VOL. XV. NO. 302.
PORTLAND. OREGON, WEDNESDA Y EVENING, FEBRUARY 28, 1917. SIXTEEN PAGES.
PRICE TWO CENTS VtSSSti ;
COHTTEEOF
HOUSE FAVORS
ARMING GRAFT
President Wilson's Request
for Enlarged Authority in
Handling Break With Ger
many Is Partly Granted.
MINORITY REPORTS ARE
FILED BY FIVE MEMBERS
Belief Is Expressed That the
House Will Pass Bill Pro
posed by Committee.
By Carl I. Groat.
Washington. Feb. 28. U. I'.) The
house foreign affairs committee to
day upheld President Wilsons request
for power to meet the international
situation but with two important re
strictions. Authprlsation for use of "other In
stnhnentalltles" anld from runs,
gunners and money, was stricken from
the original Flood bill, thus limiting
tho president's authority to some ex
tent. The second restriction was the in
seftlon of a provision against use of
tho war risk bureau tt Insure ships
carrying- munitions.
The latter provision may bring the
whole armed ships and munitions
questions into the present situation
and develop complications when a vote
tomes.
Minority Beport riled.
Those voting against the report were
Representatives Hhackleford and Hud
dleston, DemocratM. and Representatives
Cooper and Porter. Republicans, all of
whom filed a minority report.
Representative Thompson also filed
a minority report.
As the house bill now stands. It
provides for granting President Wil
son guns, gunners and $100,000,000
the gun and gunners to be used to
"protect ships and citizens of the
United States against unlawful attack
In their lawful and peaceful pursuits
on the-high seas."
Tho three proposed amendments to
strip'. Wilson of. power to arm muni
tion ships were voted down as a sop
to the antlre munition ship crowd.
The eommjUtea report provided against
i Concluded oa re Thirteen. Column Three)
CONGRESS TO ACT ON
EXTENSION OF POWER
Believes Request Will Be Al
lowed When Country Has
Declared Itself.
Bjr John Edwin Nevln.
-Washington. Feb. 28. r. X. S.)
President Wilson waited today on con
gress. He will take no additional
, step to bring the general international
" crisis caused by Germany's announce-
menthol unrestricted submarine opera
. tions being resumed and emphasised
by the sinking of the laoonia, with t,ts
toss of two American women,' to aMieid
ntil congress shall express Itself.
.-.The president, officials close to him
say. believes that when the country
has declared itself, congress will give
him the power he has asked.
. Thers has been no relaxation of the
grim tension precipitated by the sink
ing of the Laconia. None is Immedi
ately looked for, but there was a gen
erally growing belief In official quar
ters this afternoon that the sinking
of the Cunarder would not bo charac
terised by the administration as an
"act of war."
. "Tho onus of the actual break will
be placed on Germany," was the word
quietly, passed out from official cir
cles, - The president will arm Ameri
can ships no matter what congress
shall do and then he will wait to see
What German submtrineawlll do,
'(The address of the Imperial German
chancellor yesterday was accepted In
administration circles as a direct chal
lenge. Because of Its .tone it Is be
lieved that when the American lino
resumes sailings next week its ships
- will be in as great danger as are those
ot the entente. But it was said that
the president Is determined that these
interrupted sailings shall be resumed,
and it is certain that inasmuch as
these liners are to be armed, they will
- be considered subject to attack by
German submarines.
"We are moving step by step and
moment, by ' moment," explained a
cabinet member today. "Because of
this, speculation Is unwise We must
do as we think best, but cannot outline
a policy that might be chanaed by
some unforeseen development at a
second's notice. We are hoping for
the bes but are preparing for tho
worst.", k
taw -Against Drug
f Starts Indian War
, .".r '
Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 28. it.
N, S.) Indians of the Unltah and the
Ute , tribes o the Unltah reservation
. .near here are in actual warfare and a
number' have been wounded as a re
sult of the enforcement of a law f or
is1, bidding the use of peyote.: a drugtgtv
r mf errecta similar to those produced
4 by cocaine and secured from a weed,
according Ao Chief Big Eagle, who is
iters to consult state officials In' an
effort to check the hostilities. "A
.' J .The Indians are divided 4nto " two
i forces, ? tho .v-users Vof the , drug and
r' those opposed to its uselvc,?.
PRESIDENT WAITS
FOR
Purchase of
LinntonvSite,
Now Possible
Military Bin Reported to Senate
Makes Target Range Fund
Available.
Washington, Feb. 28. (WASHING
TON BUREAU OF THE JOURNAL.)
The military bill, reported to the
seriate today by Senator Chamberlain,
not only makes available for tbe next
fiscal year the sum of $100,000, here
tofore appropriated for a target range
for Vancouver Barracks, but also
widens its scope to permit the pur
chase of a larger tract and to permit
acquisition of the Llnnton site. The
vocational training feature of the bill
is considered valuable for experimen
tal purposes. Two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars is appropriated for
the training. One regiment of en
listed men at the post is to beTwected.
to be given three hours' trainings-each
day in military instruction, and ix
hours in pursuits useful to Industrial
.life and citizenship.
Secretary of War Baker has In
formed Senator Chamberlain that the
number and kind of troops to b sta
tioned at Vancouver in the future and
the question of withdrawal of lands
of the Warm Spring Indian reserva
tion for military maneuvers depend
upon future developments of national
defense. Further, he says, no reser
vation of Oregon and California grant
lands for military purposes is consid
ered necessary. Senator Chamberlain
suDmuiea inese mailers to tne war a group of pacifists by Presi
department as suggestions made by dent Wnson thW afternoon.
Maximum protection for this tcl
tory through development of the arapy
post' at Vancouver was the object of
the chamber in its inquiries through
Senator Chamberlain of the war de
partment. Executive Secretary W. D.
B. Dodson explained today. The sug
gestions were made to put before the
Vfar department officials the needs of
tMs locality and the facilities for
meeting them..
Ifhe suggestion regarding the Ore
gon, & California grant lands was that
in its ultimate program of defense
the government might set asida a sec
tion here and there of such lands - as
are not adapted to agriculture or oth
er uses, as centers for the military
activities on this coast. It was not
the plan to have these tracts Improved
at this time, but merely to have them
held In reserve for whatever emer
gencies might arise.
ALUS WANT Ul IN
BY S E N ATO R-ELECT
Hale of Maine, Returns From
Study of War Conditions at I
First Hand in Europe,
New Tork, Feb. 28. (U. JM "The
allies want us in the war, I,loyd
George wants us in the war. Premier
Briend wants us in the war,-- was the
word brought to the T'nited States to
day from Europe by Colonel Frederick
Hale, United States "senator-elect from
Maine, who arrived aboard the Amer
ican liner Finland.
Hale has been abroad several months
studying war conditions before taking
his seat in the next congress.
I had a talk with L,loyd George be
fore I left England," Hale said. "I
also talked with Premier Brtand , of
France, and other officials closely in
touch with the conduct of the war.
Without exception they are elated at
the step which sent Count von Bern-
storff back to Germany, and they be-
llevo the next move will carrv the
m Wr n S,d r
the ailies.
Moral Effect Is Desired. .
"The moral effect of the American
entry is all that Is hoped for by the
Kuropean countries. They declare the
spectacle of only a few American
troops fighting trie German armies in
Krance would have a tremendous
moral effect,
i no xeeiing in tne allied nations,
toward the United States has changed
greatly. The United States now Is
(Concluded on Pag Thirteen. Column Two)
German Detention
Of Consuls Charged
WAR
WORD BROUGHT
1 that is not unqualifiedly and reserv
V. B. Xnveetlgatee Unofficial Xeports edly American in this crisis has made
That Three Officials and Two Clarke its,f th Kateer s a"y
ara Xald Am Hoetersa, Herald All doubts about the neces-
' sity of the government s taking im
Washington, Feb. 28. (U. P.) The mediate steps for the absolute protec
state department admitted this after- tlon of merchant vessels should bo re
noon it is investigating unofficial ad- moved by the unlawful sinking of the
vices that three Amerlcs .i consuls and Laconia. So far as it is able Ger-
two consular cierKs are Deing detained
in? Germany until Germany is assured
uerman consul roueuer was noi -ana
Is not now detained by. order of this
government at Havana, Cuba, while en
route to Quito, Ecuador.
H. C A."Damm, formerly consul at
Alx-la-Chappetle; Joseph A. Wood, ex
counsel at Chemnitz; Harold Swaters,
ex-vlce consul at Berlin, and Ennis
Brown and W. B. Wallace, ex-consular
clerks at Mannheim and Madgeburg.
respectively; are the consul officials
concerned. .
Some officials. , speaking pirtvately.
Lsaid that if the reports, which were
spread from tne Swiss legation be-
fore even e state depae luew
of them, are true, the case represents
-merely, another piece of barbarous
hostage practice, very . similar to the
nnntimie holdinr of the Y-rrow.1.1-
T"-r.. -
' . Sickness Detains' Three.
.Washington. Feb. 28. (U. - P.)
Three American - consuls remain In
Germany today, according to the state
department. They ares-'-f-r' V ''Ux
Consul General i Harris, Frankfort:
Vicei Consul Carlson and, Vice Consul
Entenmann, stuttgaart.
They are ill
and - at t' present unable to leave - Ger-
,.
iDDVAM IMTCMnC
uiiinu iiiiliiuu
TO LAST DITGH
Former Secretary of State
Calls Upon Public to Con
firm' President Wilson's
Statement as to War.
WOULD KEEP AMERICANS
OFF BELLIGERENT SHIPS
War Element Charged With
Attempt to Manufacture
Hostile Sentiment.
President Gives Assurance.
Washington, Feb. 28. (I. N.
S.) "I have done, am now
doing and will continue to do
everything- in my power to keep
the United States at peace."
This was the assurance given
The pacifist committee had pre-
senated resolutions to the presl-
dent urging him to keep this
country out of war.
"Nothing short of Invasion
should be allowed to Involve
& this country in the holocaust,''
the pacifists told the presl-
dent.
The group was headed by
Jane Addams of Chicago, and
included Miss Emily Green
Balch, professor of economics,
3 Wellesley college; Joseph Can-
non, representing mlneworkers
and labor organizations of the
west, and Dr. Frederick Lynch,
executive secretary of the
Church Peace union.
Washington. Feb. 28. U. P.)
Former Secretary of State Bryan will
support tho administration In the
event of war. But until war comes.
phe told the United Press today, he
will oppose "with all his resources'
any steps that might lead to war. He
insisted war should be decided on only
by a. referendum vote. . . i
Bryan discussed "general principles'
freely. He wottfd "nCntiwever, "tie
(Concluded oa Pace Tilc. Columa Seveii)
GONGRESS IS TOLD TO
mw ma w
PRESIDENT IN
New York Editorial Comment
Indicates Laconia Sinking
Iste&n "Overt Act."
New Tork, Feb. ZS.(V. P.) New
York editorial comment on the sink
ing of tho Laconia and the interna
tional si'- on in general follows:
Under t heading "Time to Declare
War," the Tribune says'
"At lat the administration faces an
"overt act' on Germany's part which
It ran hardly explain away,
"Mr. Wilson has. said manr times
tnat he would not tolerate any more
ch murders- He has pledged him-
self again and agin to 'protect our
people in their legitimate and peaceful
pursuits on the seat..' Now the occa-
sion has come which compels him to
make his words good. If those words
mean anything, the administration Is
bound in honor to ask congress to de-
dare war. Nothing short of a decla-
ration of war will suffice."
"Disgrace to Coagreea."
World It is a disgrace to congress,
it is a disgrace to the American people,
it is a disgrace to the eternal principles-
of the republic that there could
have been an hour's wrangling and
i haggling over tne question whether the
- United States should maintain its
honor or surrender abjectly to German
ruthlessness. There has been enough
of national humilation. A congress
many is translating its threats into
action. It is of greatest importance
(Conttnued on Tate Kivc. Column Onet
Dutch Ship in Port
With 179 Survivors
Newport News. Va Feb. 28. (L N.
S.) With 179 survivors of ships sunk
by German submarines aboard, tbe
Dutch steamer Arm in do, from Rot
terdam to Hampton Roads, arrived
lM of flve 8eparllte attacks &nd
wer DiCked uo in the Bav of biimv
fr?anrt .It h. ,1
" 7r. r.JvTk 1
were British, two Norwegians
ana -one it an an
Universal Military ;
I Training Retained
Washington. Feb. : 2 s"- U. P.) The
senate'..! military -? commute tndiv
agreed to resort; the armv bill carrv i
J ing an amendment providing for unl-
I versa! t muitary traiaingv Vi :
CRISIS
Fund for Food
Prices Inquiry.
Wins in House
Borland Amendment Providing
$400,000 Passed, by Vote ot
, 247 to 158.
Washington, Feb. 28. (U. P.) The
house today passed the Borland
amendment to the sundry civil ' bill
providing $400,000 wherewith the Fed
eral Trade commission shall investi
gate food prices.
The vote on the amendment was 247
to 158, and the sundry civil measure
itself passed without a record vote. '
1
SEATTLE IS REMOVED
BY INCREASING FARES
Portland Tourists to East
Must Pay $5,60 More if
They Go via California,
After April 1. Portland people pur
chasing round-trip tickets for the east,
with the return Journey routed through
California, will have to pay $5.60 more
than they have been paying hitherto.
The railroads have decided on this
means of removing the discrimination
against Seattle, which city had charged
before the Interstate Commerce com
mission that the $6.60 "arbitrary" was
an unscientific and oppressive factor
In travel.
The commission ruled that the dis
crimination must cease, but left the
ways and means with the carriers
themselves. Inasmuch as the actual
reasonableness of the fare Itself was
not attacked, the railroad, rather than
reduce the faro from Seattle, are rais
ing the rate from Portland.
Tariffs covering this readjustment
will b out in a day or so, that the
requisite 30 days' notice may be had
before the fares actually become ef
fective. It is rumored that transcontinental
one-way summer excursion fares, both
east bound and westbound, are to be
higher this year than last by approxi
mately $5. Official decision to this ef
fect has not been reached by the rail
roads, but it is known that they have
been giving the subject much, consid
eration of late. ,
-
Murder Charge Made
Against Chinaman
Charles Lee Yin. officer of the Hop
Sing tong, and one of the 12 men ar
rested following the tong battle on
North Fourth street Saturday when
Irani Quong Fong. a Blng Kong-Bow
Leong member, was killed, has been
charged with murder in a complaint
filed at police headquarters by Deputy
District Attorney T. G. Ryan.
Bail was fixed at $4000 and Charles
Lee Tin will probably be released in
that sum, as strenuous efforts to
raise the money were being made to
day. All the other prisoners have been
released.
There were no further developments
in the tong war today. Both Chinese
districts still are strongly guarded by
the ipollce.
Carver Gets More
Bus Line Franchises
Two more franchises to operate
motor buses through the central east
side and the Rose City Park district
and on two routes of the west side,
were granted to Stephen Carver of the
Portland Trackless Car Co., by the
city coufitil today. Two franchises for
routes in other sections of the city
have already been granted and a fran
chlse to operate buses over a route to
Linnton is - pending. The franchises
passed today take effect in 30 days.
Given Thirty Days
On Plea of Guilty
E. C. Ball, indicted by the federal
authorities for perjury, and who had
pleaded not guilty, changed his plea
to guilty this morning in Judge Bean's
court, and was sentenced to 30 days in
the county jail and fined $100. He
was taken by the United States mar
shal to jail. Ball was charged with
giving false testimony during the
hearing of William and Milton Mar
gulls, who were alleged to have
shipped liquor into this state in vio
lation of the interstate commerce act.
Pago Pago Has Been
Made Closed Port
San Francisco, Feb. J8. (P. N. S.)
Pago Pago, the American naval sta
tion in the Sam o an group, has been
ntads a closed port as a' result of the
International crisis, according to of
ficers of the steamer Ventura, which
arrived yesterday from Sydney. The
order went Into effect the day ot
the break with Germany.
A radio bulletin, published at Pago
Pago by the United States officials,
giving the American . residents their
only news of the world . events, , was
discontinued at the same time.
Gehnan Naval Plane
Bombed Transport
Berlin,. via Sajrvllle .Wireless. Feb.
2.t(C. P.) A. German, 'naval plane
in the 'Northern Aegean' sea success
fully bombed a hostile transport ship.
the' of fieal press agency :- announced
today. - - .The machine -returned , safely
In spite of violent; shelling and pur
suit Dy two Hostile planes. " .,c;-.-v
ARBITRARY
AGAINST
BENSON, IDAIJIS
oIjRoTd BOARD
Governor Withycombe Con
firms Announcement Made
'Yesterday by The Journal;
Says He Feels Better.
SEES STRENGTHENING OF
THE BIG BOND ISSUE
Executive Wants Body to Or
ganize and Get Work
Started Soon.
Salem. Or.. Feb. 28. Governor
Withycombe has confirmed the an
nouncement made yesterday by The j
Journal of the personnel of the new
highway commission. The new com
missioners are E. J. Adan-a of Eugene,
representing the first congressional
district: W. L. Thompson of Pendle
ton, representing tho second congres
sional district, and 8. Benson of Port
land, representing the third district.
Mr. Adams was here yesterday con
ferring with tho governor about high
way matters, and the crjef executive
will go to Portland this afternoon to
confer with Mr. Thompson.
Governor Withycombe exprfesed re
lief that the highway commission has
been appointed, as it has taken a load
off his shoulders. He said he would
have no recommendations to make to
the commission as to the selection of
a highway engineer or any other em
ploye, but he wants the commission
to get organized and to get work
started as soon as possible.
Says Bond Xsene Kelped.
The governor expressed the opinion
that tho personnel of the commission
will add strength to the campaign to
carry the $6,000,000 road bond issue.
It Is expected that the commission
will be organlxea In a few days. Com
missioner Benson, who has been spend
ing the winter in Southern California,
has sent word that he will return to
Oregon at once and enter upon his new
duty.
It is understood that Mr. Benson win
It IS unaersiooa nat mr. oonun wm
ebo?en chBirma ot
The first task of the commission
will be the selection of a highway en
gineer who in the language of tbe act
"hall be a competent civil engineer
and Qualified by a technical training
as well as practical' construction ex
perience in highway work.
His salary is to be fixed by the com
mission but is not to exceed $5000 a
year.
The commission will also have the
appointment of his assistants and the
fixing of their compensation.
Cost Xs Xdmlted.
It Is provided, however, that the
total cost in any one year for main
taining the department shall not ex
ceed 10 per cent of the total funds
available that year.
xne nignway engineer is to oe me
executive officer of the commission, j
is lo nave general supervision
over all matters pertaining to state I
nighway construction.
Applications for engineer have been
coming in ever since the law was
parsed.
Among those whose names have
been prominently mentioned in con
nection with the place are: Herbert
Nunn, county highway engineer of
Multnomah county; Representative
Laurgaard of Multnomah county. City
Commissioner Dieck and City Engi
neer Dater of Portland.
Eeserve Bank May
Place Branch Here
Merita of This City as Site Will Be'
Znlly Zavestigated as Well as Those
of Seattle aad Spokane.
That the merits of Portland as a
site for the proposed branch of the
federal reserve bank will be fully in
vestigated aa well as those of Spokane
and Seattle, which are also aspirants
for the Institution, Is the statement
made today by C. J. Shepherd, assist
ant cashier of the federal reserve bank
at San Francisco.
Mr. Shepherd has just returned
from a business trip to Seattle, where
he practically established a branch
bank during the late "financial un-
pleasantness" in that city. He also
visited Spokane to see what the peo-
pie there watned to do with a branch
bank.
"It will probably be some time,"
says Mr. Shepherd, "before announce
ment will be made regarding the se
lection of a site for the branch bank.
All sites will be investigated."
While at Seattle Mr. Shepherd of
fered to take all the rediscount notes
that the banks there had to offer, but
there was plenty of money available
at home and no notes were offered.
Battery A Captain,
0. W. Helme, Resigns
Captain C. W. Helme. who com
manded Battery A. Field Artillery.
Oregon National Guard, while in the
federal service on the border, has re
signed, his resignation to take effect
Immediately. It will - require some
weeks to close up his accounts and
release him. Captain Helme was elect
ed to command the battery last year a
few weeks before being called out.
Poet Scout Dies at
Home in New York
1 New Tork. Feb. 28 (I. JC &)
John Wallace Crawford. "rCaptaln
Jack. the poet scout. Is dead at his
borne here today.- He was 70 years of
age and died 'from pneumonia. , , -vi,"
-f :. r X- i v.- : ..- :X -.?'
SBENSQN (top) ndW.L.
Thompson, two members
. of the new state high
way . commission named by
Governor.
ft
II J slf, j
. . .
Protest at Mayors
Message Is Sent
Prominent women representing Ger
man speaking societies and churches
of Portland sent Mayor Albee a set of
resolutions protesting against a tele
gram the mayor had sent to the
Oregon congressional delegation in
doming Vresident Wilsons German
policy regarding submarine warfare.
The resolutions embodying the pro
test were adopted at a meeting held at
the German house yesterday.
Mayor Albce's telegram urged that
honor bo first consideration In the
'present crisis elm affecting American
rirhi on ti. Mrk t
considerable Interest to 'be manifested
Dy iocal erman-Amerlcan circles,
Strahorn Will Come
To Talk Business
Klamath Falls. Or., Feb. 28. To set
tle final details regarding the contract
for construction of the Klamath Falls
Dairy link of the Oregon-California
railroad, Robert E. Strahorn will ar
rive from San Francisco Thursday eve
nlng. When the sale of the $3000 mu-
! nlcipal railroad bonds was effected to
the Bpitrer-Korick company of Toledo.
Ohio, Monday night, a clause was in
serted allowing the city opportunity
to retract Its action within 14 days, if
i desirable.
Mayor Crisler therefore wired Stra
horn asking that he appear and make
definite arrangements before this 14
day period has elapsed.
Postoff ice Force
Changes Places
A three-cornered change In the Port-
i land postofflce force has been- made by
is been
'urnian
j Postmaster Myers in pursuance of the
t postmaster general's -recommendation.?
' that employes exchange positions from
j time to time In order that they may
obtain opportunity for broader and
more comprehensive training in their
work.
M. K. Wlgton, formerly In the par
cel post section. Is now examiner of
postofflce stations. C. O. Stone, who
vacates that position, now has L. B.
Simmons' job as paying teller lrr the
money order department.. Simmons
now has Wlgton's job. Salaries paid
all three positions after the change
are the same, according to Myers.
Police Surgeon Calls
Harry Thaw Wreck
Philadelphia. Feb. 28. (I. N. a)
Following testa made by New Tork
alienists. Dr.. John Wanamaker, well
known police surgeon, declared today
that Harry K. Thaw Is a physical and
mental wreck. . Dr. Wanamaker was
assigned by Captain, of Le tec tires
Tate as expert. . Thaw collapsed dur
ing the examination and his -condition
today is serious.
y - . m 4
Hog Prices Again
: Break All Records
Chicago, Feb.;.ll. OX. v:p.) Hogs
sold for $13.55 on tbe local market
today v. This . is an advance of ,'20
cents - per" hundred over - yesterday's
top and the. highest, price ever paid on
tne Chicago maraet. ; . . r - i
Puss Sticks in
Flue and Loses
8 of Its Lives
Police, Humane Society and Chim
ney Sweep Combine to Eject
Feline From Its Perch.
A grain , sack full of brickbats let
down from the roof, with a policeman
guiding the destinies of the instru
ment by reaching through a stove
hole In the kitchen, was the means of
dislodging ah obstinate cat from Its
hiding-place deep in a chimney at the
home of Mr. Harry Balle. 87 Kast
Twenty-fourth street. Tuesday after
noon. The est either fell into the chimney
or entered it through the fireplace
Sunday night. When Mrs. Balls arose
Tuesday she heard the walls of the Im
prisoned feline.
She discovered Tabby wedged deep
in the chimney. The Humane society
was notified, and one of its officers
Monday spent three hours in vain ef
fort to release .the cat.
Every means that sympathetic by
standers could suggest was adopted,
to secure the caff release. Water
was poured down the chimney, from
the roof. Hot fires were bulltin an
effort to smoke the cat out. Hooks
attached to ropes were let down, and
an effort was made to drive it out
through the fireplace opening.
In desperation Mrs. Balle called the
police. Motorcycle Patrolmen Bales
and Coulter took down the kitchen
stove pipe, but the cat remained se
cure.
A chimney sweep appeared, pro
cured a grain sack and weighted 't
with brick bats. By this time Bay
King and Ben Trenkman arrived from
police headquarters to assist.
The chimney sweep lowered the sack
of bricks with a rooe. letting the
mass fall squarely on the feline.
Three times the bricks rose and fell.
Each time a terrific squall resounded
from the chimney.
Suddenly a mass of oot and crum
bled cement tumbled down. An Instant
later a disheveled, gaunt cat. its hair
singed In some places and soaked in
others, dropped to the bottom. The
cat hit the ground and In three Jumps
was out of sight, going straight east
towards Mount Scott.
It was a black and white stray and
Mrs. Balle said she had noticed it In
the neighborhood several days before
its strange incarceration. No one
knows how the cat got In the chimney.
INIQUITOUS BEAN BILL
PRESAGES- IMMENSE
LOSS JUHIS STATE
Measure Opens Way for the
S. P, to Secure Lands Now
Worth $45,750,000,
The Railroad's Prayer, Intoned by
the recent legislature by direction of
Bean of Lane, means much. In the
answering, for the Southern Pacific,
or for the people of Oregon, as the
case may be.
It means a profit to the railroad
company of approxima
tely $45,760,000,
h-eded by con-
should its pleading)i be
gress end th courts, in line with the
arguments of Mr. Bean, and the con
tentions of thn Southern Pacific
It means the loss at 39.261,250 to
the common school fund of the state
of Oregon.
It means the loss of $9,621,250 to
the port districts of the grant land
counties itjL F""
It means the loss of 118,522.800 to
the federal reclamation fund, a por
tion of which, at least, probably would
be spjnt in Oregon.
Settlers Would Be Barred.
It means more than all this. It
means, should Its provisions obtain,
that nearly 1,150,000 acres of land will
not be given free to those settlers
who have been watting for 40 years
and more for an opportunity to carve
homes out of the empire granted to
the Oregon & California railroad,
which empire tbe company has held
sequestered for nearly half a century.
In round numbers the Oregon
California land grant contains 2,300.-
000 acres of land. Since the passase
of the Chamberlain-Ferris act, revest
ing these lands In the federal gov
ernment, . tbe agents of the govern
ment have been at work classifying
the vast holding as the act directed.
At th most conservative estimate
half of the tract will come within the
(Co Deluded on Pag NlB. Column tunr)
Gerard and Party
Start for America
Corunna. Spain. Feb. 28. (I. N. S.--
Former Ambassador to Germany
James W. Gerard and his American
diplomatic party are on the last leg
of their homeward Journey today. A
great public reception was tendered
the Americans when they boarded the
Spanish steamer Infanta Isabella,
which sailed yeeterdayr
Van Dyke olns Gerard. .
New Tork, Feb. 28. (I. N. S.) It
was reported that Dr. Henry Van
Dyke, resigned minister to the Neth
erlands, was aboard the liner Finland,
which arrived today, but passengers
stated that at the last moment he can.
celed his sailing and went to fipaln to
join the party of ex-Ambassador Ger
ard.1 who has taken passage on the
epanisn unsr Infanta Isabella.
Norwegian Liner to
Sail for ; Christiania
New Tork. Feb." 2t (f. Wl S.)
Tbe Norwegian-American line, steam
er - Kristtnlafjord ; cleared -today for
Christiania with, a general cro, hot
with no passengers. She will take the
northern route, touching at ' Halifax,
to avoid tne submarine sons... ..
COUNCIL
ract;
I ' ; r - '
Pearson Construction Co; Is
Awarded Work . of Elimi
nating Grade Crossings
Along 0-W. R. & N.m;
PROPERTY OWNERS PUT
UP STRONG OBJECTIONS
Threat Is .Made to Invoke Aiti
of Courts Because Prop-y-erty
Owners Assessed,!;
. The city council today awarded - the
contract for the elimination of grade.
crossings over the O-W, R: & tC '.
tracks from East Thirty-seventy
street and Sandy boulevard .to the
city limits, to tho Pearson Cpnstrue- .
tion company, for $50. 47.50. This it ..
the largest project i handled by the :
city in years and Involves the ellmlna-
tlon of seven grade crossings and th ; -construction
of that number of via v
ducts across the tracks of the rail-
road company in the eastern part T
the city.
The award was made In the f ace o
threats of injunctions to hold up the ,
project, and over the protests t A., ,-
Shapiro who said he represented a :
large number of small home owners In '
the district. Henry Howltt aald that
he would seek an Injunction to pre--"""
vent the signing of the contract. . V.
Wants Actios Bsfenred. "A
Mr. Shapiro, who presented a petl
tion signed by about 125 property
owners In the Rose City Park district, ; ;
asked that action toward awarding the
contract be delayed nntll June, tilt .
said that the principle of assessing .a .
part of the cost of the work to prop-
erty owners wu wrong. After thj .
meeting he declared that It was pro
posea to nave a charter amendment '
providing for the cost of railroad via '
duct construction being paid entjrclf
oy tne railroad companies.
In taking thi action, member ot the
council explained that tha city had ' -expended
approximately 170.00 on the - ;
project to date and that contracture!
relationship between the ctty and the '
railroad company necessitated proceed
tng with the work. r "
Will H. Daly, commissioner of juh
He-.utilities; said that while he Was op- :
posed to the present charter provision
requiring property owners ' to pay a
part of the coat, it had been adopted -
by the people and the council's only
recourse was to proceed. .r !
Cost About agoo,000. a i
While the contract price la S0G. :
457.50. the cost or the entire rojecz, :
including damages to property, n .
glneerlng, etc., will be approximately : .
$600,000.
The O-W. n. ic N., and the .Portland . t T;
Railway, Light & Power company, are ;
to pay 60 per cent of this amount,
the city 20 per eent end 20 per cent
Is to be assessed to property owner '
In the district affected. About 14 00o
J ,ots "r to b assessed, and according,
to Commissioner . Uleck. the average
itmrBriiitni I'vr ioi win be approxi mately
$8. ' ..
Austria Denies Her:
Diver Sank the Law
Washington, Feb. 28 (T. N. S.)-
The Austrian government today notW
fled tbe state department that the "
American schooner Lyman IL Law ,
was not sunk by an Austrian subma
rine. In a note transmitted througn
Ambassador Penfleld the foreign min
later said that all commanders of Aue
trlan submarines have been heard
from and that none reported tbe at
tack on the American craft.
The captain of the law in : re
porting the sinking, explained that the
submarine bore neither flag nor num
ber. -',$'.
This fact, coupled with the fact
that the attack occurred m the Medi
terranean; led to official belief that
the warship was Austrian.
The Law's captain reported that"
several of the submarine's crsw wer
Release of Sailors
Held Up by Malady
Oermaa Yrses Bareas Says Qaaraatlae' . -
Xeaenres rorbld Tsrrowaals Frisoa,
ers Zteavtag Oarmaay for a While, .
Berlin, via Kayvllle wireless. Feb!
28. (U. P.) "The release of the Tar- ?
rowdale - prisoners, though orderel
some time ago, unfortunately cannot
be carried out for the moment aa in the ,
place of their residence a case of in
factious malady occurred," said a .
statement by tbe press bureau Mon
day. . ;
Thia, in the interest of neutral .
countries, necessitates quarantine '
measures for a number of people about ''.
to leave Germany. It Is hoped that
quarantine will be of short duration'
only. American citizens are safe and H
well."
Prosperty of City - :il
Is Reflected by:v
Bank Clearings
. Portland bank clearings for
t February reflect prosperity- with "
the greatest increase In bust- i
r reus ever shown in the local
a financial field. Total ." banJc ', 4
- clearings for the month wers i '
$3l,4S.6.13, while those for
a tbe aame month a year 'a go
were$3,04a7.2t,-;,:? "
' ;
i-V