TO TM1E P
TOM
TORTLAMP
" There appeared in this Morning's Oregonian,
under the heading, "Dr. Smith Tells Pact With
Henry Bloats R and S Pooled at $500,000 Each; Is
Testimony in Suit."
Dr. Smith said that Mr. Henry went to him and said he .
had rut block R in at $o00,000, and he wanted Dr. Smith
to put block S in at the same price. This Dr. Smith 6&id he
agreed to do.
" If Dr. Smith swore to that statement on the stand,
as published in the paper, he swore to a falsehood.
I will donate $1000 to any charity to be named
by Mayor Simon if Dr. Smith or anyone else will
show that I quoted a price of $500,000 to the Govern
ment on either Block "S" or Block "R." The only
price that I quoted to the Government on Block "S"
was contained in my letter of October 1, 1909, to
lion. John C. Young, the then Postmaster, as fol
lows: -i
Portland, Ore., Oct. 1, 1909. r
lion. J. C Toon?, Postmaster, City:
Dear Sir: Replying to your request I hand yon herewith
a map of the business section of the city on which I hare indi
cated in rnish color a number of blocks that I hare pur
chased recently for supposed railroad companies. I have in
dicated in red with numbers blocks that 1 think might suit
yonr purpose.
The one numbered 1 is' an exceptionally desirable block,
without any buildings, and will be ready for immediate erec
' tion of suitable buildings for your purpose. The price on this
whole block is $275,000.
The Block No. 2 is in several ownerships; has one brick
building and a number of frame buildings thereon. One or
two are under short leases which I think I could gret removed.
This I could get through at the same price, to wit, $275,000,
and it is an extremely desirable block, having 200 feet front
age on Sixth street, 200 feet on Glisan, and running back
to Hoyt. i .-
The one No. 3, 1 could purchase but three-quarters of the
block, as the other quarter block is leased for twenty years
and has a five-etory brick building on it, but, owing to its
location and proximity to the depot and carlines, with a rail
road switch or spur np to the building; by this I mean a side
track, that afford railroad communication for this particular .
block. In my judgment, if that is sufficient space, being
" 30,000 square feet of ground space, with 200 feet fronting on
Fourth street along the track, 200 feet along Glisan, 100 feet
on Third and 100 feet on Hoyt, I believe this would make a
very ideal site for yonr purpose. The price on this three
quarter block is $210",000.
No. 4 is immediately across the street, has one small bnek
building, two-story, and the rest frames. It is also extremely
well located, but without the railroad switch. I believe that
- ., I eould get a switch extended to supply that block for your
particular and peculiar business. This block as a whole could ''
be obtained for $325,000, and is worth the money.
No. 5 is a fractional block between Second, Third, Ash and
'Ankeny streets, comprising about 5 lots in area, or 7500
square feet. On the Second-street side there is a two-story
brick building, and on the Third-street side a two-story
frame. This has a great deal of street frontage about it, and
j large open space on the west side, and it is quite probable
that the size of the ground would suffice for your business,
having all that street frontage. If so, this eould be had for
$160,000, and, in my judgment, it is by far the best buy in
the city at that price.
This belongs to an estate that acquired it by foreclosure
of a mortgage, and the people are desirous of disposing of it ;
hence let it go at this low price. I should personally be very
greatly pleased if this would suit your purpose.
No. 6 is a full block, 200 feet square, between First, Sec
ond, Oak and Pine streets; had been purchased by the Port- "
land Street Railway Company with the intention of building '
thereon, but for certain reasons they have abandoned their
scheme, and are offering the block, with the brick building
thereon. It-was purchased by thetri about three years ago at
a cost of $365,000, and are willing now to sell it for that 1
price. If that is not too far uptown for your purpose, it is -certainly
a very desirable block. m
These prices are quoted at this time. Of course, should
there be much delay, there might be a variance, as properties
in the North End are much sought for. I trust that out of
. this number, which, in my judgment, seem to be the most :
suited as a location for your purpose, that you will be able to
select what is needed.
I shall be glad to give you, any further assistance in ob
taining and quoting price on any other pieces that you may
want It is very difficult to get whole blocks, as they usually
have several ownerships and are tied up by long leases.
Trusting that you will be able to select one from the above
mentioned, aud assuring you that I will be glad to help you
further in any way I can, I am
Respectfully yours,
CHARLES K. HENRY.
It transpires that Boll am & Thompson, partners
of Dr. Andrew C. Smith in the Pacific Investment
Company, learned that after I had initiated the sale
of Block "S" to the Government for a postoffice
site, they obtained a contract or authoritiy to sell the
block; and raised the price from $275,000 to $340,000
in the bid to the Government. This attempt to hold
the Government up for $65,000 was resented. I did
not submit bids for any blocks to the Government in
response to the advertisement, as is proven by my
telegram of August 3, 1910, to Senator Bourne, as
follows:
Honorable Jonathan Bourne. '
, Senate Chamber, Washington, D. C.
Replying on instructions of Treasury Department, stat
ing that agent of Postoffice Department would examine sites
submitted in bids, and such others as he deemed desirable,
did not submit a bid for the postoffice block, but am prepared
when agent of Postoffice Department arrives, to submit a
more -suitable, convenient and in every way more desirable
block for the postoffice than any of those mentioned in the
bids opened yesterday, as published in today's paper.'" Am
in a position to give inside information in connection with
new depot relative to postoffice location.
CHARLES K. HENRY.
'After the bids were opened, and the prices found
to be boosted so high, the Government appointed Dr.
J. W. Hill as Special Agent to select a site. After
the appointment of Dr. Hill, who recommended a
site on Burnside Street, Dr. Andrew C. Smith
haunted my office to enlist what aid I could give for
still securing the location on Block "S." I told him
that inasmuch as he had given the property to other
agents that I was going to push the sale of another
block in the vicinity. The result. of that meeting
was, that were Block "R" to be selected, he was to
receive $5000 of the commission; and if Block "S"
was, he was to pay $5000 commission.
In September, at the request of Senator Bourne,
I then took up the matter with the Espey Estate
Company, represented by A. King "Wilson; and Dr.
Smith and his partner, Y. G. JMcPherson; and en
deavored to secure a reduction of their bid that the
Government might get the Block "S" at, or as near
the original price offered, with the result that they .
receded and reduced their bid of $340,000 to $325;000,
I foregoing any claim for commission, as per the fol
lowing letters:
WILSON & NEAL
Attorney at Law
630-632 Chamber of Commerce
Both Phones, A 1370, Main 1370
PortLand, Oregon. September 15, 1910.
TO THE HONORABLE FRANKLIN MACVEAGH,
Secretary Treasury Department,
Washington, D. C:
We, the undersigned owners of the west one-half of Block
"S," Couch's Addition, Portland, Multnomah County, Ore
gon, the same being one hundred by two hundred feet
in size, the block being bounded by Hoyt, Glisan, Seventh
and Eighth streets in said city, offer for a postoffice' site,
at the price of One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand
Dollars, provided same is accepted within thirty days from
date. We furnish abstract to date, title to be satisfactory
to you. This offer is made by the owners and there is no
commission paid to anyone.
ESPEY ESTATE COMPANY. r"
' Portland, Oregon. September 15, 1910.
To the Honorable Franklin MacVeagh,
Secretary Treasury Department, I
Washington, D. C: ' ;
We, the undersigned, owners of the east one-half of "f
Block "S," Couch's Addition, Portland, Multnomah County,
Oregon, the same being one hundred by two hundred feet
in size, the block being bounded by Hoyt, Glisan, Seventh
and Eighth streets, in said city, offer for a Postoffice site,
at the price of Two Hundred Thousand ($200,000) Dollars,
provided same is accepted within thirty days from date.
We furnish abstract to date, title to be satisfactory to you.
This offer is made by the owners and there is no commission
paid to anyone."
A. C. SMITH.
W. G. McPHERSON.
These offers clearly show that they reduced the
price, and that no commission was to be paid to me
or am-one, and these offers were accompanied by the
following letter to Dr. J. W. Hill, Special Agent:
Portland, Ore., Sept. 16, 1910.
Dr. J. W. Hill, Special Ag't U. S. Postal Department,
Lumbermens Building, City. i
Dear Sir: In relation to the postoffice site for the new
U. S. building to be erected in this city, I beg to say that,
after some effort and persuasion, the owners of block let- j
tered "S," Couch's Addition to the City of Portland, front
ing two hundred feet on Glisan, Seventh, Hoyt and Eighth
streets, in the City of Portland, have made a reduction in their
price as disclosed, and will dispose of same to the Govern
ment for the sum of three hundred and twenty-five thousand
(. 1325,000.000) dollars, provided the same is accepted within
thirty days from date, as per accompanying written proposals.
l"am "personally in no way concerned in this deal other
than that I am holding four full blocks just northeast of
block lettered "S," and am anxious to see the postoffice in
that location, believing as I do that it is the most feasible of
any of the 6ites offered, and I can assure you that railroad
switch and track will be supplied into the new building on
block lettered "S," if wanted. '
Trusting that you will give the proposals of these gentle
men the fullest consideration, I am
Very respectfully yours,
CHARLES K. HENRY.
From the above it will be clearly seen that Dr.
Smith and the other owners of Block "S," who were
willing to take $275,000 in October, ,1909, finding
that the Government had approved of the selection,
recommended by me in August, 1910, forced the
price up to $340,000, receding at my request to $325,
000 in September, 1910, and now trying to hold the
Government up for $429,000. Does any reasonable
man in the City of Portland think this hold-up was
justified? To raise the price from $275,000 in Octo
ber, 1909, to $340,000 in August, 1910, and then raise
it from the reduced price, as per the above letters of
September 15, 1910, of $325,000 to $429,000 in April,
1911.
I think the above letters show Dr. Smith's ability
as a hold-up artist.
Dr. Andrew C. Smith was also reported to have
stated: " ,
I never had anything to do with Henry except to negotiate
this Sixth and Everett streets property through him.
He forgets that I not only sold to him the south
east corner of Sixth and Everett Streets at $30,000,
which he afterwards sold to John B. Yeon for $60,
000, and that I also purchased from him the quarter
block on the northeast corner of Fifth and noyt
streets for $50,000, and that I also. sold for him the
quarter block on the southeast corner of Thirteenth
and Glisan Streets to John Kiernan at or about the
same time for $35,000. The irascible-politico doctor
is careless' with- the truth.
I am willing to submit my record for probity and
fair dealing in the City of Portland against that of
Dr. Andrew C. Smith.
CHARLES K. HENRY
LOOP IS OPPOSED
Baker Objects to Exchange by
Street Railways.
HILLSBORO MAKES DEMAND
IX-legal I An of leading CiUaroa Ie
rUm Vnlu-d Railways Musi -
Rnlld Into Its City or
Forfeit Franchise.
Councilman Baker, of the street com
mittee of the City Council. yesterday
announced thit be would demand that
the United Railways Company adhere
to Its original plan, aa provided for In
Its franchise, and operate Its trains
both ways over Salmon and other
downtown streets. He would make
vigorous opposition, he declared, to the
proposal now before the Council for
arrangements between this line and the
Oregon Electric and Portland Ratlway.
Ucht I'ower Company, whereby the
tnterurban trains shall run over the
tracks of the Portland Hallway. Light
Power Company down becoad street
from Salmon and around a loop on
Tenth and out Salmon to the south
ward. This statement was made In the
course, of an Informal discussion of the
mission of a delegation of prominent
men of Illllsboro. who appeared to pro
test against the neglect of the railway
to build a line to their town. Press of
business caused the withdrawal of the
petition temporarily. It will be pre
sented probably at the next meeting of
the committee. W. N. Barrett. Stat
Senator, headed the committee.
I nop Will Be Opposrd.
1 shall demand that cars and trains
be operated both ways oyer Salmon and
other streets In the downtown section."
said Mr. Baker. "The people of the
Fourth Ward, which I represent, want
the company to hold to Its original In
tention and not to change Its plans and
run by way of a loop system, as Is pro
posed in a tentative agreement between
It and the other electric railway com
panies. I shall demand that It do as
It i required to do In Its franchise and
shall oppose any granting of privileges
that will enable It to use a loop."
The people of HUlaboro are clamor
ing for recognition at the hands of the
street committee of the Portland Coun
cil, because the Council has the right
to revoke any and all parts of the fran
chise held by the United Railways Com
pany for failure to live up to Its re
quirements. They maintain that the
company must build into their town or
forfeit Its franchise and Intend to de
mand that It construct Its line there.
The street committee was confronted
with large numbers of property owners
from various parts of the city, clamor
ing for or against proposed Improve
ments. One of the largest delegations
Was from the districts comprising Lin
cola Park, and other streets where It
Is proposed to lay bitulithlc W. Al
len said that only t per cent of the
property was represented on a petition
that was taken by the Council com
mittee as a basis for ordering proceed
ings, and he was challenged by Coun
cilman Beldlng. Finally Clerk Grutze
was appealed to and announced offi
cially that nearly 25 per cent of the
property was represented.
Bitulithlc Activity Denied.
B. F. Smith, a policeman, said that
the bitulithlc company's agents circu
lated the petition, but one of the prop
erty owners present said that this was
untrue. He said that Smith "butted
In" and had made a lot of trouble., and
that Smith was about the only one who
did not want to nay for street Im
provements. Smlrn tried to reply, but
Chairman Annand told him that the
committee was too busy with important
business to take up further time. M.
G. Munly. representing a large number
of the property owners, explained that
It was Imperative to have pavements In
the district, as Are apparatus could not
pass through the streets at present and
there was every other reason,- he said,
why the work should proceed. The
committee decided to Inspect the dis
trict personally.
Proceedings for relaying stone blocks
on Front street, from Flanders to
Tenth streets, were rescinded, as It Is
desired by the property owners to have
the work done by private contract.
ASSAULT IS CHARGE
R. L. Blosser Is Indicted by
County Grand Jury.
Albany Minister Refuses Call.
A LB ANT. Or- April 21. (Specials
Rev. S. A. Douglas will retain the pas
torate of the First Baptist Church of
Albany. He had a call to the Baptist
Church of South Bend. Wash., which
he bad decided to accept, but upon
ka .niioif.rinn nf the congregation
here be wlU remain In this city.
n Others to face court
Man Who Attempted to Kob Sell
. wood Bank Only One Against
Whom Serious Complaint
Is Registered.
Ralph Leo Blosser, whose wife com
mitted suicide the day following his
confessed attempt to rob the Sellwoid
bank, March 27. was indicted by the
grand Jury yesterday for an assault
with a,' revolver upon Nicholas Jensen,
janitor of the bank, at the time of tue
attempted hold-up.
Blosser confessed, after the death of
his wife, to having made two Inef
fectual attempts to hold up the bank.
That his wife, who left an estato of
about $9000, was so shocked with the
, A V a h,.eh,n1 that ah took DOl-
son rather than face the degradation 1
that would result, seemed evident from
the confession made by BJosser at the
time of his arrest. Blosser had con
fessed to ambitions to live beyond his
means. He is a tinsmith by trade.
The grand Jury returned 12 Indict
ments yesterday, 11 of which were
made public and one withheld until an
arrest can be made. They were nearly
all for minor crimes.
Charles Mann was indicted on a
charge of having robbed the home of
Leo Frlede of Jewelry on April 6.
Jim Demotollis was Indicted for
committing an assault with a danger
ous weapon. He Is charged with hav
ing shot Thomas Stack for alleged
familiarity with his wife. The assault
Is said to have been made on Janu
ary 13.
Ed. Zellars and Jesse Zellars were
Indicted for larceny from a store of W.
A. and Lucy S. Hansen, March 24. They
are two of the young men who were
accused by the police of carrying on,
for some time, systematic petit robbery
of stores'. Jesse Zellars was indicted
also on a second count with Fred Mills
for larceny from the store of G. E.
Ogden, April .
Howard Leek was indicted for the
larceny of the store of A. H. Metze
laar, on April 6, taking from the store,
among other things. 14 suits of clothes
and three suit cases. Howard Manning
was accused In an Indictment of having
robbed the same Store of Metzelaar two
days later, April 8, taking also consid
erable clothing.
Lily A. Alglre and Will Smith were
Indicted for a statutory crime supposed
to have been committed April 5. The
woman is the, wife of G. K. Alglre.
John H. Davis was charged in an in
dictment with having uttered a forged
check to A. A. Wharfleld. signing the
check as William G. Stephens. Harry
Melster was indicted for having ac-i
compllshed the fall of Emma Olson
under promise of marriage, March 20,
1910.
PUBLIC EXCLUDED AT TRIAL
Cross Charges of Immorality in Di
vorce Suits Cause of Action.
Charges of immoral conduct made b'y
each party In a suit against the other,
caused the request that the. courtroom
be cleared when the divorce suit of B.
C. Seydel against Jessye Seydel was be
gun late yesterday afternoon in Judge
Kavanaugh's court. The case will b
continued today, with doors closed to
the inquisitive public.
Seydel is a salesman earning a sal
ary of $175 a month. He told the court
at the opening of the trial yesterday
afternoon that he married his wife at
Pueblo, Colo., November 30. 1903. They
were living at Los Angeles, he said,
when they had their first serious
trouble, due, "he explained, to the ar
rival there of Mrs. Seydel's mother and
twin sister. After the twin sister ar
rived. Mrs. Seydel began to go out to
dances with the sister, against the wish
of her husband, he declared. Mrs. Sey
del makes counter charges. She asks
that alimony of $100 a month be grant
ed her.
The case will be finished, it Is ex
pected, before noon today. Seydel told
the court yesterday that his aunt was
superintendent of the Women's Chris
tian Temperance Lnion of Iowa.
After separating from .her husband
several times, and then returning to him
upon his promise to quit abusing her.
Mrs. Alma Rice was divorced yesterday
from Austin C. Rice by Presiding Judge
Gantenbein. She told the court that she
had originated a plan of entering Into i
an agreement with him that they should
live apart for a year, but after she haa.
been away a few weeks he pleaded" for
her to return. Soon he forgot his prom
ise and began again to abuse her. Sev
eral similar separations and reunions
failed of results. They were married in
The Dalles in 1S90 and have three sons.
Mabel E. Osman was divorced yester
day from Blmer A. Osman. They wera
married in Portland December 24, 1903.
and have two children. Mrs. Osman told
the court that her husband had deserted
her at Oregon City in 1909.
E. A. Barlow was divorced from Lola
M. Barlow for desertion. They -were mar
ried at Vancouver, Wash., June 5, 1907.
$2000 AWARDED 'AS DAMAGES j
Jury in Barker Case Cites Verdict I
After-17 Hours' Consideration.
Seventeen hours were spent by a Jury
from Judge Morrow's court In an effort
to"agree upon a verdict In the case In
which the Portland Railway, Light &
Power Company was sued for $7500
damages for the death of William Bar
ker, who was thrown from a wagon
when It was struck by a streetcar at
Commercial and Failing streets. An-
gust 29. 1909. The Jury at 10 o'clock
yesterday morning returned a verdict
of $i000 In favor of II. J. Barker, ad
ministrator of the estate of the victim
of the fatal accident. Ten Jurors signed
the verdict.
When Barker was killed he was only
18 years old and was working for The
Oregonian as an engraver. He had
been with a number of friends to a
picnic near the Columbia Slough, and .
was returning home in. a wagon when J
killed. !