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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 30, 1920)
THE 3UHISISU OKJLOOMAIS. TL.iSiJA '. JiAUl'il :. VJXO Tl E New Facts Adduced on Fam ous Diary and Author. $353,868 Is to Be Spent on Highway Improvement. KNOWLEDGE HELD GREAT TWO BIDS ARE REJECTED French Geography and Names and Terminology of Roman Church Used by Small "Writer. State Highway Commission Lets Three Grading, One Paring and Concrete 'Bridge Jobs. Hest in the LongKun 8 ATLANTIC'S EDITOR OPAL WHITELEY IN ONE OF HER POgES. WASHl ROAD WRIT SABDUTDPAL CONTRACTS ISSUED El BOSTON March 17. (To the Edi tor.) I have read with much inter est a recent editorial in The Orego n'an on the Story of Opal, now ap pearing in the Atlantic, together with certain correspondence you kv rwiMishpd ent from the Univer sity of Oregon. The general tone of j your editorial is most appreciative of Opal's story, but I should like to com ment upon certain statements which you make that axe, as I understand the situation, not strictly correct, and which cloud the Judgment of persons who are interested in the story and caper to understand its origin. Your writer states that when Opal was a student at the University of Oregon in 1918. she spoke of Mrs. Whitelev's death the previous year in the following terms: "My dearest chum was my mother. In my love of music, art. poetry, biography, the drama, history, she was in ciok mym oihv with me. and we had many wonderful twilight hours together." I believe I am correct in saying that though this statement was pub lished in your paper, it was published on the authority of a reporter who .- wrote his own story and did not re port Miss Whitelcy'i f-ctual words, although I believe he used quotation marks. Birds Cellerted. The same article (see The Orepo aian for March 3, 118), in the very paragraph following the sentence which you quote in your editorial. tell3 of the thousands" of nature specimens Miss Whiteley has collect ed, and goes on to mention birds among them. Now the diariKt has al ways been violently opposed to Kill ing living creatures, and has never included birds in her collections. Still, again, the article refers to her plans of helping the children of Ore gon to know more of wild life, and quotes her as saying. "They will be taught not to try to catch everything that flies, but only what is needed to help them in their understanding of nature." Here is another obvious mis interpretation, quite naturally made, it is true, by the reporter, but still a misinterpretation giving a totally wrong inference. In its further discussion your edi torial does not state accurately the position of the editor of the Atlantic. In commenting upon the story in the March number 1 wrote: "About her past the editor knows a great deal." That a child may Imagine a romantic and interesting origin for itself is the merest of commonplaces. Dr. Conklin's inquiry through his 900 questionnaires circulated among Ore gon parents to discover whether chil dren have such fancies or not, seems to a layman rather unnecessary. Ev ery other parent you meet could give the correct answer to such a question. But such imaginings seem to me al together beside the point. The ques tion that interests me about Opal's diary is how such a piece of pure and charming literature came to bo writ ten by a girl with such an education. It has not only naturalness but style, and it has a degree of continuity of interest that is within my experience Quite unparalleled among children s productions. Marvelous Knowledge Diarlmed But the question is more puniling than that. Granting that Opals his tory is the product of her imagina tion, a psychologist would hardly say I think, that her knowledge is an other fruit of fancy. The child not only knows the names nnd dates of a great number of historical figures. She has. as succeeding chapters of the diary prove, a knowledge that might almost be called intimate of the geog raphy of France, and what is stranger still, a considerable acquaintance with French expressions, and the French names for birds, animals and plants. Add to this her frequent ref erences to bits of religious service obviously taken from the Roman Catholic ritual, and you see how curi ous the problem is. I should trespass too greatly upon your space to go into this matter at greater length, and I will merely add that in considering the puzzle your readers mu.t realize that Opal TA'hiteley came to this office on an entirely different errand; that she neither said nor hinted anything about the diary, but that the manu script came to light only when in re ply to a direct question by the editor. Opal said that she had kept a diary but that it had been destroyed. I then telegraphed to the coast, and the ex traordinary manuscript came, encased in a series of boxes. Of the genuine ness of the manuscript no one who has seen It has any doubt: nor does its very peculiar form admit of alter ation. Opal Whiteley has been work ing, piecing the manuscript together. lor live months under my persona. direction. Whenever a passage has struck me as either self-conscious or over-mature. I have looked it up in the original, and have in every case been entirely convinced. Dlarrepaaey la explained. Regarding the discrepancy between the date of Opal's birtlr and the date mentioned in the diary, it seems scarcely necessary to explain that the date on the registry was. according to Opal's story, simply the date of the birth of the other Opal Whiteley, whose place she took. It is too mucb to hope, of course, that all people will believe in the au thenticity of the diary. I suppose nearly half of those who read Daisy Asliford still think it a fraud subtly perpetrated by Sir James Barrle. That Opal's is a far more remarkable case, involving creative effort and not a mere reflection of an environment, in tensifies the difficulties of believing. With these difficulties I for one heartfly sympathize, but I have come to believe myself in the authenticity of the manuscript because of the overwhelming testimony which con fronts all of us who have worked with it. v ELLERY SEDGWICK. Editor the Atlantic Monthly. , lie: ; vl I I - x --A .. YOl.NG AITHOR COSTUMED AS DANCER WHILE AT ITMVEBslTY OF ORBtiOV. An exemplification of Opal Whiteley's fondness for investing herself with fanciful roles is given in the accompanying picture. Although Opal did not dance, she dressed herself in this costume and had her picture taken, to make herself appear as a dancer. Similarly she arrayed herself in other costumes and had photographs made. WIFE DIES FROM INJURIES CAR V'PSKTS WHILE COUPLE ARE TAlilXG TBI P. JIuMiand Driving When Accident Occurs Sonic Days Ago .About Ten Miles From Heppner. HEPPNER, Or., March 29. (Spe cial.) Mrs. Loretta S. Teager. a pi oneer woman of this city, wife of James L. Teager. died at her home here at an early hour this morning from injuries received March 19 when the car in which she and her husband were driving turned over while they were on their way to renaieion ana Lew is ton. Idaho, on a pleasure trip. The accident occured about ten miles from Heppner. Deceased was a native of Ohio, coming to Illinois with her parents when a child where she was later married to Mr. Yeager. The couple came to Oregon soon after their mar riage and located at Heppner 38 years ago. Mrs. Yeager was prominent in church and lodge work, being a mem ber of a federated church, the Re becca Woman's Relief corps, degree of honor, and Woodman Circle lodges. She was aged 64 years, one month and nine days. a Her husband and five children sur vive her. The children are: Mrs. Mary F. Peck of Heppner, Ora W. and Ralph A. Yeager of Clarkston. Wash., II. A. Yeager of Portland, and J. W. Yeager who is a wireless operator on the U. S. S. President now on the Pa cific between Seattle and San Fran cisco. A wireless message has been sent to him and pending a reply, ar rangements for the funeral have not been made. EX - SLEUTH JAILED Contempt of Court Charged to One Time Dry Agent. Contempt of court landed Frank Davis, recently a special agent for the state engaged in running down bootleggers, in the county jail for a 15-day sentence when he was haled into the district court yesterday. Davis had been subpenaed as a wit ness against Barney Donnelly. . re cently tried on a charge of violating the federal prohibition law, and started for Portland from Baker. Money for his transportation had been lent him by the sheriff there. Davis failed to appear in court and it was later learned that he had been ejected from the train at The Dalles and locked up in the jail on a charge of drunkenness. A deputy United States marshal was sent after him, Davis having con cluded that it was too late to come to Portland. He was brought from Baker, testified in the Donnelly case and then was held to answer the con tempt charge. He was ordered to re turn to the sheriff of Baker county the amount borrowed, atid was sent to jail. SURVEY OFFICE TO MOVE Oregon - Washington Biological Quarters May Conic to Portland. PENDLETON, Or., March 29. (Spe cial.) Headquarters of the United States biological survey, predatory animal work for the states of Oregon and Washington, will be moved from Pendleton to Portland, according to the announcement today of Stanley G. Jewett. inspector. The office will be located in the federal building there. The office has been in Pendle ton ever since the work was started here five years ago. For a year the Idaho work has. also been handled here, but was re cently returned to Inspector Goldman, who makes his headquarters at Boise. Mr. Jewett will take with him his collection of boards and mammals, .the largest in the northwest and one of the most notable in the United States. . Wife Alleges Husband Lazy. THE DALLES, Or., March 29. (Spe cial.) Because, she charges, her hus band would not work. Edith E. Allen of this city has instituted divorce proceedings against her husband. L. F. Allen. The unhappy couple were married in Waterville. Wash.. Janu ary 6, 1909, and have two children, aged 5 and 4 years, respectively. OLYMPIA. Wash., March 29. (Spe cial.) Highway improvement con tracts awarded by the state highway commission today amounted to 1353. S6S. Included In the contracts let is one for the construction of an SO-foot concrete arch bridge over South slough in Snohomish, county. Three grading and graveling con tracts and one paving Job were let and bids on two paving projects were rejected. Contracts Uwder Estimates. For grading and graveling 7.72 miles of the Inland Empire south from Chewelah Valley the oontract was awarded to the Triangle Construction company of Ritzville for $95,441. The estimate on the work was 100,424. The eame company was given the contract for grading and graveling 5.99 miles of the Inland Empire high way from Springdale north to Olson's ranch on a bid of $81,3t5, the esti mate being $75,919. For construction of the South slough bridge in Snohomish county, the contract went to the Everett Construction company of Everett for $1.678. The estimate was $21,475. John S. Galbraith & Co. of Seattle re ceived the contract for grading and graveling 1.7 miles of the Navy Yard highway from Belfair to Holyoke on a bid of $24,687. Estimat, $25,636. Portland Firm Gets Job. For paving 3.41 miles of the Inland Empire highway, from Buroker to Dixie the contract was awarded to A. Guthrie & Co. of Portland for $135, 697. the estimate on this job being $130,999. The bid of D. A. Williams. Tacoma, of $189,808 for paving 4.14 miles of the National Parks highway from Muck creek to Chop valley was the only bid received on this project and was rejected by the commission, as were the bids of the Independent Asphalt company of Seattle for pav ing three miles of the Olympia high way from the Thurston county line to Kamilehie. Bids were submitted on two specifications for the latter job, the estimates being "A," $109,723, and "B," $130,226. .The bids were "A," $116,694, and "B," $130,306. BOX MAKERS TO MEET Manufacturers to Consider Prob lems at Portland Tomorrow. A meeting of all the box manufac turers of western Washington and Kwestern Oregon has been called in response to a general request of the members of the box department of the West Coast Lumbermen's association and will be held at the Portland hotel tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. The meeting will be mainly for the pur post of drafting a uniform method of figuring cost on various operations. Prior to the war, the manufacture of boxes was considered pretty much a side Issue of the lumber industry. But the tremendous demand for wood containers of all kinds has necessi tated a much greater output and has resulted in a few of the factories es tablishing their own sawmills to in sure the output of their product and a supply of the lumber needed. Sunrise Easter Service Planned. ALBANY, Or.. March 29. (Special.) A sunrise Easter service will be held in Albany next Sunday. It Is planned to hold services in the open air if weather conditions permit. The service has been planned and Is being arranged by the members of the Young Peoples-' Christian Endeavor unions of the city. Gompers to Address Legislature. ALBANY. N. Y.. March 59. Samuel Gompers will address a Joint session of the legislature tomorrow. Speaker Sweet announced today. Mr. Gompers plans to reply to the address delivered before the legislature recently by Governor Allen of Kansas In which that executive described the opera- trial relations MANY motorists think that the outer casing holds the air. But it doesrit! It holds the tube which holds the air. And the quality of the tube spells the value of the tire in service. The safest economy is to equip with Goodrich Red Inner Tubes in the first place. Go Ktd. 9 INNER TUBES the 2.F. Goodrich Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio Makers of the Suvirtoww Cord lire tlons of the Kansas court of Indus- IF School Chiefs to Attend Mm. SALEM. Or., March S9. (Special.) J. A. Churchill, state superintendent of schools, and E. F. Carleton,. as sistant, will attend the Inland Em pire Teachers' association convention at Spokane March 31 and April 1 and 2. The attendance will include teach ers from Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Washington. Mr. Churchill will give an address, while Mr. Carleton is a member of the committee appointed to report on the accrediting of high schools under the jurisdiction of t association. Eat Less Meat, Also Take Glass of Salts Before Eating Breakfast. Uric acid in meat excites the kid neys, they become overworked; get sluggish, ache, and feel like lumps of lead. The urine becomes cloudy, the bladder is irritated, and you may be obliged to seek relief two or three times during tbe night. When the kidneys clog you must help them flush off the body's urindus waste or you'll be a real sick person shortly. At first you feel a dull misery in the kidney region, you suffer from back ache, sick headache, dizziness, stom ach gets sour, tongue coated and you feel rheumatic twinges when the weather is bad. Eat lass meat, drink lots of water; also get from any pharmacist four ounces of Jad Salts; take a table spoonful in a glass of water before breakfast for a few days and your kidneys will then act fine.' This fa mous salts Is made from the acid of grapes and lemon juice, combined with lithia, and has been used . for generations to clean clogged kidneys and stimulate them to normal activ ity, also to neutralize the acids : In urine, so ft no longer Is a source of irritation.' thus ending bladder weak ness. Jad Salts is inexpensive, cannot In jure; makes a delightful effervescent lithia-water drink which everyone should take now and then to keep the kidneys clean and active. Druggists here say they sell lots Of Jad Salts Pin I to oiiifl wnu dbuovb in -overcoming he I kidney trouble while it is only trou bles Adv. ' - ' - ' v.7. ?'j -v,r-- :i uxv- y t (jrtQatBa nks Prestige in Your Patronage ECOND only to the fi nancial advantage of one's bank balance it self, is the moral benefit of being- known as a cus tomer of a bank where size. strength and service are afforded to the maximum degree. Business today is largely a matter of con fidence, and confidence is born of custom. The custom of a concern m handling trans actions of large scorje and small reflects the character of banking relationship maintained. Therefore, the influence of the United States National Bank affects the customer's affairs not only directly from the inside, but indirectly from the outer world as well. May we serve you? m iufod Nationa Slth and Starlo 5 States " y 1 Bank; J 'Helpful Hints' A Few Don't Here are a few suggM- tlona relative to using a Checking Account: fon't alter a eheck af ter it Is written. It you have made an error, write a new check aad tear the old one up. Don't leave a Qheck un dated. It is confusing to both yourself and the bank. s 3 i F PI 8 1' An age of gas! What would Napoleon ay wsr ha altva today? And what would Sir Walter Scott aay? Napoleon called (as una grande folie." Sir Walter referred to ft aa the project of "madman" and declared it to be a "pestfleri. tial innovation," Yet in the face of each anpentition and prejudice, the fint artificial gm company bl the world was founded bi London, In 1812. It was a success, although ages of tradition opposed it and public opinion was unanimously against it In 1814 Westminster Bridge was ffluminatad with gas and a lighting system was installed in the House of Commons. Immedia tely, gas became the serantion of tbe day. News of It qukkly spread to America. Research, was stimu lated and In 1815 a proposition for lighting Philadelphia with gas was launched. It was in Baltimore, however, on June 17. 1816, that the first artificial gas company of tbe Western Continent was founded. Today there are 1,1 6 artificial gas companies h the United States. They make annually more than three hundred Mlion cubic feet of gas and distribute it through seventy thousand miles of mains. More than fifty million persons use it for cooking, heating, lighting and industrial ptrrpoaes, Tbey live in 4,600 dtiea, towns and villages and represent ap' proximately half tbe population of the nation. The American Gas Association luuuuniiiuiiiuiiiiiiiuuiiiuiuiiiiiiiiuuiiiiil iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiumniiiimiiHiiiiiiimiKuij