T he coquille H erald
VOL. 35,
NO. 19
FAVORS COUNTY
UNIT PLAN
Baker Would Have the Law
Placing Schools Under
County Control Pass
COMPARES IT WITH DISTRICT
Would Improve Schools and
Equalize Taxes
A bill will be introduced in the Or
egon legisalture this session to pro
vide for the County Unit I'lun o f sup
porting und administering the com
mon school system o f the state. In
order to be able to judge the merits
of the proposed system intelligently
a brief discussion o f its advantages
in comparison with those of the pres
ent district system, may be in order.
file district system as we now have
it in most o f the United States is
found only in this country.
The
schools o f Europe and o f civilized na
tions m other parts o f the w orld are
supported and controlled either na
tionally or by some unit closely cor
responding to our counties or states.
The district system sprang from
the pioneer conditions o f the colonial
days o f New England, and was car
ried thence to other sections as the
tide of migration rolled westward. It
was the only possible plan for isolated
pioneer settlements, which were often
made in territory where no county or
state government had been organized.
Later, the difficulty o f welding these
individual and sometimes conflicting
units into a harmonious whole pre
vented the growth o f county or state
control so that in more than half of
the states we still have this inherited
system, regardless o f whether it is
adapted to the educational needs of
modem times or not.
One o f the greatest arguments used
in favor of the district system is that
it is democratic, and ullows the people
o f each community to build up and
maintain just the kind o f school they
wish. This might be true if each dis
trict had its proportionate share of
wealth with which to endow its school,
and equally com petent boards to ad
minister them. In reality this boasted
democracy consists o f only one thing,
democracy of control. If true dem oc
racy means anything worth while it
means equality of opportunity, and
this the district system not only fails
to give but absolutely prevents.
A few illustrations may be given
to show the weakness of the district
system. The Bridge School, No. 77,
Coos County, Oregon, levies from fif
teen to twenty mills special tax each
year, hires three expert teachers for
about sixty pupils, and gives not only
the common school but three years of
high school work. It educates about
seventy per cent o f the children o f ed-
ucable age in the district. The Big
Creek School levies from one to three
mills, hires one teacher, who is gen
erally a beginner, and has from
thirty-seven to seventy per cent of
the children o f school age as shown
by the census, in actual attendance.
Tw o other adjacent districts that
might be contrasted are North Bend,
with its sixteen mill levy, eighteen
teachers, full high school courses, and
nearly seventy per cent of its census
enumeration enrolled in school; and
Kentuck Inlet, No. 17, with its three
i..!'.! levy, one teacher, less than sixty
per cent of the children in school, and
a district feud that has become known
through the kindness o f the newspa
pers from one end o f Oregon to the
other.
The two main features o f the pro
posed County Unit Plan are, first,
the support of the common school sys
tem by a blanket tax levied on the
entire county.
Second, the adininis-
traton o f the entire school system ' y
a board o f five memoers elected at
the time of the annual school meeting,
;,o m li.e zones into which the county
is divided.
This board appoints the
County Superitendent as its execu
tive officer, and would probably be
assisted by a loeal representative for
each school in the county.
As the assessed valuation o f all the
school districts in the county for the
present year are not yet available in
convenient form, the valuations and
levies for last year have been taken
as an illustration o f the way the sys
tem would work in Coos county.
The total valuation for the county
fo r last year was $21,109,670.
The
County court levied a general fund
tax o f $54,960. The six districts hav
ing standard high schools levied
special taxes amounting to $100,003.-
75, o f which $33,716.90 was for the
support o f high schools. The other
districts o f the county, all except the
six maintaining high schools, levied
$51,033.42 for the support o f the com
mon school.
COQUILLE, COOS COUNTY, OREGON. TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1917.
Amount raised by cities
for common school sup
port ....................................... $66,286.85
Amount raised by rural
districts .............................. 51,033.12
Amount raised by general
fund, levied by Co. court 51,90o.00
Total special tax and
County F u n d ........................ $172,380.27
This would require a levy o f eight
and sixteen-hundiedths mills o f tlse
valuation o f the County for last year,
but this levy would also include the
general fund levy made by the County
court o f nearly two and seven-tenths
mils. Districts that levied more than
five and one-half mills for the support
of the common schools last year I ex
cluding the amount levied for high
school support) would, therefore have
profited under this system exactly in
proportion to the increase o f their
special millage above five und one-
half mills.
On the basis of last year’s school
census and assessed valuation, the av
erage assessed valuation per census
pupil was $3072.73. This would have
been the financial resource back of
the education of each child had the
county unit plan been in operation.
But only one town district, Marsh
field, and 35 rural districts out o f a
total o f 86 districts in the county had
this large a valuation per pupil, so the
other 50 districts were financially
handicapped by valuations lower than
this average for the county. The per
capita valuation of the towns per
census pupil was as follow s:
Coquille ................................ $1,776.30
Marshfield ............................ 3598.41
North Bend .......................... 1801.49
Powers .................................. 2001.35
Myrtle Point ........................ 1446.42
Bandon .................................. 1170.00
The problem of high school support
would not be changed from the pres
ent one, as each district maintaining
a standard high school would make a
special levy for its support, but would
be paid by the rest o f the county the
actual cost of schooling the non-resi
dent high school pupils, actually at
tending its high school. Thus, if a
district had 100 high school pupils, of
whom seventy-five are resident, and
twenty-five non-resident pupils from
rural schools, the district would have
to pay seventy-five per cent o f the
expense o f the high school and the
icst of the county would pay twenty-
five per cent.
Under the County Unit plan the
follow ing results would be attained:
District lines would be practically
wiped out, and children could attend
school wherever it was most conven-
ent for them to do so.
All tuition charges against the
pupil would be eliminated.
The county board would fix practi
cally uniform salaries and terms, and
could rapidly standardize buildings
and equipment in all the districts.
Buildings could be located wherever
needed, and transportation provided
where it would be more advantageous
than to maintain local schools.
Buildings could be erected when
needed. Many distrets are now too
poor to build decent school houses.
A trainod teacher could be provided
for even the most remote rural school.
Lofal feuds would be almost entire
ly done away with.
Another advantage would be that
(he County Treasurer would handle
all the funds for the districts, and the
county would receive interest on the
unexpended balance, which is now
scattered over the county so that the
interest it might draw if kept Intact,
is now lost.
Cooi county, last year, spent over
>1800 for district clerks’ salaries.
Most o f this would be saved by having
the County Treasurer act as custodian
of the funds.
The elimination o f special district
levies would greatly simplify the
work o f the County Assessor and
Sheriff. The sheriff’s office estimates
that at least 25 per cent o f the ex
penses o f collecting taxes would be
eliminated by the County Unit plan.
The fact that the County Assessors,
at their annual meeting last year,
voted unanimously in favor o f this
plqn is strong evidence that those wno
know best how it would work out are
its strongest advocates.
The burden o f taxation will bs
practically uniform from year to year,
which would be a great advantage to
all. The same district may now levy a
one mill tax one year, and a ten or
fifteen mill tax the next.
Last year, district number 83 had
a valuation of $657 back o f the educa
tion o f each child; Bandon had about
$1170 assessed valuation per census
pupil with which to support her com
mon and high scho-w system, while
district No. 22 had $75217.50 valua
tion per pupil with which to maintain
a one room school with an average
attendance o f but seven pupils.
Any efficient organization must
have a board of control and an exe
cutive head. The County School Sup
erintendent Is now supposed to be at
the head o f the school system o f the
county, but he actually has very little
power. Two thirds o f his duties as
laid down in the Oregon School Laws
(Continued on Page 2)
FARM LOANS
INTEREST MANY
Farmers Make Many Inquir
ies Regarding New Law—
Ask About Organizing
MATTER I1ISEIISSEII AT CLUB
cause he gave them credit for sincerity
and for wanting only what they thought
right, the whole matter was arranged
amicably and with the best o f feeling.
O f the picture itself, it may be said
that, whatever it may have contained
when first issued, everything that could
be called objectionable had been cut
out, and there remained a clean and
moral story enacted in a series o f the
most beautiful scenes that have ever
been presented on the screen. The ar
tistic beauty o f the settings, both in
terior and exterior, was wonderful.
The acting was above par, and that of
Miss Munson was surprisingly good.
The house was well fulled, and every
one seemed pleased with the picture.
CLUB PROTESTS
NEW SCHEDULE
Efforts Being Made to Over
come Inconveniences in
Present Service
SCOTT UPHOLDS SC H ED U LE
A. J. Sherwood Explains Fine Give the Boys a Square Deal Says Change Would Discom
mode Traveling Public
Points of the Law
The farmers o f the Coquille valley,
or at least a goodly number o f them,
ore very mr.ch interested in the Feder
al Farm Loan act.
This fact was
brought out by A. J. Sherwood in his
address before the Commercial Club
Wednesday night.
Mr. Sherwood said
that a number o f farmers spoke to him
on the subject after it became known
that he was to discuss the subject be
fore the club, wanting to know what
was going to be done at the meeting
and when it was purposed to organize
a local. Several farmers from Bridge
called him up on the phone and said
that if the meeting was for the purpose
o f organizing they intended to come
down.
*
With so much interest prevalent
among the people who most of all will
benefit from the forming o f a local as
sociation under the Federal Farm Loan
act, it should be exceedingly simple to
bring about such an organization.
No active program was decided upon
by the Club, after listening to Mr.
Sherwood, except that the discussing
o f the law Í3 to be continued at the
regular meeting tomorrow night and
any farmers or other persons who are
interested in the matter are urged to
be pres» nt and participate in the meet
ing. The purpose o f the discussions is
to familiarize the people with the act,
so that it will be possible to go ahead
in an intelligent way with the forma
tion and utilization o f the local.
Mr. Sherwood in his talk Wednesday
night went into detail regarding the
purpose ar.d workings o f the law, show
ing how the intricate system, consist
ing o f the Federal Farm Loan Board,
o f Washington, the regional Land Loan
Banks, the one for the Northwest being
located at Spokane, and the local asso
ciations, which may be formed in any
part o f the country, protects the farm
er and allows him to secure money at a
low rate o f interest and for a long
period of time and at the same time
guards against abuses o f the system.
That the organization of a local loan
association would not materially inter
fere with the business o f the local
banks was also brought out by Mr.
Sherwood. He pointed out that but a
very small part o f the bank’s busines
consisted in making farm loans and the
loss o f this would be more than offset
by the financial benefit which the farm
er would receive and in which the
banks would share.
Numerous other phases were also
discussed by Mr. Sherwood, and an un
informed listener was able to obtain a
very good understanding o f the law from
his discussion o f it.
The Young Men’ s Club, an organiza
tion which uses that name until another
and better one can Fie obtained, was
formed by a number o f the younger
men o f the city Monday, January 8.
The object o f the club is to fill the need,
which has been keenly felt by its mem
bers, o f having some other place of
common meeting than the street cor
ner. The club has rented and fitted up
several rooms in the Golden building on
Front street and their regular meeting
nights are the first and third Wednes
days in each month.
Besides this
members o f the club may congregate
whenever they so desire and amuse
themselves as they see fit.
In the fu
ture, President Earl Schroeder states,
they intend to have social functions at
frequent intervals.
The young men o f the club, which
includes about fifteen members, feel
that the reports that have been circu
lated by word o f mouth and through an
article in the Sentinel have given the
public a wrong conception o f the condi
tions that exist about the club rooms.
To verify their statements in the mat
ter, a member o f the Herald staff took
it upon himself to inspect the premises,
with the result that, in his judgment,
the stories seem to be unfounded. The
rooms appeared orderly and well kept
and the much talked o f cigarettes on
the stairway and about the rooms were
conspicuous by their absence.
-
-
Will Answer Questions
For the benefit o f those farmers who,
while interested in the subject o f the
organizing o f a local Farm Loan Asso
ciation, are unable to attend the meet
ings o f the Coquille Commercial Club,
where the Farm Loan A ct is receiving
a great deal o f attention, the Herald
will attempt to answer, through its
columns, any phases of the act upon
which the reader is not entirely clear.
The Herald is especially interested in
seeing an association formed in the Co-
quiile Valley, and a matter o f first im
portance is that the law, its purposes,
and the manner in which it operates, is
clearly understood by the people who
must form the association. By a dis
cussion o f the different points o f the
law, both at the Commercial Club and
in these columns, we believe that this
end can be accomplished.
The Herald is printing, and expects
to continue to print, articles explaining
the Federal Farm Loan Act. How
ever, there will very probably be points
that are not covered by the articles,
and questions will arise with the reader
that did not present themselves to the
writer. The Herald will be very glad
to attempt to answer these questions,
if the reader will tell us what they are.
County Agent J. L. Smith also spoke
for a few minutes upon the desirability
-—
-------- -
o f having a local loan association form
ed, stating that one o f the greatest
Carl Danielson Dies
needs of the farmers o f this section
was money with which to improve their
Carl Danielson, formerly an engineer
farms and to stock them w ith « higher
on the river boats here, but who has
grade of stock.
recently been firing donkey at Beaver
Hill in the McDonald & Vaughan camp,
Committee Unanimously
died at the Mercy hospital at North
Approves of “ Purity” Bend Friday night after a short illness
o f typhoid fever. Mr. Danielson was
The committee appointed by Mayor about 40 years and four months old and
Johnson last Tuesday at the request of was a native o f Norway, having come
some o f our citizens and with the con to this country when still quite young.
sent of the Scenic manager, to pas» on The deceased is survived by a wife and
the picture, “ Purity,” which was to be two children who reside at Bandon.
He was a member o f the Coquille
presented that evening, were unani
mous in their verdict, which they ar Lodge o f the Loyal Order o f Moose and
rived at immediately after seeing the the funeral was held under the auspices
picture, that it was unobjectionable o f that organization Sunday and inter
and under the conditions made by the ment was made in the Masonic ceme
Scenic, there was no ground for object tery. Funeral services were held at
ing to its presentation.
The member the Ellingson Undertaking parlors,
ship o f the committee was as given where Elder Slye of the church o f Lat
last week, excepting that Rev. H. M. ter Day Saints of Myrtle Point, preach
Law filled the place o f Rev. F. S. Shi- ed a splendid and touching sermon.
About fifty members o f the Moose
mian, who was taken ill.
F. B. Phil
lip» also retired before the picture was Lodge took part in the service».
finished, on account o f not feeling well.
This left Messrs. Howard, Law, Haw
Mrs. Hamilton Entertains
kins, Gardner and Stanley, and they
gave their verdict as indicated.
A birthday dinner, in honor o f Miss
Never was a difficult situation more
nicely solved than the one that had de Bonnie Smith, was given by Mrs. V. L.
veloped through the wrong impression Hamilton at her home Friday night. It
given by the posters and through mis waa Mias Smith’ s ----- birthday and she
leading statements made to some o f says that if they would all be as happy
our citizens by persons who, to take a as this one they could not come too o f
charitable view, did not know what ten to please her. Dinner was served
they’ were talking about. There was a shortly after six o ’ clock and afterwards
most excellent chance for a “ big row ” the party attended the basket ball
and a lot o f hard feelings. But, be game between Marshfield and Coquille
cause both sides were sincere in their and later in the evening the dance giv
views; because those who had been led en in honor o f the visiting team.
Those present w ere:
The Misses
to believe that the picture was one
that should not be shown were still Bonnie Smith and Allie Phillips; C. J.
willing to give the Scenic man credit Fuhrman, Dan Magee, o f Marshfield,
for a willingness to do the right thing, R. B. Murdock, K. Hodsman, and Dr.
and to give him a chance to do it; be and Mrs. V. L. Hamilton.
Since the announcement last Wednes
day regarding the new train schedule,
that leaves the Coquille valley without
through passenger or mail service, the
Commercial Club has taken the matter
up with the Southern Pacific officials at
Portland and with the Public Service
Commission; but so far little satisfac
tion has been obtained from either
source.
Under the new schedule the through
train from Portland stops at Marsh
field aud the mails and also passengers
bound for the Coquille valley are re
quired to remain over right in Marsh
field. Likewise those wishing to go
out on this train must go to Marshfield
the night before and mail must be in
the office here by 2:30 p. m. if it is to
leave Marshfield the next morning.
The Commercial club is not askifig
that the through train be continued, as
it is generally conceded that the S. P.
company was running more trains to
this valley than the traffic justified; but
they are asking that the local train
leaving Marshfield in the afternoon and
Powers in the morning, be run to make
connections with the through train.
In answer to a telegram sent Satur
day to John M. Scott, general passen
ger agent, o f Portland, stating that
these were the changes the people
wanted, the Club yesterday received
the following reply:
“ Present arrangements o f
local
trains affords convenient daylight ser
vice between
Marshfield, Coquille,
Myrt’ e Point and Powers, with connec
tions both directions to and from bun-
don, and enables passengers from ai y
o f the above points to visit any of
th"se cities and return the same day.
To schedule one o f the locals to connect
with morning and evening limited at
Marshfield would discommode large
number o f traveling public.
Every
phase o f this question carefully consid
ered before schedule was authorized.
Present service best can do under pres
ent conditions o f track between Marsh
field and Eugene.—John M. £ co tt.’ ’
In reply to the Club’s question as to
what could be done in the matter the
Public Service Commission said that
the S. P. said that the service was not
paying but that should the Club wish
to enter a formal protest it would re
ceive prompt attention.
Whether or
not they will order a change o f sched
ule in the local train when they fully
understand the situation, is a matter of
guess work. R. B. Murdock, who is at
the State capital, expects to appear be
fore the Commission today and explain
the matter to them in detail.
In the
meantime the Commercial Club is writ
ing to Mr. Scott, explaining the objec
tions in detail and trying to make him
understand that the Club represents
the traveling public he seems b o con
cerned about discommoding. It is also
understood that some o f the other
towns o f the valley are taking the mat
ter up and it ia hoped that the volume
o f protest will be so great that it will
obtain the desired change.
PER YEAR $1.50
D. L. Watson, Pioneer At
torney, Is Called by Death
Judge D. L. Watson died at his home
at Coos City Sunday morning, January
19th. Ho had been seriously ill for
some time, and his death was not un
expected. The funeral services wej^e
held at the home at Coos City this fore
noon.
David Lowry Watson was born at
Guarnaville, Iowa, June 25, 1842.
He
crossed the plains with his parents and
brother and sister in 1859, coming to
Oregon and settling about seventeen
miles north o f the Umpqua.
In 1869, he moved to Empire and en
gaged in the practice o f law.
Novem
ber 23, 1870, he was married in Jackson
county to Miss Laura L, Owen, a sister
o f A. P. Owen of Marshfield, and the
late T. G. Owen.
Nine children were born to them.
Those surviving are: County Judge
James Watson, o f Coquille; Mrs. Harry
E. Folsom, o f Marshfield; Robert R.
Watson, former county £clerk, o f' Co
quille; Neil O. Watson, o f Coos City;
Mrs. Clarence L. Tuttle, of Coquille;
Miss Laura L. Watson, o f Coos City.
Mrs. Watson, who survives him, has
been in rather poor health and the
shock is severe on her
In 1886 Mr. Watson was elected
county judge o f Coos county, and serv
ed eight years in that capacity, retiring
in 1894.
In 1900 he made arrangements to
quit the law practice and in February,
1901, he moved onto his ranch at Coos
City, five miles up Isthmus Inlet from
Marshfield, where he had since been
living in comparative retirement.
In the early seventies “ Lowery Wat
son,” as he was known, was one o f the
prominent members of the Coos county
bar, and he was known to all o f the old
settlers. Of conspicuous ability, ready
wit and great geniality, liked by every
0"'\ and though they have seen little
of him in late years, he has not been
forgotten by his friends o f the earlier
days.
- »• - -
Sees Good Times Ahead
G. S. Costello, editor o f the Daily
Record-Abstract published at Portland,
was in the county last week on business
connected with his publication.
He
said that the people o f the county did
not realize how many concerns in dif
ferent parts o f the county were looking
toward Coos as an ideal place for open
ing new industries.
“ I look for conditions in this particu
lar part o f the county to improve great
ly in the next few months,” said he.
In fact he cited one case o f a concern
that he knew of that were making in
vestigation here that, if the showing
was satisfactory, would result in a large
industry, the nature o f which he did
not state for
publication,
being
opened here soon.
Mr. Costello’ s paper is primarily a
contractor’ s publication and he jwas
down here getting a line on the road
work that would be done this summer.
“ less of the Storm Country”
This is a new print nf one o f the
most popular Mary Pickford pictures
ever produced, a problem drama of
heart interest and pathetic appeal
which presents “ little Mary” as a lov
able waif, whom she endows with all
the Pickford charm and sweetness. The
story deals with the transformation o f
an ignorant girl’ s life by love and an
unshakeable faith, and though the main
incidents are in no sense new nor start
lingly original, there are so many ten
der and appealing scenes and so much
o f the quality of humanness about the
telling o f the simple tale that one fol
lows the fortunes o f loyal little “ Teas"
with genuine interest, and great satis
faction in the happy ending, in spite o f
the lack o f suspense in the unfolding of
the drama. Harold Lockwood is Miss
Rebuked by the Federal
Pickford’ s leading man, and by his
Farm Loan Board work
in the role of “ Frederick,” he
leaped into great favor with picture
The federal farm loan board has ad patrons everywhere.—The Spectator.
This picture will be shown at the
ministered a righteous public rebuke to
the New York surety company that Scenic Tuesday, February 20th.
urged its agents in all parts o f the
country to “ horn in " to the organiza Curry County Paroles
tion and use the official positions thus
Prisoner to Cut Cost
acquired to throw bonding business to
the company.
Commissioner Norris
Because Curry county could not a f
ivell terms it—
ford to pay his hoard in jail and his
“ A soidid aptical to the cupidity of w ife’ s expenses as an indigent. F. C.
the recipient o f your letter, and betrays Hawkins, convicted o f importing il
a total lack o f ability to comprehend legal amounts o f liquor into the state,
the broad and beneficent purposes of has been paroled.
the farm loan act, and amounts to an
When Hawkins was convicted and
attempt to prostitute the ac' to per fined $250, he took the alternative of
sonal gain.”
going to jail. This cost the county $10
The national board is confronted with a month for hia board.
Then Mrs.
a tremendously difficult constructive Hawkins, declaring she was unable to
undertaking. Success o f the new sys i earn her living, applied for $1 a day
tem calls for efficient and loyal service support. The total, for Hawkins’ term,
from all its officials and employes. would have been $300.
Once it became known that the admin
The Curry county court appealed to
istration was using it in a partizan e f Justice Porter, with the result that
fort to provide jobs for an army o f Hawkins was paroled.—Times.
politicians, or permitting it to lie man
ipulated by selfish, ulterior interests,
Bruce Piggott, the logger who was
the great organization would be doom taken into custody a few days ago, was
ed to failure.
ordered committed to the Oregon Asy
Fortunately the danger ia well known lum for the insane at Salem by County
Piggott
to the commissioners, and they are ■Judge Watson Wednesday.
vigilantly on guard to circumvent the said that he came to Marshfield last
designing interests that would wreck Friday and had worked only two days.
the institution if they were given the He is 29 year: old. He say» his folk»
run a rooming hou e in Portland.
opportunity.—Spokesman Review.
SYNOPSIS OF
MANY EVENTS
News of County, State and
National Interest Told in
Brief Concise Form
S. P. GIVES EMPLOYES BONUS
Lassen Peak Furnishes Fire
works Again
_____
>
Increased prices for cigarettes were
an nonneed by the United Cigar Store
Company and the Tobacco Products
Corporation.
It is rumored that the C. A . Smith
company is contemplating a raise o f
wages for their employees at the Coos
Bay mill.
Admiral R. George Dewey, hero of
Manila Bay, died late Tuesday after
noon o f hardening of the arteries and a
general breakdown.
The ten per cent bonus which, it was
announced, was to be paid to certain
employes o f the Southern Pacific, was
not included in the January checks, but
will be forwarded later, it is stated.
Within the next thirty days Rose-
burg may be designated as the location
for a $40,000 condensing plant, with
additional plans perfected for the se
curing of 2,000 acres o f dairy land with
which to supply the milk and cream.
The U. S. Navy has arranged with a
private contracting firm to jack up the
submarine H-3 from its sand grave on
the beach near Eureka, crate it, and
roll it across the peninsula for relaunch
ing in Humboldt Bay.
The contract
price is eighteen thousand dollars.
Lassen Peak erupted with tremen
dous force, following a series o f violent
internal explosions Wednesday.
A
streak of heavy black smoke twenty
miles long poured out within half an
hour, indicating a great sealed crater
on the mountain top had been blasted
open.
James L. Coke, circuit court judge,
Oahu, Hawaii, was nominated by Presi
dent Wilson as associate justice o f the
supreme court o f Hawaii, filling the va
cancy left by the resignation o f Justice
Edward M. Watson.
Vacancies now
exist on the circuit and federal benches.
A- bonus of approximately $700,000
was divided this month among South
ern Pacific railroad employes.
Every
employe was paid, in addition to his
salary, 5 per cent thereof, figured on
his annual compensation. This applied
to employes whose salaries plus the
bonus share did not reach $2500. It
was announced that another bonus o f 5
per cent would be distributed July 1.
Railroad construction in Oregon dur
ing the past year includes : S. P. Co.
completes Coos Bay line, 118.3 miles;
O. W. R. & N. complete Eastern Ore
gon line to Crane, 127 miles; California
& Oregon Coast Railroad puts in opera
tion 15 miles proposed Grants Pass to
Crescent City line, Portland & Oregon
City have 15 miles in operation and
Valley and Siletz complete 13 miles.
District Attorney Walter H. Evans,
o f Multnomah county, has written to
District Attorney John F. Hall to se
cure a transcript of the conviction o f
Chief Engineer Mooney, o f the steam
ship F. A. Kilburn, in Justice C. L.
Pennock’ s court on June 29, 1916.
It
occurred that when the Portland offi
cials arrested Engineer Mooney they
found upon him Justice C. L. Pennock’ s
receipt for Mr. Mooney’ s $300 fine.—
Record.
Following the introduction into the
Senate at Salem of ¡ ill No. 37, which
provides for a reduction o f the legal in
terest rate to 5 per cent and the con
tract interest rate to 8 per cent, from
6 to 12 per cent respectively, the Pa
cific Building and Loan Association of
Tacoma has informed its Coos Bay rep
resentative that, if the hill passes and
becomes law, it will withdraw from
Oregon.
Claimants have filed on a total of
1600 acres o f land in the Eureka land
district under the new Federal home
stead act which permits filing home
steads on 640 acres instead o f 160 acres
o f government land. The law became
effective January 1 and several filings
were made immediately, but shortly
thereafter instructions were received
from Washington by the local land
office, advising that the law had been
questioned and directing that no more
•ntrie» he permitted until the matter
was settled.
The annual stockholders’ meetings of
the two Bandon banks were held dur
ing the past week and the reports
submitted revealed the fact that de
posits in the two institutions are not
only up to normal but are as large as
they have ever been.
The report»
were unusually gratifying to the stock
holders, for they indicated that finan
cial conditions o f the community are
improving and are bound to have a
wholesome effect on business conditions
generally.