ASTORIA, OREGON. TUCltMM T.' DECEMBI.R 2. 1903. The Daily Astorian AND Astoria Daily News Established t7S DAILY, EXCEPT SUNDAY. Entered as second-elasa matter Do amber I, 1903, at the pest office at Astoria, Oregon, under the act of Con great ef March 3, 1879. FKAJiKLlN PKINTIXO CO., . , Publishers. m GST. LABL RATBSi , , rient by mail, per yew 16 00 ' Sent by mail, per moDth 50 Served by carrier, per month 60 SEMI-WEEKLT. rot by mail, per year. In advance SI 00 The Astorian guarantees to Us ad vertisers the largest circulation of any newspaper published on the Columbia River.- CHRISTMAS. For more than 1900 years the Christmas festival has been observed, . and interest In the holiday Is as pro nounced today as at any other period in the history of this wonderful world. It is pre-eminently our greatest holi day, and the sentimental customs that have grown out of it have vastly ele vated our moral tone and developed the goodness In that great class which emotion alcne dominates. Primarily set apart to commemorate the most notable event In history the birth of Christ the day has come to be one of charit able deeds and friendly manifestations. Tomorrow those of us whom God has blessed will enthusiastically give our selves over to proper observance of the day, with no lack of Interest in our gift-giving nor in the remembrances of those who have always remembered us; and those unfortunates to whom Christmas brings no cheer will sorrow ' fully await the passing of the day, that realitition of their lowly position may be forgotten in the struggle for the necessaries of life. Fortunately, we of the west seldom eome in contact with cases of extreme poverty, and our field for charitable work is limited. However, the dis position to do good manifests itself at this season of, the year even In such prosperous sections as Astoria. The home of many an Astorian who, in the east, would be considered fairly well-to-do will be made brighter tomorrow by the kindly persons more fortunately situated, and generally there will be a studied effort at charity In the very poorest field imaginable. Let us hope Astoria may always be the home of the prosperous, that future Cbrlstmastides may dawn as Joyously as that of the present year. must be made It the' building la to be continued ai the city hall. The old shack la forth J 2 500 or 13000, at a lib eral estimate, and the repair will nec essitate an outlay of fully $t000. Cer tainly, it would not be wise to expend this sum In repairs to building worth only ono-thlrd the amount. It would seem that the council has no alternative than to provide for a new bulKling. Some of the members are opposed to aale of the present site, tut those members have agreed to pur chase of a new one. The new site has ben secured very reasonably, la weU lo cated and doubtless will .be acquired by the city. The old site may double In value In fire years, but the city Is not In the real estate business, except In so far as Its present needs are con cerned.' If the council can realise the full value of the property at the pres ent time It will do well to sell. Were the city well provided . with funds. It might be advisable to hold the land, but the sale must bo accomplished be fore a new building can be erected. The council must do one of two Jhlngs sell the present site and build a new hall on the Taylor property, or expend $7000 on the present shack. It will perhaps be generally agreed that the first course is the only one that could reasonably be taken. THE CITY HALL PROPOSAL. Astoria's greatest present require ment Is a new city hall or, more properly speaking, a city hall. This is obvious to everyone who has given the matter careful consideration. The conned has token the first steps in the direction of the needed Improvement, and It is to be hoped the ordinance passed at the last meeting will become effactji ve. Tlie present seat of the municipal government Is not only a disgrace to the communtiy, tut It Is as well wholly Inadeq'cate to the demands of the busi ness of the corporation. -The most rateable business corner in the city is , at present the location of a stable. The rheini.' il engine Is rushed out of the building onto a crowded street when ever an alarm of fire is turned in, find that accident has not heretofore oc curred is our good fortune, and not be cause of any foresight or precaution. The, city Jail, occupying the rear por tion of the structure, is about ready to till. Into the river, and Is. not a safe pljice of detention for even the casual drunkard. There Is no vault In the building and the records of the city K.r. liable to destruction at any time. The offices' of the various officials ex cepting alone that of the auditor, pres ent a shameful appearance, and neither the city attorney the moat Important official of the city nor the city treas urer can be found at the city hall. Were If not for the pressing need of 'repairs to the building we might stroggle "along with the present eramped quarters for a few years to eome; but immediate improvements American passenger cars are In a general way, the most comfortable of any In the world, but they are often made almost unendurable by the care- lessne.ss of porters and brakemen who have charge of the heating apparatus, says the Railway Age. Since the gen eral introduction of steam heat from the locomotive It Is an easy matter by simply turning a valve to supply suffl clent steam to heat the cars comfort ably In very cold weather, and when the same amount of steam Is used In moderate weather they become over heated. The result of this overheat In? Is that passengers are not only un comfortable v during the Journey but they are !n the same condition they would be in the heating room of Turkish bath, and It Is Just as dang erous and imprudent to go into me outside air from the car as from the bathhouse without a gradual cooling off. Numerous cases of pneumonia and bad colds are produced In this way and iwjwengers who go on a Journey for the benefit of their health do not o'.tnln benefit but actually injury. The railroads certainly owe something bet tor thim this to their patrons. When the proper regulation of the temper ature of imssengers cars can be so eas !l obtained by a little Intelligent at tention on the part of the tralnmmen there is no good excuse for so much discomfort and disease as Is caused, in the manner described, by their care lessness. The porter Is not very busy Huns, and since the air brakes do the principal part of , the u-otk .if th brakeman it should be made their duty to maintain a uniform of 70 decrees F. In the cars. Wltn proper wscii'ime, n seem possible to obtain this very de. sirable condition. On June 30, 1902. the number of pen sloners on the roll was 907,735; a year Inter there were 996,545, a decline of 1 190. This Is probably but the begin nlng of a decrease which will become n u ked as the years go on, and which leads the commissioner of pensions to say in his annual report that in ten years the pension system will not be a noticeable public burden. Judging from tha records, however, it will ne ,nany years before the last of the pen sioners of our past wars have disap peared. Two widows of the revolution are living and three, daughters whose hames are on the pension roll. There arsons survivor and 115 widows of the w-ir of 1812 and 5.S64 survivors and 7,910 widows of the war with Mexico. The revolutionary war ended In 1783, the war of 1812 In 1R14, but we are still paying pensioners of a war which end ed U' yiirs ago. If the record be maintained, the pensioners of the civil war will not have been paid until 1985, and 'of the Spanish war until the next century. The burden is aumuteiy a large one, calling In the last fiscal year for $138,500,000, but there is no obli gation the government has paid with greater cheerfulness, and it will con tinue to pay with the same spirit. It matters not If It be true, as has been stated, that Russia is the only country in the world that pays more for its standing army than the United States pays In pensions, or that, as is claimed, England, with her great naval and military establishment, has paid only $6,000,000 of late years on pension ac count. They only show that no other country Is as generous to its disabled defenders as the United States, HYMN. , On the Morning ot Christ' Nativity, It was the winter wild " While the henven born child, All iiKnly wrapped. In the rudv mtirocor He; Nature, In awe to him. Has doffed her gaudy trim. With her great master so to sympa thise. No war, or battle's sound Was heard the world around; The Idle spear and shield were high ... up bung; The hooked chariot stood rnstulned with hostile blood; The trumpet spake not to the armed throng; And kings sot still, with awful eye, As If they surely knew their sovereign Lord was by. But peaceful was the night Wherein the Prince of Light Ills reign of peace upon earth begun The winds with wonder whist. Smoothly the waters kissed, Whispering new Joys to the mild ocean Who hath now quite forgot to rave, While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmed wave. T,he stars with deep nmaxe Stand fixed In steadfast gate, Binding' one way their precious In fluence; And will not take their flight For all the morning light. Or Lucifer, that often warned them thjnce; nut In their glimmering orbs did glow Until their Lord himself bespnke, and bid them go. Yea, truth and Justice, then Will down return to men. Orbed In a rainbow; and. Ilka glories wearing Mercy will sit between Throned In celestial sheen, With ra iiant feet the tissued clouds down steering; And heaven, as at some festival. Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall. John Milton. ASK THE AGENT W)R TICKETS vu Mm mm ..TO.. SPOKANE, ST. PAUL. DULUTH MINNEAPOLIS, CHICAGO AND ALL POINT3 EAST. 2 TRAIN DAILY FAST TIME 2 For Full Particulars, Rates, Folders. Etc., Call on or Address Daylight Trip Through the Cascade and Rocky Mountains. W. PIIALON, H! DICKSON, Trav. Pass. Agt City Ticket Agt t22 Third Street, Portland. (12 First Avenue, Seattle, Wash. A. B. C. DENNISTON. O. W. P. A. A DIRECT LINE to Chicago and all points east; Louls vilie, .Memphis. New Orleans, and all points south. 1 :'4 ' ' f : : I Jl II CHRISTMAS IS DRAWING NEAR X r Don't let off buying until the eleventh hour when you can get neither proper attention nor selections. Grand Display Pillow TopsNewest novelties. ; 1904 Novelty Calendars. Indian and Chinese Stamped Linens. Colored and Stamped Scarfs and Table Covers. & ? X? ? Great assortment of Christmas Hand Kerchiefs Novelties and Fancy Aprons. Beauties in Ladies' Furs. A big line of Children's Fur Sets at Remarkably Low Figures. J& -j& & We have received some high novelties in the Cloak Department in three-quarter lengthsblacks and tans. Now is the time to secure one of these choice coats at a bargain. 0 & , TOYS, TOYS, TOYS, OF ALL KINDS AND DESCRIPTIONS. Come in the morning to avoid the rush. j& ? ? j& ? J"" T To Cure A Cold in One Day, Take Laxative Brotno' Quinine Tab. lets. All druggists refund the money If It falls to cure. B. W. Grove's sig nature It on each box. 25c. tf See thst your ticket read via the llllnoU Centra! R. R. Thoroughly mod em trains connect with all transconti nental Unea at St. Paul and Omaha. If your friends are coming west let us know and we will Quote them direct tho specially low rates now In effect from all eastern point. Any Information as to rate, routes, etc., cheerfully given on application. B. H. TRUMBULL, Commercial Agent, 142 Third street, Portland, Or. J, C. LINDSET, T. F. ft P. A 142 Third street, Portland, Or. P. B. THOMPSON, F. A. P. A.. Dry slabwood, cut to 18-Inch lengths, for Bale by Wm. Kelly at reasonable rates. Full measure gu lanteed. Orders given prompt attention i In. phone 1221 black. , " The Scenic Line TO THE EAST AND SOUTH. Through Salt Lake -City, Leaavuie, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver. llflEBAHDtWt? Offers the Chotce of Three Routes Thiough the Famous Itocky Moun tain Scenery, and Five Distinct Routes East and South of Denver. 3-FAST TRAINS DAILY-3 Prf-tween Ogden'and Denver, Carrying All Classes of Modern Equipment. Perfect Dining Car Service and Per sonally Conducted Tourist Ex cursions to All Points East STOP OVERS ALLOWED On All Classes of Tickets. Fcr Information or Illustrated liters ture call on or address W. C, MoBRIDE, General Agent 124 Third St., Portland, Or. THE LOUVRE CMAS. WIRKKALA, Proprietor JAMES GARDNER, Manater IUCY CUNNINGHAM, Pianist Program Week ('oiimiencliijr December 7 Overture, Mr. Volunteer, PAUL DRESSER. The Sweet Singer, MIji Blanche, Lewie, in new ballad. Overture, Princcil PocohonUt, March, RICHARD F..H0VT, BOYLE and LEWIS, In their funny sketch, "The Tramp and (he Lady' Overture, Soul of the Rote, Waltzen HENRY FRANTZEN, The Peer of Son Illustrators, LUCILE CUNNINGHAM, linglnjl Harry Von Tiller's succes, "When the Harvest Days Are Over. ' - Overture, Lovey Mary, CHAS. KOHLMAN Published by llowlcy Haveland A Dresser, Chicago. Bobby Boyle, will hand out a Uw knockout drops. Overture. CUpatra, H. W. PETRIC, Intermeuo. Don't forget to drop a nickel In the Tonophone. A new list ol pictures on the Edison Proectlscope, 1 The great Jeffries and Plllslmmons fight which took place July 25, '03, In San Pranclsco, Cel., showing the S rounds with knock out. , Program Is subject to change without notice. NORTHERN PACIFIC Time Card ol Train ' PORTLAND. Leaves Arrive Puget Bound Llmlted.7:2S am (:tt pro Kansas Clty-BC Louis ; Special 11:10 am l:4t pm North Coast limited 1:10 0 m T:00 a tn Tacoma and Seattle Night Express 11:46 pm 1:06 m Take Puget Sound Limited or North Coast Limited for Gray's Harbor points Take Puget Sound Limited for Olym pta direct Take Puget Bound Limited or Kan sas Clty-St. Louis B pedal for points on South Bend branch, Double daily train service on Gray's Harbor branch. Four trains dally between Portland, Tacoma and Seattle. UstoAa iron Works Foot of Fourth Street inlstsi is Anil and Marine KnitlnM, Holler work rtimlngHOf alldHor!ptl(i made u order on abort notice, Htmoiboal sod cannery work specialty, :v: , ; 7 :.-. John Kox. A. I,. Fox ,.1..... V. 1.. HlMiop AJtorla having) Bank President aa1 Huperlnuindout Vloe President MecrotAry ,. Treasurer Abercronibie & Wilson ' , ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW Pags Building Astoria TH. FREDPRICKEN, PIANO TUNER, '" 71 Bond Street, Astoria, Oregon Perfection of Fit --." : and style can ajwavs be depend upon when you get a Suit of ''clothea'from;;..-' A; Lake vl; Astoria's Loading Tailor. Ma terials and workmanship are the . - best that can be procured and prloes within reach of all, Don't , forget the number, ' 22 COfflXEKCIAL STREET ""v ! cowing & cowing; ; ATTORNEYS AT LAW, Room tf.Land Office B'd'g, Oregon City ""Land Office Business a Specialty