The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, August 29, 1909, SECTION FOUR, Image 39

The Sunday Oregonian., August 29, 1909, SECTION FOUR, Page 5, Image 39

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Newspaper Page TextVlIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND. AUGUST 29, 1900." FANCY PRICES ARE MOSTLY HOT AIR Press Agents Use Imagination in Announcing Sales of Pa cific Coast Players. BOTH LEAGUES DRAWN ON Race In Two Circuits Remains t'n changed Plans for Eight-Club Organization at Standstill at Present Time. BT TV. J. PETRA1N. With Judge McCredle away at the beach and J. Cal Ewlng- too busy to come north, the past week brought nothing- of Interest In the way of dig cussion about the proposed new base ball circuit next season, and It will probably be several weeks before the moguls actually get busy with plans for the prospective eight-club league. As to the status of the two races In which Portland Is more or less in terested, the relative standing of the various clubs remains unchanged. San Francisco has managed to make up the losses sustained against Portland In tne first three games of the previous series, for Vernon has not offered much resistance to the Seals. In fact the Vernon club Is such a weakling aggre gation against the leaders that Danny Long ought to be ashamed of himself to store the wins made against this rlub In the Seals' strong box. The situation is much the same In the Northwestern League, for Vancouver has made but a half-hearted campaign against Seattle In a two weeks' series. By trimming the weakling clubs the feals and the Turks are now comfort ably Installed In the lead, which gives each a firmer grip on first place as the end of the season approaches. The Seals have nine weeks to play, and Seattle only five, and the possibility of either team being headed does not loom up very bright. Spokane Still Has Hope. Despite the odds against them. Spo kane rooters maintain that their club will yet beat out Seattle, and In the Coast League there are not a few fans who expect either Portland or Los An geles to overhaul the Seals. For either of the leading clubs to lose It will re quire a considerable reversal of form nnd a series of defeats. Seattle could almost break even from now to the end of the race and yet win out, for Spo kane must win the majority of the games to get within touch of the Dug rialtan crew. However. Dug's team, whiie It has not been showing the speed it did at the start. Is keeping up a con sistent winning gait. As the season's end approaches the big leagues continue to riddle the minors f"r recruits, and numerous players from the coast have been selected for faster compan next season. So far, all players have been purchased outright, for the open season for drafting has not yet ar rived. In announcing the prices paid for some players the ludicrous Is mostly ap parent, for some ban players have been reported sold for J40O0 and $5000 by Pa cific Coast and Northwestern League managers. The prices quoted must mean mostly stage money in some Instances. All the big league scouts who cruised this neck of the wooks marveled at the prices aeked for players, and were de I'ghted to reach Portland to talk busi ness with the McCredies, who were not In the "get-rich-quitk" class. Three Portland players have been sold to the major leagues, and the aggregate price for the trio Is1 hardly as much as Dug dn!e says he Is to get for Lee Magee. Over Seattle way this will be constructed to mean that Magee is three times as valuable a player as are the three Port landers, but it is only the Seattle "spirit" cropping out again. Dug is so elated at handling large bunches of the coin this season that he triples all offers made him for players when announcing their tales. Magee Has Made Hit. The Seattle man may have been offered half the price he announced bb getting for Magee. but if he did. the big league purchaser Is a sucker. Magee Is a clean, active young; player, but far from being major league caliber, and will not be for at least another season. In Seattle he is the reigning sensation, having fallen into the shoes of George Oapron. for gome reason. In the Spring Dug's press agents announced that the fat man had bought Capron for JjflOO. or thereabout, hut right now not one of them will vouch for tne purchase price." and Dug will have to keep Capron for the next five years to get his money's worth out of him that is. If Dug paid 15000 for him. If he paid nothing at all for the player, which pounds more reasonable. Dug has been a lucky man. for Capron. being a Itreen youngster, has some promise and may advance. Of all the players who have been sold t the "prese) agent" figures In the Northwestern League this season. Kln tlla and Campbell are the most valu able. Campbell, the Aberdeen outfielder. Is the most likely looking ball tosser of the league. He te big. strong and young, and 'possessing thes- attributes', as well as the ability to play baseball, he has a bright future. Kinsella is the best pitcher in the Northwestern League. He has more up his sVeve than any of them, and has the advantage of height, reach and weight, and the big league scouts pay hut little attention to tlte undersized pitchers. In discussing Kinsella's pros pects in the big leagues. Catcher Arm- bruster. who has ben a major leagticr. says Kins-lia has just as much as Christie Matthewaon, or big Ed Walsh, and predicts tl-.at he will make good if he goes there with the Intention of stick ing. Of the Pacific Coast league players who have been sold, only one Is quoted at a high figure, which is probably some what padded, though It may represent the value of the slavers to be secured in trade. This player Is Rollo Zelder. of t!'e San FYanc'sco team, who is really of big league caliber, and will undonbtdiy make good, though $Mft sounds like high finance. It looks very much like the Marquardt deal, when John T. Brush, owning the New York Nationals and Indianapolis American Association teams, sold Marquardt from the latter to the formT club and paid himself J11. rtfl. Moredie rouM have done tlw same thing whn h trareferred OYioney and Chnault to the Pacific Coast League Club from his Northwestern team. Fancy prlce"paid for baseball players are mostly mad? in stage money, or are creations of the Imagination of the ver satile presj? agent who has invested his money In mining stock certificates. While most of the players who go from the Pa cific Coast to faster company have made food In the past and undoubtedly some of those who go this year will do like wise), the loor fans should not he filled with soft soap about the exorbitant fig urea for which the players were pur chased. Rmember. the best player ever taken rem the Coast went Xroiu Port-L- land to the Chicago National League Club for 1750. and that player is Joe Tinker. BENEFACTRESS POISONED Maidservant Out or Work Avenges Her Wrongs on Brother's Sister. PARIS. Aug. 3S. (Special.) A servant girl from Brittany stepped briskly up to a police station the other afternoon, and on being introduced at her reuest to the commissary, boldly said: "Arrest me. I have avenged myself on my sister-in-law, and she must be dead by now." At the same time she handed to the Sergeant a little phial, still containing some atrophlne. and when, greatly alarmed, the magistrate proceeded to the address given, he found the woman suf fering cruelly. The doctor, who had been hastily summoned, had promptly pre scribed an emetic and said he had Just arrived in time to save her. The maid-servant Is now at the depot of the Prefecture of Police, but as a mat ter of fact she does not seem to he al together responsible for her actions. The cause of the dislike she had taken to her Fit'ter-in-law Is inexplicable, as she had been treated most kindly. " The girl came to Paris from Brittany ten months ago, and wandered from one place to another, giving satisfaction no where. Whenever she was without a place she was taken In by her brother, a respectable shopman, and his wife In variably gave, her good advice and WILL WRESTLE WEDNESDAY worked hard to procure her another sit uation. Sullen and unsociable, the maid servant made no friends, and at last ehe took it Into her head that her slster-ln-law, who waa really her benefactress, was doing her utmost to render life Im possible for her. The wretched girl spent a wnoie aay tramping about in vain quest of a place, and. on her return to her brother s dwelling, his wife treated her to a sub stantial meal, and had filled a glass with rum and water to drink her health when the young woman, unperceived, dropped some atrophlne Into tt. and without ut tering another word walked ,off to the police station for the purpose of sur rendering herself. LAMA IS BACK IN TIBET Recent Gueat of China Goes Home With His Immense Retinue. SHANGHAI, Aug. 28. (Special. ) After a sojourn of many months In China, the Dalai Lama has arrived In Tibet, and the Tibetans are reported to be much gratified at his return. He left Sinlnglu early in June, but ow ing to the scarcity of grass on certain portions of the route and the consequent difficulty of feeding his Immense train of" baggage animals, the Journey to Lhassa proved a protracted undertaking. Some 1300 camels started in advance, and accompanying the pontiff and his retinue were 70o more, besides over 300 horses. Injured Brakenian Dies. ASTORIA. Or.. Aug. .(Special.) Mathew Fagan, the Astoria & Columbia River Railroad freight brakenian who was run over by a train at Clatskanle several days ago, died today as a result of his Injuries. The body was shipped to Portland this evening for Interment The deceased was about 30 years old and unmarried. THE TEXAS WONDER Cures all Kidney, Bladder and Rheu matic troubles; sold by all druggists, or two months treatment bv mail, for $1. Dr. E. W. Hall, 2928 Olive Street, St. Louis, Mo. Send for testimonials. - e. STEAM SHUUX flfrrr- : . . Tvv I- i I f r ,)I f-. i 4 isat , I ' " ' ' ...... . i SCENE SHOWING PROGRESS ON NORTH COAST RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION. I ' ' I t . ' i ? v f A 1 I I fif f t. it J &K"'t- - : ' V ,s Jj t f ' f- ' " 4 "i i i t j - - . ! ' i f , $ - . STs- , ) I . - r-fyf.ir j-i j - .v : .try .- " r . , , I R ',- ' ' V .f l - 1 NORTH COAST TO ENTER PORTL Company's Original Plan Will Be Adhered To, So Stra horn Says. TIETON PASS TO BE USED Rich Valley t Cowlitz Hirer Will Be Tapped, and Electric Power ' May Be Used to Climb Heavy Grades. SPOKANTB. Wash.. Aug. 2S. (Special.) Being asked in regard to the plans of the North Coast Railroad Company so far as they will affect Portland. Robert NIGHT AT EXPOSITION RINK r T asaf :- E. Strahorn, president of that company, today said that the company had never given up Its original plan of reaching Portland. He said that It was Inconceivable that with such a considerable mileage drain ing the best producing centers of East ern and Central Washington, and a well defined and settled programme to reach Tacoma, Seattle and other coast cities, his company would never be satisfied without a good line Into Portland. While reluctant to discuss anything of flu's sort, he admitted that the diffi culties which have been encountered In crossing the Cascade Range have had much to do with the apparent slowness of the company's operations on this through Hue to the coast. The com pany has assiduously prosecuted its en gineering work on both the east and west slopes of the Cascade Range In the vicinity of Cowlitz, Tieton and Natchez passes continuously for the past four years. Tieton Pass Decided On. Tieton Pass has absolutely been de cided upon, and the approach from the east is all that could be desired, as It reaches the tunnel site by a remarkably direct and easy line, with maximum grades of only 1 per cent. The great difficulties have been encountered on the west slope, where North Coast parties have been at work at all seasons of every year since the enterprise started, excepting In mld-Wlnter, when the work has been rendered inpractlcable by very deep snows. Large parties are known to be at work at this time on the Puget Sound road from the west portal of the tunnel across to the head of the Nes qually River, by which route the com pany has evidently determined to reach Puget Sound. In 'the vicinity of Tacoma, by water . grade. Mr. Strahorn said that no change had been made In the original plans of the company to reach Portland by a line which will leave the Puget Sound line in the Upper Cowlitx River Valley and practically follow the Cowlitz River route to the Columbia, thence rnto Portland by some route not 'yet disclosed. May Use Electric Power. Another thing was developed which ap parently has an important bearing , upon this matter, and that Is the interest fhe North Coast Company Is apparently tak ing in the possible future electrical WUKk l. MARSHALL, CAMO.V, and equipment of Its mountain lines. It seems to be an open question whether the company shall persist in Its efforts to reduce its grade down the west slope j from Its 1V4 per cent maximum to l per cent, as prevails on the east slope, on account of the much cheaper operation by steam, or whether the much shorter line shall not be adopted and operated by cheap electric power on considerably heavier grades. The company is known to have done a lot of work In the way of location, sur veying and preliminary development of water powers in tha Cascade Mountains, especially on tributaries of the Cowlitz River, looking to this possible contin gency. A line of this sort could be found which would shorten the present North Coast location adapted to steam road operation by some 25 or 30 miles, all of which would be over the portions most expensive to construct. This, it Is believed, would make a net difference of several million dollars in original con struction charge, even allowing liberally for the cost of the development of the electric power. Cowlitz Valley Rich Prize. In any event It Is plain from the lrttle which President Strahorn Is willing to say about the Portland line that he not only values the Portland extension very highly, but attaches great importance to the occupation of the rich Cowlitz River Valley, which his line has been designed to serve from one end to the other. As the North Coast enterprise unfolds itself it is more than ever apparent that it is not to be any cheap line, merely built, for sale or transfer to some. other Interest, as some critics have appeared to fondly believe. Recent contracts for work in Marshall and Hangman Creek canyons, almost in sight of Spokane, cover some of the heaviest railway work ever attempted In the West. This is notably the case In the 12 miles of con struction recently undertaken by two contracting firms In Hangman Creek Canyon, on the North Coast Palouse branch, which will cost something like half a million dollars for grading alone. In this short distance the course of the stream is changed a number of times to afford proper room, and the best align ment for the tracks, and no less than five tunnels, aggregating over a mile in length, are being constructed for the same purpose within a distance of less than ten miles. Bids have been called for on other heavy work further south, both on the Palouse line and on the Spokane-Puget Sound line. . Legal Complications Block. The right of way work on these lines Is practically completed, and no lm portant complication, remains to retard construction excepting the troubles the North Coast has with the Spokane. Port land & Seattle and Northern Pacific, in Marshall Canyon, and the Important law suit now in progress jn the Federal Court here over the possession of the very val uable tract of ground near the business center, which the North Coast Is seeking to obtain from the Great Northern Com pany. in order to reach Its passenger terminals located in the business center at thp City Hall, and to afford additional room for Its freight terminals. The only other detail to be arranged is the com pletion of the franchise through the city. The City Council has already taken fa vorable action on about two and one- half miles of the territory covered by the line within the city limits, leaving about one and one-half miles of the right of way still to be dealt with. While some opposition has been manifested from time to time by Interested parties, it is well known by those in closest touch with such affairs that Mr. Strahorn, with his usual dogged persistence. Is making satisfactory progress, and that It is only a question of a short time until he will get practically what he has asked for. Meantime high-grade experts on terminal and bridge construction are rapidly com pleting plans for the construction of the company's great terminals here, which Involve the expenditure of something like 4.000,000 within the city limits. Equipment Is Received. The company is also very active in its construction work from the Columbia River westward. Seventy-five miles of grade have been completed on this por tion of the line, and nothing but the com pletion of the Columbia River bridge will interfere with this part of the line being in operation before the close of the year. The steel and ties have been ordered for this Taklma Valley section and are be ing delivered rapidly. Some of the equip ment In the way of engines and cars has been ordered for some time and Is being received. The work on the Columbia River bridge is progressing rapidly, and the contractors express little doubt about being able to complete It on contract time, which is understood to be Decem ber 1. DOUBLE FUNERAL HELD Two Victims of Cave-in at Albany Are Buried. ALBANY, Or., Aug. 28 (Special.) The funeral of William H. Peacock and Asa L, Peacock, the two brothers who were killed by the cave-in of a well which they were digging on the ' farm of William Peacock, Just across the Willamette River from this city, Thursday evening, was held this afternoon. The funeral services were conducted at the First Methodist Church by Rev. W. S. Gordon and were attended by a large crowd. MSAR .POKA.. - 'it ............. FINE PLAYERS FEW Tim Murnane, Baseball Ex pert, So Opines. VIEW IS NOT FLATTERING Maintains That Three Teams Could Not Be Picked From Any ot High-Class Leagues That Would Be of Quality. In his weekly letter to the Chicago Record-Herald last Sunday, Tim Mur nane, of Boston, the well-known base ball expert, makes a few assertions that may seem startling to the aver age baseball fan. For Instance, one of them is that there are not more than 30 first-class ballplayers in the two big leagues, and this in the face of the fact that there are 16 clubs each having from 20 to 30 players on the payroll, causes some speculation, especially when coming from a man like Murnane. The letter, which . is based on the threatened invasion of big league ter ritory by the American Association, is as follows: How many really great players have we in the country? Certainly not enough for the make-up of three major leagues. Not enough even for the make-up of two ma jor leagues, when the qualifications call for speed, inside knowledge of the game and ability to hit and field up to a hisrh standard. One great catcher and two extra line pitchers will make a winner out of an or dinary lot of well-handled ball players, while a great all-around team lacking the box men and handled by an ordinary man ager will become a big disappointment. For example, take the American Asso ciation this season, by the way remarkably well handled by President .Josei h O'Brien, of Milwaukee. It gives the patrons of the game in the West baseball that pleases them, made possible by the fact that the clubs could strengthen up to the averasre by players not quite capable of making good In the two major leagues, often for peculiar reasons. - This shows the Ideal con ditions for prosperity in the organizations not called on for the best work of a string of stars. When the American League branched out Into the larger cities there was no thought of furnishing eight teams of stars rather the best of the minor league players with a sDrlnkllng of the stars, averaging about four to a team. The Idea was an excellent one. and worked out for the reason that the four stars were selected from the one major league that held undisputed con trol of the business for 30 years, with the exception of 18!)0, when the brotherhooa took a fall out of the old organization. Today fully nine-tenths of the great ball players are controlled by tne major leagues, and while working under the National agree ment this condition is bound to remain aa it is at the present time. Give me 30 playera picked from the major leagues and I will guarantee to Duna up a Daseoa.ii league that will be second to none in five years, providing the eight cities are picked for the combination, for I claim that there are less than .60 first-class ball players to day In the business, and I will not confine the number to men of the special class of Lajoie. Wagner. Evers. Chance, Harry Lord. Mathewson, Bresnahan. Fred Clarke, Speaker, Bradley, Mitchell and a few others now electrynng tne country wun ineir Dm liant all-around work. Catchers are of little value unless they can think behind the bat. throw sharply and hit a bit. First basemen must be hit ters as well as good fielders. Second base men must be brainy workmen as well as fine batsmen. Third basemen must be able to call tbe turn on every batsman and whip the ball around the bases from all angles while under a full head of steam. Then comes the shortstop, the one man on a team that must be a great all-around workman on ground balls from long and short distances. He must have the nerve to go against the base runners and act as the Indicator of the team. The outfielders must be able to hit, throw, gather in srrounders on the run. run bases, and lay for the batsmen. These men must be natural ball players not forever getting injured. Like all true athletes, tney must nave tne Knaca of avoiding a collision with other players at the same time going arter tneir opponents in a most aggressive manner. Size the boys up. At the most, three teams in each league can claim a half dozen men who can fill the bill. This is double the number that flourished six years ago. The wonders come into the game slowly, while the average player, and good ones at that, have doubled In the last five years. Fielders have always been plenty, while batsmen are Jewels hard to find. 10 SETTLE OLD SCORE ROLLER AD OLSON WILIi MEET HERE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. Big .Wrestlers to Clash in B'inish Match Catch-as-Catch- Can Style. Charles Olson and Dr. B. F. Roller will wrestle in a finish match, catch as cath can style, and best two falls out of three, at the Exposition rink next Wednesday night. Every known hold in the game is at the finger-tips of these two world-renowned grapplers. and the contest should be worth going miles to witness. - Although Roller has defeated Olson, he had no easy time of it, and Olson had Just stepped off a 2000-mile train trip. Then Olson was a stranger in a strange land, and the Se attle rooters for Roller disconcerted him. It was just like a baseball team playing away from home. Wrestling s a great deal like baseball. Any twist or quick hold can stem the tide, and when two men like Olson and Roller meet In a mat contest to a finish, there s no foretelling the result Olson was seen in action with Roller at the Exposition Rink three weeks ago. He more than held his own for the 20 minutes that remained of the handicap, and Roller admitted after wards that he made a big mistake when J he essayed to throw botn Yousiff and Olson In 75 minutes of actual wrestling time When they meet at Exposition Rink next Wednesday night, each will be in prime shape and try his level best for the long end .of the purse money ' Olson's record speaks for itself. He seldom loses a bout, and he claims sec ond place in the wrestling world to Frank Gotch. His losing houts can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and a three-fingered hand would an swer the purpose at that. Roller has ambition to climb some day to the top rung of the wrestling ladder, and his sole defeats were at the hands of Champion Frank Gotch. The preliminaries will be In strict keeping with a high-class wrestling en tertainment, and not an effort will be spared by the local managers to make Wednesday night's show the real open ing of the Portland wrestling season a success. If Gotch remains in Seattle viewing the fair till Wednesday, he will come to Portland and act as referee for the big event. Salmon Fry Planted. VANCOUVER. Wash., Aug. 2S. (Spe cial.) Ten thousand of the first salmon fry to be hatched at the state plant! on Basket Creek, were Dlanted this morning at the Young place on Burnt Bridge To Our Fellow We have bought the stock, lease and fixtures of the Coleman Hardware Company, 67 Sixth street, next block north from Wells-Fargo building) and desire to make room for a complete modern vul canizing plant for repairing auto tires and inner tubes; also to rearrange the stock in order to put in a full and complete assortment of Auto Sup plies. There are certain lines of hardware that we wish to eliminate,, and will sell below cost. A. J. 'Winters Co. AUTOMOBILE DEALERS AND AUTO SUPPLY HOUSES OF PORTLAND Archer, Combs AUTO SUPPLIES, DICK BALLOU & WRIGHT Automobile Supplies 86 Sixth St. Main 1834: A 1834 PIERCE CADILLAC DETROIT ELECTRIC Vulcanising A Retreading. R. E. FORD FORD AUTO AGENCY, 86 Tenth Street STEVENS -DURYEA AND SELDEN -AUTOMOBILES GRAHAM MOTOR CAR COMPANY FIFTEENTH AND WASHINGTON PHONE8 MAIN 8408, A S36. TS Auto Co. SEVENTH AND BURNSIDE 526 ALDER STREET STUDEBAKER CARS Pone 1853 WHITEsGa7oi AUTOS White Motor Car Co. 68 TENTH STREET PHONESi Main 693, A 2334 Creek near the Fourth Plain Road. An other batch of 10.01)0 will be given their liberty in Salmon Creek next Wednes- WRESTLING Next Wednesday Night, Sept. 1 KXPOSITION RINK, NINETEENTH AND WASHINGTON STREETS Dr. B. F. Roller VS. Chas. Olsen DOORS OPEN 7:30 Admission $1. Reserved Ringside $1.50 Seats on Sale at Schiller's and Cadwell's. Automobilists & Winters Co. 306 OAK STREET Northwest Buick Company F. W. VOGLER. Gen. Mgr. 7th and Couch A2520. Main 4555 MORGAN U WRIGHT AND GOODRICH TIRES COVEY MOTOR CAR CO. SEVENTH AND COUCH STS. TIRES BLODGKTT, S10 Alder t. Main T005. FIVE-PASSENGER TOURING CAR DEIVERIESNOW Peerless Pope-Hartford Chalmers Detroit Hudson AGENCY 9 E. E. COHEN Manager Phones A 4944 Mala 2383. Chapman and Alder Streets Jay, near the source of fhe stream. The salmon freed were the cut-throat trout from Ijake Chelan.