18
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAJT, . PORTI AND, JULY 37, 1913.
BENNETT'S
PIONEER FREIGHTER, RAILROAD BUILDER AND BANKER, NOW
DEAD, HAD REMARKABLE CAREER.
NELSON
CAREER NOTABLE
Death -at Tacoma Takes Pio
neer Constructive Genius
of Northwest.
BIG ACHIEVEMENTS MANY
From Mule Driver to Contractor,
Kail road Builder, Publisher,
Banker and Civic Leader, Few
Steps in Strenuous . Life.
In the life of NelBon Bennett, pioneer
freighter, Indian fighter, contractor,
railroad builder, banker, newspaper
publisher and citizen, -who died at
Tacoma early last week, is exemplified
onoe more the soundness of the theory
that the grift of industry and the force
of confidence are sufficient to advance
a young: man to the topmost pinnacle
of the proverbial ladder of success. The
story of his life and death will serve
In future years as a hope and an in
spiration for the rising: generation In
Its struggles for fame and fortune.
Mr. Bennett was well known In Port
land. Among his closest friends here
was C. D. Joslyn. who knew him when
he was driving: a team of mules on a
frelgrht line In Montana and when his
weekly wages alone stood between him
and poverty.
Achievement Were Mausy.
, Mr. Bennett probably was best known
as the builder of the Stampede tunnel
of the Northern Paclflo through the
Cascade Mountains. Among his prin
cipal other construction achievements
are the Palmer cut-off of the North
ern Pacific, the Grays Harbor exten
sion to Moclips, the Alaska & Tukon
Ilallroad, the Great Falls (Mont.) elec
tric power plant, the Spokane Sc Inter
national Railroad, the Twin Falls
South Side Central Canal In Idaho and
the Point Defiance tunnel of the North
ern Pacific near Tacoma.
Preparation for the career of useful,
ness in the Northwest was made on a
farm in Ontario, Canada. Born October
14, 1843, his father died when he was
7 years old, leaving a widow and six
children. Young Nelson was early ini
tiated In the responsibilities of life, and
when 14 years old was doing a man's
work, on the farm.
His education was obtained In the
country school, which he attended six
months In the year, the remainder of
the year being devoted to farm work.
At the age of 17 he went to Orleans
County, New York, where he worked
and attended school one year. When
CO years of age be was employed by
the United States Government In the
construction of barracks.
Oil Industry Invaded.
HIb next move was to the oil regions
of Pennsylvania, where he became a
factor In the development of the oil
industry.
In 1S67 he went to Missouri. As
miner, Indian fighter, railroad builder
and freighter, he opened the career
which has made him one of the strik
ing figures In the history of the North
west. About 1875 he established a mule
freight team In Montana and for a
time after that was located at Challls,
Idaho. In 1880 he came over to the
terminus of the Utah Northern Kail
road. It was there that Mr. Joslyn met
him. He had met with financial re
verses. At this time he bought a
freighting outfit and engaged in th
freight business from Red Rock (now
Lima), Mont., to Butte and Helena,
Constructive ucnloa Proved.
It was while engaged in this busi
ness that he took the contract for de
livering the machinery for the Moulton
Mining Company, which was controlled
by W. A. Clark, afterwards United
States Senator from Montana. In the
year 1881 Washington Dunn, who had
been connected with the Gould sys
tem, took a contract for building a
piece of Northern Pacifio track about
100 miles long. He associated with him
self Mr. Bennett and Levi FIsk under
the firm name of Washington Dunn
& Company. It was on this work that
Mr. Bennett demonstrated his construc
tive genius and his ability to handle
men.
About this time the Northern Pacific
was getting ready to drive the Stam
pede tunnel. Mr. Dunn went West to
look over the ground. On his return to
Missoula, Mont., he died in the Pullman
sleeper. Mr. Bennett then took up the
woric ana secured the contract. He
completed the Job In remarkable time
Just 24 hours in advance of the time
specified.
This achievement brought him Into
considerable prominence. When he had
finished ho moved to Tacoma and at
once became active in affairs there. He
bought the Tacoma Ledger and suc
cessfully conducted it for a while. He
became president of the Merchants Na
tional Bank and a director in other
banks. Meanwhile ha continued his
contract work. Yet he found time to
Bcquire the Tacoma Hotel and became
president of the Metropolitan Park
Board, which prepared the plans for
Tacoma's excellent park system as It
has been built up to the present time.
Traction Railway Built.
In 1SS9 he became president of the
Falrhaven & Southern Railway, a line
projected for the development of the
Belllngham Bay country. He also be
came Interested in numerous other en
terprises and engaged in steamboating
between Tacoma, Seattle anu Belllng
ham Bay.
He built the first street railway In
Butte and afterwards sold It at a profit
to Senator Clarke. He also built and
operated a line In Tacoma.
At one time he was Interested with
C. X. Larrabee, of Portland, In the Hol
la.day estate In this city, part of which
property was sold a few days ago. He
and Mr. Larrabee also engaged In de
velopment work at Falrhaven, Wash.,
near Belllngham.
JuBt about the time the panic broke
Mr. Bennett had sold out his heavy
banking and real estate holdings in
Belllngham to C. X. Larrabee for sev
eral hundred thousand dollars.
As a railroad builder Nelson Ben
nett took rank among the most noted
of his class in this country.
He built the Grays Harbor extension
of the Northern Pacifio to Moclips and
the Palmer cut-off from Palmer on
the main line to Auburn on the line
between Tacoma and Seattle.
When the rush to the Klondike
started he took a large contract for
the construction of the Alaska & Yu
kon railroad.
Another large contract of later years
was the construction of the Great Post
Falls electric plant In Idaho, furnish
ing electric power for Spokane, 16
miles away.
He was the builder of the Spokane &
International Railroad from Spokane
to the Canadian line, 130 miles.
Blgsest DKck Constructed.
One of his later enterprises was the
construction of the Twin Falls South
Side canal diverting the waters of the
Snake River In Idaho, and said to be
the biggest irrigation ditch in the
NEI.SOX
world. He always insisted he would
try his hand in building one'njore tun
nel and he did that In the Point De
fiance Job, which is now practically
finished, '
He had intended that this should be
his last work. A few weeks ago, when
Mr. Joslyn was in Tacoma, he saw Mr.
Bennett. -
"'I am tired, Jos," he said. "When I
get through with' this Job am going
to rest."
He had hardly finished It when he
entered upon his last rest.
"I always believed Nelson Bennett
capable of leveling down the Rocky
Mountains," said Mr. Joslyn when he
learned of his death. "He was one. of
the most remarkable and most useful
men the West ever has produced."
Mr. Bennett Is survived by a -widow
and four daughters. Of the latter, Mrs.
Stephen Appleby, Mrs. Minot Davis and
Miss Charlotte, all of Tacoma, were
with him when he died. His daughter
Ceta, Mrs. Brackett Munsey, lives in
Boston.
He was a member of Lebanon Lodge,
No. 104, of Masons at Tacoma, also of
Ivanhoe Commandery, Knights Tem
plars, and of Aflfl Temple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine. s .
SCHOOL CHANGE PROPOSED
Speakers at Eugene Conference . of
Educators Suggest New Methods.
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, Eugene,
July 26. (Special.) The division of
the American school system into eight
years of grade work and four years of
high sohool was declared all wrong by
Dr. Jean du Buy, the last speaker at
the conference of educators which
closed today at the university.
Dr. du Buy advocated the introduc
tion of an intermediate or Junior high
school for the seventh, eighth and
ninth grades. This, he said, is sound
psychologically, putting under, differ
ent conditions the youth when In the
early adolescent period and providing
a transition between the method of one
teacher in the elementary school, to
the method of four teachers for four
subjects in the high school.
E. F. Carlton, assistant state super
intendent of schools, in an address.
compared the amounts expended for
school purposes in different parts of
the state, showing, that In many cases
one district might afford a high-priced
FINAL ATTEMPT OF PORTLAND'S FIKE CHIEF TO GET GOOD
' PHOTO RESULTS IN EXCELLENT LIKENESS.
KIH.B ClIIt-,11' DOWELX.
At the urgent request of members of the fire department. Fire Chief Dow
ell posed for a picture a few days ago for the first time In more than two
years. The Chief is now supplying copies to friends who have been trying
to got him before the camera man for several months past.'
The last two times the Chief had his picture taken the result was far from
satisfactory. The Chief refused to pose after that on the cround that the
camera does not do Justice to his face., The latest attempt, he says, is en-'
tlrely satisfactory.
" I V , - 1
BENNETT.
teacher for eight months in the year,
while another district, with the same
number of pupils,., scarcely could keep
schoo).. open six months.. His remedy
was to have the state levy provide for
the maintenance of the schools.
READING COURSE IS SAME
State Superintendent Announces
Books for Teachers' Circle.
SALEM. Or., July 26. (SpeclaL)
Announcement . was made today by
State Superintendent of Public Instruc
tion Churchill that the - same course
that was used, last year wlll.be used
until" June, 1914, for the teachers'
reading circle. All teachers" who regis
ter their certificates between the third
Monday in June, 1913, and the third
Monday in June, 1914, must satisfy
the county superintendents that they
have read one of the books in this
course. The books composing the
course are as follows:
William Harvey Allen Civics and healtn.
C1909. Glan, $1.20.
George Herbert Betta The recitation.
clSll. Houghton, 60 cents. (Riverside educa
tional monograph!.)
Percival Chubb The teaching of English
in the elementary and - secondary school.
cl906. Macmlllan, $1. (Teachers' profes
sional library.)
Harold Waldsteln . Foght The American
rural school; its characteristics, its .future
and its problems. C1910. Macmlllan, 11.25.
Frank Morton McMurray How to study
and teaching how to study. ' cl909. Hough
ton. 11.25.
William Hawley Smith The evolution of
Dodd; a pedagogical story. cl884. Rand,
78c -
George Herbert Palmer Self-cultivation
in English. cl909. Houghton. 86 senta.
(Riverside educational monographs.)
A. W. Wrey Jean Mitchell's school.
C1902. PubUc School Publishing Co., !.
FARRELL IS AT RIVERSIDE
O.-W. R. & TS. Head) and arty Have
Good' Weather After Venator.
BURNS. Or.. July 28. (Special.)
President Farrell, -of the O.-W. R. & N.
Co., and party got no further than Ven
ator, 60 miles from Bums, last night,
and about noon today . reached River
side, 18 miles from Juntura.
. The weather cleared last night and
sunshine prevailed today.
;
GFeaf'Ha
, 'I
Third and
REUNION IS SOUGHT
Attempt to Reassemble Army
Corps Projected.
DOZEN ONLY ARE IN MANILA
Newspaper Desires to Gather To
gether Survivors) of First Expe
dition From United States
to IPhilipplne Islands.
. "Dough boys" who swore allegiance
to the Stars and Stripes in the memo
rable days of 1898 and sailed far away
to the clime of the "goo goo" in the
fighting Second Oregon United States
Volunteer' Infantry, will be interested
in the following from the Manila Bul
letin; dealing with efforts made to re
assemble as many of th Eighth. Army
Corps as served with their respective
commands in the first expedition from
the United States. The expedition con
sisted of the transports Australia, City
of Peking and City of Sydney, and at
Honolulu they were joined by the old
cruiser Charleston, which acted as con
voy. ; The course from the Hawalians
was via Guam, where that garrison was
taken. -
The Bulletin says: , .
Careful Investigation points to the . fact
that there are not more than a dozen sur
vivors of the first expedition now resident
of Manila. -
Hesnondlng to the call for a reunion of
the survivors of the first expedition to the
Philippines that arrived in Manila Bay June
SO, "1898, came yesterday morning the names
of two Webfoot veterans; both husky rep
resentatives of the famous .Second . Oregon.
Captain H. L. Heath commanded Company
A. that supported company in maKing me
display of strength before, the fortifications
t Guam that resulted In the prompt sur
render of the island. Captain Heath Is now
the Philippine representative of the Tubbs
Cordage- Company, of San Francisco, - and , of
the Portland Cordage Company, of Portland
and Seattle.- v
Guru Mistaken for Salute.
It is true that the Charleston fired a few
shots that were interpreted as -a salute by
the Spanish commander, who apologized . for
shortage in powder to return the compli
ment. Nevertheless, the dispute as to which
company of - the Oregonlans appeared the
more formidable on this historic occasion
has not yet been satisfactorily decided. !
. The second nama received, was' that of
Captain Albert J. Brasee. who was Battalion
Adjutant of the Second Oregon, and later
Captain of the Thirty-fifth Volunteer In
fantry after the Webfeet had put down the
insurrection -and the regiment was sent
home. He Is now associated with Captain
Heath.
"itar Bill I'd like to be there if . there's
any f-ee' luncu. Without my help.' "G-Uaxn
would still be in the hands of the Span
iards. The above intimation of surviving capac
ity was received ' yesterday from - Jerry
Klauck. of Webfoot 'fame.
Joe DaBurgh. who hold" down the chief
clerk's desk In the hull division, manufac
turing department, at the Cavite naval sta
tion, also sat up and took- notice. Joe of
fered some reminiscences of a pleasant ' char
acter in his letter, and is. in, on any kind of
a reunion. .
Mr. Liefiursh was credited to Company F
of the Second Oregon. tHat magnificent body
of "coffoe-coolars" that held down the -Ayun-tamlento
as a guard of honor to -General
Otis. He has some war record. . -He - was
mounted orderly- for General Otis, and has
always been convinced that wltb the- as
sistance of the Eighth Army Corps he was
rsspunslbie for bringing the war to .a;- vic
torious end. -
Hom Steamers "Watched.
C. C. Swansori Is another -remnant of the
great First California Regiment that saved
the Astor Battery, and with the support of
the Eighteenth and Fourteenth, saved Manila
from the insurgents. Mw Bwanson has sur
vived every affliction of the East and Is now
in charge down "at the piers, where he can
watch with equanimity lh stern of home
bound steamers.
W. ).' Latimer "called up the Bulletln'of
flCe and indicated that he was still In the
surviving class. He honored the First Cali
fornia Volunteers by Joining that organiza
tion, and fit and bled during 1893 and 189.
Then he decided to remain to see the. thing
through.' He is now one of Manila's leading
contractors. - '
Oeorge W. Slmmle, also of the California
regiment, first saw Manila Bay June xu
18BR. Since that time his ambition has been
to control as much of that -beautiful sheet
of water as possible. With this end In view
be engaged In the stevedoring business, and
while his ambition is far from satisfied, he
has demonstrated what concentrated effort
ean- accomDlish.
Captain Henry Steers, who " now holds
down the position of Deputy Collector, first
saw the islands on that eventful June after
noon... He was an officer of the California
In the past
I
ave
Oak
Heavy Artillery,' that saw much service In
the early days. Since that time he has been
associated wltb the internal revenue and
has arrived next to the top notch.
Spencer Q. L.ane, vice-president of Messrs.
Heacock & Co., Is another survivor of the
California reslment. It is recosnueed that
he :' exercised a large measure of Influence,
both as a soldier and as a survivor. In the
direction of establishing peace. His inter
est In the welfare of the Islands has been so
keen that he forgot to return to the home
land. In the meantime he has prospered u
a result of aotlve effort in the right- direc
tion. " Anne Accident Report Filed.
SALEM. Or., July 26. (Special.)
tsabor Commissioner Hoffs report for
June shows that there were 816 ac
cidents, seven of which were fatal.
Five persons were injured in construc
tion 'work, ten in . electrical work, 29
In logging, 82 in machine, foundry and
boiler- shops, 33 in paper mills, 20 in
railroad construction, 35 by railway
trains, 38 In railway yards, 27 in saw
mills and. 18 in sawmill yards.
Salmon Run Is On.
KELSO. "Wash., July 26. (Special.)
Immense numbers of salmon trout are
making their appearance in the Cowlitz
River and local anglers are getting out
their fishing tackle. Salmon are also
beginning to run.
M
PORTLAND MEN DEVELOP
BIG ORCHARD AT ORTLEY
Mark A. Mayer . Announces Retirement From Active Business to Enjoy
- Life at. Fine Country Home Near Mosier.
r"."(if a. -A tit
1 s. r-1
MOSIER, Or., July 26. (Special.)
'Ont of the largest plantings of
orchards in the state of an indi
vidual company is at Ortley, where
Devlin & Firebaugh. of Portland, are
developing about 1000 acres. It Is the
purpose of the company to subdivide
the land and to build an ideal town at
Ortley. A fine country hotel has been
built there, and several modern homes
have been completed.
On a bench above the Columbia, Just
a mile and a half east of Mosier, Is
probably the finest' country home in
the state. Mark A. Mayer, the owner,
who declares that he is going to retire
from all other business activities and
became a country gentleman, is spend
ing a-snug fortune in developing an
estate, of 200 acres. To stand at the
west end of his orchard and look up
nee
Men's and Young
Men's Suits
To close the balance of our Spring stock we have com
bined three of our stocks and place ON SAU3 at our
THIRD AND OAK STREET STORE ONLY
S 16 Men's Suits
at the following sacrifice prices:
S.OO Suits at
Many of these are equal to the $20 suits of uptown stores
and none of them are worth less than $15.
$20.00 Suits at $10.00
2S.OO Suits at $12.50
we have
iven great; bargains, but NEVER
we 'offered such inducements
When You" See It In Our Ad,
COURT EXEMPTS CITY
PORTLAND HELD NOT RESPON
SIBLE FOR BAD SIDEWALK.
Plaintiff Must Look to Engineer,
Property Owner, Mayor or Com
missioners Says Kavanaugh.
Preparatory to departing for the sea
shore, Circuit Judge Kavanaugh yes
terday announced decisions In several
cases on which he has been working.
The most interesting is that of Anna
Humphrey, who sued the city for ?25,
000 for injuries sustained from a de
fective sidewalk. The Judge decided
that the city itself cannot be made a
defendant in a suit involving defective
sidewalks, but that action can be
brought against the City Knglneer and
the property owner involved, and pos
sibly against the Mayor and Commis
sioners also, although' on this latter
point he will hear more argument.
Other decisions follow:
Ed R. Stockton, doing business as Tale
Market & Grocery Co., , vs. M. E. Barrett
1
the driveway leading between an ave
nue of young trees toward the hand
some mansion, with its colonial pillars
glistening white in the sunshine, one
could think himself in the far South.
If the eyes could be closed and again
opened on a roadway leading between
rows 01 tau cotton plants, the meta
morphosis would be complete.
Mr. Mayer, who has spent most of
his life and made a fortune in the
mercantile business, although a native
uregonian. was for many years a resi
dent of New Tork City. He Is now
connected with Portland business con
cerns, but spends the greater portion
of his time at Mayerdale, as he has
christened the village surrounding his
newly completed colonial mansion, the
cottages which house his farm em
ployes, his chickens and his fancy
horses.
iK r ""
v".
Sale
$7.50
as these.
It's So
Third and Oak
et ux., suit on a srocery bill; Judgment an
findings for plaintiff; H. W. Strong- for
plaintiff; J. H. Hltchlnss for defendant.
M. S. Friendly vs. Thomas Burford, P.
Paulson. Warren Construction Company and
Robert Shaw, temporary Injunction restraining-
defendants from operating gravel pit on
Fatton avenue on the Peninsula; Sidney
Teiser for plaintiff; J. s. Cleland, C. W.
Huntington, H. B. Adams for defendants.
Mary Hamm vs. Gertrude McKenny, et
al., suit to quiet title: decree for plaintiff.
Masters. Brlce Masters for plaintiff;
Westbrook gc Westbrook and A. Hansen for
defendants. '
C. W. Knowlton vs. William Hull, action
for wages; Judgment for defendant; Arthur
Tift for plaintiff; T. H. Whitfield for the
defendants.
In the matter of the liquidation of the
American Bank & Trust Company, of Port
land. Or.. Judgment for A. S. Finley and B.
A. Lynda for the return of certain note
for S24.0O0 upon the payment of a guar
antee; Sidney J. Graham for bank; B. S.
Pague for claimants.
Isabella Stewart vs. Anna Kilk et al.,
suit to foreclose a mortgage for $1600; de
fendants proved tender of money before
suit commenced: Judgment for defendant
and suit dismissed; William M. Gregory for
plaintiff; Seetz & Clark for defendants.
T. A. Sutherland vs. O. W. Taylor et
ux., suit to avoid a building restriction!
suit dismissed without prejudice; G. Even
naxer lor piaintut; Kennetn Kenton fo
defendant.
Mrs. I. D. Wilson, vs. J. 3D. Casey. J.
H. Hutchinson and Leroy Lomax; demurrei
to third amended complaint overruled; J,
A. Jeffrey and Boon Karon for plaintiff;
Leroy Lomax for defendant.
William B. V. Bailey vs. Inland Em
pire Company, action on a promissory noter
Judgment for plaintiff for $10,000 for J76
attorneys tees and costs; Jesse Stearns and
John Hall for plaintiff: Corey & Kerr and
E. C. McCtillock, defendants.
Minnie Commacher vs. Virna 8. Lee and
Flora M. Sams; motion for Judgment not
withstanding verdict overruled; Tucker A
Bowe for plaintiff; J. Leroy Smith, fo
defendant.
Ashland Dentist Is Editor.
ASHLAND, Or., July 26. (Special.)
The editorship of the Paclflo Dental
Gazette, & monthly publication. Issued
a" San Francisco, has been offered to
and accepted by Dr. Julio Endelman, of
this city. He will continue to reside
in Ashland. "While a resident of Phil
adelphia. Dr. Endelman gained Jour
nalistic experience as assistant editor
of the Dental Cosmos.
Old 'Settlers to Hold Reunion.
CENTRALIA, Wash., July 26. (Spe
claL) The annual reunion of old set
tlers of Southwest Washington will be
held at Rochester, August 15. Herbert
Robinson, secretary of the Centralia
Commercial Club, yesterday received a
letter from Governor Lister declining
an invitation to speak at the reunion.
V SEE THAT
Lenses Must
Be Changed
Lenses do not wear out, but eyes
do.
Every part of the body changes
with advancing 5-ears, and our
eyes in common with the rest of
our physical being show the ef
fect of age.
We must, therefore, meet the
changed conditions of the eyes.
The glasses that you bought ten,
or even three years ago, are not
giving your eyes the proper as
sistance. As our eyes are wearing out
year by year, your lenses should
be made stronger or weaker to
correspond with your failing
vision.
One charge covers entire cost of
examination, glasses, frames.
THOMPSON
OPTICAL INSTITUTE
209-10-11 Corbett 31dg., 2d Floor