A BIG JOB, BUT ITS DEAD EASY
It would be a biff job to tell one hundred people any
thing that would interest them in your Roods, but its
dead easy if done the right way. This paper will tell
several hundred at once at nominal cost.
NOT ONE DAY CAN BE FOUND
in the week but that you do not need stationery of
some sort or other. We furnish neat, clean printing
at the very lowest rates. Fast presses, modern types,
modern work, prompt delivery.
Entered at the Foat Office at Athena. Oregon, as Second-Class Mall Matter
VOLUME 48.
ATHENA, UMATILLA COUN IT, OREGON, FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 18, 1927
NUMBER 11
Young Prospectors
Find Pure Gold Ore
Rich Surface Discovery at
Weepah, Nevada, May
Prove Bonanza.
Tonopali, Nev. The desert wastes
of Weepah were giving up their hid
den bonanza as lumps of ore, almost
pure gold, were dug from the badger
hole, opened up,by two youthful pros
pectors more than a week ago.
Work on the claims of Frank Horton
Jr. and Leonard Trainor, who made
the strike and precipitated the great
est modern gold rush in the history of
the west, has started.
Weepah, 37 miles from here, has be
gun to assume the appearance of a
permanent habitation, as wooden
shacks began to replace tents in the
new gold city.
The spectre of trouble hovered In
the offing at Weepah when the gojd
boom camp woke up and found itself
potentially twice as rich as was first
supposed. .
Discovery of rich surface deposits
by a red shirted prospector here, who
came quietly back to camp after a
day of work in the hills became known
and he failed miserably in attempting
to keep secret the fact he had found
surface gravel worth about $50 a
pound. .
The development electrified ' Wee
pah. Prospectors and even Sunday
visitors scattered over the country al
most in the twinkling of an eye, hop
ing to locate claims or a't least, fill
their pockets with gold.
The presence of surface values
holds the possibility of trouble for,
under state laws, locators may file
placer claims on areas already staked
out for quartz or lode mining. This
means two classes of claims may be
filed on one area, and the placer min
er is entitled to all the gravel down to
the regular lode.
WILL NOT HOLD UP
INDIAN LUMBERING
Washington, D. C. Lumbering op
erations on Indian reservations in the
Pacific northwest will not be held up
by the failure of congress to pass the
second deficiency appropriation bill,
which carried 590,000 for the pay of
workers and other incidental expenses,
Representatives Sinnot-of Oregon and
Johnson of Washington were inform
ed by the bureau of Indian affairs.
Under an opinion by Controller-General
J. R. McCarl, receipts from tim
ber sales on reservations in Oregon
and Washington can be used to meet
current expenses, which will offset the
loss of the appropriation.
The Klamath and Quinault reserva
tions now have large logging opera
tions In progress, which were threat
ened with suspension by the failure of
the deficiency bill to pas3.
After Surviving Four
Major Operations Elmer
Merritt Himself Again
Elmer Merritt, after having sur
vived four major surgical operations
at St. Mary's hospital, Walla Walla,
returned to his home in Athena last
Saturday evening, after an absence
of ten and a half months, spent in
the hospital. '"
He is glad to Je back and with
his old friend Pete Sorson, is whil
ing away much of the time up at his
home on Fourth street.
Merritt was the victim -of rank
carelessness, when he was" run down
by an automobile while driving a
band of sheep over on the Washing
ton side of the line. He was remov
ed to the hospital, where his right
leg, badly fractured was set. It nev
er healed and an operation was per
formed and silver plates inserted.
Still the break would not heal and a
second., operation took , place, then., a
third, and finally the fourth and last,
when the limb was removed - just
above .the knee. -V. - t . ' .,
..' A suit ior damages was brought by
Merritt against the driver of the
automobile, but the case was com
promised without going to trial, but
what the man got, in no way com
pensated him for the injury he re
ceived. ' -
M'NARY PLANS NEW BILL
Will Present Agricultural Relief Meas
ure to Next Congress.
Washington, D. C Although defeat
ed twice in an effort to obtain farm
relief legislation, Chairman McNary,
of the senate agricultural committee,
already has turned his attention to
ward drafting a new measure for pres
entation to congress when It convenes
In December.
He plans during the summer to con
fer with agricultural leaders from all
parts of the country in an effort to
devise a proposal that will meet the
needs of the farmers and at the same
time avoid another presidential veto.
The Oregon senator will make
particular effort to get around the con
troversial equalization fee which he
believes caused the failure of the last
two bills which he introduced joint
ly with Representative Haugen, repub
lican, Iowa. ,
Thugs Use Bombs, Wreck Pay Cars.
. Pittsburgh Planting bombs expert
ly under a highway, nine bandits
wrecked two armored automobiles by
setting oft the explosives as the ma
chines passed and escaped with a
$102,000 payroll of the Pittsburgh Ter
minal Coal company.
Modiste's Bill High
Says R, N, Stanfield
A Washington special says that
difference of about $300 in the
amount of the bill of New York mo.
distes for the trousseau of Barbara
Stanfield, and the sum of which Mrs.
Stanfield claims is corrects is respon
sible for the suit for $1121 brought
by Wallace and Annie Grantland
against him, ex-Senator Stanfield ex
plained. Except for the belief that
Mrs. Stanfield is right, he would not
have allowed the matter to reach the
courts, the former Oregon senator
said.
Miss Stanfield was married Janu
ary 22 to Henry P, J, Punn of Jack
sonville, . Florida,
The itemized account of the bill,
filed with the court, is as follows:
One green chiffon evening dress,
$150.
One black net evening dress, $118.
One rose satin evening dress, $125.
One rose flat crepe street dress,
$85..
One wedding gown, $200.
One green satin crepe street dress,
$100.
One blouse, $25.
Alterations on gowns, $25.
Mrs. Grantland'a carfare to Wash
ington $20.
Other alterations, 13.
One suit, $125.
One coat $125.
Total, $1121.
None of the items have been paid
for, "nothwithstaning many demands
for such payments," the suit says.
Senator Stanfield said that the suit
results from a difference of about
$300 in the amount which Mrs. Stan
field claims is correct and the sum
named in the complaint, and except
for the belief Mrs. Stanfield is right,
he would not have allowed the mat
ter to reach the courts.
Men's League Meeting
The regular monthly meeting of
Men's League of Athena at the
Baptist Church on Friday March 25
will begin with a dinner at 6:00
o'clock, interspersed by music given
by the Jolly Joy Makers. After din
ner a program will be given includr
ing readings, and talks by Mr. Had
ley on School Text Books; and by
Mr. Holt of Pendleton, Umatilla
County Agricultural Agent on agri
culture. All the men are invited to
bring the.ir wives and sweethearts
Secure your tickets of a representa
tive early at 50 cents each.
. Minnesota Defeats Evolution Bill.
St. Paul, Minn. By a vote' of 55 to
7, the Minnesota state senate over
whelmingly defeated a bill that would
prohibit the teaching of evolution
theories in tax supported schools of
the state. .
Two Teachers Retire
Two faculty members of the .Athe
na grade schools, Miss Rodman and
Miss Terry .will retire from school
work for awhile with the closing of
the present term. It is announced
by both teachers, who have given
notice of their retirement to the
school board, that they will attend
college pext year. Miss Terry teaches!
the third and fourth grades and Miss
Rodman the fifth and sixth grades
in the Athena schools, having been
here for two years.
. .Infant Son Pies
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Hand have
the sympathy of this community in
the loss of their newly born infant
son, which occurred Sunday. The re
mains were interred in Weston ceme
tery.
Tax Commissioner
Tells About Change
Taxation Equity Is the Aim
of a New Law Given
County Assessors.
It is not the purpose of the new
law granting increased powers to
county assessors, nor the intention
of the taxing officials to impose any
unreasonable burden upon'liny-'tffxv
payer or class of taxpayers, Earl
Fisher, state tax commissioner, de
clared at Salem, commenting upon
the operation of house bill No. 72, of
the last legislative session.
"The sole aim of the new law is
equity in taxation." Fisher said. "The
act was passed in response to an in
sistent demand for better equaliza
tion. ..of taxes. It jmposes additional
powers and duties upon county as
sessors ana we siaie tax commission.
in order to bring about this result.
"Since Hs passage' the law has. re
ceived much favorable comment and
is generally considered to be thy
most constructive . tax legislation
passed in this state in many years.
"It is not a revenue measure but
purely an equalizer and should have
the hearty support of everyone who
is interested in a just and equitable
apportionment of taxes. Due to rn
emergency clause the act is in effect.
"It; is the duty of every county
assessor, under the provisions of s,ecr
tion No. 5 of the pew law. to require
taxpayers to furnish, under" oatli, In
formation concerning - their capital,
assets and liabilities, earnings and
such other appropriate facts for de
termining value. This information
is to be furnished the assessors
through confidential reports made on
uniform blanks prescribed by the
state tax commission
"The blanks, to be distributed
within the next few days, are simple
in form .and require nothing that can
not be readily obtained from the re
cords of the taxpayer.
"In pioneer days, when taxable
wealth consisted chiefly of visible
property aid the post of government
wag not a material expense, the lim
ited authority delegated to the asses
sor was sufficient to provide a sat
isfactory distribution of taxes. Half
a century ago a stock ledger with
four or five hand-ruled columns serv
ed as a tax roll and all the informa
tion deemed necessary for an equit
able assessment was recorded there
in. Modern business development
requires a more comprehensive and
business-like method of assessment.
'Heretofore assessors have had to
rely to a great extent on very meager
statements of the taxpayer in valu:
ing business personality. As a re
sult, serious inequalities have grown
into the tax rolls. Similar and com?
petitive business concerns have been
assessed at vastly different percent
ages of value and the local assessors
or "taxpayers have no intelligent
means of knowing just how far such
discrimination extends,
GRANT B. MILLER
Mother Sees Tots
Die in Snow Storm
.Grant B. . Miller, Chicago post office
Inspector in charge since shortly after
the $2,000,000 Rondout (III.) robbery,
has become national chief inspector.
Rodeo Rider Lectured
When Man Goes to Jail
' Alice P. Wilson, known to Round
up and rodeo fans of Cheyenne,
Pendleton, Calgary and other places
as a trick rider, who was the gover
ment's principal witness against W.
T. Fellows, charged with violation of
the Mann white slave law, was de
nounced by Judge J. Stanley Webster
in federal court at Walla Walla.,
The occasion was the sentencing of
Fellows, who was found guilty on two
counts and acquitted en one. The
court gave Fellows a sentence of six
months on each count, the counts to
run concurrently, but declared that
in his belief the usual situation in
cases of this type was reversed and
that the woman in the case was the
designated one. '
He pointed oxxi that the woman
claimed to be 29 years of age and
acknowledged having a child J6 years
old, while the convicted man was on
ly 22 years of age. The man was
charged with transporting the wom
an frqm Yakima to Portland for im
moral purposes,
Hunger Drives Mother and
Three Into Hills When
Food Runs Out.
Electric Grinder
An electric grinder, recently made
by Forrest Zerba for use at the Zer
ba Garage is a fine piece of work
manship. The grinder comprises an
emery wheel, driven by an electric
motor. The mounting is on a steel
frame which is attachable to the
lathe and operates in a four-way po-
sition. The grinder is used princip
ally for dressing valve seats, al
though there are a number of uses
for which it is adaptable,
Beys In Trouble
Three Weston boys were brought
before Judge Richards Tuesday by
Marshal King of that citv, charged
with larceny of money.- One of the
boys is on parole at the present time,
and all three will probably have a
hearing in the juvenile court at Pendleton.
A Lakeview, Oregon, special says:
In the timbered and thicket-covered
mountains between here and Paisley,
two children" were found 'frozen to
death. Trembling and exhausted be
side them was their mother, frozen
to the knes, rinrhting to the end to
save the rema-.ilng infant of her
little brood from the slow death that
was creeping upon them.
The woman, Mrs. D. W. Amburger,
had been driven by hunger from the
mountain cabin that had shielded her
and had started out on a forage for
food for the hungry children. The
husband and father had been gone
for several days.
The frantic mother, whom the
posses found in a delicate condition
and on the verge of hysteria ,hal
visited one farm home shortly after
noon on Saturday and had obtained
some food there. When Amburger,
returned to his cabin Saturday night,
it was vacant. It was not until Sun
day that he reported the matter to
authorities and they took ' up the
search,
A searching party made up of
mill workers, forestry officers ind
members of the American Legion
joined in the hunt. The party scout'
ed the hills spreading out from tr.e
cabin but were not successful until
Monday night.
For the last 48 hours it had been
storming almost constantly in the
hills. The country is covered with
thickets and timbered areas. Men at
the mill of the Chewaucan Lumber
company where Mr. Amburger wont
for help on Sunday said that" he told
them that there was auf f ldent food
in the house but they said that they
did not find anything to eat there
when they visited the place.
The men went to the Amburger
cabin, where, they reported, they
found a still ready for operation but
no food in the house.
Amburger has been placed unde,
guard pending his return to Lake
view.
County Agent Joins
With Farmers In War
Against Pesky Squirrel
Walter A. Holt, new county agent
is generalissimo of the war now be
ing waged over the county against
the ground squirrel army.
Mr. Holt was in Athena Saturday
and stored his war munitions at the
Rogers & Goodman store, where they
will be sold at actual cost to squirrel
fighters.
These munitions consist of poison
ed grain, j)utjup according to the
formula of the extension department
of O. A. C. in two and one half pound
and seven pound packages. The pois
on may be placed indiscriminately
wherever squirrels may be, without
endangering fowl life or bird life.
Mr. Holt is anxious that the pois
on be used at this time, for the per
centage of squirrel destruction by its
ase is far greater right now than it
would be later in the season. Young
squirrels arrive in April, and every
female destroyed now is equal to
five destroyed later.
As it takes about a bushel of grain
to board a squirrel, it is easy to see
why Mr. Holt is anxious for the
battle to begin at once.
Pendleton and Milton Here
Pendleton and McLaughlin high
school debating teams are locked in
a tie for first place in the district
contest and have selected Athena
high school auditorium as the neutral
place for deciding the contest under
judges from Portland. The contest
will take place this Friday evening
at the auditorium beginning at eight
o'clock.
Legion Dance March 26
The carnival dance given at Le
gion Hall Saturday night was well
attendod. The next dance given by
the Legion Post will be on Saturday
night, March 20.
;
Enter Exit
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Britain and Japan
Are Formally Invited
Arms Conference Bids Sent
by State Department to
Two Governments.
The County Agent Has
Garden Pest Bulletins
At this time of year the problem
of pest control in gardens is attract
ing a lot of attention. Many persons
are unfamiliar with- the best and
most economical practices in the con
trol of these pests and are interested
in obtaining help on the subject.
The County Agent's office at Pen
dleton and the Assistant County
Agent's office at Freewater will be
glad to provide copies of an O. A.
C. Bulletin on pest control to any
persons in the county who will make
their wants known. This bulletin is
very complete in describing the var
ious pests and pointing out the best
methods of control.
In this connection it might be
mentioned that the County Agent's
office is equipped for the free dis
tribution of many kinds, of bulletins
dealing with agricultural subjects
and a postcard or a letter will bring
them to persons interested.
Officer and Attorney Mix
Federal Officer Rogers and At
torney Watts of Athena had an al
tercation in the office of Justice
Berkeley at Pendleton, Wednesday
morning as the result of changing
the case of Frank Lavadour, Watts'
client, from the Justice court to a
hearing before Commissioner New
berry, without the attorney's know
ledge of the change. The attorney
alleges that the officer attempted to
assault him and in protecting him
self from the assault he was forced
to held Rogers until a member of the
police force arrived. The attorney,
Rogers and witnesses were taken to
the police station. Attorney Watts
asserts that at no time during the
altercation did he strike or attempt
to strike the officer.
Washington, I). C. Formal Invita
tions to participate in a naval arms
conference at Geneva have been trans
mitted to the British and Japanese
governments, both of whom previously
had advised the state department that
they would accept.
The invitations, transmitted to the
British and Japanese ambassadors
here by Acting Secretary Grew, pro
posed that the Geneva naval discus
sions begin June 1 or soon thereafter,
and expressed regret of the American
governm(mMiat-FWlu?e and Italy had
seen fit o decline the suggestion
that they also participate. Hope was
expressed, however, that both Euro
pean governments would be represent
ed informally.
Publication of the formal invitation
served to disclose that all three gov
ernments now have expressed hopes
that France and Italy would find It
possible to take some part in the Ge
neva negotiations.
As anticipated, the invitation leaves
the door to the fullest discussion at
Geneva wide open. No suggestion of
any kind as to ways and means for
extending the theory of tonnage limit
ation to other than capital ships and
aircraft carriers is presented, nor ia
any of the three governments commit
ted in advance on any phase of the
questions that will arise at Geneva.
Death of Mrs. Brown
The death of Mrs. Charles Brown,
a former resident of the Athena
neighborhood, occurred at Redlands,
California, March 11. Mrs. Brown
was 74 years and seven months old
at her death. She spent the summer
in Athena two years ago, at the
home of her foster daughter, Mrs.
Lou Hodgen. She is survived by her
foster daughter and the following
nephews and neices: Fred Hodgens,
Lando Hodgens, Will Hodgens, Will
Hardesty; Mrs. J. F, Free and Mvs.
M. B. Atkinson.
Addressed Kiwanis Club
M. L. Watts, who recently address
ed the Men's League of Athena on
the subject of banking, was the
principal speaker before the Kiwanis
I club at Pendleton, during the week
ly luncheon Tuesday. R. Alexander
; introduced Mr. Watts, who talked
I again on banking. Mr. Watts said
I that a banker aside from having
capital must also have confidence in
his community as well as the con
fidence of his patrons and further
more must be a psychologist.
John Day Cattle
The Pilot Rock Record says that
its town presented a sight for old
eyes the other day, when Ben Colvin
jand Porter brothers unloaded 1)09
bead of cattle there, and trailed th-m
i over to the John Day ranges in
Grant county. The cattle were ship
ped to Pilot Rock from Idaho. The
outfit was all pepped up with chuck
vtaUii auu lent lunuvjh
PACT PROPOSED BY
DIAZ IS DISLIKED
v Washington, p. O.--Suoh treaty as
that proposed by President Diaz of
Nicaragua, setting up virtually an
American protectorate over that coun
try tor 400 years, is not the sort de
sired by the United States under its
policy to help stabilize conditions in
Central America, in the belief of
President Coolidge.
Announcement of his position at the
White House clearly foreshadowed a
rejection of the Diaz proposal.
It was emphasized that the presi
dent's policy still was to permit Nic
aragua or any other Central Ameri
can country to work out its own sal
vation, although the Washington gov
ernment stood ready to aid In any way
it could and also intended to main
tain its own rights in Nicaragua and
the rights of its nationals.
Withdrawal of American marines
from Nicaragua, which preceded the
political disturbance that grew Into
the civil war still distressing the
country, was in line with the desire of
President Coolidge that the Central
American states find for themselves
a means to- avoid continuous revolu
tion with attendant disorders and de
struction of property.
LAWMAKING COSTS HIGH
1927 Session More Expensive Thai)
Any Before.
Salem, Or. When all bills for the
late legislative session are paid, tho
session will prove by far the most ex
pensive in the history of tho state.
To date, according to Secretary ot
State Kozer's records, f 107,723 in leg
islative hills has been paid.
This does not Include the cost of
printing the bills and calendars, tho
house and senate journals, the session,
laws, tho cent of correcting and edit
ing the house and senate Journals und
various other Items which, It is ex
pected, will run the total cost up be
tween $140,000 and $145,000 as com
pared to 9121,391.41 for the session of
1925.
The 'j piT day expense allowance
which the legislature voted to them
selves accounts in Itself for au Item
of $2o,21o.
uin. wcii.ca oy court.
Washington, I). C. Tho government
won an important 'victory iu the trial
of Harry t Sinclair, wealthy oil oper
ator and sportsman, for alleged con
tempt ot the senate when a defense
motion tor an instructed not guilty
verdict was overruled.
Home, Sweet Home Goes Under Sale.
I KhkI lliit.'iptoii, N. V. Home, Sweet
Home, js (or sub-. The farmhouse In
which John Marlon Payne spent his
boyhood, tho inspiration of the famous
song, is to be disposed of to settlu
s estate.