The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, May 11, 1913, SECTION TWO, Image 22

The Sunday Oregonian., May 11, 1913, SECTION TWO, Page 6, Image 22

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Newspaper Page Text6 THREE OF SEVEN BIG STEAMERS THAT WERE LOADED OE REACHED THE COLUMBIA RIVER . DURING T HE WEEK. PORT CALLED POOR MANILA HAY LIKE OREGON POTATOES W. J. Jones Tells of Money Wasted on Harbor. Far East in Market for Tubers and Portland Gets Her Chance. JSTEAMSHIP MAN TALKS Frit Klrchoff, of Himbarg-Ameri ran Line, fires Xo Reason Why Porrt Sound Conn try Should Ship All Pontine de Terrc. Manila is a market for some of the surplus potato crop of Oregon and Pu- get Sound firms are shipping hun dreds of tons to American consumers in the Philippines, says Frits Kirch hoff. agent for. the Hamburg-American line, and that there In space available on the German steamer Sithonla, leav ing this week for the other side of the Pacific, for several hundred tons of the tubers. "If potatoes can move out of Puget Sound for the Philippines. I see no reason why Portland firms cannot also share in the business. said Mr. Klrch hoff. "This Is a peculiar season. I take it. and probably potatoes could not al ways be handled In the Far East as profitably, but it is art illustrtaion of the fact that other commodities than wheat and flour, also lumber, are mar ketable abroad, and dealers who would keep in touch with the varying trades Incldentallv wonld assist the steamship interests when the cargoes usually de pended on are short." The Sithonla finished discharging at the North Bank dock yesterday after noon and Immediately sulphur was placed in the hold in kettles, the hatches battened down, ventilators closed and every crevice and hole stuffed with cloth and gunnies to fa cilitate fumigation for rats. The offi cers of tho ship took the customary precautions to prevent a migration of rats ashore with rat guards on all mooring lines and by hoisting the gangplank clear of the deck at night, o there promises to be an annihilation of rodents by this morning. The liner is to commence loading outward cargo at the dock tomorrow and she will pick up more at the Crown flour mill. Albtna dock and Portland flour mill plant. The ship will be open to inspection during her stay, which will be termin ated Wednesday or Thursday, and it is probable commercial bodies will take advantage of the opportunity to look over the big freighter, which is to be regularly In service. KANSAS CITY MAY BK SOLD "Big Thrw" Officers Have Not De cided to Overlianl Liner. No decision has been reached as to the future of the steamer Ktnsu City, owned by the Baa Francisco & Portland Rteamshtp Company, which operated for a time this season in place of the ateamer Beaver while the latter was "being repaired. Aa she burns coal and is not as modem as other vessels on the run. there la a question whether she will be offered for sale or new boilers and oil-burning apparatus tnstailed. The latter plan would entail heavy ex pense. O. L. Blair, general manager of the line, reached the city yesterday from San FraneuK-o. to spend about two weeks. Mr. Blair expects heavy travel on the Coast during tho Summer, and after a recent visit to Los Angeles Is aangulne there will be no cessation In cargo business. The steamer Rose City In to sail tomorrow, and she has a full load, while an average northbound cargo U aboard the steamer Beaver, which Is due tomorrow afternoon. "While here Mr. Blair will be in touch with J. D. Farrell. president of the company, and other officials. He says there are only routine matters responsible for his trip. JOHX A- ANDERSON" IS DEAD Marine Man Succumbs to Injuries Received by Fall Into Hold. Injuries sustained by John A. An derson, of the firm of Anderson. Crowe A Co.. when he fell Into the hold of the British steamer Kentra "Wednesday aft ernoon, resulted In his death at 9:30 o'clock yesterday morning at St. Vin-, cant's Hospital. The body was sent to Finley's chapel and will be removed today to Vancouver. Wash., to bo In terred In the family plot. The deceased is said to have been in jured internally, while hia right leg was broken, two ribs fractured and there was a severe scalp wound. He was aboard the Kectra directing his men In lining the vessel for grain. The accident occurred a month and one day after the death of his associate in busi ness. Captain Albert Crowe, who was drowned when the German bark Mlml turned over after being floated from Nehalem Spit. Mr. Anderson was born at Ar breath. Scotland, and was 67 years of age. He arrived in Portland in 1S82. ' and wa one of the best-known men in the ship-lining and marine contracting business. Captain Crowe became asso ciated with him 10 years ago. The de ceased is survived by his widow. Bark Flint Reports. ASTORIA. Or, May 10. (SpeclaL) A wireless message was received by the Alaska Fishermen's Packing Com pany this morning stating that the bark W. B. Flint, which is en route from here for Koggiung River, Alaska, w-as 18? miles southeast of Vnimak Pass at noon on Friday and that all on board were well. This means the bark la making fairly good time on her Jour ney north and she will go through the Pass into Bering Sea shortly behind the company's ship St. Francis. The mes sage from the Flint was relayed by the St. Francis. Marine Xotes. Dredging on the Snake River has been suspended by order of Major Mor row, Corps of Engineers. V, & A., owing to high water. Work of loading the Norwegian steamer Thor with lumber at Rainier.' where she arrived yesterday from San Francisco, will be commenced tomor row. She will coma here to finish and clear for Shanghai. Henry L. Beck, Inspector of the 17th lighthouse district, reached home yes terday, following an inspection of sta tions as far as the Southern Oregon boundary. All were reported in satis factory condition. Captain A. L. James has been given command of the steamer Georgia Bur ton, supplanting Captain N. W. Stay ton. Captain Albert Sundby Is skipper of the tug John McCraken in place of Captain J. W. Brown. Three Chinese members of the crew of the German steamer Flthonia were apprehended by Custom-House inspec tors late Friday night on charges of - - , : ..V - . -vi J - -V- , --. - .!. . , . i . , I -. . 5V-ri.;:.; ; - . ' !-V: i- r;' V: 5' .V:: .: Wli-! " C '" ."' . - . '. i y ' " " ': vy"':-';r 'V--- , ;.r' v , . - ' , - -l - r 1 , i ' ',' , Jig" , . , YV - J' n' 1 " . ' " .'-. f' r M Mry I--.-", V"----,x -: f ;. j v..-,? mmm uaatewtCitw $!mTfi&t"i 1st. jT J it 5fc . t V" - 11 as ,lr-1 1.;-a-aL.TJ.-.Jy.ft iiiaJfcJteJSiK HMoeJVJ '1 11 ' 1 IT TOP IS BRITISH STEAMER KENTRA. OK MAPLE LEAF LIE; SECOND IS NORWEGIAN TERRIER A.ND BELOW IS THE JAPANESE STEAMER MAIWSHC MARC. attempted smuggling, in offering for sale silk handkerchiefs and gold rings. On her first trip for several seasons under her own power, the steamer G. M. Walker is to leave today for Jewis River and will engage In regular serv ice. Thore is under consideration a change of name for t?ie vessel through which she will be known as tho Wood land. Providing weather conditions are fa vorable the Yellow Stack Line will In augurate Sunday excursions between Portland and Oregon City a wees: irora today with the steamer Pomona. There will be three round trips each Sunday. The steamer Grahumona will carry ex cursionists today between Albany and Corvallls and is to continue the service during the Summer. On the steamer Francis II. KRgett, arriving last evening from San Fran cisco, were 16,060 sacks of cement, half of which she will discharge at Couch street dock and the remainder at Sup- pie's dock. She Is to load grain tor ini r.inrn trln at Irvine dock. The steam er Westerner is due today from the Golden Gate with 646 tons of merchan dise and asphalt that she will unload at Couch-street dock, both vessels being consigned to the Dodge Line. Captain Theodore H. Dillon. Corps oi T-nrineers U. 8. A., has arrived at Celilo to relieve Captain H. H. Robert In ih work of constructing tne wum Canal under the direction of Major Morrow. Captain Dillon comes iron the Mexican border, where he was on duty with troops mobilized there, and he was formerly stationed at Fort Leavenworth. Kan. Captain Robert has been granted a month's leave, which may be extended to three, and at its expiration will report at San Antonio. -EVv h nurnnsn of taking on tne last of her cargo the Maple Leaf Liner Kentra hauled down last evening uvm Irvjng dock to the elevator and is to sail this afternoon for Dublin by way of San Francisco and Santa Rosalia. She was cleared yesterday with 150 h.rri of tnilow valued at SJ1S4.70, a conFignme'nt of 91.466 bushels of wheat. worth 181.819, and su.aa o"-" barley at "U8.199: Movements of Vessels. PORTLAND. My 10. Arrived Steamer F H LeggeU, from San Francisco, silled StV.m.r San Human, for Son Dleso B"d way ports; ateamrr Sht.ta, lor I "lis: .t-arrur Hoch.ll.. for San Fr.nel.co; steamer Klamath, lor tan Francisco; .learn er Breakwater, for Coo. Eay. A.torm. -May lO Arrived at S nd Wt uo at 7 A. M. Steamer F. K. LSfreti. rom San Francl.co: arrived at and left up at li:30 A. M.. Norwegian .learner Trior, trom tin Francisco; arrived down at 5:-.0 A. M.. Erlllsh .learner Harposua. Sailed a. J 'i p steamer Olympic, for Ban 1 eTo, bi-s.- o '."J tow of steamer Atiaa, for S- -H r'rLnvlsco: sailed at 5:3" V. it.. ;eamer T-.i.k water, for Coo. Way: Japane.o "" er Minohu Maru. for Hankow; British steamer Harpagus. for Hang- Konl and way porta; gasoline .chooner Tillamook, for Bau- da Francisco. May 10. Arrived t 5 A. JI steamer Koanoke, from Portland; steamer Geo. W. Elder, from San DleSJ. Arrived at 2 P.M. Steamer J. A. Chanslor, f.-om Portland. . , Seattle Hiv 10. Balled Steamers Corwln, for Nome; Spokane., for Bkasway; Curacao, lor Bouthea.tera Alaska; bars W. W. C'as, for Vancouver. Port Ludlow, May 10. Arrived fltoamo: bvea. from Son Francl.co. Tacoma. ilay la. Departed Sle-amer EI Seirundo. for San Francisco. 6an Francisco. May 10. Arrived Steam ers Boanoka and J. A. Chanslor, from ri-rt-and: Nana Smith, from Coos Bay; Colum bia Irom Grays Harbor; Tricolor, from N'analmo; Admiral Farrarut, from Saaitio. 5,Hed Steamer Pennsylvania, for Peru, An con; Nippon Maru (Japanese), lor Hon Kong; Mexican, for Honolulu, via Soatba and Tacoma; Oovarnor, for Seattle. Colombia River Bar Reaort. t'ondltlon at the mouth of the "ive- a: .t p. M., smooth; wind south. -2 ml'es; weather, ranlnc. Tides at Astoria Sunday. High. Low. 1:41 A. M S.4 feetlll:10 A. M.. 0.3 foot S.oi P. fee till: 12 P. M....4.1 faat f ii x-ycvrf4 "Www Tty-Tir. mm iwnmami mT... X TseJ ? i : - . -:i STEAMER WEEK BIG Handsome Showing Due Now in May .Statistics. EXPORT FIGURES LARGE Fleet of Seven Tramps Represents Combined "Vet Registered Ton nage of 24,315 Tons Vessels From V. K. Among Entrants. It was steamer week In Portland for the seven days ending yesterday, and. merged with the fact that the Royal Mail and Hamburg-American fleets sent their first vessels here for cargo, there was a larger representation than usual among tramp steamers. The result will be a handsome showing In May exports, principally of lumber, grain and flour. The British steamer Kentra, of the Maple Leaf Line, plying from porta in the United Kingdom to the Pacific Coast, is here loading grain for the Continent, and will sail this week. The British steamer Harpagus, leading the Royal Mall coterie, left Friday with an Oriental cargo valued at $473,275. and the Japanese steamer Manshu Maru, dispatched by the China Import 3c Ex port Lumber Company for Hankow, de parted with 3.224,000 feet of lumber valued at 137,636. The Norwegian steamer Terrier Is NEW COASTER LEAVES ,?V. W-. '-fast i TVA rT , -r- t k ' " , STEAMER SAI BAMO.V. Carrjing passengers and three consignments .of lumber, the new steamer San Ramon of the E. J. Dodge Line, left lsst evenlrlg for the South. She had 180.000 feet of lumber for Los Angeles, 817,000 feet ''-, dondo and 600.000 feet for San Diego. A plan is under consideration to have the San Ramon operate al ternately with the steamer Rochelle in handling general cargo between Portland and San Francisco. . . :y - 1 WMlJ0f 11 I! ..-.i;"vi': i lT - - r - yfrm: TRAMP taking on a lumber cargo at Inman Poulsen's that will figure approximate ly 3,500,000 feet, which goes to Mel bourne. The Norwegian steamer Ma thilda is loading as much of the same material at St. Johns for Australia; the Norwegian steamer Thor arrived from San Francisco yesterday and proceeded to Rainier to start her. lumber load for Shanghai, that will also measure about 3.500.000 feet, and the German steamer Sithonla begins loading tomorrow for the Orient and Europe, taking about 6000 tons. The fleet of seven represents a com bined net registered tonnage of 24,315 tons, and as 26 sailing vessels listed for grain-loading have a total of but 54.849 tons net register, an idea of their carrying capacity may be formed, as, roughly, the steamers would carry about 45,000 tons deadweight. Moose Carnival Attracts Interest. DALLAS, Or., May 10. (Special.) The Moose Carnival to be held in Salem during the latter part of this month is attracting much interest In this sec tion. The Dallas Commercial Club has decided to send a strong delegation to Salem on Salem-DallaB Day, Friday, May 24. About 20 automobiles will go from Dallas and be in the parade on that day. Special trains will be run, and arrangements will be made to let the people of the. state present at that time know where the Prune City of the World is located. Bear Attacks Surveyor. CENTRALIA. Wash., May 10. (Spe cial.) While running transit lines near McCormick, Chester Ort, a Centralla engineer, was attacked, by a huge black bear. Ort had only a .82 caliber re volver with him, but he emptied the weapon at close range ar.d was for tunate In reachinz a vital spot on the beast. The bear was a big one and the skin, which Ort has as a moroento of his encounter, is a valuable one. ON MAIDEN VOYAGE FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. ?'- -tr-j a v-' "iti -a DREDGING SYSTEM NO USE Critic of Methods or Ftart of Portland Commissioner 8 Says Channel Hardly Allows Two Tes Kcls to Pass. PORTLAND, Or, May 10. (To the Editor.) Every port on the Pacific Coast from San Diego In Southern .Cali fornia, to Prince Rupert in northern British Columbia, is prosecuting a vig orous campaign for harbor and wharf Improvements, lowering of, port charges, removing Impediments to nav igation, buoying channels and facili tating communication to interior points both by rail and steam in anticipation of the opening of the Panama Canal some time next year. The changes and improvements are progressing rap idly under the supervision and direction of the best and most experienced men obtainable. It seems to be the aim and ambition of most of the ports to secure the services. of men who are familiar with tho needs and require ments to build up, maintain and operate in a practical manner the largest vol ume of shipping emanating from deep sea and coastwise ports. Every mari time interest is familiar with the work being done In improving, widening and deepening "of navigation channels at Ban Diego, Los Angeles (San Pedro) and the bar harbors along the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington. Large Ships Coming. Scarcely 18 months will elapse be fore some of the largest steamships in the world, having drafts from 28 to 84 feet, will be on the Pacific Coast, coming through the canal, and be welcome visitors, with the latest and very best accommodations, both Elat ing to navigation and the rapi-d and ec onomical handling of cargoes, at such ports as Los Angeles. San Francisco, Tacoma. Seattle. Victoria. Vancouver and F7lnce Rupert. Unless extraordi nary efforts are made by the best and most competent and experienced man agers and superintendents, the depth of water in the Columbia and Williamette rivers will preclude the possibility of any vessels visiting Fortland having drafts greater than those now coming here. The dredging department of the Port of Portland, maintained at a vast expense to the public taxpayers, con trolled by a claes of high-salaried em ployes, instead of deepening and wid ening the channel down the rivers to the sea, is slowly but surely in a great many places shoaling and narrowing the channels to such an extent that large-sized deep-sea vessels are unable to pass each other while going in oppo site directions. Channels Filling I' p. A few years ago the channels, aside from the bars or shoals at various points along the rivers which ranged from a few feet in extent to, say, 200 or 300 feet, were from 28 to 40 feet deep. Since the Port of Portland dredgers have been In operation,' par ticularly within recent periods, these bars have been removed and the debdls taken therefrom pumped up on the river bank. Just above low water, and then during the high water freshets washed back into the deeper channels, between the bars mentioned and the entire channel shoaled up to what Is practically an even basis. In other Instances it Is noted that the debris Is deposited in the water, close to the river banks, not far from the channel that Is being deepened, generally back STKAMEK INTELLIGENCE. Iae to Arrive. Name. From. Date. Rose City San Diego. ...In port Geo. W. Elder. .San Diego. ... May 11 Sue H. Elmoro. Tillamook... . . May H Beaver Lob Angeles. . May 12 Breakwater. . . .Coos Say May 13 Alliance Eureka May 18 Bear Los Angreleaj . May 17 Roanoke J3aa Diego. ...May Is To Depart. Name. For. Date. Breakwater. . . Coos Bay May 15 Rose City Los Angeles. . May 12 Faralso Los Angeles. . May 12 gue H. Elmore. Tillamook. .. .May 18 Geo. W. Elder. .San Diego. ... May 14 F. H. Leggett..L.os Angeles. . May 15 Beaver Los Angeles. . May 17 Alliance Eureka May 18 Roanoke an Diego. ... May -1 Bear Los Angeles. . May 22 European and Oriental Service. Name. From. Date. Kentra. ...... .Vancouver. .. In port Sithonla Hamburg In port Kina London. ...... June 5 Falls of Orchy. London .June 20 Snxonta Hamburg June 29 C. F. Laelsz. ...Hamburg. ... July 80 Cr"n of C'atle. . Antwerp Aug. 15 Brisgavia Hamburg Aug. 25 Name. For. Date Kentra England May 12 Sithonla Hamburg, ... May 14 Falls of Orchy. Orient June 30 Saxonla Hamburg July 5 C. F. Laelsz. .. .Hamburg. .. . July 30 and upstream In position where It can be and is swept back Into the same channel at the first high water freshet. The effect of this Is to keep a couple of dredgers at work and the employ ment of a staff of high-salaried em ployes for indefinite periods. Under the present system their work will nev. .... 2rzu s-4 JUMrf 3 ASTORIA At the Columbia's mouth is on the eve of a wonderful development. The world at last is beginning to realize that the city 'at the mouth of the Columbia is 'des tined to be one of the Great Ports of the Pacific. ASTORIA is probably the only city in the Pacific Northwest where there are no vacant houses and no idle men. "We are offering choice property within the city's limits at prices far below its real value. ASTORIA can naturally expand in no direc tion except over our property. Call and learh what is happening down by the sea. E. N. WHEELER, Sales Manager 100 FOURTH STREET er end. The employes and bosses have life Jobs. The most conspicuous parts of the river where this peculiar kind of work la nAtlppAhlA nnd whpre shnnlR are ex tremely prominent are at Mount Coff- man, a distance of auout tnree miles; Henrissen crossing, about two miles; u.rtln'a Tslflnri flhmif twn mlleR And Hunter's Crossing, through the Rocky Bend, aDOUt two nines, m tne uregun Slough, a point that almost any person can observe by taking a streetcar to Kenton,' the debris 'is taken out of the channel and again deposited within less than loo or zuu ieet. feet in width. The high water freshets in mid-Winter ana eariy spring tana Ua finhrlft And bottom channels depos its that have been thrown up by dredg ers along tne river duim anu ueiuw uij low water marks and partly fills up the channels, thereby greatly narrow ing and shoaling the same channels that were deepened the season pre vious. Other Porta Pump Illeh. Tw Aih.r Tim-fa. nstrtieularlv Seattle and Tacoma, under similar clrcum zianneite nf this character have been pumped up to high land, land that Is far aDove any nign wawi, nmr,c(4 intrt rfkservoira that hav hull? nrifri eRneclallv for retain ng such debris. Alter mis wom who ?nt.A b ntimhflr nf vears aero, no UU1DUCU, " - ...v.A lohnr wan nfecessarv to keep the channel clear, except occasionally once in every tnree or iour yeais - dredger Is employed ror a lew aays to remove the silt and up-river deposits. Between Linnton and the mouth of the Wilamette River through the in- nntonrl' (IF lftHK O f foresight the i,i h,i flnH and narrowed to such an extent that It Is with much difficulty that large steamers can yo. ouch other in safety- and then only in daylight or under most favorable nnnrl t flftR fit n Kill. XI a common sight to see log rafts, draw t i.. a inchAs of water, strand- . j .i,n.i. hars built id and cre ated by the dredgers of the Port of Portland. To successfully tow booms m , .i.. .Snii!i- ahin'a channel must OL lUfia n'u . ... 0 - and should be followed closely to the exclusion of vessels engaged n trlbutlng Oregon s commerco i four quarters or tne wuna. Two Commissioners Protest. ... . . v. aota ard well k&OWll Ail VI Lilt, no ----- appreciated and understood by two members of the Port of Portland com mission conversant through intimate experience with river navigationand . ..,- umifed to two. Captains Pease and Spencer and it is only fair and just to these commissiuneio - them fountain Pease, has for years protested and objected to the methods usea in cirarius w ing and widening the channel from oa CaDtaln Spencer, a new member, is supporting him in protests. The otner memotrs . ... i inATn.rioni.ni1 in the work, iamiuai , iii-..t-- - - i., nnhincr of the reaulrements or necessities of such Improvements, have never had any reai, acuvo "W in Willamette ana uoiumuia ub""" . . n .i.ali nnAfm-xmlnir vessels. Commissioner O'Keilly. although a river steamboat operator, uaa " ience in local river uai6.uu. ... , ck....', Avnpripnca on the missioned o' - ,, , i ... r.ver has been with small-sized river craft, drawing only a very few feet of . a ,h, won a loner time ago. Messrs. Mears, Inman and Pendleton, while excellent business men, mu large Influence and holders of large i.i.rmi, ar. the remaining PrOPei Ljr iiiii. . i- . commissioners and their very life en vironments preciuaes a buBb--"" " o . vrhfn? about river navl- gation, dredging, operating vessels or anything relating to the development or expansion or ocean tuu.iuc.vx -world-wide basis. Meara Depends On Superintendents. irman of the board. JHJ. tucai a - "' - . ut fhat la iisiia.iiv occuDiea by a man thoroughly conversant and ex perienced in tne worn 01 me slon, and should be a man who knows Aanir-cA aTft hOW it SflOUld bfl WIliLL la ill-1. 1 ' i-" - attained without relying upon the word or recommendations oi mo tmuiuuau employes or other persons. Mr. Mears :.niiont in his various shops and factories are men familiar with their duties by actual experience grounu into them from boyhood up, and he . v.. tiiav know how their work khuwb - - should be performed, and he knows that they know wnen it in viuvent and well done. The commission, pre sumably unable to secure a competent in ia 3tnta nf Oregon, went to Seattle and secured the services of a most estimable and honorable gentle man, Marcus Talbot, as general man ager at an annual salary of $5000. Mr. Talbot, by experience and life employ ment, has been a railroad man, and a good one at that. Experience Is Lacking;. He was for a few years manager of .taatnvhln romnanv ODeratine: along the Coast, and the company at that time was under the superintendency of ..1nnivlpH?,!! nhlA executive offi cer in every department. Captain C. W. wylle, who later succeeaea air. in- t. The only otner water experience Taihnf hus had war some vears ago when he assisted from an office point of view the navigation of a ves .si nr txvn nn the Columbia River. However, Mr. Talbot has proved his ability ana vaiue Bun.icienx.iy . rant the board of commissioners short ly after the last Legislature adjourned in raising his salary trom tovuv to $6000 per year. At the meeting of the board last Thursday it was suggested that anoth er steel tug be built. It was only three, years ago that the Willamette Iron Works built what the commission claimed was one of the finest and best, sea tugs on the Coast, at a cost of I some J80.000 or $90,000. Since then Improvements and repairs have been i added to the equipment to the extent! of some J30.000 or $40,000. During: heavy storms in Winters past the tu, did not dare go out over the Astoria! bar. Tug Not Seaworthy. It is and has been generally predict-1 ed among marine men competent to! pass Judgment that she is an unsafe tug at sea in extremely heavy weather. This belief must have been prevalent among the officers and crew when the passenger steamer Washington got a3hore a couple of years ago outside of the bar. The tug did not go outsid tn render assistance, and left It to the Puget Sound tug Tatoosh to effect the rescue of some 60 or 80 people. Later, near the eame place, the oil steaiWr Rosecranz, under about the same weather conditions, went asliore, was wrecked, and some 30 or 40 people were lost. The tug did not succeed In ren dering any assistance. Tho commis sion now suggests the buildinp of an other tug, and if It is as frood as the last one the taxpayers will have ait opportunity of expending somothins like $100,000 or more for another "white elephant." The last biennial report Issued by the commission showed a loss of $100,000 In operating expenses alone on account of pilotage, and towage service a losa of over $4000 per month, or something like $145 per day. Board Spends f2S,000 L'sclessly. This loss has been and Is Incurred directly and in the face of offers from other and the best and most respon sible tugboat companies on the Coast to Inaugurate and maintain at the highest standard a service that should be subject to the approval of Lhe board iself, and thai at no expense to the commission. But, no, the bard pre-; fers to spend $25,000 a year of the public money in operating a service with inferior tugs, and which sum is Independent and exclusive of other sums expended for other tugs and ves sels and their repairs. The foregoing statement of facts, citing conditions as they really and actually exist, is not made in a spirit of antagonism or unfriendliness, but is related in the most friendly manner to every commissioner, that they them selves, as well as the public, more es pecially at this time than later, when, perhaps, it will be too late and Port land's chance for grasping some of the vast trade Incidental to the opening of the canal may be lost, may wake up and more fully appreciate that now It Is the duty of the Port of Portland Commissioners to bend every energy to improve navigation conditions and to guard and close up every avenue of unnecessary expense. Every dollar wasted and every hour of delay Is a blow at Portland's commercial suprem acy. W. J. JONES. STORE MANAGER ACCUSED Stockholder Cliarges H. O. Kentner, of Medford, With Embezzlement. MEDFORD, Or., May 10. (Special.) ' H. C. Kentner, president and manager of the H. C. Kentner Drygoods Com pany, of this city, was arrested last night on a charge of having embezzled $12,000 from the company. F, E. Merrick, one of the stockholders of the com pany, swore out the warrant. Later Mr. Kentner was released on his own recognizance. Neither Mr. Kentner nor members of the company would make any state ment last night. Mr. Merrick declared the case belonged to the state and would say nothing. For many years Mr. Kentner has been one of the lead ing merchants of the city and an in fluential and highly respected citizen. He took a prominent part in every civic enterprise, was active in church ctrales and prominent, socially. According to Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Mr, Kent ner was custodian for $12,000 and his inability to turn this money over to the company caused his arrest. No date . for preliminary hearing has been sut. Lease on Lake Marshes Asked. SALEM, Or., May 10. (Special.) Rep resenting that there are saline deposits n lakes and marsnes in Lake County, which can be developed to an advan tage, the West Coast Development Com pany, of Plush, has written the State Land Board asking for the privilege of leasing them. The clerk of the board will direct the company to present a formal application, and then the sub ject of granting a lease and Its terms will be considered. Vancouver Potatoes Free. VANCOUVER. Wash., May 10. (Spe cial.) The bottom has dropped from the potato market and so low has the price become that one man M. R. Sparks dumped 600 sacks out, free to anyone who comes and takes them away. Ten carloads were sold to a brokerage firm in Texas, which netted the farmers about 30 cents a hundred, but no more can be disposed of there. Cottage Grove Folk to Return. COTTAGE GROVE, Or., May 10. (Spe cial.) Leaving the Grove country for Texas only a few weeks, James Pitts and family have already started on their return to Oregon and have decid ed that after all this is the best place to live.