Morning Oregonian., April 04, 1916, Page 7, Image 7

THE 3IORXIXG OREGONIAK, TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 191G.
HIGHER-UPS BLAMED
- FOR SEWER AFFAIRS
Civil Service Board Finds Dis
charged Inspector Guilty
. and Others Equally So.
ENGINEERS ARE SCORED
FiinUhirient of Harry Gurr to Be
.nodded Upon Action Against
T. C. Sharp Will Be Up to
Commissioner Dieck.
Branding as "shameless" the retention
In the city 'service of otlier men equally
guilty of negligence of duty with Harry
Jurr. discharged sewer inspector.
George W. Caldwell, chairman of the
.Municipal Civil Service Board, last
night not only found Gurr guilty as
charged in Commissioner Dieck's or
der of dismissal, hut recommended ac
tion against higher-ups and others who
had responsibility in the same negli
gence for which Gurr was dismissed.
The Civil Service Board adopted Mr.
Caldwell's report.
"The only shameless thing about this
investigation is that men who are
equally guilty with Mr. Gurr should be
retained in the service." said Mr. Cald
well in his report. He declared that
ex-City Engineer Hurlburt was negli
gent and failed to perform his duty in
respect to the sewer in question the
Kast Alder-street trunk sewer between
Kast Korty-fifth and Kast Forty-ninth
streets; that J. C. Sharp, chief of the
municipal bureau of sewers, is guilty
of gross negligence in this and other
instances, and that Harry Gurr. district
inspector, and V. Newell and Harold
Wright, sewer inspectors, are guilty of
inefficiency and carelessness. He rec
ommends also that Chief Sewer Inspec
tor Smith be Investigated in connection
with the Montavilla sewer and the Kast
Thirty-third-street sewer.
Hoard ConKldcra Case.
Mr. Caldwell left the punishment of
Mr. Gurr to be meted out by the Board
as a whole. The Board took until April
IT to do this. Inasmuch as V. Newell
and Harold Wright are now out of the
service, no further action can be taken
against them, and action against Mr.
tliarp is entirely up to Commissioner
JJicck. -
Following is Mr. Caldwell's report in
part:
"Mr. Gurr, under section. 317 of the
charter of the City of Portland, has ap
pealed from dismissal to this Board,
and demanded an investigation, alleg
ing that said discharge was not made
in good faith. It is apparent from the
testimony in this case, and the actions
of Mr. Gurr, Mr. Sharp, and to some
extent Mr. Dieck. that there is a very
strong, antagonistic feeling against
-Mr. Gurr, which has made it necessary
in this case to go into it very thor
oughly to place the blame where it
properly belongs.
Good Service Demanded,
"The people are entitled to good serv
ice. They are entitled to competent
inspectors. They are entitled to effi
cient engineers. They have a right to
demand that the higher-ups shall bear
the same burden of responsibility as
the man in the trench. They are eager
to claim the credit when the work is a
success, and to relegate the man in
the trench to obscurity. Good faith
and fair play must be accorded to all
parties.
"I am unable to reach any other
conclusion than this: That all must
sLand or fall according to the work
done.
"The evidence in this case shows that
T. M. Hurlburt was negligent and failed
to perform his duty in respect to the
sewer in question, as the City Engineer
of the City of Portland.
"J. C. Sharp is guilty of gross care
lessness and negligence in his duty in
respect to this and other sewer con
tracts. "A rigid investigation be made of In
spector Smith in the construction of
the East Thirty-third-street sewer and
the Montavilla sewer.
"Harry Gurr, V. Newell and Harold
"Wright are guilty of inefficiency and
carelessness in connection with the
East Alder-street sewer.
"The board fix the punishment to be
meted out to Harrw Gurr, and make
such other recommendations as will
seem best for the public service."
ARMAMENT LIMIT HOPE
fContimied From First Page.)
our 14-inch gun," Admiral Strauss said.
"They are for a much superior gun."
Both the Secretary and the Admiral
said they had no knowledge of any
plans or other information having been
imparted to the Russian government.
In answer to Representative Butler's
assertion that the armor-piercing shell
specifications were too high. Admiral
Strauss produced the records of the
department to show that the Midvale
and Crucible Steel Companies had de
livered large quantities of shells that
had passed the tests.
Secretary Daniels replied at length
to criticisms of himself implied or
stated during the testimony of Rear
Admiral Fiske. former aid for opera
lions, and became involved in a warm
controversy with Representative Brit
ten, of Illinois, Republican. Respond
ing to questions by Chairman Padgett,
he said Admiral Fiske had sought ap
pointment as commander of the At
lantic fleet when Rear-Admiral Badger
retired, and had repeatedly requested
it, to the Secretary's great embar
rassment. Lack of Harmony Cited.
Mr. Daniels said he told Admiral
Fiske that Rear-Admiral Fletcher, then
commanding the squadron in Mexican
waters, seemed entitled to the appoint
ment. Admiral Fiske replied that
Fletcher did not want it, the Secretaiy
said, and asked that the appointment
be held up until he could write to
Fletcher. This was done, T.Tr. Daniel
a
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Rheumatic pains of any nature
disappear under the soothing and
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need to rub it in it penetrates
and brings relief at once.
Sloan's
Liniment
KILLS PAIN
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Price 25c. 50c Si .00
n
n
said, and when Mr. Fletcher replied
that he would be honored by the com
mand, he was appointed, and from that
time on Admiral Fiske was not in har
mony with the Navy Department.
"Our first difference." said the Secre
tary,' "was over the wine mess order.
Admiral Fiske was greatly aggrieved.
He said Navy officers would go to using
cocaine. My only regret about the
order is that I did not issue it on
March 5, when I came into office, in
stead of waiting."
Mr. Daniels said he had been prompted
to issue the order because of the many
cases that came before him of young
officers addicted to drink. He cited
one man who told him that his son.
a young Navy officer, never had used
liquor in any form before he went
aboard ship. (
New Office in View,
Although he had resolved to ask for
Admiral Fiske's resignation, the Secre
tary said he changed his mind when
Congress created tne office of chief of
operations to supplant the aide system,
and intended to allow the Admiral to
serve as aide until the office expired.
The Admiral resigned, however, before
the new law became effective. .
Representative Britten directed atten
tion to Admiral Fiske's statement that
he had resigned because he had dif
fered from Mr. Daniels on the prepar
edness question. The Secretary said
that was not the reason given to hinp
for the resignation. Representative
Rritten asked that certain letters from
Admiral Fiske and the general board
to the Secretary warning him that the.
Navy was unprepared for war be placed
In the record. Mr. Daniels declined to
do so, saying he had no intention of
permitting such correspondence be
tween the board and himself to be
made the subject of gossip.
Representative Oliver, of Alabama.
Democrat, made 'a statement sharply
attacking Representative Britten. He
said the Illinois member's attitud
throughout the hearing had followed
the single line of criticising the Sec
retary of the Navy. He called atten
tion to the fact that Mr. Britten had
Insisted upon calling Admiral Fiske
and declared the questions propounded
to the Admiral by Mr. Britten had been
of a purely personal nature, not an
effort to enlighten the committee on
Navy problems.
Representative Britten and the Sec
retary clashed again when the former
asked if a Democratic Congress had
not cut down the recommendation of a
Republican Secretary from three bat
tleships to one. "If you want to go
into politics," Secretary Daniels be
gan. Several members interrupted to say
that politics should be excluded, but
a general debate on the subject fol
lowed. Mr. Britten asserted that Sec
retary Meyer had recommended the
construction of 11 battleships during
his administration.
"That is more than you have done.
Mr. Secretary," he said.
Secretary Daniels replied that Secre
tary Meyer had cut down his recom
mendations until after the Republican
defeat in the last general election, and
then recommended everything in
sight."
Chairman Padgett said that, while
Mr. Meyer had recommended three bat
tleships at one time, the estimates in
the same year had not shown a dollar,
for new ships.
Shortly after Mr. Padgett ruled' out
any further political discussion.
Plana lost, la Intimation.
"Isn't it true," demanded Represen
tative Britten of Secretary Daniels,
that a copy of one of our war plans
with Japan has been lost during your
Administration?"
"I have never heard of it," Secretary
Daniels said.
"You personally have not lost a set?"
Representative, Britten persisted.
"Nor, sir."
"How long would it take to nut the
Navy into condition to fight an effi
cient enemy?" asked Representative I
Britten.
"We could fight now with what we I
have," Mr. Daniels said. !
"I'm not - talking about ' the fleet."
said Representative Britten, interrupt
ing becretary Daniels effort to Illus
trate conditions in the Navy by show
ing what had been accomplished in 48
hours when the fleet was ordered to
Vera Cruz. "I am talking about putting
the reserve ships in fighting trim. How
long would it take to get 15,000 men,
train them and put thtm in reserve
ships?"
"If we had to take raw men it would
take a very long time," the Secretary
said. He added that in any great
emergency, the Navy could be made
ready in a very short time, bedause
there were 25,000 former enlisted men
in civil life.
Admiral Dewey's Request Withdrawn.
Reverting to Admiral Fiske's case.
Chairman Padgett asked the Secretary
to explain how it was that Fiske was
not appointed to the General Board,
although the latter had stated that
Admiral Dewey, president of the Board,
had asked for his appointment.
Mr. Daniels said it was true that
Admiral Dewey had made such a re
quest and he had promised to consider
it. Later, he said. Admiral Dewey had
withdrawn his request.
"He requested me then," said the
Secretary, referring to Admiral Dewey,
"not to put Fiske on the Board because
he wanted a practical, not a theoretical
man. I did not put him on."
In the course of his testimony Sec
retary Daniels recommended an appro
priation of $1500 for an Investigation
of the feasibility of Government refin
ing of oil for battelship use. He pre
sented a long statement containing
figures prepared by a firm of oil man
ufacturers, the name of which he did
not disclose. He showed that for the
cost of oil it now buys, the Navy could
refine its own oil, also producing as
a by-product enough gasoline for Its
own use and enough kerosene for the
entire lighthouse service. The appro
priation asked, the Secretary said, was
for the purpose of checking up these
figures.
Representative Callaway brought out
the statement that in the Secretary's
opinion, the backbone of the Navy,
should be "eventually at least" 48
dreadnoughts.
"You cannot see any reason now, can
you," demanded Representative Calla
way, "that you did not see. last year,
for increasing the Navy?"
"Yes; we had had no diplomatic dif
ferences then," said the Secretary.
"Conditions were not so strained." ,
SOCIAL WORKERS TO MEET
Ueorganization of Club Will Be Con
sidered at Meeting: Toniglit.
A meeting of the Social Workers'
Club will be held tonight at 7:45 o'clock
in room A, Central Library, 'to consider
the recommendations for reorganization
submitted by the social workers' com
mittee. Plans for the annual meeting of the
state conference of social agencies also
will be presented by Dr. W. T. Foster,
vice-president of the conference.
WILSON LIKELY TO CHANGE
Continued From First Page.)
German government that there should
be no attacks on unarmed merchant
ships, particularly liners.
Consequently the proposed statement
probably will be withheld until the
facts concerning the recent attacks are
cleared up.
Another complication in the situation
is found in the arrival at New York of
a French merchantman armed with a
rapid-fire gun. Until this time, Italy
has been the only government which
insisted on its rights to arm its ships
for defensive purposes.
China has more linchu than all the rest
of the world put together.
LADD ESTATE COMPANY
PRINCIPALS
"We shall be doing business for some
time to come only with the far-sighted-buyers
and experienced investors who
Bee and realize that Portland real estate
prices are now at low ebb and that
present building costs make immediate
construction most advantageous."
HEN WE made this statement in a
recent announcement, it was be
cause of our confidence that there
were plenty of people in Portland
who could analyze the present and
foresee the future, realizing, as they must,
that the wisest time to buy is just prior to
the return of a commercial activity. That is
when the best investments are made.
We are having- that confidence justified daily.
Prospective home-buyers are appreciating
that the prices of building materials and labor
are sure to increase as the demand increases,
and are therefore planning to take advantage
of present building cost.
vbf
People who are taking immediate action
in selecting their property on Westover
Terraces and making arrangements for
the building of their homes will find,
three months from now, that by their
decision they"" made possible either a
better home at the same cost, or as
good a home at a saving.
Everyone needs a home and if you
haven't one, you are paying for it just
the same paying for it by losing the
inspiration, the comfort and the inde
pendence that a home means to a man.
itLLINO REPRESENTATIVES
Scofd Floor-Title &rd Trust Bld
v
LETTERS ASK HELP
Von Papen Alleged to Have
Indorsed Spy's Work.
SENSATIONAL PART SECRET
Great Britain Soon Will rulIish
Confidential Memoranda Taken
From Von Der Goltz Ger
man Official Is Involved.
WASHINGTON. April 3. Photo
graphic copies Of letters said to have
been written by Captain von Papen,
the withdrawn German military at
tache, to persons in this country asking
them to aid Hoist von der Goltz, the
alleged German spy, brought to New
York a week ago by Scotland Yard de
tectives, are in the possession of the
United States Government. These let
ters, it is said, were written at the
time Von der Goltz was shaping pians
to blow up the Welland Canal. One
was addressed to a German government
official in this country and met with
such response that Von der Goltz was
able to leave the United States, with
an American- passport issued him un
der the alias of Bridgeman Taylor.
The name of this official, who still
is at his post in this country, has been
carefully guarded. In the letter to him
Von Papen is understood to have ex
plained that the bearer. Von der Goltz,
was a responsible and trustworthy per
son in the confidence of the writer and
as such was commended to the good
offices of the recipient.
Officials Believe Goltz.
Officials here expressed the belief to
night that this letter established
beyond question the fact that Von der
Goltz' 'activities in trying to bring
about an Invasion of Canada and in
planning the destruction of the "Wetland
Canal were indorsed by Von Papen, as
Von der Goltz asserts.
Photographic copies of tnis letter
and others from Von Papen of a nature
not disclosed have been submitted to
the State Department. With them went
a note detailing the essentials of Von
der Goltz' recent statement to Depart
ment of Justice officials. This has been
added to- the long confidential memo
randum given to the State Department
before the withdrawal of Von Papen
was requested by the American Govern
ment. The contents of the confidential
memorandum never have been disclosed
and are known only to three persons
in the State Department, to President
Wilson and to one or two officials in
the Department of Justice. So com
plete, however, is it deemed to be that
the Von der Goltz disclosures added
little to its importance.
Sensational Portions Secret.
While some of tle occurrences out
lined in the confidential memorandum
have become public, it is known that
sensational portions of its contents
have never been printed.
Captain Von Papen's alleged letter
commending Von der Goltz are con
tained in the batch of correspondence
taken from Von der Goltz in England
and will soon be made public by the
British Foreign Office in London. Por
tions of the correspondence, including
the Von Papen letters, were photo
graphed and brought to the United
States by the Scotland Yard detectives,
in whose custody Von der Goltz crossed
the ocean. It was the original inten
tion of the British Foreign Office, it
was said tonight, to publish the cor
respondence some time ago, but its pub
lication was deferred to afford offi
cials here a chance to act on its dis
closures. There Is nothing, officials said. In
the letters or in von der Goltz' state
ment in New York to Indicate upon
wnose instructions, it any. Von Papen
was acting when he indorsed Von der
Goltz" plan and supplied him with
money to carry them out.
man dies While dressing
Relongings Indicate Clackamas
Woodchopper Once Prosperous.
OREGON CITY, Or., April 3. (Spe
cial.) D. J. Logeman, aged 57 years,
died suddenly from heart failure while
dressing this morning. He had been
employed &b a woodcutter with h. Her-
Brag
351
terraces
man, 60 Cook avenue, Portland, on the
Courtney place near the upper end of
Oswego Lake, and had been a resident
of this county for the last two months.
It is evident from papers found in
Logeman's effects, which are .now held
by Coroner Hempstead, that at one
time he was prosperous. Coroner
Hempstead is endeavoring to find rela
tives or friends of the dead man in this
country.
"ANNUAL PUNCH" APPEARS
Jefferson High Has Anonymous Jicl
Ink Publication.
"The Annual Punch." an anonymous
publication issued yesterday at Jeffer
son High School, attracted much at
tention from both pupils and teachers.
It was printed in red ink, and dis
cussed school affairs generally through
the medium of poetry.
The Punch declared itself as follows:
"No kick in it; lots of kick about it."
and it was said that it would be pub
lished whenever it seemed necessary.
No one seemed to know who issued it.
School affairs were dealt with in
Jocular vein, and many were rapped
in rather innocent fashion. It was
thought by some it might be a rival
publication to the Spectrum, the regu
lar school paper, but others believed
it to be rather a Springtime ebullition
of youthful spirits.
PHONE LINE TAKEN OVER
Pacific Company Plans Many Im
provements at Pasco.
PASCO, Wash:, April 3. (Special.)
The Pacific State Telephone Company
today took charge of the local tele
phone exchange, which was purchased
from the Twin City Telephone Com
pany last week for $12.0(H). It Is the
intention of the purchasers to make
many improvements, including a mod
ern switchboard and the laying of un
derground cables.
The Twin City Telephone Company
has been operated by the Kling Bros,
for about 10 years. Richard Kling,
manager of the old company, will prob
ably move to Montana, where he has
property interests in and around Great
Falls.
Highway Blocked in SlsUiyous.
SALEM. Or.. April 3. (Special.) As
a result of two slides on the Pacific
Highway in the Siskiyou Mountain sec
tion, Jackson County, that road will not
be passable for automobiles for two
weeks more. State Engineer Lewis an
nounced today. Engineer Davis., of the
State Highway Department, has been
dispatched to the scene of the slides to
clear the road for, traffic.
Iiund Kill Goes Forward.
SALEM. Or.. April 3. (Special.) A
bill proposing to confirm the patents
issued on excess acreage in the Cen
tral Oregon Irrigation Company's
project was forwarded to the Oregon
delegation in Congress today by the
State Desert Land Board. The board
hopes by the passage of the measure
to enable the lands to be sold.
Aberdeen Bids Opened.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington, April 3. Bids were opened to
day for the construction of the public
building at Aberdeen, Wash., two Seat
tle firms being the lowest. The Hen
rikson Company bid $74,058 on lime
stone anvl $73,538 for sandstone, while
Mister Man
i
have you visited our
Steps to Economy Dept.
Save You Money
$3 and $3.50
THE PAIR
Knight Shoe Co.
Morrison Street
Near Broadway
-S&SSV""
"Mill- ST?
to-Man - f
Tailors" J
f ' fXSv -.".'" r-r-
' ' V
J : j tog at any
Thomas E. Young bid tJ26 and ?74,
161, respectively.
Governor Makes Appointments.
RAl.EM. Or.. April 3. f Special. )-
ITS- !',.
Forty -
153 'II I I y.Zll
6T 1 111
3rlW PORTLAND
Ui J.l!MLSLJ. JLLJkl
Just arrived
10 full bolts, 800 yards
of American Woolen Mills
famous No. 364 Blue Serge
bought at last year's price for delivery this
Spring-. It came too late to be included in our
wholesale sample books. Since this order
was placed the Serge has nearly doubled in
price.
To make the Brownsville Tailoring Shops bet
ter known, wc offer for this week only
Suits to Measure
of American Woolen
Mills Famous No.
364 Blue Serge
Try to match it anywhere under $35
This is the finest all-wool serge, fast-color
foreign dye a quality that will soon be hard
Brownsville
Woolen Mills
J. L. Bowman, Pres.
Governor Withycombe today announced
that he had appointed Miss Bertha
Williams, of Portland, a member of the
State Board of Examination and Regis
tration of Graduate Nurses. He also
appointed Dr. Walter .1. T. arson, of
WHITE
1
IT is significant that for years past, none of the
highest priced cars in this country have made
any radical change in the type of their engine
nor lowered their price. Conservatism in design
and stability of value are marked characteristics
of quality. They appeal to a class of owners
who will pay the price of unfailing luxurious
service and demand that it be proof against
complication or experiment.
The White is a conservative product. Innova
tions have never been permitted to complicate
its well known performance, nor price to limit
the refinement of its custom-made body.
ill li: Tifif iMM ' JlteS
iHii:nimi!r.-a:i!ili!ffi!!!l!H
"Thirty" Touring Car, 2700 "Forty-Five" Touring Car, 3800
THE WHITE COMPANY, ckveUmJ
Broadway
"Thirty" Touring Car, F. O. B. Portland,
Five" Touring Car, F. O. B. Portland,
L L.I
. . j
price!
Don't delay. Wc can't possibly
duplicate the price when this lot
is gone. Come in today and be
measured. Your Suit will be
made to order in our great, new
wholesale tailoring shops larg
est and most modern in the West.
Third and Morrison
Portland, and Dr. Alexander MacDougal.
of Baker, members of the State Board
of Dental Examiners.
Now 'enlnnd offers a cod opening for
Amprii-n ready-made clothinir.
and Oak Street
$2850.
$3950.
IP
mm
IS
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