0
VOL. LVII. NO. 17,S1.
POKTLAXD, OREGON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1918.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
HER RIGHT ASSET
GUATEMALA QUAKE
NORTHERN IDAHO IN
BIG GERMAN DRIVE
IS EXPECTED SOON
PRIVATE PIDD SENT
TO PRISON FOR LIFE
FUEL CRISIS
LOSS 'TOTALS 2500
DISASTER MORE SERIOCS THAN
GRIP OF BIG FLOOD
QUESTION DEBATED
EMBASSY
SH
RISES
TO
COEIR D'ALENE RIVER CAUSES
LOVE FOR GIRL-WIFE BLAMED
FOR NEAR-FATAL ATTACK.
FIRST REPORTS INDICATED.
9500,000 PROPERTY LOSS.
LOOMS 111 BRITAIN
Sir Cecil Spring-Rice
A
A
At Irrigation Congress
Views Clash.
OREGON LAW READ TWO WAYS
Engineering Authorities
"Value Intangible."
SaV
UPTON LEADS DEFENSE
Farther Dl-K-o-slon of Bond Certifi
cation Frotislon of Stale Code
Will Re Held Today In Quar
ter at Imperial Hotel.
Within 29 minutes after J. T. Hinkle.
the president, had called the Oregon
Irritation Congress to order In the
Kllsabethan room at the Imperial Hotel
)eterday a ft r noon, the delegates had
entered upon a spirited discussion of
the bond certification provision of the
ITrcon Irrigation rode. The debate eon
tinned throughout the afternoon and
will be resumed this momlnt.
The Oree-on law provide that the
market value of lands embraced within
an Irrigation project, the value of the
works and the value of water and
water rights shall all be considered by
the state authorities In estimating the
value of the project aa a basis for Issu
ing bonds which shall not exceed In the
aggregate 54 per cent of the value of
the lands and Improvements so ap
praised.
Water Rights Ovrrtovked.
In computing these values, the state
authorities, consisting of the Attorney-
tieneral. state Engineer and Slate SU'
perlntendent of Banks, have refused to
take Into account and give any ap
praised value to water rights.
Thla practice of the appraising; off!
clals was defended by Perry J. Cupper.
assistant atate engineer, on the ground I
that an available supply of water for
any project could not be taken Into ac
count and It vmloe be other than an
Intangible quantity until It had actually
- plaoed upon the land.
Jlr. Cupper was supported In his
contentions by P. M. Norboe. of Sac
ramento, assistant state engineer for
California, and O. Laurgaard. Portland
city engineer.
I Cites Xew Cede.
J. H. Cpton. of Prlnevtlle. chairman
of the legislative committee of the
Irrigation Congress, precipitated the
discussion by submitting an exhaustive
report on the work of this committee
at the last session of the Legislature.
when the Oregon Irrigation code.
eluding the bond certification plan, was
enacted.
Mr. I'pton praised the code aa the
most complete and workable of any In
the I'nitrd States, embracing, aa It
does, the essential provisions of simi
lar laws In the statea of Washington
I'laho and California, which, from years
of experience, he said, had been found
entirely adequate and In every way
satisfactory In their operation.
Wmt laerreatlea Alleged.
Mr. I'pton explained that it was the
clear Intent and purpose of the fram
ers of the law that water rights were
to be considered by the state officials
as an asset In any project they were
railed on to appraise. Hhe maintained
that In refusing to take that element
Into account In arriving at their esti
mate of the true value of any project,
the members of the state board were
not correctly Interpreting the statute.
He argued that the question of water
r!hts was essentially pertinent to a
consideration of the value of a project
and should be Included In any esti
mate of the worth of such a project aa
a basis of certifying to Its sufficiency
fur the floating of a bond Ismie.
Others participating In the discus
sion, and with but few exceptions they
supported the position of Mr. Cpton,
were: Porter J. Neff. of Medford: W.
11. Crawford, of the Oregon Develop
ment Bureau of the Chamber of Com
merce; M. J. Lee. of Canby; "Farmer"
mlth. agriculturist for the O.-W. R.
N. Company: President Hinkle.
Gtorre Chandler, of Baker, and C C
Clark, of Arlington.
Sara-eat Be Heard Today.
The discussion of this subject will
lie resumed when 'the congress reas
sembles at S;js o'clock this morning-,
following the report cf the credentials
committee. The first speaker will be
8. G. Sargent. State Superintendent of
Kanks. Other speakers will be: H. JsV.
Card. Fred C. Hoecher. J. Frank Spin
ning. C. W. Thomas. John Rlgby. Julian
A. Hurley and K. H. Schreelork.
"State Tollcy of Irrigation" will be
the subject of an address by Oswald
Vest. ex-Governor, at the afternoon
session todsy. He will be followed
by J. r. Newell. George H. RusselU
C. C. Clark. II. H. DcArmond and other
delegates. The rest of the afternoon
S'ssion will be d'voted to a discussion
cf varioua Irrigation projects through
out the atate.
Owing to delayed trains, many of the
delegates were unable to reach the
city until noon yesterday, with the
result that the opening session was
not held until afternoon. The dele
gates were formally welcomed to the
city by Mayor Baker, who referred to
the Importance of the farm and the
increased production of foodstuffs at
this time, and assured the Irrigation-!
iaiilui4 ea Face 12. C o tiaia t
Jfanr Persona Co Overland From
Saa Salvador to Investigate
Fate of Friends In City.
SAN SALVADOR. Salvador. Jan. 5-
Newspapers of thla city declare that
do fewer than S50O people lot their
Uvea In the Guatemala earthquake.
Early reporta on the Guatemala
earthquake, which began Christmas
day. "declared the loss of life wi
heavy, some estimates reach Ing 1000. A
I Guatemala City dispatch of December
III. however. said that only a few per-
aona had been killed.
Uinr nersons are ft-oing overland
from Salvador to Guatemala to in
vestigate the fate of friends.
Telegraphic communication between
San Salvador and Guatemala la again
Interrupted.
MONACO IS MORE LIBERAL
Ruler of Tiny Principality Now Re-
More Constitution.
MONTE CARLO. Jan. Z. (By the Aa-
nri.trrf Press.) rrince Albert or
Monaco on New Tear's day promul
gated a decree restoring- the constltu
tlon of the principality, which had been
1UIDI nded since the outbreak f the
rorld war. By the decree the const!
tutlon la enlarged and extended in a
much more liberal sense, the Prince
In this way limiting- hi own powers.
Prince Albert from the time he sue
ceeded his father. Prince Charles III.
In until January 7. 1S1I. was ab
solute ruler of the small principality
of Monaco In the Mediterranean. In
1)11 a constitution was promulgated
which provided for a national council
elected by universal suffrage.
HIRED PARTNERS BANNED
Timnn Council Authorises Cenor
ship of All Danrrhall.
TACOMA. Wash.. Jan. . (Special.)
I Soldiers who want to attend dances In
Tacoma will be protected from the
harpies who wish to prey upon them.
An ordinance was passed by the City
I Commission today authorising censor
ship of the dancehalls. and seta forth
what may be regarded aa etiquette In
dancing-. The censor may eject any
person who does not comply with the
rules. An admission charge must be
msde for all persons except soldiers
and sailors.
The Council frowns on those places
where girls are hired as partners of
the men. and Intends to put them out
of business.
NEW REPUBLIC IS SET UP
Roslans Near Black Sss Proclaim
Independent Slate.
PETROGRAD. Tuesday. Jan. 1. A
new republic has been set ud In th
In-lpBCk Sea territory, with Novorossysk
aa the capital.. A coalition Cabinet. In-
eluding Constitutional Democrats, has
been formed.
Delegates from Cgralne to the Con
stltuent Assembly will arrive In Petro
grad tomorrow. No effort was made
to open the assembly today.
Tchemomorsk, or the Black Sea ter
rltory. is a district of Trans-Caucasia,
consisting of a long, narrow strip ok
the coast of the Black Sea and on the
west slope of the Caucasus.
2 IN TEENS FIRST TO WED
Noel Lawrence and Madeline Ran
kin Listed for Earliest License.
Along with the other IMS "firsts'
come Noel Lawrence and Madeline
Rankin and as:: that they be officially
listed as the first couple to secure a
marriage license during the new year.
The two fathers of the young people
yesterday applied at the marriage
license bureau In behalf of th youth
ful couple. The wedding. It waa Stated,
was to take place last evening.
Toung Lawrence la IS years old and
Uvea at 42 Alder street. Miss Rankin
Is 18 years old and lives at 22 Thir
teenth street.
NEW OFFICERS CHEERED
Enlisted Men at Camp Lewis Greet
Arrivals From Presidio.
TACOMA. Wash, Jan. J. (Special.)
Three great cheers rang out In the
T. M. C. A. building No. 5 when SO0O
husky enlisted men greeted 60 new
officers Just fresh from the training
at the Presidio. The half-hundred com
missioned men stood and returned the
cheers.
The exchange of greetings shows the
regard officers and men bold for each
other at the great cantonment, where
they put In 10 hours daily learning the
war game. A programme followed.
T0TWANDERER FINDS HOME
Child Who Left Yokohama as Stow
away Reaches Seattle.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2. The wander
ing of Danla Lucia Lauberg, a home
less 14-year-old girl, who recently ar
rived in Seattle from Tokohama as a
stowaway on a Japanese steamship,
came to an end today when the Immi
gration Bureau relaxed the Immigra
tion regulations to admit her to the
I'nited States for adoption by an Amer
ican family.
The-chlld's parents formerly lived Id
New York.
Has'LeaveofAbsence.'
AMBASSADOR IS GOING HOME
Reports Say That Sweeping
Changes Are to Be Made.
FRESH BLOOD IS NEEDED
British Newspapers Declare Time
Has Codic to Put Men In Touch
With Modern Conditions Into
Empire's Diplomatic Service.
WASHINGTON. Jan. S. Sir Cecil
Spring-Rice, who has been British Am
bassador at Washington since May ,
1113, called at the State. Department
today to aay that he was going home
on leave of absence. That was as far
as the official statement on the subejet
went, but It is known that further in
formation to be given out from London
will confirm the reports that come
through English newspapers of a gen
eral and sweeping change In the Brit
ish diplomatic representation In most
of the larger capitals.
The purpose of the reorganization. It
la learned, touches the personnel of the
embassies rather than the policies of
the British government in Its relations
with Its allies, and It Is expressly stat
ed In an authoritative quarter that
there Is to be no change in these poli
cies connected with the proaecutlon of
the war.
Asabaaaader Wants Rest.
Sir Cecil haa desired for aome time
to be relieved of the heavy duties of
the Washington embassy as soon as
uch a change could be made without
detriment to the service. It Is known
now that when Foreign Minister Bal
four came to the United Statea last
Spring the Ambassador tendered his
reel rn tlon to take effect at the can
venlence of the Foreign Office, and has
been awaiting its acceptance alnce that
time.
No statement can be made as to the
time the change will take effect, or as
to the succession to the Ambassador
ship, but It Is expected that this In
formation will not be long deferred.
In the meantime Colvllle Barclay,
counsellor of the Embassy, probably
will serve as charge d'affaires,
(elvllle Barclay la Charge.
Sir Cecil came to Washington, suc
ceeding Ambassador Bryce. mho was
retired on account of age. His service
here began a year before the outbreak
of the .world war and upon him de
volved tremendous responsibilities, in
cluding the difficult task of Inducing
the Washington Government to accept
with equanimity the oppressive reg
ulations which the entente allies adopt-
(Concluded en -ass 2, Column 2.)
j I
'
Every County Bridge From Cataldo
to Harrison Out and Huge Log
Jam Increases Destruction.
SPOKANE. Wash.. Jan. 2. (Special.)
The Coeur d'Alene River of Northern
Idaho, sent suddenly Into flood by the
heavy rains of last week, today com
pleted the destruction of $400,000 to
IjOO.OOO worth of property.
RIvermen and loggers are battling
the most treacherous series of logjams
known in the river's logging history.
Every county bridge over the river
from Cataldo to Harrison has been
swept out" by the rush of the waters,
and the bombardment of logs alone has
caused a loss of 150,000. '
The yards of the Rose -ake Lumber
Company are flooded, anif 20,000,000
feet of lumber Is partially ruined by
the mud and water. The company esti
mates the loss to its plant, stock and
other property at 1200,000. The water
s a foot deep in the company store.
The mill is shut down and the dikes
torn out.
At Sprlngston a huge log Jam is baf
fling rivermen. - Lumber and boom
works have been damaged SIO.000 at
that point. Millions of feet of logs
belonging to members cf the Coeur
d'Alene Log Owners' Association have
broken their booms and are spread
over the meadows for miles on totn
sides of the river. The river has
changed its channel at Lane. Mills at
Harrison are shut down and rail com
munlcatlon between Harrison and Wal
lace is Impossible.
HUSBAND SEES WIFE DIE
Mrs. Macomber Perishes in South
Fork of Xetvaukum River.
CHEHALIS, Wash.. Jan. 2V (Special.)
While crossing a footlog over the
south fork of the Newaukum River,
near her home at Ethel, Sunday, Mrs.
Harry Macomber fell In and- was
drowned.
The water was very swift and the
woman was carried . rapidly down
stream. The body has not been found
as yet. Mrs. Macomber's husband was
with her at the time of the accident
and worked hard to effect a rescue.
LODGE OFFERS " TO HELP
Modern Woodmen Sanatorium May
Be Csed for Soldiers.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Jan. 2.
Announcement was made today that the
Modern Woodmen of America, operat
ing a large sanatorium at Woodman,
north of here, have offered to treat S00
soldiers at any time the Government
may direct.
The sanatorium Is devoted largely to
the treatment of tubercular cases.
NEW PROPOSAL IS COMING
Revision of Germany's Peace Condi
tions Expected Shortly.
LONDON, Jan. 2. The central pow
ers, within 10 days, will make new dec
larations regarding Germany's peace
conditions, a dispatch from Geneva to
the Daily Express quotes the Munich
Nachrichten as saying.
THE BEAR NOT SO FAST, WILHELM!
Troops Are Massing on
Western Front
MAURICE MAKES FORECAST
Slight Losses to Be Expected,
Says Director.
AMERICANS NOT YET READY
British Chief Holds Teuton Ability
to Inflict Damage Has Been Les
senedSix Enemy Airplanes
Put Out of Action by French.
LONDON, Jan. 2. The probability of
the Germans now taking a vigorous
offensive attitude on the western front
was pointed out by Major-General F.
B. Maurice, chief director of military
operations, at the War Office, in his
weekly talk to the Associated Press
today.
There . were two factors that con
tributed to this probability, the Gen
eral said, the first being the steady
flow of German reinforcements from
the eastern front and the second the
fact that the American forces were not
yet ready to take' any considerable
part in the operations.
Losses May Be Expected.
The public should be prepared. Gen
eral Maurice said, for losses of both
ground and men If the Germans at
tempt really determined offensive op
erations. They would not, however, be
able to Inflict any such losses on the
allies as the latter had inflicted upon
the Germans during the last year, he
declared.
"The enemy In the past fortnight has
been attempting numerous raids, most
ly ona small scale," began General
Maurice. "At Cambrai, however, he
tried a larger operation wnn me 00-
Ject of getting control of a ridge on
the British flank, whence he hoped he
could strangle the. supplies to- a Brit
ish salient m and force its withdrawaL
His attack, however, ended in an
almost complete failure.
"These attempts to take the offen
sive." continued th General, are a
sign of a new distribution of the bel
llgerent forces on the western front.
e enemy is steadily bringing troops
Th
from Russia with the al mof re-estab
lishing his superiority over the Anglo-
French forces.
Germans Increase Forces.
"The Germans are still a long way
from having superior numbers on this
front, but the relative strength of the
forces is already so altered that It
is doubtful whether the allied com
manders would feel Justified in under
taking offensive operations on a large
scale. The enemy's constantly improv
ing numerical position will on the
other had lead inevitably to offensive
operations by the Germans, but I see
(Concluded on Page 2. Column 1.)
Accused Man Convicted by Military
Court on Charge of Slagging
Tacoma Taxlcab Driver.
CAMP LEWIS. Tacoma. Jan. 2. Pri
vate George PIdd, B - Company. 44th
Infantry, Camp Lewis, was today dis
honorably discharged from the Army
and sentenced to hard labor for the
rest of his life at Leavenworth peni
tentiary for slugging Lawrence Ber
quist, a Tacoma taxicab driver, on the
night of December 20, near Camp
Murray.
Pidd and his 17-year-old wife hired
Berquist to take them to Lakevlew.
Pidd, according to his own confession,
had no choice In selecting his victim.
as he employed Berquist with the idea
of killing him for his money. Between
and the National dance pavillion Pidd,
who was In the tonneau with his wife,
struck Berquist on the head with a
piece of gas pipe. Berquist's skull was
fractured, and it was thought he had
been killed. He was dragged from the
car by Pidd and his wife, and his
pockets rifled. The sum of $10.65 was
taken, but currency totaling S400 was
overlooked.
Pidd was arrested here and his wife
was taken into custody in Portland.
Berquist was found by the military
police and removed to the base hos
pital at camp, where he has since'been
in a state of coma. Mrs. Pidd is in
the Pierce County Jail awaiting dis
position of her case.
Blind, unreasoning love for his wife
led Pidd to commit the attack on Ber
quist, according to his confession to
the officers. He said he made the
assault in order that he might furnish
his wife with clothes and food.
Mrs. Pidd in her testimony before the
courtmartial denied inciting her hus-
Dana to commit the crime. She said
sne naa oeen iorcea to work in a
dancehall to support herself, and that
he had taken the monev s'h earned m
gamble, leaving her to starve. She de
tailed events preceding the crime and
said she was afraid to reveal the facts
to the authorities because he had
threatened her life. She said he put
her on a train bound for Portland and
told her to keep still.
SNOW OFF TO TIMBER LINE
Base of Mount Hood Bare; Rains
Eat Into Old Glaciers.
HOOD RIVER, Or.. Jan. 2 (Spe
viai.s me case or mount wood, ac
cording to J. Wesley Ladd and Com
Zann, of Portland, who returned last
night from a visit to the clubhouse of
the Portland Snowshoe Club, situated
at a mile elevation, near Cloud Cap Inn,
,s almost as free of snow as during the
Summer months.
The Portland men state that the
warm rains o fthe last two weeks have
metled all of the snow up to the tim
ber line and have eaten into the old
formation, of the glaciers.
KELSO FISHES IN YARDS
Sweeney Place, Near
Postoffice, I
Popular With Small Boys
KELSO, Wash., Jan. 2. (Special.)
The high water which has been back
ing the water up through one of the
Kelso-street sewers and overflowing
It through a manhole has made a fish
Ing pond of the Joseph Sweeney yard
within a block of the Kelso postoffice.
Flsh have been swimming ud the
sewer and going into the yard, whence
their return into the sewer is blocked
by the shallowness of the water. I
Several good-sized catfish aave been
caught with hook and line, and small
boys are anticipating: a real haul of
fish when the water drains off.
INDEX 0F TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature. 47
decrees; minimum. 43 degrees.
TODAY'S Probably rain; freah southerly
winas.
War.
Big- German drive on west front expected
aoon. .Page 1.
Austrian, attempt to cross Plave River da-
feated. . Page 2.
Russian-German peace negotiations broken
off. Page 2.
Foreign.
earthquake losses
Guatemala's
total 2500.
Page 1.
National.
British Ambassador at Washington to
turn home. Page 1.
nnvftrnmpnt mnnev freetv used In uhlnvnrd
deals. Pace 3.
Senate inquiry shows war auppliea commit
teemen seized on Tat contracts for own
firms Page 3.
Results of allied war council announced,
Page 4.
Domestic.
Chicago faces double menace of snow storm
and fuel shortage. Page 1.
Sports.
Shooters make great showing In 1917,
Page 6. t
Al McCoy, ex-mlddlewelght champion, to
meet Otega January 9. Page 6.
Walter McCredle, new manager of Bees, ar
rives in Portland. Page 6.
Pacific Northwest.
Northern Idaho flood causes S500.000 loss.
Page
Private George Pidd. of Camp Lewis, sen
tenced to life tlm In Federal peniten
tiary. Page i. , !
Puallup Valley floods recede, but more rain
is predicted. Page D.
More trains are to eb put on Seattle-Port
land run, railroad officials believe.
Page 5.
Portland and Vicinity.
Demand for citizenship In 1017 breaks
record. Page 16.
Imgratlonists debate question of water
ngnts as an asset. .Page 1.
Commercial and Marine.
Thirty-day rfule adopted for grain sales on
local board. Page 15.
Renewal of peace talk weakens Chicago com
market. Page lo.'
Sharp galna recorded by Industrials and war
stocks, page lo.
Inquiry Into case of steamer F. A. Kllbum
is under way, .Page 12.
SnowdriftsonRailroads
Shut Out Coal.
LARGE INDUSTRIES MENACED
One Plant Partly Closes Down;
Another May Follow.
THOUSAND OUT OF WORK
Continuance of Bad Weather In
Sight at Big Illinois City Mer
cury Falls Over Middle West.
Death From Cold Reported.
CHICAGO, Jan. 2. (Special. Tha
fuel supply is Chicago's chief concern
in the critical situation resulting from
the now storm that has piled and is
still piling huge drifts across the rail
road tracks in Illinois.
The stock of coal is dangerously low
and shipments have been retarded from
two to seven days by the storm.
Meanwhile more snow is coming, the
weather man says, and' this may still
further aggravate the situation.
Attaches of the Fuel Administration
said today that the stock of coal for
domestic use was sufficient, and that
few complaints had been received. This
cheerv view of matters did not warm
many flat buildings that had no steam.
JIlK Industrie Hampered.
The usual fuel reserve for industrial
purposes has ceased to be a reserve,
and the great mills and manufacturing
plants of the city are running on a
day-to-day basis. The Wisconsin Steel
Company announced the partial closing
of its plant at South Chicago and the
temporary retirement of 1000 employes.
The plant has only a few tons of coal
on hand.
Temperatures were lower over all the
Middle West today and snow is falling
in several states tonight. In the South
it is very cold and cases of people
freezing to death are reported from
Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama.
There was some moderation of condi
tions in the East, but New York and
Boston more particularly are bitterly
cold and short of fuel and food sup
plies. Clearing of Streets Big- Task.
Five hundred men, 157 teams and six
snow plows worked in Chicago all last
night and today clearing the streets of
the loop and the adjacent districts of
snow. Besides this, forces were em
ployed in clearing street intersections
in the outlying business districts. The
total cost to the city of the New Tear's
storm will be about 3000.
Commissioner of Public Works Frank .
! Bennett was confronted with a new
problem when the citizens street-
cleaning bureau, an organization that
several years ago volunteered financial
aid to the city in keeping clean the
loop streets, notified him that in view
of the Council's action reducing his ap
propriations, they would be forced to
withdraw their support because of the
increased burden' which would fall to
them. The organization regularly con
tributed about $50,000. The Commis-
sloner said he believed his department
would have to take over the extra
work.
The snow fall yesterday was to the
depth of nearly six inches on the level
The storm was general through the
Northern Middle West and in many
sections snow fell to a much greater
depth than in Chicago.
The rising wind threw drifts acro&s
the railroad tracks and train schedules
immediately began to collapse. Trains
from both east and west were hours
behind time. Improved conditions
were reported today.
The Illinois Steel Company also is
feeling the pinch of the coal shortage
and its officers frankly admit that if
the storm interrupts coal shipments to
a considerable degree Its plant may
have to be partly shut down.
SNOWFAIj LIN FRANCE HEAVY
Transportation Obstructed in East
ern and Central Pports.
PARIS, Jan. 2. Another heavy fall of
snow In Eastern ana central trance
(Concluded on Page 2. Column 2.)
PACIFIC CAR FOUNDRY COM
PANY EXPANDS ACTIVITIES.
The increased cost of all ma
terials has had the effect of dis
couraging some enterprises and
generally reducing the output
and activities in other industrial
lines. But the operations of the
Pacific Car & Foundry Company
have not been affected.
This company found it neces
sary to increase Its force of op
eratives 25 per cent in 1917 and
at the same time expend ,200,000
for increased equipment.
In its various departments this
company now employs 400 men,
whose monthly wages aggregate
50,000. One year ago its wage
roll every month did not exceed
$40,000.
Prospects for increased busi
ness during 1918 have warranted
a. decision further to enlarge its
plant and employ more labor.
"