Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1904)
AN ARCTIC ELDORADO Labrador', Urger Than Britain, France and Aus tria, Rich in Minerals, St. John's, N. F- Correspondence of the Chicago News. - The Ust phases of canaaian siarm over expected American aggression is that the United .States will endeavor to annex Newfoundland, and thereby ac quire the coast line of Labrador as well, that "lislere" being an appanage of New foundland, just as the. Alaskan strip recently arbitrated upon belongs to the 1'nlted States The Canadians fear that thelf powerful southern rivals may ob tain a hold on this territory, which fact would exclude Canada from an Atlantic outlet for half her eastern hinterland, just as Alaska separates her Pacific slopofrom the pceanhere This ap prehension is intensified by the knowl edge that the United States fishermen already possess the right., under the treaty. of 1818, to fish In Labrador waters on a parity with all British sub jects and to land on. the unsettled por tions of the coast to dry their catch, this right extending dver all the Lab rador foreshore, and "'northward la-dcflnltely'f-to the pola itself, , . 1 Interior Is Little Known. The great rush to Klondike In recent .years jha directed attention to Lab rador,' and the t past season no- fewer than seven different mining and two ex ploring expeditions visited the coast from the United States. At present little la known- of the country at all, except perhaps, on Us fringe of coast line, which Is visited by the fishermen of Newfoundlsnd every summer. The few trappers In quest of fur penetrate only soma miles inland and that In win ter alone, when the whole country Is deep under snow. The Cree Indians who roam the in terior and occasionally come out to bar ter peltries at the .Hudson bay posts, have told little or nothing of their wan derings. Civilised beings, with one or two. exceptions, have never traversed Its1 immense Interior, and it follows natur ally that- no good map of the country has ever been published, while even on the existing charts the disposition of the Islands off the northern coast is al most purely Imaginary, and yet Labra dor Is full of interest for men of the most diverse tastes. ; Forests &arfe ul Taluable. . . To begin with, It Is a huge tract of country equalln area to Britain, France and Austria combined, and as It is quite unknown It offers an inviting field for the geographer and explorer. It has mighty rivers running into steep and winding fiords, such as the Ham ilton river Into Eskimo bay and the Eagle river into Sandwich bay, besides many minor streams virtually un known. There are , known to be vast forest areas Inland, the wood of which Is of prime commercial Value, and two lumbering concerns are already operat ing on. the Hamilton rtver, But they touch only the outer fringe of the far stretching woodlands, which in turn are backed by the prairies and clay belts that extend to Hudson bay and the wilds of New Ontario. - One of the schemes which captains of Industry and commerce like Hill and Van Home are believed to contemplate In the future is the piercing of this wilderness by a railroad which would touch the sea In Hamilton inlet and af ford, for . six months of the year, the shortest ocean route for the -products of the teeming west ss well as for all the cities and towns of which Chicago forms the center, to send their passengers to and from Europe. Gold ia Quarts Books. The geologist baa much to do In Lab rador. most of the rocks being of for mations Which render it likely that minerals of commercial value will be found among them. The existence of quarts both white and gray widely dis tributed strongly suggests gold. Assays of specimens brought back to civilised centers in late years have confirmed this suspicion and we . may yet see in Ijibrador a second Klondike. Antimony has been found in sufficient quantity to justify working ' It the paat year. A mica mine is also being worked. The rock is cracked and fissured and, while the sheets of mica are not large and are very brittle, they are ground to powder and used for making engine packing. Asbestos has also been found and will be worked next season. A lovely fel spar known as Labradorlte has alsai been worked near Okkak. The stria tion of this stone gives a .most marvel ous ultramarine sheen and reflecta light. It is also seen in red and in bronxe color. Hematite Iron Is found in immense beds at different points along the- Ooast and one of the objects of the Canadian expedition to Hudson Bay is to invest! gate certain iron deposits there .with : a view to their commercial utilisation, as Swedish Iron mines within the arctic circle are. now being worked the whole .year around, the product being con : veyed by rail to an open port on the Norwegian coast, whence it Is distrlb- . uted to the different markets where it is in demand. Some such course would probably be adopted with regard to these Labrador and Hudson bay ores. sn ice-free outlet being secured for the longest period possible and a railway laid thereto, Hamilton inlet being likely tne most suitaDie. Has Blcn Cryolite Deposits. Iron pyrites also exist in extraordinary notiuies in the stately rocks above Ra man, on the northern section of the , peninsula. An ore of tin. of bright red color and covering a wide area, as has ; been rouna in tne same section, appear ing somewhat like coral. Cryolite, so valuable for a variety of purposes and now obtained almost wholly from Green land, occurs in Labrador also, and the forking of It Is now under considera tion, as It could be mined much more satisfactorily than, the Greenland prod uct. Copper and lead have both been located at several points, and with the latter the assays showed ample evi dences of silver. The mineral wealth of the region ia thus seen to be varied and extensive and to give every promise of favorable returns, and the Atlantic nveen. which washes this coast line, is liavlgable for at least half the year. It must not be forgotten that the dis coveries above enumerated have all been made on the seashore or within a mile tir-two of it; while the interior Is a wild erness, the metalliferous contents of which are absolutely' unknown, though from the eimllsrtty to the geological renditions prevailing In the Yukon this ii"! inland should prove a second Klon dike, end one easier to reach during the season of oyea water, That two lum- MR. E. Z. MARK I . 1. STRANGER Mr. Mark, I represent tht Bun kos Silver Company. I have hart a full aet of liver fork and apoena for ill uses. They wore made for a man by the name Murphy and marked vRh the letter M, 8. MR, E. Z-Yes, yea, It ia exactly Ilka tha lot I purchased" laat weak. Tha letter M la my In itial, too. Wall, aa' Mra. Mark aaya aha wanta thtm, I'll buy thm. That will ba two hundred dollars. Hera It an ardor on my caahler. mHtHHHMIHMMHtHHHIHIHlllll)IIIHIIMMHHHIIUtllMIIIIH berlng concerns have found it profit able to operate there alt the year round, atorlng-thelr cut through the -whiter and shipping it in summer, ia ah attes tation of tha possibilities of the coun try far more effeotlvo than any writings could be, and at least two Iron mines will be set on foot under similar condi tions next season. Strongly assembles Alaska. " The fishery wealth of -Labrador is at present its chief asset, the Newfound landers drawing from its teeming waters about 20,000,000 codfish every year. In addition to this there is a salmon fish ery at the .mouths of the rivers for Commercial purposes, while otherwise the streams are virgin waters as to angling filled with trout, grilse and salmon. Halibut are abundant on the outer ledges and her the adventurous Gloucester schooners come to seek lad ings every summer. Seals, too, are killed In thousands every winter and their skins preserved, though In every case the industry is only an insignifi cant instance of what it might attain to were the coast peopled more largely. But tha permanent settlers number only 1,600, while 20.000 Newfoundlanders spend the summers there and the resi dents known as "livyeres" occupy them selves in Industry only sufficiently to secure the bare necessaries of life. The region has been allowed to get out of touch with modern 'conditions; Its remoteness snd Isolation hava com bined to strangulate it and it haa lacked some energetic and forceful nation to infuse new- blood and objectives into It, ss the United States did into Alaska. Geographically, tha two countries are the complement of each other, with similar climate and resources, and while Labrador has thus far failed to exhibit Its possession of gold in such quan tity as to cause a "rush," it probably will before many years have passed prove that nature baa dowered it in this direction aa fully as in the wealth of other resources, on land and sea. Canada's" Tears Groundless. The population of Labrador at pres ent does not exceed 10.000, about equally composed of whites on the south coast, Eskimos on the north and Indians In the Interior. But it has undeveloped resources which could make it a home for millions, and only awaits the vital ising influence of capital. What part it will play in International affairs in future none can predict. American rights there are confined t fishing on the seaboard and the only way In which proprietary Interests could be secured by the United States would be by ac quiring Newfoundland, as ownership of this Island would carry with it soyer elgnty over Its vast northern depen dency. This does not seem a probable outcome at the present juncture and would require an Anglo-American war to effect, and few people would desire Labrador at such a cost. American activity can. however, and probably will ere long, manifest Itself In the industrial development of Labra dor, turning to account Its forest and mineral wealth. There is no very great reason why Uncle San should wish to annex the country or wish to prevent Canada obtaining access to the sea there and if he' reaps the legitimate fruits of his enterprise In economic and commer cial channels there, that Is as much as can be expected. It Is not likely that Englsnd would sell Labrador or that Canada would permit its sale, in view of what that would Import to her and. therefore, Canadian uneasinens appears to be groundless. P. T. M'GRATH. Going at a Lively Rate. That self-interest Is a predomlnsnt law of nature is strongly evident at the great closing-out sale of all unclaimed suits, pants and overcoats at the Scotch Plaid Tailors, at No. 144 Sixth street. Thla firm is rolnr out of himinoM anrf sacrificing all unclaimed goods at about the cost of cloth. The sale has at tracted great attention on account of the reputation of the firm, and the low prices the goods are. being sold at. Men and young men in all stations of life sre tsklng time by the forelock and se curing their spring outfits at prices that are but shadows of the real value of the elegant garments. Saturday will surely see a crowd at the greatest bona fide sacrifice sale of resl tailor-made goods ver seeu in t'oruano. PURGHASBS SOME '2. 8TRANQER I have Just ooma from your houso and by a atranga coinoldenca thla allvar a actly matohaa tha aat you have. Mr. Mark aaya ha would vary much Ilk to have thla aot, aa It would maka a full omplemetrt af allvar In aaaa af a dinnar party. I will aall It twenty-five) per.cent lower than what you paid. . . ' 4. MR. E. Z MRS. MARK Oh, E. Z.I Wa'va boon robbed again. Same one got In while I waa out and stole our new act of allverl What la tWaT A ful! tat you boufrht! Heavanal It la our very own I You boobyl You have bought your own-allvar from the thief whe atole It E. Z, your brain rattle In your head. Jai Alai, Favorite Sport of the Havanese. From the New Tork Times. What the theatre Is to New Tork Jai Alal Is to Havana. Two evenings a week and Sunday afternoon the Fenton is crowded, and as it haa a large seating capacity this crowded condition means a great number of people. Many times standing room only Is to bo had. Cu bans, with their love of chance, are not the only ones that frequent the game. All tourists are directed to it as one of the show places of the city, and having been there once, they are very apt to go again and again during their stay. The boxes, which occupy tho entire second floor, are filled with fashionable people, family parties, including little children, often being seen in them. The tiers of seats below, like those of a circus, are crowded with people of all classes, mostly men. There is nothing beautiful or attractive about tho build ing. Just within the entrance are win dows where the house accepts wagers on the various players; further back are refreshment counters. Everything is simple, and there la no attempt at adorn ment of tha bare walls and floors. Be yond the entrance the unadorned sim plicity still prevails. One is reminded of an Immense circus, but Instead of rings for performances there is a ce mented court 175 feet long, and instead of canvaa walls are those of the build ing; with a very high roof, under which is a perfect network of timbers and bracings. Beneath these timbers a large net is spread, apparently to pre vent the ball from being lost above. Lines on the court and lines and figures on the wall by the side of the court speak intelligibly to the initiated as to their significance, but to the unitlated they are simply lines and figures. Boenes on the Court. Between the court and the seats of the first floor Is a space about the same breadth as the court During games this is occupied by a man who serves coffee and other stimulants to the play ers, who drink frequently throughout the game; three or four favored specta tors, a small boy in white, who carries the balls used by the players, and three referees, who sit like statues in chairs along the side of the court, however ex Citing the game. Also within the inclo sure are half a dosen or more bookmak ers, recognized at once by the white coats and red Tarn O'Shanter caps they wear. As the game progresses these rwi walk up and down In front of the pit, shouting the odds given at that stage, and they are kept busy issuing checks; they accept no money less than a gold piece, ordinarily a centeh (about $S in our currency.) On a level with tne second floor, in a very conspicuous place, Is a small gal lery where the score of the game Is kept. As the points are won, one by one, the shifting numbers show it In one frame the record of whites, in an adjoining one that of the fclues. Just below this gallery is a blackboard on which are recorded the scores of the various players in the games where each plays for himself and the amount that has been bet on each. Four games are played. , two "partldos," in which two men play against two others, occasional ly three against three the "blues" and the "whites." The other two games are those in which each' man scores for himself. Five or more play In these "qulnlelss," two against each other until one loses the bell, when another eomes up. The house takes bets on each of these games during the Intermission preceding It, and It may be added that the inter missions Isst as long ss the betting Is at all spirited. When the game prom ises to be very exciting the intermission seems almost interminable. A band hid den down below plays to while sway the time. When the Intermission ends the house takes no more bets for' that game, and the smount wsgered on each plsyer If it is a qulnlelsfls posted at one. During the succeeding Intermission 'the SILVERWARE. Mary, I bought to-day that ' winning are collected:- The house takes 10 per cent Of all winnings, and it is estimated that In the course of a .month ita profits from this source are from 115,000 to 120,000. Betting- the Order of the Say. One can imagine going to a. horse race without placing money on a fa vorite or to a baseball game without making wagers, but at Jai Alai betting ia the order of the day. While there are people who attend the games simply for the pleasure In the sport, they are com paratively few, and tho customary re mark when any one says he has been at Jai Alat Is: "You won. I hope," or lt equivalent. Much discussion has arisen from time to time as to whether or not the games are sold; those of the audi ence that shout "a sale" at a losing player have this in mind.. Some time ago a man remarked that he had bought a game for 600 centens (about 12,500) and won 2,000 centens (about $10,000) on it, and his statement seemed to re ceive credit. Last winter a certain young Cuban was named as having bought games frequently. But this is still an open question, and in the mean time tho general public betting more or less at random, la not affected to any degree. The game resembles handball. Long. narrow, curved baskets are strapped to the player's wrist, and these are used aa a kind of racquet. The obect is to keep In constant motion the one ball used. Instead of sending .it front one player to another, It Is sent against the wall at one end of the court As it re bounds the opponent catches it in his basket, to which it seems to go as if by magic, sending it back to the wall. etc. Sometimes it is sent against the wall with such force that It rebounds the entire length Of the court and strikes the rear wall. It Is allowable to receive the ball as it rebounds from ths rear wall If the server's play haa been forcible enough to send it there. A long Oame. A qulnlela may ba very short. As soon as any of the contestants makes six points he has won. The five or seven or more taking part sit in a row of chairs along the side of the court. Two begin to play. As soon as one of them loses he takes his sest at the foot of the row and the one at the head takes his place on the court This rotation is continued until a player makes the requisite six points. Sometimes a qulnlela drags along, but it is never as long- as a parttdo. The longest partldo ever played in the Fronton was one Sunday afternoon in December. It lasted about two hours. Players receive from $3,000 to $5,000 a season, and It Is generally believed that, by private arrangements, bets, etc., this income is considerably augmented. The game ia a living refutation of the the ory that violent exercise Is Impossible In the tropics, since more violent action than It requires is hardly to be found anywhere. This people, with their love of chance, aided by the foreign' popula tion, both resident and floating, who seem to find the element of chance of fered equally attractive, have made the success of the sport phenomenal. The stock Is held at a tremendous premium In fact. It Is not on the market CMAirca to x wsxok. Low Sound Trip Kate of $4 to Sea view Oood for Tea Says. The O. R. A N. announces the low rate of $4 from Portland to Seavlcw,' tickets good for 10 days from dates of sale February ! and 24. This wilt afford an opportunity to see the wrecked schooner. Tickets good returning from Astoria Via boat lines, also the A & C. R. R. For particulars ask C. W. Stinger, city ticket agent, Third and Washing ton streets. Preferred Stock Canned Goods. Allen & Lewis' -Beat Brand, RAIIR'S MILL : WILL BE LARGER arxw coiorAHT zs oxaAirxxxs ro riraross or opexatxxw oii ruir-ffHiL mmoT T kbit WILL SHXT XiVKBSB BT KAXXi TO TVS I AST. "T':. ' af The Rainier Mill & Lumber company, which was organised in this city a few days ago, has definitely decided to en lasge the present plant of the company at Rainier so that about 76 npri will bo employed" when in fuir operation. The mill is an old one, but the present company will put it in first-class shape. ; "We have an advantage over tha city mil W saVs W. I. Reed, the president and general manager of the company, at the Portland yesterday. "At Rainier we have common point rates, but In the matter of towing the logs from the camps to the mill -we have quite a sav ing, as tha distance to our mill from the camps is not great. Then in the matter of labor we also have tho city mills at a disadvantage. While in the city they have a large amount of labor troubles on account of - strikes, out where we are located everybody Is sat isfied. It does not cost a . laborer- as much to live In a small town as it does in the city, consequently they save more money even at smaller wages." The company was incorporated in this city several weeks a gorwltfca, "capital stock of $50,000, but the manager ifya that it is the intention to invest more than that amount when everything get In good working order. "Just now," he ays, "the lumber industry is rather slow and it may take some time to build up our business. I would much rather tart In- business wiien It is at a low ebb than when everything is sailing at the top. When you are at the bottom of the ladder there is always a chance to build up, but when you start at the top it seems hard to be mads to slide down." The company Is composed of W. I. Reed, president and general manager; T. 8. Llppy of Seattle, vice-president; B. W. Reed, secretary, and E. P. Moss man of this city, treasurer. T. S. Llppy, the vice-president of the company, is a Klondlker, having invaded that region during the first great rush a few years ago. The company expects to ship Its pro duct by rail to California and the east. AI1AVAI SIIOLOM HAS NEW MEETING PLACE Congregation Ahaval Sholonr will hold its first services In its temporary meeting place in the Newcastle building, corner Third and Harrison street, to night at 7:30 o'clock. Rev. R. Abra hamson will preach the sermon. Diphtheria relieved in twenty minutes. Almost miraculous. Dr. Thomas' F.c lectrlo Oil. At any drug store. Teeth AT CUT RATES UNTIL MARCH 1. The Boston Painless Dentists Are doing all dental work for cost of material to introduce our late discov eries and painless methods. EX' TRACTING FREE. SILVER FILL- INGS. I6c: GOLD GOLD CROWNS. WORK, $3.00. FILLINGS, 76c; $1.00; BRIDOA M let, Tit Guaranteed ....... . . .IS.M NO STUDENTS EMPLOYED. Come In at once and take advantage of low rates. All work done by specialists WITHOUT PAIN and GUARANTEED for TEN TEARS. Our late botanical dlsoovery to apply to the game for ex tracting, filling and crowning teeth with out pain is known and used only by BOSTON PAINLESS DENTISTS Corner Fifth and Morrison streets. En trance 281 V4 Morrison, opposite Meier A Frank's. Hours l;$0 a. ra. to I. p. m.; Sundays till 1. I COLUMBIA 1 1 Talking Machines I 1 I ncr nnnc soldontheinstaumentpun j i I KlLUKUj $5.00 Down, $1.00 a Week v Y The Best in the World! ' We - are headquarters, and 'r '.i carry the largest stock la the 1 ft Vorthwest. Hard molded cyl- I a j tofler Iteoorda for use on all . I A cylinder machines, cylinder ' I ft reeorda. I g 1 25c Each CTXy I I All the Mewest Pieces in Stock. S""'' ' '' ' ' TO- A mrBTUAX BBUOKT If ID XOKS at all seasons of the year is that as failing source of more kinds of entertainment than oan ba extracted from aay dosen other instruments combined, namely b THE GRAPHOPHONE Which la the prlae of entertainer s. The maaio of hand or orchestra la rendered by It ia a "manner' absolutely faithful to tfae original, and It wfu sing your favorite songs as well aa any artist oan, or tell you funny stories when you are la the humor for amusement. There ia ao other Instrument known to aoienee which oaa furnish such a variety of entertainment. Do not let your home be dull for want of one. On request we will send one to your houss for examination. Phoae, Mala 1780. ' . . 345 Washington Street AC IT'S. ROOM NQT DOULARS It isn't a esse of profit but of floor specs. Our new goods must have quarters, snd to provide for them we're continuing the two astounding off era made laat week. ' . t $l2.5o ffiflfc.50 11 THIS HIGHLY POLISHED, QUARTEB SAWED OAK . v ' EXTENSION TABLE ' '; ' '::v " ' -.'.'-' h '' . ' . : Round top, 6tt-lnch leg, 48-Inch top and I H -Inch rim. to go at $11.50. This offer only holds good the balance of this week and all of next Remember the price $12.60 for a (-foot' table, $14.50 for an t-foot table. Other, tables proportionately priced, . oipiSh I 1 liiiMMrmrggg!IBB3 With warming closet and all the improvements on any range made. We're losing money on every one at $29.00 Every Range fully guaranteed. Henry Jenning & Sons Furniture, Carpets, Stoves. FIRST AND YAMHILL STS. , Ufo JOURNAL for COLUMBIA PHONOGRAPH WE WANT Sacrifice No. 2 rgfci ' is the ROYAL RIVAL RANGE Others ranging upward In price. ON THE LEVEL Is the waV our goods are made and cold. Just now we are selling a great many tools of various, kinds, but there is enough fof alt Call and take a peep and give us your opinion. AVERY CO. 82 THIRD ST. lO Cents a Week CO 128 Seventh Street