OF CURRENT WEEK
Brief Resume Most Important
Daily News Items.
COMPILED FOR BUSY READERS
Events of Noted People, Governments
nd Pacific Northwest and Other
Thing! Worth Knowing.
A terrific storm ii blowing along the
Alaskan coast.
President Wilson's Christmas dinner
consisted of ail-American dishes.
The Swiss government Indorses Wil
son's peace note, and freely offers as
sistance. Spokane mining district yields $13,
827,281 net to owners, for the year
just closing.
It la reported that President Wilson
is expected to warn Americans against
ocean travel should the peace move fail.
France has barred the sale of al
cohol throughout that country, another
step taken to limit drinking to beer
and wine.
Colonel William F. Cody, (Buffalo
Bill), who has been seriously 111, is
improving at the home of his daughter
In Denver.
William A. Shaner, a barber In a
tirnminAnf-. Pnrtlnnd fthnn. WAR flhnt and
instantly killed by another barber
tnrlBtmas morning.
. An overturned canoe found in a
slough near Everett, Wash., leads to
the belief that three boys lost their
lives, as one of the bodies has been
found.
J. R. MiBner, of Albany, Ore., re
celved a bomb through the mall. His
suspicions being aroused, he tied it to
a tree and with a long string pulled
the lid open. A terrific explosion fol
lowed. John D. Rockefeller's Christmas
present to each of the employes on his
Tarrytown estate was a 110 gold piece,
Inclosed in a case, on which is printed
"The Season's Greetings from John
D. Rockefeller."
The Adams Express company an
nounced Tuesday that additional
monthly pay to employes already made
and to be made in lieu of a contingent
bonus, will Increase its annual wage
schedule by $1,000,000.
Henry F. Farny, aged 71, widely
known author and painter, died in
Cincinnati Christmas Day in a hospital.
Mr. Farny won world-wide renown as
an artist of unusual merit by his
paintings of famous Indian chiefB.
Frank J. Gould, says the Paris Her
aid, has just given $100,000 for the
rebuilding of the English Protestant
church at Maison la Fitte. There is
an important English-American colony
at this place, mostly intereted in thor
oughbred racing stables.
An armored motor car, funds to buy
which were raised by popular subscrip
tion, was presented to the National
Guard of Colorado. Adjutant General
Harry P. Gamble accepted the car.
The presentation took place in the
capitol grounds at Denver.
A Frankfurt dispatch to the London
Exchange Telegraph company from
Rotterdam, says there was heavy bet
ting on the Berlin exchange Tuesday
that peace would be signed before Au-
gust. The same diBpatch says that
the German emperor will return to
Berlin for conferences with the Amer
ican and Spanish ambassadors.
Salt Lake City An unexploded
bomb was found near Governor Spry's
residence early Monday. It was un
covered by R. F. Nelson as he was
sweeping a path through the snow be
tween hia own residence and that of
the governor. Examination of the
bomb by the Bheriff and etate chemist
showed that the bomb contained
enough explosive materials to have
blown both houses to pieces.
Attempts to obtain action on the
Adamson resolution to extend the life
of the Newlands railroad committee,
now investigation all phases of the
railroad situation, until January 7,
1918, were abandoned. They will be
taken up after the holiday recess of
congress.
Vallejo, Cal A centrifugal machine
gun, said to throw 8000 projectiles a
minute at an initial velocity of 4000
feet a second, was tested by naval au
thorities here. The initial velocity of
the army rifle is 2000 feet per second.
The centrifugal gun is operated wholly
by electricity.
The Austrian" are again actively
bombarding the Italian advance posi
tions on the Carso front of the Auatro-
Italian theater.
A sharp controversy over the future
of the National guard la foreseen in
congress when the matter reaches the
senate and house.
Copenhagen After a single reading
the Folkething passed the bill ratify
ing the treaty for the sale of the Dan
ish West Indies to the United States.
The vote was 90 in favor of and 16
against ratification. Five members
were absent
LIMIT EXPIRES; REPLY NOT IN
Carranza Fails to Sign Protodol, but
Formal Break Deferred.
Washington, D, C Although Gen
eral Carranza had not replied up to
Tuesday night to the demand of the
United States that he either ratify or
repudiate the protocol drawn by the
Mexican-American joint commission,
the expiration of the time limit was
not made the occasion for formally de
claring the negotiations at an end.
While the time expired at midnight,
officials were inclined to take into con
sideration that a reply might have
been delayed and indicated that a fav
orable reply, even though a day or
more late, would not be rejected, inas
much as an adjustment of internation
al difficulties was the chief object.
Refusal to accept the terms of the
agreement, under which troops would
be withdrawn from Chihuahua, means
the closing of negotiations through the
joint commission for adjustment of the
questions at Usue between the United
States and' the de facto government ot
Mexico.
What effect the new situation then
presented would have on the policy of
the United States is not known, but it
was said at the State department that
any further move would be made
through the usual channels and not by
the commission, which for more than
three months attempted to effect an
amicable settlement.
Dr. John R. Mott, one of the Ameri
can commissioners, conferred with
Secretary Lansing in the course of the
day, and both expressed the hope that
Carranza s reply would be favorable.
The more general opinion among
government officials, however, was
that the Mexican executive would not
alter his repeated declaration that the
American troops must be withdrawn
unconditionally and any further discus
sion of international subjects could not
take place while foreign troops violat
ed the sovereignty of Mexico.
If Carranza persists In his refusal
there will be nothing for the members
of the joint commission to do but to
hold one last conference to close the
record and say good-bye.
Tornado and Blizzard Takes
Toll of 21 in Arkansas
Little Rock, Ark. From 17 to 21
and probably more persons were killed
in a tornado that struck South Central
Arkansas at 3 o'clock Tuesday accord
ing to reports received here.
Four are known to be dead at Eng
land, 17 are reported killed at Keo and
several are reported killed at the state
convict farm at Tucker.
All wries into the strom-swept dis
trict are down and only meager details
are available.
The known dead are: Albert L.
Swarts, a farmer living near England,
and three negroes, one of whom lived
two miles north of England, and two
who lived two miles south. The
Swarts home was picked up and car
ried about 100 yards. Mrs. Swarts
was believed fatally injured and an 18
year-old daughter was badly hurt.
The storm is said to have swept a
patch about four miles wide and it is
reported that several fires broke out in
the wreckage. Every physician in the
little town of England has been called
to the country to care for the injured,
Villa Takes San Luis Potosi.
El Paso A report was received
Wednesday by sources known to be
close to Francisco Villa and by govern-
ment agents saying that Villa's forces
captured San Luis Potosi Tuesday,
Many foreigners who left Torreon be
fore Villa attacked that town recently
went to San Luis Potosi. No details
were available.
San LuiB Potosi Is southeast of Tor
reon on the National railroad line be
tween AguaB Calientes and Tampico.
Tampico is believed to be Villa s ob
jective in order to obtain a port
through which he can import arms,
ammunition ana supplies. Villa was
reported to be between Torreon and
Chihuahua City, and was said to be
preparing to launch an attack against
Chihuahua City soon.
In anticipation of this attack, Gen
eral Francisco Murguir was reported
to have ordered General Francisco
Gonzales, former commander in Juar
ez, to proceed south at once with his
entire brigade to reinforce the Chi
huahua garrison.
Leper Colony Mutinies.
Havana Raising a flag and saying
that they would be removed only by
violence, 174 inmates of the San Laz-
aro Hospital for lepers, who were to
have been transferred to Muriel, re
fused to leave the building. After
several hours' delay the lepers agreed
to leave San Lazaro for Mariel on re
ceiving the promise of health officials
to remove them thence to a new hos
pital now under construction as soon as
it is finished. It is reported that more
than 20 of the lepers escaped from San
Lazaro through a rear exit.
School Children Strike.
Scranton, Pa. In answer to the
school board's decision in not granting
a Christmas vacation of one week, 15,
000 school children of the 22,000 enrol
led in the public schools of this city
remained away from sessions Tuesday,
Students from two high schools
marched through the city yelling:
"We want a vacation!"
At intermission period at both insti
tutions the "strikers managed to In
duce several hundred others to strike.
COURT INVALIDATES
TITLE TO 600 ACRES
Judge Galloway, Salem, Finds
Fraud in Hyde Entries.
37,000 ACRES ARE AT STAKE
Decision in Linn County Case Is First
in Seven Actions Pending State
Must Return $1.25 an Acre.
Salem, Ore. Judge William Gallo
way, in the Circuit court here late
Saturday, decided that title to 600
acres of land in Linn county was ob
tained by F. A. Hyde and his associ
ates through fraud and collusion and
that the title in equity to such lands,
because of the fraud and collusion, still
is vested in the State of Oregon.
But, he determined, that the $1.25
an acre paid to the state for the land
should be repaid. The money has been
a portion of the state school fund,
bearing six per cent interest. As to
whether the interest which the state
has received on this money should be
repaid as well is still to be decided
when the findings of fact and conclu
sions of law are signed by the court
next week.
While the cause in question involves
only 600 acres of land, the decision is
of widespread interest, as this is the
firBt to be decided of the seven Hyde-
BenBon cases, which have been sub
mitted by Attorney General Brown and
Assistant Attorney General Bailey.
All told, the cases Involve 37,000 acres
of land situated in Linn, Lane, Clack
amas, Hood River, Crook, Klamath
and Josephine counties.
If the lower court s contention that
the $1.26 an acre should be repaid
from the state school fund, proves to
be correct on appeal, it will take
from the fund approximately $46,250,
with the possibility of payment of Bix
per cent interest on that amount run
ning from 1898.
The court found that Hdye and his
associates, through "dummy" entry
men, obtained 47,000 acres of school
lands in the state. Before the fraud
and collusion were discovered the
United States had patented 10,000
acres of the land, and this was dis
posed of by Hyde and his associates,
and the land forfeited as far as the
state was concerned.
$4000 is Obtained by Lone
Robber From Bickleton Bank
North Yakima, Wash. The Bank of
Bickleton, 20 miles southwest of Mab
ton, Wash., was robbed of $4000 late
Friday by a lone robber, who rode into
town on horseback, held up the bank
and escaped.
The robber compelled S. A. Rossier,
the cashier, to hand over the money,
and after locking Rossier in a room,
mounted his horse and rode away.
A poBse was formed as soon as Mr.
Rossier could free himself and give the
alarm.
The robber's abandoned horse was
found by the posse 30 miles from the
scene of the robbery. The bandit had
ridden the animal until it was exhaust
ed and then had continued his flight on
foot. The posse was said to be in
close pursuit.
Two thousand dollars which the rob
ber left behind when he abandoned his
horse was recovered.
Pupils Made for Eyes.
Los Angeles, Cal. Through a mar
velous operation Mrs. Susan B. John
son, of 113 Charlevioux street, Pasa
dena, has regained her Bight. Arti
ficial pupils have been made to allow
the light to penetrate and focus on the
retina. Removing a small section of
the iris, the Burgeons made artificial
pupils above the natural ones, and op
posite the clear part of the cornea.
The bandages were removed Satur
day and Mrs. Johnson saw clearly
for the first time within her recol
lection. Peace Meeting Planned.
New York Monster peace demon
strations, at which will be read a man
ifesto "from the American people to
the world in the cause of peace," will
be held at midnight on New Year's
eve in Chicago, Denver, San Francisco
and this city, it was announced here
Monday by the American Neutral
Conference committee.
At each meeting a community
chorus will ring out the present year
with song.
$36,000 Paid tor Farm.
Pendleton, Or. The old Prospect
farm, near Stanfield, one of the oldest
in Umatilla county, again changed
hands, David R. Wood, of Weston,
buying it for $36,000 from William
Robbing and wife, who purchased the
place about a year ago. The farm con
sists of 1600 acres of wheat land.
Robbins took in trade as part payment
a house and lot in Weston, a chop mill
and warehouse in Weston and a house
and lot in Milton. At one time the
place sold at nearly $73,000.
TWENTY MISSING IN
MASONIC HOME FIRE
Aged and Children Are Believed
Lost at Wichita, Kansas..
DEFECTIVE FURNACE IS CAUSE
Eight Tots Trapped in Burning Wing
With Rescue Impossible Institu
tion Thrown Into Darkness.
Wichita, Kan. Of more than 100
persons in the Kansas Masonic Home
here, which burned early Friday, only
80 had been accounted for at 3 a. m.,
according to Superintendent Daniel P.
Burdick.
Eight children, trapped in a wing
through which flames were sweeping,
and which had been entirely cut off
from an entrance by the fire, were
given up for lost after rescuers had
made many frantic efforts to enter the
building to rescue the helpless little
ones.
Aside from the tragic destruction of
the Masonic Home, the fire began to
assume serious financial aspects as
several nearby houses began burning.
Efforts to obtain telegraph operators
to man wires to the outside world were
hindered by the fact that five men
from the telegraph office had been
summoned home because their resi
dences were on fire.
The majority of the older persons in
the Masonic Home apparently escaped,
Many of them were unhurt, but in the
scanty clothing which they were able
to snatch in their exit form the home,
they suffered keenly in a temperature
close to the zero mark. The refugees
took shelter in a nearby chapel and
first aid was rushed to them. Frozen
fire plugs proved a serious handicap to
the firemen in their efforts to check
the flames, so that rescue work could
be carried on.
One woman, caught under a falling
stairway, received injuries which prob
ably will prove fatal.
The fire is thought to have originat
ed in the basement of the home.
Paul Zeilke, 15, an inmate of the
home Ave years, was sleeping in the
basement. Zeilke was awakened
shortly before 2 o'clock by fire and
Bmoke. He rushed to an electric
switch and pulled it, shutting off the
motor that pumped oil to the furnace.
This also threw the entire building in
darkness.
Revised figures indicate that there
were 99 inmates in the home besides
the assistants and help. Of these but
46 have been accounted for, but dozens
of others are known to have been res
cued and taken to nearby homes.
Universal Military Training Bill
to Reach Congress Next Month
Washington, D. C A definite plan
for universal military training will
be laid before congress next month in
the shape of a bill formulated by the
general staff of the army, accompanied
by complete estimates of cost, as com
pared to the present volunteer syBtem,
Major General Hugh L. Scott, chief of
staff, told the house military commit
tee Friday that the work was- in prog
ress, and would require about a month
to complete. Chairman Dent said the
committee would be glad to see the
bill.
Attempted to Burn Her Baby.
Waterloo, la. Mrs. Ruth Conner of
Elgin, killed one of her 2-month-old
twin babies by hitting the child over
the back of the head, attempted to
burn the other child in a cook stove,
and then cut her own throat at Elgin,
Sunday morning, according to informa
tion received here Wednesday.
The second child iB in a Berious con
dition and may not live, while Mrs.
Conner also 1b in a serious condition,
Family and financial troubles are said
to have been responsible for the wom
an's actions.
Irish to Be Released.
London The government has decid
ed to release the Irish prisoners who
were interned after the rebellion in
Ireland, Henry E. Duke, chief secre
tary of Ireland, announced Friday.
"The time has come when the ad
vantages of releasing these men far
outweigh the risk, and I have so ad
vised the government. Steps, there
fore, will be taken to proceed with the
least possible delay to return the in
terned prisoners to their homes. '
Christmas Pardon Given.
Albany, N. Y. A Christmas pardon
was granted by Governor Whitman
Saturday to William J. Cummins, who
has served three years and two months
of a state's prison sentence of four
years and eight months for his part in
the wrecking of the Carnegie Trust
company, of New York, several years
ago. Governor Whitman said that let
ters and petitions asking for clemency
had been received from nearly every
state in the Union.
Luther Burbank Wedded.
San Francisco Luther Burbank, the
famous plant evolutionist, was married
here Thursday to bis secretary, Miss
Elizabeth Waters, by Rev. C. S. S.
Dutton, pastor of the First Unitarian
church. The ceremony was private
and Mr. Burbank and his bride were
I whisked away In a taxlcab.
RAILROADS ARE PROSPEROUS
Net Income From All Sources During
1916 Exceeds Billion.
Washington, D. C More than $1,-
000,000,000 net income from operation
was made by the railroads of the coun
try during the year now closing. The
huge total is the peak of prosperity in
railroad operations, and stands more
than one-third higher than the total of
1913, heretofore the banner year.
Statistics gathered by the Interstate
Commerce commission, complete for
nine months and made the basis for
the calculation for the entire year, in
dicate that the total net income from
operations will be approximately $1,-
098,000,000. For the first nine months
of the year complete returns show
$785,558,266. Even this does not rep
resent the full amount, as roads whose
income is less than $1,000,000 are not
included.
The estimate $1,098. 000, 000 -1b
To Manage Ceremonies
at Wilson's Inauguration
Robert N. Harper, a bank president
of Washington, D. C, is to be chair
man of the inaugural committee which
will have charge of the inaugural cere
monies for President Wilson. He will
have plenty of hard work in raising
the money for the ceremony and pro
viding for the hundred thousand visi
tors who will besiege Washington
March 4.
regarded by officials as conservative.
It makes no allowance for normal in
crease in business during the last
three months of the year returns for
which are unavailable but places the
income for October, November and
December at the same figures as for
July, August and September. There
is no question, officials Bay, but there
will be an increase, the only doubt is
as to its size.
Analysis of the returns for the first
nine months shows a startling increase
from January to September, amount
ing to more than 67 per cent. Thus,
net income in January, $64,915,286,
had mounted to $107,910,814 in Sep
tember, an increase of nearly $43,
000,000. For the first nine months of the
year, the commission's figures show
that the railroads collected $2,654,
829,647 from all sources of operation.
The chief items were as follows:
Freight, $1,875,019,990; passenger
traffic, $522,103,907; mails, $45,348,
609; from express companies, $65,
089,474; incidentals, dining and buffet
car service, operation of hotels and
restaurants, sale of vending privileges
on trains and at stations, parcel rooms
at stations, demurrage, storage of
freight and baggage, telegraph and
telephone wires leased to other com
panies, operation of grain elevators,
etc., $60,414,697, and all other trans
portation charges, $76,087,611.
The last item embraces sleeping and
parlor car service; freight on milk,
which has virtually an express service;
switching charges and operation of
special trains.
Brayless Mule Produced.
Paris The brayless mule is one of
the scientific developments of the war.
Large numbers of mules have been im
ported from America for use at the
front, but their habit of braying at in
convenient moments had to be remed
ied before they could be used to the
best advantage.
The veterinary experts were called
in, and after a little experiment, they
discovered that a slight operation on
the nostril had the desired effect, and
all the mules sent to the front are now
made mute by this process.
Wilson Takes Up Deficit.
Washington, D. C. Various plans
suggested for meeting the deficit are
being considered by President Wilson
and it was said Monday the President
might decide to address congress on
the subject as soon as he made up his
mind how the revenues should be
raised.
Members of the house ways and
means committee already have dis
cussed the problem with Secretary Mc
Ado and other administration officials.
Wire Fence Deadly to Two.
Tulare, Cal. John D. Mello and
Frank C. Silv, ranch hands, were
shocked to death Christmas day by a
wire ranch fence carrying 11,000 volts
of electricity transmitted by a Mount
Whitney Power & Electric company
power wire which had fallen across the
fence and set the posts afire. Manuel
Godhine was severely burned when he
attempted to rescue his companions.
WILSON CALLS FOR
TERMS FOR PEACE
President Sends Appeal to All
Warring Nations.
BASIS EOR DISCUSSION SOUGHT
Action Taken Without Notice Amazes
Belligerents Is Not Proposal of
Peace Nor Mediation Offer.
Washington, D. C President Wil
son has appealed to all the belligerents
to discuss terms of peace.
Without actually proposing peace or
offering mediation, the President has
sent formal notes to the governments
of all the warring nations suggesting
that ' 'an early occasion be sought to )
call out from the nations now at war
such an avowal "of their respective
views as to the terms upon which the
war might be concluded and the ar
rangements which would be deemed
satisfactory as a guarantee against its
renewal or the kindling of any similar
conflict in the future, as would make
it possible frankly to compare them."
Wholly without notice and entirely
contrary to what administration offi
cials have described as his course, the
President Wednesday night dispatched
the notes to all the belligerents and
to all the neutrals for their informa- f
tion. Summarized in the President's
own words as contained in the notes,
his attitude is as follows:
"The President is not proposing
peace; he is not even offering media
tion. He is merely proposing that
soundings be taken in order that we
may learn, the neutral nations with
the belligerent, how near the haven of
peace may be for which all mankind
longs with an intense and increasing
longing. He believes that the spirit
in which he speaks and the objects .
which he seeks will be understood by "
all concerned, and he confidently hopes
for a response which will bring a new
light into the affairs of the world.
This latest development in the rapidly
moving world events toward a discus
sion of peace was not permitted to be
come known until the notes were well
on their way to the American am
bassadors in the belligerent capitals.
It was a most distinct surprise to all
official Washington, which had been
led to believe that with the formal
transmittal of the proposals of the "
Central Powers the offices of the Uni
ted States would await further moves
between the belligerents themselves
and that certainly, in view of the
speech of Premier Lloyd George and
the announcements in Russia, France
and Italy, further action by neutrals
would depend upon the next careful
and delicate moves of the belligerents.
The whole tenor of official opinions
throughout Washington, when the
President's action became known, was
that it immeasurably improved the
prospects for some sort of exchange
looking toward an approach to peace f
without impairing the position of the
United States Bhould they finally be
unable to find a good ground on which
to approach one another.
At the White House no statement
whatever could be obtained as to
whether any of the powers had inti
mated how they would receive the
note, and there was every indication
that the same careful secrecy which
had prevented anything whatever be
coming known about the President's
action until it had been taken, would
surround any of the succeeding moves.
Nowhere on the surface appears any
indication of the history-making
events which diplomatists generally
are convinced must have transpired
since the German allies brought forth
their proposals to dispel the generally
prevalent belief that such an action on
the part of President Wilson would be
unacceptable to the entente powers.
The wish and hope of the German
powers that President Wilson would
intercede in some way has long ben
known and has been conveyed in differ
ent ways to the White House. The
attitude of the entente allies as ex
pressed by their statesmen, and cer-
tainly until recently in official advices
to the American government, has been
that a peace offer by the United States
would be considered almost the next
thing to unfriendly.
Auto Robbers Get $3000.
Los Angeles Julius R. Miller, a
chauffeur, was shot through the right
shoulder by one of two automobile rob
bers who attempted to rob him. Mil
ler fled when they ordered him to halt
and the robbers opened fire but did not
pursue him. Jewelry valued at $3000 j
and $5 in cash had been taken from
Frank R. Strong, wealthy real estate
broker, by two automobile bandits
shortly before the shooting of Miller.
Charles Stewart also reported that he
had been held up by two robbers in an
automobile and forced to give up $7.
16,000 Guardsmen Ordered Home.
San Antonio, Tex. Orders issued
Wednesday by Maj. Gen. Funston, in
line with the war department's policy
to return the guardsmen to their
homes when their presence becomes
unnecessary on the border, will send
home a body of 16,000 national guards
men from border duty. Eleven states
were represented in the list of units or
dered to move and because of scarcity '
of rolling stock the troons were divid.
I ed into groups for the return journey.
!