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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (July 17, 1904)
?rw t J 44 PAGES VOL. XXIIL NO. 29. PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 17, 1904. PRICE FIVE GENTS. Jwttto TlT T ? T T Tt f i REM mL Both Parties Will Center on New York. WELL WITH REPUBLICANS - -Parker's Telegram Really Im proves Their Chances. PLATFORM VOICE OF MANY Business Interests Find No Trouble In Distinguishing Between the Two Opinions Illinois Will Be An other Battleground. ESTLUATE OF NOVEMBER ELECTION'. I 1904. 1900. 73 STATE. Alabama Arkansas California .... Colorado Connecticut .. Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana lewa Iansas Kentucky .... Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota .... Mississippi ... Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada 10 4 13 3 New Hampshire oew Jersey New York North Carolina. North Dakota.. Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania .. Rhode Island.... South Carolina. South Dakota... Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington .... 11 12 12 West Virginia.. Wisconsin ... Wyoming .... 295 181 292 155 Deemed fighting ground by the Democrats. -4 .(OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, July IS. Parker's famous tele gram to the St. Louis Convention un questionably placed New York in the doubtfui column, although the chances of Republican success in that state are even now blighter than those of the opposing party. The decided stand taken by the Democratic nominee has caused Eastern Democrats to take heart, and many of them are freely predicting that not only will New York go Democratic, but. New Jersey, and possibly Connecticut and Rhode Island as welL Disregarding these assertions, It .roust be admitted that New York is to be the scene of the heaviest campaigning this year. It Is the state for which "both parties will make their strongest fight. New Jersey and the smaller New Eng land States are deblrable, and will be fought for to the end, but not so vigor ously as New York, which Is from now on the storm center. New York, It Is true, is not necessary to Republican suc cess, but the loss of New York, with the adjoining states, would be a serious set back to the Republicans. However, euch a setback .is not contemplated at this time. , Basis of Democratic Hopes. Democrats, in their enthusiasm, assert that Parker's bold stand on the money question will give him his home state. They base this conclusion on the belief that the money interests and the business Interests, which they allege are hostile to Roosevelt, will And In Parker a "safe" man. and will abandon the Republican nominee fcr a man whose financial views agree with their own. It Is to be expected that Parker will draw back Into the party many of the Gold Democrats who could not stand for Bryan and free silver. He will do this In New York, as in Other Eastern and Southern States, but there Is no reason to believe that Parker will gather In any Republican votes, especially In New York. The reports that the business in terests of Now York regard Roosevelt as ''unsafe" are untrue, and have been so stamped, time and again. Those reports weie put out for a purpose, and failed of accomplishing that purpose. Since Roosevelt has been nominated there has been ample assurance from New York that he Is a satisfactory candidate to thi business center, and, this being true, Parker cannot undermine him in his own state on the financial issue. Parker, Not Party, Committed. Whil It Is true Parker has declared Tor gold, the fact remains that his party, n Its platform, did not so declare, but rather rejected the gold plank submitted 5y Hill, and made no financial declara Jon whatever, because, as mombera of the committee said, 'lt was not an issue sn th& campaign." l Nevertheless, once Parker declared himself, the Democrats were quick enough to assert that the views of their candidate, brought forward at the time in the manner they were. Insured him the state of New York. The financial and business interests of New York, which are to be appealed to by both parties, will not Jose sight of the fact that the Democratic party, as evi denced by its platform, has not become committed to sound money, and will dis tinguish between the beliefs of Parker and the beliefs of the party at large. It must be remembered In this conncc tlor tl at there can be no change In the gold-standard statute during the next four years, regardless of who Is elected this Fall. The Republicans control the United States Senate, and will retain control for the next two Congresses. Their present strength Is such that they cannot be uprooted during the next Ad ministration. Therefore, a Democratic Administration, oven though it might de slde to change this statute, would be un able to do so. This being a fact. Parser's declaration counts for little when It comes to actual results, for the very fact that the Republicans retain control of the Senate and would prevent any change In' the financial laws, evon though the Administration, aided by a Democratic House, might attempt It. Other Storm-Centers. In all probability, the Demoorats have nominated as strong a ticket as could be put up against Roosevelt this year, and they are expected to make a campaign, which will require the utmost vigilance on the part of the Republicans. Not only Is New York to be fought for, together with the adjoining states, but Illinois, Indiana and "Wisconsin will be a storm-center of hardly less Importance. The Republicans count on Fairbanks, to some extent, to save Indiana for tholr ticket; but Fair banks alone cannot do this. Illinois Is probably less doubtful than Indiana, nevertheless Chicago, with Its mighty vote, Is sometimes swajed by local Issues, and as goes Chicago, so goes Illinois. At the present time the Demo crats of Illinois are disrupted and di vided Into factions. Their troubles were not smoothed over at St. Louis quite the contrary. If this strife continues, the Republicans need have no fear; neverthe less, a very thorough and very carefully-mapped-out campaign is to be conducted In the state that gives Congress "Uncle Joe" Cannon. But for the factional fight in the Re- h publican ranks In Wisconsin, that state would be considered safely Republican. La Follette, It seems. Is not to be recon ciled, buj roust have blood. He may get It, at the expense of the party; but. If so, It will annihilate La Follette as a politi cal figure In Republican circles hereafter. Expect Davis to Win Two States. The Democrats look to Henry G. Davis, their Vice-Presiderttial nominee, to give them two states that haye of late years been regarded as Republican West Vir ginia and Maryland. Th time was when these states belonged & the solid South, but there has been a complete reversal of public sentiment which iiut the Republi cans in power. The Democrats look to Davis to carry both etatos back to the Democracy. It is too early to predict what the result will be In these states. There is no de nying Davis' personal popularity in his home state and in his native state. 'He is a man highly respectedj well UkedV and a man In whom business men, as well as politicians, put their confidence. It was rumored several weeks ago that the West Virginia Democrats Intended to nominate Davis for Goernor, with a view to breaking down Republican supremacy In that state, and had he not been named on the National ticket, Davis would un questionably have made the race for Gov ernor. It was admitted then that Davis, as a candidate for Governor, would stand a strong chance of being elected, and It was feared he might carry with him sev eral members of Congress and enough members of the Legislature to elect a Democratic successor to Senator Scott. In Maryland, Davis and Gorman are very close. Davis went to St. Louis the most ardent supporter of Gorman for President, and did not relax his efforts until Parker was practically chosen. It Is said, and perhaps truly, that Davis' nomination for Vice-President was brought about largely through Gorman's Influence with Parker and the Parker leaders. His Wealth a Great Factor. This leads to the question, "Why was Davis selected as Parker's running mate?" That Is Inside Information, and will probably never be known to a cer tainty, though It is explained on the ground Davis could deliver two doubtful states to Parker, and that he 'would be a liberal contributor to the campaign fund. This latter reason was probably the more convincing. Davis has amassed great wealth In his time, and is rated at any where from 520,000,000 to $40,000,000. The Democrats will be In sore need of cam paign funds this year, and no man men tioned as a Vice-Presidential possibility offered suah financial inducements as Da vis. Turner has no such wealth; Wall has no large purse, nor could any other man be assessed to the extent to which Davis is likely to sub mit. Notwithstanding the boasts of Democrats, Wall street Is not going down into its pockets to aid the Democratic campaign, especially when the Demo cratic platform falls to repudiate the sil ver issue. West Regarded as Lost. What hope the Democrats had of carry ing any of the Western states was de stroyed by Parker's telegram. In those states that followed Bryan In the last two campaigns, there Is a distinct hostili ty among Democrats towards sound gold men, and the declarations of Parker are expected to but strengthen the already powerful Roosevelt in the West and swell bis majorities to figures above what he would have received in that section had Parker remained silent on this topic Davis Leaves for Gorman's Home. ELKINS. W. Va., July 16. Senator Da vis, accompanied by two secretaries, left on his special car this afternoon from his private station, at the entrance to his grounds, for Senator Gorman's house, near Laurel, Md., where he will spend tomorrow. He will proceed to New York on Monday. Senator Davis declined to say whether Senator Gorman would be urged to take the .Democratic National Committee chairmanship. P TM HI Packers Deem Unions Are Too Exacting. NEGOTIATIONS ARE OFF Re-Employment of All the Strikers Causes Split. OTHER TRADES CONFERRING Sympathetic Walkout Is Considered, But No Action Will Be Taken Un til Leader Donnelly Returns Home Tomorrow Night. CHICAGO, July 16. All chance of peace In the packers' strike has vanished, for the time being at least The end of the negotiations came late today, after a conference which lasted nearfy all of the afternoon between three leaders of th strike and a number of packers. The final break resulted when the union officials in sisted that all the men who had gone out on strike be taken back and given their old places. The packers declared this would necessitate the discharge of all the men they had employed since the commencement of the strike, and that they could not and would not consider it. The conference then broke up, and the strike will continue. This morning Michael Donnelly, presi dent of the Meatcutters Union, replied to the note of the packers received by him yesterday. In this note the packers sug gested that another meeting be held and expressed the hope that something tangible would result. To this Mr. Donnelly re plied as follows: Your letter qf July 15, has been received and as you are desirous of giving every op portunity to present suggestions that may tend to a solution of the present controversy, wo desire to say that we have, la our opinion, already made such a proposition at our conference July 14, which. If. agreed to, would end the dispute satisfactory to all concerned. Agreeable to your suggestion, we will meet with ou and perhaps at another conference We may be ablo to bring about a definite understanding. Representatives of Both Sides Meet. Following up his note, Mr. Donnelly ar ranged for a meeting wlthifthe packers this afternoon. With btai were John Floersch and William String. The rep resentatives of the packing companies were J. Ogden Armour, Arthur Meeker, T. J. Connors, T. F. Swift, E. F. Swift, Edward Tilden, Edward Morris, Ira Mor ris, Edward A. Cudahy, J. E. Maurer and W. S. Burrows. The question of arbitration was first taken up, and after a prolonged discussion the representatives of the unions agreed to waive the ground they had taken when they insisted that the arbitration should consider only an advance In wages and that the scale paid prior to May 28, should be paid pending the decision of the arbi trators. They agreed to accept the de mand of the packers that the decision of the arbitrators should cover the entire scope of the strike and its causes. The question of taking back the men who had gone out on strike was then considered. Mr. Donnelly Insisted that all the men should be taken back pending the arbitration. The packers Insisted upon tholr declaration that the men would be taken back in the order which they ap plied for work, and as many of them would be given places as the packers could find room for. The packers declared they would not discharge the men they had employed. Mr. Donnelly asked that the packers agree to reinstate the old men within a week, and the packers refused to make the agreement. He asked them if they would set a time when they would take back the old men. To this the packers replied that they would take back as many as they had room for In the order of their application for work. This final answer broke off negotiations, and the representatives of the union left the meet ing. Strike Leader Makes Statement. After the conference was over, Mr. Don nelly said: "We agreed to almost everything that tiley asked, and Insisted only on the re instatement of our men. We would have been wllllrig to wait a month if neces sary If they would have agreed to take them back at some time. They would not agree to anything on this point except as stated In their letter, that they would take them as fast as they needed them in the order in which they applied, and there was nothing to do but break off." The packers issued a statement after the conference, which after announcing that a conference was held, concludes as follows: "After discussion, the packers' letter of July 14 was accepted by Mr. Donnelly, excepting the provision contained therein that the men now out on strike should be taken back as fast as possible. Mr. Don nelly insisted that all of the men should be taken back within seven days. To this the packers objected, as it would involve the discharge of all men who have been employed to fill the strikers places, which they could and would not consider, with the result that all negotiations were de clared ended." Working conditions, at the local yards were Improved further today. Over 20Q more men were cut to work and' dis tributed through the various plants. At Armour's plant over 1000 hogs and nearly 400 cattle were slaughtered A the plant of Morris & Co. 25 moro -butchers were at work than yesterday, and 450 hogs were killed during the day. At Swift's, the operations were Increased considerably. T. F. Swift said tonight: "The local market has suffered noth ing because of this strike. Thus far the country at large is being supplied with all the meat it needs.. With a few ex ceptions, the prices remain just as they were before the strike." Poles Desert the Strikers. A danger that confronts tho strikers became apparent today when they learned that over 200 Polish butchers have de serted them since the strike began. The fact did not become known until this morning, when every local union held meetings and punched the strike tickets of members. These tickets must be turne'd. In every day in order that the leaders may know that the members are not at work. ' After the unions here met today, it was found that a large number of Polish butchers "were missing. Investi gation revealed that they had returned to work. A mass meeting of the trades unions allledrwith the meatcutters and butchers whoareriiow on a strike was held tonight atfHhe stockyards to discuss the advisability pf going on a sympa thetic strike. Twenty-two unions were represented, with a$total membership of abouf 12,000 men. Of the3e unions 19, cam to the meeting with instructions to strike, if the meatcutters and butchers asked them to do so. The men now on strike did not ask the allied unions to go out. but urged them to remain at work until after the return of President SDonnelly to the city on Monday, the union leader having left the city tonight to visit St. Louis and other points- where the, strike Is In progress. It was finally decided that no action would be taken until after the meeting of the packing trades central body, a committee having general control over all the unions at the stockyards This body will meet Monday night, and will consider the question of a sympa thetic strike. Itwas announced tonight by members' of the Firemen's Union that they will go to the packers with an ultimatum on Monday. They have grievances of their own, and they declare they do not wish to work with the nonunion men that have been placed in tho plants since the strike. In anticipation of the strike spreading (Concluded on Second Page.) CONTENTS OF TODAY'S PAPEB Ituaso-Japanese War. Russia now deems all criticism of Kuro patkin undue, and shows he is a great strategist. Page 2. Japan denies report of great reverse at Port Arthur. Page 2. Russians stop German steamer and seize much mall destined for Japan. Page 2. Political. New York will bo -chief battleground of both parties. Page 1. McCarrea will not manage Parker's East ern fight, and It is now belloved Tam many will play an Important role. Paga 3. Roosevelt decides that ceremon'os attending to his notification of bis nomination shall be iery simple. Page 3. Mcarpackers Strike. Peace negotiations arp at an end, for the time being at leaUJPage 1.- Packers refuse to fejgmploy all the strik ers at oce. PogViy' SL. Paul strikers resist attempt of officers to place men in plant and free-for-all fight ensues. Pass 2. Foreign. Body of F. Kent Loomls, tho missing Amer ican, comes ashore in England. Page 3. Ion Perdicarls, of Tangier, who was held captive by brigands, has grae fears for foreigners unless France adopts stern measure. Page 2. Pacific Coast. Boom of Seattle tidelands burst; railroad rumors discredited. Page C. Forest Grove tvlll probably raise subsidy for electric road. Page C. Dr. Coe. of Seattle, predicts death four days before occurrence. Page T. Missionary to Vancouver Island Indians probably lost with his sailboat. Page 7. Mimic fighting at American Lake Is ended and troops will depart on Mon day. Page 10. Sports. North Pacific Rowing Regatta will be held in Portland this -Reek. Page 24. Kenneth Beebe'a yacht Mischief wins chaK lenge cup race. Page 16. Oakland defeats San Francisco, 3-1. Fag 14. Tacoma has the Paclflo Coast .League pen nant race won. Sage 14. Seattle fans think Dugdale is aiding Tacoma to "uln pennant. Page 13. Sysonby, Keene's 2-j ear-old, wins the $15, 000 Junior stakes at Brighton Beach. Page 14. Commercial and Marine. Estimate of Oregon prune crop of 1004. Page 15. Conditions In San Francisco cured fruit market. Page 15. Further advance in wheat at Chicago. Page 15. Healthy condition of New York stock mar ket. Page 15. New York bank statement shows gain in cash about equal to estimate Page 15. Gotcrnment calls for bids for lumber for shipment to Manila. Page 10. Steamer St. Louis breaks down at sea. Page 10. Portland and Vicinity. United States Engineers report on Improve ments made in Columbia River. Page 1. Captain Klrton, war correspondent, returns from seat of war. Paga 11. " Man arrested while attempting to cash coupons of stolen bond. Page 10. License of Orpheum Theater may be re voked. Page 0. Property-owners refuse to pay assessment on technical grounds. Page 11. "Queen Esther" cantata sung at Chautau qua. Page 12. Features and Departments. Editorial. Page 4. Church announcements. Page 25. Classified advertisements. Pages 20-29. Dooley's letter. Page 31. Book reviews. Page 42. , Cartoons. Page 41. Six hundred miles on a Montana round-up. Page 33. Killing a moose away up In the Arctic Page 35. Lake Chelan, the dream spot "of our land. Pago 32. Filipinos from tho darkest Philippines. Page 34. Hae the Marlboroughs come to a parting? page 39. Romantic love affairs of Russia's Grand Dukes. Pago 30. Electric miracles to be performed with . plants. Page 38. Services of George Itogers Clark. Page-38. The Summer landlord's defense. Page. 40. Social pages, 20-21. t Dramatic. Pages 18-19. r .Household and fashions. Pages .30-37. -- Youths department. Paga 43 i 1 0 United States Engineers Make Report BIG ADDITION TO JETTY Preliminary Surveys Madefor Celilo Canal, BAR AT ASTORIA SHIFTING Obstruction Is Wearing Away in One Channel, and Water Has Deepened One Foot Recommendations for Future Expenditures. RIVER AND HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS. : ; y H 3&i ; ' !i Ut : points. :ss : 2 " S 5 g. : a 3 : : 3 "" : ?3 : . o? , 1 . ColumblaRlver below t Portland $ 96,375 $ 025,000 , Columbia River Jetty 40G.815 1.320,000 , Dredge Chinook 270.000 Cowlitz and Lewis... 3,329 15,000 Celilo Canal 16,810 750,000 Dredging Columbia below Vancouver. 60,000 ' Improvements at Cas- ' cade Locks 3,020 100,000 ' Upper Columbia and Snake Rivers 10,300 15,000 ' "Willamette above Portland 12,510 67,800 Tillamook Bay 8,045 16,000 . Sluslaw River 646 70.000 , Coos Bay 15.000 , Coqullle River ..... 20.347 55.000 , The report of the United States Engi neers having In charge the river and harbor Improvements In Oregon and the Columbia River basin for tho fiscal year ending June 30, has been made out un der the instructions of Major "W. C Langfltt and contains many Interesting facts regarding the work the Govern ment has done and intends doing to- ywards the improvement of navigation ul waters in uregon ana mo uoiumoia River tributaries.' Much of the -work of tho past year has been in preparation for big work to follow, but oven at that much per manent improvement has been made. This has been principally on the Colum bia River, at the mouth and on the site of the proposed Celilo canal, and will result In permanent value to Port land and all the district drained by the Columbia River. The work on the Lower Columbia and Willamette below Portland has been principally in dredging and maintaining- the channel, though a consider able addition has been mado to the length of the Jetty at the mouth of the Columbia. And even there the greatest improvement for the year was done by the seagoing dredge Chinook, which has been deepening the bar. For two months it has been at work with good results. The work on the Celilo canal was con fined to surveying and acquiring the rights of way, the order from the "War Department commanding that full right of way be obtained before fur ther work be done. The survey has now been mado and, all tho rights of way except one have been obtained and condemnatory proceedings, soon to be completed, have been commonced against the land in that case. This re port being accepted and the condemna tory proceedings completed, everything will be ready for beginning one of the biggest enterprises ever undertaken by Government engineers In this part of the country. So far some work lias been done Just below th"e proposed canal at Three-Mlle Rapids. There the river is tortuous and full of reefs, and It was necessary to straighten out the course of the stream and blast the reefs before the canal could be reached. The con tract for this portion of the work has already been let The report contains accounts of many other river and harbor Improve ments, all the tributary streams to the Columbia and Willamette having1 their share and most of the harbors along the coast receiving certain improve ments. None of these are of any size, though some larger Improvements are intended for certain of tho coast harbors. Work at Mouth of River. Of all the work done and proposed, by far the most important to Portland and this portion of the state, as well as to the development of the entire Columbia River basin. Is what Is being done and what Is going- to be done at the mouth of the Columbia River. At the beginning of the fiscal year the work of repairing the washed-out portion of the Jetty tracks, building additional Jetty plant and other construction, -together with fitting out the transport Grant as a sea-going dredge, was In progress under an appropriation of $500,000, made by act of Congress June 13, 1902, for con tinuing the Improvement, and 5100,000, ap propriated March 3, 1903. With these funds last Summer Jetty tracks were repaired to the original end of the Jetty and extended 564 feet beyond, this work being completed by the end of September. To protect this work batter piles and Anchor piles with heavy wire cables were driven In the most exposed part, but notwithstanding these precau tions much damage was done by Winter storms, especially In February and March, when 54 bents or 972 feet of the Jetty were carried away. But this damage was re paired by the latter part of April. By May 2 the work of extending the Jetty for the season was begun and by June 30 it had been carried 4218 feet beyond the end of the old Jetty, an extension of 4S58 feet for the fiscal year. Ah soon as this work bad been well I begun the delivery of stone began by the Northwest Construction Company, under contract to deliver 25,000 tons. There was a dally delivery of from 1000 to 1500 tons till December 11. One hundred and fifty thousand tons of this was contracted for under an emergency contract, 123,000 of which had been delivered up to the data mentioned. The amount of stone to be furnished by the Northwest Construction Company has since been reduced to 200,000 tons, and a supplementary contract has been awarded to the Columbia Contract Company for the delivery of 240,000 tons of which 41,595 tons have been delivered already. Altogether 207,613 tons of stone have been delivered at the Jetty. Outside of the extension of the Jetty, good work has been done by the Chinook. To change It from the transport Grant cost $270,000. This work was done in Cali fornia, and took all Summer, and the dredge did not reach the Columbia River till November last, too late to do much work on the bar, and there was besides a good deal of work still to be done upon her. At tho end of the year, when the boat was in commission, but could not work on the bar, It dredged on the inside. However, not a great deal df work was accomplished with the Chinook during the Winter, and it was not until Spring, when it had been brought to Portland and undergone repairs, that the weather was such that work could be done on the bar. But during May and June there were 40 days of actual dredging, and 141,464 cubic yards of sand removed. The bar has been widened and deepened considerably by the Chinook, and as the channel Is deepened the dredge works to better advantage. Water on Bar Has Deepened. A survey of the bar shows it to have been deepened one foot since January. The most Important changes that have occurred since $he survey of a year ago are a slight movement of the 24-foot Inner and outer curves of the bar, the extension seaward of Peacock Spit, on a nearly straight line from Sand Island, and the building up and seaward movement of Clatsop Spit on the north side of the Jetty. Most important developments are taking place In the vicinity of the obstruction buoy, which is in the 31-foot channel of 1825. Here the 24-foot curves are closer together, and In one place give Indications of breaking through the crest. The deep est channel is here. A movement of about half a mile northward since last Juno Is recorded. During the past year there has also been considerable work done along the course of the Lower Willamette and Co lumbia Rivers, on the channel from Port land to Astoria. In fact the three dredges at work on this task have removed much' moro sand than the Chinook. The United States dredge W. S. Ladd has removed 666,037 cubic yards and the two dredgea of the Port of Portland have removed 1,238,142 and 1,167,450 cubic yards respec tively. The work done by these dredges has been very beneficial. Expenditures In Next Two Years. The amounts recommended by Major Langfltt for the following two years In the way of expenditures on the Lower Columbia River and Improvement of the bar are $625,000 for the channel from Port land to Astoria and $1,320,000 for the mouth of the river and bar Improvements. The amount needed for completion of the whole project undertaken being some thing over $2,000,000. Half of the remain ing work will be completed by June, 1906. Hardly of less importance to the Colum bia river basin Is the completion of the Celilo canal. As yet the only work done has been preliminary, in the obtaining of accurate surveys and rights of way, the latter having caused considerable trouble. The project Is for communication between the- upper and lower rivers. The work at this point consists of canals and blasting to cost In all over $4,000,000. The prelim inary portions of the work being accom plished the work can be carried forward. Nothing has been done on the canals aa yet on account of the order prohibiting this until full rights of way are obtained, but a contract has been let for the re moval of reefs and portions of the banks of the river Just below Three-Mlle Rap ids. The contractor Is Robert Wakefield, of Portland. The amount set aside for this work la $100,000. This work Is hardly more than prelim inary also, and the undertaking Itself is to build the canals. This work will have to be carried forward slowly, but with the $750,000 recommended to be expended In the next two years, the work will be well under way. CUT-OFF THREATENS BRIDGE. Government Engineers Asked by Sa lem Officials to Build Dike. Mayor F. W. Waters, of Salem, and several other officials of Salem, with Sen ator C. W. Fulton aa spokesman, made a request of the United States Engineers yesterday that the condition of the banks of the Willamette River be looked Into at Salem, as a cut-off Is threatened, which will endanger the bridge across the Wil lamette at that point. The suggestion made was that some sort of dike or dam be placed above the point threatened to deflect the current On the Salem side of the river there are two piers on a high bank, under which the river has been eating away the ground. For some time the current has been growing stronger and the danger mora threatening on account of a sand bar Just above the bridge, which has been turning the current strongly against the bank at that point. As this bar will probably grow and the current will be come even stronger under the piers, some measure will have to be taken to prevent the bridge from being carried away. A dike or dam would be able to do thlsj PE0STKATED BY THE HEAT. La Crosse People Experience the Hot test Day of the Year. XA CROSSE, Wis., July 16. This was the hottest day of the year, the ther mometer registering 95. Two prostrations were reported. St. Paul Has Warm Day. ST. PAUL, July 16. Today the mercury reached the highest point of the season, 90 In the shade. Kansas City Has a Hot Spell. KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 16. It was 91 In the shade here today. No prostra tions were reported. St. Louis' Warmest Day So Far. ST. LOUIS, July 16. The warmest weather of the year prevailed here today, the thermometer registering 93 degrees. Holds 8eizure Unjustifiable. BERLIN, July 17. The National Zel tung this morning declares the confisca tion of the mall sacks aboard the North German Lloyd steamer Prlnz Helnrlch, by the Russian volunteer fleet steamer Smolensk, in tho Red Sea, Friday, to be unjustifiable and indefensible under in ternational law, even if the presence of contraband was reported. Postal matter, the Zeltung says, should be exempt from confiscation, and it is to be expected that the Russian government will immediately rectify tho error of the Smolensk. Li IS i LandCommission Looks Into Lieu Selections. EXCHANGES ARE NOT FAIR Congress Will 'Be Urged to Amend the Act' ? GRAZING A HARD PROBLEM I V Investigation Proves That Present Policy Is injuring.the Range,While in Forest Reserves the Grass Is Protected. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, D. C, July 16. The field repre sentatives of the General Land Office, tho Bureau of Forestry and the Reclamation Service are under Instructions to gather information during the present Summer tending to show wherein existing public land laws can be improved. The views of those officials, who are to consult with, the people, as well as to make personal observations of existing conditions, will be considered by the Public Land Com mission this Fall, when that body will re view all land laws and draft a. report for submission to Congress when It assembles In December. The preliminary report of this commis sion, which was rendered last March dis cussed only tho timber and stone acts, the homestead commutation law and tho desert land act. These three laws are being further studied along with lieu land selections and grazlngjiroblems, with the hope of submitting an exhaustive report showing wherein existing acts should be modified so as to curtail opportunities for fraud and insure distribution of the re maining public lands to actual settlers. Lieu Land Law Held Vicious. The commission Itself will give few hearings this Summer, having so far ar ranged for only one, at Denver next month, when especial attention will be given to the grazing and leasing ques tion. It is too early to forecast what conclusions will be reached, but it is evident from opinions expressed by the members of the commission that repeal, or radical modification of the lieu land law will be recommended; that adequate legislation for the control and manage ment of public grazing lands will be favored, and that a recommendation will be made that the timber and stone act be so modified as to provide for the dis posal of timber lands on some equitable basis. The commission is agreed that the lieu land law is vicious, and works to the disadvantage of the Government, Inas much as It sanctions unfair exchanges of lands. The evidence so far collected showi that unrestricted grazing on public do main is injuring the range, in contrast to the successful preservation of grass lands within forest reserves Whether, In view of the hostility to remedial public land legislation shown in Congress last Winter, any good will result from the commis sion's report at the short session next Winter is very much to bo doubted. The opposition was strong enough to prevent action last session, and it may be able to postpone legislation until the first ses sion of the next Congress. PLANS FOR FAIR BUILDINGS. Government Now Has Men Preparing Designs for the '05 Fair. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash ington, July 16. Sketches of the five build ings to be erected by the Government at the Lewis and Clark Exposition grounds have been approved by the Government Board, and final drawings and plan3 have been commenced. This work will require six weeks or more, but as soon as com pleted, the plans will be advertised and contracts for construction awarded. La Grande Land Office Cautioned. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash ington, July 16. In view of the fact- that township 8 south, range 38 east, has re cently been surveyed, the General Land Office today cautioned the local land offi cers at La Grande to allow no entries in sections 19, 30, 31 and the west half of sec tions 20, 29 and 32, inasmuch as these lands have been made part of the Baker City forest reserve. If, however, any person has filed on any portion of those sections prior to October 3, 1901, when this town ship was temporarily withdrawn, such en try will be allowed, If otherwise regular. Northwest Army Fort Contracts. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, July 16. The Quartermaster's De partment, within a few weeks, will award contracts for erecting the following build ings at Army posts in Washington: Fort Walla Walla, two band barracks; Fort Lawton, one Quartermaster's storehouse, one Quartermaster's shop, one fire-engine-house and one ollhouse; Fort Wright, on double set Lieutenants' quarters. France Does Not Deem It Serious. PARIS, July 16. Tho Foreign Office- as yet has no official details of the reported clash between French and Japanese sol diers at Shan Hal Kwan, resulting In the killing of two. Frenchmen, but the officials do not regard It seriously. They say it waa doubtless a brawl between disorderly soldiers, and without international sig nificance. It Is expected the officers will punish those connected with the affair. The French detachment at Shan Hal Kwdn is the remains of the French forces sent there at, the time of its occupation J by tho allies during the Boxer uprising. &: li W m IBs-' pps 1 iTtss 1