COLUM BIA HI VOL. I. HOULTOU, COLUMBIA COUHTY, OBEGON, FKIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2. 1904. NO. ID. WEEIVSDOINGS Newsy Items Gathered from All Parts of the World. Or INTEREST TO OUB READERS General Review of Important Happen- pcnlgs Presented In a Brief and Condensed Corn. A ferryboat in Poland capsized, drowning 70 persons. A hail alorm at Prineviile, Oregon, smashed moat o( the windows in the town. Bids on the Grand Konde, Oregon, IndaD landa are found to be over twice the minimum flxd by law. The Japanese are believed to have cut the Kuiilm line of comnnicatlcn between Uao Yang and Mukden. Japanese mllltaiy experts declare that General Kuropatkin ia cornered ao effectively that enape ii impossible. Chcaito employer, now that the pack ers appear aore of winning thilr atrike, re considering a general campaign against unionism. Senator Clark, of Montana, waa threatened by a maniac who ran after the aenator declaring that he had broken the atate game lawi. The fighting at Tort Arthur contnuea to be of the moat desperate chaiacter. Toaitona ara repeatedly taken, loat and retaken by the Japanese with a heavy iota of men. The Russian vessels at Shanghai ciae been disarmed. The rush Incident to the opening of land near Lea iaton, Idaho, is setting in early. A clondbuist in Montana caused con siderable damage to the Northern Pa cific railroad. Bnow has fallen near Duluth, Minn., and cropa have been damaged greatly by heavy frosts. A Laramie, Wyo., mob took a negro, who attacked a white girl, from jail And hanged him. RuBiila denies that she ia discrlml sating against British ahipa in search- log for contraband ol war. Geneial Stoeesel lias informed the tar that the Port Arthur garrison can not hold out over six weeka longer at the moat. The citr of Binang. on the island of Luaon, P.I., baa been wiped oot by Hm. Ona hundred Uvea were loet and 4,000 people are homeless. Bt. Petersburg deems a criaia at hand in the Liao valley unless huropauin can retreat. Continued rains, It ia feared, will greatly impede the move ment of heavy ordnance, which may have to be abandoned. The battleship Nebratka will be launched at Heattle October 7. The Russians lost about 2.500 men in the recent battles in the Liao valley. Cloudbursts In Southern California have washed out much railroad tracks. Oenrala Kurokl and Okn have com nined their armies to cut the Russian line near Anashan. The Jaoaneee have captured more forta at Port Arthur and are now with in the very city at one point. General Fnnston haa notified the war department that he will relinquish the command of the department of the Co lumbia on October l. Tnvnnt Wlons of the oavv depart ment have shown that our warships mnat Wk nftener than once a Tear to have their bottoms cleaned. France holds that powers like Amer ica should act together to aveit incras ing danger of Japan becoming the dom lnant power in the Far Eaat. The general land office has withdrawn 80,840 acres in the uurango rana uis trict, Colordo, on acccunt of the Las Anamaa, N. M., reservoir Bite ana irri gat ion works. The RuBBlana have repulsed the .TnnnTiMA at several nointa In the Liao valley. The Japanese are preparing for a great battle at Liao Yang ana neavy guns are on the way. AN Is aulet at Shanghai and the incident of the disarmament of the Russian ahipa is closed. Georgia militiamen declare the sheriff was in collusion with the mob which lynched negroes. The efforts of the Chicago alder manic onxmmlttee to end the packers' atrike has come to naught. it ia stated that the Corean govern ment haa agreed to engage Japanese advisors and borrow money to carry out much needed reforms. Pbicaxda are bema scattered in Tslnanfa Province, China, urging the massacre of the "foreign devils." The native Christians are fleeing. The Japanese war office haa con eluded that Port Arthur cannot be tnknn bv direct assault and haa order ed that no attacks be made which would entail heavy loss. ARMIES ARC ABOUT EQUAL Russia lias All Confidence Ruropat- am Will Re Victorious. Ft. Petersburg, Sept. 1. The great battle of Liao Yang, which began early uesday morning, raged throughout the day with increasing intensity, but up to this hour no further official de tails beyond two brief telegrams given out in the afternoon, have been received bby the war office. Every confidence a expressed in General Kuropatkln't ability to meet the Japanese asuault on ground of his own rhooslng, but the city is hungrily awaiting further ntws of the progress of the fight. The Japanese forcea engaged in this battle can only be eHtimated here, but they are believed to number about 200,000 men. General Kuropatkin ia known to have nix army corps, besides 147 squad rons of tavalry, in which great confi dence la repoaed, bringing the Russian total up to about the same number that the Japantee have. How the armiea compare with regard to artillery ia not eflnitely known, though throughout the war the Japanese have shown great preference for this arm and great skill in Its use. Reports from the front credit the Japanese with having about 200 guns nd many mountain batteries, and it is known that they recently shipped 24 heavy guns to Yinkow. Four of these guns already have been mentioned in there dispatches as being in action. General Kurokatkin, in addition to hia field batteriea, has a number of very heavy guna emplaced at Important po sitions at Liao Yang, where the Rub- iana have been atrongly fortifying for some time. The Japanese profess to iave captured two field batteriea dur ng te past two days. Russian official accounts admit the losa of only alx guns. It Is stated a Japanese battery was captured south of Anshanshan during the preliminary fighting; and that sev eral Japanese guns have been destroyed ainre then. Little of the atrategic situation has developed ao far. Official news from the front aayi there was desperate fight ng in the southern renter, while from nf or matron from other aources it ap pears the Japanese are endeavoring to turn the Russian light from the neigh borhood of the junction of the Taitse and Sakbe rivera. The fighting on the western flank appears to have ap proached within three miles of Liao Yang. WILL TRY TO SPREAD STRIKE. Union Will Attempt to Call Out Ev cry Affiliated Trade. Chicago, Sept. 1. A strong effort is to be made by the leadera of theuniona now on strike at the stockyards to spread the scope of the strike so that it will include every trade which is ami iated in even a remote degree with the packing industry. The first step in this direction was taken tonight, when the stockhandlers now employed at the yards voted to go on strike st 10 o'clock in the morning. There are about 1, 000 of these men, and their duties are to look after and feed the cattle in the pens between the time of their arrival and the the time of killing. Their action tonight, therefore, will make it incumbent upon the packers to provide other men to take their places. President Donnelly, of the Butchers' union, declared tonight he would also be able to call out all the switchmen employed on the railroads which do business at the stockyards, and possib ly to extend the striae to other pepart ments of the railroads. A mass meet ing of the strikers is to be he'd tomor row afternoon at Watita hall, near the stockyards, an addresses are to bo made by a number of labor leaders. After a conference with members of the executive committee of the strikers national organization, President Don nelly refused to divulge what had taken place. He admitted that means of se curing money for the strikers had been discussed, but he refused to say what else bad been talxed cf at the confer ence. Russian Army Confident. Berlin, Bept. 1. A dispatch from Liao Yang to the Lokal Anzeigei, timed 9:25 a. m. today, says: "What ap pears to be the deciding battle began at 4 a.m. The Japanese began the at tack east of Liao Yang along the Taitze river, but were repulsed. The firing is now specially heavy south and south west of Liao Yang. One can no longer distinguish individual detonations. The Wyberg regiment, of which Em peror William II is honorary chief, is deploying upon the battlefield. The Russian army is full of confidence." May Search for British Ships. Madtid, Bept. 1. The Russian aux iliary cruiser Don has left Vogo with out waiting for her bill of health. Her commander was In receipt of a tel egram from the Russian government which presumably ordered him tc re sume the search for British collieries destined for Japan. It is stated here that ten other Russian cruisers are en gaged in this work on the coasts of Spain, Portugal, France and Africa. OREGON NEWS TESTING STATION AT EUGENE. Bureau of forestry Has Matter Un der Consideration. Salem The United Btates bureau of forestry has under consideration the es tablishment of a testing station at the University of Oregon at Eugene, and It a learned from a reliable source that the officials who have the matter in charge are very favorably impressed with the need of such a station here. The work of such a station would be to make careful and accuiata testa of the strength, durability, elasticity, etc., of all kinds of building and con struction material, auch as lumber, stone, brick, cement. Such a station would require an initial investment of 15,000 for machinery with which to make the tetts. The custom of the government haa been to require the state to furnish the testing laboratory, while the government employes the ex pert to taae charge of the work. Alter the laboratory has been provided thert would be no further expense tolls state. , The advantage to the atate in 'the es- tabliahment of a government testing station would be in the advertising Oregon material would get as a result of the teats. A report of all tests would be published in government bul letins, and an official record would be kept showing the merits of Oregon building material. The nearest government tc? station is at Berkeley, Cal., where the bureau cf forestry maintains a station similar to that proposed for Oregon. In addi tion to setting before the world reliable information regarding the merits of construction material, these stations afford an opportunity to ascertain whether materials being used in con struction work are of the character called for by contracts or whether they sre suited to the purpose for which used. COMPANY MAY DUILD: PORTAGE. Presumed Object of New Portland Contract Corporation. Salem The Portland Contract com pany, ol Portland, filed articles of in corporation in the office of the secretary of state last week with Daniel Kern. Robert Wakefield and J. N. Teal as in corporators. The amount of the capital stock is 110,000. While it is not so stated in the articles, it is believed around the capitol that this is the cor poration which will undertake the con struction of the portage railway be tween The Dalles and Celilo. The expressed purpose of the com pany is to take contracts for and to construct buildings, railroads, canals, bridges, etc., and to deal in , lumber and logs, and transact other business such as construction companies often engage in. The incorporators named are authorized to open stock books snd receive subscriptions to the capital stock. Building for Medical College. Salem There is a niovemnt on foot to secure for the Willamette university an exclusive building for the use of the medical college of that institution. It was announced by Dean W. H. Byid, of the medical college of the university, that Hon. A. BuBh had started the sub scription litt toward the realization of the 117,000 required for the building, with a donation of $2,600, and that a subscription of $1,090 had been added thereto by the faculty of the universi ty. Dr. Byrd says that a vigorous campaign will now be made. Eugene's Carnegie Library. Eugene At a recent meeting of the city council arrangements were made for the purchase of a lot on Willam ette street, between Tenth and Elev enth, for a site for the Carnegie libra ry. Xbe price to be paid is $4,000 A gift of $10,000 from Mr. Catnegie is to be used in erecting a library build ing and equipping the same with heat ing and lighting apparatus, fixtures, etc., and under the terms of the gift the city is to maintain a free library at an annual expense of $1,000. Electric Road Is Assured. La Grande W. E. Davidson, pieui dent of the Eastern Oregon Develop' ment company, in speaking of the pro posed electric railway for Union coun ty, cays that the road will not only connect all the towns in the county but will connect Wallowa county with Union county, and it is though it will ultimately be extended to Lewiston, and thus establish a railroad between the Hill and Harriman lines. Wheat Market. Portland Walla Walla, 79c; blue stem, 82c; valley, 83c. Tacoma Bluestem, 83c; club, 78c. Albany 75c. Salem 80c. ' Colfax Club, 86c; bluestem, 70c. Pendleton Club, 68 Kci bluestem, 72c. LaGrande Club, 2c; bluestem, 68o. mm Of INTEREST ELECTRIC ROAD IN UMATILLA. Win Be Built If Portage Road Is Constructed. Pendleton In the event of the con struction of the portage railway between Celilo and The Dalles, which now seems assured, an electric railroad may be built between Pendleton and some point on the Columbia tlver. This rumor is current on the streets, and it is believed that something tangible lies behind it. It is understood that the promoters of this scheme are prominent residents of Umatilla county and that they will carry the project to a success ful termination, provided the portage road is built, seems certain. , The promoters will not talk for pub lication, refusing to give any informa tion at all concerning the project. "It is too soon to announce our intentions," said one of the interested persons, "for the portage road haa not been built as yet." It is understood that two objective points are now under consideration, the one being Umatilla and the other Wal lula. The latter point will probably be chosen, as a road between that junc tion and this city would open up un limited traffic out of Pendelton. Wheat raisers are anxious that the road be built, as the saving in grain freight rates will be enormous. TARMERS ARE PANIC PROOI. Umatilla County Assured of a Pros, pcrous Year. Pendleton The financial depression and thebusinss stagnation which usual ly precedes a presidential election has not and will not affect Umatilla county or any other community in the North west this tail. The immense crops and the general prosperity have stimulated trades in all lines so much that there is no likeihood of such a period. Al though the deposits in the banks are no larger than ia usual for this time of the year, money is more plentiful. Toward the middle of September, when farmers begin .to get - their money-or their crops, the deposits will increase and outstanding papei will be paid off. as it is, lew nave received the monev for the wheat sold, and only a few are drawing more than enough to pay off their help. Later they will draw their money and the general prosperity of the year win b te.t more generally. OVER 10,000 ACRES IN WHEAT. W. J. furnish Has Land Rented to 29 Tenants. Pendleton W. J. Furnish, probably the largest land owner of Umatilla county, has over 10,000 acres of wheat land rented on shares this season The land is situated north and north west of Pendleton, in the wheat belt that extends from Pendleton to the Co lumbia river. This acreage is appor tioned out to some 29 renters, from whom Mr. Furnish is to receive one fourth of the crop on the better land and on third from the lieht yielding lands. So vast are his holdings that it is with difficulty that he can figure up tne number of acres in wheat this sea son. Mr. Furnish does not attempt to farm any himself, and he said, "I don't even own a plow, but let other people do tne larming." Salem Mill Uses Oil for fuel. Salem The Salem Woolen mills have commenced the use of fuel oil in the place of wood, believing it to be a cheaper material for generating steam The state authorities have been consid ering for some time the question of us ing oil for fuel at the state institutions, and the experience of the woolen mill company will be watched with interest The substitution of oil for fuel in the large manufacturing establishments and in the state institutions will great ly relieve the scarcity of wood, of the last three or four years. Rich Specimen from Blue River. Eugene Development work has been very active in the Blue river district of late and some excellent ore bodies are being uncovered. A number of spec! mens of very rich ore from the Cuba and Oriental mines have just been brought down. The specimens were obtained from near the surface and Driaiie witn gold which can be seen with the naked eye. Indians and Japs for Beetflelds. La Grande A large number of Uma tilla Indians and Japanese imported from near Portland will arrive in the city this week to work in the vast beet fields this fall, pulling and hauling them for the sugar factory in La Grande. There will be over 20,000 ions ground tnis xau, more than any previous season. Brush fire Burns Good Timber. Sumptei A brush fire a few days ago communicated with a large lot of sawlogs belonging to the Oregon Lum ber company and before the flames were checked 600,000 feet of good saw timber were destroyed. The fire oc curred at the logging camp near Whit TRADE Or THE PHILIPPINES. Large Increase Io Imports and crease in Exports. Washington, Aug. 31. According to a statement given out today at the bu reau of Insular affairs, the Philippine mport trada advanced nearly $2,000, 000 in value during the nine months ended March last, and a alight falling off la shown in the exports aa a result decreased shipments in copra and sugar, although hemp and tobacco are exported in larger amounts than for the corresponding three-fourths of the previous year. Excluding gold and silver and United States government purchases, the custom-house returns, the total value of merchandise imported for the nine months ended March, 1904, at $25, 927,024, and the exports at $22,258,- 169, a 7 per cent increaae in imports and 2 per cent decrease in exports. The ricegrowing sections of the Brit- sh and French East Indies have en joyed most of the increase in trade, the latter territory sending three fourths of the $10,000,000 worth of rice received. Except fcr those countries from which rice is obtained the statement says that for the first time since Amer ican occupation, the United States eads in the amount of merchandise sent to the islands and that the out going trade with the principal countries shows a decline in the value of ship ments to the United States, more than $700,000 of the loss being credited to sugar exports and $600,000 to hemp. More than one-bait of the Imports consisted of food and animals, while the exports were chiefly agricultural products., hemp exports amounting to $16,000,000 in round numbers. The figures on the carrying trade show an ncrease in volume of business done under the Amer lean flag, the amount carried tc the islands being $1,535,027, while $2,237,805 of the exports left the elands under the American flag. The British vessels took $18,172,819. The sugar trade declined from $2,- 479,001 to $1,827,074, the entire out put being sent to Jspan, Hong Kong and China, no portion being exported to the United States. Americans made up more than one-half of the . total sr rival8,the greater portloriTeIug clateed as professional men. CABLE TO ALASKA. The Ail-American Line to Tar North Is Working. Seattle, Wash., Aug. 31. Alaska was brought into communication with the rest of the United States this after noon, amid the cheera of hundreds of Americans, the tooting of steamboat whistles and the crash of bands play ing the "Star Spangled Banner." The cable between Seattle and Val- dea was spliced at a point about ten miles north of Seattle at 4 :40 o'clock in the afternoon, though for several hours before the final joining of the two ends messages had been sent from Seattle men, guests on board the cable Rhip curnside, to bitka and responses had been received. The steamship Queen carried 300 of Seattle's prominent sitizens out to meet the cable ship and witness the splicing of the cable. The Burnside was met about six miles north of the buoy where the Seattle end rested. Cable was be ing laid at tne rate ot lour miles per horn, and the two ships proceeded to the buoy, within easy hailing distance. The splicing of the cable took two hours and 20 minutes. Finally the work was completed and the spliced part was held aloft over the side of the Burnside while the bluejackets scam pered aloft and manned the yards. A band on the Queen, which lay about 300 feet away, swung into the "Star Spangled banner," and the cable struck the water with a mighty splash. It sunk into about 300 feet of water. The cable line is 800 miles long and cost $1,000 per mile. Colonel Allen is one of the oldest cable experta in the United States. He helped to lay the cable to Vancouver island 20 years ago. The Burnside. will be overhauled here and in about six weeks the work of laying the line to Valdes will be taken up. Confident of Holding Out. Liao xang, Aug. is. numerous re liable reports which have reached here through a dispatch carrier and other persons are to the effect that despite the extreme Japanese measures of the past fortnight to perfect a blockade of Port Arthur by means of sinking all the junks near that place, the Russians outside Port Arthur are considerably underestimated, as is also the existing power of the fortress, which is likely to hold out for two monthB and possibly until January, even under such an aseau't as the Japanese are using. Paraguay Revolutionists Active. Buenos Ayres, Aug. 31. Paraguay revolutionary vessels are extremely ac tive. They are carrying men, horses and arms and are searching all pas senger boats. An Argentine warship yesterday threatened to fire on the rev olutionary squadron if ic intercepted vessels flying the flag of the Argtenine republic. GIVE UP IDEA Chicago Aldermen Ccnnot En1 Packers' Strike. their eitorts am at an m wo Important Meetings Are Held by Labor Unions, but They Arc Without fruit. Chicago. Ana. 81. "AUolnut nothing." in Mayor Harraion'a worda. summarized the result of the meeting of the aldermanic committee named to mediate if potsible in the stockyards strike, after it had adiourned t! The committee does not expect to meet sgain. president Donnelly, of the butchers. Matthew Cart. Nirhnlaa fiUr and John Fitzpatrick met the aldermen faT a in mayor mi neon's office. Tbey re ported that the packers refused to mske any concessions. iSo evidence was offered as to viols Hons of health laws in housing employ es at ine stockyards, Mr. Donnelly say ing he had not yet prepared the data. The union leaders withdrew and not long afterward the committee ad iourned. Two important meetings were held by labor union tonight to discrifa th packing bouse strike, but no action waa uxen at either gathering. The first meeting waa held bv the packing house teamsters, who went out on a sympathetic strike. The session was turbulent, but the sentiment waa strongly against returning to work: Cornelius Bhea, leader of the national organization of teamsters, was present. He asked the men to take a vote on th question of whether tbey would return io wort, out they refused to take such a vote. Several sneakers who advocated the vote were shouted down. After the adjournment of the team sters' meeting, the representatives of the allied trades employed in the stock yards, held a meeting. Nothing waa settled at this gathering and the meet ing will be resumed in the morning. The executive board of the Mea trot ters' union and members of the Allied Trades council conferred todav. bnt the, peace proposition proposed wss so com- pucaxexx iav ineir enoria came to naught. MAY BOTTLE KUROPATKIN. German Experts Believe Japanese Will Encircle Uao Yang. Berlin, Aug. 31. German military men are discussing the situation of General Kuropatkin with the keenest interest. They have information that the defenses of Liao Yang are of extra ordinary strength. The fortifying ol the town was entrusted to General Mel- ishtko, who enjoys here the reputation of being a master of military engineer ing. During the past two months ha lias fortified all the strategic positions around liao Yang in a manner will nigh impiegnable. The German critics think Liao Yang'a defenses about equalize the dif ference in numbers between the Bus- fians estimated at 180.000 and the Japanese, numbering 240,000. The danger of General Kuropatkin a situation is reognized as being botttled up like Field Marshal Bazaine, who surrendered Mets to the German forcea in 1870. It is doubted by the experta if General Kuropatkin will be able to prevent the complete encircling of Liao Yang, which would mean probably the eventual loss of his army. ASSAULT ON ARTPUR RESUMED. Report That Japanese Have Recclv. cd Reinforcements Confirmed. Chef oo, Aug. 31. Severe fighting- was resumed at Port Arthur on August 27, according to Chinese who left there on the evening of that day. One of the Chinese was arrested and compelled to carry the dead from the battlefield of Pa Li Chuang, which the Japanese at tempted to capture on August 26. Thirty carts were used to carry the dead, numbering 400, from the trenches and outskirts to the city. A police man told the Chinese that the efficient soldiers in the garrison at Port Arthur numbered over 10,000. Arabia Arrives at Shanghai. Shanghai, Aug. 31. The German steamer Arabia, belonging to the Ham bur-gAmerican line, has arrived here from Vladivostok. This is the vessel that was captured by the Russian Vlad ivostok squadron in July. A prize crew was put aboard her and she was taken to Vladivostok. All the white men among her crew were well treated by the Russians. She was tried before a prize court, which condemned 20,000 barrels of flour and 71 railroad car. bodies. The remainder of the cargo and the vessel were released. Boer Treasure round. Johannesburg, Aug. 31. Mr. Kmep, a cousin of General Kemp, the Boer commander, has discovered beyond Spelonken, in the Northern Transvaal, the treasure removed from Pretoria be fore the entry of Field Marshal Rob erts. The value of the treasure Is $1, 250,000, of which the government will' receive half.