f If " TMMk -4 J? ' M -4V 1 A The Times-Herald I an oM established friend of the people or M'TiH-y County where it hae heeii m weekly visitor for thirty year. It's Job department Is -iiiiH- to nerve your needs. The Times-Herald goes re gularly o more homed in Har ney County than any other newspaper. If you wish to reach the people use those col umn" for your advertisement. ' ' ? VOL. XXXI BURNS. HARNEY COUNTY, OREGON. JULY 27, 1918 NO. 39 -j- Mill lllr I ITI ll j J'''V vy W -T HARNEY COUNTY LAND DEEDS DECLARED BOGUS Handwriting Expert Say. Signa ture to 1 6,000 Acres Pacific Livestock Holding Spurious. Others Faked c r Doubtful. The following was published In th, Portland Journal of last Tuesday un der u Salem date line. Attorney General tlrown today re reived from T. Kylka. widely known writing expert of San Francisco, a report allowing that signatures to deeds to more than 16,000 acres of land now held by the Pacific Live stock company In Harney county aro either forged, faked, or very doubt ful as to their genuine. . This report will bo submitted to the state land board by the attorney general for the board's consideration In deciding what ahall be done with suits brought by the state against the Pacific Livestock company to re cover thousands of acres which it Is alleged were obtained from the state by fraudulent means. With this report in hand, the at torney general la now ready to pro reed to trial with these land fraud rases which have played an linpoy taut part In the politics of this state tn the last few years Efforts were made in the last leglalature to ham string the prosecution by refusing to make needed appropriations, while Governor Withycombe and State Treasurer Kay have endeavored to have the suits dismissed, but former Governor West and Attorney Gener al Brown insisted on the state mak ing an effort to recover the lands. which had been taken from the her- of the school children of the state by fraud. In light of flie report front Mr Kuka. who Is almost continuous!; employed In the service of the gov eminent as handwrltlug expert. It i.i not (onsldered possible that the stale land board can do anything els.' than direct the attorney general to proceed with tho prosecution. In n- ...,l.,.. fl... -, , 1 1. fiw. v irelier.'i! will k amend the complaint wWcfci has been filed In the circuit ouri lTei for Hjmey County and falling In that, the present suit will be dlsmls ed and a new action will be Instituted as the present complaint Is based on a wrong theory sa to how the lands were fraudulently acquired. "In many Instances," aya Mr. Kytka's report, "the evidence sub mitted has convinced me that the signatures were forged, and In many other cases, due to the limited ma terial available, I have been unable to say positively that the signatures were forged, or that the transactions were fraudulent. These I have clas sified -as doubtful, for the reason I cannot pass the signatures as gen uine because of so many circum stances connected with the transac tion and because of their close relationship-to other transactions clear ly shown to be fraudulent." Assistant Attorney General J. O. Halley, who has done much work oi. the case, said that in many cases It was found that names of cowboys and other employes of the cattle company were forged In acquiring the land, and In other cases ficti tious names were used. The Pacific Livestock company objected to turning over the deeds to a handwriting expert for study of the signatures until after the attor ney general had riled a motion Ir. court demanding the opportunity to see the deeds. Then the company turned them over without waiting for the order of the court. The pa pers involved were turned over to Mr. Kytka lu August. 1917, so practically a year has been taken In making the ntudy. . IHNNIloPI'KltH STILL AT ttOUK 1'rauk Whiting was in town yes- : terday afternoon and when asked UHUtti work day In the evening. In about his haying and other harvest . tne larger cities it has been the us he said tie grasshoppers were trying j lom ror a long lime to close business to harvest his oats, even after they j10uses at one o'clock In the afternoon were cut and shocked. The hoppers , on Saturday. The banks generally Invaded his field and he decided to ,.os on Saturday at noon. Some of cut the oats, even though they wero tne gtores or Hums have seen fit to green, to prevent the pests from de-' ,.,,,. a i, o'clock In the evening on stroying them. However, he used a ' Saturday, the same as other days In hinder and shocked the oats and the tne weei4. u should be rememberetl hoppers have decided to eat up the l)ull nejp j, nuri to get and after the shocked grain. I employes of a store or any other j business have bad 12 hours constant Cooler nights have followed the work they feel they have done a days' recent rain storms. i work. WANTS THK BOYS KlT Uncle Sam wanta hla selective service men who are called to the colors hereafter to much the training camps menially and tnorrally fit In every way, and with at least an ole i nientery knowledge of military drill. The condtlon In which a man ; reaches camp makes a surprising dif I feruttco tn his usefulness as a soldier. Actual experience has demonstrated that men who come to camp clean, sober, willing and determined to do their part, will he ready to leave for the battle front at least a whole mouth, and often more earlier than others not o fit. This having been demonstrated. Uncle Sam has undertaken a plan to educate all selective service men so they will be better soldiers and better men when 11 comes their time to be called to the colors. With this tn view, the various local draft boards throughout the country have Just been notified, i whom they purchased the bay. through a leaflet from the provost . vn the distance from here Is con Marshal General at Washington, of a s,i,.,,,i,j,., yet Mr. Jones states that method for bringing personal In- u i not great from the Jackass struct Ion to each man by means of i country where they have been In the local boards of Instruction, to be ap pointed by the draft boards. These boards of Instruction are to be composed of thoroughly patriotic and capable citizens of each commun ity. It is Intended that they shall do more than instruct. For Instance, the members of the Instruction board will endeavor to ascertain and Clear up all the perplexities that may beset the registrant, and to be of practical assistance to him in every way. The first meeting of registrant for Instruction, the leaflet suggest . might well be at the time of the med ical examination. The registrants may be assembled iu small groups for personal Interviews, It Is sugges ted, and encouraging suggestion, made to them us to the personal val ,uo of military training and of out door life, the chant es lor promotion. the aiil and friendly support of the lOd Cross, the Army Knights ol Columbus, Uie Y. M. C. A., the lie brew Welfare Hoard, and the Coin mission on Training Camp Activities Prior to their induction, It is plan- " ."" " '" '"' gether OBCSJ or twice by ortler of th local draft husrd, to meet in groups for Instruction In the following sub jects: (a) The provision which the gov ernment has made for the protection and welfare of disabled soldiers and, J in the event of death, or their fam ilies and dependents, through Its ! War itlsk Insurance Bureau. (b) The Government provision ror allowances and allotments to soldiers dependents, these provisions being so liberal that the soldier can rest as sured his dependents will be umply cared ror. c) Discussion or such subjects us "Why America Filtered the War." "Why America Must Win the War" "The Necessary Character of the American Soldier." "Sexual Restraint and the Avoidance of Liquor as a pat riotic Obligation." Camp Life," etc. It Is also planned to conduct pre liminary drill to familiarise the men with its first principles. U bss been found that this work actually places the men a month or 8b ahead In capa icty to become efriclent soldiers, and of course the well drilled man has a much better opportunity of obtaining quick promotion than the man who has to begin at the beginning and learn everything after he enters the service. The Government Is iveouraglng draft registrants wherever possible to enter local mllltla reserve organi zations lit their- commmaultles for drill. o j folmiwino oithiiik CUvTOM Congress advanced the time an hour last spring at the Instance of President Wilson. It was for the pur pose or saving daylight ami giving people an opportunity to take advan- .., ., ,i, a(ded hour after the SHEEPMEN BUY HAY NEAR IDAHO LINE Jones & Lane Purchase Large Amount of Alfalfa Near On tario, Faying $ 1 5 a Ton For It, and $10 For Ensilage. F. P. Lane and I). T. Jones, woll known local sheep owners, Tuesday evening returned from Idaho. They left here last week In Mr. Lane's Cadillac, and during their absence visited Ontario and even spent a lev, days In Boise. Near Ontario they purchased 400 tons of u I fulfil and 100 tons of corn ensilage, paying 116 per ton for the former and $10 per ton for the latter, and lntond to trail their sheep there this winter for feed tng purposes. They Intend also to lamb their sheep In February In sheds owned by the rancher from hsblt ol wintering some or their sheep. Both partners are enthusias tic about tho proposition. Simon Juanto, Frank Moyulhan and Walter Leehmann yesterday left by auto for Idaho, where they will also look Into the hay situation, and It Is probable that they will purchase their hay tor winter reeding or sheep before reluming. It Is understood that the sheep may be trailed through the entire dis tance from here, or can be trailed as fur us Crane, In Harney County, and shipped the balance of the ills tancj by railroad, the rate boing cents per head, with one-third of this rute for the return trip. Ifoal of the ram hers who have hay for sale have fine sheds, the use ofwhlch nay lie had for lambing, and in sonn Instances the sheds are electrically lighted. I" view of the shortage of buy throughout this section, and the fact that In places where hay Is foi sale such as Surprise Valley the prices asketl are considered by the h. en .owumsa- we ehnrntnmt. An other point in connection with tte situation In Malheur County and over the line Into Idaho Is that there is open country which may be grazed when the weather conditions permit during the winter months, whereaB In places like Surprise Valley It Is nPoessary to feed the sheep through out the winter once they are takftn Into the Valley. It Is probable that other sheep owners will make the trip If the visit of Messrs. Juanto, Moyulhan and Leehmann proves suc cessful. Lakevlew Kxamlner AKMY MAKES KKCOKU MKAT PURCHASE The largest single order for bacon and canned meats in the history ot the world--98, ft60, 000 pounds of ba con and 134,000,000 pouds or canned meet has Just been placed by the Quartermaster's Department, U. S A. ror the American Army overseas. Louis F. Swift, tn commenting on this, said be order will take the ba con from approximately l.BOO.aM hogs and If other work were dropped to produce It would be equivalent tn the total beeeei production of the five largest Chicago packers for nearly five weeks, however, six months will elapse before delivery Is to be com pleted. Mr. Swift said: "At the current prices on the day, last week, when the purchase was made, the packers would pay the live stock producers about $80,000,000. lor the necesBry hogs and over $50, 000,000 ror about 900.000 cattle re quired. "The cattle will cost os twice as much, and the hogs two and one hall times as much as In the pre-war per iod. "The whole order will he made up berore the Mrst or the year, despite the ract that, even berore this pur chase, one rourth or the packers' facilities have been devoted to filling military demands. "In order to get out the canned goods the packers will find It necess ary to employ night and day shifts of tanners. Notwithstanding the fact that the products are being rushed forward thus hurriedly, not a single complaint has been received on meats delivered to the armies abroad." o We hope our hunch is true that the world gets a dove In its worn, knitted sock this Christmas. VIRGIL SHIELDS WRITES HOME PROM FRANCE Harney County To Recently Promoted. Gives Interesting Account of Doings Abroad and Describes Country. Virgil, son of Mr. titid Mrs. T. J. Shields of Silver Creek, who lis: been In Frame since befero lust Christ tuns, has written some interesting letters home during the past few woeks and through the kindness of his mother we are privileged to publish some of them 1 elow : Chlssay. Loir-et-Chev. May, 17, 1913. Dear Mether: I haven't written you for sometime so I guess I had better get busy. Sev eral things have happened lately. Among others 1 hasjT become a Cor poral. Am now aHQeissay, about two miles from Mopchurd with i small detainment oi men. iut.e are only nine of us and we sure have swell quarters. We are living In a little building about. :lock frsm a swell big Chateaux where a Count and his daughter life. He is a real nice old follow and 'both he and nls daughter come down and talk to u quite often. They both speak pretty good Kngllsli. We have spring beds, tables, chairs cupboards, a dresser, ah otgau. and a nice big sofa In our billet so It Is al most impossible to believe that we are still In the army. The grounds too very pretty. I Imagine It must havi b"jn i-well be- fore the war and eye now It sJiaid to beut for dass 111 send you a picture of the Chatetux or.e of these days. This Is Just a little place so there is not much td. do bore only stav at home when off duty. I haven't gotten any-mail for about ten day's so I .ought togOt quite a blNrflniis of men and there was not a tar- when It does-cottaa, The weather H fine. In fin timilJk't pe beat and I never felt jjV'lt, '"'' "" doll t iitjediBMrWBK'l hie I now wear the gold i hevron on my lert arm, to show that I've been here six months and then some. Well mother there's nothing more to write so wlll close and write to Marie. Lots or love as ever Corp. Vlrg. E. 8hields. Under date or June 4 ho writes: Dear Mether: Censor rules have been modified quite a bit and we are now allowed to tell you exactly where we are lo gated. 1' am at Montrtrhard, which Is about twenty rive miles oast of Tours and twenty miles south of Blols. If you can get hold of a very large map of France. 1 think you can rind It quite easily. It is a small town or two or three thousand French inhabitants. It Is quite a old tho and there Is quite a bit of his tory connected with it. They wlll also let us send picture post cards or the towns home now. Am enclosing a tew tonight and will send you some more as -soon soon as I have time to get them. The old castle In these pictures Is eleven hundred years old and has quite a history connected with It. All of the buildings are made of stone as you can see by the-pictures You can get a general Impression of how the country looks from the picture taken from the castle. At present 1 an on a mounted patrol that covers the country you can see In this picture. I sure am glad that they have loosened the lid on cen sorship for 1 know Ii will make you folks feel a lot better to know Just where we are. June 23. 1918 Dear Mether: Have not written to you for sev eral days so will try to scratch ofr a rew lines this arternoon. We havi not had anv mall ror a couple or weeks and I have heard that It would be three weeks now before we got any altho I don't know how true It la. It doesn't seem possible that t'.ils it the latter part ot June. It seems only a Bhort Mm slncn spring and yet It seems years since we left the States. 1 wish they would ship us up to the front or some other place where we would see a little action. I am getting tired of thhV'servlce of the rear" stuff. It wlll be Just my luck to stay right here at this Joint tho till the war Is over. Oh well I should wom I have a "regular bed" and don't have to work so very hard now. it has been raining a little during the past few days, which I suppose Is very good for the grapo vines, etc. and it doesn't bother me much any more. I suppose you Tolks are beginning to think bout haying. Write and tell me all about the crops, stock, and all such things ror it all Interests me. Well mother, there Is not much to write and as my girl Is coming down to see me today and It's about time ror her to arrive, I'll close for this time and write again soon. l.iOts of love as ever Your son Vlrg. Mrs. C. A. Sweek called this office yesterday and stated she had receiv ed a letter from her son Cy who Is In the officers training camp at Ameri can Lake In which he tells of practice with big guns and on the ranges. With her permission we publish be low portions or this letter: Camp Lewis, Wn. July 21, 1914. Dear Folks at heme: Last week or rather week berore last we were In the trenches again and last week we were on the range ali week. I had the opportunity ot seeing the much talked of Browning machine gun In action. Also to see It dissembled mm well as the Vlckers. There certainly is no comparison be tween the two guns. The Browning Is much the more simple In construc tion as well as lu operation. The possibility of getting out ot order while In action Is also a great deal less. The Browning is some $.'100 cheaper t:s well. One of their targets was a house (empty) at ubout 1400' yds. They simply riddled the house with bullets. The dust rising from Itl gave tne appearance mat it was on ""' "" """" " "Ul "" erftfu rniiPiiuiinllntr ill I f ci. n i I'liiin i f 1 .. "I 1. ..t ,. 1 .,,. nind l , , ii t nn I .. r- '" m .. .. ...... get but what was hit. 1 could tell you a thousand other things that are of timely Interest but which we am asked to "keep under our hats " us one officer put It. The coming week I am an acting platoon leader and very likely my fate wlll hang on those few days. The Benzene Board Che board that kicks the ones not wanted out ) sits Saturday. Who were the unfortu nate no one knows, but we will find out about .Monday or Tuesday. I must dose and beat It berore re treat. Write soon Your son Cy. HIG STOXK GAIiAGK KKKCTKD AT ONCK Harry C. Smith of to Burns Gar age Informs The Times-Herald that a contract has Just been let by that i i i-in for the erection of a 50x100 me story stone building on the site of the present location. The work is to begin at once, In fact excava tion has already begun and It Is to be completed as rapidly as possiblo. This will be a fire proof and rrost oroof building and one that wlll take are of their trade In fine shape for the present at least. Interior of the Btate, besides a bene Thls firm has been located In tho ft tl, the traveling public In every present building for a long time and reHpect. A post road Is not paved. It they have-contemplated building but jB a graveled road but one that la had postponed it from time to time HUbstaiitial and permanent, because of the war and other causes, i - but their business demands a larger place and Mr. Smith decided to let the contract and start the building at once. This will be another substantial business block for Burns and will b followed by many more us soon u war conditions wlll permit the erec I In' of them. Past Present ami Future 1914 1 can whip the whole world!!!! 1915 I told you 1 could! ! ! 1916 I have almost done It!! 1917 I still think I can! 1918 1 would have, but 1919 Those Damned Yanks. o The Russian csar has u remark able way of coming to life. We sus pect the reports of his death (like that of Mark Twain) were greatly exaggerated. WORK BEGINS ON THE BURNS-CRANE HIGHWAY Engineers Here to Make Loca tion and Survey Route. Re port to Federal Government to be Sent Next Week. Assistant Knglneer M. O. Be.nnott ol the State Highway Board, arrived In this city Wednesday eveniug ac companied by two assistants, H. B. Wright and H. H. Wessell. Tim gen tlemen come to begin active w,ork ea the post road between this city and Crane and have been In conferenoo with tho county court and also look ing over the route with a view of se curing the best. Mr. Bennett stated to a represen tative of The Times-Herald this morning that everything was in read iness for the survey and that Mr. Wright would take charge of It. He stated tho county court had com piled with every requirement asked and that the Highway Board would act In conjunction with the county In every way possible. After viewing the route and going over the ground during the past two days the route selected runs on the present county road to the neighbor hood of the Experiment Station and from that point It is hoped to make a direct line to Crane providing thin is found possible. This would give a most direct route and one that conforms to th custom of the highways wherever conditions have permitted. A road such as it Is the Intention to build wuld he a great benefit to every property owner alpng the line and theVe i uttie doubt but that right of wav wlll . granted readily. Mr Hf.nneU gtateadt will bo n , &fUMLorl t0 lue ttA eral government re actual con- uteiiet an unrk en egln but this r), , wln oe muai urlng the corn- , in,, week. Mr. Wr will make hi i survey In the me and asr eoon as approval is secured of the plau-.i from the government bids wlll be usked for the construction and i:i case they are satisfactory the i.uili. leg of the roatl will be contracted, otherwise the State Highway Board wlll do the work. Mr. Bennett says under such circumstances they use. the equipment of the county when it is suitable for the work and where It may be had without Interfering with other county road work, and in addition other equipment la elthr purchased or hired. These engineers will take charge of the survey of the proposed chitugi In the route at Sage Hen and will also make a change in the route near Glas Buttes. The road in that vicini ty is in Lake .unity and on the north Side of the hill. It is the Intention to make a new route to the north ot this located entirely In Harney and Deschutes counties and thus it will be maintained by the two countiei directly interested. This is a very Important link in the through highway east and west and one tnat jH possible of travel during tno entire year. It means a great ,ieui to the Isolated sections of the SEE HER AT THE LIBERTY TO MORROW NIGHT After an extremely ntormy sceno at the studio wherein charming Viv ian Martin had furiously defied her director and refused absolutely to sucrlflce her charming curls to Art for her next riirmount picture. "The Trouble Busier, " there came a sooth ing lull and then a sunny smile ap peared on the star's pretty face and all was well. The smile was caused by the ap pearance of the wardrobe woman with one of the soHest, prettlesi. curliest wigs imaginable. It was the exact shade ot Miss Martin's curia and suificed to calm even the some what ruffled director, Frank Relcher, who had been muttering sotuetbin ; about "temperament." The fact that the short curls wero not her own could hardly be detec ted and as wlll be seen at the Liberty Thaetre on Sunday "The Troubh Buster" suffers not a whit for Mine Martin's refusal to sacrifice her curls. i.ftpi !