OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST
ASSESSMENT TO BE COLLECTED. I
Klamath Water-Users' Association Will
Assert Its Corporate Powor.
Klamath Falls Directors of the
Klamath Wator-Users' Association at
a recent mooting instructed their at
torney to proceed to enforce tho collec
tion of the asHCBsmont from tho delin
quent nioinbers, after giving roasonublc
iiotico that such action would be taken
if payments were not made at onco.
About 120 of the 520 mombors are do
liuquont, averaging about $7 for each
stockholder thus derelict, and the asso
ciation will now assort its corporato
powers.
hooks of the association closed since
January 1 havo boon reopened for sub
ncriptions, but landowners will here
after bo obliged to pay an enrollment
feo or penalty of CO cents an acre in
order to boeomo stockholders.
Land Office Collections.
Salom. Socrctary Brown, of the state
land board, has turned over to the state
treasury cash received in his office for
tho month of April as follows: Com
mon school fund principal, payments on
certificates and "cash sales, $23,467.61;
common school fund principal, payments
on sales of lands acquired by deed or
foreclosure, $907; common scnool fund
interest, payments on certificates,
$3,633.87; common school fund interest,
roots and payments on snlos of land
acquired byleed or foreclosure, $484.55;
agricultural college fund principal, pay
ments on certificates and cash sales,
$1,379.25; agricultural college fund in
terest, payments on certificates, $291.76;
totul, $30,164.04.
Fire Bisk Increase at Eugene.
Eugene. Several months ago a repre
sentative of the. board of fire underwrit
ers of the Pacific visited Eugene and
announced that nearly all tho business
houses of the city were improperly
wired, and were not up to the standard
set by tho code. Effort was made by
owners of buildings to have defective
wiring mado right, while others disre
garded the notice. Now cornea the in
formation to fire insurance agents of
this city that insurance rates have been
advanced on account of defective wir
ing. Tho average increase, is 50 cents
per $100. Tho announcement has creat
ed a stir among property holders, and
steps will bo taken to secure better
wiring.
Examinations for Forest Service.
Itosc.burg. Examinations will be held
at Koseburg, Ore., May 14, for the posi
tion of forest ranger. Aspirants for
positions who have not tiled applica'
tions for examination with the United
States commission at Washington should
filo at once with 8. C. Bartrum, forest
supervisor at Itoseburg, from whom ap
plication blanks may be secured. The
positions are under civil service. Ex
amination will bo along practical lines
relating to forest patrol. Men between
21 and 40, of sound bodily condition, are
eligible. Civil service examinations for
the position of forest supervisor will be
held in Portland, Astoria, Baker City
and Eugene, May 18.
Salmon In Grand Ronde. -
La Grande. Superintendent Allen, of
tho Wallowa salmon hatchery, was in
La Grande recently, and stated that the
hatchery released a few days ago
1,000,000 fry and about the same amount
will be ready to bo released within a
short time. Operations at tho Wallowa
hatchery so far are considered satisfac
tory. Salmon have commenced jumping
in the Grand Eonde river at Oro Doll, a
mile nbove La Grande. The salmon,
which in the early history of the valley
came up the river in abundance, have
for the past number of years .almost
entirely disappeared. It is now hoped
that the hatchery will be the means of
restocking the river.
Improve Orchard Tract.
La Grande. The Rod Apple Orchard
Company, wh'ich owns a large tract
about three miles north of town in the
foothills, is planning extensive improve
ments. About seventy-five acres will
lie cleared and the ground put in con
dition for the planting of apples. There
is already a largo area of growing trees,
including fifteen acres of 12-year-old ap
plo trees and forty-five acres of 2-year-
old trees. There are five or six springs
located on this tract, and it is the in
tention of the company to enlarge some
of them, forming a lake, which will be
stocked with fish.
Scouring Mills Resume.
Pendleton. After being shut down
since last October tho Pendleton scour
ing mills will resume operations May 14.
The mills are now being given a thor
ough overhauling and will be placed in
first-class condition by that time. W.
M. McDonald, of Boston,' has arrived to
take charge as superintendent.
Plant Big Orchard. -La
Grande W. Lyman and L. Old
enburg have finished planting an apple
orchard of ninety-five acres near Im
blcr. There are 4,500 trees of three
varieties, including 2,500 Rome Beau
ties, 1,000 Ganos and 1,000 York Im
perials. The balance of tho tract, about
sixty acres, was planted in potatoes.
Expect Heavy Fruit Crop.
La Grande Grande Ronde growers
report the fruit prospects flattering for
this season. It is expected that the crop
will be twice as large as any previous
year, and that there will be at least 500
earloads shipped from this valley. The
apple and. cherry yields will bo very
large.
SHEEPMEN PEOTEST.
Oregon Men Not Satisfied With Allot
ment of Wenaha Eeserve.
Pendleton. Shcepmon of Umatilla
county havo mado vigorous protest
against tho action of forest reserve offi
cials at Walla Walla in standing by the
allotment recently mado of tho range in
Wenaha reserve. A remonstrance irom
Umatilla county hag boen fllod with
D. B. Sholler, forest reserve superin
tendent at Walla Walla.
Facts and figures are given in sup
port of the contention of Oregon stock
men. These in substance are as xei-
lows: Of the total land in the reserve,
700,000 acres, more than half lies in
Oregon. Only 35,357 Oragon sheep were
admitted to the reserve, whereas 123,000
Washington hhoep wore allowed. To add
insult to injury, 58,169 of the Washing
ton sheep were allotted to range in this
state. No Oregon sheep were allotted
rango in Washington. In scaling the
number to be allowed in tho reserve the
Oregon men were cut down 50 per cent,
while tre Washington men were allowed
practically all they asked.
It is hold by the Oregon stockmen
that forest reserve rules were violated
by the mannor in which the reserve was
allotted. The rules specifically provide
that in allotment of rango in reserve,
stockmen of the ttate in which the re
serve is located shall be given prefer
ence.
Accompanying the general remon
strance were affidavits from twenty
sheepmen of this county, setting forth
claims to land in the reserve allotted
to Washington men.
JOHN DAT PEOSPEES.
People Flocking to That Section from
All Parts of Northwest.
Baker City. Many people from over
tho Northwest are nocking through Bak
er City on their way into the John Day
country to take up timber claims. A
few days ago a party of Idaho people
went to Sumpter en route to the timber
belt, and another party went from this
place.
For the past three months timber
seekers have come from Western Ore
gon, Washington and Idaho, and much
valuablo timber land has been located.
Last week two parties, one of eight
and one of five people, went out. These
were Idaho people, who were evidently
sausned with their locations, as the
last party which passed through here
was composed of friends of the former
company. All are from Genesee, Idaho
July Fourth at Chautauqua.
Oregon City At a meeting here of
the board of directors of the Willamette
Valloy Chautauqua Association it was
decided to hold suitable exercises at
Gladstone Park, July 4 next, in cele
bration of Independence Day. The
grounds will be thrown open to camp
ers July 2, eight days before" the con
vening of the Chautauqua. No steps
nave been taken by the people of Ore
gon City towards celebrating this anni
versary, and all will probably unite in
the celebration that is planned by the
nautauqua AssemDiy. .
PORTLAND MARKETS.
Wheat Club, 7172c; bluestem,
7273c; red, 6970c; valley, 70c.
Oats No. 1 white feed, $27.5028;
gray, $27 per ton.
Barley Feed, $23.5024 per ton;
brewing, $2424.50; rolled, $24.50
25.50.
Hay Valley timotby,$1213; clover,
$7.5008; cheat, $67; grain hay, $7
8; alfalfa, $12.
Fruits Apples, $23.Q0 per box;
strawberries, $1.25 1.65 per crate;
Oregon, 20c per pound.
Vegetables Asparagus, 7t5c$1.25
per box; cabbage, $2.853.00 per
hundred; cauliflower, $2.25 per crate;
celery, $5.00 per crate; head lettuce,
25c per dozen;, onions, 1015c per
dozen; radishes, 20c per. dozen;
rhubarb, d4c per. pound; spinach,
90 per box; parsley, 25c; turnips, $1
1.25 per sack; carrots, 6575c per
sack; beets, ocfl per sack.
Onions No. 1, 3c per pound.
Potatoes fancy graded burbanks.
6070o per hnndred; ordinary, 50
60c; new California, 4c per pound.
Butter Fancy creamery, 1720c
per pound.
E?ga Oregon ranch, 1818c per
dozen.
Poultry Average old hens, 1415c
per pound; mixed chickens, 1314c;
broilers, zycgBZc; young roosters,
1213c; old roosters, ll12c;
dressed chickens, 1616c;' turkeys,
live, 1718c; turkeys, dreised, choice,
2023c; geese, live, lOOllc; geese,
dressed, iu(?nc; ducks, 1718c.
Hops Oregon, 1905, 1212c
Wool Eastern Oregon average best,
lrjzic; valley, Z426c per pound
mohair, choice, 28 30c.
Veal Dressed, 87c per pound.
Beef Dressed bulls, 3c pir pound
cows, 45ci country steers, 56c
. Mutton Dressed, fancy, 88cper
pound; ordinary, o6c; lambs, with
peit on, biuc." .i
Pork Dressed, 78o per pound.
LAWS OUT OF DATE.
Inquiry Into Second-Class Mail Mat
ter Is Proposed.
Washington, May 7. Postmaster-
General Cortolyou has recommended to
congress the appointment of a commis
sion to inquire into cne subject of second-class
mail matter, with a view to
ascertaining what modifications of the
resent second-class Jaws are necessary
to render its report to congress not lat
er than December 11T, 1906.
In order that all interests shall be
represented, he has recommended that
the commission consist of seven per
sons and be made up as follows: One
senator, selected by the president of
the senate; one representative, selected
by the speaker of the house; one officer
of the postomce department, selected
by the postmaster-general; one repre
sentative of the publishers of daily
newspapers; one representative of the
weekly, semi-weekly and tri-weekly
newspapers, and one representative of
the publishers of periodicals and maga
zines, the last three to be appointed by
tho president ox ine unueu (states trom
among those, recommended to him by
representative publishers of such news
papers and periodicals, and a seventh
member to be selected by the six, whose
manner of selection is so specifically
provided. An appropriation of $25,000
is recommended to defray the cost of
the investigation.
The postmaster-general in his recent
annual report recommends to congress
a thorough review of the whole subject
of second-class mail matter and the
enactment of a statute to take the place
of those existing, which would render
unnecessary the consideration of such
questions as those upon which second'
class matter now depend. In now rec'
omrnendine this commission, the post'
master-general in his communication to
the committee on postoffices and post
roads of the senate, says:
' The existing statutes regulating the
second , class of mail matter are out of
date; they do not meet modern require
ments of the publishing industry, and
the administration of them unneces
scrily and unreasonably hampers the
publishers of bona fide newspapers and
periodicals.
"As an indicationofwhatisinetaoinoi
"As an indication of what is in
volved in administration, it may be
stated that the question of what is
bona fide newspaper or periodical is one
about which there may be and often is
much difference of. opinion. The same
is true of what constitutes a known
office of publication, of what constitutes
a publication originated and published
for the dissemination of information of
a public character, what is devoted to
literature, the sciences, arts, or some
special industry, what is a legitimate
list of subscribers. All of these cues
tions must, however, be determined in
each case before second-class entry can
be granted; but a publication having
met an requirements is positively pro
nibited admission if it be 'designed prv
marily for advertising purposes or for
free circulation, or for circulation at
nominal rates.' That such questions.
especially the latter, are subtle and
complex and rendei administration ex'
ceedingly difficult surely need not be
stated."
Postmaster-General Cortelyou ex
presses the belief that such commis
sion, if appointed, will be able to make
recommendation that will be equable
to publishers, relieve them from present
annoyance and restrictions, and at the
same time protect the interests of the
government.
SLIDE DAMS CREEK.
Mass
of Soft Earth Holds Back
Im-
mense Quantity of Water.
Sacramento, Cal., May 8 A special
from Woodland to the Sacramento
Union says:
The threat of flood in the Capav val
ley, resulting from the slide of earth
that has fallen from the mountain side
and dammed the waters of Cache creek,
is growing increasingly serious. It may
be assumed that the slide in question
was in some way the result of the re
cent earthquake, and it is now found
to be 1.000 feet wide and to close com
pletely the water course. Ever since
the occurrence the waters have been
steadily piling up behind it, and was
found by measurements taken this
morning that a depth of one hundred
feet had been reached.
If it had been taken at an earlier
stage the dam might have been blown
up with dynamite and the waters re
leased without danger to any locality,
but it is now too late to do this, as it
would but precipitate the flood that is
feared. The dam is of soft earth and
debris, and there is some hope that it
may absorb the water or cut out grad
ually and the water pass in harmless
quantities. Should it give way to the
pressure the results will be very serious
and a laree area of countrv will hn
fflooded.
Trolley Cat Collision.
Trenton, N. J., May 8 Fifteen peo
ple were injured by a head-on collision
of cars on the Trenton-New Brunswick
Traction Company's lines at Plainsboro,
twenty miles outside of this city, at
midnight. The cars, one from this city
and the other from New Brunswick,
were making their last' trips for the
night, and in accordance with the usual
custom, ran by the signal. When round
ing a Bharp curve the headlight of one
trolley car showed the approach' of the
other. Before the power could be re
versed the ears met, add the passengers
were thrown from the chairs. . j
Line Cut to.Mazatlan. :
Mexico City, May 8, Engineers of
the Mexican National Railway have
succeeded '-in Cutting a line from Pur
ango to Mazatlan on the-Pacific coast.
The; locating work has been going on
for a year. It is probable that the in
teroceanic railway will build an exten
sion to the oil fields from Teziutlan.
YEARS TO REBUILD
More Hopeful Estimates Made to
Keep Up Courage.
LOSS WILL REACH $400,000,000
Enthusiastic Talk of New City Next
Summer Sure to Cause Heart
aches in Future.
San Francisco, May 12. Three weeks
after the great disaster one is able to
view the situation calmly and to com
pute with fair accuracy the loss suffer
ed by San Francisco from fire. Strange
to relate, the citizens of San Francisco
for the most part do not appreciate the
extent of the disaster. Sober judgment
has been for the time confused by the
extravagant recital of plans for rebuild
ing. Of coarse the city will be recon
structed as speedily as possible, but a
best it is a question of years. The en
thusiastic claim that next summer will
see a new San Francisco. This is the
talk which hat brought elation for the
moment and means heartache for the
future. Five years will not see the
city restored, and ten is certainly a
safer figure.
The spirit of the people must be kept
up and this perhaps is adequate excuse
for the rather visionary tales which fill
the public prints. The truth is suffi
cient to crush the weak and to bring
dismay to the strong.
The city is without money. Great
fortunes have been swept away. Land
ed estates are without revenue. The
wheels of commerce move slow and
halting. Thousands have been thrown
from, employment. Still, the spirit is
here. It is this which must win the
triumph. And it will win.
The loss occasioned by fire and earth
quake will exceed $400,000,000. No
disaster in history approaches this
The total loss in Chicago in 1871 was
$190,000,000. San Francisco will col
lect in insurance about $100,000,000.
The city will therefore be out of pocket
some $300,000,000. This means an
average of more than $600 for every
man, woman and child in San Francis
co. How can the city spring at once
into being nnder this enormous burden?
It must pledge its future for the neces
titles of the present.
CITIZENS IN MISERABLE PLIGHT.
General Greeley Says Everyone Keeps
Up Courage Remarkably.
Washington, May 12. The War de
partmert received the following tele
gram over night from General Greeley,
dated Presidio, San Francisco, May 9:
"While conditions improve Blightly,
the miserable situation may be indicat
ed by the statement that all the food
for 300,000 people in San Francisco is
yet necessarily cooked on the public
streets. The courage of every one con
tinues wonderfully. Neither drunken
ness nor disorder anywhere, except
from adjacent towns occasionally.
Mayor Schmitz is still adverse to closed
saloons, which have been constantly
urged by me.
"The Bed Cross finance committee,
Dr. Devine and myself concurring, will
issue lree food after Saturday next only
on alternate days, except in camps un
der strict military control. Red Cross
agents are to be present on alternate
days of noniasue to provide for excep
tional cases of need tbat may arise.
"The average issue in San Francisco,
Oakland, etc., Btill exceeds 250,000 a
day. A possible method by question
ing, exclusion and otherwise is being
made to reduce the food issue. Of
course, extreme destitution and much
suffering occurs on the part of many
people who resort to charity only in ex
treme cases. Altogether I am encour
aged. "GREELEY,
"Major-General Commanding,"
Irish Members"Protest.
London, May 12. On the resump
tion of the debate on the education bill
in the House of Commons today, John
Redmond, the Irish leader, in behalf of
the Irish Nationalists, protested against
the system of education which was be
ing forced on the Catholic minority
and which violated their conscience.
Ireland, he added, had always been de
nominational in principle, believing
that religion was the most necessary
part of the education of children. The
bill was passed on its second reading by
a vote of 410 to 214. , ,
Relief Funds Exceed $5,000,000.
San Francisco,?May 12. The finance
committee today reported relief sub
scriptions as follows: Actually prom
ised, $5,007,711 ; unconfirmed v"
ised, $310,750; total. M jl'l
AFTER STANDARD OIL
Wiiness to Give Details of brib
ery of Railroad Men.
MAY TRY MANAGER FOR PERJURY
Testified Before Interstate Commerce
Commission That Money Was Not
Being Used to Bribe Kailroads.
Chicago, May 10. The government
has a rod in pickle for the Standard
Oil Company, when the investigation
into rebates and other methods is tak
en up here tomorrow by the interstate
commerce commission. It was learned
tonight that a witness had been secured
who is in a position to tell, giving all
necessary data, dates, amounts, etc., of
how the Standard Oil Company engaged
in wholesale bribery of railroad em
ployes in order to crush out the inde
pendents. This man was employed by
Manager Mayer, of Kansas City, who
has charge of the tremendous distribut
ing stations in Kansas and Missouri.
It is said he was entrusted with the
work of buying up information from
railroad employes, who told of orders re
ceived by independents, of their plans
for shipments in advancej and various
other details, so that the Standard Com
pany was in a position at any moment
to take such steps as were necessary to
crush or hopelessly cripple its small ad
versary. The name of this highly important
witness is closely guarded, but it is said
his testimony will create a tremendous
sensation and bring before the federal
grand jury a large number of western
railroad men who have been in the
secret employ of the Standard.
Mr. .Mayer, it is also intimated, is
open to prosecution for perjury, as he
swore before the interstate commerce
commission, when it sat at Kansas City,
that
he had never given any of his
agents money to be used in bribing rail
road or other men. The testimony will
show, it is said, that the railroad spies
were on the secret Standard Oil pay
roll at from $10 to $30 a month, depend
ing upon now mucn information they
could give.
SOLD SECRETS TO AMERICA.
Two Germans Sentenced for Treason to
Empire.
Leipsic, Germany, May 10 Before
the imperial supreme court here today
Otto , Senf tenleben, an ex-clerk in one
of the government departments in Ber
lin, and Konrad, a mechanic, were found
guilty of treason in selling to represen
tatives of the American legation at
Brussels a submarine mine with an
choring apparatus and drawings belong
ing to them.
The prisoners were also charged with
selling similar drawings to Russia, and
with having constructed a mine in Brus
sels, which' was bought from them
through a French intermediary.
Senftenleben was sentenced to four
and Konrad to three years at penal
servitude and five years' loss of civil
rights and to police supervision. Aucke,
a commercial traveler, was acquitted.
GREAT 1 DAMAGE TO
STEAMERS.
Columbia
Needs $100,000 of
Repairs,
Puebla $15,000.
San Francisco, May 10 Considerable
damage was done by the earthquake to
vessels on the ways or in course of con
struction at the Union Iron Works.
Besides the freighters Mexican and
Columbia, being built for the Hawaiian
American Steamship Company, which
wero damaged about $15,000 each, the
Columbia, which has boen long on the
Portland run, and the City of Puebla, a
Seattle boat, were damaged.
The damage to the Columbia will be
$100,000. The boat is now submerged,
having sunk with the dock on which it
rested. The City of Puebla was less
seriously damaged; $15,000 ( will cover
her losses.
Works for Philippines.
' Washington, May 10. Secretary Taft
by a personal canvass of the senate to
day endeavored to revive sentiment in
favor of Philippine tariff legislation at
the present session of congress. He made
arguments in favor of a reduction of
schedules on. sugar, tobacco and rice to
50 per cent of tho Dingley rates. The
measure left sleeping in the sonate Phil
ippine eommitteo provides for a reduc
tion on these articles to 25 per cent of
oxisting schedules. Ho was willing to
go further and to eliminate the propo
sition for eventual free trade with the
Philippines.
' ' Discredited in Washington.
Washington, May 10. At the war de
partment it was stated today that noth
ing was known of the reported surrep
titious purchase at Brussels of plans for
a submarine mine. Attention was also
called to the fact that there is no mili
tary' attache to the American legation at
Brussels, 1
t