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DEBT IS HOT GREIT
Washington State Auditor Be
lieves It Should Be Paid.
LARGE SAVING IN INTEREST
Tax Board Finds That Higher Edu
cation Is Very Expensive) and
General Educational Board
Will Be Suggested.
OL.YMPIA. Wash.. Sept. 1. (Special.)
The State Board of Equalization meets
next Tuesday in tho office of the State
Auditor for the purpose of fixing tho
valuations of property for state pur
poses, and to levy a tax for raising next
year's revenue. There are some knotty
problems facing tho board this year, and
it is probable the action finally taken
will not be unanimous.
In addition to State Auditor C. W.
Clausen, who is ex-officlo chairman, the
board comprises Tax Commissioners T.
D. Rockwell. J. H. Easterday and J. B.
Frost. Secretary, of State S. H. Nichols
and Land Commissioner B. W. Ross.
The first and most important question
facing the board Is the fixing of the val
uations as returned by the County As
sessors and county boards of equaliza
tion. Valuations last year were fixed at
a total of J338.000.OO0, and this year the
valuations as returned by the county
boards will undoubtedly reach $500,000,000.
In King County alone there haa been
an Increase of J70.000.000 over last year;
Pierce and Spokane Counties each show
an increase of $16,000.01)0, and Whitman
an increase of J15.000.000. If the remain
ing S3 counties in the state show an
aggregate increase of Joo.000.000 this will
bring the total up to the $1,500,000 mark. .
If the board had authority to fix a new
levy for school purposes the problem
would be greatly simplified. But the law
declares that the state shall annually
levy a five-mill tax for common school
purposes, unless that levy produces a
revenue In excess of $10 for each school
child in the state. It is pretty generally
agreed among the members of the board
that a five-mill levy on this year's valu
ations will produce more money than i
needed for the schools. If the $10 limit
can be reached with a four-mill levy,
which is barely possible, It will aid ma
terially. But this is not probable.
The general fund levy has heretofore
been fixed at lk mills. last year this
produced a revenue of $821,000, and on
this year's valuations would produce In
excess of J1.250.0i)0. The members of the
board may be divided on the question of
fixing the levy for general fund pur
poses. Some think it ought to be consid
erably lowered in view of the greatly
Increased valuations. State Auditor
Clausen, on the other hand. Intimates
that In his opinion it might be good bus
iness policy to make the levy three mills,
and uro the excess funds thus raised to'
pay off tho state debt.
"The state debt Is unimportant for a
great commonwealth like this," says Mr.
Clausen, "being only Jl.400.000, but the
interest on it amounts to $10,000 a year,
and in my opinion it would be good bus
iness policy to take advantage of the
present era of general prosperity to pay
off this debt."
The levy for military purposes is fixed
arbitrarily at one-tenth of a mill and
the maximum levy for general fund pur
poses is three mills.
Some members of the board of equaliza
tion are said to fear the political effects
of an increase in taxes such as would
result in leaving the levy the same as it
was last year on this year's greatly In
creased valuations. State Auditor Clausen
is not one of these. He thinks the peo
ple can afford to pay . the addi
tional taxes necessry to pay off the
state del)!, and believes the political re
sults will take care of themselves if it
is done.
Other members of the board are eaid
tn consider a state debt not a bad thing.
They argue that so long as the state is
in debt it has a tendency to make the
legislature more careful with the public
funds, and that tho interest of $40,000
a year on the present debt Is a small
Item a compared with the additional ap
propriations tho Legislature would be
likely to make if the state were out of
debt.
Members of the state tax board are
compiling some statistics on the cost of
higher education in this state, which they
will present to the Legislature for the
Information of that body. The higher ed
ucational institutions are supported out
of the state's general fund, and covering
a period of seven years past they have
received 37.68 per cent of the total gen
eral fund levy. One of the state normal
schools last year put out graduates at
an average cost to the state of $1665
each. It Is stated that the average cost
per graduate of the Agricultural College
for the past seven years has been almost
$2i.
Tho tax board will. It is believed, urge
rne legislature to provide a board which
shall have charge of the 'business man
agement of all the state's educational In
stitutions, much after the plan of the
present State Board of Control, which
has proved so successful In the business
management of the state charitable, penal
ana reiormaiory Institutions.
BLUE MOUNTAINS ARE ABLAZE
Careless Campers Start Fires In
Forest Reserve.
BAKER CITY, Or., Sept. 1. (Specials
Forest fires are threatening Eagle Valley.
Two disastrous fires are raging in the big
forests of yellow pine and are destroying
much valuable timber. The fire on Goose
Creek Is in the Blue Mountain reserve.
The extent of the destruction is not
known, but great banks of heavy smoke
portend big fires. They were started by
careless campers.
DEAD " OF THE NORTHWEST
-. Mrs. Ruth Ann Frost.
OREGON CITY. Or., Sept. l.-(Speelal.)
Mrs. Ruth Ann Frost died at her home
here today at tho age of 70 years. Ruth
Ann Stout was born in Athens County,
Ohio, where she was married to Mr. Frost
In 1Sj3. . With her husband, who died four
years ago. she removed to Oregon in 1S93.
She is survived by four sons, as follows:
Clarence A., D. E. and A. E. Frost, of
this city, and A. M. Frost, of Portland.
Mrs. Charles AVilloughby.
OREGON' CITY. Or., Sept. 1. (Special.)
Mrs. Charles Willoughby, aged 29 years,
died of consumption today. She is sur
vived by a hushand and three children.
6CHEDILE OF STEAMER "T. J. POTTER"
The T. J. "Potter leaves Ash-street dock
for North Beach, touching at Astoria, aa
follows:
August 28. 9:30 A. M. : August 30, 11 A
M.; September 1. 12:01 P. M.; September 4
7 A. M. ; September 6, 8:30 A. M.; Septem
ber 8. S:20 A. M. v
From Ilwaco: -August 26, e p. jr ; Au-
f ust 29, 8 A. M. : August SI, 8 A. M. ; Sep
ember 2. 9 P. M. : September 5, 11:30 A
M. ; Sepiomber 7, 12:15 P. M. ; September.
8. 5 P. M.
Tickets at Third and Washington
streets and at Ash-street dock. Meals
faa.y be secured on the boat.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT SMARTLY DRESSED MEN WILL WEAR THIS SEASON
ASK BEN SELLING
Ultra fashionable Autumn
apparel of the newest and
most select sort is ready
for the man who wants the
very best at moderate price
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LEADING
CLOTHIER
FEELEARTHTREMOR
Baker City People Are Puz
zled by the Sensation.
SHOCK IS VERY SLIGHT
One Man Rushes Tpstairs, Believ
ing That His Sleeping Son Has
Itolled From' His Bed
to the Floor.
BAKER CITY. Or.. Sept. 1. (Special.)
Baker City experienced an earthquake
shock, the first that has occurred here.
The shock was a local one, but was felt
for quite a distance around the city. It
was experienced by at least 100 different
people.
At first the idea was scoffed at. People
hardly believed their own senses. The
sensation was that of a building being
raised and settling again. Some thought
It an explosion. One man rushed upstairs
to rescue his son. He believed the sleep
ing lad had rolled out of bed. The weath
er observer declares it a true earthquake.
Loses in Race With Death.
BAKER CITY, Or., Sept. 1. (Special.)
In a race with death Don Sheppard, a
prominent and wealthy rancher, brought
his son Don, aged 17,'to the hospital here.
The boy had been 111 with appendicitis,
and only an operation could save him.
With a friend, the father loaded the boy
on a cot in his farm wagon and drove
rapidly toward Baker. Death won. "With
in sight of St. Elizabeth's Hospital the
boy died.
KNEW EVELYN AS CHILD
Pittsburg Dancing. Master Threw
Thaw Out for Attention to Pupils.
PITTSBURG, Sept. 1. (Special.)-Infor-mation
was secured in Pittsburg today
which disputes the claims of Harry Thaw
that his first acquaintance with the girl
started after she had gone on the stage.
The statement is that Thaw's attentions
to Evelyn Nesblt began when she was 10
years of age, and that even then he paid
some of her expenses. William F. Braun,
a teacher of dancing, states that Thaw
hung around his establishment and that
he has a distinct recollection of throwing
Thaw out of his place for his attentions
to some of his young patrons.
Fnneral of Miss Ijoulsa Wohlers.
Friencfs and relatives gathered yesterday
afternoon to attend the funeral of Louisa
Wohlers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Al
bert Wohlers, of 726' Everett street. Re
ligious, exercises were conducted by Rev.
John 'F. Ghormley. Interment was at
Lone Fir Cemetery, the pallbearers being
Chester Wagner, Arthur Johnson, George
Johnson, Chester Peterson, Charles
Spatch and Fred Hoffman. The late Miss
'Wohlers was 18 years old and died quite
suddenly. She was a great social
favorite.
Fined for Selling Adulterated Milk.
Complaints having been made regarding
the quality of milk sold by Henry West
erman, who runs a confectionery store
at the corner of Twenty-sixth and Up
shur streets, a warrant was sworn out
by Sergeant Baty charging him with
celling adulterated milk. When brought
Into court he pleaded guilty and was
fined which he promptly pa.id,
TAGOMA WATER WASTED
LEAKY FAUCETS ALLOW HALF OF
SUPPLY TO ESCAPE.
Inspector Find Scarcely a House In
the City Where Plamblns
Is In Repair.
TACOMA, Wash., Sept. 1. (Special.)
Judging by the first day's report
turned in by the four special inspectors
sent out by the city to examine the
plumbing of houses where city water
is used, fully half of the supply reach
ing the city is wasted. These inspectors
have but just started their work, but
the results so far are astonishing.
One of the inspectors has not found
a single house without a leak. Of course
In many of the cases reported the leak
age is small and would not perhaps
under ordinary circumstances be no
ticed, but in many instances the re
port reads: "Toilet running half force,
bath running a steady stream, garden
faucet running a stream." Such reports
are not uncommon.
It looks now as if half of the prem
ises will be found wasting more water
than is actually used. Every drop
wasted will be reported, so that cus
tomers will be taught to keep their
plumbing in repair.
No Oregon Canneries Will Run.
ASTORIA, Or., Sept 1. (Special.) The
Fall fishing season will open at noon
Monday, September 10. As near as can
be learned the canneries which will pack
Fall fish are the Seaborg, Megler. Al
toona, McGowan and Eureka plants, all
on the north side of the river. Tho cold
storage plants on the Oregon side will
handle fish, but so far as announced
none of the Oregon canneries will be in
operation, - .-
Stanford Gems to Be Sold.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1. The world
famoua collection of precious stones and
jewelry, the property of the late Mr.
Jane Stanford, valued at nearly $1,000,000.
will be sold by the trustees of Leland
Stanford, Jr., University Association as
soon as possible. This action was dooid
ed upon at a meeting of the trustees held
yesterday. Part of the collection will be
disposed of at private sale, many offers
from leading Eastern jewelers being al
ready on file. Those unsold will be put
up at auction in New York and London.
Members of the board of trustees of the
university say that their action la merely
carrying out the expressed wishes of
Mrs. Stanford that the jewels be sold and
a library fund be established with the
proceeds, the income from which shall be
used for the purchase of books.
IT'S OFF IN A WEEK, PEOPLE
UTe have desired to dispose of our present stocks of Oriental Rugs, and .
WE HAVE BEEN BUTCHERING PRICES
For nearly two weeks, but the joke will not keep forever and after next Satur
day evening former prices will be restored. Therefore
This will be ycur last opportunity, ladies and gentlemen, to procure the Finest Ori
ental Rugs ever shown in Portland at a price less than any other Portland dealer in
these Rugs can buy them for.
Our stock was bought bv our own buyer in the heart of Persia, and NOT second-hand
in New York. THEY ARE THE CREAM OF THE PRODUCT, and
at our present Removal Sale Prices
MAY BE HAD AT EXACTLY THE COST IN PERSIA
plus the cost of transportation. But we will not keep this gait up any longer
than Saturday evening, September 8, so those desiring these rich and luxurious
floor coverings at little more than the-cost of Brussels carpets should
BE QUICK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT SALE
Prices plainly tagged on every Rug. Each piece guaranteed as represented.
Remember we are not after profits now, but we do want to go into our new store
with an entirely new stock of everything we sell.
TELEPHONE MAIN ATIYElH BROS. Sgffi
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