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About Washington County news. (Forest Grove, Washington County, Or.) 1903-1911 | View Entire Issue (July 20, 1905)
Washington County Hews hM»ut*d B K h W eck FOREST G R O V E ........... OREGON NEWS OF THE WEEK In a Condensed Form tor Our Busy Readers. A Resume o f the Less Important but Not Less Interesting Events o f the Past Week. Norway w ill for recognition. ask the United States Travel to the Lewis and Clark fair surprises Eastern railroads. Humors are thick in St. Petersburg of plots to dethrone the czar. Newark, N. J., offers a bounty on pests which infest shade trees. W itte says other powers may be called into the peace conference. Hussia is making arrangements to double track the Siberian railway. Both Norway and Sweden are pre paring for war while trying to keep peace. There is a great increase of immigra tion to the United States from Norway and Sweden. British cotton manufacturers have combined to promote the growth of cotton in the island possessions of Great Britain. President Roosevelt says he has done hie part in bringing the warring na tions together and w ill not meddle in the peace conference. The governor of Alabama has called out the satte cavalry to prevent the lynching of a negro confined in the Linden, Marengo county, jail. Japan has succeeded in raising the battleship Bayan, sunk at Port Arthur. Five Russian vessels are said to be in such shape that they can easily be put into commission. DEFENSE WAIVES A R G U M E N T I W A N T A LONG C O N T R A C T . — Submits Timber Land Case Without Debate. to Jury OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST Portland, July 19.— After 12 days of j trial, the reputation of three of the prominent men of Oregon was given BIG C R O P S IN LINN C O U N T Y . ! into the keeping of 12 jutvmen yester day afternoon. When the last testi mony for the defendants, Representa- Hay, Wheat, Oats and Hops Giving jtive J. N. Williamson, Dr. Van Gesner Great Promise. and Marion R. Biggs, had been heard, Albany— The hay crop of Linn coun • as well as District Attorney Heney’s ty is greater this year than ever before, opening argument for the prosecution, and thousands of tons of hay w ill be Judge Bennett sprang a surprise, lie shipped away. In addition to the ex refused to discuss, on behalf of the de tra acreage is the yield. It is uuusual- fendants, the case that had been made j ly good. Hay is selliing for $4 and $5 against them, or the reasons why the loose, a.id $6 and $7 baled— low prices verdict should be one of acquittal. The even for the opening market. Haying whole contention was left to the judg has been in progress for some time, and ment of the jury, without argument. this week w ill see the crop cut and in Judge Bennett, in making this request the cock. Most of it w ill also lie in to the court, said: the barn or stack ere the end ot the “ May it please the court, I do not week. feel that the opening statement of the Never did wheat in Linn county look district attorney was very full or very better. Binders will begin moving the fair in this case, and in view of the fact yellow grain this week, much of it be that the jury has been here now for 12 ing now fully ripe and ready for cut days, trying this case, and has listened ting. The aphis mentioned early in to all the testimony offered by the gov the summer during the rains have all ernment, and the evidence and explan disappeared, leaving no mark behind. ations on liehalf of the defendants, and The output of the county w ill not be must thoroughly understand our posi much larger than in the past, for the tion in the rase from the arguments acreage is not much larger than usual, that have arisen during the course of I but the yield is the greatest in years. the trial, we feel that we would not Vie Threshing will begin the last of July justified in keeping them here for two or the first of Aguust, on the fall sown or three days more to listen to an argu grain. Three or four weeks later work ment in the case. Therefore we have will begin on the spring grain, which made up our minds to submit the case is looking fine where sowed early to the intelligence of this jury on the enough, but that sown late w ill ripen evidence in the case and the instruc very close to the ground, making bind tions which your honor shall give.” ing difficult. Yesterday morning when the Federal Oats are looking fine, and w ill be a court convened, those present heard, fairly heavy crop. The acreage is not after a few remaining questions had as large as in some years, but the yield been asked of the last witness called in is excellent. the case, a short statement of what the One of the bumper crops of the coun government had attempted to prove, as ty w ill be hops. There is every indi told by Mr. Heney. It was milder cation of a full crop— better than last than those who had followed the trial year. No damage has been done by the had expected. The defendants were lice, the hot weather coming in time to not called to account in any great put an end to the ravaegs of the little measure for what tlie evidence of the pest. The few yards that were infested government seemed to show them to with lice have been sprayed, and the have done. Invective and attack were crop is not affeeted in the least. If we wanting. It was, as styled by Mr. have warm weather until picking seas Heney, a birdseye view of the case and on is over, the crop w ill be a full one. the evidence. A prominent Albany hopgrower esti mates the output of Linn A IR SH IP FLIES O VER PO R T L A N D . about 150,000 bales. county at Portland is shipping cattle to Japan. King Oscar says he does not favor a Wind T o o Strong for It to Return to Exposition Grounds. forcible union with Norway. A severe wind storm has wiped out the town of Anawa, Wisconsin. A ll telegraph operators on the North ern Pacific railway are ready to go on strike. The Union pnssenger depot at Louis ville, Kentucky, has been burned. I . o h s , $350,000. • A Boston man has been arrested in Kingston, Jamaica, for taking photo graphs of the fortifications. W itte says that while he favors pence with Japan, be w ill not agree to it at anv terms that may be offered. Unusually heavy rainstorms are re ported in various parts of Germany. Immense damage has been done to crops. The Chinese government is sending a number of its aristocrats to various countries to stady foreign ways. It is regarded generally as a step in the right diiection. Within nine dayB 98 infants under one year of age have died in Cleveland, Ohio. The health authorities are mak ing a close investigation into the sani tary conditions of the milk supply. The Japanese are driving the Rus sians north. New York City has purchased a home for consumptives. Sweden w ill send an ultimatum to Norwav and is rea<Iv for war. Japan is well pleased at the appoint ment of W itte as a peace envoy. Terrorists have attempted to take the life of the governor general of St. Pe tersburg. It is fully settled that W itte is to be one of the Russian peace enoys and will Ire given full powers. During the past two years the United States government lias s|>ent $73,000,- 000 more than it has taken in. A move is said to have been starter! to force the czar to alslicate and that he w ill turn the affairs of the govern ment into other hands to administer for his son ami heir. An aged iqan living under the name of Livingston has bis home at Freeport, Illinois. He greatly resembes pictures of John D. Rockefeller’ s father and it is believed by many that he is. The president has signed a proclama tion opening to homesteaders and town- site entry the Unitali reservation in Utah. The reservation contains 2,445,- 000 acres, but lands reserved for mill tary, forestry and other purposes will leave only 1,069,000 availabe for entry. The kaiser is trying to prevent Nor way from liocoming a republic. The mutineers of the Russian battle ship Potemkin have all been shot or are in chains.. A party has been formed by promin ent Italians for the exploration of the upper Amason river. Portland, July 19.— Man tried again yesterday to conquer air. It was the same old story of partial defeat. He must try yet again before he can slip the metaphorical harness upon the at mosphere and make it serve him as the giants steam and electricity have been brought to serve. For nearlyjtwo hours yesterday after noon the airship Angelas hovered over Portland and vicinity. To the casual observer it looked like a great bird moving slow!) across the sky with ease and perfect i;oiitrol of itself. In fact there was a battle going on every fec und; a buttle against a strong wind which has proved the evil genius of airship inventors since the first. Every inch the brave vessel moved to the southward was an inch to the credit of the contending elements. It is note worthy, however, that the Angelns bucked the capricious air currents yes terday with a greater degree of success than any previous air vessel. Captain T. 8. Baldwin, of California, the in-, ventor, is satisfied with yesterday’s showing. He w ill make some delicate alterations anil pit his vessel against the wind at once. He has no doubt that his boat could navigate in any direction under favorable atmospheric conditions. He intends to make it sail under any conditions. The Angelas made the first airship (light in Northwest history and the first of the exposition competition. It was witnessed by many thousands. It started from the exposition grounds and drove southeast bucking a strong wind from the north. Lincoln Beechey, of Los Angeles, went up with the ma- chin , end displayed remarkable skill and courage in his work. After lieing drifted along an irregular southward course for alamt six miles he tacked east and made a safe landing on a dock at a W illam ette river pleasure resort. The vessel was not damaged to any great extent and arrangements were made for its conveyance back to the exposition whence other test flights ere to be made this week. Lay Siege to Vladivostok. London, July 19.— A Japanese army has been landed north of Vladivostok and the complete envelopment of the fortress is imminent. The Tokio cor respondent of the Daily Telegraph wires: “ Thus Japan carries the war into undisputed Russian territory on the main land. Undoubtedly, too, a strong Japanese fleet is outside Vladi vostok. Japan’ s navy lias nothing else to occupy it at the moment. The in vestment of Vladivostok is regarded here as a strong argument in favor of peace.” Indians Go Into Law. Chemawa — Among the 32 young men who were recently admitted to practice law before the Supreme court of Oregon were two Indians, graduates of the Chemawa Indian school. Both young men were successful, and give great promise of a creditable career. They were Oscar Norton, of California, who graduated in 1898, and George Bernier, of Oregon, of the class of 1900. Word has also reached here that Rich ard Graham, another California Indian, who was a student of Chemawa in 1897, has been admitted to practice law in the courts of Washington City. Mr. Graham lias been a government depart ment cletk for a number of years, and has attended and graduated from the Columbia law school. Frozen Wheat Short. The Dalles— Through the High Ridge and Fifteen-Mile country, the section of Wasco county where grain was most seriously damaged by the freeze of Feb ruary, and w here much reseeding was necessary, crops arc looking fairly well. Some of the spring sown wheat is short and rather thin, but is of good color, and with favorable weather will make a comparatively good crop. Farmers in that section estimate that their spring grain w ill average 15 bushels to tlie acre. In that section the fall grain that was not frozen out w ill yield from 35 to 40 bushels to the acre. Every where throughout the county fall grain is ripening rapidly, and heading has already begun. Bohemia Men Want Smelter. Bohemia— At an important meeting of the Bohemia Mineowners’ association this week steps were taken to interest some suielterrnen in Bohemia camp. One mining man stated that in case in terested parties put up a smelter, he woould sign a contract to deliver 50 tons of ore per day. With this amount of ore from one man, it is considered an assured fact that a smelter would pay if once put in operation. Men who are now doing nothing with their prop erties would proceed to active develop ment. Clerk Robinson Suspended. Pendleton — Charles M. Robinson, clerk of the Umatilla Indian reserva tion, has been suspended from office by Major J. J. McKoin, United States agent in charge of the reservation, pending an investigation of the affairs of Robinson’ s office. This action on the part of the agent is understood to be a result of the investigation of the affairs of the reservation, by R. G. V a l entine, private secretary to Indian Commissioner Leupp. Albany Summer Normal. Albany— A summer normal school for the benefit of public school teachers is being conducted in Albany this sum mer by County School Superintendent W. I,. Jackson, City School Superin tendent Hayes and I. E. Richardson. A large number of the teachers in the public schools of Linn county are at tending this summer school, w here in struction in practical pedagogy is given. Shipping Trust’ s Deficit. New York, July 19.— A deficit of $1,142,098 for the year ended Decem ber 31 last, as compared with a surplus of $1.797,797 for the preceding year, is shown in a statement given out by the International Mercantile Marine com pany at its annual meeting at Hoboken, Minister W itte has bad a stormy in N. i . , today. President Bruce lsmav terview with the csar and may refuse ascribes the poor showing largely to to act as a [>eace envoy. State Land in Klamath. the continued depression in freight rates on the North Atlantic during the Salem— State I-and Agent Oswald Major fjnigfltt, government engineer, latter part of 1904. West has returned from a trip to Swan with headquarters at Portland, is to be Lake, Klamath county, where he in succeeded by Major Boeasler. spected a large tract ot land believed to Battleship Ohio Accepted. Washington. July 19.— The Navy de be swamp in character, and therefore During a high wind, following a so» He found vers rain and electric storm, the walls partment has finally accepted thV bat the property of the state. of a brick building in course of con- tleship Ohio, flagship of Rear Admiral 5,000 acres to which he believes the sturction at Winnipeg, Manitoba, fell, Train, commander of the Asiatic fleet. state is entitled to a patent, and he burying a nmuher of people. I t is The Ohio was built by the Union Iron w ill take stepe immediately to perfect title. works, of San Francisco. feared at least ten are dead. RAILROAD FOR W ALLO W A. Independent Capitalists Will Branch to Joseph. Build a La Grande— A corps of engineers are at work establishing a line for a new railroad down Grand Ronde river to the mouth of the Wallowa river, thence up the Wallowa to Wallowa valley. The right of way lias been secured to the mouth of the Wallowa river. The new road will be independent of all other lines and is backed by New York capital. A construction company is ready to liegin grading as soon as part of the line is established, and w ill be at work within the next 30 days, and it is stat ed the road will be completed to the Wallowa bridge this year and w ill be extended to Joseph next year. This activity has caused agents for the O. R. & N. to go to Elgin this week and busy themselves securing rights of way on all deeded land through which their final survey was established about five years ago. The probable purpose of the rtew promoters is to get the right of way in the Grand Ronde and Wallowa canyons away from the O. R. &- N., which it is supposed has already expired or soon w ill expire by limitation. The outcome w ill likely be the forc ing of the O. R. & N. Co. to build on its proposed line. If it does not in some way renew its pre-emption of the surveys already made, it w ill lose its rights, and this the 0. R. & N. Co. is not expected to do. In any case, W al lowa county has a better prospect for a railroad than ever before. Only Terms on Which Japanese Will Work on Canal. Seattle, July 18. — Japanese labor . contractors w ill not agree to the Isth mian commission’ s programme of ex perimenting with the labor of different countries. A recent dispatch from Washington says the commission has decided to secure 2,000 laborers of d if ferent nationalities under a 500 day contract, with the idea in view of re newing the contract for such laborers as were found satisfactory. The question of employing Japanese laborers on the isthmus was first taken up with the commission and Secretary Taft by the Oriental Trading company, of Seattle. This is the most important labor contracting firm in the North west. Vice Presiden! C. T. Takahashi said today that his company would not agree to such a proposal. “ There is no money in such a short contract,” he continued. “ I f we could get a four- year or a five-year contract, Japanese laborers could be supplied. As it is the laborers would have to be brought from Japan and returned to their homes after the work was completed. To collect 2,000 men, carry them to the isthmus and then return them to their homes after a 500-day contract had been completed is not practicable. “ Our proposal to supply Japanese labor has lieen before the commission and Washington officials for some time. We have not been notified that an experimental contract might be made and I do not think we would accept a contract if offered one.” The Oriental Trading company pro posed to provide its own foremen, choosing men accustomed to directing railroad and similar construction work. MINERS IN TE RROR. Ready to Start Cut-Off. Eugene— C. 8. Freeland, construction engineer of the Southern Pacific com pany, is in Eugene with a force of men preparatory to the construction of the bridge across the Willamette river at Springfield for the Henderson-Spring- field cutoff branch line, which will be built immediately. The people of Eu gene herald the news of the beginning of the work on this line with great sat isfaction. They have looked for it long and earnestly. It means the making of Eugene a terminus for all trains on the Woodburn-Natron and Springfield- Wendling branches, increasing the pop ulation of the city considerably by the addition of the trainmen and their fam ilies, and affording the people residing along the aforesaid branches a quicker and better means of reaching this city to do their trading. Platinum on Santiam. Lebanon— George B. Whitcomb, who lives about 30 miles above Lebanon on the South Santiam river, reports hav ing discovered platinum in paying quantities. A quantity of black river sand was sent to the government assav office at Washington, D. C., and partly concentrated sand went $50 to the tow, while reconcentrated sand went as high as $175 to the ton. Mr. Whitcomb has sent other samples to the government assayer at the Lewis and Clark fair. He expects an expert in a few days who will make a thorough examination. Mr. Krebs at Dallas. Dallas— Growers report the Krebs hop pool meeting in Dallas a success in every respect. A ll those present are said to have signed up, and the scheme in this vicinity seems to be progressing, while news comes from other hop local ities in this county indicating that Polk county w ill be quite generally in the poo). Evidently the project is giv ing speculators considerable concern. It is reported that Salem speculators, were here the day of the meeting. Appeal to Government for Protection Against Outlaws. Seattle, July 18.— Miners operating on the creeks near Fairbanks, Alaska, have appealed to the United States government for protection from out laws who are terrorizing that district. General Constance Williams, in com mand of the Department of the Colum bia, has been instructed by the War department to investigate, and if condi tions are as bad as the miners claim, troops w ill be rushed into the Tanana country. The telegraph lines into Fairbanks are dow’n and General W il liams’ investigation is likely to be de layed for several days. In the mean time a large Alaska community is ter rorized, for the situation is even worse than that which existed at Skagwav during the “ Soapy Smith” days. Telegraphic advices from the North declare that hold-ups and the boldest of robberies are becoming so frequent that an attack on some of the banks is feared by the miners. The mine owners are afraid to either bring tbeir dust into town or keep it at their camps. The outlaws are holding up strong pack trains and robberies at camps are so numerous that they have become ex pected. The miners in the Tanana country have but a few weeks in which to make their annual cleanup and the depreda tions of the outlaws threaten the year’s business. The district about Fairbanks has had a remarkable winter and the cleanup would be the heaviest in the camp’ s history if the miners are able to work. Fear of losing everything by robbery is holding back the spring clean-up. Independence for Corea. Honolulu, July 18. — Coreane here have raised a fund to send Rev. P. T. Yon, a Corean Methodist minister, to Washington to see President Roosevelt for the purpose of asking (hat efforts be made by the United States in the forthcoming negotiations to bring about P O R T L A N D M AR K E TS. an agreement by which the Corean na tion w ill become independent within Wheat — Club, 82®83c per bushel; 20 years if it shows fitness for self- bluestem, 89®90c; valley, 85c. government. Rev. Mr. Yon will so B arley,— Feed, $21.50®22 per ton; licit the good offices of President Roose rolled, $23®24. velt to ask Japan to grant independ Oats— No 1 white, fetal, $29®30 per ence as the United States did Cuba. ton; gray, $29. Hay — Timothy, $14@16 per ton; O f f for the North Pole. clover. $S®9. New York, July 18.— The Roosevelt, F ru its— Apples, new, $1.50®1.85 in which Captain Robert E. Peary per box; apricots, 90c@$l per crate; hopes to reach the north pole, started peaches, 80(390c per crate; plums, 65c on her long voyage today. Captain (385c per crate; Loganberries, $1.25 Peary and a party of guests were on per crate; blacklierries, 10c per pound; board at the start, and remained with cherries, 7 ® 1 2 4 c per pound; currants, the ship on her trip down the bay, but 8c per pound; prunes, 8 5 c® $ l; rasp they left her at the narrows, returning berries, $1.25 per crate. to the city on a navy tug. Captain Vegetables— Beans, l® 4 c per pound; P ary started tonight by rail for 8yd cabbage, l ® l l4c per pound; cauli ney, Cape Breton, where he w ill join flower, 75®90c per dozen; celery, 90c the ship. per dozen; corn, 20® 2 7 4 c per dozen; cucumbers, 4 0 0 75c per dozen; lettuce, Captain King in Blackmar’ s Place head, 10c per dozen; parsley, 25c per Baltimore, July 18.— By the death of dozen; peas, 2(35c per pound; toma toes, $1.25(33 per crate; turnips, $1.25 General Plackmar, Captain John R. (31.40 per sack; carrots, $1.25(31.50 King, of this city, senior vice com mander in chief, becomes, under the per sack; beets, $1(31.25 per sack. , Potatoes— Oregon, new, 75c(3$ 1 per laws of the G. A. R., acting command- er-in-chief, and w ill continue such un sack. Butter— Fancy creamery, 174@21 l4c til the next National encampment. Captain King is pension agent for per pound. Eggs— Oregon] ranch, 22(323c per Maryland, District of Columbia, V ir ginia and West Virginia, and has an dozen. Poultry— Average old hens, 124<S office in Washington. 1 3 4 c ; mixed chickens, 12(3124c; old roosters, 9® 10c; young roosters, 11(3 12c; turkeys ».live, 18® 19; geese, live, 7 4 ® 8 c ; ducks, old, 13c; ducks, young. 15c per pound. Hops— Choice 1904, 16® 19c per pound. Woo’.— Eastern Oregon average best, 19® 21c; lower grades down to 15c, ac cording to shrinkage; valley, 25®27c per pound; mohair, choice, 31c per pound. Beef — Dressed bulls, 1 ® 2c per pound; cows, 3 4 0 4 4 c . Mutton — Dressed, fancy, 5c per pound: ordinary, 4c. Veal— Dressed, 3®7c per pound. Pork— Dieased 6®7 4 c per pound. j CLAIMS • INNOCENCE i Williamson Denies Entering Plot to Suborn Perjury. KNEW GESNER LOANED MONEY Cross Examination by District Attor ney Heney Brings Out This Fact from Witness Portland, July 18.— After the coun sel for the defense places several wit nesses on the stand this morning to show that the timber claim of Marion K. Biggs, one of the defendants in the trial of Representative Williamson and Dr. Gesner, was valuable for timber, all of the evidence w ill have been laid before the jury. By refusing to permit the defense to place on the stand a long list of witnesses to prove the good char acter of tne three defendants, Judge De Haven shortened the trial and for the next few days the courtroom w ill be ringing with the voices of the attorneys making their argument to the jury. Yesterday morning Representative Williamson took the stand in bis own behalf and declared to the jury that bo was innocent of the charge of conspir ing to cause certain applicants for gov ernment timber land to commit perjury. He was inclined to be combative under cross-examination but District Attorney Heney, apparently had no desire to press the witness to the point where he would lose his temper. During the di rect and redirect examination, Repre sentative Williamson frequently turned full upon the jury and delivered bis evidence at various times directly at the 12 men who w ill later pass judg ment upon him. Naturally his testi mony was the feature of the day, and while he made a good witness for him self, Mr. Heney nevertheless got ad missions from him that tended to show that he knew that Gesner was making loans to entrymen. T O T A K E V L A D IV O S T O K . Japanese Hope to Capture Fortress Before Envoys Reach America. Tokio, July 18.— Judging from the activity at present being displayed at the Navy department, it seems certain the investment of Vladivostok can be expected before the end of this week. A ll arrangements are known to have been completed, and it is reported, evi dently upon the best authority, that Admiral Togo’ s entire fleet w ill sail from Sasebo before nightfall. In addi tion, an army ol invasion, which was landed from transports in Peter the Great bay very recently, ,is already moving to complete the investment by land. Since June 1, 50 ocean-going foreign-steamers have been placed un der the Japanese flag, laden with am munition and supplies, and will accom pany Togo’s fleet. It is the hope of the Japanese gov ernment that Vladivostok w ill be taken before the peace envoys land on United States soil. With this object in view, nothing is to be left undone to make the campaign, as planned, brief and eminently successful. HEAT IS KILLING. Temperature in Metropolis o f United States Causes Prostrations New York, July 18.— After a respite of one day. the hot wave that swept over New York last week, causing scores of deaths and hundreds of cases of pros trations, returned today with renewed intensity, the temperature being by far the highest of the season. Thu highest point reached was at 4 o’ clock in the afternoon, »h en the weather bureau thermometer touched 95 degrees. In the streets, however, the beat was much greater, some ther mometers recording as high as 103. While the heat was intense, the air was stirred by light breeze, and the general suffering was somewhat miti- g'ated by the absence of the excessive humidity that prevailed last week. It was largely owing to this that only two cases ol death directly resulting from heat were reported. Nothing to Investigate. Caracas, July 18.— Venezuelans were very much surprised on receiving the news that President Roosevelt bad ap pointed Judge Calhoun a special com missioner to Venezuela to investigate the claims of America. The Constitu tion, the government organ, says: “ If the claims of Americans or others ex isted, they would have been already heard before competent authorities. It may be the president requires infor mation regarding the case of the New York Jt .Bermudez Arhpalt company, which is still pending.” Ripe Fruit Can Be Carried. Sacramento, Cal., July 18.— Harold Powell, of the United States Depart ment of Agriculture, says he baa demonstrated conclusively that ripe fruit, well refrigerated before shipment w ill arrive sound under ordinary rail road refrigeration, even after being from 10 to 15 days on the way. Rapid Transit for London, London, July 18.— A bulky bluehook tonight contains the report of the royal commission on hcoinotive transport in London. The advisory board of engin eers recommends the construction of two main avenues through London, 140 feet wide and between four and five miles long, carrying lour lines of tram ways on the surface and four lines of railways below the surface. It is esti mateli that the cost ol construction w ill be £12,000,000. Packing Plant is Destroyed. Columbus, O., July 18.— The plant of the Columbus Parking company on the South Side, was destroyed by fire today. Lose. $185,000. The fire ia believed to have been of incendiary origin. Assistant Engineer o f Canal. San Antonio, Tex., July 18.— Jackson Smith, formerly passenger agent of the National railroad of Mexico, has been appointed assistant to Chief Engineer Stevens, of the Panama canal, accord ing to a telegram received here tonight.