:- HABITS OF TILE SEAL AN INTERESTING CREATURE OF COMMERCE. For the Fnr unit Oil Thonunilt of Man Krerr Year Imperil Their Llres The lloniiKt of ait Unfortunate Beat. Not the least interesting right wit nested by the visitor to San FraacUco are the rocks covered witn seal, which lie net far out In the bay awl are easily discernible from the CMff House. At time the pile of stone and earth projecting share the water are so Oiled with the smooth-furred creatures that none of the rock is visi bl e. The bay itself swarms with the animals, which assemble ea these Seal Rocks, a they are called, to bask In the sunshine. Should the visitor at tempt to study the animals at close range he would find them extremely Interesting. Of American animals there is none more valaable or sought after than the fur-seal aad no creat ure of the numerous American a&lmal family Is more Interesting or intelli gent. They lire In the sea. but always In the neighborhood of the coasts. where they wage an Incessant war fare on the fishes, which constitute their principal food. They enjoy climbing upon rocks and beaches along the shore. When out of the water they are Mxccedlugly watchful, and ap pear to have sentinel to give notice of the approach of an enemy, plung ing into the water the moment any danger approaches them. On land they are very awkward. Their movements are performed by the actions of the strong muscle of the back. The crea tures take hold by their forcpaw. while they curve the back strongly and thus draw forward the hind feet. defence. .The limbs are short and.al'frfrfrfr4rfr-4 moat enclosed within the body, little J tner m mr mice X more than the feet projecting. J l0SI ,,,L QUKbb' J A Creature of Commerce. Though little known to science, tho www seals have been long known to coin-' Tbt,TC urly no country lmlf n meree and the pursuit of the animals worM ' in which the Occidental fer their oils and skins forms no lu- traveler expects so much delight nnd considerable source of national wealth. ,,,U8 adveaturo ns In Jnpnn. Fleets of vcel of various sizes. Vct Brn"t Foxwoll has recently manned by expert and hardy seamen, related n tale of terrible ndvcn. annually leave the shores of Kurepe lurc experienced In Japan y nil and America, bound either fer the Arc- KHgUshwoman but u few day after tie melons. tJi vit of NVtrfmin.i. hw arrival, stie was staying nt n land, w the desolate shore of extreme mt,c country village nmoiiR the hills, South America, whence they return. ""'' lx9,i n oul ,n tla "rnlng after loac vovares attended with In. ' mtem. me pain ran ncro credible hardships, leaded with the Pnds, where there Is a wild valuable product of the seal. Tht ' ni1 J01"' retch of country extend, sealing craft generally start out about U for texn tallcai "ml h the first of March. From 16 to 35 of omo W,,J floWcn, "rowing In tho hands usually compose a crew, many , ta" M ,,cJ nr.r t0 k1!" V'C . of whom are provided with large guns. unthinkingly, and press farther and and the rest with stout clubs or bats. ftirlher ,nto th W",DK "I"5'0' h warn n snort woman, aim u rracnrci ntH)ve her head. "If I had been a foot taller," she ff82C3ftSE?! HAPPENINGS HERE IN OREGON Each man has also a pole or gaff, pro vided with a hook at the end, to assist i him In leaping from piece to piece ' when among loose Ice. Often It la necessary to cut. with Ice saw, a broad channel through the midst of the harbor to the open sea; and as the united crews of a sealing fleet some times number 2.000 men. It may prop erly be supposed that tho broad. Icy plain displays a scene of no ordinary animation and excitement. Once the vessels are in the open sea. a day's run will bring them to the edge of aa Ice field, whero myriads of seals are discovered with their new-born young. The young produce an oil that la both valuable and abundant and, as It taken but a slight blow with a bat to kill them, they are easily made captive. The gun la used to shoot the old seals. As soon as a seal Is killed and some times even before a circular cut l said, In telling her story, "I should have laughed ami been out In a tnln uto or two; but those few Indies bur led me alive. "Almost Instantly I felt sick, ns you do at the beginning of mi earthquake; for although I must have been quite near tho path, yet with the grass nil round above my heitd there was no knowing what would happen. I might be going right away at that very moment, and the possibilities cnnie llku a shock. I boileve I lost my hcinl at once. I could not think, so I kept moving one way, then another. Hut merely pushing through this tall, tough grass Is very tiring work, even if you are on sloping ground and can Jmlgo where you wilt come out; nnd when it Is level all roeml, the heart Is taken neck and a longitudinal one down the belly to the tall. The skin with the K"BSBBTaHBsHJamfl JV- & ' BSSSveaSBSSBSsTvBSaSaBBSSfeweBSSSSrBsejau. BsCjSHPVVBsKV''SS2BfaBs7BSsTMML 4 BiBF.gsae3ajpfc(3aBgjBaeBepBaaaeaeaeaSjss,waAij i t 4&&&&rm ?SBaB5B,5iMat-.'aTaMssssssstay'St- a- ' " "- . VHMjaaSHfiBak " " 'ssjilaiar" '- aaaKatwer-Z?2!!!!5 BKrXFZBKttBKf -" -aTasl3KrTMilayaM-Tl BSSSaVBSSSSSsflaBSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSBBBSSr'VSBSBWriaBHk?VBul UlttMT I'KUir.YlllLi). Hogue Hirer Valley Trats Promise Choice Product. From tho viewpoint of tho grain miner ilnmo imturo Is lu n slnte of revolt Ihln yenr In Houthern Orn(in, tho il run th provnllliig for the ixist few months having wofully reduced tho nvorngo lu nil atunll gritins. it nl nenra n If nature. imleiMi. rueiiei nt innu'a porslitent pervorslou of soil nnd cllmnto comlltlons lutetnltxl to pruduci) nectar for tho gods, to tint bnstir uses of growing provender for kino or grnln for human kind or other entile. Tho orchards nnd nlfnlfn turndown, however, nro yielding up such stores of wealth ns only those realign who nro familiar with existing conditions. Apples nnd ixwir promise fancy rig urea ngaln this year, In fact grower look for record-breaking prices, owing to partial fnlluro of fruit of ordinary quality In the east Of courso the fancy fruit for which this sectiou Id distinguished Is not uxnrtlly In com petition with ordlunry hnrrel stock, but scarcity of tho Utter nrtlclo nt ways enhances prices all round Growers nre carefully (binning nnd applying tho summer spray nt pres ent, and favoring weather conditions arc giving promise of quality sur passing, perhaps, any former year in tho history of tho local trade, PIX PHICI1 OP PHU.MUS. Willamette Valley Growers' Association 5sys J); Cent ilasls. Tho Willamette Valley Prune Asso ciation held nn Important meeting nt Hnlnm last week. Delegates were In attendnnco from Douglas. Iine, l.lnn. Polk, Denton nnd Clncknmas coun ties, and from Vancouver, Wash , and was tho most ropresontntivo gather Ing of the fruitgrowers of the North west ever htM In that city Organi zations nre already formed In Unu. Denton. Douglas, Mnrlon and Ynmhlll counties, and at Vancouver. Wash., and associations wilt bv formml nil over the state and the northwest In the near future. Tho plan under dls- oil y(rtn flu ittnittlrti avnas it Iimvm nil talnside. She slejit from exhaustion. ,hl, associations In the Northwest un- and the next dsy followed a winding dor one secretary, so thnt It will be mountain torrent over rocky land, her(lmnosslhlo for ono organization to tm m, nf mil fnim thn fitatllllt. flint ntWV me.r.! t 'h,:.?:,hn.,fi!T",l : n. - rrobabiy . It was like being drowned." It was not until sunset, after n whole day In the blazing sun, without food or water, constantly wandering, constantly pushing nnd tearing at stems no stiff and serrated thnt they quickly make the bauds bleed, that she walked suddenly out on to open ground and fell falntiag In n lump. When she recovered, stars were shining, and she was alone ea an unknown mouu- JUNII OUTPUT M'l.HNIM). Sumpter District Mints Cleaned Up All of IJDO.oOU. lMlnmtes based on tlm production of uro In tlit Humpler mlulug district for tint jHint month give much greater returns tlinu heretofore The deep sinking operations carried on lu tmw of llio ItHtdlng properties hnvo result eil lu opening up n larger area of mill ing territory nnd consequently an In creased production ha resulttnl. According io tho estimates thnt are nt hnnd from tho best sources obtain able, the Ilonnnzn Is until to hnvo climr ed up during June. fSO.000; the North Pole, 180.000; thn Columbia. 116, 000: (lolcondn, MB.000; the llmlger iao.000. total. IK0.000. Thn produc tion of tho lied Hoy Is variously stnt h to bo from $21,000 to IW.OOO. npd therefore should bu ndded to the to tal production. There aro many other properties thnt nro constantly shipping ores nwny for treatment nt smelters. It Is Impossible to gel any figures ns to tho value of these ores, ns no returns are given from the smellers receiving them, except to the owners, ami the latter ns a rum nro opixmed to mnk lug public these figures. It would tie safo In fixing tho total at 1360.000 for the month. This total Included the cleanup from many claim In thn ills trlct that am not ranking with Dm big producer. This nlo Includes th output of tho placers ns far as can bo learned. I SEALS SUNNING THEMSELVES IN SAN FRANCISCO HAY, ., from her feet, only to llnd, t sun down, that It bad led her to a narrow gorge, without one Inch of foothold or shore. The strmm daubed through In a torrent that hopelessly barred the, way. ' Ltght-headeil with terror, hunger and weitrlnc, ihc crouched for a time In despair, Tfcen she suddenly waded In to the stream and stood until nfter dawn waist-deep In water, while a creating uniform scalo of prices for all fruits on thn coast. The plnn met with the approval of nil present and nn effort will bo inn do to bring thn condition about. , Thu price of prunes this yenr Is fix ed on n 24 cent basis. The latter then form the point ef sup- surface fat is "scalped" off, forming rain-storm wlted upon her from above. port and the head and forepaws are pushed on by the straightening of the body. The mode of progression Is plainly laborious, and the seals sever travel any great distasce oo land. In only one genus is aa external ear present and that genus Inhabits the southern ocean. Yet the nerthera seals bear well when under water aad are easily attracted to the surface by a noise. They generally travel la shoals and are often seen in such numbers in the northern seas as to appear like a continuous mass. For the sake of altogether a "pelt." This alone Is taken and the carcass is left on the ice. Barring accident a vessel In a lo cality where seals are thick will have its bold filled la tea days. The ad- veMwe is fall of hazard. Whim or lntlnct, she believed thnt by the cool rufh and sting of the water her reason aad strength were pre served. The next day she retraced her weary way along the watercourse Iwtck to la the excitement of the pursuit after the heights; thence, fixing anew tho the !. leap of terrific risk arc taken point to which she must direct her frwa field to field, across yawning steps, she HK-ccxifiilly mtdu her way chasms, whom; terrors are scarcely no- back to clvinzatlon. When nt length tieed aad sometizaas night draws on, she reeled into the hut of n kindly with the huater then first realizing Jniftne wmnn, she hud been four that be Is many miles from his vckscI, days lot without food, and had walk- and there is no clue to guide him rd until for fet were so torn nml across Interminable icefield. With tho Inthuned it was thought 1ie must hnvo setting sbd. the temperature has gone them amputated: but she fortunately down and the bewildered voyager has regained hw henlth uncrippled. to pass the night on unsheltered Ice. in au atmosphere at zero. Frozen limbs are frequently the result of these exposures and individuals. In I their attempts to return, often drop through bole and are seen no more. But this Is not all. Sometime a sud den change of wind will separate field of Ice on which the men nro sealing and ere they are aware they are driving far out to sea, belples and hopeless. COMMO.f BZAIJ. respiration they appear now and then on the surface, springing up with their whole bodies out of water. Fishes, crabs and aquatic birds disappear when the seal gets hungry, Before a gale of wind the seals are full of fro! lc, Jumping and tumbling about, some time throwing themselves entirely out of water and performing many awk ward gambols. At last they retire to their wonted rocks or cavern and there remain till the storm 1 over. They nro extremely curious; If people are passing In boat they often come up very close, stare nt them and fol low them a considerable time. When a church bell ring for dlvino service at some point on the coast, all the seals within bearing swim directly for the shore and remain while the bells continue ringing, look about wonder ingly, but never alarmed. In appearance the seal i unique. Its akin is clothed with thick, downy wool. But as this would impede awift motion, it is covered with an outer coat of close, strong, shining hair. The nostrils are closed at will. The orifice of the ear can also be closed and the eye Is furnished with a third eyelid, which can be drawn across it a a Alighted Too Himiii. It had taken considerable persuasion to Induce the old lady to trust herself in nn automobile; but finally sho con scntcd ItecaUHu, says the Automobile. Magazine, she was anxious to reach the bedside of her sick grandchild In a village some twenty miles away. The owner of tho big automobile, who was touring through Long Island, bad been very kind Hbout It. Ho chanced to bo near -the station when 'I'Viak Sua I rLAaaivfeaKa m (!. I ... a. lis ' - ? ares' ? lamentations he Insisted thnt sho i should accompany blm. Ills route lay through thnt particular ono of the half ueness ana arrection. it may taught to perform various tricks. be Washed Coins. Queen Alexandra, it Is said, has a great horror of the microbes. She will In no case accept a piece of money un til It has been thoroughly clenused, dozen Long Island villages named Hampton whero the sick grandchild lay. They started at last, and everything Coming (ivents. Ninth nnnual regatta, Astoria, Au gust 19-21. State fnlr. Hnlcm, September H-19. Second Southern Oregon Dliirlct fnlr. Kllgone, September 29-October 3. Hummer association of thn North west Indian agencies, Newport, Au gust 1717. Iwine county teaehurs' Institute. Hu gene. August 4-S. Klnmnth county fair, Klamath Falls. October 0-0. Good roads convention, Jackson ville. August IS. Fruitgrowers convention, Jackson ville, August 16. Tenchcirs' Institute, Tillamook, July 30-31. Old Folks' culebrntlon, I.n Grande. Aueust 1. Iloo I loo contctntllon, Portland, Aueust 1. Knights of Pvthla convention, As torln, August 20-21. Touchers' Institute, La Grande, Au gust 17-21. Oregon King Looking Up. nn Oregon ...tig mine, which has Inien shut down for several years on account of litigation, I again hoist ing ore. Thn management looking for more mlnem and preparing u tnnkn heavy shipments. Io give . Mstory of this mine wow Id he to re. peat that of other properties accident ly. discovered, abandoned, relocated nnd developed sufficiently to make a trial shipment, which was found to glvn surprising returns. Shipments followed, which. after ittxlurnnr charge for a CO-mllo wagon haul to the then terminus of thn Columbia Southern rallwny. which was helttr extended southward, and freight (ram mere to tne smmter nt Tooama, net led over It 06 per ton. Smiting Pletils of Polk County. Kxcellont samples of hay and grnln hnvo boon brought to Independence this week. Ivorly onts nnd wprlng whent have commenced to chnngo col or, nnd tho bends of ench nro well filled. Soma early hops hnvo boon nxhlbltod In town, which nro three fourth grown. Hay harvest Is oclng pushed rapidly forward, and there Is n Inrger acroagn In Polk county this year than has ever been planted tie foro. Tho fruit season for cherries nnd berries has practlcnlly passed, hut thn plums, prunes nnd npples are just commencing to ripen. Whenever a chick Is turned into hard yvetlt wt'11 unt"' ,n attempting to pus cash for the queen's use the coin nro a wagon which occupied most of tho plunged Into u basin and scrubbed lu road, tho Dying automobile went tiuex- a lather of spirit of wine, water nnd pectcdly Into tho ditch, and rather vlo- lunn uril,li linn Imi.ri ,l,f1 u f,.... lfntlV dCDOsltfd It OCCIlP.lllt III ltt - 1', ......... ...... .,... HWMV.. .v., ----- . r drop of carbolic ncld. After this bath the coins nre placed In the royal purso and her majesty I ready to start out on her purchasing tour. Hut when she tenders a coin In payment for any article on which change I duo the change 1 never on any account hand ed to the queen, but la turned over to her lady In waiting. At the end of the shopping excursion all of the coin . recolvul in the way of change rom tradesmen are put into the microbe destroying bath before they get into the royal purse. When a mother ha been away two or three weeks, It I worth watching her three or four little children when she returns borne. You may not cry, but the sight will make something tremble inside of you- adjoining field. Recovering from tho shock, although Minewhat confused from the rather unusual method of alighting, the old lady asked of the chagrined chauffeur: "I this a-aa Hampton'" "No, ma'am," ho managed to gasp; "this la an accident." "O dear!" said tho old lady. "Then I hadn't oughter have got out here, had IV Consumption of Iron in Oermany. In Germany the nnnnul consumption of Iron per capita J 18 pound nnd the production Just double that amount. After on angel reaches thirty-live nnd wears an old wrapper across the alley to borrow butter from a neigh bor, sho look pretty tough. Huckleberry Season Here. Huckelborrles nro beginning to rip en In thn foothlllH of tho Hlun moun tains. Novnr before was thorn tirom- Iho of such n bountiful crop there nH In now presented. Tho sensor has boon nn Ideal ono for their growth There wnro no onrly frosts, nnd ns a consequence nono worn bllchtcd. Kvcry bush Is loaded, nnd already parties nro being formed to go out nnd gather tho luscious fruit. Collecting Mining Dsta. George B. Boos, of tho United States Geological Survey, WnshlnR ton, D, O., Is at Bakor City, nnd will make n com plot o report of mining In ICnstem Oregon, showing production, cost of oporntlon, wages, etc. By net of congress mlncownora nro compel led to furnish Information undor pen alty. Reany for Steel I) ridge. Tho nnpronchoa nnd center pier for Iho Lewis and Clark drnw brldgo nenr Antorla hnvo boon completed and nro ready for tho steel drnw whonJt nr riven from tho enst. It has been on tho road for several weeks and Is expected within a few days, Not I'noush Water. Tho voters of tho proposed Util Walln Walls river Irrigation district near Frewator turned down the pro position to form nn Irrigation district by 89 to 62. the vot ers living at thn upper end of tho dis trict killing tho proposition on the ground that thn river doe not glvn enough water when nt low ebb for lho. holding rlpnrlnn right, wherr n If an Irrigation district worn form ed Including both themselves nnd thoso below them, they would have Io divide what wnler wns with those lelow thnm. A three-fifihs vote of Ihe resident wns required to rarry the establishment. Hot Contest for Land. A eontost of more than usual Impor tance wa begun In the Oregon City Ijind Office a few days ago. Import ant Is thn contest because nn entire section of heavily timbered land lo cated near Corvnllls. Denton county. Is Involved. It Is oatlmntml that the section contains in.000,000 feet of fine timber. Them aril four entry mon. each having nhnl upon a qunrter "ecllon, and thoro nre nn many con testant on tho ground thnt Iho on trymon abandoned nnd did not prove up properly on the land, PORTLAND MAKKGTS. Wheat Walla Walla, 77Q7cj val ley, 7Pc. rtarley Feed, $10.00 per ton: brew. Ing, 120. Flour Best grades, f 4.10 O C.A0; grshsm 3.3oft3.76, MUlitnffs llran, 23 per ton; mid dlings, 127: shorts, 123 1 chop, $18. Oals No. 1 whllo, $1.07 Q 1.075 gray, $1 05 percental. Hay Timothy, $111020; clovor, nominal; cheat, $1610 per ton. Potatoes tost llnrbanks, 70076c per sack; ordinary, 38Qo per cental, growers' prices ; Morcod sweets, $3 3.B0 per cental. Poultry Chickens, mixed, Ufll2o; young, lflQ17Ko; iens, 12c; turkeys, live, 10I2o dressed, HfllB0j durks, M.00Q5.OO per dozen! enesn. tfl.nnria fl.BO. ' ' Cheese Full cream, twins. 15K9 luo; Young America. loUiaifln; fart. ory prices, Ittltfclet. Butter Fancy creamerr. 2022Kn per pound; extras, 33a; dairy, 209 82X05 store, 16c17. Kfgs SOftZlo per dozen. Hops Choice, InQHlo per pound. Wool ValUy, 17Q18o; Kastern Or egon, 12ftl6c; mohair, 8SQ37Xo. Beef Gross, cows, 3tf4o, per pound; steers, BQBKo; dressed, 7Xo. Val 7XQ8C. Mutton Gross, So per pound; dressed, BXQOo. Lambs Grots, 4 c per pound; dreseed, 7c, Hogs-rQross, OfflQJtfo per pound dressed, 8K7e, ,i J