TnE MORNIXG OREGOXIAX. WTEDXESDAY. MARCH .4, 1908. -EXPERTS GOME TO "S DEFENSE Deny Great Danger in Turrets as They Are at Present Constructed. , OUR MARKSMEN ARE BEST Fletcher Suys Flve-Wxthi of Turrets Are I.Ike Ours Gunners Best ui Santiago and Best In the World Today. WASHINGTON. March . Four naval officers, all experts In turret construc tion and ummuntinn manufacture, to .lay testified before the Senate naval i-ommlttoe In defense of the American Navy Mpalnst all forms of criticism. Three of the witnesses. Professor H. R. Alger, Instructor In mathematics at the Naval Academy and a member of the special board on turrets: Com mander B. F. Fletcher and IJeutenant Commander V. O. Chase, spoke in de tail concerning turret accidents- and the methods that have been adopted to make turrets safe. None of these of ficers seemed to think there was great danger In the direct hoist, if some changes, were made to provide more effective screening between the am munition handling room and the big ffuns. Best Marksmen In World. Professor Alger defended the Ameri can Navy as to criticisms by Com mander Hfms that poor marksmanship was shown at Santiago. He declared that American gunnery was as good as that of any navy at that time, and that at the present time there was no navy in the world that would surpass the American li straight shooting. Commander Fletcher contradicted much of the testimony given by Com mander Sims yesterday. "The American device of a straight hoist," he said, '"is similar to tive sixtlis of all the hoists in use. and therefore is not the senseless experi ment some critics have charged." All that Is required to make turrets safe, he thought. Is to provide proper screens between the guns and the handling rooms. Under the present system there Is no danger whatever to the powder maga zines. He told of- the- Missouri acci dent, where 400 pounds of powder hurned in the handling room and a large quantity In the open door of the magazine without any damage or much danger to the air-tight powder tanks. "Of course, that is somewhat more of a chance than we like to take, how ever," he continued. Accidents on Foreign Ships. He said that there had been 40 or 50 accidents tn the French and other for eign navies where powder had burned in the handling rooms of ships with out causing explosions. He agreed with Admirals Converse, Capps and Ma son that tile turrets can be made safe. In accordance with designs, "at com paratively small cost. Senator Perkins questioned Com manded Fletcher about the statement of Commander Sims that the American vy at Santiago gave a -poor exhibi tion of 'marksmanship. ' The witness said that from all records he had ever seen or heard of, no navy could have done better shooting at that time. CRVISER TO JOIX' THK FLEET South Dakota Heady to Sail for Magdaleua Bay. SAN FRANCISCO. ..larch S. The new armored cruiser South Dakota 1m anchored in the harbor tonight preparatory, to de parture for Magdalena Buy. T.ie trip to MaKdalena will he a shaking down trip. Her builders' trial was held some time ago and she went Into commission January 7, last. The South Dakota carries a crew of 800 men and 2 officers. Captain Churles K. Fox is. in command. The crew contains SO marines. The vessel carries tn her bunkers SUM) tons of coal and 600 tons of ammunition, besides a laige quantity of stores and mall for Admiral Evans' fleet. F.VAVS IN Sl'PRE.ME COMMAND Will Lead Kcvlew at San Francisco as Senior Officer. . WASHINGTON. March 3.-Rear-Ad-mlral Kvans will have supreme com mand at the grand review of the ships of the Atlantic and Pacific fleets in San Francisco Ray, according to an authoritative- statement made at the Navy Department today. This is simply in keeping with existing naval practice, which gives the senior ranking officer command when there are present sev eral officers of similar rank. Kiish Work on Collier. VALLEJO. Cal.. March 3. In an en deavor to make a record for the Mare Island Navy-Yard which will result In a imttloshtp being constructed here, work on the collier Prometheus, being built at a cost of ll..Vo,ot. is being rushed and will be completed by the construction and repair departments In ten months. Dur ing February over 130 tons of material neiv put in her every week, the progress made being 11 per cent. The ship Is now over 38 per cent completed. he will be launched in eight months and finished two months thereafter. This will be the greatest record ever made in shipbuilding, either In a Government or private yard. Vessels to Start North. SAN" DIKC.O. cal.. March 3. Wireless rr. sages from Magdalena Bay today slate that when the vessels now there start north at the end of the week, the California will stop at San Dieso and her commander will report to Admiral Sebree, who will be there then with the Wash ington and Tennessee. Thereafter the alifprnla will continue as a part of the Sehree squadron. The others will go direct to Mare Island. BRIEF NEWS BY TELEGRAPH rWkHry. The Vnimitv of California h.-,'UH team will play ihr Chi can,. White $x un March 8. Palo Alto. Cal Stanford an J California nni vemlics are ha vine dispute about th date for the tntervollet iat. regatta. Chlc-ait The contract fr the La Salle HotfJ at Iji Suite a.nd M mil son mreeta, was let Monday, work to 1-egin May 1. li Crur. N. M Wne Braxele pleaded not amity to lh chars of murdering J'at ;rntt. who wm shot and killed by him liutt Saturday t;ovemr Curry, who m a fi td of liarrett. and Attorney OneraJ Harvey will ,id in tha prosecution. New Tork.fieorite H&ckenschmldt will rail frvm Liverpool by the l.uitarla on Saturday f.r XfW York, to herein preparations for his chJtmpU'nship match with Frank Ovtch. Ijoa Anx?l-a. Dr. J. Byron Sloan, who la in jail awaiting rqWtion from Detroit on a charade of obtaining- money by false pretenee. has applied for a habeas corpus writ. Chicago. FrSnk ZaJieck was arrested Tues day charged with sending a threatening letter to Prooopi u Nuzll. a prior of the Bened i c .loe Fathers, and den. finding Jl'XJO from Roawell. N. M. Tn the United States Dis trict Court Tuesday all the indictments against C. L.. E. Ft. and B. H. Tallmadge, brothers, charged with land frauds, were di misd. - - "New York. John Coer, a clerk, out of em ployment, applied at t he Be llevne Hospital Monday to be ehlorformed. expressing belief in the Osier theory. He said he had out lived hi usefulneas. Chicago. A. Dempsey and Thomas Kennedy have confeitd that they were hired by Joseph H. Mack on behalf of a. certain hotel keeer to "burn two rubber factories and to blow up an automobile. Uitchfleld, III. A carload of powder in a Big Four freight tram exploded Tuesday, kill ing IJoyd Gow, of San Antonto, Texas., and FauI tf. Dayenport, of Paxton, 111., and de stroying the whole train. Kurwas City. When a negro entered her restaurant and said, "How do, honey?" Mon day night. Mrs. Cal Me McLorig, a quarter blood Indian, fired three shots at him, two of which took effect. He escaped. San Bernardino. Cal. L-oulse EX Williams, of Los Angeies, the 17-year-old negresa who pleaded guilty two weeks ago to manslaughter In having thrown her Infant from a Santa Fe train near Cucamonga. 1 was sentenced Monday to Ave years in San Quentln. Alvord, Texas. Bailey Stevens, of Alvord. was killed and several Injured in th wreck of a paosenger train on the Fort Worth Denver Railroad, two miles south of here Monday night. John CI Cunningham was fatally injured and Otta A. Lehraay seriously hurt. Stanford University. Palo Alto. Cal. The executive committee has granted the use of the Stanford oval to the P. A. A. to hold the tryouLs May 9 for the Olympic games at Lon don. A contract was alo let for the erection of additional bleachers to seat 3000 mora spec tators. - Bakersfleld. Cal. In a can in the suburbs of this city has been found a confession signed W. R. H-rzog that he murdered R. B. Ken nel In New York-btafe on December 13. 1HWW, and threw the" body into Lake Erie. Haunted by. his guilt, he. declared his Intention to com mit suicide. , Ienver. The injunction aeked from the District Court by the Maryland Casualty Com rany. of Baltimore, preventing Insurance Com missioner B. fci, -J It ten house from carrying out his thrrat to refuse the company the right to do business In the state, has been with drawn, and the company of its own volition, will oease doing business in the state New York The Woman's Peate Circle on Monday denounced Pr.-Mident Itoobevelt fbr his support of rifle shooting for boys, and said that the practice was a menace to the coun try, as It did much to make the boys desire war, when the wchool should teach them a love of peace. Teaching of military drill and the giving of toy soldiers to boys were con demned. - City of Mexico. Mexico and Guatemala have adjusted their diplomatic difficulties which have existed since the assassination here last April of General Barillas, resulting in the de mand for the extradition of General Lima and Colonel Bone, and the removal of the Mexican Legation to Salvador, upon Guate mala's refusal to grant Mexico's request. Each will send a Minister to the other. San Francisco. Relieving that tbe arrival of the battleship fleet in May and the lm-mr-nt concourse of people exoected In San Francisco at that time will attract thieve, bunco men and other criminals. Chief of Police has decided to ask the polios depart ment of the largj cities to send one or two of their hetrt. detectives to San Francisco- dux-, ing the time the fleet Is here. TAFT LOYAL TO HIS CHIEF KESEXTS SLCH CAST UPON KOOSKVELT AT BOSTON' . Reference to President as Blue Pill Bring Him to His Feet in Quick Protest. BOSTON, March 3. A witty address by Simon Ford, of Xew York, at the expense of President Roosevelt and Secretary Taft before the Boston Real Estate Ex change & Auction Board at the Hotel Somerset late tonight brought Secretary Taft to his feet In a prompt response to what he termed an insinuation - against "his chief." Mr. Ford's striking remark which' called for the response was:" I looked upon Theodore -the First as a sort of political blue pill. The body politic doubtless was suffering from many dis orders, the- elimination of which -was nec essary. Well, we have had our dose all right. His laat message certainly made a noise like a third term. When Mr. Taft arose he referred to Mr. Ford's remarks am follows: i am put in an embarrassing position. If 1 could feel that what he said was a mere pleasantry, whether it cast reflections upon myself or my chief. 1 should feel dif ferent. If those remarks were Intended for another purpose, every Impulse of loyalty in me requires an answer. When 1 love a chief and when I admire him from top to toe. I cannot be silent and permit such insinuations, although they may be hidden In a jest. I don't mean to say that the American people should have no humor. If I could not appreciate a joke, I should retire to a monastery. A great audience assembled at Sym phony Hall tonight and heard addresses by Mr. Taft. United States Senator Elmer J. Burkctt, of N(braska, Governor Ourtis Guild and Lieutenant Governor Eben S. Draper. All the speakers were guests of the Republican Club of Massachusetts, which held its annual dinner tit the hall previous to the speech-making. The ad dress of Mr. Taft followed lines similar to the one which he delivered in Kansas City several weeks ago. Mr. Guild took occasion to deny frrat he had been a party to any arrangement by which he would receive the nomination for Vice-President. He added that, should he be selected, he would not refuss the nomination. RETAINS MOST OF POWER Water Board Loses Little by Judge C'leland's Decision. Circuit Judge Cleland's decision rela tive to the powers of the Water Board appears to nave been generally misun derstood. At a meeting of the Board, held Monday afternoon. Mayor Lane and the other members were advised that they could not use the meter-rate system, but must charge a flat rate. Further inquiry, however, was made yesterday by a member of the Board, and It is now declared that the de cision was not so drastic. The Water Board will lose nothing In receipts by it. The decision, as touching the rate point, was: The Water Board has the power and au thority to place meters on any water con nection it may desire, and charge the regu lar meter rate, by disregarding the schedule rate; or may disregard the reading of the meter and charge Hie schedule rate. Fur ther, it may use meter readings for the purpose of deciding as to whether the con sumer is wasting water. The -board also ha.i the right to tmy what shall be consid ered as waste. I,ct Bridge Contract Today. Special meetings of the bridge com mittee of the Executive Board and of the Executive Board itself will be held this afternoon. The committee will meet at 2 P. M.. and the Board at 4 P. M. The purpose is to let the con tract for a reinforced concrete bridge across Sullivan's Gulch, on East Twenty-eighth street. Mische Coming This Week. Emll T. Mische, Portland's new Su perintendent of Parks, is due to arrive In the oity'any day. No word haa been received from him. but he was ex pected to be here March 1. That he wilf be present at the meeting of the Park Board, set for next Friday morn lug, is thought probable. He la coming Sole Portland Agents for The Royal Worcester Corsets Derby Gloves at $L75 Per Pair Women's Merode Underwear Women9 s Deimel Mesh Underwear m . . V O.W.& K. Sewing Machines Pin gree Gloria Shoes for Women We Are Agents for the Ladies' Home Journal Patterns, and Also The Ladies' Home Journal Magnet Kid Gloves $1.00 the Pair "Durbar Wash Silk" 65c a Yard Women s $4. 00 Shoes $2. 98 A gloriously good special in the Shoe Department for today. A lot of Shoes - selected from our regular . $3.50 and $4.00 lines in practically all the best leathers and styles. There are button and lace Shoes with light or heavy ' soles and height heel desired. Shoes in kid, calf or patent leathers. In this lot are a num ber of pairs of the famous Pin- gree Glorias.- Shoes that are unusually good values at $3.50 and $4.00 the pair; priced for today at Shoe Polishing Outfits containing Velvo polish er and paste in any color or brand. . A regular 35c set, spl! Wednesday . 19 $2.98 Shoe Polish In all colors and brands, rep:. 10c grades, today, only, four for 2oC Black Tubular Laces for men 's or women 's Shoes ; the dozen .8p FINE NAINSOOK $2.68 THE BOLT Grass bleached Nainsook, for fine underwear and waists. An immense quantity of fered for thisVeek's selling at a special price. Comes in bolts of 10 yards each. A very superior fabric for the construction of line under muslins and shirtwaists. 10 yard bolts, worth $ 3.00, spe cial this f O iffD week 0.OO Embroidered Flannels, richly decorated with silk, in hand some patterns.- Four lots, specially priced this week, at, the vard, 49S $1.10. $1.15 and 1.35 In Wash Materials we have new S c o t c h Dimities in. p r i nted check designs or corded stripes. Distinct nov- . elties, at, the yard.. . ..25k "Durbar" Silk; the season's ideal fabric, price, yd..6o White Embroidered Paris Mousselines, Batistes and Mulls, the yard $3.00 Fancy Sugar Spoons 20c Fancy-shaped Sugar Spoons, 35c values 20c Butter Knives, with fancy handles, spc'l, each..2o Satin-finished Teaspoons, set of 6, for 68 C Satin-finished Dessert Spoons, 6 for ....$1.25 Satin-finish Tablespoons, 6 for $1.35 Satin-finished Forks, 6 for....' $1.35 Satin-finished Knives, 6 for 4-PIECE SILVER TEA SETS Creamer, Sugar Bowl. Spoonholder, specially priced at, ol the set,...VJOJL' CARVING SETS, with white handles, a regular $2.75 set for .$2.25 CARVING SETS, with stag handles, ' regularly $3.75, for '...$3.00 CARVING SETS, with silver' han dles, $4.00 values, for.'... .-. .$3.50 CARVING SETS, with pearl handles. $8.50 values, for $6.75 NEW HAVILAND CHINA in clover leaf pattern, open stock or dinner sets, 60 pieces, for $48.00 NEW JARDINIERES in green mat pottervware 50(f to $1.75 ENGLISH PLATE RAIL PLATES, each 15 to $1.00 LEWIS AND CLARK SOUVENIR PLATES, each 50 Jaunty New Suits at $19.50 and $22.50 Ea. Suits at popular prices wilj have special attention in the Garment Salons today. The smart short jacket effect is strongly featured in these we men tion here and he materials are plain colors or the most wanted fancy suitings. All sizes are to be found in the assortment. The plain eolors are: . The popular Copenhagen blue, black, brown in many shades and navy blue. Then there are some strikingly handsome striped designs in good color combinations. Trimmings are small buttons, lace, braids, pleats and vest effects. Exceedingly smart costumes at very low prices, and we enthusiastically recommend them as' exceptional values $19.50 and $22.5Q Each Stunning Styles in Tailored Hats Special Low Prices Now Chic, jaunty creations that appeal decidedly to. women of discriminating taste. Exclusive designs, direct from New York. . Especially suitable for early Spring wear. No two alike in stjde or color. Designed by the style set ters of America's fashion metropolis. Small, medium or large shapes and all the leading colors and color com binations. The shades fashion has smiled its approval on are Copenhagen Blue, Navy, Alice Blue, Saddle Color, Old Rose and Black. Pleasing combinations of shades are Black and Alice Blue, London Smoke and Alice Blue, Black and American Beauty and Natural Straw combined with almost any of the shades above mentioned. WE ARE MAKING VERY SPECIAL PRICES ON TAILORED MODELS THIS WEEK. That Ribbon Sale Is Attracting, Hundreds Better Come and Save Thousands and thousands of yards of ribbons in one of the great -est sales Portland has ever seen. Ribbons from 4 to 6 inches wide and in every wanted shade. There are Taffeta Ribbons in solid colors, Roman striped effects, Scotch plaid, embroidered dots, graduated stripes, corded stripes, plain black Taffeta, or white canvas ribbons. The widths are 4 to 6 inches and the val ues from 25c to 50c the yard. We have filled one of the Washington Street windows with these goods this shows a part of the patterns but it only gives a faint hint of the values and qualities. This is without doubt one of the largest ribbon sales Portland has ever known. Reg. values 25c to 50c the yard, on sale continued for Today at . 17c ALLOVER LACE S For making yokes, waists, etc. A remarkably choice as sortment of the most- wanted designs and qualities in white Allovers; Yenise, Oriental and Maltese Allover Lace in regular widths, at savings that will appeal irre sistibly to women who are planning Summer waists and gowns. Regular 75c C f and $1.25 xals . OUC Regular 35c and 50c vals. Regular $1.50 and $1.75 vals. . 25c 75c Beg. $2.00 , nn and $2.25 plUU PERSIAN BANDS For trimming tailor-made suits; very much used on cuffs, revers and collars for this season's tailored wear. Widths Vs to . 1 4 inches. Reg- ular valHes to 25c the yard. I (if Sale-price .' VEILINGS In plain black, black with white dots, all white, navy blue and other colors"; black with velvet dots, etc. large or small mesh Worth to 50c the 7 W See New Conceits in 25c Neckwear This display will certainly be a delight to women of taste, who keep up to date on the small fads. Many different styles in Neckwear Novelties are here for a price that is pleasingly smalL Among the new things we are showing are wash tailored stocks trimmed with small buttons; filet lace stocks, trimmed with Valenciennes lace; pleated jabots with hemstitched edges; lace bows, ribbon bows with embroid ered knots and the extremely stylish "Merry Widow" bow. . Your choice CZf of any of these late novelties . . f J Baby Go Car is Are Low -Priced This Week You will be wanting to take baby out for an airing frequent ly now and in anticipation of the balmy days soon to come well help you to plan for thy little tot's outing by this sale of Go-Carts.. They are the best makes to be had. The price range is so varied and savings so large, that regardless of the amount you had. expected to spend, all with "a , need in this line will be instantly attracted by this announcement. These Go-Carts are made with reed body and reclining back, ad justable foot rest, anti-friction wheel fasteners and cushion rubber tires. Price details as follows: , $10.50 values for $8.25 $12.75 values for. ..... .? 10.00 $19.00 values for,. $15.00 $23.00 values for $18.25 $30.00 values for.. . . . . .$23.75 $12.00 grades now.'. . . . $9.50 $15.00 grades now $11.75 $21.00 grades now $16.50 $25.00 grades now $19.75. from Madison, Wis., his former home. He has been engaged to supersede Arthur D. Montieth. at a salary of $.'500 a year. Convicts to do Road Work. OLYMP1A, Wash., March 3. (Spe. da!.) At a conference with the State Board of Railway Commissioners, War den Charles S. Reed, of the State Peni tentiary, and the State Board of Con trol. have arranged to place 60 con victs on the Snoqualami Pass road through the Cascade Mountains In King County. The men will be shipped to the camp in the middle of April, and will be kept there all Summer. Fortune to Act as Range Ship. MAKE ISIAXD NAVY-YARD, Cal.. March 3. The tug Fortune, Lieutenant Kdwin Dodd commanding, left Mare Island today for Magdalena Bay, where she will 'act as a range ship in connec tion' with the Buffalo in placing targets for the practice of the battleships. VOTES TO SEND 4000 MEN France Will Also Provide Funds for Morocco Campaign. PARIS. March 3. The Cabinet to day voted formally to send 4000 addi tional soldiers to Morocco, with the ob ject of continuing the aggressive policy of the government in that country, as well as affording rest to the troops who have become tired out in the re cent fighting with the Moors. Parlia ment will be asked to appropriate the sum of $500,000 for general relief, as well as improvement work in 'Morocco. Autos Plentiful at Hood River. HOOD RIVER. Or., March 3. (Special.) Already the home of the big red apple. Mood River will also soon be the home of a number of big red automobiles. Since the advent here last year of the car ofC-.l Gilbert, four" machines have been "pur chased by other residents of Hood River and three more are on the way. Several of them have been bought by real 'estate men and doctors .and a large Pierce Arrow will be put to use to take care of the tourist trafTic to Cloud Cap Inn when the season opens. Appointments Seek the Men. OLYMPIA, Wash., March 3. (Spe cial.) Governor Mead has been, asked to appoint delegates from this state to the International Congress on the Welfare of the Child, to be held in Washington, D. C, from March 10 to 17. The -request comes from the Na tional Congress of Mothers, and the Governor will be pleased to appoint anyone who is interested in the work of the congress to represent the State of Washington. J"o Agreement at Gold field. BROWNSVILLE, Or., March 3 (Special.) Peter Either, of this city, has been ap pointed, county commissioner by the Linn Count- commissioners' court to till the vacancy in that office caused by the re cent death of County Commissioner H. R. Powell, of this county. Mr. Bither is an old resident and a leading Democrat of the county. His appointment holds until July next. Harney Papers Organize. ONTARIO, Or., March X (Special.) The newspapers of Harney county or ganized at Ontario Saturday, with officers as follows: President, William Plughoff. of the Ontario Argus: secretary, F. W. Bradley, of the Malheur Gazette; treas urer, G. A. Hurley, of the Oregon Oreano. The executive committee elected was headed by J. R. Gregg, of the Ontario Democrat, as chairman. Butte Mines Start Work. BUTTE, Mont., March 3. Work was started in the mines of the Amalgamated, North Butte and Coalition companies yesterday. Of the Amalgamated mines, which suspended December 9 last, about 30 per cent of the normal force was put to work yesterday. On Saturday laat these mines employed no men. In a lew days, when the normal force is restored they will give employment to 5500 men. The North Butte Company took on 250 men last night. The Red Metals Com- 3 rnu m me weeK. will have added 700 men to Its payroll. Proposed by Miners. RENO, Nev., March 3. A special to the Gazette from Goldlield says that the spe cial meeting of the union Miners last night was without result. The miners voted to accept the Tonopah scale, but the mine operators refused to meet their terms, saying they would make no fur ther concessions. The mines in GoldfleM are rsuming under association rules with over 1100 men now working. Employed by Proxy. I.ippini ott'8. "Want a Job, Rastus?" "No, sah, no, ah; done got a job, lb." Indeed. What are you doing?" Takin'- in washin' foah ma wife to d84 laV