Site Mtu Vtm AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER F. B. BOYD. Owner and Publisher Subscription Rate. One copy, one year $2-00 One copy, six months tl.00 One copy, three months 73 Athena, Oregon, July 27, 1923 BLOCKING PROCESS The Bend Bulletin observes that with the filine in Salem of an lmtia tive measure providing for a fifty per cent reduction in motor vemcie no onso fpps. the thine has come t pass that has been feared for many months. True, the measure filed does not make so drastic a cut in license fees as does the so-called ?JW measure, but the loss of income in volved is a serious one. True, also with the lower license fee measure there is an accompanying bill provid ing for an additional 2 cent gas tax initiated, according to its sponsor, to make up for the loss of revenue created by the lower license tee. There is no assurance, however, that the added revenue from gasoline will be provided and it seems reasonably to be expected that the increased gasoline tax measure will not be adopted. The great objection to the meas ures, as to most initiative measures, is the fact that they represent mere ly the idea of a single individual. No chance has been provided for amend ment or possible improvement. There they stand and the voters must take them or leave them as they are. The great danger is that they will ap prove the measure providing the lower license fees and vote down the increase in the gas tax. One fact stands out immediately. The commission, having proceeded for some months slowly because of' the threat of these initiative measures, must practically suspend new construction activity. Whatever happens to these or other bills that may be filed in November, Oregon has lost one year of progress in highway construction. ELECTRIC GROWTH IS TREMENDOUS During 1927 great progress was made in extending the use of elec tricity. The number of customers served increased by 1,725,000, or 8V4 per cent, and 1,200,000 of them were home users. So rapid has been the extension of facilities into smaller communities that at the present time 02 per cent of the homes in this country have electric service and if farms are excluded 80 per cent. The increase in the use of electri city throughout the United States has far exceeded .the increase in population. Since 1912 the latter has risen 23 per tent while in the corres ponding period the amount of elec tricity generated for public consump tion has gained 486 per cent and the number of customers 420 per cent. In factory usage we lead the world, the degree of electrification averag ing Ti per cent, and in some types of factories reaching 100 per cent. Nineteen-twenty-seven also saw a great expansion in the use of electricity on farms, and it can be forecast that in the future this ser vice will become general. It has passed out of the theoretical stage and is a proven success. The foregoing statistics were given in a recent address by Paul S. Clapp, manager of the National Electric Light Association. With crippled fire fighting facilities caused when the power wires burned out, the entire business district of Frccwatcr was in imminent danger of total distinction, when the Walla Walla fire department answered the call for assistance and rushed ap paratus from a distance of 12 miles. And Walla Walla firemen saved the day after the futile efforts of the Milton department had failed to check the flames after two blocks of buildings in thnt city had been de stroyed. And you wager your last dollar that the twin cities are feeling more than neighborly toward Walla Walla for her help at the crucial moment. In a recent survey made in the most important section of a middle western state it was found that a person charged with crime risks but one chance in 110 of being punished. Of 12,543 felony cases tried in a great American city in 1926 but 2, 449 of the defendants were found guilty and a great many of these were released on parole or appeals or otherwise escaped prison. These are not isolated examples but more or less the general thing throughout the United States. o The water demand has been iwivy during the present hot wave, but the city mains have been well supplied mainly by the pumpingstation. En larging the capacity of the city well last season has proved to be a pru dent action and a satisfactory invest ment. In addition to lowering the rates for lawn irrigation purpo.ws, city water is being furnished the rfw swimming pool at City Park, and so far there are no restrictions on pat rons as to time or period for using water. . o Herbert Hoover, republican presi dential nominee, and Senator Hi Johnson of California had a con ference the other day. It is known that Senator Johnson, who is a can didate for re-election to the Senate, is not in accord with Hoover as. to all subjects that will be made issues in the coming campaign. Johnson let it be known that he proposes to attack the California power trust in his campaign speeches. . o The record of 23 days, 15 hours, 21 minutes and 5 seconds for the round the world trip, just completed, shatters the one held by a couple of newspaper men since' last year when they made it by airplane and steamer in 28 days, 14 hours, 36 minutes and 5 seconds. Time surely does fly. o Jimmy Walker, New York's dapper and interesting mayor, was enter tained at Portland for a few hours Tuesday. Jimmy was given the keys to the city, figuratively speaking, by Mayor Baker, and the two of 'em had a good time. o. The downward trend of the grain market presents anything but a rosy hue to the wheat grower. If the market continues much longer on the ( toboggan, it will take all of the Uma tilla county crop to pay the gas bill. o At the present time the fire hazard is the worst it has been this year. Eternal vigilance is the price of forest protection, and for the most part campers are exercising care in building fires. o North Bend is bidding for the prestige of becoming the colliery center of the Pacific Northwest. A $1,000,000 coal products plant is to be built there soon. 4 I. 22 Years Ago The ol' swimmin' hole is the proper place for the kiddies, and grownups too, these hot days. a o Russia is offering to buy what few horses are left in Oregon. While You Swim Leave your car for us to check the gas to look at the oil ' to fill the radiator to fill the battery to pump your tires "Pink's" Place Third Street "Service with a smile" July 27, 1906 Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Will M. Peterson, July 24, a son. Fred Kershaw is employed a por tion of his time as bookkeeper at the First National Bank. Mrs. D. B. Jarman and. little daugh ters have returned from a short so journ at the Hyatt place on Weston mountain. Wm. Piper, the well known farm er, was in town yesterday, purchas ing supplies and in quest of men to work in the harvest field. Dr. Plamondon has secured a lease on 100 acres of land at the Henry McBain place on the reservation, south of Athena. The doctor is be coming quite a rancher. He now has two pieces of land on the reservation. Chet. McCollough will go into the harvest field with his threshing out fit tomorrow. He has his engine and separator in first-class condition. John Bannister will commence threshing on his home place east of town today. Mr. Bannister is raising Dale wheat this season and expects a 40-bushel yield. In the opinion of the old settlers about this place there has never been such a long spell of warm weather here before. For 22 days the ther mometer' has registered a tempera ture from 85 to 105. Number 99, held by "Andy" Mc- Ewen, drew the fine hair bridle which has been on exhibition in this city for some time. The money derived from the sale of the bridle will be sent to its maker, a convict in the Montana penitentiary. Fort Walla Walla will be a deserted place for the next two months, as the Fourteenth Cavalry entrained at 4 o'clock Monday afternoon for Tort land from where the troops will go overland to American Lake, the scene of the summer maneuvers. In Pendleton Saturday, the market for new wheat opened at 57 cents per bushel. This is the same price at which the market opened last year. It is thought, however, that before many sales are recorded, the price will range around 60 cents. Swift Water Bill, a horse owned by George Perringer, and being trained at the Walla Walla track, reeled off a mile in 2:12 Monday. The horse is scheduled for two heats Sunday, and Perringer is confident that he can slip them off in 2-minute gait. R. L. Brittain, father of little Cecil Brittain, who is lost in the moun tains, was in Walla Walla Tuesday morning, but returned to the Tool gate in the afternoon. Before leav ing the city, Mr. Brittain received a telephone message from his wife stating that nothing new had de veloped. Mr. Brittain is confident that his son has been kidnapped. "If the boy were dead," said Mr. Brit tain, "he surely would have been found." COAST RED CEDAR FENCE POSTS Direct from Producer to Consumer Buy Collectively Address, N. Bolvig, Box 327, Orting, Washington Farmers Grain Elevator Company Grian and Feed SPECIAL A Full Line of Sperry's Chick Feed Phone 382 LEE WILSON, M'gr. Bingham Springs Umatilla County's Favorite Resort Splendid Dining Room Service, Cabins and Camp ing Privileges. Good Hotel Accomodations Swimming, Fishing, Hiking, Dancing, Hunting in Season Groceries and Provisions, Milk and Butter are on sale at the store on the grounds, for convenience of cabin guests and campers. J. II. LUCK, Manager Write: Bingham Springs, Gibbon, Oregon Cream Separator n McCORMICR'DEERING Ball-bearing separators Re-Designed Improved Rogers CS Goodman (A Mercantile Trust) lu yE now have these machines in our store. Opportunity will be given every farmer . interested in bigger dairy proceeds to study the new McCormick-Deering in detail and to handle it in operation. We will bring it to your farm and demonstrate fully, or you are welcome (T5 to see this beautiful blacbjapanned machine here at any time. To make the new Ball' Bearing McCormick'Deering available -at once for any farm, we will continue the "12 months payment plan." Six sizes hand, belted, and electric capacities 350 to 1 500 pounds of milk per hour. Concrete Work Done Right At Reasonable Prices Special attention given to Cemetery Work J, E. Crawley Phone 363 Athena, Oregon "He that tooteth not his own horn, the same shall not be tooted." Insurance of every kind and description. Farm Loans at rates and terms that satisfy. B. B RICHARDS, Athena WE GALL FOR AND DELIVER Monday, Thursday, Saturday SPECIAL Men's suits cleaned and pressed' $1.50 Starting March 15 Twin City Sanitary Cleaners F. E. Smith, Milton-Freewater Our Agency is at Penn Harris Barber Shop. The home of good Haircuts and Shaves. Phone 583. m j m m iv m We Handle Genuine 0 1 Goods-No Substitutes. Try0ur W D.R.SHAMP00 !arttiKa" atfaicuKWacs vxsy) Shaving and Baths Up-tc-the Minute Bobs Hair Cuts and Shingles DUFFIELD'S BARBER SHOP Athena, Ore. ESTABLISHED 1865 Preston-Shaffer Milling Co. AMERICAN BEAUTY FLOUR is made in Athena, by- Athena labor, in one ol the very best equipped mills in the Northwest, of the best selected Bluestem wheat grown anywhere. Patronize home industry. Your grocer sells the famous American Beauty Flour Merchant Millers & Grain Buyers theiH. Oregon. Waitsburs, Wash Announcement THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF ATHENA, OREGON, Announces that it has com-pleted the organ ization of a Trust Department and is qualified to act as Executor, Administra tor, guardian, or in any other fiduciary capac ity. Just think what 37 years of successful banking experience would mean to the executor , or ad ministrator of your estate. Ask us for Information