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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1908)
TllE SUNDAY OREGOKIAV. PORTLAND, MAY 3. 1005. 9 HO HARD TIMES AT BAKER CITY Eastern Oregon Metropolis Never More Prosperous Than at Present. WORK FOR ALL COMERS Ko Man Nd Bo Idle if lie BeSIly Wants a Job, Says William J. Patterson Tells of Itaptd rrogress. That Baker City, the center of one of the richest agricultural, mining, stockralsing and lumbering districts ot the state, is on the threshold of the most prosperous year In its history is tbe firm belief of William J. Patterson, who has lived In Baker for a quarter of a century and who for years has been one of the most loyal "boosters" of his section. Though he himself is extensively engaged in mining in the Burnt River placer district, where nug gets of gold as large as hens' eggs are plentiful, Mr. Patterson does not em phasize mining when he boosts for Baker. The fact Is. he says, that the timber and agricultural resources of the country surrounding his city, which are now overshadowed In the public mind by the mining Industry, are des tined to play a most Important part In the upbuilding of the Eastern Oregon metropolis. As proof of his theory, Mr. Patterson, who during the week was a visitor at the headquarters of the Oregon Devel opment League, at the Portland Com mercial Club, cited the fact that dur ing the year 1907 Baker City shipped daily an average of 12 cars of finished lumber to the Eastern markets, while during the same season, on a farm two miles north of Bakor, 200 acres of land yielded 103 bushels of oats to the acre, and another farm gave 100 bushels of barley to the aero from 80 acres In the same vicinity. Ko Idle Men There. Baker City doe not know the mean ing of the phrase hard times. "There Is not an idle man of any account In Baker County," says Mr. Patterson. "Any man who Is ablehodled and will ing to work can get a job within 24 hours after he strikes town, and at good living wages. "Baker has passed through the panic without a business rallure," Mr. Pat terson continued. "'While business has been quiet for the past three months, the effect of the panic has not been as marked In Baker City as it is In many other Western towns. There Is no room for complaint at this time. The merchants had the faith of the future to "stock up," anticipating a normal Spring trade, and In this they have not been disappointed. In fact, some of the larirer RtnrM rpnnrt nntiifl hiislnpRg greater for the first three months of 1908 than' for the same period of 1907. "The three banks, with deposits of about $3,000,000, stood up and met all demands during the panic, and are in splendid condition. The only knowl edge we had of a panic was In reading the newspapers, as not even a photo graph of a clearing-house certificate was in evidence in Baker City. "There Is no boom, nor has there been a boom since 1890, and we don't want a boom, but we have had, espe cially for the past three years, a steady, substantial growth. For this Spring and Summer there will be ex pended in new enterprises over $1, 500,000. "Among the most Important improve ments will be the building and comple tion of the Eagle Valley Railroad, ex tending 65 miles Into the rich agricul tural, fruit and livestock region and great copper and gold mining and tim ber district lying northeast of Baker City. Seven miles of the road bed la now graded and a large force of men will soon be set at work to complete the line. Baker City is the hub of this vast empire of diversified resources to be opened up by the new Eagle Valley Railroad, on the northeast, and by the Sumpter Valley Railroad, extending 67 miles to the southwest. "It was for Tom Richardson, man ager of the Portland Commercial Club, to come to Baker last week and tell us some of the great possibilities of our own country, and how Intelligently to develop them. ' This he did on prac tical lines, before the most enthusiastic lot of people that ever came together for the 'good of tbe order.' "More than $100,000 has been Invest ed In private Irrigation enterprises ad jacent to Baker City, and over 10,000 acres of new sagebrush land was put Into cultivation In 1907. A greater acre age will be put under the plow this year. "The Oxbow electric power plant, now under construction, will develop 3000 horsepower. The United States Postofnce and Federal building will cost over $150,000 when, completed. The St. Francis Hospital, now under con struction, will cost $150,000. The Cath olic Cathedral, just completed, cost $50,000, and is the finest In the state. The county Courthouse will cost over $100,000 when completed, and work Is well under way. A number of streets will be paved this year, costing $50,000 to $',000. The Citizens' National Bank building will cost over $30,000. and the foundation Is now about completed. The Carnegie Library contract will be let on June 1. The building will cost $30,000. Sev eral residences and business houses cost ing $2500 to $10,000 will be completed this year, some of which are now under way. "The payroll of Baker City will aver age now about $65,000 a month, and more improvements are now under way than ever before. Sot a Mining Camp. "One of the main points I wish to emphasize is the indisputable fact that Baker City is mora than a mining town, It is true that the mining In dustry is a great factor and an Impor tant industry In and near Baker City, and is-now being carried on In an In telligent manner. Over $30,000 a month Is paid out In wages in the mining dis trict tributary to Baker City, and this industry creates a gr.eat part of the splendid market for our farm produce, but the timber, fruit and agricultural industries and possibilities of Baker City are not excelled In any county of Oregon. Over 2,000,000 pounds of wool was shipped from Baker City to Eastern markets during 1907. . "There is over $200,000 Invested In lodge buildings, nearly the' same amount in public school buildings, and $100,000. in private school buildings. The assessable value of property Is over $25,000,000. ' The tax rate Is low, and Baker County is out of debt and has money on hand to pay current obliga tions and to build the new $100,030 Courthouse. "Baker City boasts the finest - water supply in the West-rCedar River not ex cepted. The system is owned by the elty and the supply is taken from a snow fed. Ice-cold mountain stream IS miles from the town." - BILL NOT OPPOSED ACRE TRACTS; People Must Vote on Division j of Wasco County. UNDER INITIATIVE LAW AWAKES AFTER 85. DAYS Mrs. Hawkins Ends Long Sleep and Talks Rationally. LOS ANGELES. Cal.. May 2. After an unbroken sleep which extended over a period of 85 days, Mrs. Beulah Haw kins, a patient at the County Hospital, awakened early this morning and asked for a drink of 'milk. Her return to con sciousness was entirely unexpected. A nurse, attracted by. the sound of rapping, entered Mrs. Hawkins' room to find the patient sitting up ' in bed with her eyes open. Physicians were sum moned and the woman talked rationally with them for some time. It was found that she was able to stand and had full control of her faculties, although still weak. Mrs. Hawkins had previously slept for a period of 40 days, and has once been an inmate of an Insane asylum. Her case Is diagnosed as. negative Insanity. GIVES UP HIS RELIGION Prince Ilelie to Become Protestant ' to Marry Mme. Gould. ROME. May 2. One of the greatest dif ficulties in the marriage between the Prince de Sagan and Mme. Anna Gould is the fact that the Catholic Church, not recognizing divorce. -has refused to annul Mme. Gould's first marriage. The Prince is determined to marry Mme. Gould, and to this end he has decided to become a Protestant, as this will enable the couple to be united by both a civil and religious marriage ceremony. If the Prince re mained a Catholic there could be no re ligious ceremony, and consequently his wife would not be accepted by society. JAPANESE WERE AT FAULT Punished for Assaulting Consulate at Mukden. MUKDEN, May 2. The assault episode of April 6 at the American Consulate ha been closed. The American staff has been exonerated and three of the Japanese of ficials have ben punished. Hood River Residents Assert The Dalles Is Xow Willing That , Project Shall Be Car ried Out. Residents of the western part of Wasco County report that their initia tive bill for the creation of Hood River County is not opposed. People residing in The Dalles who had neretoiore ! fought county division not only signed j the initiative petitions for a vote on the question, but have assured their TT-.J T" 1 V. -..Ill I flOOO, niver neiliuuia mai i.in:jr "hi support the project by their vote in the June election. The people of Hood River complain that they are too far removed from their county seat and desire a county government of their own. Under a recent ruling of the Supreme Court It was held that the State Legislature does not have the power to create mu nicipal corporations. The effect of the ruling was to require the submis sion of the question of the new county by initiative bill to a vote of the etate in June. The territory embraced within the proposed new county contains an area of about 600 square miles, with an as sessable valuation of $2,700,000, from which, it is argued, adequate taxes would be produced on a fair rate of taxation for maintaining a county government. The district contains a population of about 7500. After Hood River County ha been created there will remain in Wasco County an area ' of 1646 square miles, a population of 11,500 and a property valuation of $5,457,720. Not a Local Question. "The question of the creation of Hood River County is not a local mat ter,'.' said A. A. Jayne, president of the Hood River Commercial Club, yester day. "The State Supreme Court has held that the Legislature cannot cre ate a municipal corporation. This in cludes counties, and we are obliged to submit the question to a vote of the electors of the state. Bills for the creation of Hood River County were presented In. the State Legislature at the 1905 and 1907 sesisons, and, al though It was conceded that the people of Hood River were . entitled to a county of their own, the measure was oel'eated at both sessions through the complications that arose. . . "The friends of the proposed new county have no hesitancy in submit ting the question to the voters of the etate, feeling confident that they are justified in asking for county division at this time. - "There, is practically no opposition in Wasco County to the creation of this county. Most - of the ' people in The Dalles, who were decidedly active in opposing the creation of the county by the State Legislature, have signed the in itiative petitions in the Interest of the , bill and have assured us that they will vote for the measure in the June election. In fact, so general is the support of the bill that In the recent primary election when county officers were nominated the subject of county division was not made an issue. Revenue In Plenty. "There is no question that with taxes from an assessed property valuation of nearly $3,000,000, sufficient revenue would be produced for meeting all necessary ex penses of the county government.. We are simply asking the people of the state to ratify by their votes In June what practically has been agreed to by the people of Wasco County, who are the most directly Interested." "The growth of the Hood River dis trict has been remarkable In the last eight years," said Leslie Butler, presi dent of the Butler Banking Company, of Hood River, who was in Portland yes terday with Mr. Jayne. "In 1900 I went to Hood River and' opened a bank, my books at the close of the first year show ing total deposits aggregating only $36. 000. In the next four years these' deposits increased to $160,000. The First National Bank was then established. This was followed by the Hood River Banking & Trust Company and two smaller banks at White Salmon, which serve the same territory reached by our banks at Hood River. From a Residence property with a future, in value and exclusiveness, must not be located within sound of the hum and whir of machinery, locomotives and whistles; the desirable and valuable lot must be far removed from the smoke stack, cattle-yard and busy hum of industries. n Every advertisement in this paper is an appeal to you, the reader. Each advertiser may believe the property he offers is the best, he invites your at tention, presents his proposition and if possible prevails on you o buy. That 's his business, to sell. lie is expected to use all fair means and argu ments to convince you that he offers the proper thing. Some properties re quire more means and arguments to consummate a sale than others. Did you ever notice that? Did you ever notice that the most desirable properties are the least advertised? . When you find a property that sells unadvertised, you will find something that appeals to people of judgment, true home-builder and judicious investor; something well-located, something of merit. - One hundred and twenty-four lots in Lenox have been sold without adver tising; one hundred more have been given us to dispose of. They range in price from $350 to $650, with improvements. A special inducement is the terms, a high-class property on terms of the ordinary; only $10 cash and $10 per month. Lenox was formerly the H. B. Oatman estate, located in Southeast Port land on Woodstock carline at Holgate street station. Many of the lots com mand an unobstructed view of Portland and always will. They are choice, good values, good investment. Take Woodstock car to Holgate-street Station today. Agent on the ground all day. CHURCHILL-MATTHEWS CO. GENERAL SELLING AGENTS HO SECOND STREET I can sell you an acre close in for less than a lot farther out will cost you NOW.V KB I THF f Itli If 3 11 IL o f tlP 1 .1 . 1 .1 1 . . 1 ... ' 1 . . til 1. . . Tnio sounas a uttie too gooa, you may inmK, ana mayDe you ii oegm to look for a "joker" in my offer, but you won't find any, because there is no "ioker." Mv DroDOsition is clean-cut iust as I sav it and even better than it sounds. U I am talking about Madison Villa on the Salem Electric, eighteen min utes from the center of town, and although the transient carfare is ten cents, the fare for people living in the district is the regulation five cents. I am not selling Madison Villa in lots but in acre tracts at from $550 to $800, according to choice, in a district where platted lot property is selling to as high as $1500 the acre. 9 Frankly, Madison Villa would be selling in lots instead of acres had I my way, but there are other parties interested who insist upon having the property sold out at once, hence this opportunity. Q The absolutely staggering fact is this, that within 20 minutes or a compar ative distance from the business center you cannot buy a lot for what 1 can sell you an acre of A No. 1 soil in Madison Villa. An acre which you can di vide into lots yourself if you like, or grow on it anything that you want to grow. These Facts Will Set You Thinking In Irvington, 23 minutes out, a single 50 -foot lot will cost you $1000 to $2000 and up. Sunnyside, 15 to 20 minutes out; 30 minutes on the Rose City Park, Mt. Tabor or Penin sula lines will not take you out of the high-priced lot district. Now. Compare Madison Villa Acre Tracts Eighteen minutes out on the Salem Electric Line, the best-equipped K. R. in Portland. Prices $550 to $800 per Acre and Easy Terms of Payment OTHER FEATURES SF Every acre in Madison Villa is cleared and in cultivation. There is no rock nor gravel the ground is rich and will produce anything that will grow in the state. 9 In this and every large city distance is measured by the time required to make it. Such, in fact, governs the market. Appraise Madison Villa, then, from a standpoint of actual distance distance measured by minutes, price or possibilities and you absolutely must admit that it's the most wonderful opportunity on the Pacific Slope today. As I said before, it is not my pleasure to sell, but majority rules, so take your choice at these prices. 9 Take the car from Front and Jefferson, and come and see Madison Villa today. Don't mis understand me the transient fare is 10 cents, but the fare to Madison Villa residents 5c, and only 18 minutes' ride. Get off at Alder Springs. Agent at the tract (Sunday), or for further information see Have just been put on the market. This is the first announcement. There are just 80 acre tracts in the property. Madison Villa is so situated as not to have been seen by everyone; being in district just opened by the Salem Electric line. The cars, which are the finest in the West, are now in operation, and you don't have to cross any drawbridges. 9 This new line will make a tremendous change in values in this section, but remember, you've got to own something in order to participate in the profits. Your investment in Madison Villa will multiply over and over again in the next five years, or ,the opinion of the shrewdest men in Portland means nothing. o TO TH1 1CL 444 SHERLOCK BUILDING PHONE PACIFIC 1914 JJ total of $36,000 In 1900. deposits In the Hood River banks have increased to $800,000. "I mention these statistics merely to show the growth of our section of "Wasco County as a basis for our claims for a separate county. Not only have our bank deposits grown amazingly, but the assessable value of the property In the district proposed to be Included In the new county has Increased from $908,000 in 1903 to $2,700,000 for 1907." Blue Print Company Wins. Judgment for $410 against T. A. Tyroll was given the Portalnd Blue Print Com pany, in the Circuit Court, yesterday fore noon. Suit was brought to collect on a large quantity of prints furnished and the court held the blue-print company was entitled to tbe full amount of Its claim. ' DOLLARS OR SCHOLARS Standard on Which. Choice of Ameri can Ambassadors Is Based. New Tork Evening1 Post. International jealousies and demands of a social kind abroad are at the ex pense of the American diplomatic serv ice. We hear of no questions of ability to entertain gorgeously raised in con nection wih the envoys from any other nation. Must we change the old defini tion, and make it read that an Ameri can Ambassador is a man sent abroad to spend $100,000 a year for his coun try? The contrast with an earlier day seems painful. When George Bancroft was Minister to Germany no one asked what was his yearly outlay on cut flowers and champagne. No American diplomatist ever stood higher than George P. Marsh, for so many years our repre sentative in Italy; but he was merely a scholar of international reputation, and a delightful gentleman, who lived on his salary. Lowell's great success in Eng land was won on the contents rather of his head than his pocket. Mr. Bayard was held in high esteem in London, though he was compelled to live mod estly. Are such examples no longer pos sible? . , We must. ,in fairness, admit that the scale of things has inevitably changed during the past 30 years. All must see that social intercourse counts more in diplomacy than it used to; snd the stand ards of hospitality have become more expensive. It is hard to think ill of an ambassador's talk if his wines and his entrements are always good. This aside, it is clear that a diplomat cannot pick up more valuable information, and arrive at a better knowledge of public opinion in clubs and social gatherings than when shut up In an office. But all these con siderations only show how inapt our Con gress has been in raising so many testa tions to the rank of embassies, without appropriating money enough to enable our Ambassadors to live as they should. We have tried to run our diplomacy on the cheap. The result has been to shut up the choice of Ambassadors almost ex clusively to rich men. But this is unhap pily to narrow the range of selection, and to appear to put up the Ambassadorships as prizes for large campaign contributions. The whole system is bad. The shortest and most business-like way out would be for Congress to pass one of the pending bills to purchase embassy buildings in the leading capitals, as other nations do, and then to give our Ambassadors a sal ary adequate to their official needs.