VOL. XO. 15,3o3.
PORTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, . 1910.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
MQRGAlJ IS HOT HI
TELEPHONE DEAL
Bankers Won't Finance
Holding Concerns.
$7,000,000 LOAN IS REPAID
Standard Oil Decision Has
Effect on Investors.
INDEPENDENTS RE OUT
Witnesses Hearing Testily That
Efforts to Bring About Consoli
dation Failed Because of
Fear of Statutes.
NEW YORK, Feb. 9. J. P. Morgan
may voluntarily testify In New York In
a fw days concerning the recent pur
chase by his firm of a controlling inter
est In the United States Telephone Co.,
of Cleveland. Ohio, and the Cuyahoga
Telephone Co. of the same state.
' Protesting minority stockholders of the
company are now taking depositions to
be used in the Ohio courts in suits to
check completion of the purchase, main
taining that J. P. Morgan & Co. acted for
the American Tlephone & Telegraph
Co. (the Bell interest) In acquiring six
independent companies In Ohio and In
diana, and that, as competition has
ceased in that territory, that transac
tion is illegal.
Purchases Simply for Investment?
Morgan & Co. have held all along that
any purchases they made were simply as
an investment of the firm.
H. B. McGraw, of Cleveland, and Sam
uel B. Jeffries, of St. Louis, jointly rep
resenting minority stockholders, said this
afternoon that Mr. Morgan had volun
teered as a witness and that he would be
called probably In a day or two.
The hearing is being held here before
a notary, deputized by the Ohio Supreme
Court, where the original suit was
brought. The American Telephone &
Telegraph Company, which controls the
Central Union Company In Ohio and In
diana, contends that the deal never went
through .and that it does not now know
who owns the independent companies,
and that it has no Interest whatever in
them. It further asserts that competi
tion in that territory is as strong as ever.
Purchase Is Denied.
Evidence taken today shows that the
American Telegraph & Telephone Com
pany negotiated with L. R. Day & Co..
bankers, to acquire the controlling Inter
est in the Ohio and Indiana companies
on the understanding that the American
company would take those holdings if it
found that it could do so legally. It. I,.
Day & Co. acquired the holdings and
later disposed of them, but the Ameri
can company asserts that it was not the
A member of the firm of R. I Day &
Co.. will take the stand tomorrow and
the minority stockholders hope to show
that .1. P. Morgan & Co. were the pur
chasers acting for the American Tele
phone & Telegraph Comapny.
The American company admitted that
it. lent Day & Co. more than J7.W0.O0O to
acquire the major holdings, but that,
when Day & Co. were released from their
contract, the loan was paid.
Holdings Arc Jcscrllod.
W. J. Hall, vice-president of the Ameri
can Telepliono Comapny. declared the
American Telephone & Telegraph Com
pany was the controlling stockholder in
the W estern Electric Company, the larg
est electrical equipment manufacturers in
the world.
"In Ohio and Indiana vc operate the
Central Union Company," said Mr. Hall,
"and In Michigan the Michigan Telephone
Company. The American Telephone &
Telegraph Company lias no utontrol of
any other companies in Ohio excepting
the Long Distance, the Cleveland Tele
phone Company and the Western Com
pany of Cleveland. The Western owns
the Cleveland company. In Cincinnati
we do not own a controlling interest."
Mr. Hall said that, he had seen a letter
written by President Vail, of the Ameri
can Telephone & Telegraph Company, to
the Attorney -General of Ohio, relative
to Itie acquisition by R. L. Day &. Co.
of the Ohio companies. He added that
I lie American Telephone & Telegraph
Company had not taken over the stock
of the. Ohio companies, as it was found
that the Ohio laws would make it inad
visable.. The witness said the company
asked It. 1 Day to -.elease it from the
contract.
"What were the" difficulties referred to
in Mr. Vail's letter to the Ohio Attorncy
lcner.J?" Hankers Avoid Holding Companies.
"Well, we .oul-rin't finance a holding
company tha we wanted to organize to
take over all those concerns, a holding
company In which the American Tele
phone & Telegraph Company would have
no interest. Put since the Standard Oil
decision, you can't finance any kind of
a holding company. Bankers won't talk
about it.
"I took up the matter with J. P. Mor
gan & Co., after two other banking
house had been unable to do anything.
Mr. Davidson, of that Arm, came to my
office and we discussed the organization
of a holding company. I told him we
wanted to take a large block of stock In
(Concluded on Past 3.)
NUPTIAL KNOT TIED
WHEN MOON IS NEW
PORTLAND MAX MARRIES WOM
AN KXOWJT ONLY TWO DAYS.
J. U. Housman and Miss Fzick, of
Detroit, Go South for Health
and Find Life-Mate.
L03 AXGELES. Cal., Feb. 9. (Special.)
At exactly 5:13 o'clock this afternoon
Justice of the Peace Summerfleld pro
nounced J. E. Housman and Theresa M.
Ezick man and wife. Housman came
here from his home in Portland, Or., a
week ago because of his health. Two
days, ago he met Miss Ezick, who had
come here from Detroit, also in search
of health.
It was a case of love at first sight
Mrs. Laura H. Housman, of Astoria,
mother of today's groom, accompanied
him on bis trip here and made the ar
rangements for the-wedding. She told
Justice Summerfleld that she wanted the
ceremony performed at the exact moment
of the arrival of the new moon. She
consulted the almanac, she said, and
found that that was af6:13 today.
"I'm always lucky when I start any
thing on the new moon." she said. "I
bought some land In Portland once on the
new moon and I made a lot of money
out of it. So I want my son to start his
married life with the same luck."
Justice Summerfleld agreed with her
that there was no time like the new
moon and tied the' knot.
Mrs. Housman, Sr., has good ground
for damages from the almanac-makers,
because astronomers say the new moon
does not come in until next Saturday.
COUGAR ONLY LAY ON BOY
Brute Resting After Attack, Lad
Yells, Animal Flees.
SEATTLE, Wash., Feb. 9. (Special.)
From Cedarhome, a small settlement
north of Seattle, comes the story that
last Monday evening Adolph Jensen, a
schoolboy, 12 years old, was attacked
by a large panther going- through a
thicket on his way from school. He
was too frightened to scream, and to
his surprise the animal did not devour
him, but simply lay down upon him
and held his prey for fully 10 minutes.
Slowly regaining his senses, and with a
final effort the boy gave forth a lusty
yell. The noise so completely aston
ished Jhe cougar that with a leap he
bore off into the woods, leaving the
boy on the ground.
The youngster's clothes were almost
torn from his body and large wounds
were bleeding on his arms and face.
He commenced calling - frantically for
help. As the night was clear and cold,
his cries attracted attention, and two
neighbors, after a time, found the boy
In a swoon lying in a pool of blood
at the end of the path. Medical aid
.was called and the boy, though terribly
mutilated, will recover.
YEAR 4607 BEGINS GAILY
Undercurrent of Trouble Marks
Celebration by New York Chinese.
XEW YORK, Feb. 9. The year 4ti07
began in Chinatown at midnight, and
today Is every New York Chinaman's
birthday. For a week all business except
fan tan and peigow is suspended, and the
proper celebration for the great, holiday
is being undertaken by the On Leong
Tongs, the Hip Sing Tongs and the Lin
Chuns.
All restaurants, clubs, stores' and tong
headquarters display a giddy maze of
flags and bunting, with long strip's of
gaily colored lanterns and ropes of elec
tric bulbs. At the feet of various josses
are heaped presents of varied character.
The police have been expecting trouble
during The Xew Year woek and a heavy
extra detail of bluecoats is stationed
throughout the district.
There was to have been a display of
fireworks tonight, but Captain Galvin
called it off. this morning, fearing that
some tong member would accept that op
portunity to tettle with his enemies under
cover of the popping batteries..
EDITOR . LOSES APPENDIX
Clark Howell, of Atlanta Constitu
tion, Rallies From Operation.
ATLANTA, Ga.. Feb. 9. Clark Howell,
editor of the Atlanta Constitution,
Georgia member of the National Demo
cratic committee and director of the As
sociated Press, who was operated upon
today for appendicitis, rallied well after
coming out from under the anesthetic.
Unless unforeseen complications eet In
he will recover.
Mr. Howell was stricken this morning
and suffered so much pain that no at
tempt could be made to get him to k
hospital. Dr. Floyd W. McRae. performed
the operation at the editor's home. The
appendix was found in a bad condition,
but the operation was pronounced a suc
cess. SEINE IS RISING AGAIN
Water Again Ponrsr Into Conduits,
Flooding Power Unes.
PARIS. Feb. 9. The rivr Seine has
risen nine inches here during the
hours ending at noon today. The hydro
graphic department predicts a rise until
Friday.
Although confident that there is no
danger of a repetition of the recent- dis
aster, the authorities today are taking
precautionary measures. Water from the
sewers is again pouring into the. con
duits, drowning the eif-ctric light and
power lines in the vicinity of the Place
de TOpera.
While service has been resumed on
several sections of the Subway. the
management holds out no hope that the
line passing St. Iazare station will be
res tored for another mon th.
GAY NOR
POPULAR
NOW HE'S MAYOR
Executive Is Success
as Nonpartisan.
MANY REFORMS INSTITUTED
Problems Taken Up Which
Predecessors Overlooked.
HIS BREEZY MANNER WINS
Police Find It Won't Be Good for
Them to "Club" Prisoners,' and
Street Commissioner Learns
to Keep Men Busy.
BY LLOYD F. LOXERGAN.
NEW YORK. Feb. 9. (Special.) Will
iam J. Gaynor has been in the Ciiy Hall
scarce six weeks, and honesty compels
the admission that he is the best Mayor
we have ever had. If the election were
held over again, it is a moral certainty
that ha would have a clear -majority over
all opponents, instead of a measly little
plurality, such as he received in Novem
ber. Gaynor has solved the problem of be
ing nonpartisan, and still retaining a
standing with the regulars. He has
named a few Republicans to office, it is
true, but the majority of his cabinet are
Democrats, although far from being Tam
many men.
He has made it very clear, however,
that there is no politics in city govern
ment, and that he is as ready to "fire"
a Democrat as he is to remove a Repub
lican. It is already thoroughly under
stood that none of the Gaynor cabinet
hold life jobs. When they fail to "make
good" they will be put out, and it will
not be for political reasons. And every
body knows that this is a fact.
Gaynor Unique Anions Mayors.
Gaynor is unique among Mayors, be
cause he takes up subjects that his prede
cessors have overlooked. Furthermore,
in nearly every case they are propositions
in which the general public is vitally
interested.
Two matters which the Mayor is de
termined to reform, are police brutality
and unequal taxation. And he is going
about it in a breezy way that promises
results.
For years it has been the watchword in
New York, never to annoy a policeman,
and if he clubs you, to say nothing about
it, for if you do you will simply get the
worst of it. Day after day men have
been arraigned In the police courts,
swathed in bandages, and accused of the
heinous offense of resisting arrest, and
being rude to an officer. Frequently the
magistrate would feel compelled to take
notice of the affair, and would deliver
himself something as follows:
"Officer Smith, you claim that this man
attacked you, and yet you come into
court without a scratch, while this pris
oner has been brutally beaten. The evi
dence fails to show that he did anything
wrong. I will discharge this prisoner,
and I warn you; Officer Smith, that police
brutality will not be tolerated while I am
on the bench."
And that was all, except that the pris
oner was usually clubbed again the next
day, and did not dare to say a word
about it.
Occasionally, a policeman does such
Concluded on Page 5.)
PLACE
MUSCLE.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature,
43.2 degrees; minimum, S5.2 degrees.
TODAY'S Fair; northwesterly winds.
National.
Scope of Senate inquiry into cost of living
is widened. Page 5.
House committee on Naval affairs agrees on
plan by which. Secretary Meyer's . pro
gramme will have year's trial. Page 3.
Commissioner of corporations In report says
that corporations should seek publicity;
prosecution is only last resort. Page 3.
President approves plan restoring 4,000,000
acres of reserve land to settlement; Ore
gon's share is half million acres. Page 5.
Politics.
Gaynor leaps into popularity after taking
office. Page 1.
Domestic
J. P. Morgan's aid in financing telephone
merger refused, in view of court deci
sion against holding companies. Page 1.
Poison administered by Dr. B. O. Hyde
blamed' by coroner's Jury for Millionaire
Swope' death ; felonious Intent not as
serted. Page 1.
Ex-Queen X,iliuokalani. poor and ' discour
aged. returns to land of former splendor.
Page 2.
Eastern astronomers scout theory that Hal
ley's comet fs dangerous, saying tall will
not even disturb Insects. Page 1.
Sport.
O'Connell-Matsuda wrestling bout tonight
will prove interesting to sport fans. Page
Northwestern League's last chance for Port
land team goes glimmering with
Seattle judge's decision against Aberdeen.
Page 7.
Langford is anxious to meet Fiynn in fight
to finish. Page 7.
Commercial and Marine.
Lack of buyers In local wheat market. Page
19.
Poor cash demand carries down wheat at
Chicago. Page 18. ;
Stock market takes -an upward turn. Page
19.
Bids for repair of Revenue Cutter Manning
opened: competition is close and time
consideration may govern acceptance.
Page 18.
Pacific Northwest.
Dr. Mary E. Green, known as authority on
dletitics. dies in Seattle. Page 6.
Dissatisfied Republicans threaten to knife
dill ticket in -Seattle. .Page 6
Safe in Jasper blown by robbers with giant
powder. Page 14.
Portland and Vicinity.
Great Northern plans to advertise reasources
of Central Oregon extensively. Page 8.
Otto Kleemann, president of German-Speaking
Societies, accepts Prohibition com
mittee's challenge to debate on "prohi
bition. Page 11.
Women plan 50.000 post card campaign for
Rose Festival. Page 9.
Party of railroad officials going today to
attend big "booster" meeting at Qolden
dale. Wash. Page 8.
Attorney Heney, ln five hours' argument
against Hermann, accuses aged defendant
of lying. Page 12.
Judge reserves decision on National Auto
matic Fire Alarm Company's claim to
franchicse. Page 11'.
Receiver Devlin away ill. situation "of de
' tunct Oregon Trust becomes complicated;
Mayor Simon, legal adviser, is hopefuL
Page 9.
JAIL GETS HOLY GH0STERN
Xegro "Bishop" Assaults White
Disciple; Sentenced to 3 Years.
BALTIMORE, Feb. 9. Denounced as a
menace to society and an Impostor, James
Samuel Sturdevant, negro bishop of the
"Holy Church of the Living God, the
Pillar and Ground of Truth," and leader
of the "Holy Ghosters," was today sen
tenced to jail for three years.
Sturdevant was convicted of having
assaulted and beaten Mrs. Rose Dem
merd. a white disciple.
Mrs. Demmerd said she was influenced
by Sturdevant to leave her husband and
children in Brooklyn to follow the negro,
under whose spell, she testified, she had
lived for eight months.
MORE SNOW AT PENDLETON
As Spring Is Sounded, Winter Gets
in Late Work.
PENDLETON, Or., Feb. St (Special.)
Just when every indication pointed to a
breaking up of the severe Winter weather
which has prevailed almost continuously
since early in November, another snow
storm hit this section.
The snow began falling early in the
forenoon and continued until late in the
evening. Most of it melted as fast as it
fell in this city, but the surrounding
fields have been covered still deeper than
they have been for the past 10 days.
FOR THESE OREGON; TIME
OH. HYDE'S POTION
. KILLED SWORE, SB.
PromptVerdict Blames
Niece's Husband.
ACCUSED REFUSES TO TESTIFY
Felonious Intent Not Fixed by
Coroner's Jury.
ANOTHER INQUEST IS DUE
Chrisman Svope"s Body to Be Ex
amined Prosecution Threat-
enedfor Kansas City Million
aire's Sudden Demise.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 9. Colonel
Thomas H. Swope came to his death by
eason of strychnine administered in a
capsule by Dr. B. C. Hyde, husband of
the millionaire's niece, according to the
verdict of the Coroner's jury in Inde
pendence today.
Whether the drug was administered
with felonious Intent, the jury said it
was unable to determine. The Jury was
out little more than an hour. Only one
ballot was necessary.
Numerous and hurried consultations be
tween attorneys for the state and Dr.
Hyde and his legal advisers were held
tonight. Rumors regarding probable
prosecution were plentiful. 3
Prosecutor Virgil Conkling refused to
discuss his plans. He and Henry L. Jost,
First Assistant Circuit Attorney, who has
done the major portion of the investi
gation for the state in the Swope mys
tery, will confer tomorrow.
- Second Inquest Planned.
It is said that Coroner B. H. Swart
will begin an inquest over Chrisman
Swope's body as soon as the official re
port of the. physicians, who are examin
ing the stomach and liver, is received.
Dr. Hyde and his attorneys, John M.
Cleary and Frank P. Walsh, passed the
evening together at the physician's home.
They made no statement. Mrs. Hyde is
seriously ill, and the physician is devot
ing all his- spare time to her.
It is said that the suit Dr. Hyde has
pending against Attorney John G. Faxton.
Dr. Frank Hall .nd Dr. Edward L. Stew
art for damages for S600.00O for alleged
libel will be dismissed, if Dr. Hyde is
pressed for depositions in the case now.
If Dr. Hyde is ruffled by the verdict
he is concealing his feelings. He was
present when the verdict was returned.
After hearing it read, he turned to his
attorney, John M. Cleary, and asked;
"What does it mean?"
Mr. Cleary explained the veAlict.
"I see," he shnply said.
Then he asked his attorneys to go to
lunch with him.
Verdict Iteaehed Quickly.
It lacked just a few minutes of being
an hour after the end of the Inquest when
it was announced that the Jury was ready
to report. After the six jurors had
taken their seats, Coroner Zwart asked:
"Gentlemen, have you reached a ver
dict?" "We have," replied Samuel H. Wood
son, the foreman, who then read the
document.
"We, the Coroner's jury." he read,
"summoned urgently to Inquire by what
means Thomas H. Swope came to his
death, find from the evidence laid be-
CConcluded on Page 2.)
NOW.
CAPITAL.
OPTION CRUSADE
ON IN CHICAGO
BITTER CAMPAIGN INDICATED
OX LIQUOR ISSUE.
Existence of Saloon to Be. Voted
Upon Separately, Not as
. Party Issue.
CHICAGO. Feb. 9. (Special.) Chicago
Is on the eve of the most exciting and
probably the most bitter municipal cam
paign in the history of the city, according
to the officers of the Anti-Saloon League
of Illinois and of the United Societies for
Self-Governmcnt. Eight weeks of the
liveliest crusading ever known, and then
the supreme test election day, April 5.
Both organizations, expect to name the
members of their campaign committees at
the meetings called for tomorrow night,
and the men who as chairmen of the re
spective committees will direct this great
battle probably will be chosen at that
time. Then the contest for control will
be ' on. The question, "Shall this city
be anti-saloon territory?" will be printed
on the regular ballot, and will be brought
squarely before every voter in the city.
Thoutiands of voters are waiting to be
enrolled for the battle. Every voter
will be seen personally and the saloon
will be attacked not on moral grounds
especially, but from an economic stand
point. The question cannot be made a party
Issue. The puny tickets and the saloon
problem are set forth on the same ballot,
and regardless of the position taken by
the candidates for the Council, their sup
porters will have this other subject con
fronting them, to be decided by the in
dividual voter without ' Influence from
party organization.
THREE OF FAMILY ELOPE
Young People Wed Secretly All
Within Few Months.
SPOKAXE, Wash., Feb. 9. (Special.)
Three elopements in a tittle over one year
Is the new romance record made by the
Kennedy family, of Spokane. The third
elopement occurred Friday, when a
daughter of Mr. and M's. J. C. Kennedy,
MIeb Maud Kennedy, and C. H. Pugh
were married at Coeur d'Alene by the
Rev. W. E. Powell, of the Baptist
Church of that plo.ee, and none but the
necessary witnesses .were present.
Last Friday Miss Kennedy left home
en route for Mount Hope, Idaho, to visit
friends, according to the story 'told. How
ever, the plans of the young couple had
been well made and were carried out so
cleverly that .the marriage on the same
day has been kept secret since.
Mrs. .Web Morrill, nee Kennedy, also
a daughter of Mr. end Mrs. J. C. Ken
nedy, eloped at the time of her marriage
a short time ago. Edward Kennedy,
elder son, also went to Coeur d'Alene
about a, year ago and was married. He
kept his wedding secret for several weeks.
SUITCASE AS BUOY SAVES
3Ian Falling Overboard, Grip Keeps
Him Afloat Until Rescued.
t
VICTORIA." B. C, Feb. 9. (Special.)
The full serviceability of a first-class
suitcase was probably never fully ap
preciated by Thomas W. Jones, travel
ing representative of the Layritz
Nurseries, until last week, when in the
unusual role of a life-preserver Mr.
Jones' suitcase proved a distinct and
unqualified success. 1
The owner was debarking from one
of the lake steamers at Okanagan
Landing, where the wharf was under
going extensive repairs. Jones stepped
on a loose plank, which catapulted him
into deep water. Unable to swim a
stroke, and encumbered with a Mani
toka coonskln coat, Jones clung in
stinctively to his suitcase. The grip
rose to the surface and its buoyancy
was sufficient to keep both itself and
Jones afloat until rescuers arrived.
TAKE STEELHEAD ON HOOK
Dr. E. C. McFarland Makes Record
Catcli in Sandy 'River.
Dr. E. C. McFarland. a dentist, yes
terday made a record catch with rod and
line, when he succeeded in landing a stecl
hend salmon with a No. 6 hook after a
struggle lasting 45 minutes. The catch
was made at the Sandy River bridge,
near the Sandy postoffice, yesterday
morning, and the young nimrod is much
pleased with his feat.
This steelhead weighed pounds.
This eo far as known is the record
catch with a No. 6 hook and a six
ounce rod. ' Steelhcads weighing 20
pounds are rarely caught, for Govern
ment! statistics wili give this a?? the rec
ord weight attained by this species of
salmon. A few. weeks ago a 16-pound
fteelhead was landed, but with larger
tackle than used by McFarland yesterday.
KING GUSTAV DOING WELL
Swedish Sovereign Sleeps and Is Al
most Without Pain.
STOCKHOLM. Feb. 9. At 8 o'clock the
following official bullet was issue! by
King Gustav's- attending physicians:
"The King slept quietly several times
in the day and was able to take liquid
nourishment. The pain has almost dis
appeared, but .His Majesty is still fa
tigued. Temperature, 100.2; pulse, 58."
Salem Water Still Good.
SALEM, Or.. "Feb. 9. (Special.) Dr.
O. B. Miles today received another fa
vorable report from the secretary of
the State Board of Health on a sample
of Salem water recently submitted.
This is the second favorable report re
ceived, but Dr. Miles urges people to
continue boiling watex. '
COMET'S TAIL HOT
EVEN TO JAR BUG
Savants of East Scout
Danger Theory.
WISE ASTRONOMERS CHUCKLE
California Professor's Dire
Prediction Laughed At.
LUMINARY'S GAS HARMLESS
Yerkes Observatory Educator and
Michigan University Sky Expert
Give Cheering Predictions.
Comets Here Before.
CHICAGO, 111., Feb. 9. (Special.)
Abomination of desolation vil not take
place even If the tail of Halley's.comet
does hit the earth. Furthermore, there's
not enough poison in the sidereal way
farer's appendage to topple a beetle.
That is the cheerful announcement
made today by Professor Edwin B.
Frost, director of Yerkes Observatory
at Williams Bay, Wis. The Wisconsin
astronomer laughed heartily upon reading-
the dire prediction of Professor
Edwin Booth, of the chemistry depart
ment of the University of California.
Professor Booth insists that if Halley's
comet teems with cyanogen gas- wo
are all likely to be exterminated as so
many bugs.
All Safe, He Says.
"Why." chuckled Professor Frost,
"the fact is there Isn't the slightest
danger. In. the first place, the comet's
tall may not be long enough to reach
the earth. In the second place, the
density of this tail is so slight as to
be almost nothing.
"No. we are not gong to be snuffed
out like bugs ln the entomologists
bottle when Halley's comet sweeps its
tail over the earth. There is cyanogen
gas 1n the comet's tail and that cyano
gen gas, when mixed with our terres
trial atmosphere ln sufficient quanti
ties, is as fatal as lightning, but there
is not enough poison in the heavenly
vagrants tail to make a beetle blink.
Comets Here Berore.
"All comets are of the same chemical
nature. The earth has passed through
comets before and no bad effects have
been felt. The comet is 14,000,000 miles
away and tha gas from it will not be suf
ficient to produce any noticeablo effect.
There cannot be any possible danger, even
to an insect." J
Both learned men gave their cheering
predictions upon reading the dispatch
from Berkeley embodying Professor
Booth's theory that a brush, of the com
et's tail would mean destruction of hu
man beings, even as insects in the path
of a squirt-gun. Professor Booth con
fided his fears as follows:
Fears Caused Laugh.
"If the astronomers are right in their
estimates of the amount of cyanogen gas
in the tail of Halley's comet, and if that
body's vapors do envelop the earth, we
may have a chance to feel the sensations
of the bugs and insects which are killed
by the use of this deadly gas as an ex
terminator. "We will all be snuffed out if a suf
ficient quantity of the cyanogen gas
unites with the hydrogen of this planet's
atmosphere.
"Their union would form the deadly
gas known as hydrocyanic acid, the most
deadly poison known to science, which '
means death for all animal?.'1
WAGE LIMIT IS REACHED
Coal Operator Says Demands of
Miners Cannot Be Met.
PITTSBURG. Feb. 9. "We have reached
the limit in paying the miners. Higher
wage3 are Impossible. We cannot give
what we have not got, and I for one am
ready to submit tho matter to an impar
tial judge."
This was the comment of President H.
A. Kuhn, of the Pittsburg & Westmore
land Coal Company, when he read t lie
statement of Thomas L. Lewis, of the
Mlneworkers' organization. Mr. Kuhn
further says that during the panic opera
tors kept the men at work at tho prevail
ing scale of wages, yet the West Virginia
operators, through their miners being un
organized were able to undersell Pennsyl
vania and Ohio operators even in their
own states.
"If they are able to Jo this- now, what
will they do with another increase in the
cost of production added to the high cost
already existing," lie asked.
MILL 0WNERS ARRESTED
Labor Commissioner Insists Factory
Law- Is Violated.
ST. HELENS. Feb. 9. (Special.) Dep
uty Labor Commissioner Gram caused
the arrest today of J. Wiekstrom and
son. proprietors of a planing-mill and
sawmill at Scappoose. charging them, un
der the factory inspection law, with fail
ing and refusing to provide safeguards
for their machinery. Gram has paid sev
eral visits to the Wickstroms, and lias
warned them to protect their machinery
in conformity with the law.
It is thought the Wickstroms will fisrht
the case. No test of the law has here
tofore been made.
'