NEWS ITEMS
Of General Interest
About Oregon
Big Lumber Order Received
for Freight Car Building
Eugene The Booth-Kelly Lumber
company has just closed a contract
which is said to be the largest ob
tained by a Willamette valley mill in
several years, entering into an agree
ment to supply the Ralston Steel Car
company with 9,000,000 feet of lum
ber to be used in the manufacture of
cars for the Southern Pacific railroad
company.
The order is the second of this na
ture booked by the Booth-Kelly com
pany within the past few weeks, ac
cording to A. C. Dixon, manager.
The lumber in the contract is to be
used in the manufacture of 2000
freight, flat and other cars.
The contract was awarded at a
meeting held in Cincinnati, where a
large number of bidders representing
lumber companies in all parts of the
United States were present. The lum
ber will be suppiled at intervals ex
tending throughout the summer.
As soon as weather conditions per
mit the mills at Wendling and Spring
field will resume operations, with pros
pects of a good summer s business,
provided the car situation does not in
terfere.
Rodent Fighters Unite.
Klamath Falls The idea of the
farmers of a neighborhood banding to
gether for organized rodent extermina
tion work has proved popular in Kla
math county. Besides clubs at Bo
nanza, Langell Valley, Merrill, Malin
and Lorella, all of which were recently
organized, the Hildebrand Farmers'
club was organized at Hildebrand,
about 25 miles east of this city, and
the farmers of the Spring Lake sec
tion, in the basin east of the city, are
effecting an organization there.
More than 40 farmers attended the
Hildebrand meeting and 25 joined the
club, selecting the following officers :
President, Charley Drew; vice presi
dent, J. G. Wight; secretary-treasurer,
W. F. Wilkerson, and poison
mixer, Charles Drew, Jr. Ground
squirrels and coyotes are the pests to
be fought. Poison mixtures are pre
pared according to government formu
las. Big Wool Sale Reported.
Baker The largest amount of wool
contracted for in years is reported by
Berthold and Gerson Neuberger, who
announced they had contracted for
nearly 500,000 pounds for Portland and
Eastern concerns. From to
cents was the average price stipulated,
making an outlay of more than f 100,-000.
The clips contracted for include
those of Orson Moody, between 80,000
and 90,000 pounds; M. F. Cundiff, 20,
000 pounds; A. H. Hampton, of Hunt-
ineton. 95.000 pounds; and E. John
son, 85,000 pounds. The names of
other Bellers were not given out.
With the lambing seaBon at an end,
shearing will commence within a short
time. Buyers believe that a large per
centage of the wool this year will be
contracted in advance.
Highway Route Inspected.
Roseburg For the purpose of ascer
taining the needs of Douglas county
with reference to state aid in road
construction, John H. Lewis, state
highway engineer, passed Saturday in
Roseburg conferring with the mem
bers of the County court and other
prominent citizens.
While Mr. Lewis refused to divulge
his nkns regarding the construc
tion of the new state highway through
Douglas county, he said work on the
road would begin as soon as the neces
sary funds are available.
Business Right Upheld.
Salem The retaliatory building and
loan association law passed by the
state of Washington does not give
Corporation Commissioner Schulder
man, of Oregon, the right to act like
wise and refuse the Pacific Building &
Loan association of the state of Wash
ington, the right to do business in this
state, the attorney general's office has
ruled.
If the Washington concern, which a
Bhort time ago withdrew from business
in Oregon, makes its annual report to
Commissioner Schulderman, and pays
up its annual license fees, the attorney
general holds it has the right to con
tinue In business in this state.
State Charter Is Taken.
Salem Conversion of the Benton
County National Bank at CorvBllis to
the state evstem was made Wednesday
when the owners reincorporated under
the name of the Benton County state
Rank. The institution is capitalized
at $60,000, with a surplus of $15,000
pnH riptvMtitji mrirreeatine in excess of
inn nnn. The change from a Nation
al bank to a state bank was made be
cause of the belief of the management
tht th Federal Reserve obligations
of Nut ional banks impose burdensome
conditions upon the smaller banks.
Jobs Are Awaiting Men.
Marshfield There are more jobs
here than men, in most localities. The
Will.motta-Pacific construction work
between Coos Bay and Reedsportis
short of workmen and the crew has
been reduced from 65 to 12. It was
reported that the crew above the Ump
qua river had dwindled from 125 to
lo.. thn 20 Work is delayed on ac
count of the men quitting. They are
leaving for the outside.
PRESIDENT CALLS FOR SHOWDOWN
ON GERMAN SUBMARINE ISSUE
Washintgon, D. C President Wil
son decided Wednesday that he cannot
proceed with the German submarine
negotiations while dissention in con
gress weakens his position before the
world, so he called for a showdown on
the pending proposals to warn Ameri
cans off merchant ships of the Euro
pean belligerents armed for defense.
Making clear that he considers the
President, and not congress, is charged
with the conduct of the foreign rela
tions of the United States, he wrote a
letter to Representative Pou, acting
chairman of the hoUBe rules commit
tee, asking him to provide parliamen
tary means for bringing the agitation
out into the open on the floor of the
house, for full discussion and vote.
The President's letter to Mr. Pou,
the signal that the administration was
ready to give Germany a demonstra
tion of unity, follows :
"My Dear Mr. Pou: Inasmuch as I
learn that Mr. Henry, the chairman of
NORTHWEST MARKET REPORTS;
GENERAL CROP CONDITIONS
WILLI AN THAW
S m ii
1 A,
GERMAN CRUISER REPORTED TO BE AT LARGE
William Thaw, an American aviator
in Wm service of France, who hae bean
praaietod far iood work.
the committee on rules, is absent in
Texas, I take the liberty of calling
your attention, as ranking member of
the committee, to a matter of grave
concern to the country, which can, I
believe, be handled, under the rules of
the United States congress, only by
that committee.
"The report that there are divided
counsels in congress in regard to the
foreign policy of the government is
being made industrious use of in for
eign capitals. I believe that report to
be false, but so long as it is anywhere
credited it cannot fail to do the great
est harm and expose the country to
the most seriouB risks. I therefore
feel justified in asking that your com
mittee will permit me to urge an early
vote upon the resolutions with regard
to travel on armed merchantmen,
which have recently been so much
talked about, in order that there may
be afforded an immediate opportunity
for full public discussion and action
upon them, and that . all doubts and
conjectures may be Bwept away and
our foreign relations once more
cleared of damaging misunderstand'
ings.
"The matter is of so grave impor
tance and lies bo clearly within the
field of executive initiative that I ven
ture to hope that your committee will
not think that I am taking unwarrant
ed liberty in making this suggestion as
to the business of the house, and I
very earnestly commend it to their im
mediate consideration. Cordially and
sincerely yours,
"WOODROW WILSON.
"Portland Wheat Bluestem, 98c
per bushel; fortyfold, 93c; club, 90c;
red Fife, 88c; red Russian, 88c.
Hay Eastern Oregon timothy,
$18.5019.50 per ton; valley timothy,
$16; alfalfa, $20.
Millfeed Spot prices: Bran, $23.50
24 per ton; shorts, $26 26.60;
rolled barley, $31.6032.50.
Corn Whole, $37 per ton; cracked,
$38
Vegetables Artichokes, $1 1.15
per dozen; tomatoes, $35 per crate;
cabbage, $1.60 1.65 per hundred;
garlic; 10c per pound; peppers, 20
25c; eggplant, 25c; sprouts, 89c;
horseradish, 8Jc; cauliflower, $22.25
per crate; celery, $4.75; lettuce, $2.50
3.25 cucumbers, $1.25 1.50 per
dozen; hothouse lettuce, 75c$l Per
box; spinach, 90c$l; asparagus, 25c
per pound; rhubarb, 14c.
Green Fruits Grapes, $4 per bar
rel; cranberries, $11.
Potatoes Oregon, $1.251.60 per
sack; Yakimas, $1.501.60; sweets,
$3. 253. 50 per hundred.
Onions Oregon, buying prices, $2
f. o. b. shipping point.
Apples Spitzenbergs, extra fancy,
$2.25 per box; fancy, $2; choice,
$1.250,1.50: Yellow Newtowns, extra
fancy, $2; fancy, $1.75; choice, $1.35
1.50; Rome Beauty, fancy, $1.60
1.60; Winesaps, choice, $1.151.35;
Stayman, choice, $1.251.35.
Eggs Jobbing prices: Oregon
ranch, candled, 19c per dozen; un-
candled, 1818jc;.
Poultry Hens, 1616Jc per pound;
springs, 16c; stags, 12c; turkeys,
live, 1820c; turkeys, dressed, choice,
2425c; ducks, 1214c; geese, 10c.
Butter Prices from wholesaler to
retailer: Portland city creamery,
prints, 60-pound case lots, standard
grades, 29c; lower grades, 27Jc; Ore
gon country creamery prints, 60-pound
case lots, standard makes, 28c; lower
grades, 27 271c; butter packed in
cubes, 2c less. Prices paid by jobbers
to producers : Cubes, extras, 2525c;
firsts, 241c; dairy butter, 1417c;
butterfat, No. 1, 27c; No. 2, 25c.
Veal Fancy, 10c per pound.
Pork Fancy, 9110c per pound.
Hops 1916 crop, 1013c per pound;
1916 contracts, ll12c per pounds
Wool Eastern Oregon, 20 30c;
valley, 2728c; mohair, Oregon, 28
29c.
Cascara bark Old and new, 4c per
pound.
Cattle Prime steers, $7 7.70;
choice, $6.506.75; good, $6.757;
medium, $6.50 6.75; choice cows,
$6.506.75; medium, $5.256; heif
ers, $46.40; bulls, $2. 50 5; stags,
$35.25.
Hogs Light, ?7.508.15; heavy,
$6.507.
Sheep Yearlings, $78; ewes,
7; lambs, $89.05.
J? Ml OlKSbv
simF" - gfe. - JPWW
This Is the German cruiser Roon, which Is said to have been near by on the day the British liner Appam was
captured off the Madeira Islands and to have directed the raiders. The Roou, which Is an armored cruiser, wad
built in 1903. She has a displacement of 9,050 tons and a Bpeed of 21 knots an hour. She carries four 8.2-lnch
guns, ten 6-inch guns, fourteen 24-pounders, four machine guns and four submerged torpedo tubes. She has a length
ot 405 feet and 65 feet beam. She carries a complement ot 557 men.
CELEBRATES HER FIFTIETH YEAR IN BED
Total Tax from Incomes
Show Marked Increase
V ML AlSSSilil ;iiiS:-S!iSii ; , :::.v;v;f f,., ,.; : -m -;m M. , Mi
i&wmmMtMmmmGtM . .w. -.,. , Ww.....!.., .s.zr a. ..mrtrmms!:.1:''.'! wsWSaiii!MSr
$6 v:;,-:-.:
New York An estimate that ap
proximately 30,000 corporations will
pay income taxes this year in the Sec
ond internal revenue district of this
city, was made by Collector Lowe.
Collector Lowe s district takes in
the lower part of Manhattan, In which
are situated the main officers of many
of the country's greatest corporations,
bankers and financiers. The total col
lections this year in this district from
all forms of Federal taxes, Mr. Lowe
predicted, will exceed $35,000,000.
Collections last year amounted to $26,-000,000.
Chicago The Federal income tax
will be paid by 4000 more Chicagoans
this year than last, according to the
prediction of Collector Smietanka.
Forty-six thousand citizens oi Chicago
paid the tax last year. They contrib
uted $2,407,691 and corporations $2,-
671,382.
French Cruiser Sunk.
Paris The French auxiliary cruiser
La Provence was sunk in the Mediter
ranean last Saturday, it was announced
officially. At Malta 296 survivors
have been landed. The ministry of
marine estimates the number of survi
vors at 870. Four hundred survivors
were landed at Milo. La Provence
was one of the largest of the French
line vesse s. Her eross tonnage was
13.753.
She was requisitioned by the French
government for naval service at the
outbreak of the war.
Washington Butter Markets
Cut to Meet Competition
Tacoma On the verge of a break
for some time, the Washington butter
market Wednesday weakened and the
price toppled to 80 cents. Local job
bers attribute the drop to the breaking
of the California and Oregon markets,
They say if the Washington market
did not follow in line with its neigh
boring competitors there would be an
influx of butter from the other two
states. To avoid that situation, prices
were set down and the home trade will
be accommodated by the local product.
Further changes in local prices are
not predicted, although the production
is said to be larger and the cream
production more active.
Fresh ranch eggs continue to get
weaker. Prices are now down to 21
22 cents a dozen, the cheapest they
have been for some time. Dealers re
port receipts rapidly increasing daily,
with the demand about the same. They
are hopeful of a strengthening of the
demand.
Association Sells More Hops.
Portland Sales of hops controlled
by the Oregon HopgrowerB association
at prices up to 12 cents for the best
grades were reported this week. The
buying was understood to be chiefly
for export account, although there are
also domestic orders on the market.
Hugo Loewi bought 275 bales of Yaki
ma hops from Satterwaite & Frye at
11 cents. Other Yakima sales were the
Courshave lot of 90 bales and the M.
W. Phillips crop of 125 bales. Two
carload lots of Sonoma hops were
bought by Donovan & Wolf at 111c
Wool Lower at London,
London The Beconsd series of the
wool auction sales opened Wednesday
with offerings of 7200 bales. The at
tendance was large. The moderate
selection was in fair demand, but both
merinos and crossbreds declined from
S to 71 per cent. Labor difficulties
and the question of financing were
largely responsible for the lower
prices.
. Russia took a few lots of scoured
merinos and the home trade the rest
No sales were made to America.
Miss Mollie Fancher, called America's moBt remarkable Invalid, whose extraordinary case, with its develop
ment of what is declared to be clairvoyant power, has puzzled phyBlclans, surgeons and psychic Investigators, cele
brated recently at her home in Brooklyn the fiftieth anniversary of her confinement to bed. Though Miss Fancher
cannot see, she Is able to write, can describe the dress of callers, and reveal with a surprising degree of accuracy,
it is said, the past life of persons she never knew before.
HE OPENS THE PRESIDENT'S MAIL
srfg p4 K tit J
VjTaillpMMsJB8WSWSMi
COOK DEMANDS VINDICATION
4fc
Ira Smith's Job is to see that the president of the United States Is not
annoyed by the thousands of people who write to him, and Mr. Smith Is a
very busy man. Every day many hundreds of letters addressed to the chief
Bifirutlvo iiRtmllv thev are marked "Drivate" or "confidential" -reach the
White House. As a rule about five of the batch are sent unopened to Mr,
Wilson, The rest have failed to pass Mr. Smith, who is a handwriting
expert and can tell which of the letters the president must see and which
should be turned over to the executive omce staff for answer.
Hog Supply Large.
February was another big hog month
at the Portland Union Stockyards. The
month's run totaled nearly 25,000
head, an Increase of 4862 head over
the receipts in the same month of 1915
and equaling the gain recorded in the
opening month of this year. In other
divisions there was a falling off in re
ceipt in February, which was most
pronounced in the sheep movement.
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1 i
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The Bor Scouts of Washington are learning, among other useful things
to be Bre fighters. The capital's fire department has taken over the tuition
of the young Scouts and they have been put through drills in wall climbing,
tamnln into fire nets and all branches of the fireman's work. The Scouts
are shown her riding back from one ot their drills with the firemen.
" -Ay
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Dr. Frederick A. Cook, mountain
climber and arctic explorer, who
leaped into fame a few years ago with
the controversy over his claim to hav
ing discovered the North pole, Is In
Washington to demand of congress an
Investigation of his claim and vindica
tion In the eyes of the world. Doctoi
Cook says he has started the machin
ery to bring about the Investigation
and that he will not let up until his
story ot bis travels in the arctlo is
proved true by congress.
Two of Kind.
"Well, young man. On your way U
Bchool?"
"Yes, sir."
"You don't seem to be In a hurry U
got there."
"No, sir. 'Where are you going?"
"I'm on my way to work."
"You don't seem to be In burr)
much, either,"