Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Lexington wheatfield. (Lexington, Or.) 1905-19?? | View Entire Issue (Aug. 9, 1906)
OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST FOR EQUITABLE TAX. State Commission Proposes Revision of Present Law. Salem With a view to securing a more equitable assessment of property in this state, the Oregon Tax commia eion has recommended a revision of the law governing the equalization of as eesimenta hy the county board. In this lonnection, the commission gives its flat disapp oval to the plan often agitated of hav ng the assessment rolls published in the newspapers in the locality in which the property assessed is located. The proposed revision of the law re lating to equalization of the assess ment is largely based upon inconsisten cies in the present law, but also upon a lazity in the law by which wealthy property owners have been able to co erce county ourts into allowing an in equitable assessment to stand. The commission proposes a law which seems to have "teeth in it," and which will be effective if county officers are dis posed to do their duty. The inconsistency in the present law lies in the fact that the county board of equalization is required to meet on the last Monday in August, while the assessor is given until the first Monday in September to file bis roll, or until the first Monday in October if the county court makes an order to that effect. At the same time there is no authority of law (or an extension of the time of meeting of the county board of equalization. Assessors usually take the full time to prepare their rolls, and very fre quently ask for and are granted the extension of time. Commenting upon this condition of the laws, the commis sion says that "the board of equaliza tion is thus required to meet perhaps six weeks before the assessment roll is completed, and as its functions lapse when it has been in session a week, it muet have passed out of legal existence at a date before the assessor is required to have the assessment roll ready to equalize. "Under the present system we have practically two boards of equalization," says the commission, "one meeting after the other, and having full power to undo the work of its predecessor. The county board of fqualization con tinues in session one week, and if it does not complete its work within the week, the county court, at its next reg ular session, completes the examina tion and correction of the roll. The new law is to do away with this, making provision for the board meeting after the roll is completed. This proposed law contains several provisions that seem to be an improve ment upon the existing law. In the first place, a taxpayer will not go before the county board of equalization unless he has a real grievance, for the court has power to raise his assessment, and his formal petition will serve to call the attention of his neighbors and the public generally to the representations he is making governing the value of his property. Placing the matter of equal ization entiiely in the bands of one board instead of two will centralize the responsibilty and give time and oppor tunity for careful and well advised work. Fire Precautions at Asylum. Salem Lest friends and relatives of the 1,420 patients confined in the in sane asylum may be unduly concerned as to their welfare on account of the recent fire at that institution, an official of the aBylum says that none of the pa t'ents were in danger, and would not be even in case of a fire serious enough to destroy a considerable portion of the building. The facilities for getting natients out of the building are such that a disastrous fire need not cause the loss of a single life. In this particular the building could scarcely be improved. Umatilla Canal Contract Let. Washnigton The secretary of the Interior has awarded the contract to the Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging com pany, of Seattle, for the construction of the storage feed canal of the Umatilla irrigation project. The work of the contract involves the construction of 25 miles of canal from the Umatilla river, near Echo, to Cold Springs reservoir, and consists of 700,000 cubic yards of earth excavation, 6,000 cubic yards of rock excavation, 2,300 cubic yards of concrete and 2 600 cuhic yards of rip rap. The bid was $161,388. Wheat Yield About Normal. Pendleton The harvest in all parts of Umatilla county has commenced. The threshing up to this time has been too limited to make a very close esti mate of the yield, but from what has been threshed on the reservation, and around Athena it is thought the yield in thoBe districts will be about normal, and had it not been for the hot winds the yield would have been at least 25 per cent above the average. Flour Mills Closed Down. La Grande The flouring mills of La Grande, Island City and Union have closed down, having utilised all the old supply -of wheat. LAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Household Goods Not Entitled to Ex. emptlon, Says Supreme Court. Salem By holding, in a decision just rendered, that the householder's tax exemption is unconstitutional, the Ore gon Supreme court has declared void a statute that has been in force in this state almost continuously since 1859. Householders exemptions have been allowed every year except 1904, when the exemption law had been repealed. It was re-enacted by the special session of 1903, but went into effect too late to be applicable to the assessment of 1904. ' Approximately $8,000,000 has been exempted from taxation in this state from year to year, and legislators, county officers and the people generally have recognized the exemption as valid. Now the Supreme court has declared all these exemptions invalid. Tins decision will make it necessary for county assessors in many counties to make a reassessment of property in their counties for 1906, for it 1b the practice of many assessors not to lict property that is exempt. In some and perhaps most of the counties the assess ors list the exempt property and make the deductions afterward. Clackamas Farmers Are Happy. Oregon City There 1b an abundant yield of all hay and grain crops in Clackamas county this year that sur pass the average in quality. Early fruits and vegetables yielded heavily, while the vineyard, field and orchard with maturing crops, give the producer every assurance of increased prosperity with the harvest. In celebration of the large and satisfactory crops, a number of harvest festivals have been held and others are being arranged. It has been years since Clackamas county farmers were as prosperous and contented. Yields 90 Bushels an Acre. Weston A remarkably heavy yield of barley has just been harvested on the farm of u. Turner, two miles north of this place. The yield from 14 acres was 529 sacks, or 1,267 bushels, an average of 90 bushels to the acre. Turner Bros, were expecting a good yield, but did not look for more than 70 bushels to the acre, which is a big yield. Half Million to Clackamas Roll. Oregon City By the decision of the Supreme court on the tax exemption law, Assessor Nelson reports that there will be added to the Clackamas county assessment rolls about $400,000 addi tional on which next year's tax levy will be made. Revision will delay the task of completing the rolls which were received from the state authorities ten weeks later than the usual time. PORTLAND MARKETS. Wheat Club. 71c: bluestem. 73c: red, 69c; valley, 71c; new club, 70c; new bluestem, 72c; valley, 7lc. Oats No. 1 white feed, $30 ; gray, $29 per ton. Bar lev Feed. $23.50 per ton; brew ing, $23.50 per ton; rolled, $2424.50. Kye $1 50 per cwt. Hay Valley timothy, No. 1, $11 12.50 per ton; clover, $8.509; cheat, $6.50(37; grain hay, $78; alfalfa, $11. Fruits Annies. $1. 50 2.25 per box: apricots, $1.251.35; cherries, 610r per pound; currants, 910c; peach- es, 75c$1.10 per box; plums, $1.25; Logan berries, $1.35(2)1.40 per crate; raspberries, $1.401.60; blackberries, 8c per pound ; gooseberries, sc. Vegetables Beans. 5 (3 7c per pound: cabbage, l2c; corn, 1520c per dozen; cucumbers, 4Uouc per dozen; egg plant, 1015c per pound; lettuce, head, 25c per dozen; onions, 10 12c; peaa, 45c per pound; radish es, 1015c per dozen; rhubarb, 2 2c per pound; spinach, 23c; toma toes, $1.253 per box; parsley, 25c; squash, $11.25 per crate; turnips, 90c$l per seek; carrots, $11.25 per sack; beets, $1.25 1.50 per sack. Onions New, red, llKc per pound; new yellow, l2c per pound. Potatoes Old Burbanks, nominal ; new potatoes, 75c$1.25. Batter Fancy creamery, 2022c per pound. Eggs Oregon ranch, 2121c pel dozen. Poultry Average old hens, 1314c per pound; mixed chickens, 1313$c; springs, 16 17; roosters, 9 10c; Hrnnned chickens. 1415c: turkevs. live, 1517c; turkeys, dressed, choice, 20322c; geese, live, 89c; ducks, 11013c. Hops Oregon, 1905, ll12c; olds, 9c; 1906 contracts, 1215c per pound. Wool Eastern Oregon average best, 1620c per pound, according to Bhrink. age; valley, 2022, according to fine ness; mohair, choice, 2830c per pound. Veal Dressed. 5U8c per pound. Beef Dressed bulls, 3c per pound; fnwK. iXtfaSUc: conntrv steers. 56c Mutton Dressed fancy, 78c per pound; ordinary, ooc; tamos, iancy, 88c. Pork Dressed, 78)c per pound. LOSS BY DISASTER. Insurance Companies Male Returns in San Francisci. Albany, N. Y., Ju'.y 81 .4-State Su perintendent of Insurance Otto Kelsey tonight made public the results of Ms investigation as to the losses of fire in surance companies in the Sao Francisco disaster. All joint stock fire and inland marine insurance companies transacting busi ness in the state weie called! on for a sworn statement as to their losses in California. The companies were asked for the grossamount of iniurance in volved in risks destroyed or damaged, the deduction for amounts recovered by reinsurance, the deduction for esti mated salvage, the total deduction and the net amount of loss as shown by the records June 30, 1906. The New York state companies, 47 in n imber, thow the gross amount of insurance involved as $41,110,069; the reinsurance to be recovered, $10,834, 195; the estimated salvage, $7,137,183, and ths actu41 amount of loss 123,138, 000. Returns from other joint stock fire and fire marine insurance companies, 84 in number, show the grops amount of insurance $80,423,704; reinsurance to be recovered, $22,130,167; estimated salvage, $11,358,25; actual amount of loss, $51,983,111. The foreign companies, 32 in nuoiber, made these returns: uross insurance involved, $101,4302,533; reinsurance to be recovered, $32,281,808; estimated salvage, $153,18,859; actual loss, $57, 701.856. The gross amount of insurance in volved by all companies was $222,836, 307 ; reinsurance, $65,246,771 ; salvage, $33,814,468, and actual loss, $132, 823,067. TIE-UP IS NOW COMPLETE. Kruttschnitt Forbids More Freight Cars In San Francisco. San Francisco, July 31. The ember go of the Southern Pacific on lumber, lime and bay has been increased, and now includes all articles from the north. Not a pound of freight can be shipped into San Francisco from Portland or adjacent territory until the freight tie up at San Francisco has been loosened This is the latest edict of Julius Kruttschnitt, who has been threatening to do this for some time unless the sit uation speedily cleared. It has been decided by the local authorities to take no further chances but to stop at ence all shipments from the north. For the embargo there is only one remedy to clear up the congestion in the freight yards. Efforts in this di rection are being made by all the freight agents, and the missionary work among the consignees is having a salutary effect. The unloading in the yards is going on at a faster rate, bat not fast enough to suit Kruttschnitt, who has taken the precaution to see that no more cars are added to the glut that is already crowding the tracks. The tie-up is working to the detrl ment of the city, as many merchants throughout the state are sending East for their goods instead of patronizing the wholesalers of San Francisco, be lieving that they can secure their stocks just as quickly under present conditions ARREST CAUSES MUTINY. Battalion of Russian Troops Attempts to Rescue Prisoners. Poltava, July 31. A grave outbreak occurred yesterday in the Sevsky regi ment owing to the arrest of a private of r.he First battalion, who was discovered with some other soldiers in a shed where the revolutionists are in the habit of holding meetings. After the arrest the entire First battalion, accom panied by a large crowd, paraded the streets in defiance of the military au thorities. The soldiers proceeded to the artil lery barracks, where they seized several guns and marched with them to the priscD, where the political prisoners are confined. At this stage all the re mainder of the Poltava grarison was called out. The loyal troops fired on the muti neers with machine gum as they were engaged in breaking novrn the gate of the prison. Several men were killed or wounded. The outbreak was not suppressed until 2 o'clock this morning Patent Office Behind. Washington, July Sir-Patent attor neys throughout the country are arrang ing to send a delegation to see Presi dent Roosevelt at Oyster Bay and re quest him to either remove Commis sioner Allen or cause sich change in methods as will place tie patent office on a satisfactory basis. The work of the patent office, attorneys declare, baa been running behinl since the ap pointment of Mr. Allen five years ago. There are now 23,000 ipplications for patents unacted upon, besides numer ous, copyrights, trade na-ks, etc. Viborg Manifest) Seized. Kharkov, July 31. The authorities have seized copies of tb; Viborg mani festo issued by the outLwed parliament to the weight of 400 poinds which have been surreptitously ihi'ped into Khar kov. 1 IRRIGATION SCHOOL Big Gathering for Boise tor the First of September. ONLY ONE ON COAST THIS YEAR undreds of Letters Are Received at Deadquarters Daily Special Rates to Be Granted. Boise, July 31. The Fourteenth Na tional Irrigation congress, which meets at Boise September 3 to 8, is the only meeting of national importance to be held on the Pacific slope during the present year. Chairman Eben E. Mc- Leod, of the Western Passenger aesocia tion, has notified the executive commit tee that rates for the congress will be determined at the Minneapolis meeting of the association today. Although more than a month . will elapse before the congress is to meet, delegates to the number of over 1,000 have been appointed from different sec tione east of the Rockv mountains, and an average of 100 letters a day are be ing received at headquarters, asking for general information concerning the con gress and the opportunities to be had for learning as much as possible of ir rigation methods, size of farms, capital required, character of crops produced, and the revenue to be depended upon by the irrvigationists. The Boise session of the congress is to constitute a great school for irriva. tion. Scientific and professional men will discuss and analyze advanced theo ries, engineers will give the solution of the many engineering problems that have been worked out, and the practical irrigators will show in a practical way what is accomplished by the results on exhibition. The general government has loaned nearly $40,000,000 for the purpose of reclaiming arid lands and providing homes for the people. The loan was made through an act of congress ap proved by President Roosevelt four years ago. At the Idaho meeting the government is going to be asked to add $100,000,000 more to the loan made to its citizens for the more rapid comple tion of the works now under construe tion. Senators and members of con gress are the real trustees of the anv ernment in the loans made, and they are coming to investigate the conditions of the security which reclamation is giving to insure its repayment. Statesmen, capitalists, manufactur ers, business men. emrineem and irrioa- , -o tiomsts, immigration and colonization societies, borne makers and home seek ers, all to the number of 2,000 or more, will join in the great movement at the Boise session of the National Irrigation congress. A special train will be made up at Chicago for the delegates from the East ern states. 'Vice President Fairbanks and his party will occupy one of the cars. The special will be known as "the vice president's train." MOSCOW BAKERS STRIKE. Want Endurable Life, While Governor Talks of Czar's Burdens. Moscow, July 31. A strike has brok en out here among the bakers who are striving to obtain a betterment in their working conditions and Sunday for a day off. According to the Council of Wotkmen, the total number of men on strike in Moscow has reached 18,000, in addition to which the Voekressensky factory today locked out 3,000 em ployes. The governor of Moscow has issued a proclamation in answer to the Viborg manifesto of the outlawed parliament and given it a wide circulation here. He declares the manifesto to be revolu tionary in character and directed against the emperor. It is time, the governoi declares, for the loyal population to come to the assistance of his majesty and lighten his heavy burdens. France Regrets Killing. Paris, July 81. The French embassy at Washington has been instructed to express the deep regrets of the French government at the killing of Lieutenant Clarence England, navigating officer of the United States cruiser Chattanooga, who was mortally wounded at Chefoo, China, July 28, by a rifle bullet fired from the French armored cruiser Du petit Thouars, while the crew of the latter were engaged in small arms prac tice. The authorities here are await ing fuller reports before establishing the responsibility for the accident. Cruiser WashingtonTurned Over Camden, N. J , July 81. The cruis er Washington, built at the yards of the New York Shipbuilding company, in this city, was formally turned over to the government yesterday. The cruiser will not go into commission for several days. No ceremonies marked the transfer. WILL HAVE BEST IN WORLD. Wilson'a Opinion on Effect of Meat of Meat Inspection Law. Washington. July 30 Rnnrplnrv Wilson today declared that, as a resnlt of tne new meat inspection law and the rules promulgated by him, a radical change for the better would occur. within a very short space of time. ' he said, "the meat products of the United States will be purer and more wholesome than any similar products of the world. The conditions existing in some ot the slaughtering and pack ing nouses abroad are about as bad as 5 n be imagined, and the American people henceforth will enjoy a distinct aavamage over tne loieign consumers. "Of particular importance is the rule providing for weeklv inspection renorta to be supplied the bureau of animal in dustry, without such reports it would oe uimcuit to cope with the situation. As a general proposition, however, the law will be complied with in every di tail, but I shall take nothing for grant ed, a id will make the inspections in every establishment that the law reach es rigid and complete." It has not been determined when the rules governing the interstate transpor tation phase of the Question will be is sued. The secretary is in almost daily conierence witn railroad men, particu larly from the West, and from these he has already gathered a considerable amount of data on the subject. It is believed at the department that the railroads will not be less sincere in complying with the law than the pack ers. In fact, it was stated today that they have evinced a determination to co-operate with the department in every way in order that those meat products which bear the government label shall find their way into other than the states from which they were shipped. ROB POLISH TRAINS, Armed Bandits Secure Large Sums of Government Money. Warsaw, July 30. Two daring train robberies were committed in Russian Poland today, one of them resulting in a considerable loss of life. A train from the frontier station of Herby, bound for Czentochowa, was carrying money received from the custom house to the branch Imperial bank under protection of seven frontier guardsmen. General Zukat, chief of the frontier guards ; General Weltering and Captain Lacuma were passengers. Fifteen persons boarded the train at a way station. They evidently had been waiting for it, and made an attack on the guardsmen, who were reinforced by the officers named. A regular skirmish followed, in which the two generals, two officials, five soldiers and one robber were killed and Colonel Brezeziki and one robber wounded. The wounded and dead were taken to Czen stochwowa. The robbers escaped, taking $8,000 and the arms of those who had attempt ed to defend the train against robbers. The second robbery was committed on the Warsaw-Vienna railway, six miles from Warsaw. While the train was under way unknown persons pulled the danger signal, causing it to stop. Robbers who were aboard jumped out and seized the locomotive and detached the mail car from the train and ran it down the line. They secured $37,500 of government money. TRAIN HITS ELECTRIC CAR. Passengers Tossed About and Many Seriously Hurt. Los Angeles, July 30. One woman was killed, two or three persons fatally injured and upwards of 35 hurt, many of them Beriously, in a collision this aiternoon by a local Southern Pacific passenger train running between this city and Pasadena and a car of the Sier ra Madre division of the Pacific Electric Railway company. The accident happened at Oneonta Junction, in the suburbs of South Pas adena. The electric car left here with 42 pas sengers on board. Arriving at Oneonta, the car stopped and the conductor went ahead to the Southern Pacific crossing at this point. He caw no train ap proaching, and the car started ahead, reaching the center of the crossing, when the train from Pasadena for Los Angeles suddenly rounded the curve north and crashed into the car with terrific impact. More but of Worse Quality. Washington, July 80. Revised fig ures indicate that the immigration to this country daring the fiscal year end ing June 30 last, was 73,574 greater than it was during the fiscal year 1905. The immigration during the past year aggregated 1,100,078, against 1,026,499 for the previous year. It is notable that the class of immigrants was not so high as in many previous years, most of them coming from Austria-Hungary, Russia and Italy. During the year just paBsed 12,433 persons were debarred, for various causes. Testing New Bullets for Army. Washington, July 30. Bullets which are lighter and more pointed than those now in use are being tested at the Springfield armory. The new bullets have much flatter trajectories than the. old type, and consequently are much, more efficient against advancing enemies