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About Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 5, 1913)
i ii i ii r if WEEKLY EDITION JRANTSPASS JOSEPHINE rOlXTV. OREGON. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1913. No. 34. CUT 6 MILL ROAD LEVY OFF CM COMMISSIONERS HEED PROTEST OF TAXPAYERS MUNICIPALITY IS EXEMPT Citizens in Mass Meeting Discuss County Finances and Consider 1114 Budget COMMISSIONERS MAKE REDUCTION' OF LEVY The county court, in session Thursday afternoon, granted the request of taxpayers for the elimination of the tax levy of six mills for road purposes with in the municipality of Grants Pass. Argument upon the re solution adopted at the mass meeting Tuesday night was made by Attorney Clements, author of the resolution, and by Attorneys Norton and Miller. The attorneys showed by court decisions and opinions that the spreading of the tax over the city was not In accord with law, and the court made the reduc tion in the levy as it applies to the city. As the result of a mass meeting of citizens held in the Commercial Club rooms Tuesday evening a resolution was adopted protesting to the county court and commissioners the spread ing of a six-mill tax levy over the municipality of Grants Pass for road purposes. The meeting was presided over by Attorney Richard, and a discussion over tax matters in gen eral preceded the adoption of the re solution. The budget as published by the county clerk provided for the levying of this six-mill tax, but as the fund is used outside the city, the city main taining its own streets and roads, the protest followed. In addressing the meeting Attorney Richard explained the matter of the proposed bond is sue of $225,000 for the building of permanent roads, and showed that the issuance of the bonds was the economical thins for the county to do. Formal endorsement of the bond issue was not given by the meeting, practically all of the taxpayers pres ent signed the petition asking the county court to call the special elec tion. In supporting the bond Issue, Mr. Richard stated that a levy of a single mill annually would care for the Interest upon the bonds, and that no levy would have to be made for the sinking fund for four years, and that then a single mill annually would provide for the retirement of the bonds. Without the bonds the continuing of the six-mill levy for road purposes might be necessary in definitely, with no greater progress toward permanent highways than Is now being made. The present sys tem of road work' and road building, as followed in the county, was brand ed as obsolete and ineffective by Mr. Richard, who believed tha issuance of the bonds and the construction of roads under the contract system would produce better results. Mr. Gilkey followed with a strong argument for reduction of the taxes, and said that under present methods the county and the city were not get ting the value for the money expend ed. He said the machinery for get ting action was too expensive, leav ing too little for the actual building of roads and other developments. He cited the Hays Hill work ns an ex ample of a road costing too much and then being .wrongly constructed, a result of the present system. The county budget was read and discussed by items, and while there were many expressions of Individual opinions, no recommendations were made by the meeting. Tr,e cost of maintenance of the county home and the care of the poor therein was es- TO HOLD ROAD MEETING AT COIRT BOISE SATURDAY A meeting will be held at the court house at ten o'clock Saturday morning, at which the question of the expenditure of the funds for the building of the roads in the county providing the bond Issue is carried will be discussed. The petitions for the bond election will be presented to the court tomorrow, and It is ne cessary before the election that the plan for the road construction, and the places where the Improvement will be made, be filed before the bonds are voted upon. All Interested are requested to be at the Saturday meeting. CHRISTMAS SHOOT BY SHOTGUN AND RIFLE MEN It is said that all the rifle aud wing shots of the state will be chal lenged by the local shots to meet at the- Grants Pans range ou Decem ber 21 to compete for cash and other prizes. No defiulte plans have yet been made for the arrangements of the shoot, but both rifle and shotgun clubs will meet as soon as possible and final arrangements will be made. It is being planned to have a shot gun shooting at flying targets, and also a range for rifle shooting. Grants Pass holds the record for secreting in its many surrounding valleys some of the best shots on the Pacific coast, and it is understood that several challenges liave been made to meet the local boys. This will be one of the largest gatherings of sports that has ever met heretofore in the state. ' MAN WITHOUT CLOTHES HAS DISAPPEARED Somewhere in the chill of the De cember day a stranger In a strange land is wandering clad only In a coat and minus even the "happy smile. Early Thursday morning the Btranger was found burrowed in the hay at tho old Kerley livery stable. He said tlu.t he had been shown his sleeping apartment the night before by a citi zen, and he Lad made hit prepay tlons for the night's rest by removing his clothing and donning the coat as a robe-de-chambre. Without waiting to explain further the man, without making his toilet, broke away and darted down South Sixth street to ward the steel bridge, and at a late hour in the afternoon had not been seen again. His clothing was later found lying in the street outside the livery barn, the only papers In the garments that might Identify the own er being a check drawn on a Port lard hank In favor of HaTy nder ron and endorsed over by Anderson Fo'lowing the strange disappear anr-e of the man the officers were noti fied and a search made for him, but at last reports he had not been found Nothing is known of him except that he had been seen around under the Influence of liquor the day before, and It is supposed to be a case of delirium tremens. SPECIAL TRAIN FROM M EDFORD WEDNESDAY Rogue River sent a party of Beven and Medford 32, including Judge Col vig, Mr. and Mrs. Patterson, Mr. and Mrs. Fiero, Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins, Mr. and Mrs. Ruhl, Mr. and Mtb Johnson. Mr. and 3Irs. Randall, Mr .,nH Mrs Ezan. Mr. and Mrs.'Graffls, and Messrs. Cramer, Rosenb'aum, Ed gell, Clark and Bingham, t? witness "Within the Law" at the Grants Pass opera house last night. The party chartered a special train for the oc casion, which arrived here at 8 o'clock and departed Immediately after the performance at 11:20. ' peclally criticized. It was shown that j it was costing the county at least a dollar a day for e.ich inmate of the I home, the averaee number of Inmates 'being about 14, with an annual ap propriation of $5,000. !' The committee appointed from the 1 meeting prepared the resolution pro testinc the road tax levy within the 'city, and presented It to the county board. This committee was com posed of Messrs. Williams. Moss, Hooper and Gilkey. The board has not yet taken nation regarding the resolution. MIASM ELECIEB PASS City GRANTS Election Was Quiet, With Only About Half of the Voters Taking Trouble of Going to the Polls. By the narrow majority of three i votes, as shown by tha unofficial I count of the ballots, E. T. McKinstry was elected mayor of the city of Grants Pass over A. A. Porter at the election held Monday, the final count showing 538 for McKinstry to 535 for Porter. As had been anticipated, the vote cast was light, only 1073 out of a possible 2,000 or mora going to the polls. Practically all of those who had registered In the three days in which registration was possible voted and numbers In each ward voted by signing blank "A," though at no time was there the "ginger" in the campaign that has marked the usual Grants Pass election. Geo. P. Jester was re-elected treas urer without opposition, as was Councilman W. P. Counts from ward I 3, but for other vacancies on the! council contests were waged. In the first ward, with two members to elect, the strife was warmest, and. Councilman Caldwell was returned i 5j r 2 5 H to B Co W 2. offices a a a 3. M to W For Mayor E. T. McKinstry 179 165 73 121 538 3 A. A. Porter 156 151 92 136 535 For Treasurer Geo. P. Jester 293 276 142 217 928 928 Councilman, First Ward G. M. Caldwell (2 year) 171 26 L. L. Jewell (2 year) 145 P. B. Herman (1 year) 167 21 E. V. Smith (1 year) 146 J Councilman, Second Ward A. S. Barnes (2 year) 218 122 S. W. Philips (2 year) 96 CnTITmanT Third Ward 1 W. P. Counts (2 year) 148 148 Councilman, Fourth Ward Lee Sill (2 year) 146 40 A. N. Parsons (2 year) 106 City Budget Calls For 7 Mill Levy The budget covering the estimated expenses of the city of Grants Pass for the year 1914, as prepared by the finance committee of the council, was adopted last night, and on its recommendation a city tax levy of seven mills was ordered. This levy includes a 6 -mill general tax and half mill special library tax. The Tnidget contained the following items of expense, as estimated for the com ing year: Street Maintenance Upkeep of team $ 350.00 Driver of team 800.00 Two laborers 1,600.00 Street sweener 800.00 Material for streets 800.00 Total I 4,350.00 Fire Department Two men, auto fire truck.. $ 2,000.00 Maintenance fire dept 200.00 Volunteer fire dept 300.00 Total $ 2,500.00 Police Department Marshals $ 500.00 Police force 4,080.00 Total $ 4.580.00 Light and Water Lights $ 5.000.00 Water 2,300.00 Total $ 7,300.00 Other Expense City Attorney $ 900.00 Auditor's office 2.300.00 Parks 1.500.00, City Treasurer zvj.u'J Citv Enclneer 1.000.00! Sewer expense 400.00 Bond ln-eron 5,280.00 Total $11,620.00 Total eetlmatedexpense $30,350.00 MAYOR OF BY MAJORITY OF 3 to his seat with a majority of 26 over his oDDonent. L. L. Jewell. For the short term P. B. Herman was elected over Councilman E. V. Smith with 21 votes to the good. In the second ward Councilman Barnes sprinted to victory with a majority of 122 over S. W. Phillips, and in the fourth Lee Sill defeated A. N. Parsons by a margin of 40 votes. The third ward was the first to complete. Its count, this giving a ma jority of 19 for Porter, and with the count about half complete In the other wards, and Porter seemingly well in the lead, the McKinstry peo ple were about ready to concede de feat. McKinstry voters had been early to the polls, however, and by making a good finish In the count their favorite came under the wire a nose to the good, and the brass cannon was called out to assist the McKinstry partisans In celebration of the victory, The detailed vote In the four wards was as follows: Council Accepts Bid For $200,000 Bond Issue The city council at its session last night accepted the bid of Keeler Brothers of Denver, Col., bond buy ers, for the $200,000 issuo of bonds voted by the people at the recent special bonding election, the rate quoted In the bid being a premium of one per cent, with accrued Interest. The bid 1b contingent upon the ap proval of the legality of the iHsue by the attorneys employed by the buy ers, and payment of the first 180,000 is to be made upon the Issuance of the final approving opinion of the attorneys, with further payments of $40,000 every 30 days till the entire Inane Is taken up. The definite termH of the bid made by the Keelers are to pay $1,010 for each $1,000 bond, and $505 for each of the $500 bonds, together with accrued Interest. j F. W. Keeler, representing his I firm, has been in the city in meeting with the public utilities commlSHlon during the day, and the commission had given Its approval to the condi tions of the offer, and had made written recommendation to the c oun cil that the bid be accepted. The recommendation was signed by Messrs. Williams, Moss, Gilkey and Counts, of the commission, the other members not being present nt the meeting. The bonds carry nix per cent, interest, and arc to be Issued In denominations, dates, etc., as the attorneys of the buyers may pre scribe. In discussing the purchase with The Courier. Mr. Keeler said that he ! nntlrfnatn.1 nn dol.iv In thA nntirnvnl 1 II! li'Mlun l'. lun a him ii': . n. lull necessary steps for prompt action I having been taken, and that he 'thought a week's tlm would suffice I In which to prepare for the Initial payment to the city upon th Issue HOME TALENT WAS PLEASING IN COMEDY A large sized audience at the opera house last night vented its approval of tha three-act comedy, "Lost, a Chaperon," given by local players directed by Mrs. Earl Ingels, under the auspices of the Ladles' Auxiliary. Every player made the most out of his or her role, and each of the local thespiana was satisfactorily cast. The comedy was first produced at Tufts college some three years ago and Is particularly suited to the abilities of those academically Just crossing the threshhold of young womanhood or young manhood. The Misses Mildred Churchill, Clara Wolke and Helen Hair appear ed In eccentric parts that denied their physical charms but that displayed their uncommon histrionic powers; Mrs. Merle Caldwell-Dyer and tha Misses Mlna Hill, Lydia White, Beulah Williams and Delia Jewell the latter reminiscent of the Anna Held of 20 years ago were capable, charming, even beautiful to behold, while the boys Russell Drake, Neil Allen, G. V. McCracken, Vernon Bas- ler, Arthur Srhllllng and Roy Dun- lap left nothing wanting In a cast of amateur players of which the city should bo proud. McCracken, especially, made a big hit in a skit between acts In which he "did" a monocled Briton, and later sang with effect a fine bnllad, the audience howling for more. There Is a probability that the play will bo given again on an early date, to satisfy many requests. BOYS MADE TO PAY FOR BREAKING WINDOWS Complaint was made to the county attorney's otllce of three boys from the Jerome Prairie district who had broken the windows out of a vacaat building. Following the filing of the complaint the boys came to the at torney and made settlement of the claim against them and proceedings will likely be quashed. The breaking out of windows from vacant buildings has become al most a mania with many lads, and It Is promised that the next bunch caught will be dealt with In a stern er manner. STATE (JAME WARDENS ARE OCT OF THEIR JOBS Saloin, Dec. 3. When Governor Went accepted the resignations of four members of the state fish and game commission Monday it had the 'effect of entirely wiping out tho com plete organizations of the fish and game departments in this state. The governor today notlllod State Game Warden Flnley and Master Flnh Warden Clanton that their de partment no longer existed. All gamo and fish wardens throughout the state, all employes at the fish hatch eries and otherB employed by the de partments are out of jobs. The only member of the state fish and game commission left is M. J. Kinney, over whom the trouble which has disrupted the departments arose. Kinney refuses to resign and is re sisting the governor's efforts to dis lodge him. The four members of the commission, C. F. Stone, Klamath Fulls; J. F. Hughes, Salom; B. E. Duncan, Hood River, and George H. Kelly of Portland, who resigned, said they did so because Kinney was con stantly causing trouble in tho com mission nnd they refused to longer servo with him. Governor West announced today that he would not appoint another committee until he was assured It would operate harmoniously. PETITION FOR NEW ROAD ON SI KEIt CREEK A petition for a new road In the Sinker creek district was filed with the county clerk Thursday by Attor ney O. S. Blanchardr-wbo appeared for tho petitioners. The new road desired in to run from Holland, onto build 5,000 miles of Mexican rall t lie south side of Sucker creek, con- roads, nectlng with tho present road at the j Robinson place. It Is said that the CLAIM FOR TRANSPORTATION proposed new road will bo over prac- OF VETERANS APPROVED tlcally level ground, and will ellm- innte the bad road on tho north sldej Salem, Dec. 4. Governor West to of the creek. It will also become day approved a deficiency claim part of the highway to the cavesj against the etato for $3,552.70, Incur from the Sucker rreek side, and will j red by sending veterans of the civil make the acent to the caverns much war to the Gettysburg reunion last easier. July. i FARMERS OPPOSE NEW TYPB OVER WILLIAMS CREEK SAY HIGH WATER A DANGER County CoiniiiUsloiicr. Receive Alter native Bids fur Steel and Coucrete Structure Judging from the protest that came botore the county commission ers at their session Wednesday after noon the people of the Williams creek district do not take kindly to the Idea of a bridge built of concrete over the croek at Provolt. The protest filed was largely signed by the farm ers of Williams and Applegata val leys. Objection was made because the creek has occasional periods of excessively high water, when all tha clearance possible Is demanded of the bridge, and the protest states that the building of a plor in the stream, as would bo necessary with a concrete bridge, would make an obstruction that would endanger tho bridge and that It might be washed out. It is also stated In the protest that the drift that comes down the croek dur ing the spring and winter freshets would lodge behind the piers, and that tho channel of the stream might bo changed, to the great damage of private property, The court has not yet taken action upon tho protest or upon the character of the bridge to bo built. At the November meeting of the board bids wore received for tho con structlon of this bridge from steel and wood, the lowest bid being that of R. 8. Dahlberg, who agreed to put In the structure for $2,485. The at tention of the board being called to tho desirability of concrete, the ac ceptance of the bids was laid over till the December meeting, and al ternative bids for a concrete struc ture were asked. These bids were opened Wednesday, Albert Anderson agreeing to build the concrete bridge according to specifications for $3,650, or $1,165 more than the cost of the steel bridge. II. E, Newell of Tort land offered to build the bridge for $5,046 for completion by June 1, or $5,540 If It must bo completed by April 1. STREET IMPROVED I1Y ENTERPRISING CITIZENS A few enterprising citizens of ward one, including C. D. Welter, Elmer Dunbar, R. W. Clarke, S. W. Fisher, Dr. Strieker, A. Conklln, A. C. Hough, and H. L. Truax have Improved O street, the main outlet of the Pacific Highway from Sixth street, by put ting In $100 worth of granite and work, and Mr. Welter, In addition to his part of the expense, has put in his time with a spade directing the work, and putting the grnnlte where It would do the mont good, as woll as ditching for drainage. Four bloclTs have been Improved, and with more granite and a little road rolling, promised by the city, It will put tho street In shape so that tourists going through will not aay that the worst road traveled In Jose phine county was In the center of Grants Pass. MEXICAN CONGRESS MAY ANNl h RECENT ELECTION Mexico City, Dec, 4. It was be lieved today that congress would take itt this afternoon tho matter of annulling the recent election. Some thought It would also ratify a concession to a Belgian company MADE 10