-m-TianJ $10.00 Natural Squirrel Stolls $15 to $45 Sable Fox Sets, with pillow Muffs. . .$22.50 Natural Squirrel Muffs ..$8.50 to $17.50 Genuine Mink Scarfs ..$15.00 to $75.00 Gray Krimmer Sets $17.50 Genuine Mink Muffs $35.00 to $75.00 White Effects Black Effects Thibet Lamb Boas $ 3.50 to $15.00 Persian Paw Scarfs $7.50 Thibet Lamb Muffs ....$ 4.50 to $10.00 Persian Paw Muffs $10.00 Mouflon Lamb Sets ....$17.50 to $25.00 Black Fox Scarfs $25.00 Genuine Ermine Neckpieces $20.00 Black Lynx Sets, with larjre full Genuine Ermine Pillow Muffs $60.00 Muffs $22.50 to $75.00 Children's Children's STORE OPEN EVENINGS UNTIL CHRISTMAS Now is the time to order your goods by mail anything in this advertisement or in our catalogue can be procured just as well by writing as by calling at our store. -loose ONE-THIRD OFF Your choice of any of our large line of beautiful House Coats at the following prices : Third and Morrison PRAIRIE LAND SINKING. Lake Forms at Base of Sierra Madre Mountain. EL PASO. Tex.. Dec. 20. Minlnc men who arrived here today from the Si erra Madre Mountains report that a large tract of prairie land at the foot of one of the spurs of the ranges is gradually sinking, -and that a large lake of pure water has formed. The lake is nearly a mile in circumference and the water three feet deep, the depth increasing gradually within the last few years. Two other large lakes have been formed in the foothills of the Sierra Madres in the same manner. Fight for Irrigation. Tract. BOISE, Idaho, Dec. 20. (Special.) To day before the State Land Board the hearing was begun of the contest be- Lieoes J. P. PLAGEMANN, Manager 135 FIFTH v ' v l ;' 5 Fur Collars Fur Sets ' Goats CO. 6 Streets tween the Twin Falls Land Wator Company and the Idaho Irrigating Com pany for segregation of fin.000 acres of land south of Gooding in Lincoln County. The contest is very interesting and im portantthe first one of tho kind that has occurred in this state. The tract sought Is right hi the midst of and a part of a greater tract sought by the Twin Falls Company. The other company cannot cover so much ground as its competitor, its surveys being such that it can only reach the land in dis pute. The latter company claims to have the only valid application before the board for this land. It develops that the Twin Falls Company intends to build an electric railway line from Milner through the entire tract to Gooding, some 40 miles, generating the power at its own plant. Weak, Weary. Watery Eye. Welcome. Murine Eye Remedy. It soothes. It cures. For that tired feeling or when you are weary and worn out, take Hood's Sarsa parilla. o. rurs ST., Cor. Alder $1.00 to $2.50 $2.00 to $7.50