cigrtt r ftw vitwji, rrurning rerjecuy logeiner, wui rreseni a ireat musical urogram at tLlsinore ineater roaay ana lomorrow
Salem Public Library Has 21,219 Books; Had for 1927 Total Circulation of 110,741 Books; Has 12,195 Registered Borrowers
1
i
Weather forecast: Fair; no change In
temperature; light variable winds. Maxi
mum temperature yesterday 53, minimum
29, river 1.8, rainfall none, atmosphere
clear, wind northwest.
FIVE SECTIONS
THIRTY-SIX PAGES
SEVENTY-SEVENTH YEAR
SALEM, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 19, 1923
PRICE FIVE CENTS
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II I I I L J I I I 1
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BRIDGE AWARD
WILL BE IDE
MONDAY NIGHT
Reconsideration of Inciner
ator Site Likely At Coun-
cil Session
OWNER BALKS AT PRICE
Opening' of Bids on Building Ma
terials Also Due; Matter of
Gasoline Storage Tank
Permit May Come I"p
The city council will be In foi
a busy session Monday night from
present Indications as there are a
number of important and routine
matters scheduled to come before
the body.
Awarding of contracts for con
struction of the North Seventeenth
and South Winter street bridges;
opening of bids on building ma
terials; and renewed considera
tion of the incinerator location
and the 12,000 gallon Southern
Pacific company gasoline storage
tank are some of the things to
hold attention of the councilmen
AYll Announce Winner
Alderman Townsend, chairman
of the bridge committee, will an
nounce the successful bridge bid
ders. He delayed his recommen
dation at the last meeting so that
the low bidders might be investi
gated before the contract .was
warded...
V "The three bidders on the North
Haglan and Allison, Albany; Sam
uel and Neef, Portland; and Fred
Erixon, Salem. On the South
Winter street the low bidders were
A. L. Lamb, Salem; Frazer and
Push, Salem; and Haglan and
Allison,, Albany.
Incinerator lp Again
The Incinerator site appears not
to be definite even yet. Alice M.
Howard, owner of the 10 acres In
South Salem contemplated, now
declines to sell the plot for $1500
If she Is required to pay for the
abstract, which cost amounts to
$93. Alderman Dancy probably
will ask the council for authority
to pay for the abstract, so that
the contract for purchase of the
site can be consummated.
Bids will be opened on cement,
gravel, sand, concrete gravel, sew
er pipe, catch basins, man hole
covers, lamp hole covers, a pav
ing breaker, and a truck. Award
ing of contracts on some of this
material will probably arouse con
troversy among the councilmen as
several local firms are bidding.
The contract for band music
this coming summer will be filed
(Continued on pace 2)
LENGTHY CRIME
RECORD TRACED
PAIR IIIiL.I lir.JM-tJ-mr.,
for
9100,000 LOSS
Mexicans in Prison Here Declared
to Have Stolon SoOOO Mer
chandise Malicious burning of more than
IIOOTOOO worth of property in
Oregon and pilfering mercantile
establishments of more than $5,
000 worth of goods, constitute the
record of Luis Silva and Antonio
Torres, Mexicans who are serving
a terra in the state penitentiary
here for robbing and setting fire
to a tailor shop at Albany last No
vember. This was announced here Satur
day by Clare A. Lee. state fire mar
thai, whose operatives recently
completed an investigation of the
activities of the two prisoners. In
surance companies paid out 152,-
s a result of the six ln-
3ry fires ,tredited to Silva
and Torres.
Torres and Silva were arrested
.it Albany November 7, 19 27, on
suspicion of robbing and setting
fire to the tailor shop of Frank
Masek. The men later were ques
tioned by state and county offi
cers with the result that they eon-
essed-and were on their way to
hours. Silva was sentenced to serve
two terms of seven and five years,
while Torres wag aent up for fire
years. r -
The Mexicans confessed t the
Albany' fire after more than $1.
00 worth of goods taken, front the
STATE TO FIGHT
COUNTIES' BILL
TAX COMMISSION SEEKS DE
LAV ON HAWI.KY MEASURE
Claims Oregon Would Be Deprived
of Just Taxes If Refund
Not Shared
The scene of controversy be
tween the state of Oregon and
Marion county and incidentally a
number of other counties, over the
Oregon and California land grant
refund, shifted from the courts
here to the national capital this
week when Representative W. C.
Hawley introduced a bill provid
ing that the counties alone shall
participate in the refund.
Members of the state tax com
mission held a meeting here Sat
urday and instructed the attorney
general to send a telegram to Ore
gon's delegation In congress urg
ing that action be deferred on this
bill.
The Hawley bill would amend
the original refund act so as to
preclude the state from sharing
In the land grant refund even
though litigation now pending in
the Oregon courts should- result
favorable to the state.
The attorney general's telegram
to Oregon's delegation in congress
reads: "I request that further
action on the proposed amendment
o the Oregon-California refunding
act be deferred until the state has
n opportunity to submit a brief.
Will be able to show that the
counties have not been required to
pay state taxes based upon the vat
uatlon of revested lands and that
state taxes charged to counties
were reduced In proportion to the
valuo of revested lands.
"The amendment would defifffe
the. state of tax money it would
have received from the counties
affected had the lands remained
subject to taxation. Briefs form
erly submitted did not cover this
point."
It was said that the tax com
mission Is depending mainly upon
Representative SInnott of the sec
ond district -and Representative
Korell of the third district to de
fer action on the Hawley bill. Re
oorts received here Indicated that
Representative Hawley is opposed
to the state sharing in the refund
In event the briefs are not suf
ficlent Willis Moore, assistant at
torney general, may be sent tc
Washington to confer with federal
officials.
Sam A. Kozer, as secretary of
state, sometime ago filed a suit in
the circuit court here demanding
that Marion county pay to the
state out of the refund an amount
of money equal to the amount the
state would have received in taxes
(Continued on pat 4.)
SACKETT MAY GET POST
McMtnnville Editor Said Likely
Governor's Secretary
Reports current here Saturday
indicated that - Sheldon Sackett
editor of the Telephone Register
at McMinnville, would be ap
pointed private secretary to Gov
ernor Patterson to succeed Hal
Hoss. who has resigned. Govern
or Patterson refused to comment
on the report. Mr. Sackett was
closeted with Governor Patterson
for more than an hour last night.
Mr. Hoss has agreed to remain
in the executive department until
the return of Governor Patter
son, who will leave here tomor
row for Sacramento.
VETS MEET WEDNESDAY
Organized Council of State to Meet
At Armory Here
Veterans of all war and mem
bers of their auxiliary organlia
tions are requested to meet on
Wednesday evening, 7:30 at the
Veterans State Council.
A program Is being arranged,
which will be announced later, and
some interesting speakers will be
present. This will be a non-partisan
meeting and a large attend
ance Is desired. Efforts will be
Unade to have the program along
the lines which wi'l be of real ben
efit to veterans and good citizen
ship. tailor ahop were found la Torres'
room.
Torres and Silva were said to
have started their crime career in
Oregon at Itoseburg - on June- 1,
1925, when they set fire to the
store of C. J. Brier and company.
The value of merchandise stolen
and burned was f 12.71J.M; This
tire also damaged the stock and
fixtures of Wilder A Age, nier-
ITER
POWER
BE
EYED CLOSELY
Fish, Game Commissions To
Seek Hearings Before
Permits Granted
6 PROJECTS MENTIONED
More Launched at Portland to
Guard Against All Possibility
of Interference With Life
in Streams
PORTLAND, Feb. 18 (AP)
Resolutions protesting the grant
ing of permits for waterpower de
velopments before the probable
effect of the developments on fish
life becomes the subject of pub
lic hearings, will be filed with the
state engineer Tuesday by the fish
commission of Oregon and the
Oregon state game commission.
That the resolution would be filed
was learned today.
Construction of dams and power
projects in the Sandy and Clack
amas rivers seriously depleted the
numbers of fish in those streams,
the resolutions assert. The fish
Ins Industry Is described as the
third largest In the state; Its pre
servation and protection is of
Vital Importance to the prosperity
o the commonwealth. JJbe value
OJKthegame fish for recreational
fparrposes Is asserted.
' ' Specif lc List Given
Six proposed power develop
ments are mentioned specifically.
Applications for permits for these
developments have been filed with
the federal power commission, the
resolutions point out, that the
rights for granting permits for
the actual construction and main
tenance of dams and other power
projects are vested in the state.
The six projects mentioned are:
The city of Eugene's plan to
construct three power develop-
(Continued on pf 4.)
TRAIN WINS RACE EVENT
Death and Serious Injury Result
As Contest EnOr, m Tre
KALISPELL. Mont., Feb. 18.
(AP) Robert Lavelle was killed
and Lee Good seriously hurt here
today when a locomotive struck
their automobile at a street rail
way crossing.
MKT
LIBRARY BOARD
ELECTS BARNES
ANNUAL MEETING HELD; RE
PORT SHOWS INCREASE
2,855 Patrons and 7,117 Circula
tion Added in 1927, Rating
Declared High
E. T. Barnes was elected pres
ident of the Salem library board,
at its meeting last night. Mrs. F.
H. Spears was chosen as vice
president and W. H. Burghardt
secretary.
Following Is a summary of the death. Sir Arthur cites an exper
report for the past year which was lence of one of his own sons as
submitted at this meeting by Maud, corroboration of his contention
E. Covington, librarian:
"The library has been open 304
. . . , . was expressed last Saturday dur-
days to borrowers. It Is open each . . . . . . . . , .
w ilng a birthday Interview In Flor-
day 12 hours. On Sundays it ls,lda and cauged widespread cora-
open from 2 to 5 p. m.
"Registered borrowers number
12,195 people, 2,855 patrons be
ing added in 1927.
"The library lends freely books,
periodicals, pamphlets, and pic
tures. The total circulation for
1927 was 110.741. This was an
increase of 7,117 over the preced
ing year. Fiction makes up 58 per
cent of the total.
"The circulation per capita is
4.1 volumes. The standard set by
the American Library association
is five books when the per capita
support is $1. Salem's per capita
support in 1927 was 33 cents. The
circulation per volume in the col
lection is 5.2 and per patron 9.8
"Books in the collection now
number 213,19, of which, number
17,0(9 are books for adults and
4,160 are children's books. The
number of books added in 1927
was 1,123. Lost, worn and old
books withdrawn numbered 655.
"The city council appropriated
$8,983.51 for the support of the
library. Expenses for the year
amounted to $9896.16.
"Purchase of books and period
icals and binding cost account for
24 per cent of the total expendi
tures. "Summary of school depart
ment: "Total books. 13,292; additions.
941; withdrawals, 194; number of
volumes purchased with county
funds, 597; volumes purchased by
the school board, 209; gifts, 134.
"Number of libraries sent to
grades, 167; number of books sent
to grades, 5,629.
"Circulation of books jn schools,
34,936; high school, 13.403;
grades and junior high schools,
21.633.
THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP
DOYLE ADVANCES
SPIRITISM CLAIM
TAKES ISSUE WITH EDISON ON
AFTER LIFE VIEW
Fifty-Flfty Chance Not Enough to
Satisfy Writer, Who Cites
Alleged Instance
(In the following article writ
ten for the Associated Press, Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle takes issue
with Thomas Edison's recent- re
mark that he believes the chances
are "fifty-fifty" for life after
that the chances are 100 per cent
for Immortality. Edison's opinion
ment.
Sir Arthur has devoted his lat
ter years to the study of medium
ship and spiritualism and often
has engaged In discussion on the
subject of the after life.)
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
CROWBOROUGH. England,
Feb. 18. (AP) I opened my
paper the other day and the first
Item "which met my eyes was the
prone unceraent by Mr. Edison,
the venerable Inventor that the
chances were equal whether man
kind .had a future or not.
What a bleak outlook for hu
manity if such an assertion were
true..but it is not true, and we
have the means of proving that it
Is not true.
If Mr. Edison was really In
touch with the evidence he would
never have said a-thing which will
cast a shadow on many a heart
and weaken many a spirit. He
has, like so many honest think
ers, been repelled by those super
ficial and obvious flaws for which
our movement is not really re
sponsible. But all the same he ie
much to blame In lending the
weight of his name to such a
statement concerning a subject
which he has obviously not ex
amined. I could give him off
hand a hundred cases within my
(Continued on pige 9)
MISS WIRLITSCH WINS
Better Homes Exposition Comes
to Close With Award
Salem's "Better Homes" expo
sition came to a finale late last
night with the announcement of
the winner in the "Miss Salem"
contest as Amanda Wlrlltsch, who
received a beautiful Pontiac
coach as prize.
j
ENGINEER HEED
AS NEGLIGENCE
SillN QUIZ SOME
Tanks Not Properly Emptied,
Authorities Say Upon
Investigation
SEARCHING PROBE MADE
List of Seven Known Missing
After Tragedy Made Public;
Thorough Attempt Made
to Check All Names
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18
(AP) Responsibility for the
"nose dive" which swept approx
imately thirty persons off the
forward deck of the electric ferry
Peralta in San Francisco bay last
night, gravitated to the engine
room crew of the craft today as
federal investigators launched a
searching inquiry.
As the investigation progressed
police and officials of the Key
System company, owners of the
vessel, broadcast Inquiries for
seven persons who reported miss
ing after the "dip." Of this num
ber, two J. W. Collins of Oaf
land and Hugh Findlay of Berke"
ley were believed definitely to
have been on the Peralta. Of the
other five there was doubt as to
whether they were passengers.
"Joseph P. Dolan, United atatei
steamboat Inspector, while cross
examining Edward Disson, chief
engineer of the Peralta, stated
that the forward balancing tank
was full of water at the time of
the "dip" when it should have
been emptied. Control of the bal
ancing tanks is in the engine room
of the Peralta and the water
should have been released to the
rear tank, Dolan said.
Doubt Develops
Both Harry Hill, first assistant
engineer and Disson denied thf
tank was full, although Disson
later admitted that he was not
certain whether the forward tank
was empty.
"The only possible way that
ferry boat could have dipped the
way she did." said Dolan, "would
have been for that forward tank
to have been filled with water."
In making the trip from San
Francisco to Oakland the forward
tank is supposed to be empty.
The rear tank is filled before the
vessel reaches the Oakland pier
to counterbalance the weight of
passengers who generally rush
forward to be able to rush off the
(Continued on pife 7.)
ORGANIZE SECOND BANK
New
Institution Has Capital of
C25,0O0; Opens Doors
Reorganization of the defunct
Sheridan State bank was effected
here Saturday through the issu
ance of a charter to the State
Bank of Sheridan. The bank ha?
a capital stock of $25,000. The
incorporators are Rose B. G.
Thies. E. C. Brown and George
H. Finney. Directors of the bank
other than the Incorporators, in
clude W. W. Porter and H. T
Wilson.
' Mrs. Thies has been elected
president of the bank while Joseph
Baumgartner Is cashier. Mr,
Baumgartner was until recently
connected with the Ladd and Bush
bank of Salem.
Officials of the state banking
department said the new bank
had' taken over the building and
assets of the defunct Sheridan
state bank. Savings depositors In
the defunct institution have been
paid off on the basis of 100 cent
on the dollar, or approximately
$25,800. Commercial depositors
have received $71,000, or approx
imately 79 cents on the dollar.
The reorganization was said to
have been satisfactory to the state
banking department. The ne
institution was to have opened its
doors for business Saturday.
PROMISES MURDER TALE
Taxlcab Driver Arrested at Eu
gene to Tell Whole Story
EUGENE. Feb. 11. (AP)
Admitting his Implication in the
murder of John J. TT. Burley,
Idaho, taxicab driver on Decem
ber 27, Walter Mathews, arrest
ed here Friday night declared to-
nlgat that' he would tell a fall
story of the crime when he was re
turned to the Idaho to
BLAZE WITHIN WALLS
ROUTS GUESTS EARLY,
Fire which broke out at 2:40 o'clock this morning in theV
Marion hotel did approximately $25,000 damage and routed
the guests, some of them in negligee. Some of the guests
were all but overcome by the smoke, and women were badly
frightened. It was feared at first that some guests miht
have been suffocated while they slept, but rescue parties
which forced their way through the smoke entered every
room and found that all had escaped.
The blaze started in the boiler room, possibly from spo
taneous combustion in the sawdust stored there for fuel."
It was discovered breaking out through the walls of the din
ing room, and an alarm was quickly turned in by the clerk
on duty.
Fighting the fire was difficult due to the fact that it
spread throughout the space between the walls and between
the dining room and lobby ceiling and the second floor.
Prompt response to the alarm and efficient work on the
part of the firemen prevented a much greater loss.
The dining room, redecoration of which had just been
completed, was totally wrecked by the fire and the water
which was required to quench Jt, and the firemen were aifco
forced to hew great holes in the walls at a number of places
adding to the damage. The back part of the lobby was badlv
smoked up.
On the second floor, the fire broke through some of the
walls and elsewhere the firemen hacked holes, so that consid
erable damage was done there also.
The fire was still burning in places at 4 o'clock this morn
ing and there was still some danger that it might break out
seriously, but it was believed to be under control.
The homeless guests found refuge at first in the 3Iarlon
Garage, across the street; some of them later went to other
hotels while others waited in the hope that the smoke would
clear out and they could return to their rooms.
The hotel is the property of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Linn. Mr.
Linn stated this morning that it was well covered by insur
ance, and that he would take steps to have the damage re
paired at once.
TRUCK REPAIR DELAYED
Parts From East Awaited; Added
Protection Due Ere Ixng
The necessity for sending to the
east for bearings needed In the re
pair work of the old fire truck
will delay location of fire stations
In the outlying districts until
about three weeks yet. Alderman
VV. II. Dancy, chairman of the fire
and water committee, said yester
day. The new truck, purchased
six weeks ago, will arrive week
after next.
Dancy has four sites in mind
on which to locate the fire truck
In East Salem. He will decide on
one of them after a committee
meeting next week. The first
truck will go into East Salem on
account of the Southern Pacific
railroad track, which fire insur
ance companies see as a serious
hazard.
CARAVAN TO BE GREETED
Governors Party to be Here
8:40 Thit Afternoon
at
Plans were completed here Sat
urday for the reception to mem
bers of the governors caravan,
which will arrive In Salem at
3:45 this afternoon en route to
Sacramento. Calif. The caravan
will leave Portland shortly after
noon.
The capltol buildings will be
open for the inspection of the vis
ltors and a brief ceremony will be
held in the senate chamber. Gov
ernor and Mrs. Patterson will join
the caravan here.
The caravan will reach Sacra
mento Wednesday afternoon. Gov
ernor Patterson said he would re
turn to Salem next Saturday.
GREEN MATINEE SUCCESS
Large Crowd Attends; "Sorrel and
Sou" Will be Next '
The Market and Merchandise
Section matinee of The Oregon
Statesman, which was held at the
Klsinore theater Saturday after
noon, was a great success Judging
from the number of people who at
tended.
The next matinee will . be - "Sor
rel and Son at the Klsinore Sat
urday, February 35. The presen
tation of a coupon from the Green
Market and Merchandise sectlor
of The Oregon Statesman of Fri
day, February 24, a sales slip for
one dollar from some advertiser
In the section and ten cents will
admit anyone.
Watrti tnr t)im firman SHnn
(Friday morning.
BADLY SMOKED
PORTLAND PLANS
HUGE VICE DRIVE
ROOK CONFISCATED OBTAIN
ING NAMES OF 20Q MEN
Prominent DruggUt Among Fir4
to Be Taken By Police;
Others Outside City
PORTLAND. Feb. U (AP)--
Deputy sheriffs, police detective,
investlgatprs from-the district at
torney's office, private cltizeES
and representatives of civic or
ganizations, have started a united
drive against vice conditions Jn
Portland.
This became apparent today
with the arrest of Herbert S. Cof
fin. 45, well known druggist, who
is bId 4n the i-ounty jail under
$ 5.000 (bail on a 'morals charge cf
the same nature as that on whUh
William Armstrong. 31, confec
tionary store proprle'or., was coc
vlcted Wednesday and for which'
he wifl be sentenced Monday;
Coffin was arrested shortly
after midnight in a downtown ho
tel room where he was found lu
(Continued or. j; 2)
NEW FEATURE
. The Statesman U offering a
new feature, a new service t
its subscribers and advertisers,
"Counter Strokes," on the so
ciety page.
The young lady who write
this column Is what is known
in advertising Jargon as a "key
customer," that is. when she
finds something especially new
and attractive she does not
hesitate to tell fcr friend
where she-got it. These same
friends enjoy the .distinction of
being extremely well dressed,
living among beautiful sur
roundings, and buying only the
best and most appropriate
things, because they follow her
leadership and shop where she
advises where the service and
quality offered are ef the best.
This young lady has con
sented to write tor us every
Sunday the story of a shopping
tour taken during the previous
week just as she would fell ft
to her friends. ': The Statesman
Invites yon to Join the charmed
circle of her friends. - Read the
column on the society page to
day and . follow her - example
when you buy your spring
wardrobe. r You will ; be sur
prised " at tne ease .; with . which
yon can find Just . what yen
want Just when you. want It- -