THE SUMPTER MINER. VOL I. SUMPTER, OREGON, MAY 2, 1900. NO. 34- OFFICIALS NOT CONDEMNED, Contemptible Tactics Adopted By "Our E. C." "SQUARING" ITSELF. If You Sec It in the American It Is a Fake Begs Signatures to Endorsement and Distorts Interviews Not a Spontaneous Ovation City Off'clals Need no Defense. Last week the Blue Mountain Ameri can, a paper, mucli the larger portion of which is printed in Portland, but which Is issued with a Sumpter date line and entered in the postoffice here, devoted Its limited home filled space to n laborious failure to make it appear that the citizens of this camp endorse Us idiotic policy. That some sort of endorsement was needed, no one will deny, and Itself ad mits by this desperate attempt to "square" Itself with the town and place a prop under its tumbling fortunes. Its excuse for so doing, to conform to a journalistic custom, is as silly as the statement is false. No such custom prevails. Had the American confined Itself to in ducing others under false pretense to toot its horn, this would have been none of THK MINER'S business and this paper would have paid no attention to the frantic effort at vindication. But when it fraudulently secured these words of approval for itself, it also rung in condemnation for city officials. Citizens who have been placed In this false light, wish to be set right be fore the public, wish it to be stated that they had no intention to reflect on either the intelligence or the Integrity of the city council, and at the request of many of these THE MINER now gives a brief history of the American's troubles, motives and methods, without further personal embarrassment to those whose names have already been connected with the unpleasant incident, against their wishes. Every one knows the ease with which signatures can be obtained to a petition or like document; that the great majority of people will sign anything from a request for the appointment of a road supervisor to a prayer for the pardon of a convicted criminal, without giving the matter a sec ond thought. Seymour Bell, in explain ing why he signed this paper, when the subject was under informal discussion at the council meeting the other evening, said: "I signed it, like I do everything else that is presented to me, when no money is asked for. I paid no attention to the stuff that Was in It." At the same time Attorney Shelton declared that he had been misquoted, the whole tenor of his remarks perverted; in fact had been made to say exactly what he refused to state, at the persistent pleading of an American representative, "False in part, false in all," is a legal maxim, pertaining to evidence, which is applicable to this case. The American's employes of light ning rod agent characteristics went around town, begging for signatures, purloining interviews and secured both In this way, which were exploited as a voluntary, en thusiastic ovation to that publication and no one was deceived. The occasion for all this was the bad break made by the paper some weeks since in publishing a sensational, false story regarding the sanitary condition of Sumpter, apparently designed to injure the town and keep away those intending to come here. Companies th.it were sending away a hundred or more copies of the paper as advertising matter stopped doing so,.knowing the evil effect it would have where the animus for the publication of such rot was not known. Now repre sentatives of these companies are apparently worked into endorsing that move. This has been followed up since by equally unfounded statements I that the town is in the hands of criminals, I intimating that life and property are not 'safe here. In both cases the inference is j made that city officials are criminally neg- ligent of their duties, at least, and leaving tne matter open for the uninformed to conclude that they weie "standing in" with doctors, undertakers and robbers. But that which has been particularly Ir ritating In the course of the American is the plan adopted of making a great out cry about some needed measure or im provement after the council has taken action in the matter, wait a week and then noisily proclaim that the "reform" was accomplised through its mighty intluence. It is hard to believe that a man would i re sort to such contemptible tactics; it looks like the petty strategy of a spiteful wo man. In the case of the sanitary meas ures enforced, the council had issued the order three weeks before the American made its first move. Regarding the pav ing of streets, THE MINER had published the whole story of the property owners' definite intention before the idea worked its way into the American office. As a matter of fact, the council discussed the question last fall, when the American was still snarling about "penniless schemers," and vainly regretting the fact that they were already getting three square meals a day. There seems to be good founda tion for the statement repeatedly and posi tively made that the paper was bought for the purpose of "bearing" the proposi tion, to prevent a boom, because Its own ers had not acquired all the property coveted hereabouts. So far as a defense of the mayor and council against these Insinuations Is con cerned, Messrs. Gleason, Bills, Stinson, l.ooney, Healy, Parkinson, and Hillier need none. They are all largely Interest ed in the town and its prosperity, are themselves large property owners and have worked for the interest of the town without pay. Take the whole history of this municipal government and not the shodow of a suspicion of jobbery can be found. No other town is so free from this taint. If they err, it Is on the side of caution and economy, but no error of this nature can be charged to them when the vital interests of the town are at stake. If you see It In the American it Is a fake. W. M. Robinson Found Guilty. Some days since W. M. Robinson, tem porarily in charge of the Star hotel, dumped a lot of garbage on the bank of Powder river, at the Granite street cros sing. Tills being a violation of a city ordinance, Al Hillier, in his capacity of health officer, ordered him to remove it, which he refused to do. The officer had the refuse removed and the offender ar rested. Then W. M. Robinson tried to evade the consequences of this violation of municipal law by tendering payment for having the stuff carted off, but this smooth game didn't work. Recorder Manning fined the offender ten dollars and costs, amounting to about seven dol lars. He fought the case and, of course, had to settle with his attorney. Al Hillier attends strictly to his duties and plays no favorites. POST OFFICE LOCATED. Goes in Transportation Go's Block on Center Street. As stated in these columns some weeks since would be the case, the post office will be moved Into the Sumpter Transpor tation company's block on Center street. Yesterday Postmaster Jewett closed the lease for the north corner store room, on the alley. The lease runs for four years, consideration not made nubile. Till nl.'ii.. Ic lint vi-t r'iilu fnr n.n. pancy, but will be at an early day. The postmaster says he will move in at the earliest possible date; just when he can not now state. It will be fitted up with every convenience. The much needed space for handling the large and ever in ; creasing business of the oHice will also be provided. MORE CANADIAN CAPITAL. Organization of the Ottawa Exploration and Development Company. The Ottawa Exploration and Develop ment company was organized here Mon day. The Incorporators are H. V. Miller, M. E. Bain and M. Holmes. The officers are all selected from the directors, who are James Tleiney, president; W. H.Miller, vice-president; M. Holmes, secretary; M. E. Bain, treasurer; J. B. Tieruey, super intendent and manager; Judge Newbury, attorney. The president of the company lives in Arnprior, Ontario, and is a member of the Canadian parliament. The superin tendent and manager is his nephew, a mining man of experience who lias been operating in British Columbia. He ar rived here a few days since from Ross land. H. W. Miller, vice-president, is a resident of Roseberg, this state, and for some time past has been opening up the Umpqua mine. He is reported -to have large and substantial financial backing. Other officials are well and favorably known In Sumpter. The company lias three properties In view, for which negotiations are pending. It was thought that a deal for one of these would be closed yesterday, but some hitch in the proceedings occurred and the transfer has not yet been made. As soon as it Is, however, arrangements will be made to begin development work. W. C CALDER RETURNS HOME. What is Being Done in Portland In a Mining Way. W. C. Calder returned home yesterday, after having spent three weeks in Port land and several of the valley towns. The primary purpose of the trip was bus iness connected with the Inter-Mountain mine. He reports having accomplished the desired object and is, therefore, well pleased and very sanguine regarding the future of this district. His business there necessarily threw him much with mining men and he be came familiar with their aims and the methods they are adopting to reach a de finite end; both of which he approves. He says the Portland people are making an heroic effort "to get into mining right." In this, as in all other matters, they are extremely conservative and are moving cautiously. The Mineowners club is be coming quite a factor in the city's life. Two mining exchanges, to be operated on slightly different lines, have been organ ized. In both the central idea is to protect buyers. On both boards, when a pro perty Is listed, its character must be known and will be made public; if it is a mine It will be advertised as such; if a prospect, that is what it will be called. The Golconda company has opened handsome offices and considerable of its stock Is being sold as a permanent, div idend producing investment. In every valley town visited, he found that a local syndicate had been formed to work some eastern Oregon mine. In fact, apparently, every one either Is Interest ed or wants to become personally finan cially Interested in some mining pro position. WAR EAGLE DEVELOPMENT. In Good O.-c at Seventy Feet and No Hanging Wall in Sight. J. .1. Ilennessy, general manager of the Gold Bug-Grizzly Mining company, came In from the mine yesterday and re ports work in the tunnel making rapid progress, and that (he ledge will be tap ped within the next twenty days, as two shifts of miners are. now steady at work. Mr. Heunessy is also general manager of the War Eagle Mining company, oper ating In the Bonanza camp, where he lias visited this week and Is very enthusiastic over their property there. He says the tunnel at this place Is now In seventy feet and is In good ore, with no sign of a hang ing wall as yet. lie claims the lead on this property to be not less than 100 feet wide, judging from the surface indlcalious. Their object in driving on the War Eagle is to demonstrate the real width of this lead and its values as depth Is at tained. If the ore values will continue to hold the present average that they will be fully satlslied, and Mr. Ilennessy says he has no reason to doubt its continuance. THE MINER man's Interview with the above operator was a very satisfactory one and he regrets that every mining man in the country cannot know the golden opinins expressed by Mr. Ilennessy, who Is thorough enough In his business to re cognize the opportunities hereabouts and as an evidence of this, he is not only tak ing up properties for himself, hut Is bring ing In others, among his friends and ac quaintances, who seem to share his opin ion after being here a short lime. Vinson Addition Improvements. The Sumpter Transportation company yesterday completed the purchase nl a block of ground from Roy Atlilrr, controll ing the Vinson adJItlnu on Hie west side of the river, lor a consideration ol $mck. The company has the plans lor building one of the largest structures nl this kind In the state, or in the Northwest, and when completed svlll cover tl:e stage and livery barns, blacksmith, machinery and wagon shops, harness ;nul saddlery slinks, feed stores, etc. The properly faces on Granite street and Riverside avenue, be ing block 36 011 the addition plat. The bridge is about completed and the approaches will be in a few days. Sever al other lots in this addition have been sold during the week, on which buildings will be immediately erected. It Is learned from A. W. Ellis that anotlirr bridge fur ther up the river, to be 24x200 feet, will be constructed in a few days, which will di vert all the Bourne road truvtl nn this same route. Public Notice. All citieus of Sumpter are hereby noil lied to have the taps made ai.d connected with their premises by June 1, as after that date the privilege of more than one consumer to take water from the same tap will lint be permitted. SUMPTER WATV.R CO. May 1, 1900.