78 Pages
Section One
Pages 1 to 16
Six Sections
VOL. XXXIII-NO. 8.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 22, 1914.
t.
CALIFORNIA STORM
WORST IN HISTORY
Flood Extends From Te
hachapi to Mexico.
GALE RAGES ALONG COAST
Seven Lives Are Lost; Damage
. of $4,500,000 Is Done.
CITY HOUSES SWEPT AWAY
iios Angeles Suburbs Are Threatened
With Food Famine, and Water
i Supply Is Cat Off In Some
j CasesWide Region Isolated.
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 21. With a loss
of probably more than 14.500.000 and
a total of seven human lives since Wed
nesday. Southern California began to
recover tonight from the effects of the
Worst storm In Its hiBtory.
Swept by wind and rain for the past
tl e days, most of the territory between
the Tehachapl Mountains and the Mex
ican line was flooded, but with the sun
shining most of today the situation Im
proved considerably and, while nearly
all of the towns affected remained lso
".ed tonight, progress was made to
ward re-establishing wire and rail com
munication. Financial Louses Heavy.
According to an estimate made by A.
C. Hansven, assistant city engineer, Los
Angeles was damaged to the extent of
at least $1,500,000. One hundred and
fifty thousand dollars represented the
damage to city streets alone. The re
mainder represented losses sustained
by railroads and by citizens who lost
their homes, which were swept away
by tho floods, with all their household
effects.
Except In the vicinity of Pomona, this
county, where young groves suffered
severely, orangegrowers reported com
paratively little damage. Ranches and
em. ' farms were Inundated, but no re
liable data could be obtained as to the
losses sustained by them.
Gale Adds to Havoc.
The flood situation about Los Angeles
became acute early last night and con
ditions were greatly aggravated t the
same time by a gala v Men reached
velocities of from 38 to 50 mles an
hour at various points inland and" along
the Pacific Ocean chore. -
Poles and towers carrying power
lines and the wires of telegraph and
telephone companies went down and,
with railroads and suburbr i trolley
lines already out of commission, the
stiuation became at once one of com
plete prostration. For nearly four hours
there was no streetcar arvice, and dur
ing the entire day the city had only
brief periods of communication with
the Bast. Surrounding towns, with few
exceptions, remained entirely isolated
without communication by wire, rail
road or trolley.
Railroads report that the collapse of
big bridgej over the Los Angeles River
In this city and the washing out of big
spans elsewhere made it uncertain
when traffic could be resumed. But
large gangs of men were sent out to
work In continuous shifts in efforts to
repair damage as quickly as possible.
Hundred City Houses Destroyed.
More than 100 homes were destroyed
In Los Angeles alone by the torrents
that rushed through the Los Angeles
River and the Arroyo-Seco. As the
floods in these waterways subsided to
night, household goods and other prop
erty, including everything from stoves
(Concluded on Page 5.)
CHS
'5 "
X
J
SPELLING MATCHES
WILL BE CITY-WIDE
WRITTEN "BEES" FOR GRADE
STCDEXTS ARRANGED.
Contests to Be Held In Portland
Schools In May Intended to Show
Modern Pupils Well Trained.
L. R. Alderman, city superintendent
of schools, has planned a comprehen
sive programme for the revival of
spelling competition in the schools
which is calculated to take the place
of the old-time "spellin" down
matches." All of the pupils In . the
grades from fourth A to ninth B, In
clusive, or from 16,000 to 18,000, will
participate in a city-wide competition
this Spring.
- Each grade of pupils will be given
from 250 to 400 words to learn each
term. These words will be selected
from the following sources: Thirty
per cent from the regulation spelling
book, 30 per cent from the reader and
40 per cent from general sources.
Contests will be held on Thursday
and Friday, May 27 and 28, and every
pupil present in every class on the
day of the contest must enter. The
contests will be written.
The charge has been heard often
that young people today do not spell
as well today as they did In the days
of the spelling match and the three
R's, when more apparent emphasis
was placed on rudimentary branches of
learning. One of Superintendent Al
derman's objects In the proposed con
test Is to improve the children's spell
ing in a positive way.
One of the assistant superintendents
remarked yesterday that he doubted
very much whether parents today
could spell any better than their off
spring, and cited numerous badly
spelled excuses.
ZI0N MAY SMOKE OR CHEW
Court Lifts John Alexander Dowie's
Dictum Against Tobacco.
SPRINGFIELD, 111.. Feb. 21. John
Alexander Dowie's dictum against to
bacco, which has been the law of the
faithful in Zion City, 111., was over
thrown by the Illinois Supreme Court
today. The city, ordinance of Zlon
City, forbidding the use of tobacco in
any form within the city limits, was
declared unconstitutional.
Attempts to enforce the ordinance
have kept Zion City in the throes of
intermittent rioting for several years.
HORSE RUNS DOWN WOMAN
Frank Cereghinus, Farmer, Who Re
fused to Stop, Arrested.
With his horses traveling, it is al
leged, at a fast trot, Frank Cereghinus,
a farmer, yesterday ran down Mrs. J.
W. Dozier, an elderly woman, at Union
avenue and East Morrison street. Mrs.
Dozier's hand was run over by one of
the wagon wheels and she was pain
fully bruised. She sas Cereghinus
drove on without assisting her.
Later Cereghinus was arrested by
Patrolman Lewis and charged with In
ability to drive a vehicle.
CABINET MEMBER TO COME
Secretary of Commerce Redfield tc
Be in Portland in March.
Secretary of Commerce RedSeld, of
President Wilson's Cabinet will be in
Portland and will be the guest of the
Portland Commercial Club late in
March. Announcement of his coming
was received yesterday.
The Chamber of Commerce will co
operate with the Commercial Club In
preparing to entertain him and detail:
for the affair will be Worked out as
soon as the definite date of his visit
is learned.
TRAINS WILL BAR LIQUOR
New Haven Decides to Abolish Sale
Throughout Its System.
NEW YORK, Feb. 21. The New York,
New Haven & Hartford Railroad has
decided, beginning March 1, to discon
tinue the sale of liquor on Its trains
throughout the entire system, it was
officially announced tonight.
US SSY)Si
KrY
STEFANSSON SEES
KAHLUK SLIP AWAY
View of "Man on Ice"
Thought Schooner.
SNOW SQUALL HIDES CRAFT
Explorer Writes Own Story of
Alaskan Experiences.
BEST EQUIPMENT ON BOAT
Despite Loss, Adventurer Win. Con
tinue Work, Hoping to Find His
Ship Next Summer Log of
Dally Events Given.
BY VILHJALMUR STEFANSSON. .
BARROW, Alaska, Oct. 18, 1913.
(Special.) On August 6, 1913, the Kar
luck was in the pack ice about three
miles off shore, floating northeast par
allel to toe coast at about 13 miles per
day. She would have been In danger
of being carried an indefinite distance
into the open ocean to the northwest,
to freeze in there for the Winter, had
the southwest wind continued that was
driving the Ice in which she was pinned
fast; had the wind shifted to any point
between west and north before we
drifted clear of Point Barrow she would
have been likely to get crushed.
Neither of these things happened.
We passed Point Barrow early the
morning of August 7 and, as expected,
commenced drifting northwest on ac
count of the current from the south
west, which had brought us, uniting
with a current from the southeast that
met U3 as soon as we had passed the
poleward corner of Alaska. We now
drifted at the rate of over 40 miles
per day. About noon of the 7th the
wind changed to northeast, however,
and soon after that the ice began to
loosen up. By S o'clock we were able
to get under way and in half an hour
we were steaming freely to the east
ward, mong scattered ice floes. with
land In sight to the south.
Cooper's Island Sighted.
Toward evening the ice became
denser and the weather thickened, so
we tied up to some Ice for the few
hours of the midnight twilight, about
eight miles offshore from Cooper's
Island, which we recognized by the
Eskimo houses that were visible both
in the evening and early morning. Soon
after daylight we got under way. The
ice was neither heavy nor densely
packed and it was only occasionally
necessary to "buck" any of it.
That evening we passed Cape Hal
kett and everything went well until
afternoon, when, we ran aground among
the Colviile fiats. We got off again In
half an hour, as the bottom thin, soft
mud overlying dense sand happened
to be favorable. . Later we went
aground again, but only lightly, as we
were under slow speed.
Ice Requires "Backing?."
That evening we passed the Jones
Islands, sometimes called the Thetis
Islands. Toward morning we had to
do considerable "bucking." as the Ice
again became denser. The evening of
August 11 we tied up behind a cake- of
grounded Ice about half a mile offshore
from a small gravel island or sandpit,
known to some whalers as Cross Island
and to others by various other names.
It Is about ten miles from the mainland,
in longitude 148 degrees, approximate
ly. The wind was northwesterly and
the ice was gradually closing in.
We remained tied behind this ground
ed ice until the following" afternoon,
when we commenced working our way
out Into the pack again. Shortly be-
(Concluded on Page 11.)
SOME EVENTS IN THE PAST WEEK'S NEWS ARE HEREUNDER NOTED BY REYNOLDS.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 52
degrees; minimum, 47 degrees.
TODAY'S Occasional rain; southerly winds.
" , Mexico. ' (
Bryan orders searching inquiry Into execu
tion of Benton. Section 1, page 2.
Rebels say Briton was executed for attacx
on Villa. Section 1. page 1.
national. '
Senate ratifies renewal of eight arbitration
treaties. Section 1. page 6.
Wilson's friends to boom him for another
term despite platform. Section 1, page 8.
Administration primary bill may restore
Souta's vote in Republican conventions.
Section 1, page 2.
Domestic.
Mysterious extra witness found locked up
in Colorado mine inquiry. Section 1,
page 8.
American woman ordered - deported trom
Italy. Section 1, page 6.
Jerome argues Thaw is conspirator. Sec
tion 1, page 6.
."Lou" Fields. veteran superintendent ot
Southern Pacific, retires. Section 1. page 2.
Southern California floods worst in history.
Section 1, page 1.
Frauds force change In Ohio initiative and
referendum, section 1, page 5.
Sports.
Jefferson High-Columbia University basket
ball game may be delayed. Section 2,
page 4.
T-'niverslty of Oregon likely to have
strongest baseball team In . Its history.
Section 2. page 4.
Mathewson criticises Hank O'Day as rule
maker. Section 2. page. 3.
Orange O Club plans athletic carnival In
May. Section 2, page 6.
Portland Golf Cluo campaign adds 50 mem
bers. Section 2, page 6.
Jewish Boys' quintet wins 57 games, loses
5 Section 2. page 4.
Outlaw days on Pacific Coast recalled by
Portland men. Section 2. page 3.
Harry Smith gives Seals once over.-. Sec
tion 2. page 2.
Horsemen looking for good harness racing
year. Section 2. page 4.
Billy Evans writes on "picking sports" ' in
baseball. Section 2, page 2.
Fawcett writes Ritchie like prophet without
honor in home town. Section 2. page 3.
Astoria Athletic Club takes breakers In
midwinter. ' Section 3, page S.
Candidates for sport honors at University
of Washington number 150. Section 2,
page, 5.
Murphy ousted from baseball; Charles P.
Tart buys Cubs. Section 2. page 1.
Dr. Stewart denies Sieberts is "ringer" or
professional. Section 2. page 1.
Speck Harkness keeps In "form" by pitching
gravel. Section 2, page 2.
Pacific Northwest.
Benton farmers start big "drainage project
designed to make tillable 1.000,000 Ore
gon acres. Secton 1, page 6.
Washington officials plan to. organise work,
men to check increase of accider-Ls. Sec
- Hon 1, page 7.
Second-choice votes to play , determining
part in Washington Senatorial contest
Section 1, page 7. .
Recall petitioners to seek signatures at Ts
coma. churches today. Section 1. page 8.
State Treasurer Kay denounces extrava
gance of .commissions. Section 1, page 10.
Vilhjalmur Stefansscyi writes own story of
disappearance of Karluk. Section 1,
page 1.
Masked robbers hold op Seattle-Tacoma ln-
terurban. Section 1, page 1.
Christian Endeavorers of state re-elect Mr.
- Baker president. Section 1, page U.
Posses by score vainly, seek train robbers.
Section 1, page 8.
New 600-barrer mill at 'Astoria to open
April 1. Section 4. page S.
Republicans represent 61.04 per cent of total
, state registration to date. Section 1,
page 4.
Commercial and Marine. .
Hop prices decline with cessation of 'East
ern demand. Section 2, page 17.
Chicago wheat trade distrusts crop failure
. news from Hungary. Section 2, page 17.
Mexican developments have depressing ef
fect on stock market. Section '1. page 11.
Old pilot schooner Joseph Pulitzer may be
come fishing vessel. Section 2, page 6.
Beaver's purser resigns to return . to old
love. Section 2. page o.
Portland and Vicinity.
Auditorium site likely to depend on Supreme
Court decision. Section 2. page 18.
Coast cities celebrate 50 years of salmon
industry March 13. Section 1, page 13.
Only five days left in which to file Income
tax statements. Section 1, page 13.
Portland this week kills old system of sa
loon license transfers. Section 1, page 15.
Ex-uoventor Geer announces candidacy tor
Governor, indorsing state-wide prohibi
tion. Section 1, page 14.
"All-Western Civic Pageant." gigantic pa
rade planned at Panama Fair. Section
page 18.
Sons of American Revolution to invite Na
tional meet to Portland in 1915. Sec
tion 1. page 9.
Superintendent Alderman announces plans
tor city-wide written spelling ' bee' for
Portland. Section 1, page 1.
Rules to detect rabies given. Section 3,
page 7.
.Dr. woods Hutchinson to speak here Friday.
Section 1. page 15.
Columbia Highway progress Is rapid. Sec
tion 1. page 12.
New taxpayers association attacks water
meter plan. Section 1, page 4.
Hopes vanish for ex-police captains as civil
service board rules. Section 1, page 1.
Rose Festival bids for National balloon
races. Section 1, page 5.
County released from tax blame. . Section 1,
page 10.
Al Kader Shriners to put on great open-air
festival. Section 1. page 12.
Recall has brand of men once put out. Sec
tion 1, page 14.
T
II. (TfrttV ltl W-H I TZ. r-rim. ...... I I BL" 4 W. A -A L A.
HOPES VANISH FOR
EX-POUCE CAPTAINS
Slover and Riley, Not to'
X
Be Reinstated.
CIVIL SERVICE BOARD ACTS
Rupert and Christofferson Also
Lose, at Final Meeting.
EIGHT RESTORED TO LIST
Municipal Commission Holds Session
to Pass on Rehearing Appeals of
Ten and Slover's Case Re
sulting From Expose.
The death-knell of the hopes of four
ex-members of the Portland Police De
partment, Including ex-Captains E. A.
Slover and Harry Riley, for reinstate
ment was rung by the Municipal Civil
Service Commission at a session held
at the City . Hall last night
Six patrolmen and two sergeants,
dismissed at the same time with the
four, December 11 last, "for the good
of the service," were reinstated. The
Commission sustained the charges
against these men, and imposed a six
months' enforced absence from duty,
dating from the day of their dismissal.
At the expiration of this time, they
may take their places in the civil serv
ice eligible list with the same stand
ings that they received when they
passed their examinations on entering
the service. . . ,
Six ' Restored to List.
The four mefi whose cases were
quietly interred by the Commission are
ex-Captain Slover, ex-Captain Riley,
ex-Sergeant C. J. Rupert and ex-Patrolman
H. Christofferson.
The six men who are restored to the
eligible list are: Sergeants Thomas J.
Casey and A. L. Pressey and Patrolmen
John Jones, A. Schlrmer, R. L. White
side, Charles S. Frey, Guy E. Fuller and
B. B. Hutchins. .
All of the men except Captain Slover
have had trials before the Commissio
and the action of the Commission was
taken on their petitions for a rehear
ing. -
It was the outspoken opinion of mem
bers of the Commission, all of whom
were present, that Captain Slover has
never desired a hearing of his case be
fore the Commission.
Trn Cases Tried Together.
In the cases. acted on last night, the
Commission tried ten together, and the
case of Patrolman Frey separately.
Chairman Caldwell called the meet
lng to order, and at once delegated
Commissioner Logan to be the spokes
man in announcing the decisions of the
body.
Nearly 'all of the discharged police
officers and patrolmen were In th
crowd which filled the Council chamber.
among them former Captain Riley, for
mer Sergeant Rupert and Patrolman
Frey. Former Captain Slover was not
present.
"The conclusion of the Commission
as to Captain Riley," said Commissioner
Logan, "is that he, being the leader,
as to his standing in office, in the of
fenses committed and admitted by him,
cannot be given a rehearing. This,
with the further consideration that he
was warned three or four months be
fore the final denouement, compels the
Commission' to announce that the
charges against him are sustained.
Rupert's Case the Same.
"In the case of Sergeant Rupert,"
went on Commissioner Logan, "the de
fense was the same, hut the Commis
sion iz impelled in its action by the
fact that Sergeant Rupert, withou-
cause or provocation, Insulted a rep
(Concluded on Page 9.)
ROBBERS HOLD UP
SOUND INTERURBAN
THREE-MASKED MEX TAKE $350
. OX SEATTLE-TACOMA TRAIN,
Thieves Cover Faces With Colored
. Handkerchiefs and Force Con
ductor to Pass Hat.
SEATTLE, Feb. 21. Three masked
men held up an interurban train on the
Seattle-Tacoma Electric Railway to
night and robbbed the passengers, of
more than J350. The passengers made
no resistance. After the robbers had
collected their tribute they leaped from
the moving car ,and escaped.
The train, which left Seattle at 9:05
o'clock, was made up of two coaches.
In the first or smoking car there were
90 men. In the second car there were
30 passengers, mostly women.
The train made Its usual stop at
The Meadows, about five miles south
of Seattle, and among the persons who
got on were three men who were
colored handkerchiefs about their
heads and hats pulled down. Two of
the new passengers entered the smok
ing car. One had a yellow handker
chief over ,h's face,' with eyeholes slit
in the cloth. The second wore a red
bandanna over his eyes.
One of the men pointed a pistol at
the conductor and orderrd.him to come
with them. The robbers went down
the aisle, ordering the passengers to
give up their money. All complied and
it Is estimated that $350 was trans
ferred from the pockets of the pas
sengers to those of the robbers. One
passenger had $160 in his pocket and
gave up' $12. No attempt was made to
search the passengers or parley with
them, the robbers taking what was
handed to them.
UNITED TWINS BORN; DIE
Children Resembling .Siamese Twins
Succumb Before Reaching World.
Heroic efforts were made last night
at Good Samaritan Hospital to save the
lives of twins born to Mrs. S. C. Carle
son, of Park Rose. The case as re
ported last night by Dr. W. "W. Bruce
is one of the most remarkable in the
history of local surgery. The twins
were Identical with the nature of
birth of the famous Siamese Twins,
the exception being that the children
were girls, and both succumbed be
fore admitted into the world.
Mrs. Carleson was removed from the
family home at the end of the Park
Rose carllne to the Good Samaritan
Hospital, where a bevy of attendants
worked for hours in an effort to save
the lives of the twins and mother.
JAPANESE SUBMARINE GONE
After Three Bays Xaval Men Think
All on Board Are Lost.
HIROSHIMA, Japan, Feb. 21. A Jap
anese submarine attached to the pro
tected cruiser Hirado has been missing
for three days. The naval attaches be
lieve she has met with disaster and
that all have been drowned.
The submarine had been dispatched
to search for torpedoes lost during
practice off Kakumajima.
OVERLAND TRAIN WRECKED
Twin City Express on Northern Fa
ciflc Derailed and One Killed.
SEATTLE, "Wash., Feb. 21. Northern
Pacific Overland passenger train No.
5, the Twin City Express, westbound.
was partially derailed tonight at Black
River Junction, 10 miles from Seattle,
and Engineer Charles Dulin, of Seattle,
Instantly killed.
None of the passengers was Injured.
WILLIAM ACCEPTS THRONE
New Ruler of Albania Hailed as
King, and "Your Majesty."
NUEWIED, Germany, Feb. 21.
Prince William, of Wled, entered the
ranks of European sovereigns today
when he formally accepted the throne
of Alabama, tendered to him by Essad
Pasha, at the head of a deputation of
Albanian notables.
REBELS SAY BRITON
HAD FULL HEARING
Armed Attack on Villa '
Is Death Charge.
FRIENDS SNEER AT REPORT
Declaration Benton Carried
Weapons Is Disbelieved.
TRIAL RECORD PUBLISHED
Witnesses at Court-3Iartial Say It
They Had Not Been Present
General Would Have Been
Murdered In Office.
EL PASO, Tex., Feb. 21. The record
of the alleged court-martial ot Wil
liam S. Benton, made public at Juarez
late today, asserts that the Scotchman
was present, that he was represented
by a rebel officer as attorney, and was
permitted to testify, and that the ses
sion was public
He was executed for attempted armed
violence against General Villa, declares
the record, and was found guilty of
giving aid and comfort to the enemy
by giving them cattle and forage and
by giving them Information.
Benton's Friends Skeptical.
Benton's friends on this side of the
Rio Grande received the report with
sneers. They pointed to their knowl
edge of many years that he guarded
against possible serious results of his
high spirit and temper by never car
rying a pistol. The statements that
Benton was allowed to testify and that
the proceedings were public carried no
conviction to the men who assert that
their friend was deliberately murdered.
The record opens with the statement
that an extraordinary council of war
was convened at 4:15 o'clock last Tues
day by Colonel Fidel A villa. The coun
cil convened a court-martial, of which
Major Jesus Rodrlgues was president,
assisted by four other judges.
"The accused," says the report, "was
arraigned and having been advised to
name someone to defend him. Captain
Mariano Tamez was designated for this
purpose and was warned to defend
Benton loyally."
Benton's Call Inopportune.
There was no further mention of any
activity on the part of the captain.
The witnesses against Benton were
Major Manuel E. Banda and Adrles
Farias. It does not appear that Villa
testified. Banda and Farias swore that
Benton called on Villa Tuesday fore
noon "at an Inopportune moment."
Witnesses were with Villa at the
time. Benton,- they said, made com
plaint of rebel depredations on his
ranch, Los Remedios, In the State of
Chihuahua, and asked permission to
return to it.
Villa replied that it was not desired
that Benton should return to Mexico
because he was well known as a
sympathizer w'lth Huerta, "to whom he
had given help In many ways; giving
Information of the movements of our
troops; having intimate relation with
the 'red flag" chiefs (.Orozco and
Salazar), and considered the constitu
tionalists as rebels and bandits. Villa,"
continues the report, "said that be
cause Benton was a foreigner, his
property had not been confiscated, but
he must remain out of the country be
cause he was an element destructive
of the peace ana prosperity of the
country."
Reply "Harsh and Violent."
"The accused man answered In harsh
and violent terms and asserted that no
human power could keep him out of
(Concluded on Page 2.)