INTERMOUNTAIN TRIBUNE
===AN D
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LINN COUNTY AGRICULTURALIST
VOL. 31.
NO. 2.
$1.25
SWEET HOME, LINN COUNTY, OREGON, NOVEMBER 27, 1913
THE YEAR
CLEAR LAKE POWER FARMER SETS FIRE CITY FATHERS HOLD
wSfNATOR OWEN
12-4 SETTLERS CAN
TO BE DEVELOPED TO BARN; PERISHES IMPORTANT SESSION
FILE ON CLAIMS
HAD A REMEDY
Currency Bill Would Down New York Evil Many of Them Have Lived on Claims for Hill Lines Plan Work to Cost $5,000, Leroy Cowdrey, Age 80 Years, Commits The Electric Light Ordinance Was Passed
000—45,000 Horsepower
—Saloon License Reached
Wholesale Destruction At
Two to Four Years—Good
He Says—Street Gambling
in Sight
His Farm
Second Reading
Improvements Made
Curbed
Washington, Nov. 24.—Under
the present system the bank reserves
of the country are concentrated
largely in New York, where they
are loaned in speculative accounts
on the New York Stock Exchange,
Senator Owen asserted today in
opening the debate on the currency
bill in the Senate. He declared thé
Administration bill as reported by
the Democrats of the banking com
mittee would remedy this condition.
Senator Owen reviewed the de
tails of the bill and urged that by
the creation of a market for dis
counted commercial paper; and by
mobilizing the reserves in public
utility regional banks, the measure
would remove the great dangers of
the present financial system.
Declaring that at present New
York bankers who hold a large per
centage of the country’s reserves
are forced to place those reserves in
call loans on the Stock Exchange,
the Senator said:
“We are advised by representa
tive New York bankers that the
great banks there would be glad to
have, the system improved by the
establishment of Federal reserve
banks strong enough to furnish
money on demand against good
commercial bills and thus enable
the New York banks to withdraw
their funds from the Stock Ex
change, which has become the most
gigantic gambling establishment in
the world—and place such funds in
the service of legitimate industry
and commerce. This will be one of
the great benefits of the pending
measure—that is, it will withdraw
from the gambling enterprises on
the Stock Exchange the reserves of
the country and enables such re
serves to be used for the commerce
of the Nation.”
Senator Owen explained in detail
that the security which would be
behind the new currency would be
issued against commercial paper.
Besides this paper, he pointed out,
the notes would be secured by the
liability of the member the reserve
bank issuing the notes and its stock
holding banks, a 33| per cent gold
reserve and the guaranty of the
United States.
“There has never been issued a
note, with such safeguards surround
ing it by any banking system of the
world,” he said.
Senator Owen urged speedy ac
tion on the bill by the Senate, de
claring banks and business men
throughout the country were “hold
ing back” to discover just what
form the legislation would take.
He said the differences between the
divisions of the Senate committee
should be adjusted and, as chairman,
expressed his willingness to accept
some of the proposals made by the
anti-Administration faction.
Senator Hitchcock, who, with five
Republican members, constitute thé
socalled anti-Administration. wing of
the committee, will speak tomorrow
n support of the draft of the bill
which he reported to the Senate.
Some 75 or 80 settlers, who have
heretofore' been “squatters” on
lands in township 12 South, Range
4 East, can now file on their claims.
Some time ago the survey of this
township was accepted and the fol
lowing order enables our friends to
commence proceedings which will
give them a clear title. Some of
these settlers have lived upon their
claims for three or four years.
The notice sent us by Register
Higby follows:
Department of the Interior
U. S. Land Office^
Portland, Ore.. Nov. 17, 1913.-—
Notice is hereby gived that a survey
has been made of all of Sections 1
to 24, inclusive, in Township 12
South, Range 4 East, Williamette
Meridian, and a jilat of said survey
will be filed in this office at 9 o’clock
a. m. on December 22, 1913;; that
on and after such day we will be
prepared to receive applications for
said lands.
H. F. Higby, Register
Patent Granted
7
-----------
Geo. B. Whitcomb, of Big Bot
tom, while he is a rancher, a mer
chant, a timber cruiser, etc.', has
time to give nis mind to invention,
occasionally. .
He recently devised what he calls
an “Internal Combustion” boiler.
The Tribune will not attempt to tell
what an internal combustion boiler
is. Mr. Whitcomb might as well
named his invention an Infernal
Destrucnive institution; for boilers
burst occasionally and destroy
things indiscrimatively.
Mr. Whitcomb has just received
notice that a patent has been grant
ed for his device, both in the United
States and Canada. He claims that
he will be able to save more than
one-half the fuel required for tfie
production of steam, in the ordinary
steam boiler. If so he has invented
himself into a fortune of millions
of dollars.
Three Aged Brothers
J. D. Wood of near this city, paid
this office a social call this week. In
conversation, it developed that Jno.
D. Wood, the father of these broth
ers, came to Oregon in 1846, arriv
ing late in December and settled in
Marion county. The brothers, two
of them, Israel and J. D. have lived
in Linn county near the South
Santiam river since 1864. William,
the eldest, lives in Wallowa county.
The combined ages of the brothers
is 254 years. William is 91, Israel
83 and J. D., our caller, is 80 and
still carries on active farming. He
plowed and seeded 10 acres of grain
this present fall.
All of the brothers haye good
health and are fairly active for men
of such advanced age.
Eugene, Ore., Nov. 22—Comple
tion of preliminary surveys for the
development of 45,000 horsepower
within the next five years at Clear
Lake, in the Cascade mountains, 75
miles east of Eugene, was announc
ed by Geo. S. Edmondson, hydraulic
engineer of the Oregon Electric
railroad, a Hill line, who returned
tonight from Clear Lake, where he
has been engaged for 16 months in
making surveys and reading lake
levels and outlet flow. The total
cost of the installation will be up
ward of $5,000,000.
Construction of the first unit of
about 20,000 horsepower is to begin
in June 1914, just as soon as the
snow is out of the mountains, and
plans contemplate getting the work
far enough along to be able to work
throughout the year. The first unit
is expected to be in operation with
in two years. Power from this
plant will be available over a radius
of 100 miles, which means the terri
tory from Portland almost to the
California line and well into.Eastem
Oregon.
The power site is midway between
the Oregon Trunk, the Hill railroad,
up .the Deschutes river and the
Oregon Electric Railway, in the
Willamette Valley.
There have
been persistent rumors here of late
that the Oregon Electric intended
to build up the McKenzie Valley
towark Clear Lake next summer,
but there are no officials here to
confirm these statements.
The Clear Lake power site was
formerly held by the Southern Pa
cific Company, which lost title by
failure to develop within the time
prescribed by the government. The
Oregon Electric acquired the title
two years ago from H. L. Benham,
of Eugene, who * filed when the
Southern Pacific company relinquish
ed. The Oregon Electric immediat
ely established a permanent camp at
the shores of Clear Lake, and for 16
months have made daily record of
the maximum and minimum. mater
supply,
Engineer Edmondston visited the
camp in April of this year, but refus
ed to make public any report at
that time. He again went to Clear
Lake in June and has remained
there since, perfecting his report,
which is favorable and which he
brought out last night. He will
return from Portland in a few days
and go to Clear Lake to remain un
til Christmas.
“There is now no doubt but that
we can begin construction on this
plant next year,” he said tonight,
before, taking the train for Portland.
“We may have work starred by
next June. When we once start
the work, we will be prepared to
rush construction and work 12
months in the year. We will build
our headquarters permanently; build
(Continued on page 2)
Becoming despondent, Leroy Cow
drey, age 80, a farmer residing five
miles east of here on the Santiam
road, last night is believed to have
deliberatedly committed suicide by
shutting himself up in the barn, and
setting fire to it, then shooting him
self with a shotgun. His body was
found this morning in the charred
remains of the barn. Thé aged
widower,s house was also burned.
An effort was made* to burn the
chicken house but it is believed that
the fire was smothered. A cow and
several
chickens perished. The
house and barn were burned to the
ground.
It is believed that Cowdrey plan
ned the wholesale destruction care
fully. Eyidence of coal oil being
used was found. Straw and hay
had been stacked in the hen house
and in the residence. After sprink
ling the coal oil, it is beliéved that
the aged man ignited the straw,
then went to the barn, shut himself
up, lighted the hay and perished.
The shotgun was found beside the
body. The fire according to distant
neighbors, happened at 11 o’clock.
Cowdrey lost his wife last Septem
ber and it is thought this preyed on
his mind until he became despondent.
He lived alone but expected a son
to come from Eastern Oregon next
June to live with him.
When found the body was badly
charred and unrecognizable. The
legs and arms were burned com
pletely and tbe top of the head was
blown off. The weapon was a
twelve guage shotgun. It had
been charred and twisted by the
flames.
Despondency over the death of
his wife, coupled with family
troubles is believed to be the direct
cause of the deed.
Coroner Fortmiller went to the
scene this morning. The body was
brought to Albany and prepared for
burial. The son will arrive tomor
row to arrange for the funeral.—
Tuesday Albany Democrat
Merchant J. M. Cowdrey of this
city, is a son of. the above. Only
about two months ago the mother
died and this probably caused the
despondency leading to the above
tragedy.
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Cowdrey and
children went to Albany Tuesday
as s oon as news of the sad , event
reached them.
Our public school basket social at
the Grange hall, last Friday night,
was a very creditable affair. The
baskets were plentiful and sold at a
good figure. The highest sale was
$2.25. The total benefit for the
public school was $34.
Prof. W. T. Nicholls, the Lebanon
bandmaster, has been visiting at his
mother’s home above Foster this
week, returning to Lebanon today.
Thé Sweet Home city council held
quite a busy session, Tuesday even
ing, at which quite a large number
of our citizens were present.
Mayor Myer and Côuncilmen
Thompson. Story, McClure Smead
and ’ Post present; Councilman
Doerfer absent.
■ Minutes ' of last special meeting
read and approved;
The electric light ordinance was
up for final reading <fend passed
without a dissenting voice.
A communication from S. V.
Blodgett, of Lebanon, was read,
asking that a saloon licensé be
issued' to him. The communication
was placed on file.
Councilman Smead then intro
duced the proposed Saloon, License
ordinance which was read for the
first time. The amount of license
fee, after considerable discussion
was, tentatively, placed at $1200
per annum and the bonds for same
at $3000. The ordinance will be
up for final passage at the first
meeting in December.
Bills for registration blanks and
for registration of voters/ were
ordered paid.
Election tickets were ordered
printed.
Supreme Court Declares Registrdtion
Law Void
Salefri, Nov. 25.—Oregon’s 1913
permanent registration law clauses
were declared unconstitutional by
the members of the state supreme
court today. This action reinstates
the old law which requires electors
to register before each election. A
peremptory writ of mandamus,
sought by the city or Portland, was
granted to County Clerk Coffey.
Multnomah county will deliver to
the city auditor the 1912 'registrar
tion lists for use at the special elec
tion next month. The act was de
clared unconstitutional because the
legislature did not complete the en
actment of the law.
We make a Specialty of Friendship,
Engagement and Wedding Rings. F.
M. French & Son, Albany.
Clean Wholesome Beds.
Mountain Air
H^e£Foster
Newly refurnished and .
painted inside. Tables
are supplied with the
best the market affords
Feed barn in connection
with the Hotel..,.........
Beds 25c.
Meals 35c,
F. B. K napp ,
FOSTER
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manager
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OREGON