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VOL. XLVI.-XO. 14,648. PORTLAND, OREGON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1907. PRICE FIVE CENTS.
- ; i j 1 , - " - : -
ROOSEVELT'S ACT
APPROVED BY ALL
Has Already Restored
Confidence.
LETTER STOPPED RUN ON BANK
Many Applications for Debt
Certificates.
NEW LAW TO BE PASSED
Members All Agree on That Point,
Though Not on Nature of Bill.
Wheeler Sums Up Situ
ation on Pacific
WASHINGTON. Nov. IS President
Roosevelt throughout the day on the
gratulated throughout the day on the
wisdom and success of the. financial re
lief measures launched yesterday by the
Administration. Many telegrams from
all parts of the country, including: New
York. Chicago and other large cities,
have been arriving all day at the White
House, and after being read by the Pres
ident, have been referred to Secretary
Cortelyou at the Treasury Department.
The callers at the White House, who
have been numerous, have each added an
opinion on the optimistic side of the sit
uation. The President was informed from Buf
falo that his letter expressing confidence
in the financial soundness of the coun
try had been printed in several lan
guages in' Buffalo and distributed among
Seposltors who were making a run on a
bank there, with the effect of checking
the run.
Merits of New Certificates.
Before the business day of the Treas
ury had ended, many applications ar
rived for the new certificates of indebt
tdness The fiscal uses to which these
jertiflcates may be put will ' make the
demand for them very general, according
to the opinion of experts in the depart
ment. They may be registered In the
Treasury and partake of the virtue of a
Government bond, and as such be depos
ited as security for National bank circu
lation or deposits. Whether or not reg
istered. It Is predicted they will circulate
secretly as currency. The Interest on a
$50 certificate will amount to 12t cents a
month, and a holder may easily obtain
credit for the amount of Interest he is
entitled to at his bank. Assurance was
given today that the gold reserve of the
Government was behind these certificates
and this fact, added to their Interest
bearing feature, will make them eagerly
sought.
New Currency Law Sure.
The hint contained in the President's
letter that financial relief was assured
resulted in many inquiries during the
day to develop the exact situation. It
Is admitted that the President has con
sulted freely with the leaders of both
houses of Congress by mall and In per
son, but Just what Is the present status
of the legislative plans is withheld. One
point of unanimity Is certain. Every
Senator and member of the House of
Representatives who has called at the
White House during the financial distress
has been free to say that financial legis
lation would be the first business of the
next session of Congress. Beyond this
point the unanimity-has ceased and many
men have proposed plans.
The President has been "heartily sec
onded by every comment today in his
statement of the soundness of the coun
try's finances and that the vanishing
point of the financial flurry has arrived.
As indicative of the state of mind In
Congress, It may be stated that in a
gathering of six Republican Senators,
Messrs. Foraker, Lodge, Warren. Scott.
Bulkley and Warner, all expressed the
decided opinion that some financial legis
lation Is necessary, and will be enacted
during the approaching session of Con
gress, "but there was much variance of
opinion as to what could or should be
done. No Democratic Senators were
present, and consequently there was no
opportunity of securing the Democratic
view at that time.
Bay Roosevelt Revived Confidence.
In the House there Is a disposition to
demand that the financiers reach an
agreement before asking Congress to act.
The general impression there, as in ti.e
Senate, is that there should be legislation,
but more is made of the difficulty of ar
riving at an agreement as to the form it
will take.
Senator Long, of Kansas, believes the
President has done all In his power to
restore confidence in the action taken
yesterday, and that the result will 'exceed
expectations.
The President was congratulated on his
relief measures by Representative Bar
tholdt, of Missouri. He said that 8t
Louis particularly appreciated the action
taken, because the banks there had been
exceptionally conservative. The letter of
the President, Mr. Bartholdt said, would
restore confidence, for the lack of which
there had never been any excuse.
Senator Borah, of Idaho, believed the
relief measures would accomplish the de
sired result. The Senator has Just reached
Washington from the West and said that
the financial situation in his state had
not reached an acute stage.
Senator Bourne, of Oregon, said on
leaving the White House today that he
d not had an opportunity to read the
President's letter on the relief measures
proposed, but believed they would ac
complish much good.
No Parallel to 1893.
Benjamin Ide Wheeler, president of the
University of California, who was a
caller at the White House today, in
dorsed as most excellent the relief meas
ures of the Administration.
1 want to say a few words about this
panic. I have Just come across the conti
nent from California, and there Is not one
condition resembling- the barrenness of 1893.
California, like the rest ot the Western
states. Is abundantly prosperous. The banks
are full of money, everybody has been mak
ing money, crops are good In every line and
valuable. The panic came like a blow from
the outside. It is evidently purely a cur
rency panic, touched off in Xew York, and
is the result of too much 23-story banking
In that city. Most of the country is all
right and I think we will be back In normal
condition on a sound business basis In a
month and that we shall be better for the
fright and shock, because we will be a little
soberer.
Applications for the new certificates
reached the Treasury in .considerable
numbers this afternoon, but no allot
ments have yet been made.
The law conferring upon the Secre
tary the right to issue Treasury cer
tificates is In section 32 -of the Span
ish War revenue act, approved June 15,
1898.
The authority so conferred was not
made use of during the Spanish War,
but its legality in the present situation
is not questioned by the law officers
of the Government, who have for sev
eral days given the matter their close
scrutiny.
The Panama bonds are in the Treas
ury vaults and will be ready for distri
bution immediately upon acceptance of
the bids, November 30.
WILL DRAW OUT THE HOARDS
New Securities Welcomed by Bank
ers Will Check Gold Imports.
NEW YORK, Nov. 18. Satisfaction was
general in banking circles today because
of the Government's plan of relief to the
market by the Issue of 160,000.000 in Pana
ma Canal bonds and $100,000,000 in one
year treasury certificates. The issue ot
short-term certificates was more of a
novelty and as such attracted more dis
cussion. The general opinion was that
both measures would tend to draw idle
money from private hoards and thereby
break the premium on currency and re
store normal conditions In the money
market.
So strong was this feeling that it was
understood that gold engagements would
practically cease after today. Interna
tional bankers declared that the gold al
ready engaged Is as much as New York
can Justly take from Europe under the
strained conditions which prevail there
and to take more will only compel Its re
turn at a later date. It Is not considered
desirable to force the Bank of England lo
raise its discount rate of 8 per cent, as
has been talked of in London, nor to force
the German rate any higher than 7 per
cent, which it has already reached. If
more gold wero desired, the issue of
short-term certificates would afford Just
the sort of security which the Bank ot
France has been disposed to insist upon
In the recent negotiations though Mr.
Morgan's house.
Will Stop Gold Imports.
The shipment of gold to New York
against the deposit of such certificates
would parallel very closely the shipments
of $15,000,000 made to Iondon at the time
of the Baring panic in 1890. This loan
was secured by the deposit with the Bank
of France of exchequer bonds issued to
the Bank of England by the British gov
ernment in exchange for National debt
stock. Exchequer bonds represent a form
of short-term obligation which is issued
very frequently by the British govern
ment. The issue of short-term obliga
tions has been less frequent with the
American Government, but bankers de
clare that they will meet admirably the
demands of The present occasion, because
they can be taken up and paid for at the
expiration of their term from the treas
ury cash balance, which can then be
withdrawn without danger from the cus
tody of the National banks. An excess
of cash will be on deposit In the banks,
according to all past precedent, even if
business depression Is acute, because
after the first fright is over cash accu
mulates in periods of depression, for
which there is little call for Investment
in new enterprises.
Demand for New Securities.
The response from the public to the of
fer of new securities is expected to center
largely on one-year certificates. The
Panama bonds, paying only 2 per cent and
selling at a premium, are expected to
go chiefly to the National banks to he
used as a basis for circulation. If the
experience of the popular loan of 1896 is
repeated, however, in respect to the cer
tificates, they will .be over-subscribed
several times. Secretary Carlisle on that
occasion invited subscriptions for $100,000,
000 of 4 per cent coin bonds payable after
30 years. There was grave doubt, under
the conditions of demoralization prevail
ing at that time, both in the money mar
ket and In the political situation, whether
(Concluded on Page 5.)
"Til Stow Mj Money Away; the
Country's Ruined i Everything a "
TRYING TO PROVE
WOMAN INSANE
Defense of Mrs. Brad
ley Brought Out.
LOOKED WILD AND HAGGARD
Mind Impaired,' but Not to the
Point of Insanity.
OPERATIONS BREAK HEALTH
Newspapermen and Policemen Tell
of Actions After Arrest Doctors
Describe Physical Ills and
Weakening Effect on Brain.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18. Foundation
was laid today for the plea of the de
fense in the trial of Mrs. Annie M.
Bradley, charged with the murder of ex
United States Senator Arthur Brown, of
Utah. That plea, hereafter made evi
dent, will be insanity, or. more accurate
ly, perhaps, mental irresponsibility of the
prisoner at the time of the tragedy.
As on previous days of the trial, the
courtroom was thronged with interested
spectators. Outside there' was a steady
downpour of rain. Within, the dramatic
scene being enacted had a setting dark
and somber. The prisoner, frail and
weak almost to the point of collapse, sat
behind her counsel, manifesting compara
tively little interest In the proceedings.
Occasltjnally she exchanged a few words
with the attorneys, but at rare inter
vals. During the afternoon she sat with
her face burled in her hands, without
moving.
Looked Wild and Haggard.
The evidence adduced today tended to
throw light upon Mrs;. Bradley's condi
tion at the time of the tragedy. News
papermen and physicians occupied the
stand during most of the two sessions
of the court. In each Instance the news
papermen testified that at the time they
saw Mrs. Bradley, shortly after the
shooting, she was greatly agitated, and
two of them declared she was wild and
haggard looking. Physicians .who knew
her before the murder and who subse
quently examined and treated her, testi
fied that her physical condition was such
as likely to produce mental aberration,
or at least Irresponsibility for her action.
Mrs. Bradley's aged mother, Mrs. M.
E. Maddison, told of an accident which
her daughter had sustained when she
was a small girl. One of her playmates
accidentally struck her on the head with
a hoe. She was 111 for several weeks and
Mrs. Maddison testified that subsequent
ly she suffered greatly from severe head
aches. The last witness of the day. Colonel M.
M. Kalgn, a lawyer of Salt Lake City,
testified that Mrs. Bradley visited him
at his office In Salt Lake City and told
him that she must talk to somebody or
she would go crazy, and mat she wanted
to talk to him because he was a friend
of Arthur Brown.
Objection being made to the line of tes
timony being adduced. Justice Stafford
held a prolonged conference with the at
torneys for both sides, at the conclusion
of wiich he adjourned the case until to
morrow. Suspected She Was Insane.
James Hay, a reporter, who inter
viewed Mrs. Bradley at the police sta
tloh on the night of the tragedy, was
the first witness of the day. The de
fendant, he said, appeared pale, haggard
and very much agitated. She was con
stantly moving about the room at the
station, wrung her hands and remarked
that she felt she was "far away from
everything."
He had cautioned her that anything
she said would be printed. She did not
talk connectedly, and he had to question
her repeatedly. She had two hildren,
she said, and Mr. Brown was their fath
er. She denied that she came to this
city to kill Brown. She declared she was
a disgraced woman, ruined and an out
cast, and therefore should not expect to
have any friends or any help. Once dur
ing the interview she turned to the po
lice matron, called attention to some
MR. MONEY HOARDER HEARS
Ik
Heur 'Bout Those Canal Bonds;
They're Paying 2 Per Cent, an'
noise in another part of the station, and
told the reporter she would go mad If
the noise did not stop.
"Did you form an opinion as to her
mental condition?" asked Judge Powers
of the defense.
"I could not say whether she was sane
or insane. She evidently, however, was in
a pretty had fix."
"Did you suspect that she was Insane?"
asked District Attorney Baker.
"Yes, 1 had my suspicious, but I could
not say whether she was insane ot not,"
Did Not Think Her Insane.
Charles Cottrell, of the Associated
Press, who interviewed Mrs. Bradley im
mediately after the tragedy, testified that
the prisoner seemed unable to collect her
thoughts. She told hln she arrived here
from Salt Lake practically penniless. She
did not volunteer anything, merely an
swering questions.
Asked by the defense if he had no
ticed anything peculiar about her eyes,
wtfness stated that he observed she
had a vacant stare.
Mr. Cottrell testified ' he asked Mrs.
Bradley if she had just before the trag
edy asked Brown to marry her. She re
plied that she had, but that Brown's only
answer was to put on his overcoat and
start to leave the room. Mrs. Bradley told
the witness she abhorred acts of this
kind, meaning the shooting, but In this
case she, believed it was justified. The
witness testified he did not-think Mis.
Bradley was insane.
Loved Ground Brown Walked On.
Sergeant Harry Lohman, In charge of
the police station when Mrs. Bradley
was brought there after her arrest, testi
fied that she talked in a rambling man
ner. She was very anxious to know
Brown's condition.
Witness stated Mrs. Bradley told him
she did not intend to shoot Brown; that
she loved the ground he walked on. She
discupaed her relations with Brown, said
she was not married to him, but that
he was the father of her two children
and she wanted him to make her his
wife.
He did not then form an opinion as
to her sanity. She was nervous and ex
cited and realized she had killed Brown.
Witness thought the prisoner was sane.
Policeman Humeri, who accompanied
Mrs. Bradley from the hotel to the police
station, said she seemed to be bewildered
and had a scared look, hut afterward, ut
the station, appeared rational and collect
ed. He expressed his opinion that Mrs.
Bradley was sane, and the defense noted
exceptions to this testimony.
Operation Affected Brain.
Dr. E. W. Whitney, of Salt Lake
City, testified that he attended Mrs.
Bradley when her two children were
born, and later treated her for a pre
mature miscarriage, his treatment on
this latter occasion continuing for
about two weeks in November, 1901.
On August 4, 1902, she again came to
his office.
"State who came with her."
"I object," said the District Attor
ney, "to collateral evidence immate
rial to the issues' in this case."
The objection was sustained.
On the date mentioned he sent her to
a hospital. She told him she had suf
fered a premature birth. The premature
birth, he said, occurred four days after
her entry at the hospital, where she was
kept until early in September. On May
16, 1905, at her residence, 215 West South
Temple street. Salt Lake City. Dr. WThlt
ney stated he again treated her for a
miscarriage. She denied that diagnosis
at the time, and witness described the
colloquy that followed. Later she ad
mitted the diagnosis was correct.
Effect of Blood-Polsoning.
The defense brought out from the wit
ness that the blood poisoning that ensues
in cases like that of Mrs. Bradley af
fects the whole system. Including the
brain, and, like all poisoning, must leave
some permanent injury to the system.
L. H. MacMahon, a newspaper reporter,
told of Mrs. Bradley being bewildered and
agitated at the police station. She denied
to him, he said, that she came to Wash
ington with the intention of shooting
Brown. He said she appeared as "one
whose brain had been shaken to the
base."
The Government immediately objected
and the objection was sustained. His
opinion was that her mental condition
was very much disturbed and that in
such a state of shock she might have
been insane.
Operation After Arrest.
After the recess DV. Shute, one of the
physicians who attended the prisoner
in the United States jail, testified that he
had met Mrs. Bradley about five days
after her arrest last December. He found
her fragile, pale and care-worn. She
had a normal pulse, but not a strong
one. She had a poor appetite. Dr. Shute
made an examination of Mrs. Bradley.
She weighed Sl pounds and was suffer
ing from Jacerations which probably were
due to miscarriages. By his advice and
on his recommendation an operation was
performed on the prisoner at the local
hospital to relieve the lacerations. He
found subsequent to the operation no
(Concluded on Page 3.)
NEWS THAT APPEALS TO
Thw Loan Certlfeates,
Per Cent, an-'
Paying 3
TENNESSEE TO BE
THE FIRST IN LINE
Delegates Pledged for
Roosevelt.
PRESIDENT IS SAYING NOTHING
Generally Known, Though, He
Wants No Third Term.
OTHER STATES TO FOLLOW
West Strongest for Roosevelt Some
States Are Booming Favorite Sons
and Will Instruct Delegates
to Convention for Them.
OBFJGONTAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington, Nov. 18. The new RepubUcan
leaders In Tennessee are anxious that
their state shall he the first to elect an
instructed Roosevelt delegation to the
next National Convention. The faction
that has recently come into control is led
by Representative Hale, who is a persist
ent third-term boomer. Mr. Hale says
that 90 per cent of the voters of Tennes
see, Irrespective of party, want to see
Roosevelt renominated and they are plan
ning to lead the procession. The Repub
lican National Committee will meet here
in December and the Tennessee Republi
cans propose to select and instruct their
delegation in January.
Among the third-term advocates it is
declared that other states will follow the
lead of Tennessee In rapid succession and
that delegation after delegation will be
Instructed to vote for Roosevelt. It Is
also declared by these men that there
will be no interference with their plans
on the part of the President for they as
sert that he will never again reiterate his
election-day statement.
President Does Not Commit Himself
As a matter of fact no one was author
ized to speak for the President on this
matter. It is a subject which he appar
ently does not discuss even with his most
Intimate friends, or rather It Is a subject
on which he does not commit himself in
any way. Some men who are close to
the President, and who have talked Na
tional politics with him, come away from
the White House giving the impression
that the President stands by his former
announcement and cannot be persuaded
to accept a renomlnation. Others who
have talked with him announce after
their conference that they believe he will
hearken to the public demand and accept
a 'renomlnation. Nevertheless they al
ways admit that they are not authorized
to speak for the President, but are mere
ly voicing their individual views.
Strongest in the West.
If the President says nothing but al
lows the political situation to work itself
out, Tennessee will not be the only state
to Instruct Its delegates for Roosevelt. Of
course, the President would be strongest
In the West, as the West has always
stood by him, and unless he himself dis
courages the movement there will be a
good many instructed Roosevelt delega
tions sent to the convention from that
section. But there will be very few from
the East and probably few from the
South. New York leaders are opposed to
an Instructed delegation and of late years
New York has not instructed its dele
gates. The Pennsylvania delegates, if.
Instructed, will be for Knox; there is no
likelihood of a solid delegation from
Ohio; and Indiana will of course support
Fairbanks. From present indications
the Illinois delegates will receive orders
to vote for Cannon. Sentiment in New
England has not crystallized around any
candidate, and unless there should be a
change, the New England delegations will
be unlnstructed.
Does Not Want Another Term.
The advotates of Roosevelt's renomlna
tion are frank enough to admit that the
President is not seeking and does not
want another term. They say that he
has taken no part whatever in the move
ment to bring about his renomlnation and
is not in any way encouraging them In
their efforts to fix the nomination upon
him. But they do say that the President
will remain silent and let the convention
HIS FINANCIAL ACUMEN
"Excuse Me a Minute!'
do what it deems best. And it is this
silence on the part of the President and
his failure to reiterate his position that
gives them so much confidence.
PLATT PICKS TAFT AS THE MAN
Says Roosevelt Will Decline in Fa
vor of Less Radical Secretry.
f OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash
ington. Nov. 18. Senator Piatt, of New
York, although he has lost his position as
a political leader, still retains some of his
old-time political judgment and for that
reason his views on the National situa
tion are still of interest. Senator Piatt la
no longer a factor in Republican National
politics, but he knows what Is going on
In New York and in the country at large.
He was interviewed a few days ago and
was asked ;
"Do you think that President Roosevelt
will consent to a third term?"
"I do not," he replied. "I believe, with
others, that he cannot afford to take an
other nomination in view of his declar
ation that he would not do so. It is true
that he Is Impulsive, but I cannot think
that he would go back on the declarations
he has made." ,
"Wlvo do you think will be the next
Republican candidate for President?"
"I think it will be Secretary Taft," was
the reply. "It is evident to me that Presi
dent Roosevelt would not have placed
Secretary Taft In the field unless he pur
posed to stand by him. It Is true that
the political aspirations of many men
too soon, but I think Secretary Taft's
have been killed hy starting their booms
case is somewhat different. President
Roosevelt will undoubtedly dominate the
convention. . and If. as I believe, he Is
sincere In his advocacy of the nomination
of Taft he will nominate the Secretary
of War as his successor.'
Senator Piatt seems to think that the
New York state delegation would prob
ably vote according to the Ideas of the
President.
"Do you think that the President's al
leged opposition to Governor Hughes Is
caused by the act that he believes the
Governor would not carry out the Roose
velt policy?"
"Not altogether. It Is because the Gov
ernor stands In the way of his friend,
Taft. I do not believe that Secretary
Taft would be so radical as the Presi
dent, If he should get into the White
House. He would be a much stronger
candidate than the President for that
reason. If the President should be forced
to take another nomination it would be a
tremendous fight. The East, largely on
account of financial troubles, would be
opposed to him, while the West would
be almost solidly for him."
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
Tho Weather.'
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 48
degrees; minimum. 3I degrees.
TODAY'S Rain, with high southerly winds.
Foreign.
Earthquakes wreck houses In Southern Italy
and terrify population, page Q.
Angry debate over organization of Russian
Douma. Page S.
National.
Measures to relieve money stringency have
good effect. Page L
Congressmen agree that first, measure passed
will be currency bill. Page 4.
Surveyor-General Eagleson of Idaho forced
to resign. Page 16.
Bartholdt proposes big bond issue for river
and harbor Improvements. Page 3.
Secretary Taft at Vladivostok; will hurry
home. Page 3-
Politic.
Tennessee to he first state to send Roose
velt delegation to convention. Page 1.
Piatt declares, for Taft for President. Page 1
Borah says Idaho Is for Taft or Hughes.
Page 2,
Bryan says God vindicated free silver argu
ments and favors postal banke. Page 3.
Domestic.
Paper bombs spoil Berger'e speech at Labor
Federation Convention. Page 4.
Books of Walsh's barjk show how he bor
rowed. Page 4-
Defense trying to prove Mrs. Bradley Insane.
Page 1.
Convicts break from Nevada penitentiary.
Page C
Frank Warner convicted of second-degree
murder. Page 2.
Law-abiding Chicago Italians organize
against Black Hand. Page 4.
Sport.
Amateur Athletic Vnlon fixes status of col
lege athletes and announce records.
Page 7.
Pacific Coast.
Surveyors on Bimie Island find cave of
petrified Indian dead. Page 0.
Mystery of Pendleton's "moonshine" whisky
explained. Page 6.
Aspirants for State School Superintendent
coming into the limelight. Page 6.
Commercial and Marine.
Oregon potatoes and onions will bring much
wealth Into state. Page 15.
Chicago wheat prices strengthened by Gov
ernment's action. Page 15.
Effect of proposed note Issue on stock mar
ket. Page 15.
Experimental gas buoy will be placed at the
mouth of the Columbia. Page 14.
Portland and Vicinity.
Petition of corporations for reduction In
assessment Is denied. Page 1.
Bankers discuss methods of realizing
. promptly on London wheat sales. Page 14.
Ruling of Land Office benefits holders of
Slletz timber claims. Page 11.
Decision of Federal Court may exempt In
dian from penalty of the law. Page 16.
Methodist General Board of Home Mis
, alone adjourns. Page 10.
"Here, Take This and Let Me in o
That Cinch."
TAX REDUCTION !S
VAINLY PETITIONED
Corporations Assail the
Assessor's Figures.
SIGLER SUPPORTED BY BOARO
Three Railroads and Telephone
Company Receive Hearing.
ONLY RECOURSE IN COURT
O. R. & X. and Northern Pacific
Declare They Could Rebuild for
Less Than Assessment, hut the
Valuations Are Sustained.
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE COUNTY
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
The O. R. & N. and Northern Pacific,
vainly asked that assessment on
tracks and right of way ho reduced
from $44.oOO a mile, claiming that
road could l.e built for $25,000.
The Southern Pacific asked that its
assessment be reduced from $30,000
a mllo for main lines and $20,000 a
mile for branch lines.
Of tho O. R. N. $25,000,000 surplus,
$10,000,000 has been spent on lines
to Lewiston, Pugel Sound, Condon.
Pilot Rock, Orange City and east of
Lewistnn and on Ilwaco extension,
not including lines to Wallowa,
Shanlko, Coos Bay and St. John ex
tension. For projected line to Puget Sound,
ne irly $14,000,000 of O R. ft N. sur
plus haa been expended.
For these expenditures the O. R. 4
N. holds accounts against the Union
Pacific.
Railroad assessment Is based on
capltallxed net earnings (commercial
value) of lines, but companies Insist
It should not exceed cost of rebuild
ing. The Pacific Telephone A Telegraph
Company asked that $2."o,ooo fran
chise assessment be taken off rolls
becaujae company pays 11 per cent
gross earnings tax to state.
Equalization Board decided to sus
tain valuations of Assessor and deny
petitions.
Seeking reduction of taxes, four public
service corporations unsuccessfully ar
gued before the County Board of Equal
ization yesterday that Assessor Sigler a
valuations are too high. Three railroads
wanted his valuations on their track and
rights of way lowered. The O. R.
A N. complained against assessment of
$18,000,000 on its moneys, notes and ac
counts aimed at its surplus and sought
reduction of an $818,000 assessment on
Its Albina carshops. The Southern Pa
cific objected to the figures put on th
Congresssiona! lands of the Oregon &
California Railroad. The O. R. & N.
wanted lower 'figures on 107 acres, south
of the Portland Lumber Company, in
South Portland. The telephone company
insisted that tha assessment of Its Port
land franchise puts on It a double tax,
which is Illegal.
After the hearing the Board held a
private conference, at which its thre
members County Judge Webster, Counts
Clerk Fields and Assessor Sigler decided
to retain the figures of the assessment
The recourse now open to the corpora
tions Is a contest in tho courts. Nc
threats of this were made before the
Board yesterday, but It Is considered a
likely outcome.
Strong Counsel for Corporations.
Representing the Southern Pacific and
the O. R. & N. were W. D. Fenton and
A. C. Spencer, attorneys; James W. Mor
row, tax and right of way agent: J. B.
Pope, a civil engineer in the employ of
the O. R. & Ut.; Ralph Blalsdell, auditor
of the O. R. & N. The Northern Pacific
was represented by Jay Sedgwick, of
Tacoma. assistant tax commissioner of
that company. C. H. Carey spoke for
the telephone company. Other publlo
service corporations were absent, notablj
the Portland Railway, Light & Powel
Company, the Home Telephone Company,
the terminal company and the telegram!
companies. These companies have made
no fight on the Assessor's figures.
Against the $44,000 per mile assess
ment on the tracks and rights of way
(not including $3000 rolling stock), A,
C. Spencer, for the O. R. & N. pro
duced evidence that cost of reproducing
the O. R. & N. lines in Washington
would be only between $'.10,000 and
$21.000 this being the estimate of H.
P. Gillette, expert engineer for th
Railroad Commission of Washington.
Spencer put J. B. Pope, an engineer for
the O. R. & N., on the stand to esti
mate the cost at between $25,000 and
$26,000.
This did not appeal to the Board,
however, for the reason that the As
sessor has based the 1907 valuation nol
on cost of rebuilding the lines, hut on
their commercial value. The Oregon
Tax Commission estimated the commer
cial value of all the railroads in Oregon
in 1905 at $43,600 per mile. In 1901
the Census Bureau estimated the com
mercial value 10 per cent higher. The
valuations Include not only those ol
track, right of way and rolling stock,
but also that of franchise.
Assessment of franchise should not
toe Imposed, according to the idea of
Concluded on Page 7.)