THE MORNING- OBEGONIAN, FRIDAY, ..MAT- - 1419Q9.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
WILL BE PROBED
Seattle' Firm , Charges That
Bids of A. G. Long Are Only
Ones Given Consideration.
WRITTEN PROTEST FILED
"tiamewell Company Alleges Combine
to Buy Apparatus of Local Dealer
to Exclusion of Others Camp
bell Makes Strong Denjal. "
Mayor lane and members of the fire
' committee of the City Executive Board
', have received written charges of a
serious nature, preferred by Fred A.
Wood, representing the Gamewell Fir
Alarm Company, with headquarters at
6eattle. His communication, addressed
to the Mayor, was filed with the City
' Auditor yesterday and wag read at the
committee meeting:, held in the after
noon. '
Mr. Wood alleges, that there exists in
Portland a combination, whereby it is
Impossible for any tire apparatus dealer
except A. O. Long, of this city, to re
ceive contracts for supplies for the local
Are department. The. Mayor announced,
after the reading of the charges, that an
Investigation will be commenced within
a few days.
Fire Chief Campbell, who is indirectly
concerned, but whose name is not men
tioned by Mr. Wood, declared last night
that there Is no combination, eo far as
he knows, and that all bidders are treat
ed alike, to the best of his knowledge.
He. denied the existence of such a com
bine as Mr. Wood charges is here and
said that he is trying to conduct the de
partment in a perfectly fair, and Impar
tial manner.
Lane Believes Charges.
That Mayor I.ane believes the charges
are true is known. He has been in
formed. It is said, from various sources
that such a combination exists, and he
admits that he has frequently questioned
certain transactions and dealings of the
fire department and that he has won
dered why it Is that there . Is so little
competitive bidding for fire apparatus.
He has demanded that the matter be
sifted to the bottom, to the end that the
charges be proven or disproven and the
good name of the city cleared of the
allegations of collusion.
Among other charges Mr. Wood makes
Is that no company bids against the
American La France Kngine Company,
represented by A. G. Long at Portland.
Mr. Wood declares that no other com
panies expect any business from this
city and. if they bid at all, bid so high
that the Portland firm gets the contract.
The reason for this. Mr. Wood states, is
that Portland is on the lists of the va
rious manufacturing companies In this
line of trade as unfair and that none of
them wish to sell any of their good?
here while this condition continues, as
alleged.
Mr. Wood further alleges that the city
Is "held up" on fire apparatus and says
that, years ago, when with the Knott
Fire Kngine Company, he always bid
high on Portland advertisements, never
expecting any of the business here. He
States that, long ago. he sold for W900
third-ized engines, such as A. G. Long
sold here two weeks ago for $6000, "and
made a good profit on them at that." He
states that. If Mr. Long could thus maka
such a margin of profit on two engines,
he could well afford to put in a very low
bid on tire-alarm boxes, and the mention
of this Item is said to be somewhat of a
disclosure as to why Mr. Wood preferred
the charges.
Firms Are Ttivals.
The Gamewell Company and the Star
Fire Alarm Company, the latter being
represented "by Mr. Long, have been en
gaged for several months in a heated
contest for business in the Northwest,
and there Is the keenest of rivalry be
tween them. At the meetings of the
fire committee, when bids, have been
opened for these boxes, the hottest kind
of words have been passed by Messrs.
Jjong and Wood, each accusing the other
of trickery of all kinds. Several months
I go the Executive Board awarded tho
Gamewell Company a contract for boxes,
after a test of the Star and Gamewell
Instruments was made. Mr. Long
charged trickery, saying that the Stat
boxes were not given a fair trial, as the
Gamewell box was so adjusted that the
Star would not operate correctly in uni
son with it.
There lias been much criticism of the
fire department by Mayor Lane, and he
announced yesterday, afternoon, while
the routine business of the lire commit
tee was in progress, that the matter of
fire hydrants, about which there was
. much ado several months ago, will be
resumed in the near future. Hydrant In.
spector Phillips and Chief Campbell are
Involved in that investigation, it being
alleged that they "6tood In" with an
arrangement whereby the Portland Foun
i dry Company was the, only Arm that got
any business in the hydrant line.
OLD - TIME STAG SOCIAL
TRAVELERS PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION WILL PRODUCE
MUSICAL COMEDY AT HEILIG TONIGHT AND
TOMORROW NIGHT. -
Portland Klks Boosting Their Ex
curslon to Los Angeles.
Portland Ijodge. No. 142. B. P. O.
Elks, has completed arrangements for
an old time stag social which will be
held In the lodge room next Thursday
lilght. G. C. Moser. exalted ruler of the
lodge, will be the presiding genius. Pro
vision has been made for the entertain
ment of 1000 persons. After the re
freshments have been served cob pipes
will be passed around and those who
enjoy a smoke of that kind will be In
vlted to fill their pipes from a large
bowl of the very best quality of mixture
which will be placed upon a stand In the
center of the hall. At all previous stag
socials cigars have been served but this
time pipes have been introduced to em
phasise the old style feature.
Next Thursday's stag has been author
ised by the lodge In order to stimulate
the Interest of Portland Elks in their
excursion to Los Angeles at the time of
the grand lodge session in July. Portland
hopes to send not leas than 100 to Ios
Angeles and the time Is near when the.
members who intend going must have
their uniforms and provide for their
transportation. A feature of the pro
gramme will be a series of views show
ing that portion of the Pacific Cifcst be
' tweeu Portland and Los Angeles. William
McMurray, general passenger agent of
the O. It. & N will supply the views.
This presentation will occupy about one
bour and a half In Installments of 20
minutes each. Interspersed with music
numbers, songs, dances, farces and other
numbers.
- - t X
I " -S. ki ,: '
It - --"3 n 5 - j . ;
is - - k - - w it 1A ' 5 Jl
IJ. H. driMBT AND MISS S II Kit MA DANA, TWO OF PRINCIPALS
JiJP !' "TOODLES IN HOILAXD."
"Toodles In Holland." a musical comedy, will be grlven at the Helllg
Theater tonight and tomorrow night, by the Travelers' Protective
Association. The cast will Include about 50 well-known traveling
men. The piece contains a number of catchy songs and choruses, and
several of the scenes are extremely funny. Sherma Dana and D. H.
Qulmby. both well-known in Portland, will give some Interesting
specialties. The cast is as follows: Toodles, a little girl. Baby Patsy;
Bessie, -her sister (alias Lady Bountiful). Sherma Dana; Miss Riley,
Toodles' aunt. Floy Mann; Samantha Flycash. of Flycash's Seminary,
Mary Cardiff; the Merry Widow. Margrete Colligari; General Cran
ston (alias Foxy Grandpal, J. W.Shaw; Dr. Ferdinand Schapskoff, of
tho Pink Home for Pale Drummers, Clarlie Rlngler; A. Knight Stand,
a stranded actor, V. Ashbury; Maealovitch Ievy. on the bum, too. Ed
die 'Weinsteln; Van Dyke Brown, the artist, D. Homan Quimby: Officer
Harrigan. one of the finest, . Z. L.Martin; Pussy Pumpkin, H. Tedgnar
Minor; Sis Perkins. Bessie Wlcke. And the following: lone Morri
son. Helen Patges. Floyd Mann, Pherne Miller. E. W. Ingles, Albert
S. Rodda. A. E. Hansohn. Nye Kern, Jack Brinkley, JS. c. Jahn,"Bob
Adams. E. W. Dtngman. Lela Sprague. Ida Belle Holmes. Laura Pen
dergrass. Robert Huffschmldt. L. M. Groshong. Vernon Schibach. Gen
evieve Jameson. Hallie Dalziel, Bessie Wicke. Florence Dana. Bessie
Bowles, Alice Warner, Frances Rutherford. Lillian Carpenter, Agnes
Glenn. Dorothy Nash. Ivy Carter, Emma R. Muck, Lena Beckett, Lila.
Beckett, Dorothy Malchester, Sylvia Bagley.
TUMOR OF
FOURYEARS
GROWTH
Removed by Lydia E. Pink
ham's Vegetable Compound
South Bend, Ind. " Lydia E. Pink
ham's Vegetable Compound removed
a cyst tumor oi
four years' growth,
which three of the
best physicians de
clared I had. Thej
said that only an
operation could
help me. I am very
gladthatlfollo-wec
a friend's advice
and took Lydia E.
Pinkham's Vege
table Compound,
for it has made me
a strong and vrel
woman, and I shall recommend it as
long as I live." Mb a. May Fry,
Lindley, Ind.
One of the greatest triumphs of
Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Com
pound is the conquering of woman's
dread enemy. tumor. If you have
mysterious pains.inflammation, ulcera
tion or displacement, don't wait for
time to confirm your fears and go
through the horrorsof a hospital opera
tion, but try Lydia E. Pinkham's Vege
table Compound at once.
For thirty years Lydia E. Pinkhani3
Vegetable Compound, made from roots
and herbs, has been the standard remedy
for female ills, and such unquestion
able testimony as the above proves the
value of this famous remedy, and
should give confidence and hope to
every sick woman.
it you would liKe special aavice
about your case write a confiden
tial letter to mrs. finsnam, at
Lrnn, Mass. .Her advice is free,
and always helpful.
I .UUMI. .. l.
' x -!
ANSWER COURT CURTLY
DEFENDANTS . FLIPPANT W HEN
BROUGHT BEFORE JUDGE.
COST IS OBSTACLE
Law Is Silent on Expense of
Recall Election.
directed by an advisory board of five
members, of which George H. Thomas,
chairman of tne Democratic County Cen
tral Committee, is chairman- The other
members include such staunch Democratic
stalwarts as Jefferson Myers, D. M. Wat
son, Mark O'Neill and John Montag.
Chairman Thomas said yesterday that the
Democrats would labor earnestly, not only
to elect Judge M. G. Munly for Mayor,
but for the success, of the four Demo
cratic nominees for places in the City
Council D. Chambers, Councilman-at-largie;
C. A. Proudfoot, from the Fifth:
H. Versteeg. from the Ninm and W. T.
Vaughn, from the Tenth. .
LEGAL TEST MAY BE HAD
Attempt to Oust Portland Council-
men AVill Be Carried to Court
if It Materlalizcs-r-Can- .
d I dates Are Shy. .
Agitation for the proposed recall of
members -of the Portland City Council
has raised the question of how the ex
penses incident to such a special elec
tion shall be paid. The constitutional
amendment enacting the recall Is silent
on this Question, and .It is for that rea
son lawyers are unable to agree In their
interpretation of the measure and its
operation. The only reference to ex
penses contained in the amendment is
in the concluding words of the section.
which says:
Such additional legislation as may aid the
operation of this section shall be provided
by the legislative Assembly. Including: pro
vision for payment by the public treasury
of the re.asona.ble special election campaign
expenses of such officer.
When requested yesterday . for an
opinion on the subject, Attorney-General
Crawford, of Salem, said that he
knew of no way for holding a special
recall election in Portland or else
where In the state unless those desir
ing the election pay the expenses. The
city Charter contains no provision for a
recall election, neither does it provide
for the expenses of such an election.
Consequently, if a recall election is had
it must be held under the provisions of
the constitution and state laws, so far
as they apply. The Attorney-General
further said that he knows of nothing
In the state laws covering the contin
gency. Several Portland lawyers agree with
Attorney-General Crawford and contend
that.it is compulsory on the Legislature
to enact further legislation before the
recall provision can be carried into op
eration. Other equally prominent mem
bers of the legal profession maintain
that the recall amendment Is operative
In itself and "that without any specific
provision being made relative to ex
penses it is an established principle of
law that existing statutes apply- to "the
situation and that the expenses of such
elections shall be paid out of the public
treasury in the same manner as are the
expenses of all other legally authorized
elections.
The Legislature having failed to pro
vide in any way for reimbursing the
candidate against whom the recall is in
voked for bis reasonable campaign ex
penses. It Is held by the same legal au
thority to be up to such officers to 'pay
their own expenses as they are required
to do In regular elections.
The proposed movement for the recall
of members of the Council, however, has
not yet assumed definite shape. It is
understood that the advocates of such
an election are having difficulty in find
ing desirable men who will go before
the people as candidates in opposition to
the counciimen wnose retirement Is de
sired. Although it is not regarded prob
able that the recall movement will ma
terialize, it may be expected that should
such an election be held the recall
amendment would be taken into the
courts for a legal interpretation of the
disputed points tbat have been raised.
Democrats Frame Advisory Board.
Details of the municipal campaign to
be conducted by the 4-emocrats will be
OPEN LIGHT BIDS TODAY
Power Company Probably Will Get
( Contract for Lighting Streets.
-The lighting committee of the City Ex
ecutive Board will open bids at 3 o'clock
this afternoon for three and five-year
contracts for public lighting, and it is
expected that the Portland Railway, Light
& Power Company will this time submit
a bid for the shorter period.- In case this
develops, it Is believed that the commit
tee will recommend to the Board that a
three-year contract be let. However, this
is problematical.
Mayor Lane and the members of the
Executive Board have refused to renew
the long-term contract previously held bv
tne power company, alleging extortionate
rates, and failure on the part of the com
pany to furnish the amount of current
called for in the contract. This contention
led to a deadlock between tho city and
the corporation, and this situation has
existed for several months. The lighting
has been furnished by the month, and
payment therefor made monthly.
There Is a back bill claimed by the.
company, aggregating 539,000. which was
deducted by the Executive Board from
month to month, during the latter part
of the old contract, and the company has
taken the ground that it will tnsist upon
the payment of this sum before making
a reduction in rates.
The lighting committee will open the
bids at 3 o'clock, a!nd will submit Its re
port, in all probability, to the Executive
Board, which will meet at 4 o'clock. If
the bid of the company Is not accepted
and a contract for three or five years
authorized, it will probably mean that
Mayor Lane intends to continue the pres
ent system of paying for lights by the
month until his term expires. July 1. In
that case, his successor in office will be
confronted with the problem of straight
ening out this matter.
School Funds In Two States.
PORTLAND. May 13. (To the Editor.)
news answer tne ionowing- questions:
First What Is the amount of xchnnl fund
in tho ftate of Oregon derived from the sale
or school lands?
Pecond What is tli corresponding
amount in the State of Washinirton
Third What were the earnings of the
wetls-fargo company In Oregon last Tear?
SUBSCRIBER.
Oregon's v irreducible school fund
amounts to $5,560,910.82. In addition $1S,
358.S3 Is the Agricultural College fund;
J104.au6.36 is the State University fund. Of
the school fund the sum of Jo.221, 886.20 is
drawing 6 and 8 per cent interest.
The irreducible school fund of the State
of Washington is about $6,000,000. The
bulk of this fund is invested in interest-
bearing bonds and the interest is used,
to help support the schools. Money from
rentals of school lands and interest on
contracts of sales of school lands since
statehood aggregating several million
dollars have gone Into the current school
fund and have been spent- In meeting the
needs of the common schools. This fund
for Washington does not include moneys
derived from sale of lands for univer
sities. Agricultural College and other In
stitutione. Land Commissioner Ross es
timates that If the remaining common
school lands were sold today at the av
erage prices he has secured in the past
two years (they would bring about
J75.00O.flOO.
It is Impossible to determine the net
earnings of the Wells-Fargo Company in
Oregon last year, because the report of
the company does not segregate the. Ore
gon business; that is, it does not at.
tempt to say what part of Its interstate
business belongs to Oregon.
The total net corporate income from
the . whole system last yeai was J4.180,
615.74. The gross Income last year for
business wholly within the State of Ore
gon was J218,184.6C. This does not include
Oregon s 6hare of interstate business.
Bert Ward, Dan O'Day, Otto Hart-
man and Tony Patrico Are Ar
rlagned on Various Charges. '
Accustomed as he is to hear attorneys
at the bar address him as "Your Honor,"
Judge Bronaugh's dignity received a
hard jolt yesterday afternoon when four
alleged criminals were arraigned. They
dismissed the questions of the court with
scant ceremony.
"Are you ready to plead at this time?"
asked Judge. Bronaugh of Bert Ward,
who, with Dan O'Day, was arraigned by
Deputy District Attorney Page on a
charge of having stolen $3.05 from Hardi
Singh last month. "I'll let you know to
morrow," was the curt reply.
'And are you ready to enter your
plea?" asked the court of Otto Hartman,
accused of larceny. "H-m-m?" "Do you
want to plead now?" called the judge,
loud enough to be heard a half block.
"I am guilty, no," was the answer. "You
are not guilty?" came the next question.
No. "Well, then you are guilty?" "No."
'Let the plea of not guilty be entered,"
ordered the court.
"Have you an attorney?" Hartman
was. asked.- "No." "Do you want one?"
No, I don't need any."
Tony Patrico was the next. "I don't
know if I am going to have one," he
said when the court asked him if he de
sired the court to appoint an attorney
for him. Patrico is accused of holding
up J. P. Dow. He and. Bert Ward are
to plead Monday.
PETITION'S FATE KNOWN TODAY
Bronaugh Will Pass on Xight and
Excise Board Measures.
Presiding Judge Bronaugh will de
cide at 9:30 o clock this morning wheth
er or not City Auditor Barbur must
place the excise board petition and the
J2.000.000 light and power plant pe-
tlon on the ballot.
Nearly the entire afternoon yesterday
was spent by the judge hearing the ar
guments over the excise board petl
tion. Attorney Seneca Smith, appear
ing for Paul Rader. the plaintiff, said
that he does not question the validity
of the registration law, but does ques
tion the validity of the city ordinance
relative to the filing of petitions if
the term legal voters ' means regis
tered voters.
"You cannot tell by an examination
of the registration books whether a
man is a legal voter or not," continued
Mr. Smith, "for the law does not pro
vide that a man snail not vote If he
is not on the book. Hundreds of men
vote at every election who are not reg
istered.
"It is only the people who are afraid
to have laws like this submitted to the
people who are making this hard fight
to Keep this petition oil the ballot.
You can't commit fraud in having a
question submitted to tne voters. This
court is bound to hold that if the peo
ple pass the law it is a good law. and
that If it Is not passed, nobody is
harmed except that a few cents have
been lost through the printing of the
petition on the ballot. The punishment
provided for people who swear falsely
about signatures is enough to protect
the city against fraud.
Attorney C K. Adams argued for the
city that elections are but a travesty,
if every irresponsible hoodlum is per-
mited to vote- In order to carry on
the "election without repeaters, and
fraud, it is necessary, he said, to pro
vide in the law that voters shall qual
ify. He contended that there is no
way of distinguishing legal voters
from Illegal ones except by registra
tion. The- question of forged signa
tures did not enter Into the arguments,
Immense ;
Sale of
Women's and
T Misses V
Tailor-Made
Suits
Portland's Largest Specialty Suit House
."Corner Fifth and Alder Streets
' S. E. WERTHEIMER - - President and Gen. Manager
Dont
Miss This
Sale.
Half Saved
on Every
Garment
Ixtraordinary Sale of Women's Suits
BOUGHT AT FIFTY CENTS ON THE DOLLAR
We purchased at this remarkable price the entire stock of BLOOM
& STURM AN, 33 West 17th St., New York City, manufacturers
of Women's and Misses' Suits. 500 suits comprise the purchase,
and we have divided them into four lots for Friday's selling.
WITNESS GIVES IjAME EXCUSE
Disregarded Bench Warrant Xearly
Places Him in Contempt.
Art Schroeder. of 319 Powell street.
came very near being declared In con
tempt of court yesterday afternoon. .Rob
ert T. Stewart, who Is suing the Port
land Railway, Llg'nt & Power Company
for ouou damages on account of a col
lision at East Twelfth- and East Mot!
Lot 1 At $11.95 Lot 2 At $14.95
100 Stlits of all-wo1 novelty l55Suits in Shepherd checks
mixtures, Panama - and stripe worsteds,
cloths or serges, in light colors and plain color serges, including white,
navy blues; Coats lined with guaran- fme quaiity gatm stripe Panama
teed satin. Some trimmed with silk h c d taffeta Qr
braid; others are ' plainly tailored; .. . ,
values to $30.00, satin; values to $3o.00,
Friday $11.95 Friday $1495
Lot 3At $1 8.75 Lot 4--At $24.75
1 45 Su:ts finest " quality satin lOOSuitS111 fancy stripe
stripe Prunella cloths, worsteds and plain col
fancy mixed worsteds, elegantly tai- or satin finished Prunella cloths, also
lored, lined either with messaline plain gray worsteds, strictly tailored,
silk or Skinner satins. Some 40-inch lined with taffeta or guaranteed sat
strictly tailored effects in this lot; valueg -n thig l t t $5Q
values to $40.00, . ' rt 1 '
Friday $18.75 - Friday $24.75
A" Values
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Special Shoe Sale
Our entire new Spring stock
$2.85 1 $2.45 $3.35
to $4.00
Values to $3.50
Values to $5.00
A11 sizes, styles and leathers
and best makes.
son streets. - told Judge Gatens from the
witness stand that he - subpenaed Schroe
der last Friday. A - bench : warrant - for
Schrotcer's arrest has been out for two
days. . and - Deputy -Sheriffs- Bird t. and
Proebstel were sent to arrest-- him. He
could not be found, but his sister was
told to send him to the Courthouse.
. "I thought they could get along with
out me," was the only excuse Schroeder
had to offer when Judge Gitens asked
him why he did not come when his sister
told him about the Deputy Sheriffs'
visit. Schroeder has been ordered to re
port to Judge Gatens this morning, al
though he testified yesterday that he
was standing on the street corner at the
time of the accident. "
toe
oureI
You ar5 not dplng the best you know W
unless you test all things and "hold fast" to
that which is good.
The Spring season is here and with it the
smartest clothing of the season labeled .
Michaels-Stern Clothes
They fill many a lack. They are tailored
after the custom manner and the fabrics
and patterns are the best and most
exclusive to be had.
i?lirfjaeliS-Steni Clothes are as hand
some as they can be, as smart as
they dare be and much more
reasonable in price than others
of like quality.
! s 'xr ... .'if:. t-A I
4 - j. " . .S .' A you are unable to procure thtm i your City kindtr t.
jffi if -.isJC ' .-1 advise us. Write tolay for the MICHAELS-STERN I
"l "'-. ' I i rTZZZZZZZ. 3 J Famhion Portfolio of Sprint mtyUm-it it tree on 11
I k f , ji " f-W"' I 'I request. ! "
J'"" t. t :. ,Mwiwiliiw