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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 1906)
56 Pages fjjtl Pages 1 to 12 VOL. XXV-NO. 50. PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 16, 1906. PRICE FIVE CENTS. TIE OP All Great Mob Rules Port land Streets for Hours. Y ACTS OF VIOLENCE Union Men and Sympathizers Wreck Passenger Coaches. ASSAULT LOYAL EMPLOYES Police Powerless to Protect Company's Property. RIOTERS IGNORE THEM Officers Themselves Are Roughly Handled Company Finally Aban- -dons Attempt to Maintain Serv ice Will Try Again Today. r MAYQR 1ANE OX THE SITUA TION. "It In too early for me to say what measures will be taken to pre serve order If the present conditions continue paid Mayor lne In re lation to the carmen's etrlke last -ntuht. "TV shall do the bent we can and all we can. That la all that T can say. "T believe that the police fnrre would have hpn sufficient tomaJn taln order tonight, had It received notification of the strike In time. The situation waa not comprehended until It was too late to retain all of the patrolmen on duty. So far as I am aware there has been no movement to swear In extra officers, and I have neither heard of, nor considered calling: out the National , Guard. I cannot say what steps I shall taVe until I have consulted with Acting- Chief Gritsmacher." I'ortlamVs streetcar system was al most completely tied up last night at 8 o'clock by a strike, called by local union 181, Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employes of America. A few minutes before that hour cars were stopped on Wash ington street at the corner of Third by tne strikers, and motormen and conductors were persuaded to leave their posts. Mobs collected and a riot followed which continued until early this morning-; Tha streetcar company expects to run cars as usual today. Men who persisted In remaining on their cars were hooted, jeered, cajoled, cursed and Anally pelted with rotten eggs and clubs. In most cases per suasion was successful and force was not often resorted to. Windows of cars were broken and trolley ropes cut. Mobs stoned cars to drive con ductors and motormen out and In cases where the carmen climbed to the top of the cars to hold the trolleys in rUt. t I. What Owendolliie nroni of Getting. H. 2 nd 3 Is the Reality. A S place after the ropes were cut off, the mob drove them ' from their elevated positions with missiles of- all kinds. Strang to- say few of the loyal em ployes were even slightly 'hurt. Police Wholly Powerless. The police were wholly unable to cope with the situation. . Occasional arrests were made where, the offend ers were reckjessly bold, but the mobs that attacked cars defied all op position. Officers .were hurried to the scenes of disturbance, but . they were far outnumbered and were unable to do anything. In some cases the po lice themselves were roughly handled by the mobs. Encouraged by their numbers, the strikers and their sympathizers soon had everything their own way. The lawless sentiment ran high. Portland has ne"er before witnessed a similar demonstration of mob i rule and the streetcar system, since the rails were first iHld. has never suffered as it did last night. The strikers wrecked cars along Washington street from First to Seventh, snd on -Fifth, Third, Second and Morrison streets. The strike came as a complete sur prise not only to the Portland Rail- i i .- I Y: - ... -j.. ti A," : ire Interstate Commerce Cofnmlneloner - Franklin K. lane, Who Will In vestigate the Car Shortage In the Northwest. way. Light & .Power Company, but to many of Its employes. . Leaders of the union took Into their confidence only those whom they could trust not 1 to divulge their plans. The attempted strike of the streetcar men last July failed, say the union men, because the officials of the company were fully ad vised of the dlsaffections among Its employes and had plenty of time to prepare for trouble. Objects of the Strike. The objects sought by the strikers are practically the same as those the union was demanding at the time of the last trouble, namely, recognition of the union, the abolition of the photo graph system for identification of em ployes, and more pay. The success of the strikers last night wss due almost wholly to the strong sympathy with them of all union men In the city, represented by the Feder ated Trades Council, and to the sup port of the mob which gathered along Washington street. Numbers gave courage to those who led the demon strations against the company and the mob urged the leaders on to constant ly greater acts of lawlessness. The company used every effort for a time to continuo the operation of cars, but gave it up at about 9 o'clock, and concentrated Its efforts on getting the stalled cars back to the barns. Curs Sent to Barns. In this work toe men who remained loyal to the company were : successful and by 10:30 o'clock the streets were clear of cars, and the service was en tirely suspended, except on the Ore gon Water Power & Railway Com pnn.vfs lines, over which cars were run all evening, save between 8:30 and 9:30 o'clock, when crowds at First and Alder cut trolley ropes and blocked the service. After 8:30 cars were op erated to First and Madison from ail points on the O. W. P. system on the East Side. Cars on . the other city lines were not put Into commission again last r.ight after being taken to the barns. Many were so badly wrecked that they Concluded on Page- 2.) HARRY MURPHY CATCHES A FEW If Yon Contemplate Shoplnn n The Hnnhaiut of HI Wife Is Handy Hull of Armor Would Help dumr. This Souon. . CHICAGO DECIDES PRICE OF LINES Definite Step Toward Public Ownership. WILL END TRACTION MUDDLE Value of Property Finally Fixed at $50,000,000. WILL DIVIDE NET EARNINGS Companies Accept City's Offer as Basis for Rehabilitation of Lines Indiana Cities Have Enough of Ownership. CHICAGO. Dec. 15. (Special.) Follow ing years of bickering, political wire pulling and execrable transportation ser vice, CTilcago is to enter on an era of better conditions of travel on her sur face car-lines. The street railway con troversy is virtually wiped off the slate. The Council committee on local trans portation and the representatives of -the Chicago Vnion Traction and Chicago City Railway companies came to a sud den agreement today and within a few days the City Council will be asked to pass an ordinance which the commit tee has unanimously agreed upon. Final Offer of Companies The committee, consisting of aldermen of various political persuasions, of men who believe in and who oppose munici pal ownership, was able to vote the traction muddle out without spluttering, inuendo or harangue. The settlement came on the heels of a morning session devoted to the valuations that should be given to the properties of the two companies. The Union Trac-? tkm Compny, through General Counsel W. W. Gurley, argued for a higher esti mate, and the City Rajlway Company, through K. R. Bliss, asked that pave ment' costs be held in the account. President Mitten then talked briefly, saying the company he represented would agree to a division of the net re ceipts, share and share alike, or 50 per cent Co the city and 50 per cent to the companies. v An executive session was called, the traction lawyers and newspaper repre sentatives were excluded and the com mittee, with Mayor Dunne 'present, and advised by Special Counsel Walter I Fisher, discussed the companies' offers. The announced conditions of the com mittee were: That the committee would value the properties of the Union Traction Com pany at $29,000,000. That it would value the properties of the Chicago City Railway Company at $1,000,000. That under no circumstances would it give more than $00,000,000 for the posses sions of both companies. That, instead of 50 per cent of the net earnings, each the demand of the com panies or 60 per cent for the city and 40 per cent to the companies," it would split the difference and accept 55 per cent for the city and allow 45 per cent to the companies. It would allow, for the present, 5 per cent brokerage on new (borrowed) money and 10 per cent for construction profits. Until the city Is able to buy, the com panies will continue to operate on streets now occupied and such extensions as may be agreed upon. INDIANA TOWNS HAVE ENOUGH Will Ask State for Belief From Mu nicipal Ownership. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Dec. 15. (Spe cial.) Indiana cities and towns have. haC Whre their ample fill of municipal ownership and the General Assembly will bristle with bills to place municipal plants of all sorts under control of the state. In places where municipal ownership has been , secured under specious prom ises by "reformers," the peoplo have found that the principal object of the "reformers" was to provide themselves and their friends with fat positions and opportunities to spend money in a man ner that would wreck a private concern in a month. Many cities have been bond ed beyond the legal limit and the rate is. unusually high where these experiments have been tried. In spite of this expenditure of money, the service is much poorer than it for merly was under private ownership. HILL GIVES UP HIS PLAN Northern Pacific Stock Issue Proves Abandonment. NEW YORK, Dec. 15. (Spe.-lal.) .Tames J. Hill has finally abandoned his plan for the merger of therBurllng ton with the Great Northern, and that railroad will hereafter remain In the Joint control, as heretofore, of Great Northern and Norhern Pacific. The legal obstacles to the plan Mr. Hill be lieves to be insurmountable. He was threatened with proceedings by the United States Government and by Mi several states from which- tho three companies have charters. Mr. Hill's idea was originally to have the Great Northern control the Bur lington as a free asset, and to pay over a large sunt in cash of Northern Pacific stockholders in payment for their equity in the property. -The Northern Pacific stock-issue announce ment, made public yesterday is a con fession of the defeat of Mr. Hill's projects. Alaska Miner Frozen to Dentli. SEATTLE, Wash.. Dee. 15. (Special.)--A Nome special says: Jack Egan. a pioneer of Alaska and a well-known-mining man, was found today in a clump of willows on Snake River frozen to death. CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER Tha M a her. YESTRRDAT'R Maximum temperature, 43 degrees; minimum, 3S. TOlAV S Itafn," southerly winds. Foreign. fope compares American with Krench re ligious -liberty. Page 8. Mexican Minister gives reasons for Govern ment ownership of railroads. Page 8. Terrorists try , to kill Admiral jDoubassoff. Page 8. Gossip of European capitals. Page 33. National. Foreigners barred from Panama canal con tract. Page 4. Admiral Dewey proposes building more bat tleships. Page 4. , Launching of battleship Montana. Page 8. Politics.. v Railroad president denounces Rooelt for criticising Judges. Page ' Domestic. r IntRrsftata Commission to investigate car shortage on Pacific Coast. Page 1. Negro convicts rev1t in Mississippi. Page 8. Chicago arranges terms for municipal own ership of carlines. Page 1. Cardinal Gibbons defends Leopold's govern ment ot Congo Ktatei Page 1. Chauffeur marries millionaire's daughter he taught to run auto. Page 8- Mrs. Bradley talks of relations with Sen ator Brown. Page 4. Hill abandons Great Northern-Burlington merger. Pag 1. Not'd So:irhcrner shot dead by brothers of his bride. Page 4. Sport. Folger and Boot win bicycle race. Page S. American crews barred from Henley re gatta. Page 8. Nevada becomes Mecca for hungry prize fighters and their managers. Page 36. Football season of 1006 reviewed by Referee. Page 36. Portland and VMnlty. Movement of Washington and Sixth-street property week's feature in .real estate market. Page 1(5. John Barrett. United States Minister to Co lombia, here en route to ban Francisco. Page 8. Tax levy in cltv limits will be .715 mills, or 13.3. Page 24. Jewish Rabbi plaintiff In $10,000 suit for slander. Page 32. Mayor vetoes Mount Hood Railway Com pany's franchise sale. Page lt. Attorney Muir advises lumbermen's mans meeting that reciprocal demurrage law would be valid. Page 8. , Commercial and Marine. Upward tendency In hop markft. Pagp 38. Slack demand for wheat at Chicago. Page 38. Gains In stock prices hold. Page 16. . Surplus reserve of New York banks nearly restored. Page 10. Ship Glenerlcht arrives In at Astoria. Page 16. Pacific Coast. Chester Thompson sits unmoved during the testimony of the doctors at ths Emory murder trial. Page 14. Principal bills to come before the next ses sion of the Washington Legislature. Page 14. Report of the Washington Railroad Com mission In the investigation Into cost of railroads. ' Page 5. British Columbia woman lays claim to the throne of China, Page 15. Spokane will use fair appropriation as club to get new freight rates. Page 14. FLEETING GLIMPSES Extremes Meet. This Ts a Pnnpett Remote. LEARN THE CAUSE OF CAR SHORTAGE Commissioner Lane Coming to Coast. WHOLE NORTHWEST SUFFERS Will Begin at Minneapolis and Work West. MANY WITNESSES CALLED Whole Commission Will Recommend 4 Remedy in Spring Meanwhile Dakotans freeze Lack of Coal. for OREGpNIAN' NEWS BUREAU, Washington, Dec. IB. Interstate Commerce Commissioner Lane will visit the Pacific Northwest early in January to make personal investigation of the car shortage. Although the Commission is unofficially advised of difficulties ex perienced by Oregon and Washington shippers. It has had no official com plaint from that section. The commer cial interests of Seattle are now pre paring a case against the railroads, particularly as regards lumber, and the Washington Railroad Commission is gathering data to be submitted to Mr. Lane. No complaints have been re ceived from Portland, Tacoma, Spokane or other important shipping centers. Mr. Lane hopes to receive the assist ance of Interested parties while mak ing the investigation, . for his report will form a . basis of future actions by the Interstate Commerce Commis sion. " Will Dig to the Bottom. The exact dates on which Mr. Lane will hold hearings in Portland and other Northwestern cities have not yet been tir.d. ,.He will leave Washington the first week In January and probably begin his inquiry In Idaho, working west through Spokane to Seattle and Tacoma and thence to Portland. Whether he will visit other Oregon cities is yet to be decided. lie is determined, however, to go to the bottom of the car shortage in so far as it affects these three states, and will devote all the time necessary to make his investigation complete. Opportunity will be given all shippers who have suf fered because of lack of adequate transportation- facilities to put in their com plaints. .At Boise the coal shortage will prob ably occupy most of the time, for Mr. Lane will endeavor to ascertain to what extent the present shortage of coal Is due to inadequate transportation facili ties. The same will be true at Spokane and in Central Washington. Seattle's chief cur.ylaint, so far as known, comes from lumber shippers, who assert that they have been unable to market their product because the railroads have given preference to higher classes of freight. Cannot Decide I' mil Spring. The investigation, however, will cover not only the complaints of lumbermen and people who have been injured by the coal shortage, but the complaints of far mers whose grain and fruit have spoiled because of their inability to get It to market At Minneapolis, where Mr. Lane be gins an investigation of the car shortage on Monday, subpenas have been issued for responsible railroad officials and for prominent shippers whose interests have been - affected, and others having Knowl edge of tha subject will be permitted to testify. The same course will probably be followed in the Northwest, so that Mr. I.ane can get at the facts from the stand point of both shippers and railroads. When his report is made, the Interstate Commerce Commission will sit as a body OF THE MERRY CHRISTMAS SEASON Not Altogether From Now on tha Tonng Sherlock Will Be Bnsy Looking for the Bidden Present. and consider the evidence with a view to outlining some plan of relief.. However, It will be well into Spring before the sub ject will be in shape for such action. Haviug lived a long time in the North west, Mr. Lane is somewhat familiar with conditions In that section. He does not understand why complaints of car shortage have riot been made to the Com mission by the people, of Washington. Oregon and Idaho, but hopes to receive their hearty co-operation when he goes there on his official mission. Two spe cial agents are new gathering informal tion in Washington, the State Railroad Commission is engaged on the same mis sion and the commercial interests of Se attle are preparing a complaint, all of which will be considered during the in vestigation in that state. If like data can be gathere in Oregon and Idaho, it will aid materially when hearings begin. RAILROADS BLAME WEATHER Presidents of Companies Say lolng Best They Can. WASHINGTON. Dec. 15. The ' tele gram sent yesterday by the Interstate Commerce Commission to the presi dents of various railway systems call- ' w ft i ; i Lr. - i J ,&mwvtt )i i mini - J t Mayor Edward F. Dunne, of Chlcmo, Who Has Closed Deal to Bur 4 Street Railways. t ing their attention to complaints of car shortage and failure to transport the necessities of life brought replies today from Vice-President Pennington, of the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway: George B. Harris, president o- the -Ohtngo. Burlington & Wuincy Railroad, and Marvin Hugh Itt, of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. None of the answers, how ever, are from the railroad companies supplying the territory where the Shortage of fuel Is stated to exist. Mr. Pennington telegraphed: "There is no blockade of freight or shortage of cars on our lines west of Minneapolis except what is due to bad blizzards in, the last few days." President Ilughitt, of the Chicago Northwestern, said: The Chicago & Northwestern Rail way Company is not failing at this time, nor has it at any time failed to furnish cars and to move them with reasonable promptness both for fuel and other commodities, and if there is suffering for lack of any commodity at stations tributary to its lines, let me assure you that It is not due to our company's failure to discharge its duty In this respect. I have during the last three weeks been in frequent communication with the Governor of South Dakota on this question. The reports this morning indicate a good supply of fuel at stations On the line of this company, especially in Minne sota and South Dakota. Senator Hansbrough, of North Da kota, consulted the Commission today and declared that the situation regard ing fuel in his state is most deplora ble, and that the public schools are closing on account of a lack of fuel. It is said at the Commission's office that for a number of years at this season there had been complaints of a lack of cars, but that the situation was never so acute as now. HEARING AT MINNEAPOLIS. Members of Commission Start Inves tigation Monday. MINNEAPOLIS. Dec. 16. Arrangements (Concluded on Pag. 8. "fay. Bo, If Them Toy Are Made by a Trait If zS tor l'onr." 4. DEFENDS RULER OF CONGO Attacks Due to Religion and Greed. CALLS LEOPOLD HUMANE RULER Says Stories of Barbarities Are Exaggerated. FACTS FROM MISSIONARIES Prelat Says Religions Jealousy and Commercial Rivalry Inspire At tacks Intervention Would Be Bullying Small Nation. BATTIMORE. Dec. IS. (Special. A declaration that the charges of atrocities In the Congo Free Slale have been greatly exaggerted and a defense of King Leopold of. Belgium as a wise and hu mane ruler were made today by Cardinfll Gibbons. The Roman Catholic prelate spoke In answer to tho statement mad last night by Rev. Dr. IT. Gratton Guln nes in a meeting of ministers In this city that the Cardinal Is "the strong hand In this country who prevented the Govern ment from noticing the barbarities In the Congo." ("I have observed," said Cardinal Gib bons, "that an emlssisary of the Congo Reform Association has made a personal attack on me for my attitude in defend ing King Leopold's Congo administration against these unjustifiable attacks, and I feel very grateful to the reverend gentlemen who were good enough on that occasion to get up and defend me. I note, however, that even my defenders excused me on the groundi of my Ignorance of the question. Calls Leopold lfuiuane, R.ulcrt.. "My position in the matter has always been very clear. 1 have naturally means of keeping in close touch with the situa tion through our missionaries, who are on the spot. There has been a great amount of exaggeration in these stories of malad ministration. The King Is a wise as well as a humane ruler, and we hear through missionary sources that whenever rases of cruelty have occurred, as such things will occur under every human govern ment, the King has been prompt to redress such abuses and to punish the of fenders. His recent decrees granting the natives additional land and ameliorating the condition of the native laborers are an added evidence of hfs desire to do everything possible for the good of his native subjects. I understand that these new laws are now being put in opera tion as rapidly as possible througout the Congo State. Evil Motives of Attacks. "I fear this agitation against King Leo pold's administration is animated partly by religious Jealousy and partly by com mercial rivalry. It is to be hoped that the Individuals who are carrying it on will not be successful In their efforts to induce the great powers of the earth to inter fere In the affairs of a small nation. The Belgian nation is small, but the Belgians are a brave people, and. as indicated by the action of their Parliament yesterday, they stand solidly by their King in sup porting his African regime. "In our schoolboy days the most odious and contemptible creature we used to en counter waa the bully who played th tyrant toward the weak. But still more Intolerable la a bullying nation that picks a quarrel with a feeble nation with ths base Intent of seizing her possessions, playing the role that King Ahab enacted toward Naboth. "With tho attitude of the American Gov ernment I do not concern myself. As I said before, I have means of Information. f Concluded on Fa. 8.) Those Marked-Ttawn Shaving Seta Are a Nlrw Gift for Your Gentle man .Friend. Of tonne Yon Am Not to Blame if Ha Call on Yon Kex Oar lyooking Like This.