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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 22, 1914)
VOL,. I,IV. NO. 16,GS9. PORTLAND. OREGON. FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1914. PRICE FIVE CENTS. MELLEfl PREDICTS FEDERAL CONTROL Monopoly of Railways Held Essential." DEALS WITH MORSE RELATED Roosevelt Opposed to Sale of Steamship Lines. COLONEL MAKES PROMISE Kfw Haven Bade Hare No Fear as to Water Line Holdings While Law -Remained Unchanged- Mor gan Always Dominant. - WASHINGTON, May 21. Absolute monopoly of transportation under Gov ernment regulation and control was suggested by Charles S. Mellen. ex president of the New York, New Haven A: Hartford Railroad, to the Interstate Commerce Commission today as the so lution of the American railroad problem. "To get efficiency and economy," Mr. Mellen asserted, ''there must be a mo nopoly; and that monopoly Is certain to be the United States Government" A little later he remarked: "Every time a railroad official comes to Wash ington lie has to take off his hat to aome Government official." Urallne With Morse Detailed. Mr. Mellen appeared to have recov ered from his evident fatigue of yes terday when he appeared before the Commlsison today to resume his testi mony. He was virile and active, men tally and physically. He responded to questions fired at him by Chief Counsel Folk vigorously and promptly, never hesitating a second for a word. He told at length the story of his steamship transactions with Charles W. Morse. Concerning these, Mr. Mel len explained, he felt it desirable to confer with Colonel Roosevelt, who then was President of the United States. He tola Mr. Roosevelt that he had received an offer of $20,000,000 from Morse for the New Haven steam ship holdings and felt inclined to ac cept it. because the New Haven thus would be able to turn tbw property into cash. T. It. Advises Asalust Sale. Mr. Roosevelt, he said, apparently desired that Morse should be checked in his ambition to acquire a monopoly of the steamship lines, and urged Mr. Mellen not to sell. Mr. Mellen said he was frankly ap prehensive at that time of the enact ment of u law by Congress to prevent railroads from owning or controlling w-ater lines, but was assured by Mr. Roosevelt that as long as the law re mained as it then was, the New Haven need have no fear about its water line holdings. In the acquisition of various trolley lines lu New England, Mr. Mellen said he had proceeded on the theory that the diversion of much of the traffic of steam roads to electrified lines would be more economical, the rates lower and the service generally more satis factory to the public. Quitting Sew Haven Explained. Iaate Jn the day the witness" atten tion again was directed to campaign contributions made by the Newjlaven to the Republican National Committees of 1900 and 1904. He reiterated state ments he had made previously. When asked why he relinquished the presidency of the New Uaven, Mr. Mel lon said he "practically was fired." lie added he did not at present have a dollar's Interest in the New Haven. Mr. Mellen referred again to the dom inance of J. P. Morgan. Once Mr. Folk asked: "Was not Mr. Morgan In con trol of the New England situation?' "1 can best answer that." Mr. Mellen replied, "by quoting the old saying. Where McGregor sits, there Is the head of the table.' " "What would the meetings of the directors of the New Haven have been like without Morgan?" "About as tame as a lot of cows with out a bull." "Influence Always Present. Mr. Mellen said he was confident the dellcit resulting from the purchase of the Rhode Island trolleys would be made up in time. "Was thero influence exerted to in duce you to acquire these trolley lines?" asked Mr. Folk. "I never have known." responded Mr. Mellen, "a laYge transportation matter that was not backed by influence. The fact is that in the acquisition of these electric lines I was working toward a great principle. Sooner or later I felt transportation was to be by electricity. "Do you think control of that kind fair to the public?" "The control must be such as was contemplated In New Kngland or It must be in the hands of the Govern ment." answered Mr. Mellen with, em phasis. "You regard control by one man as a good thing?" "That is a misnomer. No one man could control it. I had more bosses when 1 was president of the New Haven at a salary of $60,000 than when I was a clerk at $50 a month." "Great Force Is Brains." "The main force was Mr. Morgan, was It notr" ic'ont-ludea on Face &. MERCURY REACHES 85 IN PORTLAND ASTORIA HAS TEMPERATURE OP 86 AN I J SEASIDE 92. Eugene Swelters With Thermometers Registering 85, bat Medlord Has Rain After Long Dry Spell. The mercury lacked one degree of ascending as high in Portland yester day as it did Wednesday. The highest point, 85 degrees, was reached at 5 o'clock, which was the same as the temperature at 5 o'clock the day pre vious. Showers are predicted for today and probably will decrease the temperature materially. The drying wind of the past two days is said by the officers in the for est service to have been conducive to forest fires. ASTORIA Or., May 21. (Special.) This was the warmest day of the year in Astoria. The maximum tempera ture was 86 degrees. SEASIDE. Or., May 21. (Special.) Official thermometers here today regis tered 93 degrees in the shade for the first time on record. EUGENE, Or.. May 21. (Special.) Eugene sweltered for the first time this year with a temperature of 85 de grees. Storms in the Upper Willamette and McKenzle valleys, .where hail and wind did slight damage, tended to cause a drop in temperature tonight Farmers are praying for rain, as the dryness is damaging the young crops. MEDFORD, Or., May 21. (Special.) Rain fell today, after several weeks of drouth. The precipitation, while not as much as the ranchers desired, in the opinion of Weather Forecaster Bever idge added thousands of dollars to the value of the fruit, grain and hay crop. Showers are predicted for tomorrow and farmers are Jubilant. PLEA MADE FOR. WORKERS Discrimination In Favor of Rich Is Shown, 'says Emil Seidel. . That the working class suffers from discrimination In favor of the rich in every department of life, was asserted last night by Emil Seidel. Socialist ex Mayor of Milwaukee, Wis., in an ad dress in the old Turn Verein gymna sium at Fourth and Yamhill streets. The subject of the address was "Class Interests and Antagonisms in Municipal Government." "The working classes form the most Important part of our population." said Mr. Seidel. "Despite this the working Mats does not live in the best sections of the city. They do not have the best pavements. Their houses are not the most beautiful. "The police department is used to help the bosses in every strike. The courts do not show impartiality." PHONES USED IN CHASE Posses Go Slow in Hunt for Great Northern Train Robbers. KAL1SPELL. Mont., May 21. For estry telephones were put into use to day by posses hunting In the neighbor hood of Fortine, . 60 miles northwest of here, for the two desperadoes who held up a Great Northern train recent ly at Rondo. , According to Sheriff Ingraham, -who returned here today, all of the moun tain trails in the region are being pa trolled and the hunt is proceeding cau tiously, the posses keeping in touch with one another by telephone. The fugitives have not been seen since Sunday. LAUNDRY GIRL KEEPS JOB Employe, Discharged After Testify ing at "Wage Meeting, Taken Back. SEATTLE. Wash., May 21. Miss Jo hanna Hilts, who testified as to laun dry conditions before the state mini mum wage conference at Olympia. last week and who was not permitted to return to her old position in the laun dry of B. F. Ivy. will be taken back, her former employer said today. Warrants charging B. F. Ivy and W. II. Kuhlemeier, proprietors, and Mrs. May Jeffries, forewoman, with vio lating the state minimum wage law in discharging Miss Hilts were Issued today on complaint of the State Labor Commissioner. PLOT UNEARTHED; 1 1 TAKEN Conspiracy to Defeat Civil Service Laws Is Pretentious. INDIANAPOLIS. May 21 Charged in Federal indictments with conspiring to obtain appointment of men to civil service positions fraudulently, Fabius Gwin, formerly Democratic chairman of the Second District, and 10 others were arrested at Shoals, Ind., today by United States Marshal Schmidt. All were released on bonds of $1000 each. The arrests disclose what the Federal authorities here say is the most pre tentious conspiracy to defeat the civil service laws that has ever been at tempted. DRUNKARDS TO BE POSTED California Town Fixes It So Viola tion of Law Will Cost $1000. LODI. Cal., May 21. Bulletin boards bearing names of habitual drunkards must be kept in conspicuous places in saloons, under a new ordinance passed by the LodI trustees. The license is to be J 1200 a year and each saloonkeeper will be re quired to deposit a bond of 31000 which would revert to the city if he sells to a person who is drunk or otherwise violates the law. STRAWBERRY LAUD'S QUEEN IS CROWNED Roseburg Revels Amid Festival Gaieties. POMP AND COLOR DELIGHT Weather Is Delicious, Crowds . Are Brilliant. CARNIVAL KING ECLIPSED O. A. C. Band and Uniformed Local Elks Keep Action ut High Pitch and Luscious Berry Every where Is Piece de Resistance. BY ADDISON BENNETT. ROSEBURG. Or.. May .21. (Special.) The Queen of Strawberry Land was crowned at 2 o'clock this afternoon with all the pomp.1 pageantry and splendor' that befits royalty. ' marking the opening of Roseburg's Strawberry Festival. . . The ceremony took place in the shade of the fragrant and umbrageous locust trees on the Courthouse lawn, and was attended by several thousand of as loyal subjects as ever graced a similar occasion. And If you were to tell any citizen of her principality that Queen Esther is not as lovely and bewitching a sovereign as ever reigned, even for a day, they would dispute you. and my impression is that they would do so with good reason. King Is- Twospot. Of course, there was a King. But, practically, he was a twospot, being a mere man, while during these particu lar festivities the ladies are ruling and reigning, and there were a score or so of beautiful flower girls, and Miss Mabel Miller, as maid of honor, as well as a Prime Minister, who read the royal proclamation . declaring Queen Esther a real ruler.' ; All in all, the ceremonies were beau tiful, the setting for the occasion -Was lovely and the audience as bright and brilliant as one could, well imagine, the ladies predominating by a huge ma jority. The afternoon was most delightful. just warm enough to make life worth living, while the shade of the locusts was invitingly welcome. All Roads I .rail to the City. Every incoming train since yester day afternoon has been laden with guests to do honor to Roseburg's festal days. Every wagon road has been lined with automobiles and buggies and saddle horses, bearing each its quota of visitors. . The streets have been packed all day, watching the marching and countermarching, and taking par ticular note and giving unstinted (Concluded on Page 2.) : ', J ' . OUR AUST. I 4 jpsssejPewsBw asgghjLS;.'Ji. ij, njs f .L I ! 1 INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS ' The Weather. TESTERDAT'S Maximum temperature, 88 degrees; minimum temperature. 61 de grees. TODAY'S Showers, cooler; winds becoming southerly. Carranza to send envoy to Niagara Falls. Page 2. Bloody battle precedes capture of Teplc. Page 2. Mexico, Mediators announce first steps have been attended fay success. Page 1. foreign. Suffragettes' attempt to reach King results in fiercest battle yet in militant warfare. Page 0. National. Mellen predicts Federal monopoly of rail roads must come, page 1. Root says control of canal Is not involved in tolls Issue. Page 5. Pacific Northwest. Heart of . Lebam, Wash., wiped out by half million blaze. Page 1. Election of student' body officers at agri cultural college called oft at last instant. Page 0. .. C. E. Spence retains place ss master of the State Grange. Page o. Twenty 'uncontrolled forest ' fires " rage ' through Washington. Page 1. Roseburg crowns Esther Queen of Etraw berryland. Page, 1. . . Oregon towns get touch of real Summer. Page 1. t Sports. Fate of Northwestern colleges to be de cided at Corvalils this week Page 0. Coast League resultsPortland 8, Oakland 0; Venice 4, Sacramento 1; Los Angeles 1. Sau Francisco.. 0.. Page S. Xorthwestern - League results Portland 5, T&vuma 4 ; Spokane 9. Victoria 4 ; Van ' cuuver 7, Seattle u. Page-S.. . America's golf hopes gone; Scot breaks the record. , Page. U. - ... .."'.-. Commercial and Marine. Total exports' of apples to 'Europe less than last year's. Page 10. . . Rains in MlddIe West cause 'sharp break In wheat at Chicago. Pago 18. Stock market again In professional hands Page 19. . Second -unit- of municipal dock will have open slip. Page 14. Seine finning at Columbia mouth is pro hibited. Page 14. Portland and Vicinity. G. F. Heusner asks 9200,000 damages from men Indicted for llbed. Page 18. School Board elects teachers for 12 Sum mer schools. Page 7. Rose Queen and maids to pose for movies Pago IS. Small packers oppose meat inspection ordi nance at Council meeting. Page 13. Judge Benson now leads Judge McNary by l:iO votes. Page 7. Friars' Club closed again by Governor's mi ltatlamen. ' Page 2. Weather report, forecast and data. Page It. MILL ' CITY HAS BIG FIRE Business Section South or River Is Ueslroyed With $15,000 Loss. ALBANY, Or.. May 21. (Special.) Fire at Mill City last night destroyed an entire block of business houses, practically all the business section on the soutn stde of the Santiam River. The loss is estimated at 316,000. The buildings destroyed were Odd fellows Hall, J. L. . Weaver's general merchandise store, Kutschkas shoe shop, bakery, pool hall, barber shop and livery barn. WOMEN ARE FIRE HEROINES Part oT Camden, Mo., Saved by Fair Sex Bucket Brigades. CAMDEN, Mo., May 21. Women came to the rescue and saved a large part of the town from destruction today when a dangerous fire started in the business section. Nearly all the men were out of town and the women, getting out the meager fire fighting equipment and forming bucket brigades, battled desperately with the flames.. MEDIATORS" FIRST STEPS ARE SUCCESS Agreement Sought on Mexican Reforms. TAMPICO AFFAIR PUT AHEAD Phipf Fmnhnii"5 PlnPPfl O" ",,, SreSSes waa running through the Uniei Cmpridblb ridUSU.' ,sSoV:ests of Lewis County, havins etarted forts Xn'TTol CARRANZA IS CONSIDERED Separate Negotiations at Later Bate Probable if United States and Mexico Reach . Agreement on Leading Issues. NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. May 21. The three South American mediators let it be known tonight that first steps to wards effecting a bi-partite agreement between the United States and the Huerta government have met with suc cess. The points they will now seek to effect an agreement on are: A definite understanding on the kind of provisional government to be es tablished in Mexico City as a successor to the present regime. A guarantee thai agrarian and other internal reforms would be put into operation. Separate Negotiations Forecast. When these two questions are set tled, the mediators, it was said, 'pro pose to bring about an agreement be tween the United States and the Huerta government, expect'.ng to obtain ac quiescence by the constitutionalists through separate negotiations. These in brief are the aims of the mediators, which, though they are hedged about by many difficulties. Am bassador Da Gama, of Brazil, was hope fully confident tonight would be real ized. The mediators learned from the American delegates in a conference late today that the Washington Government had approved the course of procedure outlined last night to Justice Lamar and Frederics; W. Lehman, covering, it is understood, the consideration, first of all, of all the series of incidents growing out of the arrest at Tampico of the Americanbluejackets. Tampico Incident Starting Point. Vv'hile it is realized that the United States will demand reparation fox the Tampico and subsequent incidents, it is believed here that the substitution for Huerta of a new government capa ble of observing international obliga tions would be acceptable to the Wash ington Government. The selection of the bluejacket Inci dent at Tampico as the starting point (Concluded on Page 2.) 20 FIERCE FOREST FIRES ARE RAGING SITUATIOX IX AVASHIXGTOX IS SERIOUS, UNCONTROLLED. Breaded Crown Eire Xow Is Run ning Through Lewis County. Wardens Appeal for Fighters. OLYMPIA. Wash.. May 21. (Spe cial.) Warm weather, absence of rain and brisk winds. In combination, have led to a serious forest lire situation in this state. Twenty tires are burning and practically none fs listed as under control. This afternoon the dreaded crown fire, which kills timber as it trom the W llson Bros. logging works. at independence. iilsrhty acres had been burned over at 2 o'clock. States Forester Ferris today ordered out all Western Washington County fire wardens, tel. days ahead of the usual time for starting " state work. Hundreds of firefighters already are in the field for the Washington Forest Fire. Association, the state and Fed eral authorities. A bad lire on the North Palix, Pacific County,' was reported today. Four fires in the Humptullps district and one near the Thurston County line were re ported from Chehalls County. Clallam County reported fires near Solduc and Gettysburg. In Eastern Snohomish and King counties numerous fires are burn ing; the worst being near Gold Bar and Skykomish. No estimates of damage have been received yet from wardens. VANCOUVER, "Wash.. May 21. (Special.) The first fire of the season is raging near Houlton. More than 100 men are fighting it. Smoke which covered the sky reached as far as Van couver, 30 miles away. Water wagons were sent from Yacolt. An engine was held on the Northern Pacific branch a while today so men could get out of the fire district if hemmed in. FEDERAL PIPE LINE URGED Oil Producers, However, Oppose Goverment Control of Wells. INDEPENDENCE. Kan., May 21. The United States uovernraent should build a pipeline to carry oil from the mid continent fields to the Gulf of Mexico, It was asserted by producers of oil at a hearing here today before Cato Sells, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and Lieutenant J. O ' .Richardson, of the Navy, who are investiKatins: the feasi bility of the Government transportation or luei oil Most of the witnesses od- posed the plan as to the Government's engaging in the production of.oiL WASHINGTON, May 21. Several Ok lahoma oil men, who said they rep resented independent companies produc ing 60,000,000 barrels of netroleum an nually, proposed to Secretary Daniels looay mat the Government lease their fields and buy a niueline now operat ing between Oklahoma and Port Arthur, Tex. They asserted they could fur nish fuel oil at rates lower than those prevailing. FIREMAN RESCUES BABE Oregon City Assistant Chief" Hero of Thrilling Incident. OREGON CITY, Or, May 21. (Spe cial.) Dashing into the Alexander Apartments after the building was en veloped in flame, Louis Noble, assist ant fire chief, tonight rescued 3-year-old Alfred Deraud, who lay asleep In his room. With the child in his arms. Noble started down the back stairs, but they crumbled. He finally managed, how ever, to reach the ground through an other exit. The child had been living with Mr. and Mrs. Earl Baldwin, who left him asleep and went to the theater. LIEU LAND GRANT OPPOSED State of Washington or Settlers Stand to Lose Heavily. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, May 21. Attorney-General Mc Reynolds today wrote the Land Com missioner of Washington that he is not disposed to favor the proposal that the Government grant lieu lands to the State of Washington in exchange for 30,000 acres of school lands that have been settled upon by homesteaders in advance of survey. If the Government makes no conces sion to the state the settlers will be ousted and have no recourse unless the state consents to lose its right to the lands in dispute. CANDIDATES CALLED LAX Secretary of State Says Expense Statements Are Withheld. SALEM, Or., May 21. ((Special.) Secretary of State Olcott today called attention to the lax manner in which many of the candidates for nomination at the recent primary are filing their statements of expenditures. -The law expressly provides that every payment, except payments less in the aggregate than 15. shall be vouched for by a receipted bill. Candi dates themselves are required to file their statements within 15 days after election, which is not later than May 30. STORM HITS GRANTS PASS Steeple of Methodist Church South Torn Away by Lightning. GRANTS PASS. OrT, May 21. Grants Pass and vicinity suffered from a se vere electrical storm this afternoon, rain and hall falling, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Lightning struck the Methodist Epis copal Church South and demolished the steeple. Shingles and splinters were thrown In all directions for nearly a block. No damage was done inside the church. The damage is covered by In- 1 surance. LEBAM, WASH., IS SWEPT BY FLIES Total Loss Is Around Half a Million. CITY'S HEART IS WIPED OUT Four Mills, Depot,' Business Section and Churches Gone. 150 MEN ARE DISEMPLOYED Fire Breaks Out in Taper Mills and Races in All Directions Xo Water Available Many Are Homeless and Food lets. LEBAM. Wash., May 21. (Special.) The heart of Lebam tonight is practi cally a pile of wreckage and debris, entirely wiped out, except for a few outlying homes and buildings, by a fierce firo at 1 o'clock this afternoon, which, whilo It lasted, assumed the proportions of a conflagration. The estimated loss is about 3500.000. Paper, shingle, planing and sawmills, railroad depot and warehouses, busi ness blocks, hotels, merchandise stores and churches and many dwellings are included in the desolation of waste, which will cause a total loss of at least half a million dollars. This conserva tive estimate may be increased when all losses are known. Many Homeless and Food lens. Tonight many of the 600 to 800 in habitants are without homes, and worse yet, without food, practically all man ner of edibles having been consumed in the rush of the flames. One loaf of bread is all that remains from the de struction of the bakery. With a strong wind blowing, with no available water except that to be pumped from wells, and everything as dry as tinder the flames made remark able headway, rushing simultaneously in many directions, once they had gained uncontrolled headway ;n the boiler-room of the Lebam Mill and Lumber Company paper mill. The fire communicated immediately from the paper mills to the saw. shin gle and planing mills, jumped the tracks to the Northern Pacific Rail road yards, licking up the depot as it ran, badly scorching a Northern Pa cific train that was passing, and then continued to spread through the busi ness and rcsidenco sections. . One building was dynamited in an effort to check the flames, but proved unavailing. Only Partial Lou Available. A summary of the loss Is not availa able, as everything is confusion and the first thought is being directed against the housing and feeding of those who have been burned out. A partial list of the buldings de stroyed and the losses, where possible. Is: Paper mill, sawmill, shingle mill and planing mill, total loss, 3400,000. Northern Pacific depot. C. B. Handy, general merchandise. 325.000. Wilkinson's meat market. Oddfellows' Hall, 35000. Fisher Bros." store. Fisher, Stiners & Fisher's bank. K. F. Hall, 310,000. New Davis block. Dr. Blair's drug store, 310,000. , County bridge. Northern Pacific bridge, partial. CaBe & Schaeffer, general merchan dise, 312,000. Methodist Church. Episcopal Church. Baptist Church. Two lodge halls. J. W. Hall's poolroom. Lebam bakery, 31000. Smith & Hamilton's store, 310,000. Willapa Hotel. 38000. Lebam Hotel, 37500. Gibson building, occupied by Adam & Mullen and postoffice, 36000. No Loss of Life Knovrn. Residences of Tom Taylor, Dr. Blair. A. M. Davis, Fred Hoyt, D. M. Cleve land. Dr. Stelner, M. K. Hay, George Whetzel. Joseph Gibson, Mrs. Stephens, Mrs. Oxford, Samuel Hurst, Richard. Whitt and others. Whatever portion of the loss is cov ered by insurance is not known. No fatalities are reported, although the fire at a late hour tonight is Btili burning and loss or life may develop later. Traffic along the railroad is delayed Indefinitely. One hundred and fifty men are thrown out of employment. The saw mill has a capacity of 100,000 feet, the shingle mill of twice that amount and the planing mill of 60,000 feet. Many automobile loads of firefight ers rushed here from Raymond to as sist, but could do little or nothing, be cause of lack of water. Lebam is a city of 600 to 800 inhabi tants, located on the Chehalis & South Bend branch of the Northern Pacific railroad, a short distance from South Bend. Telegraph and telephone com munication was entirely cut off and connection with the outside was had by automobiles. The city experienced a. serious fire two years ago and the burned portion had recently been reconstructed. The fire today swept across this rebuilt portion and again practically wiped It out.