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VOL. XXIV.
GRANTS PASS, JOSEPHINE COCNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 15. 19.
NO. 42
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; 1 1
MPORTANT LAW
MUST BE PASSED
Why We Should Have
This Legislation.
WYOMING IRRIGATION LAW
Legislature is Called I'pon to Act
Promptly and Give
Needed Help.
; It is hoped that the legislature
"Which met last Monday will not ad
journ before it has passed an Irriga
tion law that will at least be
as practical as legislation on this
subject is in any of the other states.
Oregon has been tied hand and foot
as it were by bad irrigation laws
and the people of the whole state
nave made a demand on the legisla
ture for relief. It is true that the
present outlook indicates that some-
thing will be done, but let us not be
content to sit idly down and make no
effort to ensure the passage of a law
that will make titles to water for
Irrigation as clear and .perfect as
' titles to real property. The whole
fnture of the farmer in Josephine
county depends on a well defined and
comprehensive irrigation law. Every
citizen of this county is deeply inter
ested ' in this matter and should
communicate with our members of
' the legislature, urging them not to
neglect this Important part of their
' duty. There are large corporate in
terests in Western Oregon arrayed
against an irrigation act. These cor
porations are enemies of the people
and .it is the duty of our farmers and
business men generally to urge their
representatives to work and vote to
include our part of the state in the
operations of the bill. It has been
: decided that we need a law framed
I after that of Wyoming. The con
i stltution of that state asserts that
the waters belong to the people and
the law provides for its legal distri
bution.
J The Oregon Conservation Commis
sion in Its report to the governor
last month makes the following syn
opsis of the Wyoming Irrigation law.
, law.
1 The state engineer Is president of
the state board of control, which is
'composed, with him, of the superin
tendents of the four water divisions
Jof 'he state and the duties of which
fare to determine and adjudicate all
rights to water and to grant per
fmlts for Its use. As administrative
" officer of the board of control, the
f Btate engineer has supervision over
I the division superinendents, who in
1 turn have supervision over the water
! commissioners of various water dis
tricts and these officers together con
trol the appropriation, distribution
and division of all the water of the
state. No water can be legally appro
priated In the state until authorized
hv the state engineer; and then only
if there is water unappropriated and
the state engineer's office is made (
i
i
9
he New Year comes it's
up to us to start it right;
The leaf is turned and here's a
page that's clean and bright,
Let's blot out every old mis
take and vaiii regret,
And make our nineteen hun
dred nine trie best year yet.
i u
9
........A.--"'HitilHttlltttlltttll
the place of record for all appropri
ations of water. Tht state engineer
has also general .supervision over
all reservoir construction within the
state. The water commissioners
have authority to prevent the waste
of water and are vested with police
powers to enforce priorities of right
to water, as established by the state
board of control or the courts. The
state engineer, division superintend
ents and water commissioners are
appointed by the governor, the lat
ter on recommendation of the divi
sion superintendents."
The law was drawn by one of the
ablest Irrigation engineers, Elwood
Mead, who was at the time the bill
was passed (1891) state engineer of
Wyoming. Other states have, to a
large extent, adopted the provisions
of the Mead law. It can be assert
ed without fear of contradiction
that the Wyoming law Is In all re
spects practical, and has been of
great service to the people of that
state. The small, as well as the
large farmers, and through its en
actment hundreds of thousands of
its acres have been irrigated and
made highly productive. This law
has stood the test of nearly 18 years
service, and the wisdom of 1U
provisions are clearly apparent. It
Oregon had a law framed along
these lines the commonwealth would
put on a new growth, and prosperity
would come to every county in the
state where agriculture is a pos
sibility. LOWNEY McCFANEY
ACCIDENTALLY SHOT
Discharge of His Own Gun Makes
Serious Wound in
Right Leg
Lowney McCraney a farmer liv
ing In the Dry Diggings district,
vhlle out hunting last week Just
after the first fall of snow, was in
jured by the accidental discharge of
his 25-30 rifle. At the time the
accident occurred he was carrying
two rifles and in descending a slight
pitch his foot slipped and one of the
guns dropped, striking a stone in
such a manner as to discharge a
cartridge, the ball entering McCra
ney's right leg below the knee. Dr.
DeVore was called and dressed the
wound which seems to be In good
condition. Should complications
arise from the possibility of the fiber
of his clothing being carried Into
the wound, it is probable that am
putation may be necessary.
Itlue Ledge Suffers Loss.
Last Saturday morning fire de
stroyed the office building of the
Blue Ledge Mining company near
Eileen. The fire started from a de
fective flew. Very few of the con
tents of the building were saved,
and for a time the adjoining build
ings were threatened. The build
ing was valued a $7000. The
amount of the insurance is not
known.
Coming Events.
Jan. 18, Monday Meeting of the
Ladles Auxiliary to arrange for
Rose Planting Day.
Feb. 10, Wednesday Semi-Annual
Teachers' Examinations.
R, H, O'Neill
The Houseiuraisher
COMMERCIAL CLUB
WILL RAISE 8,1111111
Enthusiastic Meeting
Start of $2000 Made.
ALL OFFICERS RE-ELECTED
Handsome Illustrated Ilooklct
Josephine County Will
be Issued.
of
The regular meeting of the
Grants Pass Commercial Club took
place on Tuesday night. The old
officers were all re-elected including
the committee. The subject of ad
vertising was taken up and discussed
at some length. Mr. Wells of the
Sunset Magazine was present and
made a strong address on the neces
sity of advertising. He urged thai
the Club should raUe at leaBt $5000
for publicity purposes and said the
Southern Pacific would help if the
booklet printing and a certain
amount of advertising was given to
the Sunset Magazine. Subscrip
tions and advertising were called for
and those present contributed nearly
$1100. It was acranged that a
strong committee made up of those
present should call on the county
court the next day and ask for a con
tribution to help pay for a booklet
devoted to the exploitation of the
whole country. The call was made
and the court after considerable dis
cussion made the order. This was
done under the law which permits
$1000 to be appropriated annually
by the court for advertising pur
poses. The appropriation will give
great satisfaction to a majority of
the largest tax payers in the county
for this booklet will bring hundreds
of large tax payers to the county
and consequently Increase our tax
able wealth many hundreds of
thousands of dollars.
The Commercial Club Is alive to
the best interests of the whole
county and Is determined to accom
plish Important results during the
year 1909.
THE NEW CITY COUNCIL
TAKES ITS SEAT
Members Sworn In, Appointments
Mude and Committees
Are Named
Last week Thursday night marked
the close of the relgu of the 1908
city council and the opening session
of the new city law makers. The
meeting was one full of business
which started off at the rap of the
gavll and continued without pause
until the close, when the members
of the old and new council went to
the Banks restaurant and dined.
Following are the official acts of the
meeting:
The mluutes of the last meeting
were read und approved.
A communication was read from
R. W. Clarke, manager of the Rogue
River Water Co., In reference to the
bill against said company for $100
for expenses of special election held
October 27, 190S. At the time thai
this election was asked for A. C
Hough, attorney for the Water Com-
iiany, said that the company would
pay on said election the sum of $100
and his statement is a matter of rec
ord in the minutes of the council
The city attorney was instructed
to render an itemized bill to the Wa
ter Company and proceed to collect
It.
In the matter of opening up A
street from Seventh to Eighth, it
was ordered that Mr. Ament's offer
to sell a 35-foot strip off the north
end of his lot for $144.85 and the
city to bear the expense of moving
the fence be accepted.
The city attorney was instructed
to prepare an ordinance for a granite
sidewalk on the north side of Eve
lyn avenue extending from Sixth
street to Second street.
The Sreet committee reported that
certain property owners on B street
had turned the water from a small
creek from its natural course into
the street and that it was doing con
siderable damage thereto and city
attorney was instructed to notify the
parties to turn the water back to its
original channel and if they did not
do it to take action compelling them
to.
The building committee reported
on the ordlnanc e relative to the
licensing of theaters. v It was thought
that the ordinance was not properly
prepared and was therefore referred
back to the committee to report at
the next meeting. The cause of the
ordinance was the Bijou picture
show asking for permission to put
on vaudeville acts, which would
make it a regular theater, increasing
their license from $100 to $125 per
year.
The finance committee reported
favorably on a large batch of bills,
which were ordered paid.
Bids for the laying of lateral
sewers were opened and the con
tract let to the Grants Pass Hard
ware Co., for $335.
An ordinance asking for a fran
chise for a telephone and telegraph
line in the streets and alleys of
Grants Pass by Arthur Conklin and
Marcus Robbins was read and refer
red to the Street committee.
At this time the new councllmen
and officers were sworn in by the
city recorder. H. C. Kinney, may
or; J. O. Riggs, councilman first
ward; J. L. Myers, second ward; W.
M. Cheshire, third ward and Geo.
Cronk fourth ward.
The mayor then announced the
following committees for the ensu
ing year.
Judiciary committee W . M .
Cheshire, T. P. Cramer and J. L.
Myers.
Street committee J. G. Rlggs, J.
T. Tuffs and Geo Cronk.
Light committee Geo. Cronk,
Chas. Burkhalter and J. L. Myers.
Sewer committee Frank Fetsch,
J. T. Tuffs and J. G Riggs.
Health committee J. L. Myers,
W. M. Cheshire and Chas. Burkhal
ter.
Fire and water committee Chas.
Burkhalter, Frank Fetsch and W. M.
Cheshire.
City property committee T. P.
Cramer, Geo. Cronk and F. Fetsch.
The mayor then submitted the
following appointments which were
ratified by the council:
City attorney, Geo H. Durham;
City engineer, F. E. Hobson; mar-
shall, C. E. McLean; night marshall,
F. W. Capp, street commissioner R.
H. Gllfillan; teamster, W. W. Wil
cox; park commissioner, N. C. Boyn-
ton; city engineer, F. E. Hobson.
J. T. Tuffs was then elected presi
dent of the counrl! f:r the enuing
year.
There being no further business,
the council adjourned.
A Model New Store lliilldlng.
Sixth Street north of the railroad
la to have another fine business block
two-story and basement, which will
be erected by Arthur Conklin. The
lot upon which the building Is to be
placed Is the one now occupied by
Joseph Moss and H. B. Hendricks.
The new structure will be of re
inforce concrete, 32x95, two story
and Its construction will be com
menced as soon as the weUther will
permit. As a business house it will
be one of the very finest In the city.
The front will not only be of plate
glass but up-to-date in every par
tlcular. The Bhow windows will be
In three parts and will run back
from the front. There will be two
entrances and the outer court will
be tiled and the whole structure will
be of the twentieth century order.
Mr. Conklin has leased the new
building to C. P. BlBhop of the
Woolen Mills Stoie of Salem, who
will open a large branch store here
as soon as It Is finished. Mr. Bishop
will eauiD his store with all the
modern appliances and he will car
rj a full line of clothing and gen
tlemen's furnlsiilng goods.
Notice to Stockholder.
The annual meeting of the stock
holders of the Grants Pass Canning
Company Is hereby called for Tues
day afternoon, January 26 at 3
o'clock at the Commercial Club
rooms. A full attendance Is desired.
H. C. KINNEY, Pres.
O. 8. BLANCHARD, Sec'y
Calling ca.ds at tha Coortsr.
IRRIGATION CO. .
MET WEDNESDAY
President Gilkey Presides
and Makes Report.
WYOMING LAW ADVISED
Committee of Three Selected to Ile-
ceive and Act Vpon Expert
CumiiiliigM Report.
The Josephine County Irrigation
and Power Company held a success
ful stockholders' meeting at the
opera house ou Wednesday last.
President Gilkey occupied the chair
and called the meeting to order.
The first business was the reading of
the minutes of the previous meeting
by the society, followed by the sec
retary's report end the financial
statement.
Next came the report of the spec
ial committee on legislation. A bill
containing the essential features of
the Wyoming law was recommended
and the Josephine county members
of the legislature were urged to pre
sent the resolutions and strive for
the passage of the bill.
President Gilkey read his first re
port, to the stockholders and detailed
the operation of the company, in
cluding the employment of Expert
Cummlngs to Investigate the source
of water supply and make recom
mendations to the company. He
further said that the directors had
appointed a special committee of
three to handle the expert's report
and to take such action as in their
Judgment was best for the company.
This action he thought was wise, as
the object of the company would be
defeated if the report was made pub
lic property. He thought prompt
action by this committee was neces
sary and trusted the stockholders
would approve this action. A mo
tion to adopt the president's report
and approve the appointment of the
special committee was unanimously
passed.
Learning that Mr. Cummlngs, the
expert, was in the house he was
called for by a number of stock'
holders and he came to the platform
n a neat little speech he told-of the
conditions that prevailed in regard
to land around Grants Pass. "The
grcr.ter area of land, he said, ' was
Idle and unimproved though at from
$25 to $40 per acre. Assuming It to
be worth this with water available
as soon as secured It would
advance to from $100 to $250 an
acre and as orchards are matured
there Is no doubt that these lands
would become as valuable as in
other districts and readily sell from
$500 to $1000 or even more per
acre. conditions are similar to
those In Willamette Valley. While
there was abundant rain during the
winter months; If this rain had been
distributed evenly throughout the
year there would be plenty for crops,
yet It gets so dry In the summer
that water Is absolutely necessary.
In the valley abovo named demon
strations have been made showing
the value of water to crops, increas
ing the growth with one watering
to 77 per cent and with two water
ings to 89 per cent." Mr. Cum
mlngs closed by saying that from
what knew of conditions he would
say that the present effort to secure
irrigation would succeed.
FRUIT INSPECTOR BATE-
HAN MAKES REPORT
Next Season Will See All the Old
Orchards Thoroughly
Cleaned I'p.
Fruit Inspector Bateham made his
report to the county court last week,
covering a period of three and one
half months since he has been In
office. "The outlook for the coming
season," said Mr. Bateham,, "Is bet
ter than ever and am sure that next
rear will see more good orchards
than ever, and the quality and puan
ttty or the fruit will be much Improved."
Following is a summary of his re
port to the county court:
Since being appointed fruit in
spector, September 15, 1908, I have
personally Inspected 450 orchards
and lots containing fruit trees ag
gregating thus far about 1600 acres,
only about three-fourths of the coun
ty being covered as yet. Of these
450 orchards 125 have been badly
neglected and will have to have
thorough work done In them within
60 days or they must, be pulled out.
( ontiary to the prediction of .mme
men I have found 90 orchards with
no serious pests or fungus diseases.
There are 50 cases of pear blight so
far discovered which must be clean
ed out at once and the trees watched
carefully next spring when growth
starts.
Three nurseries have been in
spected and some few trees con
demned In each. Five lots of nur
sery trees shipped in from out of
thfa slate have passe Inspect 'ou wLli
the loss of about 100 trees from
Missouri. Careful watch has boon
kept at all stores and warehouses
as well as on the streets and all will
agree that the quality of the fruit
offered for sale is better than for
merly. A complete record of all this work
has been kept with name and ad
dress of each grower, and condition
of his orchard. The expense of this
inspection to the county is: Fifty
days' work at $3, $150; necessary
expenses of same, $78.70. Total
$228.70. Respectfully submitted.
H. C. BATEHAM.
Greet The Walla Walla Special.
A special train, bearing the mem
bers of the Walla Walla Commercial
Club and officials of the S. P. enroute
to Los Angeles, will arrive in Grants
Pass Sunday morning at 10:60 and
remain 15 or 20 minutes. , It Is the
desire of the Executive Committee
that every member and those not'
members be at the train and give -our
friends from the north the "glad
hand," and a welcome to our city.
Please be a committee of one to in
vite yourself and your friend to be
there.
All ladles should be at the Com
mercial Club rooms next Monday
afternoon to plan for a Rose Plant
ing Day.
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COUNTERFEITER ARRESTED
BY SHERIFF RUSSELL
Frank Jennings Visit Urants Pass
and Attempts to do Ilusiness
and Is Caught
Grants Pass has had a real green
goods man and alleged counterfeiter
and the ever vigilant Sheriff Russell
on complaint of one of our citizens
arrested the offender who goes by
the name of Frank Jennings and has
a reputation far and wide as a duale.
In dies for making counterfeit
money. Jennings travels over the
country looking for men who would
like to get Into the counterfeiting
business, and when he finds his man
he shows him one of his so-called
counterfeit coins, made as he claims
from his own dies, which he also
shows. In the course of the Inter-.
view the claim Is made by Jennings
that no man can detect the counter
feit, claiming that It will be taken at
any store or bank. ,. He gives his
victim the coin and urges him to got
it changed and this greeny does and
being pleased with the transaction, a
place of meeting Is named. Later
lter they meet, the victim with his
money to exchange for the counter
felt stuff, while they are in confer
ence, a man comes in wearing a
badge of the U. 8. secret service.
The so-called officer Is sorry to arrest
the gentlemen but it Is a very serious
offense and Jennings then proposes
that they pay the detective a round
sum to let them go. The victim of
the sharp gladly gives all he has to
get out of the scrape. Jennings
visited Medford and Ashland before
coming here and did some business
In those towns. He is a noted
criminal and has served time.
Sheriff Russell, after making the ar
rest, wired the Federal authorities at
Portland and in tesponse an officer
was sent hers to convey the prisoner
to that city.