LEXIN6T0N WHEATFIELD
S. A. THOMAS, Publbher
LEXINGTON OREGON
NEWS (FTP WEEK
In a Condensed Form for Our
Busy Headers.
A Returns of the Lass Important but
Not Less Interesting Events
i of the Past Week.
MUCH DAMAGE REPORTED.
Idaho people will ask Federal aid to
relieve the coal shortage.
Governor Magoon, of Cuba, denies
that he is dissatisfied with his position
A big dock fire at Naplse destroyed
property valued at nearly $1,000,000
Mrs. Maud Creffield has been found
dead in her cell at Seattle from heart
- failuie.
Statndard Oil stock has gone dow
rapidly on account of the government
inquiry.
The San Francisco grand jury is still
probing into the alleged stealing of re
lief funds.
Harriman and Gould may be indict'
ed by a grand jury at Salt Lake in the
coal inquiry.
President Penna in his inauguration
at Rio Janeiro advocated increased
armament for Brazil.
Thomas C. Piatt is said to have made
out his resignation as United States
senator from New York.
Citizens of Honolulu have subscribed
money to return the Royal Hawaiain
band members to their homes.
The trial of the sugart rust, charged
with accepting rebates, has begun in
the United States Circuit court in New
York.
President Roosevelt is seeing the
inacal at its worst, as he desired. A
pouring rain has fallen since his arriv
al on the isthmus.
The government has begun a suit to
dissolve the Standard Oil company.
a fcan a rancisco grand lury has in
dicted Ruef and Schmitz for extortion.
A civil war among the Moqui Indiana
in New Mexico has been suppressed by
cavalry.
Both pacrties in Colorado are re
solved to work for the repeal of woman
suffrage.
The" Southern .Pacific will add a third
through train between Portland and
San Francisco.
The high water wrecked the ware
house of the Western Idaho Sugar com
pany at Nampa.
Two were killed and two others are
dying as a result of a battle with rob
bers in San Francisco.
Japanl has just launched a battleship
of 19,000 tons. It is equal and perhaps
superior to anything afloat.
Three Americans and six Mexicans
were killed by a premature explosion
of dynamite at Douglas, Arizona.
Finland authorities have seized about
6,000 rifles and 118,000 cartridges in
tended for Russian revolutionists.
All railroads in the United States are i
ready to give employes a raise of 10
per cent in order to prevent trouble at
the present time.
President Roosevelt has nearly
reached Panama.
Floods In Oregon and Washington
Destroy Homes and Bridges.
Castle Rock. Wash.. Nov. 16. The
Cowlitz river has become a raging tor
rent, carrying houses, burns, logs and
other drift down in the flood. Many
families are homeless and have save
but few belongings from tlioir ruine
homes and are temporarily quartere
with friends on higher ground. The
Northern Pacific bridge across the Cow
litz at Olequa is washed out.
The town of Castle Rock is in a state
of chaos. Electric lights are out be-
cause of the flood. The town marshal
has closed the saloons to add to the
public safety. The people are meeting
the situation in a philosophic way and
are not becoming panic stricken.
North Yakima, Wash., Nov. 16.
After falling slightly the Yakima and
Naches rivers are again rising and the
damage to property of all kinds
growing worse. All communication
with the outside bv rail is cut off
Every county bridge in the valley
under water and the city is isolated
from the surrounding country.
The fears of the poeple are that the
Naches river may change its course and
come down the old river bed to the
west of the city. If this happens the
damage will be inestimable, as the
best fruit orchards and some of the hn
est homes in the valley lie direct in its
course.
Wenatehee, Wash., Nov. 16. The
flood still rages unabated. Added to
the destruction by the rain and water.
the wind is blowing. The damage done
by the flood between Cashmere and
Wenatehee, in the Wenatehee valley
cannot be estimated at the present
time, but it will be heavy. The We
natehee and the Columbia rivers are
higher than they have ever been before
The former is eight inches higher than
its former record.
Portland, Nov. 16. Streams through
out the state which have been swollen
by the recent rain storms and the Chi'
nook wind in the mountains are thought
to have reached their highest point.
Some have commenced to fall and the
Willamette was stationary last night,
It is probable that the river at Port
land will commence to fall today. Ex
cept along the lower Columbia, the
danger from high water is thought to
be over in Oregon.
RELIEF FUND IS LOOTED.
Witte has returned to Russia and
Will visit the czar.
Attorney General Moody has ordered
a rigid enforcement of the eight-hour
law.
It is probable a force of 1,000 ma
fines will be kept in Cuba for some
time.
Philadelphia Jews will honor the
late John Hay by placing a memorial
window in their synagogue.
The Chicago city attorney accuses the
Pullman company of bribing judges,
congressmen and other officials.
A desperate battle with knives be
tween soldiers at Cheyenne to settle an
old fued placed five men in the hospital.
The fortieth annual session of the
National Grange, held at Denver, de
clared for parcels post and national
good roads.
A desperate negro at Asheville, N.
C, shot and killed four men in a suc
cessful attempt to escape arrest. Arm
ed men are searching for him.
Secretary Metcalf has expressed the
opinion that the treaty between the
United States and Japan guarantees
education to Japanese children in our
public schools without discrimination.
Cuban liberals are divided on ac
count of friendship with America.
A new plague baa caused 12 deaths
in a small Texas town, and doctors are
unable to control it.
It is reported that King Alfonso cf
Spain has been assassinated, bat the
repjrt cannot be verified.
Money Sent Mayor Schmitz Is Not
Accounted For.
San Francisco, Nov. 16. The Chron
icle says today:
A new investigation is progressing in
the course of developments in the local
graft scandal. It now appears that
many sums of money, large and small,
that were sent from different states to
San Francisco for the relief of the suf
ferers from the calamity never reached
the relief committee. Some of these
amounts, which aggregated a large
i, were mailed to the care of Mayor
Schmitz. F. J. Heney, Detective Wil
liam Bums and about 100 government
agents have been making an investiga
tion, rresiaent itooseveit is the mov
ing spirit behind the inquiry, and he
declares that no man guilty of diverting
the relief funds shall escape justice.
The cases come within the jurisdic
tion of the Federal authorities because
of the interstate character of the postal
service, which, it is alleged, was crim
inally tampered with.
A considerable sum of money was al
so sens mrougn uie express companies
and Wells-Fargo, which companies are
now investigating the disappearance of
$10,580 sent in one package from the
citizens of Searchlight, Nev., which the
relief committee says it never received,
and which the company says was deliv?
ered to the representative of the com
mittee to whom it was addressed. The
crime of forgery is said to be included
in the offense of the raiders of the re
lief contributions. It is said that in
the aggregate the stealings will amount
to $1,000,000.
New Zealand Favors Canada.
Ottawa, Ont., Nov. 16. The Canadi
an commission reports that substantial
preferences are given to Canadian goods
over those of the United States in the
new tariff adopted by New Zealand.
On many classes the tariff on United
btates goods will be 20 or 30 per cent
above that on Canadian goods. On bi
cycles, gas and oil engines, gum boots,
printing paper, railways and tramways,
sail cloth, canvas, surgical and dental
instruments United States products will
be taxed a duty of 20 per cent while
the Canadian products will enter free.
v Total Wealth of United States.
Washington, Nov. 16. The total
wealth of the country in 1904 was
$106,881,415,000, according to figures
issued by the census bureau today. In
1890 the total wealth was $65,037,091,
197 j in 1900, $88,528,348,798.
DAMAGE
ENORMOU
Loss From Flood On Puget Sound
Over $1,000,000.
CROPS IN GROUND ARE RUINED
Railroads Lose Most Heavily and th
Farmers Come Next Lumber
men Lose Logs and Bolts.
Seattle, Wash., Nov. 17. The floods
in the great, river valleys south of Seat
tie, at their height yesterday morning,
are today subsiding. In the central
part of the White River country about
the towns of Kent and Auburn, dry
land is appearing and the people, driv
en to the surrounding high land for
refuge, are returning to their homes
The outpouring waters maintain a higl
level, at the mouth of the Duwamish
on the north and the mouth of the Puy
anup on the south where they are
backed up by the tido.
The property loss will be heavy
probably exceeding $1,000,000. The
destruction of the Northern Pacific rail
way grades and trackage involves a
loss of $300,000. The Interurban elec
tric road between Seattle and Tacoma
will have to spend $100,000 for re
pairs, arid the individual losses of farm
era and dairymen. make up the remain
der. The loss of live stock is not as
heavy as at first feared, being probably
within $50,000. The loss on crops still
in ground and in cellars and barns is
about $300,000.
Hundreds of houses and barns were
swept from their foundations, but com
paratively few were actually broken up
or carried any great distance. The
damage to furnishings in homes and
merchandise in stores by the water
formed the heaviest item of loss.
Floods in the White, Green and
Stuck River valleys are subsiding rap
idly, but the Duwamish river, whose
waters empty into Puget sound at this
place, is a mighty lake, four miles
wide by ' 12 in length, backed up and
held in leash by the tide from the
sound. When that goes out late to
night, great havoc is looked for from
the pent-up waters. , A similar condi
tion exists at the mouth of the Puyal
lup at Tacoma.
The floods found the city already
short of coal and temporarily cut off
from access to all ' sources of supply,
The great water power plants of the
company providing electric power and
light were flooded out of use, and the
street car and lighting service of the
city depends on the meager supply of
coal in the local bins of the big companies.
So far as known, but five deaths di
rectly attributable to the floods have
occurred north of the Stuck river.
These were F. W. Kallmer, a logger
of Auburn, Pat Clance and John Viele,
ranchers of Orillia, and two loggers
whose names are unknown. None of
the bodies have yet been recovered.
From Tacoma come rumors of several
deaths near the mouth of the Puyallup,
but the reports are so far unverified.
GRABBING UP OIL LAND.
Federal Authorities Take Cognizance
of Action of Standard OH
San Francisco, Nov. 14. The Call
today says: It became known in Fed
eral circles yesterday that recent loca
tions of land in Kern county by agents
of tho Standard Oil company have been
made the subject of investigation by
government officials. As a result it is
assorted indictments will follow. The
land was taken up by the petroleum
combine, ostensibly for the gypsum do
posits, but in reality for oil purposes
That the character of the land had been
carefully studied is shown by the fact
that a flowing oil well has already been
developed.
The inquiry is being made throng!
ihe ofiice of United States Attorney
Devlin, of San Francisco. Federal
agents have been at work for several
weeks in Kern county. From thei
preliminary reports it is beileved that
the manner in which the land was se
cured will warrant indictments on the
part of the Federal grand jury.
The information secured by these
agents will be placed in the hands
United States Attorney Robert T. Dev
lin, who in turn will forward it to
Washington to the attorney general
of
SELL NO MORE ALASKA COAL.
Government Stops Sale Pending Ac
tion on Leasing Bill,
Washington, Nov. 14. The secretary
of the interior today issued a general
order withdrawing from entry all pub
he coal lands in Alaska. How much
land it affected no one knows ; indeed,
no specific tracts could be withdrawn,
as Alaska is still unsurveyed and the
extent of its coal deposits unknown.
But this general order will shut off all
entries of land known to contain coal
n is issued in line with the policy re-
ceently adopted in the states, and will
prevent wealthy corporations from cor
nering Alaska's coal resources.
It is probable that further efforts
will be made to secure legislation re
pealing the coal land law and substi
tuting a law which authorizes the gov
eminent to lease its coal lands.
A tract of 1,700 acres north of Val-
dez, Alaska, lying on the glacial flats
below the Valdez glacier, has been set
apart as a rifle range for the use of
troops at Fort Liscum. "
PLANTERS SHORT OF LABOR,
to
FINISH SOUTH JETTY.
Chief Engineer Mackenzie Recom
mends Continuing Contract.
Washington, Nov. 17. In his esti
mates submitted to the secretary of
Avar, General Mackenzie, chief of en
gineers, asks for an appropriation of
$1,000,000 for the Columbia river jetty
his annual report, however, he
points out the necessity for continuous
work on the jetty until it is completed,
He says that, in addition to the $1,
000,000 appropriated, congress should
authorize a continuing contract to the
extent of $1,450,000 additional. He
estimates that $2,000,000 will com
plete the south jetty. "
If General Mackenzie s recommenda
tion is carried out. $1,000,000 will be
inserted in the river and harbor bill
this winter and the remaining $1,450,
000 will be carried in the Bundry civil
bill passed at the first session of the
next congress. ' '
Send Immigrants South.
Washington. Nov. 17. The recent
arrival at Charleston, S. C, of an im
igrant ship carrying more than 1,000
immigratnts, marks a new era for the
whole South. The labor problem has
been a very serious one in the South,
and the attention of the people of that
section has been for some time directed
toward inducing immigration. Not
alone as laborers are immigrants want
ed; hundreds of thousands of tillable
acres have been left uncultivated that
make one of the richest agricultural
sections of the world.
Terrorists Rob Railroad Safe.
Warsaw, Nov; 17. A band of terror
ists attacked the Vistula railroad depot
at Suchedniow this morning, killed a
gendarme, blew open the safe and es
caped with a small sum of money,
marching off in military order. Cos
sacks are pursuing them. '
Cuban Sugar Men Ask Maeoon
Aid Immigration.
Havana, Nov. 14. Certain members
of the Agrarian league, which is com
posed of prominent planters, accom
panied by a number of steamship
agents, held a conference with Gover
nor Magoon today on the question of
the probable scarcity of labor in the
handling of the maturing sugar crop.
The planters urged the necessitv of
making use of the $1,000,000 appro
priated by the late Cuban congress for
the stimulation of immigration, and
pointed out that Cuba was suffering
severely Irom the competition of other
nations seeking immigration and the
importation of labor to Panama.
The next sugar crop promises to be
very large, and the planters expressed
grave tears that the present labor sup
ply would be insufficient to handle it,
The governor arranged to hold fur
ther conferences with the planters.
FLOODS
NORTH
White, Stuck and Green Rivers
Drive Farmers From Homes.
SMALLER TOWNS UNDER WATER
Northern Pacific and Great Northern
Railroads Tied Up Three
Lives Are Lost.
Seattle, Nov. 15. Floods in the
White, Stuck and Green rivers, which
began Tuesday night, have swept away
miles of railroad trackage, inundated
all the valley towns, rendered hundreds
of farmers homeless and cost three lives
up to date. Until the Western Union
last night succeeded in getting a wire
to Portland, Seattle was entirely cut
off from tho outside world by either
railroad or telegraph lines. The tele
phone company kept up two lines, but
this was the only means of communica
tion Seattlo has had.
The three men lost in the floods were
drowned while fighting to break up log
jams that threatened ruilroad and coun
ty bridges.
It will be two weeks before tho
Northern Pacific is able to resume reg
ular train operations. The Great
Northern is tied up for a shorter per
iod, for trouble on that road is duo to
an avalanche of mud that swept out a
portion of track.
Auburn, Kent. O'Brien. Renton.
Oriellia and half a dozen smaller towns
in the valleys of three rivers are under
water. Residents of O'Brien were
compelled to abandon their homos and
flee to the hills. At Kent a raging tor
rent is running through the town un.l
Auburn will suffer extensive damages
unless the waters recede immediatelv.
The 50 employes of the D(
ton Clay works plant at Renton were
cut off by the flood and had to remain
cooped up in the warehouse
Could be rescued by boats.
FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS.
Nearly Twenty Missing.
La Porte, Ind., Nov. 14. Coroner
Carson has rceeived no complete list of
the dead and missing in the wreck of
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. The
lits contains 30 names, and it is believ
ed nearly 20 are yet to be obtained. It
will be several days before the coroner
can return a verdict. The freight crew
insists that the first section carried nc
lights, but the train sheet of the oper-
. A CI 1 . ...
awr ai ouman indicates that green
lights were displayed. As the charred
bodies are taken from the wreck thev
are being labeled and sent to the under
takers. .
Allows No Silver Exports.
Lima, Peru, Nov. 14. Although
there exists no law to the contrary, the
government today refused to allow a
local firm of bankers to ship 12,000 sil
ver sols (about $60,000) to London.
Furthermore, the authorities are search
ing the baggage of passengers leaving
tne country, and all silver coin in ex
cess of 10 sols is being seized. The
price of silver in Peru is advancing.
and the ministry of finance has been
in conference with local bankers, finan
ciers, merchants and members of con
gress to discuss action in the premises.
More Beers on Warpath.
Cape Town, Nov. 14. According to
the latest information received here,
the colony has been invaded bv two
new parties of Boer freebooters in addi
tion to the men operating under Fer
reira. The police have had an ineffect
ual brush with the Ferrerai party.
Great National Agitation to lmnMu.
Waterways Everywhere.
A sational congress of American i.
mercial bodies interested in the dnvi-l-
opment of internal waterways and har
bor improvements will meet in Wash
ington on the sixth and seventh of n-
cember. Oregon will be
by a delegation from tho Port.hin.l
chamber of commerce.
The purpose of the congress in mum.
ly to prevail upon the United Ktut
authorities to pass a , measure calling
for an appropriation of fiftv millions
annually for river and harbor improve
ment. Even should such a measure
pass it would still be but a fraction nf
what other great nations are expending
annually upon their waterways. The
movement is a national expression nf
the knowledge that water competition
is the one great cheapener of railroad
freight rates railways that compete
with rivers for traffic do not nav ex
travagant dividends upon watered stock.
In those sections of the country
wherein the railroads are compelled to
carry freight in competition with river
craft the rates are from one-third to-one-sixth
of those ruling where water
competition is not a factor. It is told
of a cotton section in Texas that the
canalizing of a very insignificant stream
so as to be available for flat bottomed
canal boats, lowered the freight rates
so radically as to make a saving to a
small community of three .million dol
lars annually. As a matter of fact, th.
canalized stream carried but a small
percentage of the traffic upon which
this large saving was effected, but the
fact that the stream was available for-
traffic compelled the railways to meet
the water competition.
Ihe Rivers and Harbors com?,
will discuss the improvement of the
Oregon and Washington waterways and
the removal of obstructing bars at the
entrances of the harbors and will seek
to impress upon the congress of the na
tion the importance of these improve
ments to the farming and mercantiln-
population.
Commend Teaching System.
New York, Nov. 15. After two dn vs"
inspection, the English teachers whrv
came here to study United States mt,h-
ods of education have discovered several
good ideas which they intend to sug
gest to the authorities in England
They like our system of medical inspec
tion, our law which requires children
between the ages of 14 and 15
attend evening schools if they work in
the daytime, our discipline, which ihv
all describe as "easv." and cm-tnin
features of our kindergarten work.
More teachers will arrive this week.
General William G. Ely.
Norwich, Conn.. Nov. 1 fi. TJpTiPrn 1
William G. Ely died suddenly at his
home here last night of heart trouble.
He commanded the Eighteenth Connec
ticut volunteers in the Civil war, and
was brevetted brigadier general at ita
viose.