OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST
STUPIDITY OF CANDIDATES.
Aspirants for Stats Legislative Honors
Show Great Density.
Balem Men who seek to be lawmak
ers or Judges have the greatest trouble
in preparing their primary petitions in
euch a manner as to comply with the
provisions of the direct primary law.
If it were not a cruel unkindness to
those who aspire to these high and Im
portant offices, many stories could be
told of the great difficulty some of them
have hud In understanding the law and
complying with its terms.
One candidate for the circuit bench
has propounded a simple question con
cerning the requirements of the law,
and has volunteered his own opinion as
to its meaning, whereas the law itself
contains a plain and unequivocal pro
vinion directly at variance with his
views. Should he have as great difli
'culty in understanding the law after
lie secured a place on the circuit bench,
there will he plenty of causes for ap
peal to the Supreme court.
Soven times Secretary of State Dun
bar has been compelled to write to one
man regarding the manner of preparing
his petitions, and that man wants to
come to Salem and help make laws for
the state of Oregon. There is still a
possibility that he will not get his
papers drawn in substantial compli
ance with the law and will be shut out
of the privilege of being a candidate in
the primaries.
Petitions are now being rushed to
the office of the secretary of State and
the clerks in that department are being
kept busy early and late checking up
the papers, to see that they contain the
required number of names, from the
specified number of counties and pre
cincts. March 30 is the last day upon which
nominating petitions can be filed for
places oh tne primary ballot. Demo
crats express the fear the t some of their
candidates will not get their petitions
completed by that time.
Roads Over Umatilla Reserve.
Pendleton Agitation continued for
years for public roads across the Uma
tilla reservation will at last be success
ful. Under an act of congrrss, public
roads may be laid out across a reserva
tion in the same manner as elsewhere,
except that the road has to be approved
by the department. In the past it has
been held that the county had no rights
upon the reservation, and consequently
the use of the roads has been at the
pleasure of the Indians. For several
years the taking of sheep across the re
serve has been prohibited.
Abandon Cascade Road.
Albany Charles Altschul, represent
ing the Willamette Valley & Coast Cas
cade Mountain Wagon Road company,
has notified county clerk B. M. Payne
that the company will abandon the
road across the Cascade mountains and
will not be responsible hereafter for
repairs or for accidents on the road.
As a result, a number of men here are
taking steps to file nri some of the lands
of the company's land grant under the
timber and stone act. The road was
built a third of a century ago.
Josephine Farmers Talk.
Grants Pass Farmers living in the
Applegate valley have formed a tele
phone company to be known as the
Applegate Valley Te'ephone 'company.
Arrangements have been made with the
Pacific States Telephone company by
which they can connect with the latter
company's lines in Grants Pass. Farm
ers living around Merlin, down Rogue
river and on Jump-off-Joe will have a
meeting in a few days to form a com
pany to run a line from those sections
to Grants Pass.
Old Deed is Filed.
Albany A deed has been recently
filed for record here that was made be
fore Oreeon was a state. It was signed
by Joab Powell and Anna Powell, No
vember 25, 1858, and acknowledged be
fore Jacob Snoderly, a justice of the
peace. It was written with a quill on
a large sheet of paper, now yellow and
dimmed. Powell was a pioneer minis
ter, and has many descendants in Linn
county.
Material for Central Rrilway.
La Grande A carload of plows,
scrapers and other tools for grading
have been received at Union for use in
work for the Central railway of Oregon.
Some of the Eastern parties interested
in the electric railway enterprise have
also arrived at Union and their pres
ence is accepted as the signal for the
commencement of activw operations.
Oregon Horses for Japan.
John Day Henry TrowbrMge and
C. I. Officer, stockmen of the Izee coun
try, have purchased a band of 100
horses for a contract of Seattle shippers
with the Japanese government. The
horses are all young geldings, from 15
to 15 hands high, and without blem
ish. From $40 to $60 per head was
paid.
POPULATION DECREASES.
Inaccurate Work by Assessors in Tak
ing Census. ,
Salem According to county assess
ors' returns already examined the total
population of Oreson will be less than
that given by the Federal census of
1900.
In many instances the returns show
on their face that no attempt was made
at accuracy, and this lack of care is of
such a nature that Secretary of State
Dunbar will hardly be able to complete
the tabulation of the state census of
1005 until some time this fall, possibly
not before next winter.
There was no appropriation made to
provide extra help to do this work, con
sequently it must be done by the regu
lar office force. The primary and gen
eral elections furnish all the work the
employes of the office can handle for
some time to come. It will be neces
sary to work overtime to tabulate the
returns of the primary election, and to
get the official ballot out for the June
election.
The census returns in many instan
ces were not properly extended. It will
be necessary to go over all the papers
and check them up, a slow and tedious
process. With the present help, it will
require weeks, and possibly months, to
tabulate the returns properly.
Buy;ng Timber for Speculation.
Eugene One of the largest timber
'and transactions in this vicinity is re
ported to have been consummated,
wherein the Olean Land company, of
Olean, N. Y., has secured 15,000 acres
of timber in the vicinity of Gate creek.
Besides this large tract, the same com
pany is negotiating for several other
bodies of good timber along the Mc
Kenzie river, aggregating probably 25,
000 acres or more. It is said the pur
chasing company has no intention of
cutting the timber from these lands,
but is buying for purposes of specula
tion and will hold for an advance in
prioe.
Electric Line In Six Months.
Astoria W. L. Dudley, promoter of
the proposed electric line between this
city and Seaside, was here a few days
ago and says the line will be completed
and in operation within six months if
the material is delivered within the
specified time. He says permission
from the government to build the
bridge across Young's bay has been se
cured and the contract for the steel
draw, as well as for 1.500 tons of 60
pound steel rails have been awarded
The rails are to be delivered within 90
days. '
Small Force at Woolen Mill. '
Fugene The Eugene woolen mill
has started operations on a limited
scale. The new company which recent
ly purchased the property has been
making improvements, and intends
putting the mill into full operation as
soon au possible.
PORTLAND MARKETS.
Wheat Club, 67c; bluestem, 68c;
red, 65c; valley, 69c.
Oats No. 1 white feed, $27.50;
gray, $27 per ton.
Barley Feed, $23.5024 per ton ;
brewing, $2424.50; rolled, $24.50
25.50. .
Hay Eastern Oregon timothy,
choice, $1718 per ton; common, $13
14; valley iimothy. $8(39; clover,
$7 508; cheat. $67; grain hay,
$78; alfalfa, $12.
AppleB $1.502,.75 per box.
Vegetables Asparagus,8c per pound ;
cabbage, ljlc per pound; cauli
flower, $2 25 per crate; celery, 75
90c per dozen; onions, 40c per doz
en; rhubarb, $1.25 per box: spinach,
$1.251.50 per box; parsley, 25c;
turnips, $11.25 per sack; carrots,
65 75c per sack; beets, 85c$l per
sack.
Onions No. 1, 75c90c per sack;
No. 2, nominal.
Potatoes Fancy graded Burbanks,
50 60c per hundred; ordinary, nom
inal; sweet potatoes, 2j2)c per
pound.
Butter Fancy creamery, 2527c
per pound.
Eggs Oregon ranch, 16c per dozen.
Poultry Average old hens, 14
14c per pound; mixed chickens, 13
13c; broilers, 2530c; young
roosters, 1313c; old roosters, 12c;
dressed chickens, l5rtil6oi turkeys,
live, 1617c; turkeys, dressed, choice,
1820c; geesa, live. 8c; geese, dressed,
10llc: ducks, 1719c.
Hops Oregon, 1905, choice,-10
lOJc: prime, S9c medium, 78c;
olds, 57c.
Wool Eastern Oregon average best,
1520c; valley, 242Pc per pound;
mohair, choice. 2528c.
Veal Dressed, 3Pc per pound.
Eeef Dressed bulls, 2)(3 3c per
pound; cows, 84!c; country
steers, 435c.
Mutton Dressed, fancy, 99Jc per
pound; ordinary, 45c; lambs, 10
11c.
Pork Dressed, 68c per pound.
OUR TRADE WITH CANADA.
Growth Has Been Enormous, Despite
Attempted Reduction.
Washington, March 27. Trade of
the United States with Canada in the
flBcal year 1905 aggregated $202,949,
213, against $89,428,096 in 1895, ac
cording to a bulletin issued by the de
partment of Commerce and Labor. It
shows that in the years from 1875 to
1895 our trade with Canada increased
$67,000,000, and from 1896 to 1905 it
increased $114,000,000.
The larger portion of this growth has
been on the export side. The imports
increased from $27,867,615 in 1875 to
$62,469,432 in 1905, and exports ad
vanced from $34,547,219 in 1875 to
$140,529,581 in 1905.
"This rapid growth in trade relations
with Canada," says the bulletin, "is
especially interesting in view of the
varying conditions to which commerce
with Canada has been subjected. Dur
ing the period from 1855 to 1806 a re
ciprocity treaty was in force between
Canada and the United States, but in
the the latter year it was determined,
so that commerce between the two
countries was unaffected by special
trade arrangements until April, 1898,
when the United States was placed at a
slight disadvantage as compared with
the United Kingdom, products from
that country entering the Dominion of
Canada being admitted, by special ar
rangement, at a reduction of 12 per
cent of the tariff levied on imports
from other countries.
"August 1, 1898, the reduction of
British products was increased to 25
per cent, and on July 1, 1900, was still
further increased to 33 K P cent.
Despite these advantages in favor of
goods entering Canada from the United
Kingdom, exports to Canada from that
country grew from $29,743,712 in 18 7
to $59,603,556 in 1904,' while exports
from the United States grew from
$64,928,825 in 1897 to $140,529,581 in
1905."
The percentage of imports to Canada
from the United States in 1905 was
60.6 and from the United Kingdom 24
per cent.
MISERY OF STARVING.
Japanese Live on Flour Mixed With
Straw and Weeds.
Tokio, March 27. The misery and
suffering iu the famine district has
been slightly relieved by the prompt
and liberal aid from foreign sources
and the abatement of the rigors oi
winter. The local authorities are try
ing to provide work for the ablebodied,
but the extent of the work is inade
quate, and tens of thousands are still
on the verge of starvation.
Many parents are parting with their
children, sending them to the already
crowded Okayama orphanage. Several
children are quartered at the Ueyno
railway station in this city. Among
them was a girl 6 years old. who wax
found treasuring a package of dirty old
newspapers. On examination the park
age was found to contain a postal card,
with the address of the parents of the
child, who had been told to mail the
card upon her arrival at her destina
tion. The severity of the suffering un
dergone by the children is clearly de
picted in the faces of those who are
compelled to part from their homes,
where the food consists of flour mixeH
with straw and weeds. The mixture ie
beaten fine, forming a paste, which
contains only 25 per cent actual food
value.
The government has remitted the
lowest tax in the famine district, but
this will not aff"rd immediate relief.
The liberal contributions from Ameri
cans are already effective, and the re
lief in the form of food and clothing is
commanding the heartiest apprecia
tion.
Another appeal for aid is presenterd
by the sufferers from the earthquake
in Formosa, hundreds of whom are
homeless. The local government is
busy providing food, caring for the in
jured, and' recovering and removing
corpses, several hundred of which are
biried under the debris.
San Jacinto in Danger.
Los Angeles, March 27. A dispatch
to the Times from San Jacinto, Cal ,
says: Raging down its course in the
maddest fury known in 25 yearB, the
San Jacinto river threatens great dam
age to the town of San Jacinto, to the
extensive ranch !ng regions near by and
to many other places down the valley.
Bridges have been washed away, lands
have teen flooded, and it has been only
with the greatest difficulty that, the
waters have been prevented from
sweeping through the main street of
San Jacinto and entailing heavy loss.
Fire Destroyed Eleven Buildings.
Fayetteyille, N. C, March 27. A
fire which started in the Frank Thorn
ton Dry Goods company's store last
night, in the center of the citv de
stroyed 11 buildings. Loss, $300,000.
No one was killed, but several persons
sere injnred.
JEWS ARE DOOMED
Russian Police Have Planned
Massacre at Easter.
SPURRING ON BLACK HUNDRED
Proclamations of Blood Issued, Says
League of Writers, Which
Appeals to Russians.
St. Petersburg, March 31. The
League of Russian Writers lias issued
an appeal to the Russian people to
unite in the name ol their consciences
and self-respect to prevent the Jewish
massacres whih, they say, are beyond
doubt being prepared in Southwestern
Russia for Eastertide. The appeal says
that it is not fancy but fact that the
police and gendarmes are arranging to
let loose the Black Hundred upon the
members of the poor, helpless race. It
recalls that the Kishineff, Goml and
Odessa anti-JewiBh outrages were com
mitted at the instigation of Minister of
the Interior von Plehve, Chief of Police
Neidhardt and Count Podgericbanie,
Chief of the gendarmerie of Gomel.
Just as in the past times St. Bartho
lomew day were arranged by agents of
the government, the appeal declares,
the recent proclamations emanating
from the printing office of the police
master at St. Petersburg and that of
the military at Odessa leave no doubt
that the authorities are privy to the
present propaganda. The anpeal furth
er declares that M. Katlsousky's book
warning Jew3 to leave Russia immedi
ately or be treated as the Jews were
treated by the Spaniards in the middle
ages was printed and distributed from
the offices of the police masters of St.
Petersburg and Ekaterinoslav.
The League of Writers claims to hold
proof that massacres have been planned
to take place at Alexandrovsk, Minsk,
Brest-Litovsk, Rostof-on-Don and Kie
mentcbug. It also points out that the
anti-JewiBh press is spreading insidious
rumors to excite the ignorant.
BIGGEST OF ALL BATTLESHIPS.
Naval Officers Divided on Building of
22,000-Ton Monster.
Washington, March 31. Since the
decision of the house committee on na
val affairs to recommend an appropria
tion of $6,000,000 for the construction
of a battleship larger than any now
afloat, naval experts in Washington
have begnn a heated discussion of the
size of battleships, which shows that
Admiral Dewey is not supported by
many naval officers in his advocacy of
a battleship greater than the 18,000
ton Rritish battleship Dreaduaught.
Naval constructors are agreed that
an effective battleship with a displace
ment of 20,000 tons or more can con
structed for the American navy hu'
tl e advisability of authorizing one ship
of this tvpe at the present time, and
not making an effort to provide addi
tional 16.000-ton battleships to supple
ment the qouta of smaller phips, and
thus make a desirable working unit
out of them, is questioned by many
naval authorities.
At least four battleships of the same
speed and with similar batteries and
equipment are necessary, according to
the view of the constructors, to be
effective in an engagement.
One great battleship, even if it be
swifter and have more guns than other
ships afloat, they contend, cannot ac
complish anything in actual warfare,
and is no more effective than the slower
and less formidable ships with which
it is joined in action.
Scranton Ready for Strike.
Scranton, Pa., March 31. The an
nouncement of a suspension of mining
in the anthracite field was not wholly
unexpected here. The companies have
taken it for granted that thtre would
be a strike and preparations were made
accordingly. Stockades have heen
built, guards have been hired to pro
tect property, and all the minor offi
cials, firemen and office clerks have
been asked to sign an agreement, to
help protect the company's properties
in rac-n of a strike. All the companies
will make an effort to operate.
New Battleship is Speedy.
Boston. March 31. The performance
today of the battleship New Jersey in
maintaining a speed ol 19.18 knots an
hour in a four-hour endurance run off
the Npw England coast, coupled with
her remarkable speed yesterday over a
measured mile at Rockland, Me, at a
19:18 knot gait, places tLis ' vessel' at
the head of all American built battle
ships so far ac speed is concerned.'- -
GREAT DAM IS GONE
Flood Wrecks Government Irrl
garion Wort in Wyoming.
WORKMEN HAVE NARROW ESCAPE
North Platte River Tears Away Big
Diversion Dam, Bridge and
Many Houses.
Casper, Wyo., March 29. The North
Platte liver has been rising at an
alarming rate during the past 48 hours,
due to the rapid melting of snow of the
previous week. The great diversion
dam at Alvova, erected by the Reclam
ation service as a temporary structure
to divert the waters of the river while
the Pathfinder dam is being built, baa
been washed away, and its loss will
seriously interrupt the completion of
the government enterprise.
Although the heavy rains of the last
few days has caused much apprehension
among residents of this part of Wyom
ing, none were prepared for the over
throw of such a piece of engineering aa
the huge dam. When the waters swept
through the immense masonry, many
workmen barely escaped with their
lives. The dam had been built at a
cost of nearly $100,000.
The steel bridge built by the govern
ment six miles below the dam at Path
finder was also carried away. Small
cabins, barns and property-of all de
scriptions are floating down the swollen
stream, which is spreading over the
lowlands and causing great loss to
stockmen and ranchmen. Miles upon
miles of the lowlands are flooded, and
it is feared much stock is drowned.
A report from Lander says that 3,000
sheep belonging to Charles Souther,
which were shut in a large shed, were
drowned and swept away.
PERKINS ARRESTED.
Charged With Giving Away Large
Sums of Insurance Money. -New
York, March 29. On a charge
that his connection with the contribu
tion of $48,702.50 from the funds of
the New York Life Insurance company
to Iornelius N. Bliss, treasurer of the
Republican National committee in the
campaign of 1904, constituted grand
larceny in the first degree, George W.
Perkins, a member of the firm cf J. P.
Morgan & Co., and until recently first
vice president of the New York Life In
surance company, was arrested today
on a warrant issued by City Magistrate
Moss. When a detective went to serve
the warrant upon Mr. Perkins, he
found that a writ of habeas corpus had
already been obtained from Justice
Greenbaum, of the State Supreme
ciurt, and the matter was immediately
laken out of the hands of the magis
trate. Mr. Perkins appeared before
Justice Greenbum and, at the request
nf his counsel, the hearing was ad
journed until tomorrow. Mr. Perkins
was paroled in the custody of his per
sonal attorney, Lewis A. Delafield.
GREAT SMELTER BURNED.
Immense Plant in Wyoming Destroyed
When About to Start.
Grand Encampment, Wyo., March
29. The great smelting, concentrating
and electric and steam power plant of
the Penn-Wyoming Copper company
was practically destroyed by fire today,
entailing a loss estimated at $300,000,
insurance half that amount. The
smelter building was saved after a hard
fiiiht by the fire department. The or
igin of the fire is a mystery.
The plant had been closed down for
the winter on account of the deep snow
and improvements under way. Prepa
rations were on foot to resume next,
month.
The fire will bring the business to a
standstill for mon hs. The Penn-Wy-nming
company handled the copper ores
of a large part of the Encampment dis
trict in addition to the ores from its
own mine, the Rudefha.
Legislates Out Officers.
Albany, N. Y., March 29. The in
surance bill postponing mutual insur
ance elections until November 15 was
passed in the senate unanimously. The
bill as passed by the senate was re
ported to the assembly late in the af
ternoon and was substituted for the
identical assembly bill, which was on
the order of their reading. This will
prohably bring it up for final passage
tomorrow, and there is little doubt that
it will be passed without material op
position and go at once to the governor
for his approval.
No Coal on Iowa Market.
Des Maines, March 29. In anticipa
tion of a strike April 1, the visible sup
ply of coal in Des Moines and Iowa has
been absorbed by railroads and factor
ies to the extent that not a pound of
commercial coal can be had at any
price. No orders for coal are taken by
dealers at any price and other kinds of
fuel are bringing exorbitant prices.