- - r
folk
aw
VOL.
(THE HOME PAPER)
DALLAS, POLK COUNTY, OREGON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1915. (TWICE-A-WEEK)
NO. 100
DECISION UP TO PEOPLE
PURCHASE OF WATER PLANT BY
' CITY TO BE SUBMITTED.
Mayor Van Orsdel Enthusiastically
Favors Municipality Taking Over
Mr. Gates' Equity.
The mayor, at a regular meeting of
the council last night, discussed the
water situation with surprising elo
quence, after having frankly admitted
that at the mass meeting Tooze had
got him so rattled that he did not
know whether his name was Van Ors
tlel or Jack London. Whether as a
. result of hizzoner's forceful and logi
cal remarks or not, the council decided
to initiate the matter of issuing bonds
in the sum of $50,000 for the purpose
of purchasing the water plant, the
question to be submitted to a vote of
the people at a special election to be
held following the regular April elec
tion. Mayor Van Orsdel told the council,
as he had intended to tell the mass
gathering, that he had spent the
greater portion of one day with the
railroad commissioners at Salem, and
together they had gone into the de
tails of the matter, resulting in the
joint opinion that the plant is a good
thing for the city to own. Mr. Mil
ler, the technical man of the commis
sion a man who has himself built one
or two water works, and who thor
oughly understands the business
thinks the city should buy the plant,
according to the mayor, and would
deem it a mistake should it fail to do
so. Mr. Miller had worked out from
Engineer Green's notes the cost of
the water system, and had figured the
cost to Gates at a little over $65,000
as it stands today. Taking off a lib
eral amount for depreciation this
would leave to Gates a little more
than $50,000. When these facts were
made known to Mr. Gates, said the
mayor, he complained, saying it had
cost him between $75,000 and $80,000.
Continuing his argument in favor
of the purchase of the plant, the may
or said that nine years from now the
city would have to undertake to ter
minate the present lease, and the
earnings during that period will have
mounted to between $9(1,000; and
100,000, according to Mr. Gates'
statement. Nine years from now when
the city would become the purchaser
the value of the plant will have in
creased to $75,000 or $80,000, with
pines in poorer condition. The may
or's idea of the method of handliiij
the purchase is to float the necessary
bonds to sell them at 5 per cent with
possibly 1 per cent for brokerage, and
then retire one-twenty-fifth of them
each year, his idea being that a sink
ing fund is a dangerous proposition to
meddle with. The mayor had submit
ted this mode of procedure, he said,
to the Railroad commission and it had
pronounced the theory good, but the
city attorney doubted , the sale of
bonds without a sinking fund for the
protection of the bondholders.
The commission had told the mayor
that of all the water systems in the
state over which it has jurisdiction,
the Dallas plant is the most economi
cally operated of any, hut this can
be considered only as a point reflect
ing great credit upon the management
of Mr. Gates. Mayor Van Orsdel
thought Mr. Gates had afforded the
city a great opportunity, and said the
council owes it to the city and to
themselves to give the people a chance
to vote upon the question.
Alderman Westover moved that
when the council adjourn it be to next
Monday night, and that in the mean
time the necessary steps be taken to
place the purchase question to a vote
of the people. The ayes were unani
mous, all aldermen being present.
May Make Cheese.
The Monmouth Creamery company
management is planning to commence
the production of cheese in the near
future. In ease the project goes ahead
the company will put up another
building about 24 by 32 feet in which
to install the machinery necessary to
the new production Monmouth Her
ald.
Farewell Reception.
The young people of the Baptist
church gave a farewell gathering at
the home of Mrs. T. A. Odom, Sat
urday evening, in honor of Peter B.
Friesen, who left Monday morning on
a visit to Portland, Idaho and Ne
braska. The evening was spent in
playing games and singing. Refresh
ments were served and all spent a
very enjoyable evening. Those pres
ent were Rev. Tapscott, Mr. and Mrs.
W. T. Hiatt and son, Mrs. W. J.
Trent, Mrs. T. A. Odom, Mrs. Fay
Shaw, the Misses May Tapscott, Mur
iel Hayes, Dovie Odom, Esther Gates,
Mattie Crook, Emma Klassen, Al-
freda Garner, Winifred Forrette,
Rhoda Muir, Charlotte Phillips. Mag
gie Odom, Messrs. Samuel Peacock,
Dewey Alfred, Clary Carpenter, Do-
lan Hatfield, Peter Fnesen, Maurice
Hayes, Clarence Nelson, Charlie Mc-
Cune, Carson Odom, Carl Odom and
Everett Nelson;
On Sunday, Dr. and Mrs. A. G.
Rempel gave a farewell dinner to Mr.
Peter B. Friesen. Those present were
Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Friesen and chil
dren, Abraham, Sarah and Henry;
Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Rempel and chil
dren, Katherine, Ruth, Helen and!
Earl; and Dr. and Mrs. D. G. Rempel
and son, Gerhard.
Visit State Legislature.
The pupils and teachers of Bethel
High school visited a session at the
legislature last Wednesday. The trip
was the source of much profitable in
formation .to the visitors. Both the
senate and house were visited. The
pupils were impressed by the discus
sions heard, and they- carried away a
more definite idea of the lawmaking
of the state.
Teachers' Short Course.
President Ackerman of the Normal
school has announced a special short
course for Oregon teachers to com
mence on April 5. Courses may be
taken during the short period and
continued during the summer session
with a view toward graduation.
ANOTHER PLAY HOUSE
GROUND BROKEN FOR NEW TEN
THOUSAND STRUCTURE.
Will Have Seating Capacity of One
Thousand and Will Be Ready
By May 1.
Mr. D. J. Riley broke ground this
morning for a structure on Main
street, south of Court, the cost of
which when completed will be approx
imately $10,000. The building will oc
cupy a space of 50x130 feet, and will
lie of reinforced concrete. It will
be built especially for a moving pic
ture house, and has been leased to
Mr. 0. C. Smith for a term of years.
The building -occupied by the Star
theater, now on part of the site, will
be built around unless Mr. Ayers can
lie induced to surrender his lease,
winch runs until next November. Af
ter the expiration of the lease the
structure will be fully completed, but
the picture house will be ready to
open for business by May 1 under any
circumstances.
The new theater will be modern in
every particular, and will have a seat
ing capacity of 1000, t he galleries pro
viding for about 400 of these. There
will be a stage 24x50 feet, affording
opportunity for the presentation of
plays other than those projected upon
the screen. The ceiling will have a
height of twenty feet and the entire
interior will be finished in artistic
fashion.
DEATH OF MRS. FISHEK.
Well Known Monmouth Woman Pass
es to Her Final Reward.
Mrs. Lavina Y. Fisher passed away
at her home in Mnnmnuth last Friday,
and the funeral was held at that
place on Sunday, conducted by the
Rev. Phin's. The remains were fol
lowed to the last resting place by a
large concourse of sympathizin;
friends and acquaintances.
The deceased was a native of Mis
souri, having been bora in Taney
county in 182!). In 1850 she was unit
ed in marriage to W. P. Fisher, and
to this union ten children were born,
six of whom preceded their mother to
the grave, leaving a family consisting
of husband and four offsprings to
mourn her departure. She was a char
ter member of the Evangelical church,
from which edifice the funeral was
held. Mrs. Fisher had a large circle
of warm personal friends, all of whom
extend to the sorrowing family their
condolence in this their hour of grief.
Response Is Liberal.
Envoy Castner of the Salvation
Army of Portland, departed for New
berg on Friday, after having spent
several days in Dallas soliciting funds
and clothing for the unfortunates of
the metropolis. He received $23.10
in cash contributions and 940 pounds
of clothing.
Receives Sad News.
Thos. Catherwood, on Saturday, re
ceived the sad intelligence that his
only sister, Mrs. George Campbell,
had passed away at her home in
Scott, Sask., Canada.
Mr. C. J. Shreeve, representing the
Stndebaker corporation, has moved
his family here from Salem.
FAILS BP RESULT
Mass Meeting to
Purchase of Plant Monopolized.
Comparatively Few New Features of Interest to Taxpay
ers Are Brought Out During the Discussion, the
Railroad Commission's Figure Being Em
ployed as Basis for Calculations.
" If I win my suit to determine the
ownership of the plant this town
can't buy the water works," said H.
V. Gates at the mass meeting held
Friday night last upon call of the
mayor to consider the advisability of
bonding for the purchase of this utili
ty. And then, addressing a reporter
for The Observer, he added sarcastic
ally, "Have you got that down, Mr.
Observer man?" Mr. Gates' conten
tion is that he would rid himself of
the plant because there is too much
railroad commission, yet during the
meeting he stated that the commission
had allowed him 12 per cent earnings
on its valuation of the plant, besides
a further consideration of $1,200 ss
manager. He held throughout that
the plant is the property of the city
of Dallas and that he is simply the
lessee, and hence the railroad commis
sion had no jurisdiction over it.
The meeting was not largely attend
ed, the court room being only about
half filled, and no great interest was
manifested in its deliberations. Mr.
Green, the engineer who make the es
timate of value for the railroad com
mission, had been invited by Alder
man Westover to be present to give
such information as might be desired,
and that gentleman, Mr. Tooze, the
mayor and Mr. Gates occupied practi
cally the entire time, the discussion
bringing out few real facts of value.
The arguments, if sueh they may be
called, with the exception of those of
Mr. Tooze, placed the proposition of
Mr. Gates in a very favorable light,
indicating thnfDallas '""opportunity
to pile up the shekels is at hand. Af
ter Mayor Van Orsdel had called the
meeting to order and stated its pur
pose, he called upon City Engineer
Taylor to present the findings of his
investigations, and that gentleman of
fered the following information :
Engineer's Report.
"Judging by the valuation of the
water company property and the tes
timony introduced at the hearing be
fore the commission it is probable
that an arbitration board would allow
Mr. H. V. Gates approximately $45,-
000 for his equity in same at tlus
time. In view of this price it would
be well to issue bonds for $50,000. If
the city desires to purchase same, for
the following reasons; 1st. Provision
must be made in the near future for a
larger supply of water, this would
probably be obtained from an intake
either from the La Creole river sever
al miles above the present intake
works or from one of the smaller
streams in that vicinity. 2nd. It is
customary to provide a sinking funJ
taken from the earnings of the plant
to provide for renewal of worn out
equipment, etc., this is in addition to
ordinary maintenance repair work,
and is ordinarily known as deprecia
tion. According to the Railroad com
mission's engineer the plant has al
ready depreciated $17,200, and the an
nual depreciation is about $2,530, so
that while it is possible to put away
out of the annual earnings a larger
amount than this the city should have
a fund of about $3000, to provide for
contingencies.
"Income and expenses to be antici
pated by past gross earnings: 1904,
(8 months), $1782.90; 1905, $3825.90;
1906, $5053.98 1907, $7083.80; 1908,
$8G50.90; 1909, $9201.45; 1910,
$9454.02; 1911, $9947.55; 1912, $10,
017.25; 1913, $11,825.87; 1914 (ap
prox.), $12,880.00. From the above
it would appear that the earnings
should be for the year 1915, $12,200;
for 1916, $13,000; for 1917, $13,800,
etc., or an annual increase of $800 per
pear.
"Expenses: Annual running ex
penses including salaries and all cur
rent repairs, maintenance, $3200.00;
interest on $50,000 bonds 5, $2500.
00; depreciation, $3200.00; additions,
extensions, etc., $850.00; making to
tal expenses (annual) of $9750.00.
This leaves a net income with which
to redeem the bonds of $2450.00 per
yoir.
from the above it can be readily
seen that, provided the property is
managed anywhere near ae efficiently
as at present, and provided that the
Discuss Proposed
figures given for depreciation are
large enough (and I am sure they are
ample), at the end of 20 years the
bonds could all be retired and the
city own outright a plant in first class
condition.
In explanation; of the above I would
say that it is anticipated that a new
intake as mentioned above will have
to be provided in the course of the
from the present intake to the reser
voirs will have to be renewed with
larger pipe at the end of ten years."
When asked by a member of the au
dience how he had estimated the de
preciation for the ten years, he re
plied that he had taken the railroad
commission's figures largely. Inci
dentally, he remarked that some of
the pipe in the ground was good for
forty years.
Expert Green Talks.
Mr. Green, when introduced by the
mayor, told his hearers that he came
to Dallas as an individual and not as
a representative of the railroad com
mission or any one else. He had
come hither by request to answer any
questions that might be propounded
to him concerning the physical condi
tion of the plant, and awaited the
pleasure of the audience. . A lull fol
lowed, and to break the monotony the
mayor suggested to Mr. Green that he
make a talk, but Mr. Tooze immedi
ately commenced firing questions at
fihe expert, the first being as to where
he got the depreciation.
"The depreciated condition of ma
terials of. this character are largely
a matter of opinion, and difficult to
determine," said Mr. Green. "It sim
ply settles itself down to the expected
life of the material from which the
pipe is made in actual service, which
is approximately twenty-five years
The type of plant here is very unusu
al, and there might be permitted con
siderable variation of opinion. The
valuation put on the plant by the rail
road commission was solely for rate
making, and not for purchase. ' '
Mr. Green stated frankly that he
did not go deeply into an investiga
tion, the purpose for which the facts
were wanted not warranting it. He
gave the assumed life of burlap pipe
at 33 years and the other pipe at from
20 to 25 years, the larger sizes having
the longer life. He gave the amount
of burlap pipe in the system in com
parison with the other at about 25 per
cent.
"This particular case is a new
class of construction to me," admit
ted Mr. Green. "While the pipe is
not standard, but re-made pipe, the
treatment it has received places it in
the lasting class. Nowhere could we
find the market value of such pipe in
making our estimate, but if standard
pipe were used in the construction of
the plant its value would be greater
than at present."
When asked what he had estimated
the plant to lie worth in his report to
the railroad commission, Mr. Green
declined to answer the question, but
stated that the railroad commission
had increased his figures by some
$10,000 for rate-making. Again when
asked if the value would be larger or
smaller for purchase, he evaded the
question by saying that if Mr. Gates
won the suit now pending it might be
a whole lot greater. He declared that
his estimate was not complete, the
raise in valuation coming with the
hearing before the commission. The
commission fixed the physical value
of the plant at $54,000 and then al
lowed for building up the business, an
item always taken into consideration,
said Mr. Green. He declared that he
did not know what return the commis
sion had allowed Mr. Gates on his in
vestment, and the mayor came to the
rescue, giving the figure at 8 per cent,
but Mr. Gates said it was 12 per cent
net, allowing nothing for depreciation.
Taking the floor, Mr. Gates desired
the audience to understand that he
did not purpose discussing the ques
tion of value, but desired to answer
some questions, one being relative to
the possibilities of increased business.
This, according to Mr. Gates, is only
a matter of conjecture. There has
been a steady increase, but the future
depends largely upon conditions.
- At this juncture Mr. Tooze started
something by remarking that the city
made a mistake when it entered into
the contract; another when it stirred
up the railroad commission, and
would make still another if it issued
bonds for the purchase of the plant.
He spoke disparagingly of the mater
ials employed in the construction of
the system, and said that under no
circumstances could the city hope to
run the plant as efficiently as could
Mr. Gates, who had spent his life with
public utilities. "If wo want to own
a plant let us go ahead and let Gates
keep his plant, and then get a new
one and not buy a worn out plant,"
said Mr. Tooze. "We are getting
water just as cheaply now as we
would under municipal ownership.
When Gates put in the plant there
were comparatively few water connec
tions, while now the town is practical
ly supplied and the future increase is
therefore simply a matter of growth. ' '
From Mr. Green's statements Tooze
could inot see wherein the city would
be benefited.
Mayor Van Orsdel, plainly disturb
ed by the attitude of the speaker,
heatedly informed the gathering that
Mr. Gates' contract did not termin
ate with the expiration of twenty
years; that if a price (cannot be
agreed upon at that time, or every five
years thereafter, the contract would
(Continued on page two.)
EQUAL PAY IS PROVIDED
WOMEN TEACHERS HEREAFTER
RECEIVE MEN'S WAGES.
District School Boards Shall Not Dis
criminate Between the Sexes,
Says the Measure.
The house on Saturday passed Sen
ator Moser's bill granting women
teachers equal pay with men for their
services. The bill already had passed
the senate with only two votes
against it and went to the governor
that afternoon and was signed by
him. Only five or six votes were re
corded against the measure in the
house. This act gives Oregon the
first state-wide law placing women
teachers on an equality salary basis
with men.' ' "' ' -
As the measure now stands, the dis
trict school boards "shall not dis
criminate between men and women
teachers, and for the same and 'like
services shall pay women teachers the
same or like compensation as shall
be paid to men teachers, taking into
consideration the years of successful
teaching experience in the districts
where the teachers are employed."
While it is pointed out that this
leaves it largely discretionary with
the school boards to determine what,
in their estimation, constitutes "suc
cessful teaching experience," the
teachers believe that the bill will go
far to remove discrimination.
DIFFERENCES ARE ADJUSTED
And Now Independence Telephone
Will Give Farmers Better Rates.
Mr. Cosper, owner of the Indepen
dence telephone system, having satis
factorily adjusted his differences with
the farmers, now purposes reducing
their rates and at the same time im
proving (he service. According to the
Monmouth Herald, in the course of a
couple of weeks he expects to place a
new up-to-date switcli board in the
Monmouth telephone office which will
permit of the best of service for pa
trons on his lines and then he intends
making a reduction of fifty cents per
month on phones used in places of
business and where patrons who have
phones in their residences with eight
persons on the line the rate will be
one dollar per month while the rate
on individual lines will be dropped
from three to two and one-half dol
lars. Good Roads Discussed.
The citizens of Airlie and the
farmers in the surrounding country
held a good roads meeting Saturday
night. The construction and main
tenance of dirt, gravel and broken
stone roads were under discussion.
Professor Skelton, bead of the de
partment of highway engineering at
the Oregon Agricultural college, dis
cussed the cheapest and best way to
construct roads in this neighborhood.
Knights to Celebrate.
Celebrating their fifty-first anniver
sary, the Knight of Pythias all over
the state will conduct work in the
first rank of the order on the evening
of Friday, February 19. All those
who take the first rank on this oc
casion will be known as members of
the Brig S. Young class, Brig S.
Young being the supreme chancellor
of the order.
PLAY PLEASES MANY
"YELLOW ROBE" PACKS WOOD
MAN HALL TO THE DOORS.
Participants Acquit Themselves Like
Old-Times, and Win Applause
From Audience.
The presentation of "The Yellow
Robe," at the Woodman hall Satur
day evening by local talent and for
the benefit of the library fund, was
largely attended and well received.
Every available seat was occupied
long before the curtain went up, the
merchants and business houses hav
ing made this rousing attendance pos
sible by closing their doors at 8:30
o'clock.
The scene is laid in an eastern city,
whither Erastus Underholt, a Kansas
millionaire, impersonated by C. L.
Prichard, has taken his brood with
the intention of breaking into society.
The family has become disheartened
over the snubs they have received and
are about to return to their native
state, when the son accidentally sug
gests a way to them to bring the
desired results. Frances Simonton,
who so very creditably took the part)
of the irresponsible and sporty son,
after a night's debauch brings home a
man he has picked up, or rather who
has picked him up, and in the morn
ing discovers this stranger in bed
with him. He is determined that the
man, whoever he may be, shall stay
and help pacify his father, and to
make sure of his detention for that
purpose young Underholt takes his
clothes and secretes them. There being
nothing left for the stranger to ap
pear in, he utilizes a yellow silk cov
erlet from the bed as a robe and Mr.
Fred West, who takes the part of the
stranger, Augustus Keene Shaver, ap
peal's on the stage in this garb elab
orately draped about his person. The
father of young Underholt appears
upon the scene at this time and is
enthusiastic over his find and deter
mines to use the man from India as
a means to break into society, realiz
ing to what an extent fads are car
ried in such circles. Marie Mitchell,
who took the role of the society girl,
and a friend of the Undcrholts, fur
nished the names of the elite of the
city to be invited to a reception, in
troducing the adept from India. Miss
Pauline Coad, who portrayed the
daughter who was ashamed of har
father, and Miss Pearl Uglow, the
"torn boy," who stuck to dad, both
acquitted themselves with credit,
while Mrs. Volhcim, the maid, and
Mrs. Francis Simonton, the widow
who was looking for number three,
proved themselves to be real comme
dians. Otho Hart, as Rev. Tweedle
from Africa, helped to make some
funny situations, while V. E. Wis
ner made a correctly dignified ser
vant. Ray Grounds as Charlie's
friend, acquitted himself well. C. L.
Prichard and Fred West, in the lead
ing gentlemen 's roles, acquitted them
selves with distinction and lived up
to their past reputations as enter
tainers. .
The cast very generously gives Rev.
G. H. Bennett credit for the excel
lence of the production, he having
spent much time with them as in
structor. The High school orchestra,
which furnished such excellent musio
without remuneration, also is deserv
ing of the appreciation of both the
players and the public.
REUEL WOLVERTON IS DEAD.
Native of Polk County Dies of Con
sumption in Portland.
On Friday Inst, Reucl F. Wolverton,
who was born January 25, 1887, near
Monmouth, passed away from plural
tuberculosis in Portland, at which
place he had been in the employ of
the Portland Light & Power com
pany. He resided on the farm where
he was born until 1902, when his par
ents moved to Monmouth, the young
man attending school for five years,
when he went to Hood River for two
years, and afterward to Portland,
which place he made his home until
his untimely taking away.
The funeral services were held at
the Christian church at Monmouth,
and the remains were buried in the
K. P. cemetery of that place. The
Rev. Jones delivered the address over
the remains. Besides his father, O. A.
Wolverton, and two sisters, Edith
Bolter and Leto Wolverton, he leave
a host of friends to mourn his loss.
Will Exhibit at Fair.
Wm. Riddell and Sons, breeders of
livestock near Monmouth, will have
an exhibit of sheep and goats at San
Francisco. The Riddell herd is one
of the noted ones of the northwest
and will take their share of honors
at the big show.