' PAOE THREE
OF
AMERICAN GENIUS PRODUCES WEAPON
WHICH MAY DECIDE THE WORLD WAR
Admiral Fiske Perfects Scheme to
IfEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE ifEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1917
(
W. J. Wimer ot Waldo, Oregon,
died Monday night at the Good Sa
maritan hospital at Grants Pass, after
an Illness of two months. He was
one of the early pioneer settlers of
the Willamette and Rogue river val
leys. His father, Jacob Wimer was
a millwright and operated a large
flour mill In Iowa before coming to
the Pacific coast. Here he operated
the Eagle mills just outside of Ash
land, Oregon, for a number of years,
after which he and two of his sons,
George W. Wlmer and W. J. Wlmer,
operated the Phoenix Flour Mill. Fol-
. lowing this W. J, Wlmer removed to
McMinnville, Oregon, whore he liv
ed for a number of years and was
engaged in the mercantile business.
-jiacob Wlmer, in the early 70's es
tablished the present settlers' store
at Waldo and later George W. Wimer
and W. J .Wlmer, his sons, entered In
to a partnership with him in the mer
cantile business.
Pioneer Placer Miner.
At that time Waldo was one of
the .largest and most active placer
mining camps on the Palific coast.
Prior to this time a number of sail
ors had deserted from a ship at Cres
cent City, California, and made dis
coveries of rich placer deposits prac
tically at Waldo, and at what is
known as Sailor's Gulch. The ex
citement created by these discover
ies drew miners from all sections.
Soon approximately five thousand
people were engaged almost exclus
ively in mining in that Immediate
section and on the various streams
outlettlng into the Illnols river, Al
len Gulch, Butcher Gulch, Fry Gulch
and the Rough and Ready.
In 1876 Jacob Wimer and his two
sons, George W. Wlmer and W. J
Wimer with George and Walter Siin
mons acquired a portion of what was
afterwards known ns the Wimer mlno
in Butcher Gulch, and which is ituat
ed about a mile from Waldo, where
s.rthey engaged extensively in placer
mining operations. Afterwards th
Winters succeeded to the Interest of
George and Walter Simmons, and
George Simmons with Zach and Tod
Cameron opened up the adjoining
mines which are now known as the
Simmons or Loijan properties.
( Formerly an Kilitor.
W. J. Wlmer remained actively
engaged In the operation of the
Wlmer properties until about the year
1883 when he removed to Oakland,
California. Later he returned to Jos
ephine county and for some years
was the proprietor and editor of the
Grants Pass Courier, a weekly publi
cation. In the latter part of the 80's
he and his brother, George W. Wimer
returned to the" Waldo placers and
again engaged in hydraulic mining.
In tho year 1SS9 or 1S90 A. E.
Reames became associated with them
in the ownership of tho property and
new and additional property was ac
quired and In 1900 they organized
the Deep Gravel Mining company
which has since that time been on
gaged in the operation of these prop
erties. Later George W. Wimer re
tired from the corporation and re
moved to Tumalo, Oregon, where he
engaged in stock raising. Since then
W. J. Wlmer has remained actively
in tho management of the affairs of
tho company. He installed on the
property ono of the first hydraulic
elevators installed In any of the
mines In southern Oregon.
Active in Public Affairs.
Mr. Wlmer wrote and read a great
deal and was always deeply interest
ed not only In modern mining methods
' and appliances but In the affairs of
state and politics. Ho was a life long
democrat lint In local and even ill na
tional affairs be was a strong be
liever In putting the public good
nbove )oltlal requirements. For
many years he was an important fac
tor in Josephine county politics al
though ho never sought or accepted
office.
Ho was a man of very high prlncl
pie and very strong conviction as to
right and wrong and ever ready to
defend his position; with these char
acteristics ho was naturaly a man of
very strong friendships and of very
strong dislikes. Ho was of the stur
dy type that, helped to bring this
country out of tho w ilderness and his
loss will ho mourned by a very large
circle of friends and acquaintances.
Ho leaves a widow, Annie Dawes
Wlmer, who Is at this time III at her
homo near Waldo. Four children sur-
vivo him: Mrs. William Fallen, Mrs.
W. J. Maloney and Rvnn Wimer, o
Grants Pass, and Mrs. Mary W. Pea
cock, of Crescent City. California.
Tho funeral services will be In
charge of the I. O. O. F. lodge a
Grants Pass, Oregon, but tho date has
not yet hecn announced.
Launch Torpedoes From Aero
planesChance Seen to Force Kiel
Canal and Enter Germany.
BY J. H. DUCKWORTH.
NEW YORK, April 24. In the tor-
pedoplane, a war Instrument just In
vented by Admiral Bradley A. Flske,
U. S. N., America may have the long
sought Invention that will decide the
world war.
Victory, it is claimed, will go to the
side which brings forth the most for
midable new engines of destruction.
It is claimed this new weapon will
make a (20,000 seaplane a worthy
match for a $20,000,000 battle cruiser.
After German Fleet.
War experts agree that the war
could foe decided in short order If
the allies could put out of commis
sion the German fleet which is bot
tled up in the Kiel canal, and enter
Germany by land from the north.
The wonderful British navy, which
has the German fleet bottled up, can
not enter the Kiel canal because of
the thousands of mines laid by the
Germans.
It is argued that the only way to
destroy the German fleet Is by at
tack from the air, beyond the reach of
mines, and this means is furnished by
Admlral Flske with his scheme of
launching torpedoes, .like those used
by destroyers, from aeroplanes.
Describing his Invention, Admiral
Fiske says:
"That the torpedoplane will become
an Important factor in naval warfare
in the near future many people have
no doubt. It enables the regular
Whitehead auto torpedo to be launch
ed from an aeroplane as effectively
as from a destroyer.
How it Operates.
"The aviator approaches an enemy
ship from a great distance and high
up In the nir; and when about six
or seven miles away he volplanes to
ward the water, runs above the sur
face a short distance, heading for
his target.
"When ready he pulls a lever, the
action of which releases the torpedo,
which is rigidly held under the aer
oplane, and at the same time throws
back the starting lever. The result
is that the torpedo takes to the water
in exactly the same way as If it had
been dropped from a destroyer.
Admiral FLskc's invention provides for torHilopuuio to sweep down toward lmtUesliln and bin mil torpedo
ns effectively ns from a deMroyer.
"Naval oficers agree it would be
difficult for the guns of a ship to hit
a torpedoplane. Accurate filing from
a rolling ship at nn aeroplane, espec
laly if that aeroplane Is neither over
head nor on tho surface ot the water
is almost Impossible.
Kurd to Hit Airship.
"The difficulty is to find the range.
A rapidly approaching ill-defined
aeroplane makes on elusive target.
The sudden changes in the height of
thotorpedoplane as she would swoop
down would Increase the difficulty.
"For an attack on battleships, such
as might approach our coast, the
large size torpedo weighing about a
ton, would bo best. This can be fired
from a distance of five sea miles or
more.
"For carrying torpedoos like this
we now have in this country a num
ber of aeroplanes largo enough for
the tnslc. This glvcB, I think, the
most ready defense that we can put
up at this time.
"Torpedoplanes on either side dur
ing the Jutland sea battle would have
given tremendous advantage over tho
other side."
10
Miss Louise liurke returned yes
terday after spending the winter at
Pasadena. Calif., where she visited
LONDON, April 24. The forth
coming visit to Washington of Her
man Lagerantz, formerly Swedish
minister to the United States, It Is
expected will be followed by the send
ing to America of a commission com
posed of representatives of Sweden,
Norway, and Denmark, for the pur
pose of making tho fullest arrange
ments for the Importation of food
stuffs and other materials of which
these countries are in urgent need.
SARAH BERNHARDT
STEADILY IMPROVING
1 '
NEW YOU K, April 24. Suriili
Bernhardt was better today, her con
dition showing n steady improvement
clurimr the past twenty-four hours,
nceordinjr to a bulletin issued by her
physicians.
FOR CHANGE IN RULES
WASHINGTON, April 24. The
National Wool Growers Association,
representing wool growers of sixteen
states today petitioned the interstate
commerce commission to compel tho
railroads to change their rules gov
erning the baling of wool for eastern
markets.
Present rules require that wool be
baled to a density of 1!) pounds per
cubic foot and the growers say that
unless a more reasonable density rule
can be established, that it will be
only a short time untail the growers
will stop baling wool altogether.
PRESIDENT SIGNS
WAR BOND ISSUE
WASHINGTON, April 21. Presi
dent Wilson today signed- the war
$.'1,01)0,00(1,000 in government bonds
and i)il!,0O(l,0nO,UUO in treasury cer
tificates.
10
NEW YOliK, April 24. Captain
Chns. Sweeney of Spokane, Wash,
who hns fought in tho foreign legion
in France, arrived here today and
will go to Washington, D. C to offer
his services in the training of the
American army. The French govern
mcnt granted him unlimited leave of
absence for this purpose. Captain
Sweeney's valor won him rapid pro
motion and the Cross of tho Legion
of Honor and other honors. lie is n
son of a former president of the Fed
oral Smelting and Kefining company
and is n West Point graduate.
38 MP w $S
m SB?
Krambles
is All Wheat and
every single
tiny shred.,
is thorouhlv and
I deliciously toasted.
Loo!; for this signature
MEDFORD
WEDNESDAY, May;
.mjmmv 65
SPAIN AGAIN PROTESTS
SUBMARINE WARFARE
MADH1D, April 21. The govern
ment has sent another note to Ger
many on the submarine question,
according to I'.l Impnrcial.
S?Cvv-IlD &
- HAVb
.njuNOWN TO
rcRETS
NATUKt
TOP'" o
Sf3" .Awl 11
1000
ANIMAL
ACTORS
INCLUDING
Elephants
Camel
Zebras
Kangaroos
Bears
Lionel
Tlgersv
Leopards .
Saa Lions'.
Dogs,
Goats
Monkeys
150
ANIMAL
TRAINERS
00 FULL-GROWN AFRICAN M
30 -lions- 3D
IN ONI ACT
Most' Sensational Wild' Animal
Spectacle Ever Witnessed'
ONLY REAL WILD ANIMAL CIRCUS ON EARTH
EVERY ANIMAL A PERFORMER
New Mile-Long Street Parade at 10:30
Two-Performances Dally, 2 an0.8JMH.
i ) Doors Open,' 1 and 7(
Amazings
Amusing I
Thrilling
Wild Animal
Acts and
Features
550
World's!
Premiums
Horses anf
Ponies'' "
Every On1
An Actor'
506
PEOPLE
ANIMAL
CLOWNS
"Father Time and Mother Nature greu
the tobaccoj I guess they cure it best1
The hett naturei fellow in the
world will lot hi$ temper if
yoa push him too hard. An'
even good Burtey tobacco lotet
a lot of if fren 'linttst if g.
yoa ruth the carin'. fli
A pipe load of VTiLVF.T gives you .every lait bit
of enjoyment that .there is in a pipe.
VF.LVF.T'S two years' ageing in wooden hogsheads
brings out the last bit of mildness, mellowness and
taste that is naturally in Kentucky's best Hurley
tobacco. That two years' ageing is Nature's own
method. No shortcut processes can even touch it.
And VELVLT will prove this to you.
Ife Toa l Sc MuI4mJ Bmi l I ftV. CUm Hoklw
tjejait UyaAAtotacco Git
I
id
Ladies in Southern Oregon Should Realize
the Saving on Low and High Shoes at
V AU PEL'S
ASHLAND
at 98c, $1.98 and $2.50 a pair
Costs Little More
to go East
VIA
CALIFORNIA
Hefore soled iiitf the route for your next trip
East (insider these three important things:
SERVICE
Steel cars, through standard or tourist sleep
ing cars, unexcelled dining cars.
SAFETY
ock ballast, automat ic block signals, heavy
steel rails, coiisistant speed.
SCENERY
Known throughout the country as "The Road
of a Thousand Wonders."
LIBERAL STOP-OVERS
Our Agents are well informed.' Ask them
regarding train schedules or write
JOHN M. SCOTT, (leneral Passenger Agent,
Portland.
Portland Rose Festival June 13, 14, 15.
SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES
lier ilsler. Mm. John Wilson.