STATE PEAR CROP
The total value of Oregon's 17
most important field and fruit
crops In 9 is $i3,S5i,000 com
pared to $82,153,000 last year, or
an Increase of 14.2 per cent, ac
cording to the December sum maty
of the Federal-Htato Crop Report
ing service. This lncreo.se Is . duo
chiefly to a lare oats crop,, a po
tato crop worth over 20; pe-r cent
more. this year than last although
only' 60 'per' cent as large;, an .in
crease of over five and a-half mil
lion dollars in all tame hay val,u
Vtloh Hnd a corresponding Increase
in wild hay.' . .
Amont; Oregon's principal fiul:
props, pears show a tt per cent ln
creaso in value over last year ani
the dried prune crop is worth ap
proximately six times what it was
,ii year ago. These increases more
than offset the crops the value of
which show decline from a year
ago. Most important of these aro
apples where the 1929 valuation
of total crop is slightly less than
two-thirds of the 1928 valuation.
Preliminary estimates of production-
of Oregon crops l'emained as
published from month to month
during the past season with the
Htngje- exception of apples. The
last estimate of total apple produc
tion based upon the November 1st
condition figure was 5.220,000
bushels, which was manifestly too
high although this figure was a
doorcase of approximately 15 per
i'cent from the first preliminary es
timate of 6.034,000 bushels on July
1st. The December revised figure
is 4.000,000.
PRESENTS OPERETTA
ROGUE RIVER, Ore. Dec. 27.
(Special.) The Christmas ope
retta given Thursday, Dec. 19, by
the Rogue River grade school was
a success. Quite a crowd attended
and evoryne enjoyed the play.
Especial - mention should be
made of the clever costumes worn
by the players, which were, well
made and becoming.
Cast of characters:
Jane, Jean Scott; Santa Clous,
Sydney , Baker; Wongalao. Bill
Hartman; fairies, Jean Anderson,
Alary Smith. Evelyn' Jones, Cor-
rlne Baker, Amy Plank.
Music between scenes: Rogue
River high orchestra; high school
glee ' club; duet, James Martin,
Ered llnlbrccht; harmonica band;
Junior glee club.
fARE ON PLANE SAME
CLEVELAND, Dec. 27. (P) The
firL' '.commercial aitplane passen
ger service to compete with rall-
rpati service on the actual price of
transportation began fhere today.
It is the Universal'; Air Lines, and
the new rates are to be the exact
equivalent of railroad tickets plus
sleeping car fares.
ROGUE RIVER GRANGE
OFFICERS INSTALLED
ROGUE RIVER, Ore., "Dec. 27.
(Special.) The officers of Live
Oak Grange went to Jacksonville
Thursday eveniryr to be installed.
Those who were present from
Live Oak Grange were Master and
Mrs. Oscar Shepherd, Mr. and Mrs.
Perry Walte, Mr. and Mrs. Otto
Fuhrman, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Gal
ligar, Mr. and Mrs. Reed Carter,
and Mrs. Jose Love.
WOMAN INJURED WHEN
, ... TRUCK CRASHED AUTO
TOLEDb, Ore., Dec. 27. (JPj
Mrs. A. B. Dwindle of Chltwood.
Ore., lies critically Injured in (he
Lincoln county hospital here today
as the result or a collision last
night between the automobile In
which she was riding and a heavily
- loaded track. The automobile was
turned upside down with Its five
occupants underneath, Mrs. Dwln-
die being the only one seriously
lturt.
fouii have a time
cooking a ten-foot
custard
Die
How the custard in that pie
would separate because you
couldn't control the heat!
And roasting coffee in bulk
prtsrnts similar difficulties,
i Hills Broi., however, by
roasting their coffee a fnv
pounds at a time by their
continuous process Con
trolled Roastinc produce
a matchless, uniform flavor.
No bulk-roasting method
can insure such goodness.
3 ILLS BROS
COFFEE
Fmk inm lit tH(
Iki kj.
The Secret of Mohawk Pond
By Natalie Sumner Lincoln
SYSOPSIS: Peaou pierce the
secret t Yew l.odut finding an
a r rout in the paueltd woodwork of
the limy roum which opens o
secret door. Her tcay illumined by
mi electric torch she vtuuncs into
the subterranean passu it c way lol
loirf.t hy a daurf triii watched
fro., the caller. Winding steps
leni to a room where she finds a
i-iwU. She tcorks the fevers and
hears the lock click open as she
sees the arotettqtte and pallid fea
tures of a man nearby. She drops
the torch and scrambles for it in
the darkn ess . to uchin o a colled
snake. 7'error stricken she recoils
as a man timats past her and is
bitten by the reptile. Penny man
nges to grope her way to safety. .
Chapter 34
THE SNAKE'S VICTIM
WHEN Peggy awoke she found
. herself lying on the couch
and Julia holding a bottle of smell
ing salts under her nose. . So far as
she could Bee, Obadiah Evans was
the only other person In the living
room.
"Feeling better," he asked solic
itously. "I'm thinking you'd best
go upstairs and let Julia put you to
bed."
Peggy demurred with a negative
shake of her head and swallowed a
stimulant Julia handed her.
Her sense of exhaustion from her
experiences underground was wear
ing off, but she craved the society
of others. The very thought of be
ing alone struck terror to her soul.
'. Then ber thoughts turned to her
ghastly experience when she bad
mistaken the snake for a rope.
"Did you get there In time?" she
asked. "Is the snake dead?"
Her question carried to Sheriff
Beach and he crossed the room just
as the key turned in the front door
and Jim stepped inside. All the
electric lights the room boasted
were turned on and In their full
glare Jim approached the couch In
a dozen strides. The look in Peg
gy's eyes arrested the words upon
his lips. With ever-whitening face
he stared down at her as Beach
stopped at his elbow.
"You called out Just now. Miss
Prescott," began the sheriff, paying
no attention to Obadiah's signal to
him to remain silent, "to get your
guu in the desk drawer. I've done
so" he held up her uncle's auto
matic pistol that all In the little
group might se' it "How many
guns did you have when you came
to Yew Lodge?"
"None," was her low response.
"How many did you And here?"
Peggy averted her gaze; it fell
for an instant on the front door key
in Jim's hand. The latter caught
her eyes as she glanced upward.
"How many guns did you find
here?" demanded Sheriff Beach for
the second time. "Answer, Miss
Prescott, and tell the truth."
In the stillness her whisper
reached them all, and Julia, at the
head of the coucb, capsized into the
nearest chair.
' "And that one" Beach took from
his pocket the .35 caliber automatlo
and held both pistols extended to
ward her "was which. Miss Pres
wit? The .35 caliber or the .45 cali
ber?" An interminable moment
passed with silence unbroken, and
the sheriff spoke again, with stern
emphasis. "Which of these guns
lid you fire at Edgar Stanton?"
Desperately Peggy strove to col
lect her wits if Jim would only
look at some one else!
"I fired tbe ,45 caliber," she ad
mitted, her fingers twining in and
iround tbe edges of the blanket Ju
lia had tossed over ber. She looked
at the sheriff. "You plckedup the
other one that morning."
"And to whom did this other au
tomatic pistol belong?" quickly.
Peggy moistened her dry lips.
'That's for you to find out," she
said simply and closed her eyes.
She had kept faith with Jim to the
last.
Obadiah and Jim looked at each
other and then away. A sudden stir
in the other part of the room, the
tramping of feet and subdued
voices growing louder caused the
men to turn about and Peggy rose
shakily and stared over tha back of
the intervening chairs at four men
carrying an Improvised stretcher,
on which lay a figure covered with
a sheet.
"Oh!" she gasped, horrified, and
shaking off Jim's band, crossed the
room. "Did the snake kill him?"
"Yes." It was Dr. Eastman who
replied, but Peggy failed to recog
nize him; her eyes were focused on
the dead man as the sheet was
pulled down. .
"My brother." The words were
barely breathed and turning slight
ly Peggy found Chase at her elbow.
He bit his lips to keep them from
quivering. "Philandor went down
the secret passage to look for you."
i Peggy reached out an unsteady
band and clutched the person near
est ber.
- "He saved me," she exclaimed,
her eyes big with awe and grati
tude. "As Mr. Chase tripped over
SHEDD, Ore. -World wide alten-i
tlon Is being directed to this little !
city by the campaign Just started J
to erect a pioneer memorial Vnltcd j
Presbyterian clmioh at Oakvllle. a ;
community four re'le-i west of hern, j
where this denomination was found
ed In
largely through the activities of'
Dr. J. II. Horner, director of bis-1
MBDgQRP MSIE
me I managed to get to my feet ana
dashed blindly ahead, Instinctively
toward tbe door, and so on up tbe
passage. What became of the man
with the horrible face?"
Sheriff Beach leaued over and
Jerked a recumbent figure wa IU
feet. . ',.
"He ain't pretty at any time," la
remarked succinctly, "but witb nl
pbur an;, warpaint mixed, Sundowa
Is .some handsome bird. Get up
and face tna lady.", :"r .
Slowly the bent figure' rose and
under bis make-up, grotesque In tbe
brilliant lights, but horrible In the
darkness, Peggy recognized the
man whom she bad seen upon her
arrival at Yew Lodge.
"You put the pistol in the soup
tureen I" she exclaimed incoherent
ly. "And scuttled our canoe."
Sundown grinned down at her.
"Yes," he admitted, "I did."
Re stopped back to avoid Jim's
clenched fist and Obadiah got be
tween the two man.
"But why?" demanded Peggy,
gazing at the bait-breed in utter
bewilderment. "I have never done
anything to you."
"Lieutenant Stanton's orders," re
sponded Sundown, stolidly. "He
wanted : to terrify you into leav
ing" "For what purpose?" broke In
Beach.' '
"So the house would be vacant
and he could search for the secret
chamber." Tbe half-breed Indian,
realizing the game was up, re
ceived his defeat with tbe stoicism
of the red man. The most that he
could hope for was leniency it he
talked. . "I watched tbe foreigners
Mr. Prescott used to build the pas
sage and the chamber underground
and I confided what I knew to Lieu
tenant Stanton."
"Then what?" prompted the sher
iff. "The lieutenant wormed some in
formation from Mr. Prescott; what,
I don't know," Sundown shrugged
bis shoulders. "He told me the old
man had money, much money. In
the secret room and be promised
me bait of all we found. I had not
learped bow to get it, although I
tried so hard." .
"I'll bet you did," commented
Obadiah, breaking bis long silence.
"So later you and tbe head devil
fell out and you murdered Stanton
in, this room."
"I did not!" Sundown stood
erect, his eyes flashing. "Lieuten
ant Stanton sent the snake in a box
that killed Mr. Prescott"
"What!" roared Beach.
Sundown nodded vigorously. "The
box came to ine -through a trusty
messenger," be said, "but I did not
know what was in it." He hesitat
ed before continuing. "I think much
LflYClt after, we flai-tbe ohi.man
dying and I learn it was snake bite.
The broken bos is down in the se
cret .robin." S. ii C .':' I . ' '
"Sure it is, and the snake, too
dead now," went on Obadiah, as no
one spoke." "'I'nl thinking Mr. Pres
cott may Gave told Stanton to send
him something of value that be
wished to lock up in (jls vault be
low. The old gentleman unsuspect
ingly opened the box there, was bit
ten, contrived to get up here again,
close the opening to the secret pas
sage, and stagger outside where I
was the first to reach him." He
stopped , and cleared, his throat,
"Well, Sundown,, you avenged the
old man's death by killing Stanton."
"I did not," Sundown p-oclalmed
bis Innocence for the second time,
unswervingly. "When I kill, I kill
in fair fight," '"' " '
"Even though you stoop to fright
en women and attempt to drown
them," Jeered Jim. "You dirty
coward!" ... i
Sundown flinched., "I did what I
did as a Jest," be protested. "I
swam near and would have saved
Miss Prescott bad you sot come."
He looked appeallngly at Peggy.
"Truly I do not lie to you, though I
did steal your canoe, from the wa
ter and let mine, like it, float on tbe
lake. '3tralgTitenihtr "tri i-e faced
the others, bis tone soft and win
ning. -"That last plgtat I overheard
Mr. Prescott talking to himself. He
said: I dare not' take tho risk I
dare not; Philander Chase will kill
me If ho can." '
"That's a damn He," shouted
Chase, his eyes blazing with fury.
"You shan't stand there, and slander
my brother!" .
"Walt!" And Obadiah laid a re
straining band on the botanist's
shoulder. "We'll clear your broth
er, never fear. Qo on, Sundown;
get tbe lies out of your system."
From inside his shirt Sundown
took a leather wallet and handed It
to tbe sheriff. - "Mr. Prescott give
me that before he die," be ex
plained. "Tbe money I keep, as he
said, but the paper is for Miss Pres
cott." (Copvrlghtt D. Appleton and Co.i
Sheriff Beich rends tho nots
with startling revelations In to
morrow's installment.
torlcal research, the Idea nf build
ing a memorial Chanel was first ap
proved by the northwest synod and
last year was made a project of the
entire denomination which will
raise (I5.0IJ0 to be added tn )5000
being raised here.
Mrs. M. It. Lindsey of Rherirf Is
named treasurer of the fund being
collected from every country In the
world having United Presbyterian
congregations.
Vrtrrnti Hiiii'ldra.
SKATTI.K, Wa.h, Dec. .. fP)
Vr-rnon flormnn. " ph shocked
war veteran, wrote his wife thnt
he was "ulnwly twills; crnxy" and
cnmmitlcd suli-lrle by asphyxia
TRIBUNE, MEDTOttP,
E
rHU-UH), Deo. 27. A) T h e
divorce rule in ('ook county court,
for li9 wan revealed today, nhov
I lit an average of one divorce every
55 mlmitett for the lineal year. Thj
numbers of divorces granted in cir
cuit uourt nd superitir ruurts wsa
li,ti6!", tills being K'O ; jiiure tlian
in the nrecldinK year. The fiKuu's
were made known by tho clerks o
tho two courts. , ,
The divorces' averaged Ona lo
each 103 homes, and affected 5,73
children. A majority of Uhe par
ties involved, however, were child
less. Wives were the- petitioners
for divorce in three out of four
cases. Desertion and' cruelty were
the "principal causes, for . which
women sought the severance of
nmrriuge bonds. The majority oi
men ba.se d their suits on charges
of Infidelity.
The report showed that only ap
proximately 15 per cent of the con
testants were native Americans.
ItOGUK HIVEK. Ore., Dec. 27
(Special) The Itoguc Hiver Civic
Improvement club had a splendid
meeting at the homo of Airs. Wil
liam Kads Friday afternoon. After
the business meeting Airs. Shep
herd demonstrated candy making
and Mrs. Grimmett gave n read
ing. At tho close of tbe meeting
Mrs. Kads and Mrs. Trotter served
delicious refreshment. T h o h
present were M rs. 1 taker, M rs.
lhelps and Junior, Mrs. , Will.
Mrs. Bodkin, AIn. Dirks, Airs.
AlcCMnren. Airs. Kusho, Airs. Smack
AI rs.- Iance, AI in. Carter, Al rs.
Johnson, Al rs. Kills, Al rs. Al el 1
valn. Airs. Grimmett, Airs. Shep
herd, Airs, ttlrdseye. Airs. I frown
and the hostesses, Airs. Trotter
and Airs. Kudu. ,
DELAY CHECK HEARING
LAKE COUNTY OFFICIAL
SALEM, Ore., Dec. 27. (TP) C.
C. Aiahan, county assessor of Jnke
county, who has been In jail here
for several weeks, on a charge of
Issuing a check without sufficient
funds, was arraigned In justice
court yesterday. Alnhan did not1
enter a plea but asked further
time to consult on attorney and
the case was continued. Tho check
in question was given to the
Marlon Hotel-and the charge was
brought by tho representative of a
national protective agency of
which the hotel Is a member.
t ... r...
tOGl.'H; RIVER, Ore.. Dec. 27.
(Special) Mrs. Fred Dengler, who
has been 111 for the past week, is
improving. ,
Mr nnri Mr T?nho.t Hrlmmo
spent Tuesday visiting Airs. I.lnrf!
of !Jnd home on the Caves high-j
way.
The Rogue River 'Girls basket-1
ball team played the Jacksonville
girls at Jacksonville Thursday
night. The Jacksonville girls won
the game.
A program was held Sunday
morning at the Presbyterian
church.
Mr. and Airs. Ira Phelps and
son, Junior, spent Sunday at the
home of Air. and Airs. Oscar Shep
herd, Tho Taylor Rlue Fox farms ore
still proving a local attraction.
Among those who visited there
the past week were, Air. Al Iovo
and four daughters, Rill Afoore,
W m. J ones. Al r. Scott, Fred and
Dwlght Harlan, and E. Wilson
and family.
Raymond Stevens was a Afed
ford visitor Tuesday evening.
Friends will be glad to know
that Mrs. Klfwv Onodale is recover
ing from a recent operation,
Oscar Shepherd has been run
ning the meat market In the Plg
gly Wlggly store tit Grants Pns
for Air. HH1 I,onlgan.
ROGUE RIVER
MAKE GOOD RECIPES TURN!
OUT EVEN BETTER DURING
19
mi
BY USING
THE LARGEST SELLING
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING GETS BE8ULTS
OKKOONT. FRIDAY. TTKOKM'REn 271021).
7
I
Ji
WET ROADS
slow down
traffic . . .
So docs
WET
GASOLINE
TEXACO
is dry
SJjilJ an uneven mixture which resists the 2; This pure, dry gas responds Instant
o.;nn nfl. cnnfl-. Iv tn the act inn of the -.Dark.
l
ENTERPIUSB, Oro. (P) An In
creaned production of 936 poundB
of milk and 20 pounds of butterfat !
per cow over last year Is reported
by the Wallowa County Dairy Herd
Improvement association. !n Its an
nual report just ixsued through
County Agent N. C. Donaldson.
This Increased production, tho
report says, has resulted In an av
eraKe Increased profit per cow
above feet cost In 11128 was $82.!i;t.
This year It is 1101.12.
Elimination of "bonnier" cows
and better feeding practices were
the two reasons given for tho prof
itable Increase.
3Q
FLOUR IN THE WEST
There is
no better gasoline
for winter driving
starts instantly!
Wet gasoline is sluggish backward in starling, slow in the
pick-up and wasteful of mileage. There's nothing like die dry
gas of Texaco for the pep and stamina you expect of your
engine. .
For the new and better Texaco starts instantly even on
the coldest days and follows through with the quick surge of
sustained power that was designed into your engine. Try it.
Get the thrill of (puck starts of power at your command.
Wherever you are there's a Texaco pump nearby where
you'll find the same high test Texaco that is sold in every
State of the 48. Texaco is better because it's dry.
TIIE TEXAS COMPANY Texaco Petroleum Products
The NEW and BETTER
TEXACO
GASOLINE
1; A wet gas Is an atomized mixture o U The new and better Texaco vapor
gasoline vapor in which are suspended izes so readily that it forms dry gas
drops of raw gasoline; an active
1. Those Hrnns nf raw on ant ma fnrm aiTJ
3. Result: Destructive crank case dilu- 3. Result: Lightning starts, rapid ac
tion, difficult starts a sluggish motor; celcration. smooth action power!
AGrim Struggle
Gripped the Sierras
StnrU
MOM DAY,
December
3Qs
mixture (ot gasoline ana n
If
DRY A
3BP
1 r .na- 1 j
iingcrupulous and powerful financier, was
(Ictcrniiiicd to build a railroad through the,,;
rocky fastness of the Sierras. V
Scott Glenn's vast irrigation project lay ;
in the path of the railroad plans and Glenn,'
young and fearless, luuglicd at Morse's threats.1
Then suddenly, beautiful Anne, Wihnot
was thrown into the midst of the bitter strife,'
and the struggle for a mountain right-of-way '
was eclipsed by the furious contest waged for
honor, honesty and love. . y
A Question of notion
By Ratal Cross
THROUGH a maze of intrigue, hatred and
violence, a thrilling romance runs iU
hu.artloiis course and Anne finds herself the!
pivotul isxue in this
influence lulled
tenacity of youth.
Read this fust-moving story of adventure,
in the romantic western mountains.
in the
Mail Tribune
PSGE THREE
con Morse-
combat of wealth and
o"iiinst the'
courage ana
.'1' ' j