TURN ON THE WATER
.John Day River, May Irrigate
250,000 Acres. .
LARGE TRACTS ARE WITHDRAWN
Engineer Davis Proposes to Water
Large Section South of the
Columbia River.
Washington, April 1. The prospect
lor government irrigation in the Uma
" tilla country has materially brightened
in the last few days, since the receipt
of a report from Edward I. Davis, as
- sistant engineer in charge of the Uma
tilla project. After making exhaustive
' topographic surveys, Mr. Davis reports
that he has devised a scheme by which
he believes it will be possible to irri
gate anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000
. acres of extremely fertile land lying
.just south of the Columbia river in
Umatilla, Morrow, Sherman and Gil
liam counties.
It was originally intended to utilize
the flood waters of the Umatilla river
for irrigating these lands, but an ex
haustive search failed to find any feas
ible dsmsite on that stream.' Engineers
found that the bed of the stream' was
' -of such loose structure that no reser
voir could be built that would hold
water. But Mr. Davis has discovered
what he believes to be a feasible plan
whereby the government can store the
" : flood waters of the John Day river and
by a long canal divert it onto the land
originally intended to be irrigated from
Umatilla river. While his plan i's
probably more expensive than would
' be the original Umatilla project, had it
been feasible, it seems to present the
only solution of this great irrigation
problem.'
As soon as convenient Mr. Davis'
plan will be submitted to the board of
: reclamation engineers, who will go over
the ground and determine upon its feaa
ibility. Reports seem to indicate that
there is plenty of water in the John
Day river to irrigate at least 200,000
acres of very rich land. .The reclama
tion service is very anxious to construct
" ;an irrigation system in the Umatilla
;ountr and is hopeful that Mr. Davis'
plan will prove practicable.
The withdrawals yesterday under this
project are desired either for irrigation
or for rights of way. The new plans
call for an extensive system of canals,
and the government, as far as possible,
' 'Endeavors to protect rights of way of
this character, to prevent conflict with
private owners.
MUST MOVE RAILROAD.
Government Negotiates with O.
N. for Washtucna Coulee
R. &
. Washington, April 4. Just as soon
as the government reaches a satisfact
ory agreement with the 0. R. & N. Co.
regarding the removal of the railroad
tracts trom tne bed ot washtucna cou
lee, in Eastern Washington, steps will
- be taken looking to the construction of
the big Palouse irrigation project. The
government is ready to go ahead, but
can do nothing as long as the railroad
. occupies thiR coulee, for one of the es
sential features of the Palouse . project
is the conversion of Washtucna coulee
into an immense storage reEervoir.
At the present time a representative
of the reclamation service in in rrmtpr-
ence with a representative of the War.
riman interests, in the hope of aereeinir
upon a figure which will compensate
the railroad company for moving its
tracks to higher ground, and which
will, at the same time, not be consider
ed an imposition on the government
The railroad company has stated that
$350,000 was a fair price for removing
its trflfikfl: the reclamation Rprvira ia.
lieves that this is more than it would
actually cost to perform the work, and
is not willing to pay that price.
Japanese Rule Manchuria.
Gunshu Pass, Manchuria, April 1.
Chinese merchants arriving here after
a circuitous flight from Mukden relate
that tne Japanese have taken over the
administration of Manchuria. They
have installed Japanese 'officials in
place of the Chinese, have taken pos
session of the Russian administrative
buildings, and have established a Jap
anese police force at Mukden. . The
work of converting the railroad from
Port Dalny to Mukden into a narrow
gauge road has been completed, giving
three railroad lines of supply.
Blockade Runner Taken.
" Tokio, April 1. The steamer Indus
try, whose nationality has not been
aiBueruHiieu, was seized Dy tne Japanese
on March 28. She was presumably
bound for Vladivostok. The British
steamer Mars, which was stranded off
urai promontory on juarcn 17, wnue
n,cjupuuS me paBoago ui ooya strait,
nas proxen in two. under ner engines.
Her bow and stern are both submerged.
Her captain and nine of the crew have
been rescued.
, Irrigation of Umatilla Land.
Washington, April 1. The secretary
of the interior today ordered the with
drawal from entry of 690,000 acres of
land in Oregon and 90,000 in Washing
ton on account of the Umatilla project.
BOWEN IS UPHELD.
Has Not Exceeded His Instructions in
Dealing with Castro.
Washington, March 31. Dr. Jose de
Jesus Paul, special representative of
President Castro, had an interview to
day with the president respecting the
issues that have arisen between Vene
zuela and the United States. Dr. Paul
appears to believe that these issues
might be settled by a change in the
American legation in Caracas, in view
of the strained relations between -President
Castro and Mr. Bowen. He is
awaiting the text of the communication
from Bresident Castro to the American
minister relative to tht arbitration pro
posal, which document is en route to
Washington by mail.
As an impression apparently prevails
to some extent, not only in Vennezu-
ela, but in this country, that Minister
Bowen has incurred the ill- will of
President Castro by an excess of zeal
in the presentation of the American
claims against Venezuela, it may be
stated that official inquiry from Wash
ington has developed the fact that Mr.
Bowen merely presented to the Vene
zuelan government the precise instruc
tions sent to him from the State depart'
ment relative to arbitration ; that he
did not add to nor take from those in
structions in the slightest degree, but
in fact effaced himself, so the fact is
that the State department and not Mr.
Bowen is responsible for this present
ment which has so stirred the Vene
zuelan government.
In view of the statement from Dr
Paul touching Mr. Bowen, it can be
added upon the highest authority that,
in view of the adminsitration, the
doctor has no official standing and
whatever communication he makes to
the president or State department, can
not have any weight or bearing. If
President Castro is dissatisfied with
Mr. Bowen, he must have recourse to
the regular diplomatic channel and
communicate that fact formally to this
government, which cannot receive rep
resentations on the subject from other
sources. "
MILL IS IN RUINS.
Bannockburn Property at Albany
Ravaged by Fire.
Albany, Or., March 31. The old A1-'
bany woolen mill, a brick building
being operated by the Bannockburn
Woolen Mills company, of Portland,
was Wednesday entirely destroyed by
fire, involving the owners in a loss of
about $50,000, and the city in a loss in
payroll and general expenditures in the
city's stores that cannot be replaced in
years. While the Bannockburn Woolen
Mills company will not suffer a loss
greater than the figures given above,
the building could not be duplicated
for less than $75,000. It cost that
when . built, and later some $20,000
more was spent upon it.
The fire originated in the drying
room, in a wooden annex or basement
built below the main floor of the build
ing, on the water front. It is sup
posed to have been started by an ex
plosion in the steam drying apparatus,
though the exact origin is not known.
The flames shot quickly up the big
power belt to the first floor of the main
building. Here the greasy floor and
woodwork furnished fuel for the flames
and in a moment the entire building
was on fire.
The building, with all the valuable
and intricate machinery, is a total loss
There were no manufactured products
on hand, hence the losses aie confined
to buildings, machinery and the small
amount of raw material. The large
boiler and engine are thought to be un
injured, though some explosions that
were heard from the direction of ' the
engine and drying rooms may have in
jured the big machinery.
Pennsylvania Miners Will Strike.
Aitoona, fa., Marcn 31. Tne oper
ators and miners of Che central bitu
minous district of Pennsylvania, after
being in conference in this city almost
continuously since March 10 endeavor-
in8 to aKree on a wa8e 8cale 8 'wWi
effect on April 10, adjourned finally to
day without coming to an agreement.
The failure to agree means a suspen
sion of work by the 16,000 organized
miners of the district at the end of the
present week. The employers demand
a 10 per cent reduction, but the men
8ay is beyond consideration.
Commission on Port Arthur's Loss
St. Petersburg, March 31. (1 a. m.)
The membership of the commission
to investigate the circumstances of the
surrender of Port Arthur, under the
presidency of General Itoop, has been
announced. It consists of General
Reuberg, of the engineers ; Giebenckoff
and Kamaroff , of the infantry; Denion
enkofi , Krijanorsky and Bogaviesky, of
the artillery; and Admirals Dikoff and
Doubasoff. The .sittine will begin at
the middle of May.
Awaits Creditors' Approval
Washington, March 31. Interest at
the State department centers in the at
titude of the French and Belgian cred
itors ' towards the recent settlement
with Santo Domingo. It is realized
there that an unfavorable reply on their acceptance by the government at Wash
part might cause an embarassing situ- ington of the" proposition of the Domin-
ation, in view of the action which this
government has already taken. These
creditors have, in all, claims of $16,-
000,000 against Santo Domingo, and
their attitude towards the agreement is
0f ereat importance
. All but American Treaty Ratified
Berne, Switzerland, March 31. The
Bundesrath today ratified all the pend
ing treaties oi commerce witn tne ex
ception of the treaty with the United
States. Further negotiations regarding
the latter will be necessary because of
the action of the American senate in
modifying what is regarded as an
sential clause of the treaty.
COMMISSION IS OUT
Asked to Resign by .Direction of
the President
FREE HAND IN REORGANIZATION
All Commissioners Now in Washington
Comply with Request, Which Is
- Cabled to Governor Davis.
Washington, March 30. The first
practical step having in view the re
organization of the Panama canal com
mission was taken today, when, in
compliance with instructions from
President Roosevelt, Secretary Taft re
quested the members of the commis
sion to tender their resignations. This
request was promptly complied with
by the members of the commission now
in-Washington and their resignations
will be in the hands of the president
tomorrow.
The purport of Mr. Taft' a letter re-
questing the resignations of the com-
missioners was sent to Major General
George W. Davis, retired, of the army,
governor of the canal zone, and also
one of the members of the commission,
and a prompt answer is expected from
him."
As indicated in the letter of Mr. Taft,
the resignations are requested in order
that ' the president may have a free
hand in reorganizing the commission.
That the president has contemplated re
organization has been known for some
time and he has been in consultation
wijh Mr. Taft as to his future policy
in choosing its personnel and directing
its work. It waB believed originally
that better results might be accom
plished by the appointment of a small
er commission than now existing, but
a recent opinion of Attorney General
Moody held that under the law, the
president was' required to name seven
members in all. The appointments
probably will be announced during the
progress of his Southern trip.
The members of the present commis
sion, m addition to General Davis, are
Rear Admiral John G. Walker, of the'
navy, retired, chairman William Bar
clay Parsons, William H. Burr, Benja
min M. Harrod and C. Ewald Grunsky,
the last four being civil engineers.
FAILS IN SPEED TRIAL.
Torpedo Boat Destroyer Makes Final
Effort on Puget Sound, .
Seattle, April 1. Twenty-five knots
was the average speed made by the tor
pedo-boat destroyer Goldsborough on
her final trial held m the waters of
Elliot bay this afternoon. On the fifth
lap of the mile course the craft made
29.4 knots for half a mile, but she
failed to keep it up, and from the re
port of the trial board there is little
hope that she. will ever be able to de
velop an average of more than 25 knots.
True to her reputation, the Golds-
borough featured the trial with a series
of accidents. They were of a minor
character, however, consisting only of
trouble with her auxiliary engines and
the blowing out of packing in her steam
connections. It cannot be determined
what the Navy department will do re
garding the Goldsborough until .after
the result of the trial is submitted to
the bureau at Washington. The trial
board was composed of J. V. B. Bleeker,
captain of the Bremerton navy yard
and president of the board ; J. B. Buret,
naval constructor at the yard ; Com
mander Stacy Potts, head of the steam
engineering department ;- Commander
R. M. Doyle, of the Philadelphia, and
Lieutenant B. II. Fish, of the Phila
delphia, who acted as recorder of the
trip.
Lieutenant G. C. Davidson and his
crew from the Paul Jones, another tor
pedo boat destroyer,-were in charge of
hthe engineerine department of the
Goldsborough .
No Person was Responsible.
Brockton, Mass., Maroh.30. A state
ment that no evidence had been ad
duced to snow tnat any person was
criminally liable for the explosion in
the R. B. Grover company s shoe fac
tory here last week, which caused the
death of 58 employes, made this after-
noon by District Attorney French, con-
eluded an inquest held in the police
court to determine, if possible, the
I cause of the accident,
said that he believed
Mr. French also
it to be shown
that the explosion was due to a hidden
defect m the factory boiler,
Good News to Santo Domingo.
Santo Domingo, Republic of Santo
Dbmineo. March 30- The news of the
ican government tbat tne government
of the United States assume control of
the finances of this republic with the
view of setting aside a portions of the
revenues for the payment of .its debts,
pending definiteaction on the part of
the American senate, has had a most
favorable effect here.
Engineer of Indian Irrigation.
. Washington, March 30. Secretary
Hitchcock today designated William
H. Code, of Los Angeles, as chief en
gineer of Indian irrigation. He will
have supervision of irrigation construe-
ea-1 tion . work on Indian reservation
throughout the West.
i RUSSIA HAS OFFERED TERMS
Official Admission at St. Petersburg
J J i Bluffing on Indemnity. -
ist. retersourg, Marcn 29. Alter a
meeting of: the council ; of ministers,
which lasted until after midnight, the
positive information was given out
through an official channel this morn
ing that Russia has outlined the. terms
under which she is prepared to nego
tiate peace. It was asserted on the
same authority that, thanks t o the good
offices of the United States and France,
the question of bringing about the
termination of the war had assumed
tangible form and that preliminary
steps in the negotiations would be
i
taken in the immediate future.
Of the terms upon which Russia
would be willing to begin negotiations,.!
enough was known tonight that Russia
will maintain to the eleventh hour an
absolute opposition to any Japanese I
proposal to impose a direct indemnity
upon her conquered foe. It is also., in
timated that a demand for the cession
of Russian territory would meet with
the same vigorous opposition.
It is apparent, however, that the czar
himself is convinced of the Russian
situation in the Far East and of the in
ability of the Russians to resume hos
tilities with any chance of success
the event of a suspension of prelimin
arv negotiations
The opinion was expressed yesterday j
by all exceptionally well informed for
eign diplomats here that the demon
strative declarations of the ministers
on the subject of indemnity and cession
of territory are intended as a balloon
d' essai to draw out opinion on the sub
ject in Tokio. Eventually, this') diplo
mat asserted, Russia is prepared to ac
cept peace on any terms that Japan
may be willing ot offer.
FIXING A WITNESS.
Charge Placed Against Armour's Gen
eral Superintendent.
Chicago, March 29. The Federal
grand jury tonight returned an indict
ment against Thomas J. Connors, gen
eral superintendent of Armour & Co.,
on a charge of interfering with a wit
ness summoned to appear before the
jury investigating the beef trust.' Mr.
Connors, who is J. Ogden Armour's
most confidential employe and the ' act
ive head of one of the largest packing
companies of the world, was arrested on
a bench warrant by a deputy United
States marshal and taken to the grand
jury room, where he was released on
$5,000 bonds. After his release Mr
Connors refused to discuss the matter
The indictment charges that John
Edward Shields, of Brooklyn, a former
employe of Armour & Co., who testified
before the grand jury, was approached,
favored and entertained by Mr. Con
ners, and specifically states that on
March 25 the offense upon which Mr
Uonners was indicted occurred, it is
also charged that Shields was given the
use of Armour & Co.'s offices at 205 La
Salle street to transact his business
while in Chicago and also the use of a
private telegraph wire in the office of
the packing company.
WAITING FOR CASTRO'S LETTER
Government' Will Continue Negotia
tions Unless It Is Insolent.
"Washington, March 28. It has been
decided to await the reception of the
exact text of President Castro's refusal
to accept Minister Bowen's arbitration
proposition before proceeding further
with the negotiations in this line. It
is realized that there may only be a
fair difference of opinion as to whether
or not the Venezuelan response was
couched in discourteous language, and
it may be that at this distance from
the seat of negotiations and after the
lapse of a few days the words which
appeared to Mr. Bowen to be insolent
will admit of a different construction.
The disposition is to move circum
spectly at least at this end, and, unless
President Castro chooses to force an
issue by another move at Caracas, it is
beliveed that some time will be con
sumed in reaching a settlement. ,-
No Big Game Hunting in Alaska.
Washington, March. 29. As tne re
sult of representationa by Secretary of
Agriculture Wilson, it was determined
by the cabinet today that no permits
should be issued this year for big game
hunting in Alaska, except for authoriz
ed representatives of museums. Simil
ar action was taken last year because of
the knowledge that game in 'Alaska
was rapidly being destroyed and it was
desired to preserve it so far as possible
for the benefit of the natives, altnougn
thev are reauired to comply with . the
local game laws. . ;
Japanese Again Advancing.
Gunshu Pass, Manchuria, March 29.
The Japanese are again moving for
ward and the Russian guard has fallen
back from its position, about 13 miles
north of Sipmghai ( 74 miles north of
Tie -Pass) to Chaomiaodzi, which is
situated 40 miles below Gunshu 1
Practically complete reports show that
the Russian army sacrificed general
commissariat stores to the amount of
$1,250,000 and stores foran'army corps
amounting to $500,000 at Mukden.
Try Again in Wisconsin.
Madison, Wis., March 29. Unfavor
able action on a bill for an exhibit at
the Portland exposition was reconsid-
ered by the Wisconsin assembly today,
Iaiiu i new uiii uppiupixauug fit,uuv
was introduced. .
j - v : n : v : ini nnrt
WAITING FOR
1
Cincinnati. Post
A Little Lesson
In Patriotism
Let our object be our country, our
whole country, and nothing but our
country." Daniel Webster.
The United States owes no less of a
debt to the men who established a
government out of the chaos that in
evitably succeeded
the revolution than
to those heroes who
fought the battles
of liberty on the
field of war. Had
It not been for the
untiling energy of
the nation builders
the work of the
r e volutionlsts
would have been
for naught.
No one saw more
clearly, or urged
buftjs kino. more zealously, the
wants of a consolidated government
than did Rufus King. He was one of
the most ardent of the Federalists, de
voting himself to upholding every act
of Washington. He collaborated with
Hamilton in several articles that ap
peared over the signature "Oamilhis."
King's unimpeachable honesty and
undoubted loyalty led to his appoint
ment to the post of minister to Eng
land. His mission had to do chiefly
with the questions of the right of
search. Through the unpleasantness
that finally culminated In the war of
1812 King acted with discretion and
the most earnest patriotism. .
Although not at the outset an advo
cate of that war, nevertheless when It
was once declared he gave it his most
decided support. One of the incidents
which marked his attitude was his ap
pearance In New York at the time
when a financial panic was threatened
and by his advice and example restor
ing confidence in the government.
HIGH-WATER ALARM.
To Prevent Overflow of the
Refrlar-
erator Drippan.
Of course, there is but one way to
satisfactorily equip a refrigerator to
drain the water arising from tne
melted ice, and that Is to connect it
by pipes with a permanent drain, as
ALARX FOB REFRIGERATOR.
.ne health authorities will not allow
it to be connected direct with a sewer.
Where this luxury of construction is
not available the overflow alarm and
reservoir shown In the illustration
offer a good substitute.' This Idea, the
invention of a Chicago man, provide
the usual piping in the refrigerator
leading to a pan concealed underneath.
In the pan a portable float is ar
ranged, connected with two arms in
such a manner as 'to indicate on a
registering device the height of water
In the pan and thus warn the house
wife or domestic when the pan needs
to be emptied. The construction of the
f : i.
HER CUE.
several parts of the device 1 exceed
ingly simple, and as it can be readily
dismantled when not needed, as In
winter, It does not complicate matters.
BIG QUESTION TO SOLVE.
J. HiU Says that United States Is Fac
ing startling ionaitlons.
"I don't believe In viewing condi
tions through the colored glasses of
either optimism or pessimism," said
James J. Hill, of the Great Northern
Railway, to a representative of "Suc
cess Magazine." "I believe In exam
ining them without prejudice, in order
to form conclusions that approximate '
the truth. For Instance, I don't try to
palliate the fact that In this country
we have some big and threatening
problems to solve.
"One of them is the labor question.
The present standard of wages is arti
ficial.' It must be reduced if this coun
try is to compete with others in the
markets of the world. Our foreign
trade in manufactured products, In
stead of increasing with the increased
production, is falling off.
"Consider the single but important
item of steel. A very few years ago
we were told that our steel was com
manding the world's markets. Nobody
dares to tell us that now. Even na
tives of our own country, in the Philip
pines, have recently been sending big
orders for steel to Germany. Why?
Simply because they can get it cheaper
there.
'As it is In steel, so it is in many
other products. Germany is making
great strides ahead of ns. She is, in
fact, leading the world, and promises
to Increase her lead. Her mechanics
work cheaply, and spend sixty-six
hours a week in their factories, where-
ours spend but forty-four. More
over, they are better workmen. ,
'We cannot nope to compete with
her In foreign trade until we reduce
the cost of our manufactured products
and improve their quality. Even Eng
land, suffering from Industrial paraly
sis because of the power of the trades
unions and other influences, is moving
faster than we are. The simple truth
Is that we are being badly beaten In
the race for the markets of the world."
Not Lonesome.
Seated on the grass in front of a
sod cabin, in Oklahoma was a man
cleaning a double-barreled shotgun and
after we had conversed for a few min
utes I asked him how far it was to the
nearest neighbor's.
"A trifle over two miles,", he replied.
"As far as that? You must find it
rather lonesome here."
"No, I can't say as I do."
"Perhaps you are not one of the
lonesome kind."
"No. I'm not. But, you see, I mort
gaged the claim for $400."
"Yes." . :. . " ' .
"And I couldn't pay and they fore
closed on me."
"I see."
"That was two years ago, and the
sheriff has been trying to get posses
sion ever since. He comes twice a
week and we have a shot at each other
and at least twice a week some durned
fool comes along and wants to know
if I ain't lonesome, and when you add
the claim jumpers, the rattlesnakes
and the skunks this life Is about the
excitlngest thing I know of. There
comes the sheriff now and you had
better get down behind that log and
keep clear of his buckshot" Topeka
(Kan.) Journal.
Why He Kicked. ;
"Look here!" exclaimed the Irate in
vestor. "I believe I have been bun
ioed in the stock you sold me."
. "My dear man,'" replied the suave
voiced broker, "you fail to realize ".
"That's just the trouble; I haven't
realized a cent."
Important Question.
' Proud Father And while at college
my daughter learned to be an excellent
rifle shot Why, she's an expert at
any range.. " . . ...j. -
- OUltor lanxlOUSljrj I wouuer u buh s
I an expert at a kitchen range?