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About Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 1915)
VOL. 27 - (TEE HOME PAPER) DALLAS, POLK COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1915. (TWIOE-A-WEEK) NO. 47 IMPORTANT INDUSTRY PEW DALLASITES REALIZE EX TENT OP TANNING PLANT. Three Thousand Hides Annually Find Their Way to Various Sections of the United States. The extent or value of the leather tanning industry, as carried on in Dallas by the Muir & McDonald com pany, is probably not fully realized or appreciated by residents of this city, although directly and indirectly, a large number of men are employed and much money is circulated. A. B. Muir, the manager, estimates that the company will ship each month of this year an average of 250 tanned hides of the finest quality to markets in all parts of the United States. A total output of 3000 hides a year busi ness is not nearly so good in this line as it has been in the past means the return to Dallas laborers and manu facturers money from the principal market cities of the nation. Even this city's Texas namesake, not to mention Chicago, St. Louis, New Or leans, Kansas City and San Francis co, where one would imagine the leather market would be well sup plied by home industry, gets the Dal las product. The Muir & McDonald company ships its leather to all these markets, perhaps because it is better prepared; but at any rate bringing the selling pnce back to Dallas. Unly a limited number of hands are em ployed in the actual tanning of leath er, as the process Which a hide goes through before it can assume distinc tion as leather is so slow that a tew men can handle a great number. But, in addition to the men at the tannery, many are kept busy throughout the working season at gathering fir bark, from which the tannic acid for the' process is taken. If one goes on fur ther one finds innumerable men and women gaining a livelihood in many parts of the country from the pro ducts of the Dallas tannery. Green hides, received from all parts of the state by Muir & McDonald, bring to the seller about 14 cents a pound, and average in weight approxi mately fifty pounds. The tanning pro" cess decreases the weight of a hide about 50 per cent and increases its . value accordingly. A well tanned hide of skirt leather, such as is produced I i,i " S to 50 cents a pound. The process by which a hide is made into leather is almost as inter esting as its evolution from leather to beautifully engraved saddles, or perhaps, bill purses and hand bags. Mr. Muir was host at a personally conducted tour about the large tan nery on Tuesday, cheerfully explain ing every detail of the work and put ting the very modern equipment through its paces. The life of a hide from the time it reaches the factory until, some three months later, it has absorbed sufficient tannic acid, is not so interesting as its course after the vats and driers and finds its way through the several modern machines that make of it a marketable product. These consist chiefly of powerful motor-driven ironing boards and trim ming machines, which take out wrin kles, trim and polish. There is one machine in the plant that folks inter ested in mechanics, or appreciative of ingenious inventions, would want miles to see. This is a measuring ap paratus into which a bide of any size or shape may be placed and measured immediately, accurately and automatically. A pleasant fea ture, though it may seem strange that pleasant features could exist about a tannery, is the total absence of odor other than that of the fir bark, which is anything but disagreeable. The place, though not as tidy as the kit chen of a good housewife, is not un clean, and an inspection of the pro cess and equipment in the plant is well worth the while of the many Dallas people who know little more than the fact that the city has a tan nery, and do not know that it is one of four or five in the entire state. Going to Fair as Private Jim. As a private citizen Governor Withveombe will accompany a large party of Oregonians to San Francis co, to take part in the Benson day . program at the exposition, August 17. The governor has made this announce ment that he may avoid any official entertainment, as be contemplates an official visit to the fair in October, when he will form a party of state officials to enjoy the receptions that are usually offered to governors. Board Meeting Tomorrow. The county fair board will hold an executive session at the court house tomorrow afternoon, when arrange ments will probably be concluded for attractions at the fair next month. President Fenton is at Newport, but is expected home in time to be present at the meeting. Parry Coming t Oregon. Will H. Parry, a member of the Federal Trade commission, who be- tan his upward climb in Polk county. . and where be is remembered by seores of people, will spend several days in Portland next week while the trade commission conducts a hearing and investigation in trade conditions. The heanng held by the commission will be of statewide interest and all mat ters of export trade and general trade activities will be discussed. DALLAS ' 'FINANCIAL CONDITION Municipal Funds Diminishing as Im provements Proceed. A balance of $2,529.35 of the city's annual tax levy on an assessed valu ation of $1,135,307 remains to be col lected this fall, and after paying ac counts now on hand from this amount a deficit of approximately $500 will exist, according to a report read at a meeting of the city council Monday evening by City Auditor Charles Gregory. Under the provisions of the city charter the council is allowed to expend not more than $5,000 in excess of its general fund account, there fore, an expendable possible balance of about $4,500 remains for general use, provided full payment of taxes is made. Of the road fund levy on the assessed valuation at 3.5 mills, or $2,481.17, has been collected, leaving a balance due this fall of $1,492.41, which will cover the costs of work under way. v Street Commissioner Peter Green wood reported to the council on the progress of street surfacing, saying that more than half of the total im provement had been completed, and that work on remaining streets is progressing rapidly. ., . , ROGERS GRANTED DIVORCE. Given Custody of Children Subject to Approval of Juvenile Court. Rule C. Rogers was granted a decree of divorce from his wife, Flossie Rogers, by Judge Harry H. Belt on Wednesday, with custody of their two children, Pearl and Edward, aged nine and five years, respectively, sub ject to the approval of the Multnomah county juvenile court, under whose jurisdiction they now are. The couple were married in 1906, and the wife deserted her husband in August, 1912, and remained from under his roof until August, 1913, when they again lived together tor a period of twelve days. The testimony shows that at that time Mrs. Rogers left with man named Robinson and went to Portland, where she entered the var iety game at a local playhouse. The juvenile court took jurisdiction over the children soon alter, and pleas from the father, whose home is near Independence, were unavailing. The court, however, agreed that when Rog ers has provided a home for his off spring his appeal would be considered. The divorce proceedings were then brought as the first step in securing the children. , ARE STOCK THIEVES ABROAD? Beef Critter Found Dead at Oak Dale Leads to This Belief. When James Hubbard returned to his home at Oak Dale from Rock Creek last week he was informed that one of his cows had been missing for a few days. . He instituted a search for the animal and finally found her dead in a clump of brush about twen ty steps from the highway. She was in a pasture owned by Mr. Hubbard, situated immediately south of the L. D. Miller place and close to a private road leading from the Hubbard farm to the public Oak Dale road. The strange part of it is that she had been killed at close range with a shot gun, the shot entering the head. The animal had been prepared for skinning, as the hide was split on the legs and neck, but the person or persons must have been frightened away before completing the task. The cOw had been dead several days. She was a fine large Durham, and Mr. Hubbard intended to sell her for beef in a week or two. He offers $20 to anyone giving information leading lo the apprehension of the culpret. ANNUAL W. C. T. U. CONVENTION Cold Water Advocates Will Convene at Independence Tuesday. Flora M. Lee, county recorder for that organization, announces that the Polk county W. C. T. U. will bold its annual convention in Independence on Tuesday, August 17. A good pro gram is being prepared and topics of interest will be discussed. It is hop ed by the officers that as many mem bers as possible will be present, and also that all others interested in this great work will give encouragement by their presence. No Quorum Present. An informal meeting of the school board was held on Tuesday evening that the members might examine an exhibit of class-room desks, from which equipment for furnishing an ad ditional room in the school bouse will probably be selected. In the absence of a quorum no official business eould. be transacted. Adventista Improve Church. The Adventista church building is looking much improved since the new chipped glass windows have taken the place of the old painted windows. A new eoat of paint is soon to be given tbe building. It has also been leveled up and several other needed repairs are being made. i PALMER CHILD SOUGHT FATHER OF DEAD WOMAN HERE TO CLAIM YOUNGSTER. Theory That Daughter Ended Life in Lonely Cabin at Black Rock By Suiciding Is Discredited. Mr. A. S. Wertheim, father of Mrs. Alice Palmer, whose mysterious death in a logging cabin abpve Black Rock last June attracted considerable at tention from the authorities at the time, arrived in Dallas on Wednesday morning, his purpose being to gain possession of his daughter 's two-year- oia son, wuo was iounu piuynig auuui the body of its deceased mother when neighbors entered her home and dis covered that death had invaded it. Mr. Wertheim 's home is at Comfort, Tex as, where Alice Wertheim was born and reared, and where in later years she was engaged in teaching school and in setting type for her father's newspaper. He had but recently learn ed of the untimely death of his daugh ter, the information coming through the juvenile court of Multnomah coun ty, which has undertaken to secure jurisdiction over the child in question and thus prevent its adoption by Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Trimble of Falls City, they having made application to the Polk county juvenile court to adopt the offspring of the dead woman. Mr. Wertheim, who is in moderate circum stances, came to Portland and Dallas as quickly as possible, and will en deavor to secure custody of the two- year-old, that he may take it to his home and rear it. This, he says, is a sacred duty he owes his daughter. He refuses to consider the adoption of the child. Palmer, the divorced husband of the woman, holds prior "claim to the child, but diligent search by the Multnomah juvenile court to ascertain his whereabouts resulted in naught. Concerning the mysterious death of Mrs. Palmer the father adheres to the belief that it resulted from fasting. On sundry and divers occasions dur ing her earlier life she had lasted tor weeks when in ill health, and accord ing to the father, sometimes went so far with her belief that she had swooned and medical aid was neces sary to return her to consciousness. The woman was' a physical culturist, and in this way met and married Palmer. One day while reading a mag azine devoted to physical culture she read an advertisement inserted by Palmer for a wife. After some cor respondence the then girl left her Texas home and went to Montana, and was there united in marriage to the man of her choice, who was a widow er with a twelve-year-old daughter. Mr. and Mi's. Palmer afterwards mov ed to Portland. Disagreements arose over the management of the younger member of the family, and this result ed in Palmer deserting his wife and in his later securing a divorce in the courts of Montana. Mrs. ralme whose child was then unborn, under took to do housework in a Portland familv. according to the father's storv. for a time, following which cor respondence was broken off between her and her relatives. Mr. Wertheim was desirous of re moving the remains of Mrs. Palmer to Comfort, her childhood home, for re interment, but Coroner Chapman de clined to grant a permit at this time. The father is earnest in his endeavor to secure the custody of the child, knowing that it would be the wish of his departed daughter that it be given into his care. He asserts that he can not entertain the thought that his girl suicided; that her devotion to her off spring would not permit the rash act, and further that she always had a home under her father's roof if need ed. Mr. Wertheim, after conferring with Judge Teal, of the juvenile court, relative to the child, returned to Port land yesterday. NATIVE SON OF POLK HONORED Daniel Poling Head of World's Christian Endeavor Society. .Daniel Poling, a native of Dallas, and well known throughout Polk county, is now president of the World's Christian fcndeavor society, having succeeded Frances E. Carle, resigned, to this high position. Mr. Poling is one of tbe nation s foremost prohibition workers, and during the last election did some effective work in the state in the interest of "Ore gon dry." He is coming to Oregon again in October, when be will deliv er several addresses before Christian Endeavor societies, and may visit Dallas sometime between the eleventh and seventeenth of that month. Mr. Poling ' is a remarkably brilliant young man, and is a speaker of pro nounced ability. Some people declare that from a standpoint of oratories! ability he is the peer of William Jen nings Bryan. Drives 275 Miles Without Stop. A drive of 275 miles in 23 hours without a stop was completed yester day by Mr. and Mr. Ralph Morrison when they arrived in Salem. They were formerly of this eitv, but for tbe past year have been living in southern California. Statesman. CASE WILL GO TO JURY DISTRICT ATTORNEY DECLARES HIS INTENTION IN RECALL. After Some Personal Investigation Prosecutor Deems Allegations in Petition Erroneous in Fart. That the grand jury will be conven ed to investigate the charges made against the county court in the peti tions now in circulation throughout Polk county with a view to recalling the judge and commissioners, was a statement made to The Observer by District Attorney Sibley yesterday. The inquisitorial body will not, how ever, be convened immediately be cause of the harvest being at its height, several members of tbe grand jury being farmers. But that action will be taken seems certain. The mat ter may be delayed for tbe reason given until the latter part of August, or possibly until early in the succeed ing month, but the prosecutor has de clared his intention to make the in vestigation through this agency and will call the grand jury as soon as opportunity offers, feeling reasonably certain that the allegations set forth in the petitions are at variance with tbe tacts. During the past week Mr. Sibley has delved into the funds of the coun ty, and with the assistance of county officials, has secured a considerable amount of data concerning the points contained in the petitions, and is firm in his contention that there is suthc- ient ground for turning the matter ov er to the grand jury for investigation, It is held that road fund figures have been juggled to suit the purpose of the promoters of the recall, disregard ing obtaining conditions, thus making it appear that the court is unduly ex travagant in its expenditures and pro ceeding without warrant of law. Whatever may be the condition the proposed investigation would doubt less bring out the real tacts in the case, and hence its convening should be courted by all concerned. THREE HURT IN EXPLOSION. Woman Burned By Gasoline Is Not Expected To Live. Homer Phillips, 33; his wife, aged 26, and their daughter, aged 7, were seriously burned near McMinnville on Monday, when their home was de stroyed by fire. While spraying the interior of their house with gasoline, a tank containing five gallons explod ed and all were enveloped in names. Mrs. Phillips is by far the most ser iously burned, and there is no hope for her recovery, while Mr. Phillips and his daughter have some hope of recovery. The Homer Phillips farm is about one mile east of the town of Whiteson and 5Vfe miles from Mc Minnville. It is not clear what caused the explosion, but it is reported that Mr. Phillips was smoking at the time. Fred Phillips, a half-brother to Ho mer Phillips, was killed last week by a bull. Mrs. Phillips was burned so fearfully that she had practically no skin on her body, Mr. fnillips is burned on the arms, face, hands and legs, and the little 7-year-old girl is Mrs. Phillips died soon after having arrived at the McMinnville hospital. PRUNE BUYERS GATHER HERE. General Manager for the Armsby Co. Confers With Subordinates. A meeting of prune buyers for the J. K. Armsby company from the prin cipal prune growing sections of the northwest was held at the Dallas plant on Wednesday, when L. E. Wood, gen eral manager for the company, was in the city. Mr. Wood directed a gener al discussion of market and crop con ditions and received reports from the buyers on prospects in their respec tive districts, with estimates of yields and box requirements for packing the season 's crop. A feature of tha meet ing was a luncheon held at the Gail hotel Wednesday, at which were seat ed A. C. Peterson, manager of the lo cal plant; L. E. Wood, general man ager, San Francisco; Oliver Jones and S. E. Allen, Vancouver, Wash.; . Fisher, Salem, and A. E. Mclntire, Roseburg. BUREAU OFFICIAL COMING. Washington Man to Study Forestry Work in Polk County. A. S. Peck of Washington, D. C, soon will arrive in Dallas. He comes for the special purpose of studying the methods used by tbe forestry de partment for the detection and I he control of fire. He will also make a close study of the Weeks law; an act of eongress providing for the co-operation of federal and state officials of the forestry department in tbe matter of tbe protection of water sheds of all navigable streams. Al though the country to be covered by Mr. Perk is without the limits of tbe national forest, the work is within the jurisdiction of the forestry de partment Domes Builds Rev Bans. Walter Domes will leave this week for Washington, where he will enter a herd of his blooded cattle at sev eral district and county fairs, before the Oregon fair season opens. Mr. Domes' herd is entered at Oregon fairs in the early fall. The two new barns under construction on the Domes place have been practically completed and will offer well-equipped shelter for many of the fine animals from which the owner is building one of Polk county's finest herds. The largest of the new barns is 30 by 60 feet, with an 18 by 60 foot addition, and the smaller is 30 by 36 feet. Both are equipped with the most modern appliances for the handling of food and refuse. With the new additions there are now five large barns on the Domes farm. , 'THE CUP OF LIFE.' Drama of Opportunities and Lessons Pictured at The Orpheum Tonight. The above photoplay will be pre sented at The Orpheum tonight. It is a graphic portrayal of the lives of two sisters one who chooses the false atmosphere of material pleasures the other who is content with the quiet sanctuary of home. Bessie Barriscale, as the worldly-minded one, plays the part with wonderful intensity. The girl's gradual descent from the pin nacle of luxury and ease to the depths of squalid poverty and depravity, the fading of youthful beauty and charm, are so true to life that the final scene that "ends her sad, eventful history" comes like a swift and terrible shock. The butterfly life of the cafes and boulevards, the frothy gayety and snobbery of selfish pleasure-seekers, in contrast to the simplicity and no bility of the sons and daughters of toil, are most realistically portrayed in a series of pictures, superbly stag ed and splendidly acted. The "straight and narrow way" of virtue and goodness the "broad road that leads to destruction" are the real scenes in which the play is laid. "The Cup of Life" holds the "mirror up to nature in very truth. BAND OF GYPSIES ROUTED. Marshal Chase Orders Light-Fingered Ones to Move On.. Because they mixed, too literally, their ability as horse traders with other talents that make the objection able, about 100 gypsies were mobi lized Wednesday afternoon and rush ed out of Dallas by Marshal Chase. The band, with a score or more of wagons, came here from Salem, and was camped a short distance north of town. Many of the men and younger women came into the city to garner from the stores the things their pecu liar senses of propriety would not per mit them to buy. At tbe Vassall & Company store members of the crowd made an unsuccessful attempt to leave the store with various forms of chinaware, and at the Black grocery summer's choicest fruit attracted their attention. Rare and curious was the coin collection that tbe visitors offered to merchants in exchange for purchases, ranging from beer cheeks to smooth pennies. - Marshal Chase was not content with getting the gyp sies out of the city, but saw to it that they broke camp and moved onward. JAP'S HOP HOUSE DESTROYED. Fire at Independence Tuesday Night Causes Heavy Damage. Six hop houses and about 150 cords of wood were totally destroyed by a fire of unknown origin in the yard of Frank Mitoma, Japauese, five miles north of Independence, just before midnight, Tuesday night. Shortly af ter eleven o clock Japanese asleep in the Mitoma residence were aroused by the flames, but before they could mob ilize a fighting force the buildings were practically in ashes. No cause for the fire is known to have existed by Mr. Mitoma or members of his family, although there are several the ories advanced in Independence to determine the cause. One is that tramps carelessly dropped lighted matches, while another that is given attention by some is that incendiaries took vengeance on the owner because of recent hop-yard labor troubles. Tbe loss is at least partly covered by in surance and work has already been started on rebuilding the houses for the coming season. Road in Good Condition. Mr. and Mrs. W. L Grier, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Belcher and Mr. Harry Packard formed an automobile party from Falls City, who motored to New port Sunday. The trip was made over the recently completed Siletz basin road and Mr. Elmer Lewis, driver of the car, reports the road to be in good condition for auto travel. This road extends from Falls City through the Silets basin to the Indian reservation, where it is joined by the Lincoln coun ty road. It abounds with acenie won der and has been taken advantage of by numerous parties this year. Mr. Grier represents Polk county in tbe lower branch of the state legislature. Flowers For the Livtnf. The Dallas Elks, numbering about twenty-six, yesterday presented May or E. C. Kirk patnek, who is at tbe Good Samaritan hospital in Portland recovering from a surgical operation, with a handsome boquet of the sea son's choicest blooms. They believe in flowers for the living. i BOY SHOOTS BROTHER THREE-YEAR-OLD INFLICTS UG LY WOUND WHILE AT PLAY. . . Bullet From Revolver Enters Right Cheek of Melvin Archer, Son , of 0. D. Archer. Melvin Archer, the two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Archer, who reside on what is known as the old Henry Campbell place, one mile south of Dallas, was seriously, though not dangerously wounded at 10 o' clock yesterday forenoon, when his three-year-old brother, Claudie, fired a shot from a revolver into the little fellow's right cheek, the bullet coming, out immediately under the right ear. The frightened mother gathered the injured child to her arms and rushed into the highway with it, and a pass ing automobile, driven by Ed. Brown of Falls City, brought them to Dallas. Dr. Starbuck dressed the wound. . Mrs. Archer had been alone in the house nights while her husband was employed by John Brown, and had placed the revolver under her pillow for protection against possible intrud ers. Yesterday morning, while the mother was occupied with her house' hold duties, the children discovered the weapon and brought it forth. Dur ing their play with the gun it was ac cidentally discharged with the result as given above. W hile the wound is quite serious, Dr. Starbuck has no fears but what the unfortunate little fellow will speedily recover from the J injury. ..-. TERMS OF PEACE GIVEN. Memorandum From German Manu facturers and Farmers Out. What purports to be the text of a confidential memorandum sent to the imperial German chancellor, Dr. von Bethmann-Hollweg, on May Z0 by rep resentatives of German manufactur ing and agricultural associations, is published by the Temps, according to Paris dispatches. The memorandum, according to the newspaper, covers fi nancial, territorial, industrial and military concessions to be demanded of the entente allies as Germany's terms for peace and to insure the de velopment of a greater Germany. It is signed by many men who are prom- ment in the German empire. The memorandum after calling for peace terms which would insure the development of greater Germany and guarantee an amelioration of the bas es of the German empire, says; "A Deace which has not these pst suits will render new struggles in evitable at an eany date, dm wiiu chances much less favorable for Ger many." Referring to Belgium, it says : "Because it is necessary to assure our credit on the sea and the future military and economic situation with respect to England, because Belgian territory, so economically important, is closely linked with out principal industrial territory, Belgium should be from a monetary, financial and postal viewpoint subject to the legis lation of the empire. Its railways and waterways should be most closely linked with out communications. " NO BAND CONCERT SATURDAY. Youngsters Are Given Preliminary Training by Director Marsh. Nearly half the members of the Dallas band thoughtlessly selected the same week-end to enjoy themselves at the coast resorts, and the result is the temporary demoralization of the or ganization. Director George Marsh has announced that the regular Satur day evening band concert will be omitted tomorrow night because of the absence of these players. Hereafter, beginning next Saturday evening, the concerts will take on new life with all players refreshened after their outings. Mr. Marsh says that a great deal of good has resulted from the trans ference of rehearsals from the city hall to the park, where the boys find much pleasure in their out-of-door practice work. The attendance is large and each evening includes a majority of the members, and especially those who are good players and who take enough interest in their work to want to make their organization a success. The first practice of the juvenile band was held last evening at the eity hall with youngsters of all sizes and ages ready for instruction. Many of the little fellows have never had a horn in hand before and Direc- . tor Marsh will have a task in mould ing a playing organisation from such material. The little fellows show a , rare enthusiasm in their work, how ever, and with diligent practice will no doubt do themselves and their lead er credit. Jasper F. Good Dead. Jasper F. Goode, for a quarter of a centnrv a resident of baiem ana a member of tbe Grand Army of tbe Re public, died in that eity Wednesday night, aged 73 years. His death fol lowed an illness of eight weeks. He was in the furniture business in Sa lem for seventeen years, retiring sev eral years ago.