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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 1916)
to THE SUNDAY OREGON'IAN, PORTXAJTD, DECEMBER SI, 1916. ' OLGOTT HAS PLAN TO SAVE MONEY WINTER SPORTS ARE FEATURED IN AND ABOUT PORTLAND WHILE THE COLD SPELL LASTS. E.J. RICHARDS KILLED Pioneer Grocer Badly Cut Up by North Bank Train. Multnomah Biennial Report Will Recom mend Doing Away With Numerous Elections. WATCH AIDS TO IDENTIFY COST TO TAXPAYERS GREAT Research Shows Expenses in 1913- 14 to Be About $500,000 Total In 1915-16 Believed as Large. Remedy Is Legislative. fALEJI, Or.. Deo. 30. (Special.) In tits forthcoming biennial report Secre tary of State Olcott will recommend that steps be taken toward securing an appropriate constitutional amendment and legislation which will do away with numerous elections and result in throwing all municipal and school dis trict etoctlons on tne samo day as tno arenerai election. Facts and figures compiled by his of ' flee show that in 1313 and 1914 elec tlona'throughout the state cost the tax payers $476,961.53. that. In round num bers for those two years. 10(N(K0 of this expense was for elections held in municipalities. Tt cost the counties $336,191 for those two years for necessary expenses de volving upon tliem. while the state of Oregon expended $41,670. The Immense cost of $500,000 for the lection exDenses alone, it Is believed. was more than duplicated in the years 1916 and 1916. although figures for those years could not be compiled at this time. Accurate Figures SectireA. In securing an estimate of tne elec tion costs for 1913 and 191 more than six months' work was Involved, as forms and blanks were sent to all counties and cities, and the data was ecured as accurately and compehen elvely as possible. It is the belief expressed here that some saving was effected in the election costs for the last two years in doing away with one of the election Judges, but the additional registration and voting probably would about offset that and the figures for 1913-14 may be taken as nearly a criterion for the figures for the past blennlum. Speak ing of his new plan and the cost of elections, Mr. Olcott will say in his biennial report: "Do the residents of the several mu nicipalities throughout the state of Ore icon know that their electipns for mu nicipal officers are costing them ap proximately $50,000 annually? Again, do they know that this vast, sum can be saved to them without In the slight cat degree Impairing the efficiency of their several local eovernments? Census Saving In SIOO.OOO. "In my biennial report to the last Legislature I recommended the repeal if a law enacted in the year 1S65. pro viding for the taking of a state census In that year and every tenth year there after. Acting upon such recommenda tion the 1915 Legislative Assembly re pealed such law. thereby effecting a saving to the several counties of the state of approximately $100,000 every 10 years. No lpss or Injury to the peo ple has .resulted. "In the line of retrenchment and economy In municipal as well ss state end county governmental affalrE, and ps a' further means of reducing the people's tax burden:; (for they are the amr whether in the shape of municipal Or stato taxes). 1 am fully convinced, from the results of my investigations, that a saving annually of not less than $60,000 can be made to the municipali ties of the state by the adoption of an appropriate constitutional amendment directing that municipal elections for elective officers shall be held at the samo time as the biennial stato elec tions both their primary and general elections and that the terms of office f municipal officers be changed to terms of sufficient length and eo regu lated as to obviate the holding of elec tions for municipal officers at other .times than the regular state elections both primary and general elections. "The charters of many of the munici palities provide for terms of office of one year and upwards. Under Che pro posed change the minimum terms of office would be fixed at two years. All terms of office would necessarily have to be for terms of two, four,fclx, etc., years, as elections would be held only biennially. Classified Summary Given. "During the past year I have en deavored to secure statistics from the Incorporated cities and towns of the Hal' , giving the amounts expended by them in the conduct of their municipal elections during the years 1913 and 1914. Out of requests for such data made of 175 of the incorporated cities and towns of the state, 137 responses were received. A classified summary of the expense for the years 1913 and 1914 of those municipalities reporting follows: 1013. 1914. Total. Services, judges na clerks. .?20,870.15 $21,015.00 $41,885.76 Printing b a 1- lots 4.4S3.40 -,U40Oi T,4.S0.i)S rrlntlng char ter amend- ments 4.403.00 Rental polling places 1,635.75 2f lsce 1 1 aneous expenses ... 14.3S9.20 2.753.88 T,1B6.88 8,489.15 5.074.90 13,107.00 27,406.29 Totals $45,283.06 $43,760.79 $89,044-35 "Inasmuch as the election costs of J87 of 175 municipalities in the etate aggregate almost $90,000 for those two years it Is not unreasonable to assume that the expenses of the municipalities which failed to report will bring the total up to not less than $100,000 for the two years, or approximately $50, 000 annually. In addition, the people will be relieved of an unending series of elections and I believe take a greater Interest in them when they are required to be held from time to time. "I am advised upon good legal authority that a simple constitutional amendment can be proposed which will In no way affect the existing provi sions of our constitution. 23 Cities Report Primaries. "Twenty-three of tho cities reporting held primary elections for the nomina tion of their candidates for the various offices to be filled. These are held In all months of the year likewise are the general elections of the various municipalities of the state no uniform ity in this regard obtaining in the char ters of tho various cities and towns. The proposed amendment would not prohibit the holding of necessary spe cial elections In any of the municipali ties. "There is nothing new or novel about the proposed change. It Is a recont mendation solely in the Interest of eoonomy. The people of this state at the recent general election adopted the 6 per cent tax limitation and Indebted ness amendment as a curb or limitation upon the expenditure of the public moneys, and In keeping with the more advanced thought or Ideas In the con duct of the various governmental func tions I believe that this suggestion should have your very serious consid eration. People Would Decide. "If the Legislature In 1915 saw fit to repeal a statute effecting a saving A BO Aim FOR A LOG SLIDE of approximately $100,000 to the people of this state every 10 years without In any degree impairing the efficiency of the state government, or working In- Jury to any of its citizens. It seems to me that it would be in the interest of economy alone to submit a constitu tional amendment which shall effect a saving of not less than $100,000 every two years, or $500,000 during the same period as covered by the old census law. This will give the people an op portunity to express themselves upon this proposition and decide for them selves whether they wish to be rellevod of as much of the attendant expense and annoyance. "The following statement gives some idea of the large sums necessarily ex pended under existing laws by the state, the counties and by the several municipalities in the registration of the voters and in the conduct of the several elections during the years 1913 and 1914: By the state of Oregon for election blanks and supplies, for com piling, printing and distributing the various election pamphlets required under the Corrupt Prac tices Act and the Initiative and referendum, and for other neces sary expenses incident to the conduct of the several elections during 1P18 and J914 $ 41,670.03 By the 34 counties for registration of voters, printing official bal lots, rental of polling places, pervlces of election officers and for other necessary expenses In cident to the conduct of tho several elections during 1913 and 1914 335,91.48 By the municipalities for services of election officers, printing bal lots, rental of polling places, and for other necessary expenses In cident to the conduct of the several elections during 1913 and 1914. estimated 100,000.00 Approximate expenditures of the state, counties and municipalities of the state for elections during 1913 and 1914 $476,961.53 Pasco Resident- Dies. PASCO, Wash., Deo. 30. (Special.) J. U. Voy aged 60 years, a resident of Pasco for several years and em ployed as watchman at the power house of the Pacific Power & Light Company, passed away at his home here last night, death being due to kidney trouble. He was a native of Canada. Mr. Foy leaves his widow and six children, also two brothers, resi dents of Pasco, and a mother In North laklma. The body was taken to North Yakima for interment. The Annual Oregonian In Wrappers Labeled as Follows: NEW YEAR'S EDITION $3ortIanii. (rpgim The Oreg-onian Annual will be on sale Monday morning-, January 1. Copies desired for mailing- will be rolled in neat wrappers, labeled "New Year's Edition, Morning- Oregonian, Portland, Oregon." Watch for the label. Supplies of the Annual will be available at various prom inent street corners, as well as at The Oreg-onian office. Copies all ready for mailing, including postage, will be sent anywhere in the United States and its possessions, Canada and Mexico for 10 cents, foreign 15 cents. The price of same unstamped is 5 cents. Be sure to send copies of the Annual, Oregon's greatest advertising medium, to your friends in other states. Look for the label on the wrapper. OIT A BIG BOBSLED. 3 GREAT Fl ON THEIR SMALLER SLEDS. 'IF COSTS $736,936 Legislature Asked to Appro priate $758,806. BUILDING NEEDS $130,400 Rapid Increase in Number of Stu dents Said to Necessitate Far ther Accommodations Medi cal School Is Not Iricluded. UALEM, Or., Dec. 30. (Special. 1 The University of Oregon, in its budget for tho next blennlum as reported to the Secretary of State, estimates its ex penses; for which appropriations are asked at $758,806. Its mlllage tax for the two years, estimating for 1918 on the same basts as the amount to be derived for 1917, will aggregate 62o. 528. leaving a total of $233,278 which that Institution will ask the Legislature to appropriate. The total amount estimated by the university for its cost during the next two years is $79636. Of this amotint $554,020 is estimated as tho cost of cur rent expenditures, including salaries of officers and employes. For permanent improvements and new buildings $130, 400 Is asked, and for replacements, bet terments, materials and supplies a total of $111,020 is the estimated require ment. Contingencies are estimated at $1496. These estimates do not include the University of Oregon Medical School at Portland. The estimated requirements for new buildings and improvements include a recitation building at $50,000; a dormi tory for women at $50,000; an extension of the heating main at Splller Hall at $1800; an addition to Splller Hall to cost $3600 and puchase of 12 acres of Gale land adjoining the campus at $25, 000. Receipts, estimated, aggregate $38,- W$t V WAS ENJOYED BY THE KIDDIES 000, which Include $12,000 rcelpts from the university Interest rund, $22,000 es timated as receipts from tuition and $4400 from the Vlllard endowment fund. The report from the secretary of the board of regents asserts that the rapid Increase In enrollment during the past two years, amounting to 27 per cent gain over the enrollment at the time of the last Legislative session, indicates that both additional room and teaching force will be required before the close of the coming blennium. morv Listed am Need. "The university needs a number of new buildings, among which may be noted a woman's dormitory, an audito rium building, an armory and a recita tion building. The women's dormitory and the recitation building are most urgently Bemanded. No adequate pro vision has been made for the housing of the women of the university, al though a good dormitory has been pro vided for the men. "In order to provide for tho growth of the university and carry out the plans of the campus adopted by the board two years ago. it la Important that provision be made In the near fu ture for the purchase of 12 acres ad Joining the campus before the land Is platted Into city lots and sold In sub divisions." The University of Oregon Medical School at Portland estimates its ex penses for which appropriations are asked at $178. 820. The estimated cur rent expenses, including salaries for officers and employes, are $78,805 and $50,000 is asked for a new building. Replacements, betterments, materials and supplies will cost $26,605 under the estimate and contingencies total $1200. The grand total estimated as needed is $156,610, but receipts of $17,790 from tuition, etc., decreases the amount of appropriations that are asked. Public Scales for Idulio Urged. LEWISTON. Idaho. Deo. 30. (Spe cial.) The farmers of Idaho are circu lating numerous petitions asking that tho next Legislature of this state au thorize the Installation of Jpubllc weighing wagon scales throughout the state. They say that the appointment of a public roadmaster, whose duty it will be to see that the scales are accu rate, will result In a material saving to the farmers. It is understood several states of the Northwest will pass such a law when their Legislatures next convene. regoman Family, Alarmed at Continued Ab sence, Calls Upon Police and Learn of Tragedy Trainmen Unaware of the Accident. E. J. Richards, a pioneer grocer of Portland, was struck and Instantly killed yesterday morning i 7 an out bound Spokane. Portland & Seattle pas senger train, at Twentieth street and Sherlock avenue. Apparently there were no witnesses to the accident. The body was cut Into many fragments, ana was later picked up by Deputy Coroner Smith for a distance of six blocks along the track. The discovery was made at 8:45 by H. McDonald, of the Men's Resort, who was passing. He saw a portion of the trunk lying at the foot of Twenty-second street, and telephoned to the police. Motorcycle Patrolman Crano joined with Deputy Coroner Smith In the investigation. Tho Identification was mado only by the victim's gold watch and a locket, which contained Inscriptions, "Pre sented to B. J. Richards by his chil dren. Hazel. Edward and Herbert, Feb ruary -4, 1903," was engraved in the watch, whllo the locket contained a similar Inscription, showing that It had been a Christmas gift in 1900. Meantime the family, at their home, 691 Marshall street, became alarmed at the continued absence of Mr. Richards, who had left to take his customary morning walk. They telephoned to the police and were told of the tragedy which had befallen an unknown man. Mr. Richards' son-in-law, C. B. Miller, went at once to the public morgue and established the Identification. The wife and daughter were prostrated by the news. Officials of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle knew nothing of the accident, nor did the engine crew of the train which ran down Mr. Richards, It la said, until word was received from a train crew of the United Railways at Llnnton. These men saw, on a brake beam of the passing Spokane, Portland & Seattle train, the flying strips of bloody clothing, and at once tele phoned to Train Master Earl B. Heath In this city. At about the samo time the company was notified of the dis covery of the body. For more than 60 years Mr. Richards had been a resident of Portland, and for 33 years he had conducted the grocery store at its present location. 296 North Nineteenth street. He had a wide acquaintance and many friends. He is survived by his widow and by his children Edward A; and Herbert L. Richards, and Mrs. Hazel Miller, all of this city. CITY MANAGERIhOSEN lltl.n II. ( I HREV TO TAKE CHARGE Of I. A1 iltADE,S AFFAIRS. Secretary of Commercial Club Oeta Votes of Two of Three of New CommlMlon for Place. 1A GRANDE. Or.. Dec. 30. (Special.) Ered B. Currey, ex-Commerclal Club manager, now secretary, former publi cist for Hot Lake Sanitarium and for several years In chargo of Eastern Ore gon exhibits at numerous state fairs and land expositions, will be named managor of tho city of La tlrando next Tuesday night, when the new Commis sion meets. The charter permits a sal ary of $3t00. Ho succeeds J. E. Foley, who voluntarily retires, after having served out tho unexpired year of F. J. Lafky. The only set-back to Mr. Currey's ap pointment now ia a change of heart on tho part of two of the three Commis sioners, but all have agreed to vote for Mr. Currey when the time comes. Tho raco for the biggest municipal plum in tills section of the stato was keen, and Mr. Currey was a dark horse. He "hires and tires" every municipal officer save the Judge. OLD COMRADES REUNITED Two Pairs of Civil War Veterans Meet at Forest Grove. FOREST GROVE, Or., Dec. 30. (Spe cial.) A pleasant reunion of army veterans occurred hero this week when David Keen, of this city, and Daugherty White, of Eugene, met for tho first time In 62 years. The two men were members of Company E. Seventh Ken tucky Infantry, and suffered the priva tions and enjoyed tho pleasures of camp life together during the Civil War, and their meeting at this yule tide season was enjoyable to both. Tho meeting of F. E. Stephens, of Corvallis, and W. II. Greer, of this place, was another happy and unusual reunion of men who fought for the Blue and had not met for more than 50 years. These men were born in Carrol County. Ohio, and had not met since they were boys of 13, Mr. Greer serving in tho Eightieth Ohio Volunteers, and Mr. Stephens In the Twentieth Regi ment. SIBERIAN COLD GRIPS CITY (Continued From First rage.) probably see many on the ice that the cold weather seems to promise. Fuel dealers were busy yesterday, and horses were having difficulty In maintaining their footing on slippery streets. Incautious pedestrians were greeted with a furtive snowball from the kiddies every llttlo while, and the cold Winter weather that nobody likes kept Portlanders generally within doors who were not urged by neces sity to go out. Shopping Crondn Smaller. The Saturday shopping crowds were cut down very largely, and there was lacking throughout the city the usual pre-holiday activity that might have been expected yesterday. One Eastern man expressed his entire approval of Portland's cold day. for the said ho had Just come from a Wiscon sin city where it was 13 degrees below zero, and the change seemed to him most welcome Approaches to the bridges crossing the Willamette were sprinkled with salt by the Oregon Humane Society to make the footing safer for horses en gaged In traffic. A thousand pounds of salt was given for this act of mercy by Julius L. Meier. The Portland Automobile Club closed yesterday, for water pipes were frosen. The Columbia River Highway will be in good condition for travol today, and real W'int r scenes will be viewed around the w uUiiuUs. Hotel New Years Eve IN Arcadian Gardens Supper at 11 P. M. Dancing at Midnight Souvenirs Make your Reservations early for another of the Multnomah's Excellent Dinners on New Years Day ad? 5:30 to 8 P. WATER SUIT DECIDED H. V. Gates Declared Owner of System at Dallas. LOWER RATES ARE WON Judge Kelly Rules Public Sc Ice Commission lias Jurisdiction. , Retaliation Against City Is Said to Bo Intention. DALLAS, Or.. Dec. 30. (Special.) The water system of Dallas was owned by II. V. Gates, and the city of Dallas had but an equity in It. and. therefore, the system and the rates charged were under the supervision of the Publlo Service Commission of Oregon. Judge Percy R. Kelly recently held in the Circuit Court for Marlon County, de ciding tho case of Gates against the Public Service Commission, which has been before the courts more than three years. The matter originated In the action of J. K. VanOrsdel. then Mayor of Dallas, seeking to reduce the water rates la Dallas. Tho rates in force were those provided for by ordinance In the contract made between the city and Mr. Gates In 1903, when the local system was Installed. For a consider able length or time prior to the action of Mayor VanOrsdel there had been i objection on the part of the Council j and citizens to the rates, and to the contract Mr. Gates held, which lead ing attorneys pronounced one of the most binding Instruments ever known. Reduced Rates Ordered. The city seemed helpless. Then came the action of Mayor VanOrsdel. He took tho stand that Gates was the owner of the plant, and that, there fore, the Public Service Commission of Oregon had the power to fix the water rates. The matter was laid before the Public Service Commission and it reduced the water rates. Mr. Gates then brought action to restrain the Commission. It was this case, com menced three years ago, that Judge Kelly decided a few days ago. In 1903 tho city of Dallas Issued and sold $14,000 worth of bonds to con struct a water system. A contract was entered into providing for the con struction of the system by Mr. Gates. The city was to purchase the neces sary right of way (which It did), and was to pay Gates $12,000. ITpon the completion of construction Mr. Gates was to continue In the control and management of tho plant, agreeing to pay the city $1 each year and to fur nish free water for the Are hydrants of the city. At the end of 20 years the city was to have the option to purchase the plant, this option, if not exercised then, was given at each nve-ycar period thereafter. Upon purchasing, the city was to be credited with $12,000 pre viously paid Mr. Gates. The contract provided a schedule of rates. Under this contract Mr. Gates at all times insisted he was a mere lessee and that the city owned the plant. Ownership Is Disputed. Upon the theory that the city owned the plant. Mr. Gates claimed that the Public Service Commission had no Jurisdiction over the same, and. there fore. Its action in reducing the rates was void. The city took the opposite stand, vis.: That Gates was the real owner of the system, and the city had no more than a mere equity In It to the extent of the $12,000 Invested. Judge Kelly held with the city. It Is said that Judge Kelly's decision was based largely upon the decision of the Campbell Hill Hotel 741 Waahinarton Street. Phone Main 7.1S4. New Years Dinner, 1917 Mint Cocktail. Ripe Olives. Celery. Spiced Peaches. Vegetable Soup. Roast Turkey. Walnut Dressing. Mashed Potatoes. Mashed Squash. Popovers. Loganberry Jelly. Tuttl Fruttl Ice Cream. Plum Pudding. Hard Sauce. Crackers. Cheese. Coffee. Ml Sl Z Sunday Chicken Din- Z Z nert 50c I Z Weekday Dinner, 40c Z Factory Sample Shop Itemoved Prom 342 Alder to New Looatlon. 286 Morrison Street Hrtneen I mirth n ml I lith. N c t Door to i-itbc dfc lo i urnvra. Kit M.$1.50 Supreme Court In the telephone oase from Woodburn. oase tkl!L8?"Kd othat no PPJ will be taken to tho Supreme Court. A Dallas citizen In a position to know bome- Mr. oatos intends to place the matter used ftrnnrkth,B Uy for " wt-" used in fire, hydrants before the Com- yea.""" '""'da cost the city UsSo How Drink Habit Wrecks Many Men And How Drink-Poisoned, Use less Men Are Restored to Self-Mastery and Use fulness by the XEAL TREATMENT In Portland there are thousand of men who are dally poisoning them selves with the most insidious, dan gerous poison known alcohol and do not realise it until too late. A few social drinks each day ultimately poi son the drinker's system until scien tific medical treatment Is absolutely necessary. When the craving for drink becomes stronger than the will power to resist and drinking men and women are drifting Into the down-and-out class, they should go to the Portland Neal Institute. 391 Twelth. cor. Harri son, and take the Neal Drink HahJt Treatment, or take the Neal Home Treatment. The Portland Neal Institute Is one of sixty splendid Neal Institutes operating In the principal cities of the world. A few days spent there taking the Neal Treatment it safo and sure, and always administered Internally hypodermic Injections are never used. It has saved thousands. It will save you. It will save your fathers, hus bands and sons. Call now and Investi gate, or write or. phone for full infor mation. Phone Marshall 2400. All drug habits treated. NEAL INSTITUTE :UM Twelfth, Cor. Harrison. HOTEL STEWART SAN FRANCESCO Geary Street. Hjmt off Union Sc.ua re European Plan $1.50 a daj up Breakfast 60c lunch 60c Dinner $ 1 .00 Most Famous Meals .r. the United States New steel and concrete structure. Center of theater, cats and retail districts. On carllnes transferring all over city. Take Municipal car line direct to door. Motor Bus meets trains and steamers.. every modern appointment. Cass one of finest ontlie Coast. NTS Toothache Gum - gksoJ. rrm" not only StOpS Toothache, but cleanses the cavity, removes all odor, prevents decay. Thereere imitstioce. See that you get Dent's Toothache Gum. All DrattUts. or br mall 15c C a MKT a CO., Dabtat, UUm DRUGS BY MAIL If In need of Pare Drag and Chem icals, Shovlder Braces, Arch Sup ports. TRUSSES, Klaatte Stockings, A b d o m Inal Sapportera, Sanpensorr Handsales for Men, and all other rubber goods of every description, send to the LAUE-DAVIS DRUG CO. Reliable DruaTBists and TRUSS KXI'KHTS, Third and Yamatll. Portland, orccon.