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About The Columbia register. (Houlton, Columbia County, Or.) 1904-1906 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 1904)
OREGON NEWS ROADBUILDING IN CLACKAMAS. To Make Permanent Path Is Policy of County Court. Oregon City "During the last year Clackamas county haa expended 40, 000 in roadbuilding," eays Judge Ry an. "The policy of the county court it to bnild permanently hen any piece of road ia constructed and where tne fnnda are available," continued Mr. Cyan. "Thiayear Clackamas county baa been especially fortunate in ita roadbullding, having funds on hand with whib to meet every warrant that haa been iesned on thia account. In our loadbnilding the court has been disposed very generally to fellow the plan of reducing the grade of all roads that are treated, finding that thia course contribntea much to the perma nency of the improvements that are made." The announcement that Clackamas county roads will next year be experi mented with in the nee of oil has aroused much interest. Judge Ryan has received numerous inquiries from California producers, who Lave offered to deliver the oil here at no greater a cost than it costs in California. The court will place this oil on all of the different kinde of clay soil in the coun ty and deter m ne its value in road con struction. - New Phone Through Polk. Independence Riley Craven, W. W. Permal and W. A. Metsner have' or ganised a stock company to be known as the Independence Telephone com pany, the purpose being to bnild a tele phone line from Independence to Mon mouth and elsewhere in the connty as desired. The line will connect with the Lnckiamute line at Monmouth, and is to work in connection witn the Cor vallis, Dallas, Falls City, McMinnville, Amiy, Perrydale and McCoy Mutual lines, already established. The- com pany will circulate papers and secure stock for promoting tne enterprise. The privilege is given by the council of Independence to place the line in this city. Steps will be taken to obtain the same in Monmouth. The service v for Independence and Monmouth will be through the Independence central office. Road to Gallce. Merlin Work haa begun on the new road to Galice, and it is expected it will be completed in six w,eeks. Con siderable freight is here awaiting the completion of the road, among it a saw mill for .the Rand mine. The Merlin Townsite company has material on hand for the construction 'of a tele phone line to Galias8oon as the road ia completed. It wonld be in opera ( ' tion now, but it was desired to have it ' follow the new road. It ia intended to ' carry the line four miles beyond Galice, ' giving service to the Almeda, Rand, Big lank and other mines. The ex- penditure of a small amount of money . will also complete the new road to the mines named. Coming Events. North Pacific Unitarian conference, Salem, October 25-27. Annual meeting Oregon Miners' as sociation, Portland, November 14. Bute Bar association, Portland, No vember 15-16. National Grange. Portland, Novem ber 16-26. Convention of County Clerks and Recorders, Portland. November 25-26. Poultry Show, Corvallis, December 10-12. Oregon Good Roads convention, Salem, December 13-15. Wheatmen Give Liberally. Pendleton Leon Cohen, who is di rectlng the work of raising $5,000 in this county for the Open River associa- tion- to build the porage road at Celilo, is meeting with success and says the necessary amount of money can easily be ra ised in another w eek. The large wheat raisers in the county, who have been approached, are subscribing quite liberally and already nearly ha'f of the amount has been raised. Mr. Cohen has agents at work in the country, and they have been instructed to make a th trough canvass. ' Willamette Still Low. Albany Water in the Willamette river is yet two feet too low to permit steamboat traffic on the Upper Willam etto. After two or three days of hard rain, with frequent rains following, the boats will be able to reach Albany regularly. The upper traffic will be conducted by the Oregon City Transpor tation company agaia this year, and the boats which will make the Por-land-Corvallis run will very probably be the Pomona and the Oregona. No Insurance on flax. Salerr Upon examining his insur ance policies, Eugene Bosse found that bis insurance on the flax burned expir ed a month ago. The poilcy was for $3,000. Mr. Bosse has this years' crop of flax spread in the fields cr stored at Bcio, so that he has some raw material with which to start a linen mill. The fire, however, will cause delay in starting the mill. Delegates to Commercial Congress. Salem Governor Chamberlain has appointed J. E. Aitcheson, of Portland, and F. B. Holbrook, of Irrigon, as del egates to the trans-Mississippi Com mercial congress, to be held at St. Louis. : OF INTEREST INCREASE IN IMPLEMENT TRADE. Wheatjj rowers Have Money Vita Which to Buy Tools. Pendleton A tiaveling man for a leading implement company says the Implement trade in the wheat districts of Oregon and Washington ia better thia season than ever before in the his tory of the two states. More money is evident among the growers and more cash ia paid for implements than usual. Trade in the communities in the in terior of Oregon, where nothing bat stock is raised ia alow, as the growers have not sold any beef during the past two years at a profit, consequently ready money is at a premium. All are confi dent the coming season will prove profitable. Much stock has been un loaded at the low prices, aa'it has not paid to hold and feed, and at a result next year will find fewer head of stock in the country and prices will necessar ily have to advance. Ores rrom Blue River Mines. Eugene- At a special meeting of the Engene Commercial club the committee wppointed to iJok after an exhibit of minerals from Blue River mining dis trict reported promises of ores tor the Lewis and Clark exhibit amounting to 33,000 pounds, and that this amount will be saelled by mine owners who have not yet been seen to at least 45,- 000 pounds. The miners are reported as taking the matter in hand with en ergy and they are desirous of doing atl in their power to further the matter. rThe ores will be hauled to Eugene yet this fall, in order to be ready for in stallation at the beginning of the Lewis and Clark exposition- Sowing raU Wheat. Albany Linn county farmers are Bowing a great deal of fall wheat now, and from present prospects the acreage of wheat sown in thia county will be three or four times as large as that sown last year. There are several reas ons for this. Last fall was not auspic ious for sowing grain, and the acreage was small, while this fall has been a good one for seeding purposee. The spring grain this year was a complete failure, and the spring yield for several years haa been light, so farmers in this part of the state are beginning to abandon the pratice of sowing at that time. Logging Road to Be Built. La Grande The surveys are about completed for a narrow-gauge logging railroad from Hilgard, eight miles west of La Grande, up the Grand Ronde tiver about 30 miles, to a' heavy body of timber owned by the Grand Ronde Lumber company, of Perry, on the slopes of the Blue mountains. The company has been driving its logs down the river for the past 12 years, but it is now becoming almost impossible to get a sufficient' amount . of logs by this method for tha season's run, and the company has determined to build a road to the timber. These mills em ploy about 200 men during the busy season. Mine Promoters' Improvements. La Grande The promoters of the Camp Carson mines, southwest of this city, which were recently purchased by a company of California capitalists with James R. Elmendorf as manager, have made arrangements with the Grand Ronde Lumber company, at Per ry, five miles west, to' build a good wagon road up the Grand Ronde river from Starkey to Prospect ranch. This road will shorten the distance to the mines several miles and will cut out several steep and bad grades, which will be a great advantage to the tim bermen in getting the pine over better roads, as also to the mining company. . 1 Coal on Butter Creek. Pendleton A coal deposit has been discovered at the head of Butter creek, in the southern part of Umatilla coun ty. Joseph McLaughlin made the dis cpvery a short time ago while engaged at work' on bis stock ranch. Samples have been sent to experts, and favora ble tests have been made. tThe coal is similar to deposits near Heppner. ' Mr. McLaughlin plans to develop the mines, and already preliminary work has been started. The deposits are said to ex tend a long distance into the mountains trom the head of Butter creek; , Ready Sale of Coins. Grants Pass If the Lewis and Clark souvenir gold dollars sell everywhere over the state as they are selling at Grants Pass, the number . allotted by c ingress will soon te exhausted. The first installment sent to the First Na tional bank of Grants Pass has . been sold out, and second lot is now going zi fast as the first lot went. Mining men are the principal buyers, and not a few are being purchased to send East. Northwest Wheat Markets. Portland Walla Walla, 83c; bluestem, 86c j valley, 85c. . Tacoma 'Bluestem, ' 89)ic;' club, 85Kc Colfax Club, 73c; bluestem, 75c. JOY IN RUSSIA. Army Is Said to Have Assumed the Offensive. St. Petersburg, Oct. 20. There is Jubilation throughout the city over the news that General Koropatkia has re sumed the offensive, and the holiday which began with little heart closed brighter. The crowds In the streets and the illuminations in honor of the ctarevitch's nameday gave a tinge of brilliancy to an evening otherwise de pressing, through a constant diiule of rain. Newsboys up to midnight raced through the thoroughfares with evening extras, shouting "Great Russian vic tory," and the crowds bought the pa pers greedily. Groups ot men in bril liant uniforms, or in evening dress at the hotels and restaurants, discussed the change in the fortunes of war, but, as a whole, the population was alow to take fire. News of the earlier reverses had been received stolidly, and the re ports of Russian successes and the cap ture of guns were quietly accepted with satisfaction, but with considerable re serve. . The emperor marked the day by ap pointing his youthful heir chiet of the cadet corps, and by a ukaae pensioning the survivors, widows and orphans of the Turkish-Russian war and promoting all the retired captains of the Turkish. Russian war to the tank ot lieutenants colonel. Japanese Retreat Cut Off. Mukden, Oct. 20. It is reported that the Russian army ia advancing. Rain is hindering everything. The rivers are bankfull and the fords are impassable. There are no bridges. Supplies ot all aorta aie delayed. News has just been recieved that the Japanese left flank has been driven back with heavy loss and ita retreat cut off. A Russian regiment is now being hurried to the scene in tne hope of completing the rout. There was fighting today on both sides ot the great Mandarin road. THOUSANDS MAY BE LOST. Emigrant Ship With 2,200 People Reported to Have Gone Down. London, Oct. 20. The Standard prints a dispatch from Vienna in this morning's issue, stating a rumor is prevalent at Fiume, on the Adriatic coast, that a Cunard liner "with 2,200 emigrants on board, which left that city last week, has sunk off the Span ish coast in a storm. Considerable excitement has been created here by the report, although it is believed if such a calamity had oc curred, London or Liverpool would have received news of it from a point nearer the alleged scene ot the disaster than Fiume. Telegraphic inquiry made at Liver pool, where the Cunard line has its British offices, elicited no further. news. One of the officials declared he had re ceived no such report, and as far as he knew, none of his colleagues was in possession of more information than was given to the world by the Stand ard. The Standard is a reliable paper. It prints tbe rumor without comment ing on it, simply giving it for what it is worth. MINERS' STRIKE ENDED. Colorado Men Looking for Situations Wherever They Can Get Them. Denver, Oct. 20. The strike of coal miners of district Ne. 15, United Mineworkers of America, which hat been on for a year, has been pi act 1 cally closed up, according to a dis patch to the Newt from Trinidad, Colo. The commissaries are closed, most of the tents have been taken down and the men are looking for situations wherever they can get them. All' the men who were on strike up to October 12 are given union clearance cards. It is understood that those of tbe strikers who decire transportation to other fields will be so provided. . William Howe! Is and John Simp son, ptesident and secretary, respec tively, of district 15, will not be can didates for re-election for their respec tive offices at the Mineworkers' - elec tion, which occurs by referendum vote during this month. Robert Smith seems to be in the lead for president and Harry Douthwaite for secretary. Transfer of Alaska Commemorated. St. Louis, Oct. 20. In commemora tion of the 37th anniversary of the transfer of the territory of Alaska to the United States. Alaska day at the world's fair was observed today. One of the features of the ceremony was the unveiling in the Alaska pavilion of a bust of William Henry Seward,, sec retary of Wate, when the purchase was made. The presentation speech was made by Francis Lemoine Loring, of New York city, to which Governor John G. Brady, of Alaska, responded. Addresses were made by several . Withdrawn Prom Entry Buttt, Oct. 20. A Miner special from Great Falls says: The local land office today received instruction to withdraw from all forms of entry 276, 480 acres of land, in conneciton with the Milk riyer irrigation project. Fart of the tract withdrawn lies northwest of Havre, extending irregularly from the line of the Great Northern to the international boundary, comprising part of the chain of lakes, reservoir sites and lands along Mjlk river. ' Coal Mine to Close. " Pittsburg, Pa., Oct. 20. The direct ors of the Allegheny Coal company have decided to suspend opeiations in definitely at their Haiwick mines next Saturday. This will almost depoplate a village of 1,000 people. . Toilers o! the Columbia By PnUL DBLHXBY JI(J ( Dri?' "Orvtfea Saefeaea,' m4 ( Pscltle CJ Slertee c & -a Ki -if CHAriKU VII. Toilers ot the Columbia. t "How is the storm?" "Pretty high, father, but not so high as it was a week ago." "I do not believe I can go today, my child." "Well, father, I will try it alona. Dan Laphain fishes a trap alone, and I believe I can do so. too." "Oh, no, my child. Dan it a strong young man. lie hat not an equal on the bay, and yon are my frail little girl. I know yon are willing and your strength at timet seems to bo super natural, but you could not fish a trap alone. It is out ot thejjueetlon." "But Dan'a trap ia near ours. You know ha often helpa ma when you are tired and I would help him this morn ing In leturn for hit services. Yon am not able to go, my father." "But I will go,'' said tha old man at ha drew himself feebly trom the bed. "My child, this work la getting too severe for you. For mora than a year you have had to pull at the oara and your task hat grown greater nntll your, strength is over-taxed. Day by day I grow more feeble and day by day the burden is increased upon your should ers. If I could only complete the link that stilt it missing I would place you where yon could continue your studies and the old man that I am would spend his few remaining days in comfort as your ward. I know, Saukala, that you would not begrudge me to small an amount if it were yours." I "Xo, lather, it should all be yours. ( have only one desire, and that is to place you where you shall have rest. i ou need rest, father, you need rest. No one nearly so old as you toila on the Columbia, and yet you go day after day, and often when you are too feeble even to stir. Listen, the storm rages thia morning! You should not go at all." Thus spoke Sankala to Rlngwold. Another year had passed in their lives. The price of fish had gone down under tbe hard times and close competition and Ringwold had for many' months been unable to make a support for the two alone. In fart, he. had struggled beyond his strength to keep Sankala in school and the craan was close at hand. He waa now giving out his last stiength. Often he would become completely ex hausted and He for a time in the bow of the fishing boat while the girl work ed on alone. It was on these occasions that good-hearted Dan Lapham had come to their rescue and assisted poor Sankala to do ber work. She had become hardened to the work, however, and frail as she waa she could handle a boat and draw in the web of the fish trap with the skill of the average man. It waa not her strength that did it, however. It was her will power and a nimble, quick motion of an expert nature that women possess over meo. Twice this morning had Rinwgold fainted while Sankala was assisting him to dress and the bad revived him and carried on the work. The child was accustomed to this and did not realise how serious waa the condition of the old man. When the fishermen reached the beach the waves were coming in with a rush. They threw the drift wood fur ther back with each pulsation. Out in the darkness through the mist and tbe rain the white caps could be seen leap ing about like the salmon they were pursuing. The stiongest fisherman paused this morning. They were often compelled to remain ashore until late and even over-day. But this was always a disappointment. The fish ran better when there was a storm and the hard times now urged the toilers on their duty. '. While the men .were thus pausing from indecision Ringwold and Sankala appeared. Without seeming to notice the disturbed condition of the bay they shoved their boat into the water and while Ringwold steered Sankala threw her oars against the seething current. They gradually mingled with the dark phantoms which danced upon the sea until they were lost from view. The fishermen had become so accus tomed to tbe dangers of their life that they thought but little about it. What to the stranger would have appeared foolhardy was to them duty and choice. But the storm this morning was unusu ally high and that intuition akin to the instinct that protects animals from de struction, warned the fishermen to be CaUtioUS. ' . : '''; But when Sankala braved the waters with her aged companion the most dar ingof the fishermen followed. Dan Lapham,' smarting under his former timidity, was first seen to shoot out in his boat in pursuit of the two who worked a trap near his own. Then one by one the others followed. The fish traps weie constructed along the entire north shore of the river, which is Baker's bay, from Cape Dia appointment to McGowan's Point, a distance of a dozen miles or more. The middle of the river was the divid ing line. The river is the dividing line between the two states and the fisher men from the two states clajm their rights, even to a hair's breadth. The fishermen on the north had traps while those On the south had nets. The cannerymen on tbe south .side of the riyer owned most of the nets .and old Seadog' owned most of the traps on a a t Jj the north. The fishermen ware em ployed by the day on the nets and given to much for eacu fish raptured. The trappers were employed by the day or worked the traps on aharet. All the fishermen used row boats peculiar for their work. Save with rare excep tions the boats were manned by two, both at the nets and the traps. One was called the puller and the other the fisherman. While tbe latter tended hit nets or traps the puller guided the boat to tult the work. The neta were known at gill nets. These were stretched out their . full lengtn in the water, which waa many feet and even yards. , Floaters wire placed along the top . ot the set at proper distance! to hold it In position while sinkers carried the bottom of the net deep into the water. The mesh es of the net were of such sise at would permit the entrance of the s verge fishes head. When once it entered the mesh- ee the gills were fastened and the fish held prisoner until removed by the fishermen. JThe traps, one of which Ringwold and Sankala tended, were constructed diff erently. A large figure was formed in tbe shallow water by the driving of piles. It represented a heart and on either aide extended long wings. The wings enclosed a semi-circle facing the ocean and immediately in the tear of where they come together was the large heart. A netting, railed web, was stretched along the piles from the sur face o( tbe water to the bottom ot the bay. By this means a perfect heart with wings was perfected. The valve of the heart opened im mediately at the conjunction of the wings. This waa at the sharp point of the "V" which it formed at the top of the heart. As a trap for fish It is a success. The almon come up from the ocean and enter tbe mouth of tbe river fresh and strong. Tbey run In great schools and follow the shallow channels laying their spawn as they go farther up the stream. When the noses cf the fish strike the web forming the wings of the heart, they follow the wings to the center. Here they find their way through the opening into the heart. When once into the heart their capture is com plete. They circle about the place passing the same apex of the heart through which they entered without ever discovering it as a meant of escape, and are thus held at captivet until the fishermen take them into their boats. They sometimes enter these traps by the hundreds within 24 hours. Ihey range in weight from five to 20 pounds and larger. It was such a trap at thit that San kala and Ringwold tended for old Sea- dog at wagea baiely sufficient to tuf tsin them at best. CHAPTER VIII. A Morning of Disaster. "nello, Captain!" , "Hello, lookoutl" "The sea is high and the fishermen are venturing out." "All right, I will send out the men.". Cape Disappbintroent life saving station nestled beneath the rocks of the cliffs that extended far out over the BOA Many a mariner had met disappoint ment here. For from the sea the spot looked like a place of refuge from the storm. ' But he who dared to trust it had often been dashed to death against ita walls, Shaken and addled, at it were, while crossing the river bar, the mightiest rovers of the deep had been broken up here like glass upon the rocks. It was the treachery of itp appearance that gave name to the place. It was tbe great loss of life that had caused the government to establish a life sav ing station at the foot of the cliffs. . But the life savers had a double duty to perform. The purpw for which they were originally placed there was insignificant to tbe duty that later de veloped. They were provided by the government to watch incoming vessels and save the lives of ship wrecked sea men and travelers on ' the deep, but later It was found that a hundred calls came fro.r those whose lives were spent on the river to where one came from thote who lived on the sea. , Like guardians of children the life savers stood upon watch and as the fishermen came and so were they on duty. From the early hours.of morning un til nearly noon, and from early after noon until late in the evening the fish ermen dotted the river in their tiny boats and struggled with their nets verging on the very danger line where ocean and river, met. Once act oss this line and the frail craft of the fisherman was at the mercy of tbe undertow and many a toiler was dragged to his death ere Ihe government protectors of life could reach the spot in boats prepared for the purpose. The lighthouse stood upon tbe high est point of the cape overlooking the sea. Beneath its shadow stood a small structure barely large enough inside for one man to stand, turn bout and sit down. It was built of glass save that ita framework and rnof was made of iron. The glass was thitk and al most as strong as iron for it required strength to withstand the: terrible storms that beat upon it from the sea. Its furnishings were a small Btnve, a tool, a pair of strong glasses and ' a telephone. It wu occupied a lghl ani day by one man at a- time. One waa oo watch from nooa until midnight and the other trom midnight nntll nooa. Not even a light was allowed for it vu net ccried by dy and by night it would blind the watch to that he could not look oat upon the ocean aaJ river. Throui hoot the day he peered out through his gtaiset ovsr the sea and river and bay. At night he followed the great revolving light In the light house above his head and watched for objects on the water while he looked further out for the smaller lights of ' Vessels. It was on the morning that Sankala . and Rlnswold had put forth Into the ' storm that the conversation took place over the telephone between the look outi and the captain of the life saving crew recorded at the beginning '" ot thia ' chapter. The lookout had teen the small craft battling with the surf on the bosom of the bay in the dim light shot out from overhead. He could. feel the storm , blowing against tha structure which enclosed him; be sides tbe register ahowed a high ve locity of wind. It foreboded a day of hard work. Fishermen would venture forth in dangerous atormt and thit compelled the life savers to stand en constant guard. They would enter their boats and beat along the danger line like sentinels to keep tbe fishermen from rowing to their drath. And ia spite ot this precaution scores find watery graves at Ihe mcuth of the Columbia ' every year. As tbe fishermen fought theli way cut on this stormy morning tbe life savers shot out from under the cliffs toward the bar. Here bordeilng on the danger line themselves they pa trolled the river to rescue those lest capable than themselves to withstand the receding tide. "Hello, captain!" "Hello, lookoutl" "Signal dlstresi off west end of Jetty Sand etplt. A boat ia heading tor the breakers!" "Bing, blng, bing!" Went three guns. "Hello, captain!" "Hello, lookoutl" "Signal distress off Paclflo rocks. Boat seems to be capslsed and men clinging to upturned bull!" "Bing, bingl" went two guns. After a few minuutes pauie the cap Iain's 'phone rang again Hello, captain I" "Hello, lookout!' "Signal distress off .Disappontment rocks I Boat shoving for breakers like a rocket Girl at tbe oars; ia powei less think it is Sankala, the old chemist's daughter." "Bing, bing, blng, blng, blng!" rang out five shots from the cliffs be low. This was the most dangerous point at the month of tbe river and was called the hell gap, for it was here tbst so many fishermen had lost their " lives. The swift receding curren Worried a sort of maelstrom at the point of the rocks and when once fairly in its clutchea'boats were swept like chaff into the breakers and disappeared like shot thrown into the water. The life savers-knew the signals at well as their alphabet and rushed to the rescue like firemen to tbe call of fire. And when the signal came for Disappointment rocks the sturdy bcyi lying off that point bent to their oart with all their might. . The life savers were divided up Into . crewe-and each of theae divisions cov eted given points. . The men selected (or the most dangerous placet were tha most experienced and dared the ele ments at veteran aoldiert face the death line in battle. While the rescuers were hurrying to the calls of distress the captain had as -cended to the Icokout't station. Day wat already dawning and while signals were given at night by the discharge of firearms, they were given in day time . with flags from lookout point. With the advancing day the river and bay presented a busy appearance. A speck here to the natural eye waa revealed through the strong glasses to be a fisherman's boat struggling with the nets or waves. Some were going, some were coming. Each was oblivious of the other. One wat dashing to its ruin at another point and life ssvert were going to itt rescue, while the men in danger were often unconscious of the fact. But in the work which wat so com mon at to bring no excitement to the veteran captain of the crew he sur veyed the waters at a general does hit battlefield. Thit morning, however, a change came over his face. He saw a frail' fisherman's boat .being swept toward 1 Disappointment rocks. Standing up working hei useless oars with all her strength was Sankala. The glasses re vealed her firm features and while she looked into the jaws of death she was as calm as the rocks which awaited her approach. Ringwold lay motionless in the boat. Whether dead or asleep the glasses did not disclose. It was evident that they had never reached the fish trap for the boat was as empty . as it had been when they had firBt . started but. The captain raised .the signal flag high above his head and 'waved it five times in succession. But here the life boat which was giving Sankala't boat a Btern chase, passed behind some locks that had just hidden her and several " seconds must pass before they would appear again. v- (To be continued) . An Angry Landlady, t Boarder No. 1 What's that loud thumping noise In the kitchen? . ' Boarder No. 2 It's tho landlady ham merino the stenk aud wishing It was tbe beef truBt. Chicago Tribune. Mayor McClollan asserts that he would prefer to he Mayor of Greater New York than Governor of the KmDirs State.