NEWS NOTES OF
CURRENT WEEK
Resume of World's Important
Events Told in Brief.
Premier Asquith praises the Belgian
heroism in the house of commons.
The Germans have imposed a fine of
$300,000 on the Belgian town of Char
leroi. Namur, a principal city in Belgium,
has fallen into the hands of the Ger
mans. The German
Rex, at Tokio,
ambassador, Count von
will sail for Seattle,
Wash.
Wheat in Chicago pits is reported
may rise in a day or two to $1.16 per
bushel.
A small German cruiser which ran
ashore in a fog, was blown' up by the
Russians.
The burgomaster of the city of Brus
sels, has surrendered the city to the
Germans.
The Russian army is reported crush
ing the Prussians and making headway
toward Berlin.
The French war office admits Ger-
man victory and the recovery of Lor
raine and Alsace.
The French fear an attack on the
Louvre and have placed all valuable
pictures in vaults.
A persistent report is to the effcet
that the Crown Prince of Germany
was killed in battle.
The French government is permit
ting 3000 Americans to leave France
via Paris, to the United States.
Boston will have no grand opera this
winter, owing to the enlistment of
many members in the European war.
The Japanese liner Shinyo Maru
sailed from San Fancisco to Japan es
corted by a J apanese armored cruiser.
Armies of the allies are battling to
satfe Paris from the Germans. A con
flict between millions is believed to be
in progress.
It is officially announced that the
Russians have occupied Tilsit, a town
60 miles northeast of Koenigsberg,
East Prussia.
One of the largest liners in the
world, the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse,
was sunk by a British cruiser off the
coast of Africa.
It is said that British marines have
occupied Ostend to prevent the Ger
mans from getting a foothold on the
English Channel.
"Bob" Burdette, the famous humor
ist, Is reported dangerously ill at his
summer home in Pasadena, Cal. He is
70 years of age.
Xavier de Castelnau, the 12-year-old
. son of General Castelnau, chief of BtafT
of the French army, was among the
killed in a recent action.
The Montenegrin troops, with a bay
onet charge, repulsed a fresh Austrain
attack at Rahovo, taking 150 prisoners
and killing 300 Austrians.
Red Cross society of the United
States is urging mayors of large cities
to aid the campaign to secure funds to
care for the wounded in the European
war.
Washington administration officials
are preparing a new proclamation Bet
ting forth the neutrality of the United
States during hostilities between Japan
and Germany.
Speaker Clark issued warrants for
the arrest of absentee members of the
house of representatives. Many mem
bers were found at the baseball park,
cool cafes and other resorts.
An official statement from the Brit
ish consulate in Galveston, Tex., says
three British warships have been sent
at full speed to protect cotton and oil
traffic in the Gulf of Mexico.
The correspondent of the London
Daily Telegraph at Amsterdam says it
is estimated that the total loss of the
Belgians, up to date, has been 10,000
in killed, wounded and prisoners.
Home Secretary McKenna, of Lon
don, br id that no spies had been shot
in England. There have been rumors
that many persons in the secret em
ploy of Germany had been executed,
The federal inquiry into the higher
cost of food since the war began In
Europe has not developed that the in
creases were unawarranted, according
to Roger B. Wood, United States
assistant district attorney in charge of
the investigations at New York.
The Servian government in a pro
test to France declares that the Aus
trian army during its retreat along
the Drina river committed cruelties
upon old men, women and children in
violation of the rules of warfare. The
Drina forms the greater part of the
boundary between Bosnia and Servia,
An American warship has been dis
patched to Turkey, presumably to
carry gold to American missionaries.
Secretary Bryan cabled all American
embassies and legations in Europe to
urge Americans to leave Europe with
out delay.
A Boulogne dispatch to the Standard
at London Bays the town of Tournai,
capital of the Department of Hainaut,
Belgium, occupied by the Germans,
was compelled to pay an indemnity of
$400,000 within an hour, the burgo
master being held as a hostage until
the money was paid.
Battle Line of Allies
Is Moved Backward
Paris An official statement issued
by the war department says: "In the
North the Franco-British lines have
been moved back a short distance. In
a general way our offensive between
Nancy and Vosges makes headway.
Our right, however, has been obliged
to fall back slightly in the region of
St. Die.
'In the North resistance continues.
The enemy appears to have suffered
considerable loss, more than 1500
bodies having been found in a very
small space in a trench. Some had
been stricken as they stood, in the at
titude of firing their rifles.
A series of fiercely contested com
bats has been going on during the past
three days in the region, which were
generally to our advantage.
A decree will be published author
izing special promotions of officers for
the period of the war, regardless of
seniority."
London A closer veil than ever
seems to be drawn over the progress
of the war. Little news has come to
hand concerning the operations on
either frontier. The Russians, how
ever, appear to be continuing their ad
vance in East Prussia towards Posen,
with the Germans in retreat.
The only news from the French side
is that the French troops were attack
ed along the Alsace-Lorraine line, but
repulsed all the attacks successfully
There is no indication that the German
attack was in any great force, but if it
was, the French success shows that
they are now in a Btronger position
along this frontier, from which they
will be driven only by great sacrifices
on the part of the Germans.
A more hopeful feeling prevails in
England as to the strength of the
French defensive position. The re
pulse the French sustained at Charle-
roi has been partly due to the desire of
the French army to accomplish a bril
liant incursion into Alsace and Lor
raine, which lea them to weaken tneir
forces on the Belgian frontier. Hav
ing recognized the danger of this
course, they have now reverted to
what appears to experts to be a more
logical strategy, abandoning their in
vasion of the provinces and concen
trating their strength in the defense
of the northern frontier.
Clash of Butte, Mont.,
Miners Is Renewed
Butte, Mont. More than 1000 in
surgent miners marched to the mines
Thursday night with the announced
purpose of preventing any Western
Federation of Miners members from
descending to work.
Arriving at the Anaconda mine, the
insurgents, who are now known as the
Butte Mine Workers' union, maBBed
their forces around the collar of the
shaft and notified the Bhifts going off
work that unless they joined the new
union before they went on shift again
and were wearing the new union's but
ton, they would be prevented from go
ing to work by a force of the members
of the new union.
Following their ultimatum to
the members of the Western federa
tion of Miners, the insurgents again
paraded the streets, ending at the Au
ditorium, where a meeting was held,
no one being admitted except those
wearing the buttons of the new union,
ABSENTEE MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS ARE RETURNING
Washington, D. C. Prospects of
losing a day's pay for each day's ab
sence brought Representatives troop
ing back to the house and the rollcall
showed 267 of the 435 in their seats
in the house the greatest number in
weeks.
"This is the second line of reserves
arriving," announced the leader of one
returning party, "the third line is on
the way."
"Who is that man?" demanded
Speaker Clark, pointing with his gavel
at a strange face. A clerk explained
that it was a returned member.
A deluge of applications for leave
"on account of illness" came down on
the clerk. Majority Leader Under
wood announecd that the sergeant-at-arms
would have to be satisfied of the
validity of every Buch application.
Jews Pray for Peace.
Brooklyn A prayer for peace be
tween the warring nations of Europe
has been prepared by members of the
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congrega
tions of America, of which Bernard
Drachman is president. It is being
sent to all congregations affiliated with
the union, with the request to use it
in the services during the war. The
trend of the prayer is a bitter denun
ciation of the men who are now ruling
the destinies of their Boldiers and asks
for a quick ending of the slaughter and
massacre taking place in Europe.
"All-Water" Voyage Made.
New York The first all-water voy
age from San Francisco to New York
by way of the Panama canal was com
pleted here Thursday on the arrival of
the Pleiades, of the Luckenbach
Steamship company. The Pleiades,
which flies the American flag, sniled
from San Francisco on July 24 and
passed through the canal August 16.
Prince, Surrounded, Dies.
Rome How Prince Frederick Wil
liam of Lippe died in the fighting be
fore Liege is described tersely in a
dispatch received here from the head
quarters of the German army. The
Prince's regiment was surrounded by
the Belgians under the walls of Liege
and he was struck by two bullets while
standing among hit men. He died in
stantly. .
This Salmon Season Is
Best in Three Years
Astoria Nt since 1911 have the
salmon fishing interests of the Colum
bia river had so successful a season as
the one which will close next week.
This is particularly true bo far as the
gillnetters and seiners on the lower
river, the wheelmen and seiners on the
upper river and the canners are con
cerned. The cold storage men, how
ever, suffered a severe blow when the
European war was declared, shutting
off their principal market, and as a re
sult the pack of that product, which
promised to be exceptionally large,
was curtailed. Strange to say, the
catch by the traps was not bo large as
was to have been expected and that is
the only class of gear that has not
made a fairly good harvest.
Taken as a whole, the pack of spring
salmon is approximately 40 per cent
ahead of last year, the canned pack
being fully, 60 per cent better and
pickled or cold storage output being 20
per cent less. The total canned pack
for the season is Blightly over 280,000
full cases of 48 pounds and is about
130,000 cases in excess of last year.
Two Per Cent of Berry
Crop Donated to Advertise
Salem To advertise the berry that
the immense crop this year may be
sold profitably, the membership of the
Oregon Loganberry Growers' associa
tion agreed to donate 2 per cent of the
crop. More than $1200 was subscribed
at the meeting.
A committee appionted to co-operate
with the Salem Commercial club in the
exploitation of the berry is composed
of H. R. Crawford, H. S. Gile, George
F. Rodgers, Ralph Moores and Frank
Gilbert. The Salem Fruit Union and
H. S. Gile & Co., promised dried ber
ries for use as samples in popularizing
the product.
Because of the large increase in
acreage this year growers have felt for
some time that the demand for the
berries might fall far below the sup
ply. To obviate this the association
was formed several months ago, and it
is now believed that the entire crop
will be disposed of at fair prices.
Several railroads have placed orders
for large supplies for use in dining
cars.
Flour Holds at $5.20.
The lowest wholesale price of flour
in the Portland market now is $5 a
barrel, the only mill that quoted less
than that figure having advanced its
price 20 cents only a day or two ago.
Other mills are asking $5.20 a barrel.
The flour market is keeping pace with
the advance in milling wheat. Blue
stem sold at $1.03 a bushel, a gain of
a cent over a preceding day's price.
Farmers are holding very firm and are
taking advantage of the situation to
get all they can for their wheat.
The present price of $5 a barrel for
flour compares with the quotation of
$4.70 on this date last year, $5.10 on
the same date in 1912, $4.95 three
years ago, $5.35 four years ago, $6.25
five years ago, and $4.85 in 1908.
Hop Picking to Start.
Dallas Hopgrowers are busy prepar
ing for picking. The crop all over
Polk county will be short this year. In
many yards the crop will only be 50
per cent of the usual yield. In some
yards the yield will be normal. Owing
to unsettled conditions in Europe, hop
growers are looking for a high price
this year. Picking will commence in
some yards next week, and by Septem
ber 16 all growers will be gathering
their crops. It is believed the
quality will be about the same as
usual.
Old Mine Is Reopened.
Molalla The Ogle Mountain mine,
29 miles south of Molalla, started its
machinery running Wednesday for the
first time. This mine has been
worked in a sort of a way for the last
18 years. A few years ago stamp mills
were installed, but when put in opera
tion it was discovered that too much of
the gold was being wasted and opera
tions ceased. The old stamp mills
have been discarded and $75,000 worth
of modern machinery installed. ;
New Reservoir Proposed.
La Grande Plans are under consid
eration which, if carried out, are ex
pected to eliminate any danger of wa
ter shortage in La Grande for some
years to come. City Manager Lafky
is in favor of the adoption of plans
which are now on file with the city
for a reservoir of 2,250,000 gallons ca
pacity, to replace the 1,000,000-gallon
reservoir which now supplies the city
with water, acting as a storage tank
from the overflow of water carried
down the Beaver creek pipeline.
Buena Vista Clover Poor.
Buena Vista Clover hulling, which
is in progress in this district, is expos
ing a poor yield. The midge, grass
hoppers, and the long dry spell are
blamed for the noted decrease. From
one bushel to two and one-half bushels
are being obtained. Some growers
report even less than a bushel an acre.
The Polk county acreage this year is
said to be the largest yet planted and
estimates for its value has been at a
high mark.
Polk Court Term Is Over.
Dallas The August term of the
Circuit court for Polk county has ad
journed after one of the longest terms
ever held in this county. An effort
will be made at the next session of the
legislature to get the terms of court
changed so that court will not convene
during August, when farmers are par
ticularly busy with their crops.
The cold storage output for the season
approximates 4375 tierces of pickled
fish.
The steelhead run was short also and
the pack of frozen fish is fully 300
tons short of the previous year.
The present season has been peculiar
in many ways. There has not been
what is commonly known as a "run"
since the fishing began May 1. On
the other hand there was what is much
better, an almost steady stream of fish
from the opening day up to about the
first of the present month, when there
was a break and since that time the
salmon have entered the river only in
little spurts. Early in the season the
fish averaged small and prior to July
1 the great bulk of them went into
cans. Up to that time there had been
little fishing in the upper river, but
then great schools of what were
termed bluebacks came in and as soon
as they reached the upper river in the
vicinity Celilo, the wheels and seines
gobbled them up by the ton, making
the pack of the canneries there the
largest in several years.
Eugene Light and Power
Companies in Rate War
Eugene A long-anticipated rate
War between the municipal power plant
and the Oregon Power company was
opened here this week with the an
nouncement by the power company
that it will not only meet but will un
dercut the reduction announced by the
city plant.
The private company has filed its
new schedule of rates with the State
railroad commission, declining to an
nounce the extent of the cut.
The city's reduction amounted to 11
per cent and before the cut was made
the maximum rate of 9 cents for light
ing and 6 cents for power was lower
than offered in any city in the Wil
lamette valley outside of the vicinity
of Portland. The new schedule of 8
cents maximum for lighting and 4$
cents maximum for power, with a min
imum of 1.2 cents for 10,000-kilowatt
quantities, is almost half the rates in
Eugene two years and a half ago, be
fore the entrance of the city plant,
which claims the credit for the reduc
tion. The present rate war was forecast
recently when the water board asked
the State railroad commission to curb
the activities of the private company
and the latter responded with a re
quest for unrestricted competition.
Neither was wholly granted.
Highway Condemnation
Suits Are Being Tried
St. Helens About 100 farmers, sev
eral attorneys and State Highway En
gineer liowlby and his assistants, ap
peared before the County court in the
condemnation proceedings for right of
way for the Columbia Highway.
Claims tor back-hill places on
logged-off lands have been put in at
$500 an acre and for agricultural land
that is taken nothing less than $1000
an acre is being asked.
As there are more than 100 claims,
the County court will take several days
for the hearings, after which its decis
ion will be given on all claims at the
same time.
Water System for Fair.
Salem An independent water sys
tern for the State Fair grounds has
been decided upon by the board of di
rectors, and the drilling of the first
well has been started.
According to Mr. George E. Scott,
the contractor, a large river flows un
der the grounds and Salem, and he ad
vises that the city eventually obtain
its water supply from the stream.
Secretary Meredith announced that the
cottage city district at the fair
grounds would be moved to a tract
west of the new pavilion before
the
opening of the fair September 28.
Canadian Company Sued.
Salem A temporary restraining or
der against the National Mercantile
company doing business in Oregon was
issued by Circuit Judge Galloway. The
action was started by Attorney General
Crawford at the instance of Corpora
tion Commissioner Watson, who al
leged that the company had not com
plied with the corporation laws of the
state. The company is a foreign cor
poration, having headquarters in Van
couver, B. C, and, according to the
corporation commissioner, is conduct
ing in Portland a loan business.
Dig Estate Is Inherited.
Pendleton John Guriado and his
sister, Mrs. Tulita Adams, wife of a
laborer, are on their way to Los An
geles with Colonel James A. Raley
a prominent attorney of Pendleton, to
claim their shares in the estate of their
father, John Guriado, who died recent
ly, leaving $150,000 and no will. Their
identity has been established, attorneys
say. The elder Guriado and his wife
quarreled when the children were
young, and the family became split up,
the children going with their mother,
The mother died a few years ago.
Hood River Relic Goes.
Hood River The oldest structure
now standing in Hood River, built 28
years ago by Robert Rand, and occu
pied by the city's first barber, was
destroyed by fire Wednesday. The
structure was occupied by a plumbing
company and the fire started in a pile
of tar-covered ropes. Its frame walls
were dry as tinder, and the flames
were pouring from doors and windows
in an instant. Adjoining business
blocks were saved by quick work of
the volunteer fire department.
German Army Sweeps
Into France Unchecked
London A dispatch from Mons to
the Daily Telegraph Wednesday de
scribes the operations of the German
forces.
"The German advance," it says,
"was like a great river bursting its
banks. A soon as the Belgians retired
to the entrenched camp at Antwerp
the German horde swept over the coun
try without check, west toward Ghent
and south toward Mons. The Ger
mans are committed to a great turning
movement. They are striving to hold
the French along the Meuse between
Namur and Dinant, while the armies
to the west of that river are marching
southward along a front many miles
wide.
"One army threatens Mons, with
the object of penetrating the French
frontier and descending on Maubeuge
and Valenciennes; and an army is ad
vancing toward the line extending
from Tournai, capital of the depart
ment of Hainut, to Courtrai, which
covers the City of Lille.
"I came south in the hope of seeing
fighting at Charleroi. At Lessines the
local authorities were disarming all
civilians, so that the approaching Ger
mans would have jjio excuse for vio
lence. All around were refugees hur
rying to escape the Germans; all wore
their best clothes a sure sign of
flight."
French Abandon Captured
Territory; Battle Rages
Paris The war office has issued the
following official announcement: "The
commander in chief, requiring all
available forces on the Meuse, has
ordered the progressive abandonment
of occupied territory. Mulhausen has
again been evacuated.
"A new battle is in progress be
tween Maubeuge (department of the
Nord) and Donon (department of
Doubs). On it hangs the fate of the
French. Operations in Alsace along
the Rhine would take away troops
upon which might depend victory. It
is necessary that they all withdraw
from Alsace temporarily in order to
assure its final deliverance. It is a
matter of hard necessity.
"West of the Meuse, as a result of
orders issued on Sunday by the com
mander in chief, the troops which are
to remain on the covering line, to take
up the defensive, are massed as fol
lows:
'The French and British troops oc
cupy a front passing near Givet, which
they gained by hard fighting. They
are holding their adversaries and
sharply checking their attacks. -
"East of the Meuse our troops have
regained their original positions com
manding the roads out of the great
forest of Ardennes.
"To the right we assumed the offen
sive, driving back the enemy by a vig
orous onslaught, but General Joffre
stopped pursuit so as to re-establish
his front along the line decided upon
on Sunday.
"In this attack our troops showed
admirable dash. The bixth corps no
tably inflicted punishment on the enemy
close to Virion.
"In Lorraine the two armies have
begun a combined attack, one starting
from Grand Couronne De Nancy, and
the other from south of Luneville."
Town Taken Five Times.
Paris Charleroi was taken and re
taken five times in the fighting be
tween the French and Germans Satur
day, Sunday and Monday, according to
one of the railway Btation staff at
Feignies, on the frontier between
France and Belgium, who saw some of
the battle until he was ordered away.
"As our train was about to leave the
station seven Uhlans clattered into
town. The people, thinking them Eng
lish, began to welcome them, when a
patrol of French chasseurs galloped up
and captured the Prussians."
Ranks Leveled by War.
London From all parts of Belgium
refugees are arriving at Ostend, says
a correspondent of the Reuters Tele
gram company. Some come from dis
tant Charleroi and other points along
the Sambre, where, they say, they
were being deafened by the roar of
artillery. These people, of all classes,
are now on a level, the rich, or those
who were rich, finding it just as
difficult to get the necessaries of life
as the poorest.
Diamonds to Be Dearer.
Chicago Diamonds and gold and
platinum jewelry will be increased 25
per cent in price as a result of the Eu
ropean war, delegates were told at the
ninth annual convention of the Ameri
can National Retail Jewelers' asso
ciation here. No diamonds were being
cut, it was said, as the workers in
gems and precious metals in Belgium,
France and Germany have been called
to their colors.
Yankees in Italy Warned.
Rome The American em
through the consuls has advised all
Americans in Italy to return home
now while communications between
Europe and the United States are free.
Later complications may arise render
ing communication difficult. "Ameri
cans doing otherwise remain at their
own risk."
Germany to Train Boys.
London The official news bureau
says the German papers of August 22
and 24 publish orders that boys from
16 to 19 years of age be put through a
course of musketry and military train
ing. Retired officers are to be en
gaged as instructors.
BRITISH FLEET
VICTOR ON SEA
Two German Cruisers and Twr
Destroyers Sunk.
All British Ships Reported Afloat
When Battle Ends, With
Losses Light.
London It was announced here Sat
urday that the British fleet has sunk
two German cruisers and two German
torpedo boat destroyers. A third
cruiser was set afire and was left sink
ing. No British ships were lost in ine
battle, it was added, and the British
loss of life was not heavy.
In addition to the two torpedo boat
destroyers and three cruisers, many of
the German torpedo boat destroyers
were damaged.
Rear Admiral Sir David Beatty com
manded the British forces, and with a
strong army of torpedo boat destroyers,
battle cruisers and light cruisers and
submarines attacked the Germans in
Heligoland Bight. It is presumed the
Germans attempted a sortie, which
failed.
The protected cruiser Mainz was
sent to the bottom in an engagement
with the light cruiser squadron, while
the battle squadron sank another
cruiser of the Koeln class.
The cruiser Amethyst and the tor
pedo boat destroyer Laertes were dam
aged, but all the ships in the British
fleet were afloat at the end of the
battle.
A wireless message from one of the
cruisers said she was making for port
with men wounded in the battle.
The Mainz and the vessel of the
Koeln class were protected cruisers,
402 feet long and displacing 4280 tons.
They had a speed of slightly more than
25 knots an hour.
The story as told in the official re
port of the Admiralty is as follows:
"Early Saturday morning a concert
ed operation of some consequence was
attempted against Germans in Heligo
land Bight. A strong force of destroy
ers, supported by light cruisers and
battle cruisers and working in conjunc
tion with submarines, intercepted and
attacked German destroyers and cruis
ers guarding approaches to the German
coast.
"Two German destroyers were sunk
and many damaged.
"Enemy's cruisers engaged by Brit
ish cruisers were battle cruisers. The
first light cruiser squadron sank the
Mainz, receiving only slight damage.
"The first battle cruiser squadron
sank one cruiser of the Koeln class.
"Another disapperaed in mist heav
ily on fire and in sinking condition.
All the German cruisers engaged were
thus disposd of."
Russian Cavalry Rapidly
Advancing on Austria
London "The Russians are advanc
ing rapidly on Lemberg, Austria, their
cavalry overcoming all Austrian op
position," says a dispatch from the
St. Petersburg correspondent of the
Exchange Telegraph company. The
message continues:
"The Russian troops are marching
on Koenigsburg and already have re
pulsed the advance guard of the garri
son. "The Russians now occupy impor
tant positions on the River Alle.
"Between the rivers Vistula and
Dneister, the Russians are in close
touch with the Austrians, whom they
have already defeated decisively at
Temaschoff and Monasterzyska."
Dual Alliance Contends
for Four Peace Conditions
Washington, D. C Germany and-Austria-Hungary
are prepared to make
peace at any time on these conditions:
1 That Great Britain shall respect
German commerce and Germany's
right to colonies abroad.
2 That France shall pay an indem
nity to meet the expenses incurred by
Germany and Austria in connection
with the war.
3 That a buffer state, formed
through the reconstitution of the old
Polish kingdom, be created between
Germany, Russia and Austria.
4 That Servia shall give guaran
tees to Austrial-Hungary under which
she will cease her propaganda designed
to acquire Austro-Hungarian territory.
Germany and Austria-Hungary, on
their part, will agree to recognize the
naval supremacy of Great Britain.
Brussels Does Not Pay.
London The Antwerp correspondent
of the Exchange Telegraph company
says the burgomaster of Brussels has
rot handed over the war levy of $40,
000,000 demanded by Germany. He
declares he has not the money. The
German military government, the cor
respondent says, has designated as
hostages Ernest Solvay, who has been
described as the Belgian Carnegie, on
whom it has imposed a tax of 30,000,
000 francs ($6,000,000), and Baron
Lambert Rothchild, w'ho has been
taxed 10,000,000 francs.
Italy Is Eyeing Austria.
London The Paris correspondent of
the Express jnds his paper the follow
ing dispatcu: "I am informed Italy
will present an ultimatum to Austria
requesting an explanation of Austrian
mobilization on the Italian frontier.
Only a brief period will be given for
an answer, and within a short time
Italian troops are expected to be in
Trieste."