OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST
BUILDINGS UNFINISHED.
RATE IS ILLEGAL,
Railway Commission Renders Opinion
Against Southern Pacific,
So loin After due and mature delib
eration the Orogon Railroad commis
sion liits rendered its opinion finding
the $ rate per ton of 2,000 pounds
upon rough green fli lumber from Port
land to Hun Hanciaco buy points, ih
oxuepsive, discriminatory and contrary
to t lie rules, orders and regulations of
the Interstate Commerce law, and, un
less the Southern Pacific company re
stores the old rate of $3.10 per ton
upon the same commodity "within a
reiW'Hiable length of time," about two
weeks being considered "reasonable"
by the commission in this case, the
case will be placed before the Inter
state Commerce commission through
the medium of the attorney general of
the stute. - ' .
This opinion is the outcome of the
hearing of the complaint of the West
ern Oregon Lumber Manufacturers'
association Tuesday against the South
ern Pacific's action in putting into
effect the $5 rate, April 18, to curtail
the undesirable traflic in lumber from
intetioi points southward.
Whether or not the Southern Pacific
sees fit to give heed to this finding and
suggestion remains to be seen, but it
still leaves tne question of a flat rate
of $1 per thousand from Valley points
to Portland undecided, and this move
ment, which ih being agitated by the
valley mill men, is foreign to that em
bracing the interstate rate, and must
be brought before the commission un
der separate complaint and petition.
lO ENCOURAGE DEBATING.
FARMING PAYS AT WOODBURN
Actual Crops Disposed of Show Ex
tra Good Profits.
Woodburn If the true farming con
ditions of this section wore more wide
ly known In the East there would be
thousands more coming to Oregon re
gardless of whether there are special
railroad rates or full fare. Here is on
ly a few instances of how farming in
this vicinity pays, reference being made
to recent sales of 1908 crops:
P, J. Anderson, ten acres of pota
toes, sold for $1,043.
Martin Bergan, six acres of potatoes,
sold for $760.
Bonnez Bros., one and three-fourths
acres of potatoes, sold for $317.
Ilemshorn Bros., four acres of on
ions, sold for $800.
Innumerable instances can be given
cf big profits being made, by producers
in potatoes onions, hops, clover seed
and other outputs, and the future looks
so exceedingly bright that our farmers
are preparing to increase their acreage.
The market are all that could be desired.
LANE FRUIT CROP TO BE HEAVY
All
State Library Commission Proposes
to Furnish Books for Work.
Salem Debating libraries and the
organia.tiori of a system of debating for
the high schools of the state, which
means practically the harmonizing of
the Slate university, the Library com
mission and the public schools of the
nbjte in that line of educational develop
ment, was what the Oregon Library
commission decided to inaugurate at
the last regular meeting as one of the
principal new features for the ensuing
.year. '
The commission will enlist the co
operation of the high schools of the
etate in the debating feature, and will
furnish all of the books and literature
from whit h to obtain material when a
series of debates will be outlined and
followed out. The series will close
-with a joint debate at the university
between the winning school teams of
Eastern and Western Oregon for the
tate championship.
These debates will embrace all grades
of school work above the ninth, and a
separate plan of organizing a contest
upon the same basis in declamatory
work in grades' from the eighth down is
.also In contemplation.
Elgin Is Going Ahead.
Elgin Elgin is one among the many
Oregon towns that are growing with
Tapid strides. Several thousand dollars
.are to be, expended the present season
for public improvements, chief among
which will be the erection of a new
and modern school building, which will
-cost when completed $20,000. The
structure will be constructed of native
ctone and brick and will have ten
rooms. The building will be heated
by steam and will have every modern
convenience. School Clerk Weiss is
now receiving bids for the structure,
and it will be completed this season.
Will Fight Closed Season Law.
Astoria Fied Olson and John Mus--tik
were arraigned in the Justice court
on complaints charging them with
operating setnets during the closed sea
son in Youngs and Lewis and Clark
xivers, respectively. Mustik pleaded
cuilty and was fined $50. Olson will
fiirht the charges against him on the
feround that the state fishing law does
not apply to Youngs fiver.
Fruitgrowers to Build Warehouse
La Grande The'special meeting of
-the Grand Rcnde Valley Fruitgrowers
union will soon be called to discuss the
plan of building a warehouse in La
Grande for the accommodation of the
.association's business. The officials
eem to favor the project, and in all
probability the building will be com
pleted in time for the handling of this
:year s crop.
Eugene Hopes to Be Terminal
Eugene It Is reported here that the
; Southern Pacific company is negotiating
lor a tract of land m Fairmount,. a su
burb of Eugene, on which to erect car
repair sheps and terminal buildings.
Jt is said that the company intends to
make Eugene a division point for the
proposed Klamath extension as well as
for the main line.
Hood River Turns It Down.
Hood River At a special meeting of
Pine Grove grange No. 356 the proposi
tion of referring the University oi Ore
gon appropriation bill to the people
' -was tamed down by a large majority.
.The movement is unpopular in this
- 'part of the Btate. ,
Fruits fc'xcept Annies Give Prom-
. ise of Abundant Yield.
Eugene The fine warm weather of
the past two weeks has advanced the
buds and blossoms so materially that
some prophesy of the 1907 fruit crop
can be .made.
Every crop but apples promises to be
heavy. Apples will not be as plentiful
this year as last, although the care
that apple raisers are giving their
orchards insures a better quality than
in years past.
The peach crop, which was the light
est fruit crop in this section last year,
if no accident befalls, will be unusually
heavy. Cherries, pears, prunes and
plums look uniformly well. Ihe yield
on smaller fruita will be good.
The grain, hay and grass crop is in
good condition for this time of the
year.
Offers $2 for Tidelandt.
Salem Another effort has been made
by T. Hendiyx, of Portland, who rep
resented himself and nine ethers to in
duce the State Land board to consider
their application for the purchase of
approximately 2,500 acres of tidelands
and accretions consisting of a group oi
small sand islands situated in Catlamet
bay, at $2 per acre, but the only en
couragement he and his attorney, G. F.
Martin, could secure was that the ap
plications would be placed on file to
await the further action of the boaid
after the new law goes into effect in
creasing the minimum price from $2 to
$5 per acre.
Oppose Referendum Move.
Brownsville Ash Swale grange js
one of the granges of Linn county that
does not take kindly to the proposition
to use thy) referendum on the btate um
versity appropriation."
PORTLAND MARKETS.
Jamestown Exposition to Open 80
Per Cent Completed.
Norfolk, W. Va., April 23. Despite
the energetic efforts of officials and
workmen, the Jamestown tercentennial
exposition will be opened this week un
ready. Many of tne structures that
are to have domestic and foreign com
mercial exhibits and shelter the
achievements in the Industrial arts are
incomplete. Yet the sum of what has
been done, as compared with the un
finished work, forms a satisfactory result.
In the beauty of the water show with
its amazing gathering of foreign fleets,
reprsenting tne most formidable types
of naval fighting machines of nearly
every power in the world, and in an
opening program with President Roose
velt in tU leading roie, with diplo
matic, military and naval representa
tives of great and small foreign nations
participating, the public will have its
recompense.
The grounds and buildings at the ex
position are about 80 per cent finished.
Several thousand of the most important
buildings are built solidly of brick,
cement and iron, and these are intend
ed to remain' on the grounds as a nu
cleus of a great park. Regardless of
the permanence of the work, however,
the exterior of most of the buildings
will be ready when the exposition is
formally opened on Friday next
The Jamestown Tercentennial, when
completed, will be almost all that is
implied in the expression, "a world's
fair." but it will not stop there. No
other exposition has attempted to show
the world the life of the colonists, tH
hardships of the pioneers who opentJ
the country after civilization had been
attained on the seaboard, and the
achievement these people worked from
the raw material
NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL 1
AFTcH LUiViBtri InUol,
Government Extends 'nquiry to Every
Producirg Section.
Washington, April 26. The investi
gation of the lumber trust is now in
full swing. It is regarded by the bu
reau of corporations as the most com
prehensive and far reaching of any yet
undertaken. The information obtained
will be used by the department of jus
tice in prosecuting the trust, if such ac
tion 1b warranted.
A preliminary inquiry regarding
prices has already been concluded.
Special agents are now being sent to all
the principal districts where lumber is
produced to ascertain facts relative to
production and the restraint of compe.
tition. Every section of the country
will be visited by these agents.
Data now collected show the steady
and uniform advance in prices for all
kinds of lumber during the past ten
years. Ihere was a remarkable in-
crease of cott prices in 1906. The fig
ures collected show that the diminish,
ing Bupply of timber is not alone re.
sponsible for the great advance in
prices.
Commissioner Smith will make
special effort to ascertain why lumber
prices were so sharply advanced in
1906. It is believed to have been the
result of combination contrcl in viola
tion of the Sherman anti-trust law.
I lest davs to the present, and the ex
hibits will be sheltered by buildings
The state buildings have been grouped
long the historic shore of Hampton
Roads, and command an excellent view
of the navies of the world
it is this great naval display that
will prove the crowning glory of the
exposition. Nothing like it has ever
efore been attempted, mere are lew
arbors in the world that accomodate
so large an assemblage of warships
The fleets will number, in iddition to
Taft Back at Work.
Washington, April 25. Secretary
several of the best types of each of the T.a,t yesterday resumed his routine da-
foreign naval powers, the Atlantic fleet ,'co "l l"c t
the United States navv. under com- "ao 'ub
of
mand of Rear Admiral Evans, which iB
conceded to be the finest organization
of fighting machines afloat.
The seal of government sponsorship
will te set upon the exposition by the
coming of the president ot the Uniced
States, ambassadors and ministers of
foreign governments, the governors and
representatives of states and territories
and delegations representing important
civic bodies.
Wheat Club, 75c; bluestem, '77c;
valley, 72c; red, 74c.
Oats No. 1 white, $29.50; gray. $28
2fc
Rye $1.451.60 per cwt.
Barley Feed, $22.50 per ton; brew
ing, $23; rolled, $23.5024.50.
Corn Whole, $25; cracked, $26 per
ton.
Hay Valley timothy, No. 1, $15
16 per ton; Eastern Oregon timothy
$1718; clover, $9; cheat, $9; grain
hay, $810.
Apples Common, 7oc$1.20 per
box; choice, $1.502.
Vegetables Turnips, $11.25 per
sack; carrots, $11.25 per sack; beets
$1.251.50 per sack; horseradish, 7
8o per pound; cauliflower, $11.50 per
dozen; lettuce, head, 3o4oc per dozen
onions, 1012o per dozen; radishes
20c per dozen; asparagus, ll15c per
pound; rhubarb, 3 4c per pound.
Onions Oregon, $34 per hundred
Potatoes Oregon and Eastern, $1 .85
2 per sack ; sweet potatoes, 8c per
pound.
Butter Fancy creamery, 2225i
per pound.
Butter Fat .First grade cream, 26c
per pound; second grade cream. 2o less
per pound.
Poultry Average old hens, 1516c
per pound; mixed chickens, 1515)c
spring fryers and broilers, 22$25c
old roosters, 1012c; dressed chickens
1617c; turkeyB, dressed, choice, 18
20c; geese, live, 8c; ducks,- 1618c
Eggs 19c per dozen.
Dressed Meats Veal, 58o per
pound;' beef, bulls, 3e; cows, 5
6c; country steers, 67c; mutton
fancy, 1010c per pound; ordinary
89c; spring lambs, with pelts, 13c
pork, 69c per pound.
Hops 710o pel pound, according
to quality.
Wool Eastern Oregon average best,
1318c per pound, according to shrink
age; valley, 2122c, according to fine
nflfes; mohair, choice, 2930c per
pound '
ill trace their h storv from th iir ear- " lu a v 1 irui uurgas,
Canal Zone's Health Record.
Washington, April 26. Health con
ditions on the canal zone are about as
Tun-ntv.flva dtatpn Kd now as they ever will be, accord
frr.m th .i oar. ing to a report from Co
chief saniiary officei, for the month of
March, lust received at the offices of the
Isthmian Canal commission. Since
last August the number of sick among
the employes has steadily declined un
tn it, is now I9.4U men per 1,000 as
aurainst 33.72 in August.- Among 4,500
Americans, white, employed thtre were
only two deaths from disease during
March.
Opinion of Senator Bourne Regarding
National Government..
Washingion, April 24. "In my
opinion a great crisis now confronts
this country," said Senator Bourne in
an interview given here today. -"The
reactionaries are determined, if possi
ble, to obtain control of the govern
ment and use it for their own parsonal
advantage and tc the detriment of the
people. The true Republican policies,
as promulgated by Lincoln and enlarg
ed and exemplified by Rocsevelt. are
the rights of man and the absolute
sovereignty of the people. The issue
now before this country is:
'Shall the advocates of the rights
and liberties of the people and of the
power and majesty of the government,
or shall, the enemies of both prevail?
The people must decide."
Want Republican Convention.
Washington, April 27. President
Roosevelt todav discussed national pol
itics and sorhe of the business of the
Republican national convention with
te acting chairman, Harry S. New,
who remained with the president some
time. With th newspaper men Mr.
New would not talk politics. He said,
however, that four cities are already
in the field for the honor of holding
the next national convention of -the
Republican party,- invitations having
been received from Chicago, St. Louis,
Kansas City and Seattle. A selection
will be made by the national committee
at its meeting here in December.
The fact
it neces
ary for him to cut short the time al
lowed to callers. It is doubtful if in
his Washington experience the secre
tary has had to deal with more news
paper men than he saw (luring the day
They were mainly derous to learn
just what the secretary intended to do
in answer to the challenge which Sen
ator Foraker had issued in regard to the
contest in Ohio,
BIG BENEFIT TO GRAIN CRPS.
Fruit Slightly Injured In Nebraska but
Snow Did Great Good.
Omaha, Neb., April 23 As a re
suit, of unprecedented weather that pre
vailed during the greater part of the
month of March, and the freeizng
weather and heavy Biiowfall of the past
few days, early fruits, such as peaches,
plums, apricots, cherries and blackber
ries in this section have been injured
but the general opinion among those
who have the best means of information
that the damage is not as great as
has been reported. Indeed, many are
of the opinion that, while ealy fruits
have been injured and in some In
stances completely killed and possibly
some of the later varieties have been
huit, the benefits vaulting to the grain
crops from the snowstorm more than
offsets the damage
to
Immigration Commission Meets
Washington, April 24. Thecommis
sion appointed in pursuance of the ac
tion of the last session of congress
investigate conditions in connection
with the subject of immigration met
today. It is expected that a prelimi
nary investigation of the porte of New
York and Boston will be made, and af
terward either the full committee or
subcommittee will go abroad to extend
the inquiry in the foreign countries
from which most of the immigrants
come.
H.GH fJ IN DANGfcK.
Borah Denies Rumors.
Washington, April 25. "I have not
come to Washington to make an appeal
to the president or to the Department
of Justice," said Senator Borah, of Ida
ho, as he left the White House today
after a brief call upon the president.
This statement was made by the senat
or when his attention was called to re
ports that he had come East to induce
the officials here to call a halt upon the
Federal officials in his state in the mat
ter of the alleged indictment of persons .
charged with having been engaged in
timber land frauds.
No Hope of Agreement.
Washington, April 25. The Central
American controversy is no nearer set
tlement today than it was yesterday,
according to a dispatch received today
at the State department from Philip
Brown, the American charge at Guate
mala, cabling from La Union, Salvador.
Mr. Brown stated that the deadlock was
still on. He held out no hope . of an
"Reports from points along the line early agreement.
not unfavorable," -
now noaas may oe iviaoe.
Washington, April 27. Senators
Fulton and Bourne are asking for the
assignment of Samuel. C. Lancastern,
government road expert, to Oregon,
Washington and Idaho for one year as
instructor in modern road building.
Samuel Hill, of the Washington Good
Roads association, is here, interested
Will Apprais'e Railroad
Washington, April 23. John F.
Stevens, formerly chief engineer and
chairman of the Isthmian Canal com
mission, Is to be employed by one of
the large Eastern railroad companies to
make a physical valuation of its prop
erty. Mr. Stevens declined tonight to
name the railroad with which he is to
become affiliated, but admitted that it
is one of the large companies of the
East. He expects to enter upon his
new duties soon.
Many Dead Letters. .
Washington, April 27 All previous
records for a day's work in returning
letters to writers from the division o
dead letters were eclipsed on Monday
kst when 20,368 letters were returned.
The largest number heretofore returned
in a single day was 14,488 on March 28
last. The number of letters cn hand
awaiting return haa been redured to
1 63,000. A little over a month ago there
were over 200,000 cl such letters on
hand.
Of our railroad ere
said G. W. Loomis, assistant general
manager of the Burlington, today,
The fruit in the southern part of
Nebraska, which the unusual warm
weather in March had brought to an
advanced state of development, is re.
ported to have been pretty badly dam
aged, but little or no damage is report
ed from points north. The snow, how
ever, did , vast amount oi good to wint
er wheat, and has put the ground in
fine condition for other farm crops.'
Silmilar reports have been received
at the general offices fo the Northwest
ern ioad. .
in the project.
To Defend Harriman Line.
Topeka. Kan., April 23. It was ru
mored here today that N. H. Loomis,
eeneral solicitor for the Union Pacific
railroad' in Kansas, was to be made gen.
eral counsellor for all the Harriman
lines in cases before the Interstate Com
merce commission. Mr. Loomis today
admitted that such a plan was under
consideration. In case the position is
created, Mr. Loomis will move to Chi
cago, where he will have a large corps
of assistants. The position is new in
railroad circles and is made necessary
by the passage of the new rate law,
Pray for Rain In Cuba.
Havana, April 23 Prayers for rain
were offered in churches throughout
the island Sunday. No rain has fallen
in six mcnths. The country is parched,
many cattl. .are dying and forest fires
are devastating vast areas.
Roosevelt Going to Oyster Bay.
Washington, April 24. President
Roosevelt will leave Washington for his
summer home at Oyster Bay on June 2
This is much earlier than has been his
practice heretofore, but he feels that
public business is in such shape that he
can leave. . The president is to make
two speeches on "Georgia Day' at the
Jamestown exposition on June 10.
San Domingo Favors Treaty.
Washington, April 25. Minister
Dawson, at San Domingo, cables that
yesterday the treaty with the United I
States was favorably reported to Jhe
senate.- Its consideration was intrusted
to three senators, two of whom filed a
report in its favor, and the third a re
port in opposition.
Stevens Talks With Roosevelt.
Washington, April 23 John F.
Stevens, formerly chief engineer and
chairman of the Isthmian Canal com
mission, talked with the president to
day about conditions on the isthmus.
He said it will take between six and
seven years to complete the canal, ,
Coal Land Laws Codified.
Washington, April 23. A codifica
tion of the coal land laws, combined v
with regulations for their adminictrat
tion, was issued today by Commissioner
Ballinger, of the United States land
office. The lands are clas9ified accord
ing to values and information as to the
price at which the government will sell
each tract 1b disseminated. The price
varies from $10 to $20 an acre, accord
ing to accessibility.
Keeps Attorney General Posted.
Washington, April 25. District At
torney Ruick went to Baltimore today
and conferred with Attorney General
Bonaparte regarding the Borah indict
ment, Idaho land fraud and Haywood
Mcyer case. When he returned to
Washington he declined to discuss what
took place in Baltimore.
Funston to Command California.
Washington, April 23. Brigadier
General Frederick Funstoa has been re
lieved of ' the command- of the South
western division, to. take effect upon ;
the expiration of his present (leave of
absence and will proceed to San Fran-.
ciseo to take command of the depart
ment of California.
- Hero of Russo-J panese War. '
Washington, April 25. Baron Kuro
ki, second in cemmand of the Japanese
forces in the Japanese-Kussian war,
will land at Seattle May . 2 and come
East via the Oregon Khort Line. It is
possible he will visit Portland on the
way. He is here to see the Jamestown
exposition. .
. Not Forbidden to Go to Isthmus.
Washington, April 24. So far as the
Italian embassy in this city has been
informed, Italy has issued no decree
prohibiting her subjects from going to
, Panama as canal laborers.