PLUNDERED BY HILL-MORGAN OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST FINE CROP OUTLOOK. Eastern Oregon Farmers Rejoicing Over Recent Rain, The Pullet) The rain arid Bnow which foil hero last week aggregated one inch moisture. Showers Htill continue and the biiow on high olovatioriH, which varied from four to six inches in depth, 1h gradually disappearing. Thin will furlhor retard plowing and seeding which, owing to the miry condition of the Hoil, had hut fairly begun throughout the country. When thlH last Htorm fell, fannorc from the Tygh ridge wlieat holt reportel that the conditionH for spring grain have not been an favorable in many years aH now, because of the heavy freezing which loosened the ground to a depth of 18 inches, and the thorough soaking from tho deep snow and heavy rain. Owing to the long drouth and the lateness of fall rainH, there is loss acre uge in winter wheat than usual, hut under the present favorable conditions for Hpriug seeding, there will be about the usual annual acreage in grain. Tho fruitgrowers regard the lute biiow storm as rnoHt beneficial, wince it checks the building until dan ger of killing frosts is past. No loss of sheep is feared, since lambing on the hheep ranges of tho county baa not yet begun. Electric Line at Milton. Milton The Walla Walla Valley Traction company now has its tracks laid down to the head of Main street in this city, and it will be only a few lays when there will be hourly service between this city and Walla Walla, Wash. This will bo a great benefit to Milton and vicinity, anil will material ly aid the already rapid growth of Mil ton. This city is now in a very pros perous condition; all the principal wtreets are being brought to proper grade, and many changes for the better have recently taken place. There will soon be a $15,000 hotel erected. Rate on Logs Will Stand. Salem The state railroad commis sion made public the result of the hear ing at Dallas, in the case of the people of Falls City against the Salem, Falls City & Western Railroad company, protesting against the raising of rates bv the road on logs and lumber. After an impartial bearing and investigation of the matter, and there being no fur ther remonstrance against the rate be ing increased after it was thoroughly understood and had met the approval of the commissioners, it was decided to allow the railroad company to make the increase. Abandon River Surveys. Salem Because the state legislature did not co-operate with the state legis lature in appropriating more money for the work of the state geological survey in connection with the reclamation of arid lands throughout the state, Dis trict Ilvdrourapher J. C. Stevens, of the United States geological survey, an nounces that part of the wcrk will have to be abandoned and a number of the stations cut out for lack of funds to carry on the work. La Grande Settlers Rejoice. La Grande Two thousand entrymen in this district, who have been waiting for a month to two years for patents from the government, will be affected by the president's recent instructions to the general land office to expedite the issuance of patents. The local land office is six months behind in the work here, a great majority of papers being held up in Washington. Large Sums In Short Time. Marshfield Prominent business men of North Bend subscribed $70,000 in two hours at a special meeting for the purpose of establishing a building and loan association in that city. The cap. ital stock of the association will be $100,000. It has been established for the purpose of aiding in the upbuild' ing of North Bend and Coos Bay. Big Orchards In Jackson. Medford According to the report of Horticultural Commissioner Carson, of the Third district, 350,000 fruit trees have been added to the orchard wealth of Jackson county during the past year. The acreage reported exceeds 7,000, and of this amount, the larger portion has been devoted to Cornice pears and Spit zenbergs. Tax Money Received. Oregon City Sheriff Beatie has col lected up to date about $190,000 in taxes. The time for the granting of rebates for prompt payment is over, and all the big taxpayers of the county "have paid in. Local Insurance at Eugene. Eugene The Merchants' Protective association has decided definitely to form a local mutual fire insurance or ganization, and a special meeting will be called within a few days for that purpose. PRIZES FOR ESSAYS. Sons of American Revolution Want Es says From Pupils of Oregon. Tne Oregon society of the Sons of American Revolution offers prizes to the pupils of the public schools of the state of Oregon, for eHsays on subjects connected with our war for independ ence. Prizes of $30 and $20 will be given for the first and second best essay respectively, written on any of the fol lowing subjects: "Joseph Brant and the Indians of tho Revolution," "Pub lie Schools as a Means of Americanizing the Children of Aliens," "Separation of Church and State in America." The essays are limited to three thous and words each, mint be written in the student's own handwriting on one side only of the paper, and accompanied by a certificate of the writer's teacher, stating that the writer is a pupil in a designated class, and that the teacher believes the essay to bo the pupil's own unaided work. The essay must be signed by the writer, giving also his or her postoffice address. They should be forwarded to Mr. A. M. Smith, Fenton building, Portland, Oregon, and should reach their destination not later than the 25th of May, 1907. In awarding these prizes the commit tee will be governed by considerations of: Originality, accuracy of statement manner of treatment, orthography, syn tax and punctuation. Ihese prizes are offered to encourage love of our country and the study of its history. Additional information may be ob tained bv writing to General Thomas M. Anderson, care of The Bucknguam, Portland, Oregon. Office Short of Clerks Roseburg The local land olhce says that there are from 500 to 600 final proofs awaiting action. Delay has been lne to lack of clerical assistance, rather than to the president's former order though action on some proofs was de laved to some extent by that order Many of these cases have been pending since 1904, but most of them have ac cumulated since the reopening of this office, January 8, 1900, after a suspen s ion of one year. New Bank Examiner Chosen. Salem James Steele, of Portland has been appointed -state bank evam ner. He is a brother of State Treas urer Steele and was one of the founders of the First National bank at Portland in 1868, and later was connected with the Merchant's National bank of that city. Oregon Middy Graduate. Washington Ernest Durr, of Baker City, will graduate from Annapolis Naval academy this year, being the only midshipman from the Northwest to graduate this season, except Albert T. Church, of Boise. Church stands 12 in a class of 106. PORTLAND MARKETS. Wheat Club, 72c; bluestem, 74c; valley, 70c; red, 71c. Oats No. 1 white, $2930; gray, $2829. Barley Feed, $22.50 per ton; brew ing, $23; rolled, $23.5024.50. ' Rye $l.451.50 perewt. Corn Whole, $24 .50; cracked, $22.50 per ton. Hay Valley timothy, No. 1, $15 16 per ton; Eastern Oregon timothy, $1718; cdover, $9; cheat, $9; grain hay, $9(310; alfalfa, $14. Butter Fancy creamery, 32)35c per pound. Butter Fat First grade cream 33 c per pound second grade cream, 2c less per pound. Poultry Average old hens, 15c per pound; mixed chickens, 14c; spring, fryers and broilers, 2022c; old roosters, 1012c; dressed chickens, 16 17c; turkeys, live, 1315c; tur keys, dressed, choice, 1820c; geese, live, 8c; ducks, 1618c. Eggs Oregon ranch, 19c per dozen. Apples Common, 75c$1.25 per box; choice $1 502.00. Vegetables Turnips $11 .25 per sack; carrots, $11.25 per sack; beets, $1.251.50 per sack; horseradish, 7 8c per pound; cauliflower, $2.50 per crate; celery, $3.504 per crate; let tuce, head, 3545c per dozen; onions, 1012c per dozen; sprouts, 9c per pound; radishes, 30c per dozen; as paragus, 10c per pound; rhubarb, $2 2.25 per box. Onions Oregon, 7590c per hun dred. Potatoes Oregon Burbanks, fancv, $1.351.50; No. 1 choice, $1.101.25; common, 75c$l. Veal Dressed, 59c per pound. Beef Dressed Duns, 6(g6$Q per pound; cows, 56c; country steers, 67c. Mutton Dressed, fancy, 1010c per pound; ordinary, 89c. Pork Dressed, 69c per pound. Hops 912o per pcund, according to quality. Wool Eastern Oregon average best 1318c per pound, according to shrink age; valley, 2023c, according to fine nees; mohair, choice, 2829c. Attorney General AsKea to Air Northern Pacific Scandal. Philadelphia, Fa., March 19. Re duced to the form of affidavits and ol document), the authenticity of which have been proved in legal proceedings, revelations concerning the wholesale plundering of the rights of stockholders in the Northern Pacific railroad are about to be presented before Attorney General lionaparte. As me nine oi me Hill-Morgan reorganization ol tne Northern Pacific railroad, Brayton Ives, then a prominent New York banker, was the president ot the oiu company. In February of lsim -wr. ives, as president of the Nothern Pacific, ap pointed from his board of directors a so-called "protective committee," claiming authority to proceed with the work of reorganization. Morgan & U, were not only reorganization managers, contracting with tliemselves as syndi cate managers, but they were also syn dicate subscribers, and thus appeared in a three-fold capacity, being joined as syndicate subscribers with Mr. Ives and other directors of the old Northern Pacific company. Millions of dollars wore collected in assessments levied upon the stockholders of the old North ern racillc company, wuien id was thought by the public were to be used to rehabilitate the company. Instead of being so appropriated they i i i i i were gathered in ana uiviueu among the syndicate as commissions ar.d pro fits. J his is one the ot reatures oi tne "sell-out" of the old Northern Pacific company and is one of the many amaz ing things connected witn this remarK able reorganization for which a com plete investigation is being demanded of the authorities at Washington. ROCKEFELLER MAKES WILL. Plans to Give An Immense Fortune to Use of the Pubiic. New York, March 19. Ihe Herald will tomorrow say that according to a member of John D. Rockefeller Jr. s bible class, and who is also a personal friend of John D. Rockefeller and in a position to know of his affairs, the lat ter proposes to make a princely gift to New York City. It will amount to at least $50,000,000. It will be partly charitable and partly' educational. The Herald will add: "This man said that when Mr. Rock efeller was conferring with his son at Lakewood, N. J., a fortnight ago, the meeting was not for the purpose of dis cussing any immediate gift, but was on the subject of Mr. Rockefeller's will, which document the oil king was then completing with the aid of his son and his lawyers. It was said that this dofr ument will astonish the world when it is made public. It will, it is declared, give no less than $250,000,000, for charitable and educational purposes, and it will be so bestowed that the benefit therefrom will almost be perpetual. Rate War on the Atlantic. London, March 19. Herr Ballin, di rector general of the Hamburg-Ameri can Steamship line, who is here attend ing the shipping conference, today said there was every likelihood of a renewal of the rate war for the North Atlantic trade with the Cunard line. Within a fortnight he expects to see a decision one way or the other, a urther iierr Ballin declared the German lines had a working agreement with the White Star line, and that all possibility of friction, owing to the removal of that line to Southampton, had now been ob viated. Reports Massacre of Jews. New York, March 19. A Jewish morning paper tonight received the fol lowing cablegram from Podihilo, near Jassack, Roumania: "Terrible massa cre since last Thursday. Town totally destroyed . All the Jewish population are ruined and houses pillaged. We ask help Marcus Getzel, Elias Solo mon, Shjen Sterberg." Ihe names signed to the cablegram are said to be those of leading merchants of Podihilo. It is a place of about 6,000 inhabitants, 4,000 of whom are Jews. It is only 30 miles from Kishineff. Fhrce Gale Sweeps Bay. San Francisco, March 19. A fierce south and southeast gale swept the bay today, which drove small crait to shelter, caused vessels in the stream to seek positions of safety and made the ferry steamers roll unpleasantly. Out side the heads the gale raged with a velocity of 50 miles an hour, and the seas ran high. Beerai vessels were compelled to put back, owing to the rough condition of the weather. Torpedo Boat Is Rammed. Ajacico, France, March 19. During the maneuvers last night without lights the torpedo boat destroyer Epee ram med torpedo boat No. 263. A Bteam pipe on the last named vessel burst, killing two men and mortally injuring another. The Epee towed the torpedo boat ashore, where she was beached. Japan Adds 24 Regiments, Tokic, March 19. In pursuance of the program to increase armatmente, 24 infantry regiments have been organ ized, mainly concentrated in Northern Isles. The main base will be Kurume. NEWS FROM THE ADVANCE WILLIAMSON CASE. Hoyt Wants Decision Before Supreme Court Adjourns. Washington, March 22. Next Mon day Solicitor General Hoyt, represent ing the attorney general, will submit to the Supreme court a motion to ad vance the appeal of ex-Representative Williamson in the hope that the case can be tried this session and before ad journment in May. In a formal mo tion, which he has prepared to submit to the court, Mr. Hoyt briefly reviews the progress of the Williamson trial from its inception to and including the action of the Circuit Court of Appeals on March 1, and then states that his motion to advance is based on the fol lowing reasons: First, this is a criminal case; sec ond, a constitutional question appears to be involved; third, it is a case of public importance involving the ques tion whether the immunity from arrest granted to senators and members of congress by the constitution extends to a sentence ot imprisonment after legal conviction; fourth, an independent writ of error from the Circuit Court of Appeals has been dismissed by that court as to Williamson. COMPLETES NOBEL BOARD. President Appoints Two More Com' missioners on Industrial Peace. Washington, March 18. The presi dent today appointed Seth Low, of New York, and Thomas G. Bush, of Birm ingham, Ala., as representatives of the general public under the act of congress, establishing a foundation for the pro motion of industrial peace, the basis of which is the Nobel prize fund, recently awarded the president of the Norwegian storthing. This completes the admin istrative board. Other members of the board of trustees are: John Mitchell, president of the Unit ed Mineworkers of America, as the rep resentative of labor; Marvin Hughitt, president of the Chicago & Noith west ern Railway company, representing capital ; the chief justice of the supreme court of the United States, the secretary of commerce and labor and the secretary of agriculture. Will Carry Relief to China. Washington, March 21. The United States army transport Buford will take a load of provisions at once to China for the relief of the famine sufTeiers The War department advised the State department today that the transport, which is at San Francisco, is at the disposal of the Red Cross Cross for immediate use in the shipment. The transport will stop at Honolulu on its way to Shanghai and probably will carry a special party of congressmen who are to visit Honolulu as guests of the citizens of the Hawaiian islands Displeaing to Veterans. Washington, March 19. The United SDanish War Veterans, District of Co lumbia department, today adopted a resolution vicorously denouncing the action of the constitutional convention of Oklahoma in adopting a clause in its constitution disfranchising soldiers. sailors and marines, and characterizing such action as a direct insult to all American soldiers, sailors and marines "who have foueht in the several wars in which the country has been engaged, and who have never known defeat in any war." Meet Only In Washington. Washington, March 19. The work of the Interstate Commerce commission has grown so heavy that it has been de cided to discontinue the hearings which have been conducted by members of the commission outside of Washington. Hereafter, when it is found necessary to conduct investigations in other cities, special agents will take the testimony and report to the commission and the arguments on the case will be heard by the commissioners in this city. Coal Land Is Reopened. Washington The general land office has issued a statement giving the loca tion of the following public lands re opened to entry by the president's or der of March 12 last: Montana, 2,000, 000; Oregon, 710,000; Washington, 320,000. The land was, previous to the order of March 12, included in land classed as coal land and withdrawn from entry. . Cost of Pacifying Cnda. Washington. Match 22. Extiaordi nary expenses to the United States up to date caused by the sending of an army of pacification to Cuba, aggregate about $2,500,000, according to figures which have been prepared by the War department. It has not been determ ined exactly when the mcney will be collected from Cuba by the United States. Supreme Court Takes Recess. Washington, March 20. The chief justice announced today that the Su preme court would take a two weeks' recess, from next Monday until April 8. NATIONAL CAPITAL DISCUSSED ALTON DEAL. Roosevelt Denies He and Deneen Are Booming Taft. Washington, March 21. "Governor Deneen and Attorney General Stead did not come to see me on any politaca matters at all." The above were substantially the words the president used in his talk with Senatoi Hansbrough today when the latter asked him about the report that Saturday's conference at the White House with the Illinois officers during which Secretary Taft and his brother called, was for the purpose of launching a boom for Secretary Taft for the pres- dency. From authoritative sources it was learned today that the visit of Governor Deneen and Attorney General Stead had to do with the Chicago & Alton deal which figured in the Harriman in vestigation before the Interstate Com merce commission. The president was anxious to learn what was being done, or what the state contemplated doing in the matter. Secretary Taft issued the lol lowing: "I had an appointment with the president at 3:30 p.m. Sunday and went to the White House to keep it. I found Governor Deneen and Attorney General Stead with the president and I was introduced. They left immediate ly. There was no political conversa tion." Much Land Is Reopened. Washington The secretary of the interior has restored to entry a large quantity of government land which was withdrawn last summer on the suppo sition that it contained deposits of merchantable coal. In all 710,000 acres are restored in Oregon and 320, 000 acres in Washington. The geolog ical survey, after examining, reported its inability to find coal indications in this land. The land now becomes sub ject to entry under the general land laws. Oregon land is in the Portland, Roseburg, Dalles and La Grande dis tricts, the Washington land in the Se attle, Olympia and North Yakima dis tricts. Ballinger's New Assistant. Washington, March 20. Land. Com missioner Ballinger announces the se lection of Fred Denett, of North Da kota, as assistant commissioner, suc ceeding George F. Pollock, of Ohio, who becomes chief clerk in the general land office. Pollock takes the place of James F. Macey, assigned to field ser vice as inspectcr of surveyors. Mr. Ballinger states he will redistrict the field force in order to secure a more perfect organization, enlarge some dis tricts, eliminating others, and bring all special agents under the control of field chiefs. Extends Sympathy to Russia. Washington, March 21. The execu tive council of the American Federation of Labor today listened to addresses by Alexis Aladyn, representing the Group of Toil in the first douma of Russia, and Nicholas Tchykovsky, representing the revolutionary party, regarding the question of economic improvement, ma terial advancement and political liberty for Russian workmen. The council unanimously adopted resolutions ex pressive of its sympathy in the struggle of the laboring men of Russia for their freedom and pledging co-operation. Theft of Mule Caused War. Washington, March 19. One mule a mule belonging to Senor Ireno Sal- gado was the chief object of dispute between Nicaragua and Honduras when they began the quarrel which finally ended in the war that is threatening the peace of all Central America, ac cording to the official communicatipns exchanged by the ministers between the two republics, copies of which com munications have been . received in Washington. President Confers With voakum. Washington, March 20. The presi dent had a conference today with B. F. Yoakum, chairman of the board of di rectors of the Rock Island Railway company. This is the second confer ence the president has held with Mr. Yoakum within ten days. Mr. Yoak um declined to state the purpose of this interview. Not Dead, but Sleeping. Washington, March 21. The ship subsidy bill is not dead, but sleeping. When congress reassembles, in Decem ber, the bill will be reintroduced; in fact it will probably be reintroduced in various shapes, and then the friends of subsidy will join hands and attempt to pass some compromise bill. Will Open Antung t Trade. Washington, March 21. W. D. Straight, the American consul general at Mukden, notified the State depart ment today that be has assurances that the Antung custom he use will be open ed by the Chinese soon.