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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1905)
so THE SUNDAY OBEGONIA2?, PORTLAND, 22, M. ON E IS HieH; THE OTHER POOR Fortune Smiled on Sir William McDonald, but Frowned on James McDonald, Portland's "Bad Bill" Collector. HERE are some people In Port land, -who. If a saint were to come here and die, -would dig -up his "body so that they could get the shroud to make nightgowns of." James McDonald Is vindicated and to some extent at peace, for he has at last had an opportunity to tell the people, in print, just "what he holds them at. James McDonald Is a pessimist, but he is a man of pride, and that has dragged him into print; that and his brother, the millionaire from Montreal. And so he rested his gnarled and knotted hands on the top of the old stick which serves as a cane, peered out with "his faded blue eyes from under the down-hanging fringe of whitening eyebrows, and told what he thought of the condition of things. The old bill-collector of Portland who has made so many hearts beat at his approach during the past 20 years, has many other troubles besides being the brother of a long-lost millionaire. He is the universal prey of robbers and thieves, but yesterday it was his pride which was hurt. "I want you," he said, "to bring that man around who said I was slovenly and dirty and dressed in a coat with the grease of years on its collar. I want to see the man who said I lived In a hovel at 361 Union avenue, and I want him to apologize for what he has said- Ho came out to my house last night at 12 o'clock with a telegram from Montreal telling about my brother. Sir William McDonald, having decided to come here to see me, and then he said that about my house and my coat." The old man drew Ills faded raincoat around him a little closer, perhaps to hide those places where buttons had ceased to do their natural service, or per haps to ward off the cold, and extended his eyeglasses as is wont with orators. Feels for His Tenants. "I don't care for myself," he said, earnestly, "and I want you to make this plain, but I am thinking of my tenants. My house is a nice seven-roomed place worth $5000, and I don't like to have it called a hovel, because it will make my tenants feel bad." "Perhaps I am slovenly. I will admit the coin," and the old man looked slowly up and down the battered garments he wore. "But then," he continued, "I am not like you starched and scrubbed fel lows; I am a bill collector and have to work for my living." The conversation was fast becoming personal, and it was time to change. "I understand, Mr. McDonald," it was hinted, "that you arc a man of wealth, that In your life in Portland you have ac cumulated quite a sum of money. Why then do you follow your line of business and why do you allow any one an oppor tunity to cast slurs at your clothes and their cleanliness?" Out from behind the screen of his brows an angry gleam shot from the old man's eyes. Says He Is Worth a Fortune. J am worth $300,000 in money and $50,000 in judgments, but it is all in other people's pockets," he said. "The bank rupt law is a robbery and has cheated me out of $200,000. The flat salary for Sheriffs and Justices is a fraud and a cheat. When they got fees for what they did, they would take a case, but now they say the claim is not valid. They don't want to do any more than they have to do, and I am going to put a petition before the Legislature to cre ate a special Justice of the Peace for my JAMES M'ttONALD. WHOM A MILLIONAIRE BROTHER IS COMING TO PORTLAND TO SEE. business. Then, perhaps, we can get sat isfaction." "What is there about thq $l.OD0,000 claim which you have against the state gov ernment? How did you happen to have such a claim as that," Mr. McDonald was asked. The old man smiled a pleasant smile of reminiscence, for he was about to talk of his hobby. "That claim is one I have against the state government for the services of my self and others in the Indian wars of 'S3 and '56. After the war I bought the claims of many of the veterans, paying them 50 cents or. the dollar for them until I had bought assignments amounting to J900S.6C. This sum has been bearing com pound interest for 49 years, which makes the total about $1,000,000." It was not perfectly clear just how the Government happened to be mixed up In the debt, so Mr. McDonald told a little history'. In S5 and '56, he said, he had enlisted to serve -against the Indians, and at that time be and his comrades were promised $2 a day for their service and $2 a day for the horses which they fur nished. It was the understanding that the Government would pay the bills, but in the event of refusal the Territory of Oregon would assume the obligation. The Government paid a small part of the claims, but scaled them down to 50 cents a day, and under the agreement the claim passed from the territory to tha state when Oregon was admitted. In 1SS9. That was the ground work for his con tention, and now he is about to see to it that the Legislature does something for the widows and rpfcaac; and inci dentally for their assignees. Senator Nottingham Is pledzcd to do what he can for the Indian War Vete rans.' continued the speaker. "Before the election I met him on the street, and I asked him If he had voted against the widows and the orphans. He said he had not. and I asked him If he would Intro duce a bill appropriating money to pay their claims, and he gave me his pledge to do it. Then," and the champion of the orphans beamed delightedly, "then x saia: Nottingham. I will vote for you. even if you are a Republican and I went out and got IS votes for JTottlngham," con cluded the politician. "Did Mr. Nottingham present the peti tion?" the narrator was asked. Threatens to Bring Suit. "I think he is going to." was the an swer. "I went up to his office and found the petition I gave him, signed by more than. 2000 of the citizens, of Portland, and I asked him why It was "lying on his desk.. He said he thd&ght there had been a law passed refusing to pay any assigned claims, and I told him if he presented the petition I. would wait for the state to take action, but If the Legislature did not pay I would bring suit against it. and the Government In the Federal courts and force them to do It- I- have written to many orphans and widows of Indian War Veterans, and now have $u,000 offered me to carry on the suit before the Court of Claims." James- McDonald Is a character of Fort- land, a man with a history- He came here in 1S50 and took tp a section of land. During the Winter he worked for a mer cantile house, and with his earnings and $1000 which he had brought across the plains with him, sent to San Francisco for farming implements and seed. The firm became bankrupt and he lost his in vestment. The man then worked during the Sum mer of '52 for a farmer, with his earnings bought a single mule and during the Win ter packed between Yoncalla and Scotta burg. As fast as he earned the price he would add another mule to his pack train until he had 20 working over the roads. When the Indian war broke out he went into the service with his entire train. Twenty years ago he came to Portland, and since that time has been a continual resident of this city. He has Invested in many plans and has planned many In vestments, all of which seem to have been unsuccessful, until the pioneer has become a pessimist. He, as be grew older, be came a bill collector, and has forgotten his relatives tn Canada, living a lonely life In the midst of the thousands, and it was not until his desire to prosecute the claim he holds against the state and Government .induced him to seek a loan of his long-forgotten brother in Montreal that he brought himself to the notice of his family. Left Home at Age of Thirty. Fifty years ago, when he left Txacadle, Prince Edwards Island, he was 30 years of age, and was one of a large family. For 30 years he kept up a desultory cor respondence, but for the past 20 years has dropped from the sight of his family. In this time William McDonald, his younger brother, has accumulated a fortune In the tobacco business, and is now supposed to be on the way West to meet his brother, whom he thought to be dead. The meet ing will be a strange one, on the one hand the roan of wealth and refinement. on the other the aged collector of bad bills, into whose life has come the bitter ness of unsucce3s and the sorrow of many defeats; on the one side the opt! mlsm of money, on the other the cynl clsm of Its lack. The manufacturer comes to seek the long-lost brother for love of the brother; the collector waits to greet him, not that he is a brother, but be cause perhaps he will have the means to force the wheels of the law into action to bring untold wealth into the lap of an 'often and ever unfortunate man. Mr. Dooley on the Subject of Oratory Finley Peter Dunne's Irish Philosopher Discourses on the Wide-Spread Accomplishment. "D ID ye iver make a speech?" asked Mr. Henncssy. "I did wanst," said Mr. Dooley. "Ivery thrue born American regards him sllf as a gr-reat orator an' I've always had a pitcher lv mcsilf in me mind standin befure a large an admirin' bunch iv me fellow pathrites an thrlllln thim with me indignation or convulsln thlm with me wit- Manny times have I lay in me bed awake, sceln mcsilf at th head iv a table pourin out wurruds of gooldcn eloquence fr'm th' depths iv mo lungs. I made a pretty pitcher, I must say ca'm, dignified, a perfect master iv mesilf an' me audji ence. Th concoorse shrieked with laugh ter wan mlnyit, an rose to their feet in Jrenzied applause th' next. In all me chreams I wore a white necktie an a long tailed coat, because I have a thoory that all thrue eloquence comes fr'm th' tails lv th' coat an if ye made an orator change into a short coat, he wud become deef an' dumb. As I sat down afther me burst iv gleamln' wurruds, th audjlcnce rose an' cheered f'r five minyits an Sinitor Bev eridge, th' silver spout lv th' Wabash who was to follow me sllnkcd out iv th' room. "So wan day whla th Archey Road Im provement Comity give their grand banket an' th' chairman asked me to make a few appropriate remarks in place iv Chancy Dcpoo, I told thlm 1 wud toss off some orathory Just so th boys wud not be dis appointed. "I didn't write out th' speech. No great orator who has nlver made a speech needs to. I merely jotted down a few inter ruptions be th' audjience; like this, Illn nlssy: (Great Applause), (Loud an con tlnyous laughter.) (Cries iv 'Good. 'Hear, hear,) iCries lv 'No. no, 'Go on,) (Wild cheerla, th audjience risin to their feet an 6ingin': "F'r he's a jolly good fellow, which nobody -can deny.) "An' havin' arranged all these nlcis sry details, I wint to th' banket. I knew ivry man there an thurly de spised thim. There wasn't wan ix thlm that I considhered me intellcchool equal. At wan time or another, ivry man iv thim had come to me fr ad vice. But somehow, Hlnnlssy. th' mlnyit I looked down on what Hogan calls th' sea lv upturned faces dhrlnk in 1 began to feel onalsy. I wasn't nfraid iv anny wan iv thim, mind ye. Man Tr man, they were me frlnds. But altogether they were me lnlmy. I cudden't set still. I had come with an tippytlte, but I cudden't cat. I had a lump in me throat as big as an apple. 2 felt quare in th pit iv me stomach. I noticed that mc hands were moist. I thricd to talk to th man next to me. but I cudden't hear what he said. Wan orator afther another was' peltin th uujdjieaoe with remarks out lv th fourth reader, an I cudden't listen to thlm. All th' time I was thinkln': 'In a few minyits they'll detect ye, Martin Dooley. th countherfclt Demostheens.' Th room swam befure me eyes; there was a buzzln in me ears. I had all th symptoms iv Doctor Bunyan's cus tomers. I thried to collect me thoughts, but they were off th reservation. I wud've gone out if I cud walk an I Avas goln to thry whin I heerd th chairman mlntlon me name. It sound ed as if it come out iv a cheap phono graft. "I frgot to tell yc, Hinnissy, that in thinkln lv me gr-reat effort I had re- Dooley "Whiniver I go to a poolytical mcetin' an th la-ad with tl open-wurruk face mintions Rome or Athens, I grab f r me hat. An' I'll rap in th eye anny man that altimpts to wrap his second-hand oratory in th' American flag. There ought to be a law against usin th American flag f'r such purposes. "An', be hivens, I don't want anny man to tell me that I'm a mimber iv wan iv th' grandest races th' sun has iver shone on. ,1 know it already. If I wasn't, I'd move out. "Whin a man has something to say an' knows how to say it, he makes a gr-rcat speech. But whin he has nawthin' to say an' has a lot of wur-ruds that come with a black coat, he's an orator. "There's two things I don't want at me funeral. Wan is an oration an LV other is wax flowers. 1 class thim alike." hearsed a few motions to Inthrajooce ' th' noble sintlmints that was to bubble up fr'm me. At th mintion lv me name an' durin th' cheorln' that fol lowed I was goln' to lean forward with me head bowed an' me hand on th' edge iv th' table an a demoor smile on me face that cud be translated: "Th gr-reat man Is amused but wudden't have ye know it f'r ivurrulds. Whin th chcerin throng had exhausted its strength I intlnded to rise slowly, place me chair in front iv me, an" lcanhf lightly on th back lv It. bow first to wan side an' thin th other, an" re mark: 'Mlsther Chairman, a-a-and gint-elmen: Whin I sec so manny smilln faces befure me on this auspi cious occasion, I am reminded lv a lit tle incidlnt ' An so on. "Well, glory be, Hlnnlssy, I can hardly go on with th story. It was twlnty Hve years ago. but 1 can't think iv it without a fcelln at th end lv me fingers as though I had scraped a plasthcr wall. At th' mintion iv me name, 1 lept to me feet, knockln over all th dishes an' glasses in me neighborhood. I carefully stepped on me neighbor's toes an bumped into th" chairman who was still tellln" what he wanted me to think he thought iv me. I rolled me napkin up Into a ball an' thrust It into me pants pocket. I be come blind, deef an' dumb. I raymlm ber makln' a few grunts, fightln" an imaginary inimy with me fists an" dhrop pln' in me chair, a broken four-flush Pathrlck Hlnnery. I've niver got mo repytatlon back. Most iv th people thought I was dhrunk. Th more charit able said I was ony crazy. Th im pression still remains in th ward that I'm a victim iv apoplexy. "Well, sir. 'tis a sthrange thing, this here oratory. Ye see a man that ye wudden't ask to direct ye to th" post office get on his feet an" make a speech that wud melt th" money in yc'or pocket. Another man comes along that ye think a rcg'lar little know-all, an whin he thrlcs to make a speech to a Sunday school class he gives an Imitation iv a man with croup, delusions Iv pursuit an St. Vitus" dance. If he don't do that he bombards his fellow-man with th" kind Iv a composition that they keep boys afther school Tr. Carney made wan iv that kind at this banket. Carney has a head as hard as a cocynut- He wanted a new bridge built acrost th crick an' he was goln' to talk about that at th "banket. On th way over he tol me about it. He argyed so well that he convinced me, an" I'm wan iv th' most indignant taxpayers f r a poor man that ye iver knew. I thought whin he got up he wud eay some thin" like this: 'Boys, Sve need a. new bridge. Th ptislnt wan Is a disgrace to th' ward. Curtlns' hone fell through It last week. By JImuneddy, if Billy O'Brien don't get ub a new bridge we'll bate him at th' prim-ries." That wud have gone fine, fr Curtln was a loud an" popular fish peddler. But what did Carney do? He niver was within four thousan' miles Iv a swing bridge acrost th" Chicago River. Says he: "Glntlemen, we ar-re th" most gloryous people. that Iver Infested th noblest counthry that th sun Iver shone upon, he says. 'Wc meet here to night he says, 'undhcr that starry lm bllm that flaps above freemen's homes hr ivry little hamlet fr'm where rolls th Oregon in majestic volume to th sun kist wathers Iv th Passyfic to where th Pimslcoddy shimmers adown th pine-clad hills iv Maine. he says. Th hand lv time., he says, 'marches with stately steps acrost th face Iv hlsthry, an as I listen to Its hoof-beats 1 hear a still small voice th'at seems to say that Athens (a shout). Greece (a shrill cry). Bawhm (a shriek), an Egypt (a deep roar) an' iver on an upward an' as long as th stars in their courses creep through eternity an twinkle as they creep recallln th wurruds Ir our sr-rcat note. "TwInUllnir stars ar-re laughin' love, laughln' at you an' me," an" a counthry, glntlemen, that stands today as sore as tomorrah's sun rises an" kisses th" flag that floats f r all. Now, glntlemen. it is growin" late, an" I will not detain ye longer, but I have a few wurruds to say. I appeal fr'm Philip dhrunk to Philip sober. That ended th" speech an" th' banket. Th chairman's name was Philip. Th second Philip that Carney mlntioncd was not there. "1 guess a man niver becomes an orator if he has annything to say, Hlnnlssy. u a lawyer thinks his client Is innocint. he talks to th jury about th crime. But if he knows where th pris'ner hid th' lead pipe, he unfurls th" flag, throws out a few remarks about th flowers an th burruds an" asks th twelve good men en thrue not to break up a happy Christmas, but to slnd this man home to his wife an childher an Gawd will bless thlm if they ar're Iver caught in th same perdicymlnt. Whinlver I go to a pol lytical meetin' an th la-ad with th open wurruk face mintions Rome or Athens. I grab fr me hat. I know be not goin to say annythlng that ought to keep me out iv bed. I also bar all language about burruds an flowers. I don't give two cints about th Oregon, whether it rolls or staggers to th sea; an" I'll rap in th" eye anny man that attimpts to wrap up his slcond nand oratory In th American, flag. There ought to be a law against usln" th" American flag fr such " purposes. I hope to read in th pa-aper some day that Joe Cannon was arrested fr usln" th American flag to dicorate a speech on th" tariff an sintlnced to two years solitary ronfinemint with Sinitor BIv rldge. An" he hivens. I don't want aany, man to tell mc that I'm a mim ber Iv wan Iv th grandest races th sun nas iver shone on. r know It al reaJv. Tf T xraxn't T'rt mnv- mil "No, sir, whin a man has something 10 say an don t Know how to say it, he savs It nrettv woll. Whin h hn somethlntr to sav an' know tinm tn say it, he make3 a gr-reat speech. But wnen ne nas nawtnin to say an has a lot iv wurruds that come with i black -COat. he's an nratnr Thnr.' two things I don't want at me funeraL Wan is an oration an' th other Is wax nowcrs. I class thlm alike." 'Te're on'y mad because yc failed,' said Mr. Hennessy. "Well," said Mr. Dooley, "what bet ther reason d've wnnt? Ttptr didn't fall as bad as I mighL I might jitvc inuuc m 5eecn-' (Copyrlgh 1905. by McCJurc. Phillips & Co.) TRIBUTE TO "OLD WILLAMETTE" Eloquent Words of President Will iams, of Puget Sound University. Among the fine talks at the banquet given Bishop David' H. Moore, resident bishop. In the Patton Churcn. Wednes day night, by the Men's Methodist So cial Union, nono was more effective than the response of President J. It Williams, of the University of Puget Sound, to the toast. "Methodism and Education in the Northwest." Dr. Cole man, president of "Old Willamette" University, was to follow. Dr. Will iams is a large man. and as he stood on the platform facing the expectant audience, he seemed to get bigger. He expressed his pleasure in being present in deliberate terms, and then paid the founders of the Willamette University a high compliment, but at no time re ferred to his own work at the Pugot Sound University. "In the Willamette Valley, the de voted pioneer Methodists braved the wilderness and desert," said Dr. Williams, "and founded an institution from which have gone men who havo Special Sale of Palms Avery large consignment of Preserved Potted Palms is offered at tempting prices. These Palms require no attention or care, and have all the appearance of a live Palm. Three-Leaf Palms and Pots, complete , 25 Four - Leaf Palms and Potc, complete 35 . Five -Leaf Palms and Pots, complete 45 Monarch Malleable Eanges are now fitted with oven thermometers. They have no breakable parts. The thin tops heat quickly. There is no enamel on them to burn off or crack. Each oven is 20 inches deep. You can always get $30 cash for one at this store. All parts are riveted, and no stove bolts or putty are used in their construction. The oven doors cannot be broken off. The patent duplex draft is found only in the Monarch. The fire linings are one inch thick. $5.00 Per Month Will Buy a Monarch Malleable Range Three Big Iron Bed Values An Iron Bed, in white enamel, with extra heavy posts, brass knobs and vases; regular TO price $5.50, special.. PJJ' CASH OR CREDIT Iron Bed, like cut, brass knobs and vases, enamel rod head and foot; regular $6.00 C QC value p-tJsJ Same style, with brass rail, head and foot $7.50 iirJP A few only of these Beds, in three quarter size only; regular $4.25 value, are offered 0 Off while they last at. . . . PO CASH OR CREDIT H. E. EDWARDS 185-191 FIRST STREET distinguished themselves as ministers of the gospel, as lawyers, as states men and in every calling that can be mentioned. Shall it be said that somo of the wrecks of our institutions were failures? I think not. Coming up the river, we may see the old mill, lone since silent and deserted. Who shall say that the old mill did not perform its part well In its time? Are the de serted cabins in the forests and se cluded spots, now fallen Into ruin and silence, indicative o'f failures? No. they have had their important parts in making up the early history of this country: likewise have these wrecks of institutions. But we face the future. Our Methodist institutions have a great future and a field In spite of the state institutions that are supported by ap propriatlons, but to sustain them as Christian colleges means a grea sac rifice on the part of Methodists all over the Northwest. Our institutions must measure up to the aided institutions in scholarship, must furnish high-class education, and must do more must be Christian institutions." Execution in Starr Case. In the case of Adelaide Bloch against F. THE LUXURY OF MODERN LIVING FINDS FULLEST EXPRESSION I N THE USE OF ELECTRIC HEAT ING DEVICES, AND ESPECIALLY WITH ELECTRIC SMOOTHING IRONS WRITE FOR PRICES Portland General Electric Company SEVENTH AND ALDER STREETS Portland , , Oregon A. E. Starr and F. I. Richmond, in which the plaintiff obtained a judgment against the defendant January 23, 1S37, for $3396, an execution was Issued yesterday invol ving considerable property, and was placed In the hands of the snerin tor service. It covers a large number of lots In AlBIna Addition. Lincoln Park and Mount Tabor villa, and the undivided half of lots 7 and 8. block 12. Portland. Starr is alleged to have sold" the. property after Judgment against him and Richmond was rendered. The present holders of the property will no doubt vigorously oppose its sale under the execution. Starr was formerly -an attorney in Port land, and Richmond Is a well-known trav eling salesman. Mrs. Bloch sued them to recover money loaned, and was never able to collect any of the Judgment. No shoe-troubles with Selz Royal Blue Shoes All shoes would be good shoes if you didn't have to wear them. But you buy them to wear; that's all you want of shoes Selz Royal Blue shoes are made to wear, not merely to sell; they cost you $3.50 and $4. They do wear, , well and long, and feel right to the wearer arid look right to everybody. Get your feet into Selz Royal Blue. 'EES SELZ SHOES ARE SOLD IN PORTLAND BY THE LION STORE - , Outfitters to Men and Boya. ' - 166-188 THIRD STREET, Near Morrison