The
Hooc
River
Glacier.
It's a Cold Day When We Get Left.
VOL. VIII.
HOOD RIVER, OREGON, FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 1897.
NO. 45.
4?-
Epitome of the Telegraphic
News of the World.
TERSE TICKS FROM THE WIRES
An Interesting Collection of Items From
the New and the Old World In a
Condensed and Comprehensive Form.
Ona Melton, the American newspa-
per correspondent, who is confined with
the Competitor crew in Cabanas, Cuba,
is reported to be dying.
It is reported in Washington that
President McKinley will shortly send a
commission ' to Cuba to participate in
the investigation of the Ruiz murder.
The United Press, having its prin
cipal office in New York, has made an
assignment for the benefit of its credit
ors. The collapse was due to the with
drawal of four New York dailies.
Eight lives were lost by the wreoking
off, Pensacola bar,' Fla. , of an oyster
sloop bound hence from St. Andrews.
The craft was caught in a squall, was
swamped and sank within a few min-'
. utes.
The sultan of Morocco has prohibit
ed the usual pilgrimage of his subjects
to Mecca, on account of the prevalence
of plague in the distriota through whioh
they must travel on their journey to the
. shrine. ..' ...
Captain Meyers, of the steamer Dan
ube which has arrived in Victoria, re
ports, that the steamer Willapa is now
a complete wreck, waves having pound
ed her to pieces. The captain and pas
sengers .are still at Bella Bella.
A strike of steamfitters in New York,
in whioh between 80,000 and 60,000
men may be involved, has been de
clared. The bosses refused to longer
agree to the conditions set forth by the
, union and this precipitated the strike,
Other unions threaten to strike in sym
pathy. '
The secretary of state has sent the
following identical note to all maritime
powers, about thirty or thirty-rsix in
number: "The Grant munioipal in
augural committee has requested the
president to officially invite the mari
time nations to send warships to par
citipate in the ceremonies on April 27
next, when the Grant Monument Asso
ciation will formally deliver to the city
of New York the tomb of General
Grant, erected by voluntary subscrip
tion, at Riverside park. It will be
gratifying to this -government if , this
invitation could be accepted. " '
The secretary of the treasury is in re
ceipt of information from the minister
of Tokio, Japan, that during the pres
ent session of the Japanese diet, a gov
ernmental coinage bill will be presented
for consideration by that body, which
will, if passed, change the standard of
value in Japan from silver to gold. It
is proposed to fix the government ratio
between the two metals at 83 to 1. The
unit of value will be a golcj yen, which
will be one-half the weight and value
of the old gold yen,' which is the same
weight and fineness as the gold dollar
of the United States. The proposed
unit of value will, therefore, be the ex
act equivalent of 50 cents in United
States money.' ; . -.
Senator Lindsay, from the committee
on judiciary, has reported the bankrupt
cy bill substantially as it was reported
by Senator Teller, during the last con
gress. . ' ;
Nineteen business buildings in
Bloomington, Wis., were burned. : The
fire originated in a saloon at 1 o'clock
in the morning. The total loss is $50,
000, with light insurance.
The senate in executive session con
firmed the nomination of Willis Van
deventer, of Wyoming, to be assistant
, attorney -general; Charles Schaller to
be major, ordnanoe department of the
army. ,
A draft of the treaties between the
Transvaal republic and the Orange Free
State have been conoluded at Bloemfon
tein, the capital of the latter republic,
and are published in Pretoria. They
give the burghers in each state a fran
chise in either republio and the two re
publics agree to support one another in
case of attack. The treaties must be
ratified by the volksraads of both re
publics. V ,
The secretary of the treasury has au
thorized the collector of oustoms at Fer
dinando to issue clearance papers to the
suspected filibuster Bermuda, now at
that port. These instructions were is
sued upon receipt of an affidavit made
by the captain ot the Bermuda, pledg
ing himself not to enter Cuban ports nor
to take on arms or ammunition to be
transferred to another vessel on the
high seas or to do any act in violation
of the laws of the United States. , .
The strike on the Erie canal, at Pen
dleton, N. Y., has assumed a seri6us
aspect. The stonemasons were attacked
by sixty Italians, because they refused
to quit work. ' Sheriff Kinney ordered
the Italians to return to their cabins.
They refused, and were reinforced by
Polacks, whereupon the sheriff and
posse fired a volley. at them. The men
ran from the field. . Three Italian pa
drones have been arrested and brought
to Lockport Twenty-five men are at
work on the canal under guard of 8
dozen deputy sheriffs.
TO REACH THE POLE.
Peary, the Explorer, Expects to Snoceed
Next Time.
New York, March 81. The Adver
tiser says: Lieutenant Peary recently
laid a plan for Artie research before the
council of the American Geographical
Society. The plan includes the reach
ing of the North Pole. It was heartily
indorsed by the council, and subscrip
tions toward its accomplishment prom
ised. Should the plan succeed, the
United States will reap the glory.
Lieutenant Peary's plan, as now ma
tured, is considered by Artie explorers
one of the most feasible yet advocated.
First of all, it is not to be an expedi
tion in the usual sense of the term. It
will, besides Lieutenant Peary himself,
inolude only one or two white men. i If
one, he will be a surgeon, and if two
the other will be a scientist. The
party will be conveyed by a chartered
whaler to the point on the western
coast of Greenland which Peary has so
often made his base of exploration. At
this point live a tribe of Eskimos.
They form the most northerly settle
ment of human beings, as far as is
known, upon the globe. They know
the explorer, and have every confidence
in him. -
From them he will select five or six
young married couples, and will with
them push along the northwest coast of
Greenland as far as possible, and per
haps into the archipelago which it is
believed surrounds the North Pole. All
their goods, including dogs and sledges,
will be taken with them and when no
further progress ' can be made north,
they and Peary and his companions
will be landed at some spot and a new
oolony formed.' The ship will have a
supply of provisions for three or more
years, and make its way back to civil
ization before the ice closes in. From
this base point the two or three white
men will make their explorations.
Lieutenant Peary figures that this
colony will not be over 860 miles from
the pole. The Eskimos will be able to
withstand the olimate and he believes
they will be contented so long as they
have enough food. The women will be
taken along to do the cooking and at
tend to the clothing and footgear.
As soon as the ioe conditions are
propitious an attempt will be made to
reach the pole. The Eskimos and their
dog sledges will be used if possible, but
in any case the white explorers will
push on until the stars and stripes have
been planted near if not on the pole
itself. -
LANDS OF THE STATE.
Occupied In Washington by Persons
: ' Who Pay No Rent.
Olympia, Wash., March 81. State
Land Commissioner Bridges declares
the old board of land commissioners
was derelict in the matter of leasing
public lands. He claims that 90 per
cent of the school lands are ocoupied by
persons who do not pay the state a cent,
thus depriving the school fund of from
$85,000 to , $40,000 per annum. In
Spokane, section 16 is occupied by 400
families and business housse, rent free,
while in Tacoma a worse state of affairs
prevails, and land in the business cen
ter of the city, comprising thirteen
acres, is bringing in no revenue. Tim
ber from these tracts have been cut and
no returns whatever made to the state.
The loss to the state of this timher
alone is about $40,000.
Commissioner , Bridges will send no
tices of vacation to all persons occupy
ing state land without an official con
tract. These trespassers number 3,800
througouht the state. Valuable farm
ing land in Whitman, Garfield, Spo
kane, Walla Walla, Lincoln and Co
lumbia counties is ocoupied by persons
who do not pay a cent- to the state. In
Spokane the land used for building pur
poses should, it is said, bring the state
$500 per annum. '
The new school law simplifies this
system of leasing land. Henceforth
the county auditor will act as the agent
for the state land commissioner and it
will be his duty to lease lands subject
to the, commissioner's approval. Mr.
Bridges will secure leases from all tres
passers by July 1.
' Critical Day at Helena.
Helena, Ark., March 81. Today has
been the most critical day in the his
tory of the city. The river has been
steadily rising and stands at 50.6 feet.
All night the wind blew and the waves
beat on the levee and weary hands
piled sacks of dirt where the breaches
were shown. It was a gallannt fight
and it left everybody exhausted. This
morning the mayor issued a proclama
tion 'reciting the desperate conditions
surrounding the city and requesting
that stores be closed and all able-bodied
men- be sent to the front The procla
mation met with a hearty resposne and
in a few minutes several hundred men
with spades in hand were taking the
places of tired men who had labored all
night. Tonight the wind has abated,
but watohing and working still goes on.
Three Men Blown to Atoms.
Philadelphia, March 29. A terrific
explosion occurred this afternoon at the
Dupont chenrioal works, on the banks
of the Delaware river, at Gibbstown,
N. J., by which James Henderson, Carl
Wright and Thomas Stiles were blown
to atoms. The separating building and
four other buildings were blown to
splinters. "The destroyed factory was
used in the manufacture of dynamite
nd Atlas powder. ,
Powers Demand That Al
Troops Be Recalled.
BLOCKADE AGAIN THREATENED
Russia Is Prepared to Pounce on
Constantinople as Soon as Trouble
Beg-ins The Cretans Are Starving,
Athens, March 80. The Crown
Prince Constantine has arrived at Voh.
During the passage of the canal Egri-
pos, Prince George went on board and
bade his brother a touching adieu.
The ministers of the powers held a
conference today and it is stated drew
up the terms of a collective note to the
Greek government, requesting that the
Greek troops be recalled from the fron
tier. It is understood a similar note
will be presented to the porte, and
that, if either power refuses, its prin
cipal ports will be blockaded.
A meeting of the Cretan delegates
will be held shortly at Athens to draft
a reply to the admirals' proclamation
of autonomy. -.
Alleged to Be Greek Strategy.
London, March 80. The Daily
Graphic understands that the British
proposal to Greece and Turkey to with
draw their armies from the frontier
actually originated at Athens. The
Turks now occupy all the passes in the
mountains, and the best strategical po
sitions. According to the Daily Graphic,
the Greeks proposed a simultaneous
withdrawal in order to be able t cap
ture these positions by a rush attack af
ter making a feint of compliance.
Ready to Take Constantinople.
London, March 80. A times dis
patch from Vienna says that, owing to
the keen anxiety felt at St. Petersburg,
as to what may occur in the near future
at Constantinople, or in the vicinity,
the czar has ordered the concentration of
200,000 troops in the four governments
of South Russia. The Russian volun
teer fleet is now available to transport
torops whenever required.
Cretans Are Starving.
London, March 80. The Daily Mail's
correspondent says that Admiral Cana
viro, commanding the international
fleet in Cretan water, has wired to the
Italian government to send immediately
a large land force, . which is impera
tively necessary to cope with .the Cre
tan insurgents. ,
Admiral Canaviro, it is said, asserts
that conditions in the interior of the
island are so terrible as the result of
famine that even the lepers are leaving
the lazar house; the inhabitants are
panic-stricken, and the dead lie by the
roadside unburied. V
. A Times' dispatch from Athens says
that when it became known Saturday
that Crown Prince Constantine would
leave the city in the evening for the
Greek camp at Larissaffl, to take com
mand of the Greek armies in the field,
a large crowd gathered on Constitution
square, adjoining the palace. ; As the
evening approached, the crowd in
creased to a multitude, and the streets
adjoining were filled with an excited
throng, cheering, singing patriotic
songs and firing revolvers. The popu
lace shouted "For union and warl"
and cheered continually for the crown
prince and the army. ' ' .
, A Correspondent Captured.
London, March 80. A dispatch
from Canea says that one of the corre
spondents who was present during the
fighting at Malaxa was captured by the
Cretans and held as a spy. He proba
bly would have been shot, but for the
opportune arrival of an American
journalist and the insurgent leader,
Manos, an old Oxford man, who is at
the head of a band of young Cretans,
whom he personally equipped. Manos
was the first to enter . the blockhouse
when the Turks evacuated it, and he
prevailed on the insurgents to spare the
lives of forty-three Turkish prisoners.
It is reported that the bombardment
by the international fleets on Friday
wrought serious havoc among the
Christians. . '
, There' is some danger of a Moham
medan uprising in the island on ac
count of the scarcity of food.
Armenian Outbreak Feared.
Constantinople, . March 80. Owing
to fears of further disturbances at the
villayet of Sivas, United States Minis
ter Terrill has asked the porte to again
place military guards at the '.residences
of American missionaries.
There is a feeing of uneasiness here
because of the rumor that the Armen
ians who participated in the attack on
the Imperial band have returned to the
city. The fact that the authorities
have materially increased the military
precautions against outbreaks indicates
that they share in the feeling of appre
hension. -
Fired on by Italian Ships.
Canea, March 80. During the attack
on Fort Izziden, near Apokevan, yes-
terdav. the Italian war sh ids in Suda
aid of the Turkish garrison.
The British Government still em
ploys foreign mercenaries in its army.
The Gurkhas, fine soldiers of Napal,
are employed in British India.
DUTIES MAY GO UP.
An Important Tariff Amendment to Be
Introduced.
Washington,March 31. The proposi
tion that all goods imported after a cer
tain date, before the enactment of the
new tariff bill, shall be made to pay
duties carried by the bill, is likely to
crystalize into definite form. , .'.
The subcommittee of the ways and
means committee, consisting of Dalzell,
Tawny and Grosvenor, have considered
the legal aspects of the plan carefully,
and obtained opinions from lawyers to
the effect that the plan is constitu
tional. One of them said today they
will prepare an amendment which will
declare all imports made on and after
April 2, 1897, shall be dutiable at the
rate finally fixed jn the bill.
Two More Amendments Adopted.
Washington, March 81. The house
today was an hour and a quarter secur
ing a quorum. An amendment was
adopted placing a duty of $1 a ton on
bauxite not refined, the Republicans
stating that Georgia and Alabama de
manded protection for it.
There was a sensational scene in the
afternoon when Johnson of , Indiana
protested against taking the time of the
house in irrelevant discussions; he was
ordered to take his seat and refused,
but finally did so. As chairman of the
committee of the whole, Mr. Sherman
was about to summon the, speaker the
second time Johnson arose, and the
speaker was actually called in to sub
due him. -1
An amendment was adopted increas
ing the duty on common yellow and
brown earthenware from 20 to 25 per
cent. Cylindered and crow glass, sil
vered, was put in cast polished plate
glass, silvered, paragraph and looking
glass plates were made dutiable at 10
per cent ad valorem.
. In the Senate.
Washington, March 81. Senator
Hoar, chairman of the judiciary com
mittee, today reported favorably the
bill to prevent the use of kinetoscopic
exhibitions of prizefights in the Distriot
of Columbia and the territories. '. It
also prohibits the mailing of prizefight
pictures or their receipt from common
carriers. A heavy penalty is provided.
The senate adopted a resolution mak
ing $250,000 immediately available for
the improvement of - the Mississippi
river from the head of the passes to the
mouth of the Ohio river.
More Plums Distributed.
Washington, March 31. The presi
dent . sent the following nominations
to the senate: State Charlemange
Tower, of Pennsylvania, to be envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipoten
tiary to Austro-Hungary; Anson Bur
lingame Johnson; of Colorado, consul
at Fuchau, China; William ,S. Hallen
burger, of Pennsylvania, second assist
ant postmaster-general. , '. , i
Interior Thomas Ryan, of Kansas,
first assistant secretary of the interior;
Henry Clay Evans, of Tennessee, com
missioner of pensions. . ':
WOULD ANNUL THE TREATY..
California Beet-Sugar Producers Prepare
a Memorial to Congress.-
San Francisco, March 81. A mem
orial to congress in the form of a peti
tion signed by the people of this state
who are interested in the beet sugar in
dustry is being extensively circulated.
The petition is a protest against the
continuance of the Hawaiian treaty of
1875, and against the proposed annex
ation of the islands'. It sets forth that
the treaty has been operative against
the revenues of the United States, as
well as vitally detrimental to the beet
sugar industry here.
It appears that under the treaty, dur
ing the years 1890-95 inclusive, goods
to the valud of over $15,000,000from
Hawaii were admitted free, showing
that in the interchange of business be
tween the two countries the islands en
joyed 78 per cent of the total volume,
and this is naturally increased under
the augmenting imports of sugar with
out a corresponding increase in their
imports from the United States. This
would indicate that the treaty is only
partially reciprocal; that the United
States has been unnecessarily deprived
of a vast amount of customs revenue
would appear to be indicated by statis
tics footing up to over $73,000,000 lost
during a period of twenty-one years .of
commerce with the islands. '
The petitioners point out that as the
conditions have entirely changed since
1875, the government should, foster an
industry that -will make the" country
self-supplying, rather than- perpetuate
by subsidy a foreign business largely
owned by foreigners who employ
ohiefly mongolians.
Airship Seen in Omaha.
Omaha, Maroh 81. The mysterious
airship was seen again last night for
the third time by a number of reputable
citizens. It hove in sight about the
time that church was over, and in half
an hour had traversed the heavens, and
had once, more disappeared. It was
seen by people in all parts of the city.
This time the airship came into view
in the southeastern portion of the hori
zon. It showed a big bright light, too
big for a baloon, and glowed steadily.
It sailed oyer the city to the northwest,
and there disappeared behind the
houses and bluffs. It moved very
slowly, and seemed to be quite near the
earth. Nothing but the light was
visible. ' j
THE WILLflPfl 18 WRECKED
Ran
On a Rock Near Queen
Charlotte Islands.
THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE
Accident Occurred in ' a Blinding
Snow Storm Passengers Camped
on Beach Now at Bella Rella.
' Siattle, Wash., Maroh 29. A Nanai
mo, B. C, special to the Post-Intelli
gencer says: '
The steamer Barbara Boscowitz ar
rived from northern ports this morning
with eighteen of the passengers and
crew of the steamer Willapa, which
sailed from Seattle for Dyea,, March 16,
with as much freight and as many pas
sengers as she could carry, the steamer
having run aground on Regatta reef,
seven miles north of Bella Bella, oppo.
site the lower end of Queen Charlotte
islands. v ' '
The acoident occurred last Friday
morning at 2:80 o'clock during a blind
ing snow storm and heavy gale. - At
the time she struck the engines' stopped
and the steamer, drifting with the wind
and. tide, slid on a rock, bow first, with:
out a jar, but could not be pulled off,
and as the tide was falling rapidly, she
was soon hard and fast. A strong sea
soon swept the stern to windward, the
bow acting as pivot. The vessel, get.
ting into shallow water on the lea of
the reef, settled down on a sharp rock
with the falling tide, listing her over
on her bow. In spite of the large num
ber of passengers, there was no panic
or disorder, Captain Roberts showing
admirable coolness. ;
The passengers stayed on board sev
eral hours, until it was found that the
tide was rising as fast in the hold as
outside, and the pumps had no effect.
The women were then taken in the
boats to Campbell island, a distance of
two miles,, and afterward the men, dogs
and baggage. A camp was formed, and
sixty or more passengers made as com
fortable as possible, the deserted shacks
on shore serving as cookhouses. The
ship stores, which were not damaged,
were brought ashore
Until Sunday no vessel passed, and
during that time the captain and crew
worked removing supplies, baggage and
freight, much of which, being such
goods as rice, beans and flour, was lost.
There- were nine horses on board, but,
as they could not be removed without
steam, they were shot in the hdld.
During the two days after the acci
dent the steamer was badly battered by
winds and seas, and Sunday was only a
derelict, being sprung and badly broken
up. Captain Roberts and crew stayed
by to remove the cargo to the island.
The steamer Boscowitz reached the
wreck on her way south Sunday after
noon, and brought all the passengers
and food to Bella Bella, where they are
now staying, the purser, engineers and
twelve Yukoners only coming down to
Nanaimo and Victoria. The contingent
at Bella Bella had only about ten days'
supplies, and hoped for the arrival of a
steamer soon.
The Boscowitz reports that the
steamer Dora, which left here with a1
full list and cargo of coal several days
before the Willapa, went on the rocks
on Green island, near Port Simpson,
last week. The tide, however, was on
the rise at the time, and she got off the
rocks in a few hours, but, finding that
she was taking water rapidly, she was
run on the beach. The passengers and
crew were safely landed, and an effort
is being made to effect sufficient re
pairs to bring her to Seattle. , ,
To Can Beef In Mexico.
Washington, March 29. A syndi
cate headed by Solon Humphreys, who
has interested J. Pierpont Morgan and
others, is getting ready to establish a
beef-canning establishment in Mexico
if the cattle duties proposed, by the
Dingley bill are enacted. As the law
now stands there is a big profit in bring
ing lean Mexican cattle across the bor
der and , fattening them for the North
ern market. The bill will shut these
cattle out of our markets and compel
the Mexican owners to find a new out
let. Humphreys and his syndicate will
have a million-dollar concession from
Mexico, which they propose io utilize
for 'cattle-raising, and in connection
with this they propose to put $1,000,
000 into a beef cannery. The establish
ment they are planning will compete
witty the output of Chicago and Kansas
City firms to foreign markets.
v 1 Governor's Choice. .
Olympia, Wash., March 29. The
governor has selected George P.Wright,
of Columbia county, chief grain inspec
tor, vice P. W. Lawrence, of Tacoma.
Milton Evans, of Walla Walla, will
succeed R. C. McCroskeyj of Garfield,
on the state grain commission. These
appointments will soon be made.
. A number of the militia companies
have sent remonstances to Governor
Rogers against being mustered out, sig
nifying their willingness to bear their
own expenses during the next two
years. This privilege the governor is
willing to grant, as the only reason for
mustering them out' was to . keep ex
penses within the appropriation
granted. What companies will be let
out is not announced yet, but ten will
go. , Three Seattle companies will be
consolidated into two.
THE FRUIT OUTLOOK.
A General Survey of Present Conditions
In the Northwest.
A correspondent writing from Salem,
Or., in regard to the fruit outlook in
the Northwest, says: ;
All are looking anxiously to see the
fruit trees of our wide reigon pass
through the ordeal of springtime, for
that is the critical period with orchards.
It is not often that any severe injury is
done in the fall and winter, and if fruit
itrees are in good condition at : the mid-
die of May there is no reason to fear
harm while the fruit is being perfected.
The past fall was exceptional in re
spect to damage done, for the heavy
freeze that occurred late in November
was quite disastrous in many localities.
While this is no doubt true, it will not
b possible to trace the extent of the
injury until the growing season comes,
for while in the dormant state it can
not easily be known how much harm
was done. !
It was said at the time that the Ital
ian prune was especially affected, which
appears to have been true at The Dalles
region; also at Hood River. Mr. D. J.
Cooper, of Wasoo county, told me that
much harm had been done in that dis
trict. ' He thought it was chiefly due to
overmuch and too late cultivation and
irrigation, for' he says he had noticed ,
that where there was light cultivation
and irrigation was not continued late,
the wood ripened early and trees are all
right. . " , . ' ;
Mr. E. L. "Smith, of Hood River, who
is a very . close observer, says 'much
harm was done in that country . to
young apple trees, and the Spitzenbergs
were especially suffering, the heavy
freeze, having in many instances, killed
the tops, as it occurred when the sap
was flowing. In many cases the bark
had split on the trunk, but he doubted
if .the damage would all show until
flpring came. ; " ,
Mr. Smith thought the excessive rain-
fall in the mountains made it worse
there than out in the open country.
The Hood river valley is in the very
heart of the Cascade range, and when
there were light rains west of the
ranges,'' there was constant, heavy rain
there last fall, and the' effect was to
keep the sap flowing and the trees grow
ing. At the time the freeze came, late
in November, the leaves were, all on
and held their dark green color, so the
effect of the cold snap was more disas
trous than if it had occurred in a normal
season, as the sap was frozen, and much
tender young wood was killed. We
expeoted to hear of harm done wherever
people had plowed or cutivated late,
and so kept sap flowing but condi
tions at Hood River were exceptional,
and the damage seems to have been
general. -
There seems to have been damage
done in many parts of the country.
Clark county, Wash. , was said at the 1
time to have suffered loss in the Italian
prune, which is planted largely there.
As, to orohards in this valley (the Wil
lamette), it is not probable that much
harm was done where they had not too
much and too late cultivation. People
had to learn' that there can j be too
much of a gQod thing. ' There has been
too much, pruning, as well as too muoh
cultivation. What is needed is to as-,
sist nature, not to take the job too much
out of her hands. Only a few days be
fore that freeze, one of those very en
thusiastic orchard men told me he had
kept on plowing and cultivating up to
date. I asked him where he would be
when a freeze came, and thought of him
the first thing when it did come.
I hear of some damage (to Italian
pruns especially) done to orchards near .
here on prairie' land, and to some ex
tent in the lulls. The Oregon Land
Company has 8,000 acres of trees on
high hill land a few miles south of Sa
lem, that they cultivated late, and I
hear some harm was done there. The
lesson to fruitgrowers is that there is a
time when trees should mature their :
wood, as well as their fruit, and if we
ignore the laws of nature, we,, are apt
to pay heavily for it. i A gentleman
who is engaged in fruitgrowing reports r
tnat ne was in Boutnern Idaho alter
the freeze, and young orchards along
Snake river were almost destroyed by
it. They were, no doubt, forcing growth
by irrigation, and overdid it; so suffer
as a cosequence. It was a warm No-1
vember up to the freeze, and the change
came suddenly and was disastrous.
While this must be true of many, it
is safe to say that the older orchards of
the Paoific Northwest are in good condi
tion to produce, well, and that we may
hope for the largest yield for the season
of 1897 that ever was known. The
short crop of 1896 leaves the trees well
rested, and with vigorous growth of
fruit buds. , We are almost at the end
of March, and yet the trees' are not in
,bloom, when they bften are in full
bloom before this time. There is more
danger from late spring rains than from
winter freezes. If we have a late bloom
time, and no cold rains later, we may
.look for an exceptional fruit year all r
over this Western Oregon, as well as
the Indland Empire. We have had so
much to learn that it has been a school
of experience up ft date, and henceforth
we should reap some of the practical
results.
The Bill Killed. -
Springfield, 111., March 29. The
senate anti-rdepartment store bill came
up in the house today on first reading,
and was ordered lai$ on the table.
This action practically kills the meas
ure. , -'.: