" - hood hivki:. onwiox. tiuksday. ri:iutr.in l.. mn VOL. X.N 111 xo. 4o MM Camas Prairie Drainage System Nearing Completion With the opening of spring we can offer you Rich, Bottom Land ready for the plow, at prices that will interest you I B. E. DUNCAN 11 . .. . FOR SALE Having no present use for the following articles we offer tliem (or sale very cheap, for cash or fhort ti Die note: One Tubular Axle Milburn Wagon, wiio traek, with double box and Beat, half truck wheels with 2-in. tire. In good condition and practically new. tHU.tM). (ne set double Crank Ro'stcr, springs 1,51)0 pounds weight, 5.U0. One 1 1-S in. Vi-lie two-Heated cannpv top eide spring Wagon with storm curtains and pole, fSO 00. One set of Chain Harness with breech ing, now, 20.00. One heavy tdngle express wagon Harness, but little used, $15.00. One Bet .Stiniebnkor medium Bobslwls, $;!(). 1)0. One No. -Faultless Stump Puller with KM ft table, extra )-ft. choker, steel grub hooks, f!H) 00. 1'nller has cleared but 20 acres. One 2-horwepwer Inter national Harvester Co , air ended tiasolina Engine, good as new, $,5.00. One new Saddle and T.ridle, 18 00. One 2Ui-eg Peep-O-lhiy Incubator, $1"00 Five 10 -chick St. Helens outdoor Brooders, $10.00 each. One 100-chick St. Helens indoor Brooder, fti 00. One 100-ehick I'etuluina in door Prouder, $1 HO. Kellogg & R. D. No. 3 Read This Before you buy. We ask you to call and inspect our complete line of New and Second Hand Furniture, Stoves and Ranges. Everything in house furnishings We will take your old furniture or stoves in exchange for NEW GOODS. O. P. DABNEY & SONS Guaranteed Cheapest Outfitter Agents for Charter Oak Stoves and Ranges If not, try one of our Toasters or Coffee Percolators. Electric Wiring & Supply Company First National Bank Building Phone 3 A. L. Day, President and Manager. who said Real Estate Did Not Move Last Year? niH Prpftv WpII Thank Vnn Following are our Sales: Mrs. Vannnsdale to V. S. Farris $ 6,000 I.ee Morse to W. S. Farris .' 15,000 Jog. Copeland to Mr. (io-jch 26,000 Joe Hungliet to W. S. Farris 10,500 J. V. MeCready to II. P. Coburn 97,750 Mercer A Clark to Ers. Hammond 10,500 W. S. Farris to C. 15 Chapman 46,000 Lining to V. S. Farris 10,000 R. E. Harbison to V. S. Farris 22,000 Radiiff to Hanigenian 6,450 J. V. Shipley to E. O. Hall 15,000 Shrum Pros., to Frank Fen wick 7,500 Clapp to MeCan 17,000 Cutler Bros., to W. II. Johnson 30,000 Wilsoti to J. I.. Carter 2,I0 V. 8. Xiohil to F. X. Areus 14,500 Walter Austin to K. X. Arena 600 Mrs. Mortimer-Johnson to V. S. llolsteen 15,000 $262,950 Jan. 10. .Ian. 2"). Feb. 10. Fob. 21. Mar. 10. Apr. in. Apr. 20. May 5. May 11. May 13. May 20. June 10. Aug. 5. An. 21. Ann. 2. Sept. 2. Sept. 2. Oct. 3D ' If this is not enough," try us for this year and we will try to do better. w. s. NICHOL Marquis Phono azjJ-n PHONK 248-K Cob. Forum and Statu Sts. Don't Worry About Your Wiring Just give us a call, our men are always ready to at tend your wants. We in stall any kind of electrical apparatus. Our store has all kinds of bulbs and lamps. Ever Cook with Electricity? I GUY Y. EDWARDS & CO. Phone $300017 ai res of raw land 3 miles out, easy to clear nearly all good, tine view, lielew the ditch. Fasy terms. 9 5500 '.'2 acres if timberland, red shot soil, ninth end of Wil low Flat, 30 acres very best near Ivy., church, store and school. Will cut ."i00 eords of wood. On main road. Kasy terms. $75 005 acre tract 1! miles to city, all in trees, mostly six jrs. old, house, bain, all tools, water Fvstein, line view. Reas onable terms REAL ESTATE THE PERMANENT PAVEMENT, . . Does Not Crumble Away Does Not Blow Away Always Safe for Auto or Horse DENNY RENT0N BRAND Western Beck Building HOOD RIVER J. M. Sl'IIMW.TZKK ABSTRACTS Insurance Conveyancing' SURETY BONDS "Accuracy" Office in New Heilbronner Building Phone 23 HOOD RIVER, ORE. H. H. HADI.OCK Phone Ortk-e Phone 45-1. Hadlock & Steinhoff REAL ESTATE AND FIRE INSURANCE Improved and Unimproved ORCHARD LANDS List your Ranches with us for Spring Sales DO IT NOW! 2nd & Cascade Ave., Opp. Oregon Hotel. HOOD RIVFR, ORK(JON HAVING purchased the entire interest of E. Brayford in the Rockford Store about three months ago, we are now in position to serve you with all the highest class groceries at reasonable prices. We invite your patronage and will serve you to the best of our ability. Give Us a Trial MERCER & CO. CO 228 - K $850011'. acres on the east side, in I'ine lirove di-t Smill house and barn, iimi loll bearing, Spitzenbt-rg mid New- towns, balance in yomi,' trees. $2500 House am! int mi cor ner close in, on Ctisca lo Ave. Kasy terms. EXCHANGE Modern I'.ungitlow in town for email ranch close in. Full bearing ranch in l ine drove improve.! with buildings, want land in Cppi r Valley. Iiinirance written in old iine com panies. INSURANCE Clay Co. Portland, Oregon ABSTRACT CO. F. A. lilsllol' is Our Motto CI O. M. STHN1IOI V Phone M M 1, ROGUE RIVER ri 1 t nnm(mnnlf""n ,H,i,:t "f vitW lhe Norlh III IV I IL L L I L 1 1 ' western Fruit Exchange does not meet I ijin 1Lil LiA. 1 lAf , our present requirements. At the meeting on January 27 when I the Rogue K'.ver plan was placed be- I NAMMOIS ADOPTION' OF REPORT i fore U8 ';' Mr- )il Mr- UwiV- NutlivuVitrn's Selling Agents Found Not tn be Kxriusive Inion Prices Kueod Kx hi nVs. Wl.cn tl.e 11 mss ir.L'cti'iir of apple v'rott'iis Mas ealled to order Tuesday ii .moon, A. 1. Mason aliliessed tl.o i.jiliLiiie, stating ttuit his name had Uen ustd twice 111 (lie com iiiunic ti 1 1011 i-'-ued to the local growers and which, a it ii s 1 ri a great deal of feeling, ilid mm h to swrll the crowd present in Hi iliironner's hall. "However, " said Mr. Mason, "1 was in the ulliccs ot the Kxchnnge on the afternoon tie fore ihe letter was mailed, not for the pnr pi.se of looking over evidence, hut to confer with a niemlu r of the organiza tion, who is a fellow committeeman with me, on the Sulzer Apple liox till. Still, I believe that we should set here as a jury this afternoon and listen to evidence from both sides, and I told the oliicials of the exchange that I would do all in my power to secure a healing for them. " The letter of Mr. (Iwin to the grow ers is given below : rortlaml, Oregon, February 21, l'.U2. To the Apple iirowers of Hood River Valley : Before passing judgement Ioj hastily, or too linally. in the matter of thu recent "conference" held at Port land, perhaps you will consult with Mr. A. 1. Mason, who spent yesterda, afternoon in this otlice, examining some original files of correspondence, and other original documents, which furnish incontrovertible proof that theie are at least - two sides to the HUrstion. 'I o prefer charges and at the same lime to muzzle the jury with a pledge of secrecy ; to deny the uccuscd the inalienable right of si lf-di fense, and to condemn him unheard, is both un American hihI unicvilizi'd. If the alleged "disclosures" can be proven, then the writer of this letter will stand convicted of falsehood. The writer gives w.iy to no man in jealousy of his personal integrity. If the "dis cIobuum" cannot be proven, then a great i ijiistice has been do e. The writer pielVis to believe that there is sullicient red-blooded Ameri e 11 ism in the Hood Kiver Valley to 8.1 p at nothing short of the whole truth in this matter, and to demand thi pproofs to be submitted to a public lribtiiial.composi il.siihs(a itially.of the same men who wen J in-sent at the mass meeting held in Hood Kiver on Januaiy twenty -seventh. And that this Ex change be allowed to present thereto its evidence in rebuttal. This Exchange knows that it is clean ; knows that its spokesmen have stated the truth in all things; that it has played the game with its cards all on the table. It asks only treatment in kind; for simple justice and an ex position of the facts; all the facts. Other than this, the Exchange has 1.0 favors to ask of the growers in the Hood Kiver Valley. That you may understand the atti (ude of the ('oinmilliviiieu from Rogue River, Cashmtie and Mosier after hearing the alleged "disclosures," Put in e to say that these gentlemen spent the day following the conference in the oilices of the Exchange, where they were shown the same original evidence submitted yesterday to Mr. Mason, aid they were ho completely satisfied that they immediately turned their atten tion to the fiaming of a contract be tween the Exchange and their n spec live Associations, looking to the mar keting of the coming apple crop of 1!U2. At a full meeting of the Hoard of Directors of the Rogue River Fruit and Produce Association, held in Med foid yesterday, the report of its com mute was heard, and the Hoard voted unanimously to contract with this Exchange for the marketing of their entire crops of pears and apples, and not stopping at this, to purchase a block of stock in this Exchange. Yours very truly, VV. F. (iwin, Treasurer and General Manager, Noithwestem Fruit Exchange. Mr. Rutler, who was the chairman of the committee appointed at the meeting of January 27 and composed of P. S. Davidson, W. Ii. Diekerson and himself, stated that it had not been their intention to report unfavor able to the Northwestern Fruit Ex change, and not to make public the great amount of data secured by them from confidential sources until the re ceipt of the letter. The members of other committees stated that they had notseeured similar information whereupon the local com mittee proposed to them that they should take no action until thev had made investigation along similar lines. However, the other committees ex pressed a willingness to receive the local committee' report. Hecause of the fact that this information was secured from a confidential source, they were asked to keep it in confi dence." If we had thought of the atti tude it might have l.-ft the officials of the Northwestern Fruit Exchange in, we would certainly not have placed anv bonds of secrecy on them." said Mr. Puller, "and as soon as we learned of the wav thev felt about it we lm mediately communicated with the members of the committees and 1010 them not to consider the information secret. The report of the committee was as follows : "In the first place let it be distinctly understood that we have 110 unfavor able report to otrer on the Northwest ern Fruit Exchange. Our position is just this, thBt the resulotion under which we were appointed, proviueo lor us to consider the matter of amalga mation of three of the large friuUsec tions of the Northwest and that we should investigate the Northwestern Fruit Exchange as a means of accom plishing this amalgamation. In our opinion the fact that neither Yakima or Wenatchee are at all inter ested in the Rogue River plan is Prima Facie evidence that the best interests of Hood River could not be served by this plan, and, without casting any reflections on the Northwcs'ern Fruit ('.reliance, vour committee has con sidered the exchange with special ref erence to its value as a means of I accomplishing our chief aim, that of working out a practical eo-0erative plan under which the fruit district- might work a-id it is our opinion that certain n'aiures 01 me pian were mane clear. We were told that the North American Exchange had bW branches or selling agencies and that the ser vices of this system included the ex clusive use of these lot! agencies. The expression "a perfect selling machine" may not have been used, but we were certainly led to believe that the plan 1 included an exclusive service of rare merit. Free Use was made of the prices received by the Northwestern Fruit Exchange for the lull crop in a way that would lead the causal Lb server to believe that the return through this system were much larger than through any other agency. After the meeting the attention of the committee was repeatedly called to the rumor that the North American Fruit Exchange was controlled by I'rutchtieid & oolfolk, a commission house of Pittsburg. Our attention was naturally directed to these three points: First, the elticiency of the machine; second. Ihe pi ices it obtaimd as compart d with other returns and third as to whi ther the machine was controlled ty Crutchlield iSi VY oolfolk or not. F'or general information we selected' .r0 of the 1 0( agencies in various parts of the United States and addressed a letter to a bank in each of the towns where the agencies were located, re questing information in a general way and witu especial reference to the lines along which we were conducting our investigations. The replies from halt a dozen of these letters will serve to show that there is a very general opin ion at the selling end of the machine that is controlled by I'rutchtieid & VYoolIfolk. We quote : A hank in Virginia says "The agent refrered to is in the general brokerage business anil does not confine himself to representing the North American Fruit Exchange, lie is on a commis sion basis and also represents Crutch Held & Wool folk and advises that he would handle apples from other a.iurcis." A bank in Pennsylvania says: "As representative of the North American Exchange receives only a salary and no commission and whatever business he 111 11 y 011 a commission basis, he does strictly on his own responsibility. It is supposed that he represents I'rutch lield ifc W oolfolk in this market, who in turn are regarded as controlling the Exchange. He is,helieved to be honest and is a hard worker but the market in this city for box apples is very lim ited as the local trade is confii e I largely to barrel apples." A bank in Canaan says: "We beg to advise that although the agent men tioned is representative of the North American Fruit Exchange, he also acts us agent fur several other concerns which we understand he runs on strict ly a brokerage basis Although repre senting the above oientioned Exchangt and also Messrs. Crutchflcld & Wool folk, we understand that he would be perfectly willing to handle apples from any o'.her source. " At the very hist of our work it was apparent that many of these agencies would take business through other haunels than the Northwestern Fruit Exchange, so we asked the manage ment of the union to ascertain for us just how many ot tl.eni were in the market lor liusiness tnrougn tuner sources and we 1 omul incy were al ready getting this information for themselves. We felt justified in tak ing this course through the invitation of the ollicers of the Northwestern Fruit Exchange to make the closest investigation of their organization. Hefore ie 1 es could be iic.iiJ ll.i North Ameiicai! Fruit Exchange learned of the investigations which were being made and wired presumably all of the branches substantially as follows: "Do not answer Hood River inquiries, reler all lelleis to us. IhiH, of course, made it dillieull tor us to get all the inlormation we wanted and only 41! replies were received. Out of these, seven advised that they were agents for the North American rruit Exchange and could not accept busi ness through other channels, 11 gHve evasive or (ondilionai replies anu z.i out of the M unconditionally stated that they were out fur business from any source and wuuld be glad to handle Hood River apules direct. Copies of the various letters received were read by Mr. Culler. Mr. Davidson then took up the com parative prices received on the past year's crop as between the Exchange and the Union. It was shown that except in two varieties, in which the Exchange had secured a few more cents per box, the net aveiage price of the Union to the grower had been materially greater than that of the Exchange. At first glance, reading from the Exchange s bulletins, it ap pears that its prices are greater than the U;. ion's. However, it must be remembered that to bring ihe prices to an equalized basis, from the printed prices of the Exchange 10 cents must be deducted for the charge of the Ex change and 10 cents added for the charge of the Union for handling the apples. A naraeraiih of the committee s summary statid: "In rebuttal, the oflicers of the Exchange may show you that all of the capital stock of the North American rruit hxchai ge is held and owned bv the oHicers and directors of the Company they may even tell you if all of the stock of the North American Exchange were owned n bv the Pittsburgh firm with which its name has been connected, it would not affect the elticiency of the machine. We will not attempt to meet this argu ment and would simply ask you to weigh all the information you have from any source and draw your own conclusion. They may tell you their machine has only been in operation two years and that it is as good as you could reasonably expect it to be under the circumstances and that wnerever they find an agent who is not doing his duty they will get a man in his place. tiranted, out we ure dealing wiui a condition, not a theory." K. S. Miller, of Medford, who pro posed the "Rogue River plan." and W. F. C-win, manager of the Portland agency, were present. Roth addressed the meeting. Mr. Miller said: "J have not come to re open the matter of the Rogue River plan, and only wish to suggest that you pursue the matter to the end with ail facts of (Continued on Last Page.) BENSON'S OFFER CREATES INTEREST MANY I!ER WEST AND COOYEliT Construction liv Cuiivids Around Sl,e!l Funk May llctj'bi in Next ill) Ias, It Is Dvtlartd. That within the next "1! days a crew of convicts will Le at work con structing a highway around Shell mountain, the bar-ier between the i:il and west portions of the st.ile, provid ed Hood River cmnty take advantage of the offer of $1 1,0'Hi mad- by S. S. Penson, a million. die lumberman, wms the expression of (n.veinor iiswa'd West, who w;is here Tue.-day ii:lil with E. E. Cooveit, a i ro'ti'nei t Port land attorney, bnth of then iiddressini' several Fundi id enthusiastic citizins nt the aseii'.Sily had of the Commticial lub. Mr. Penson has long been inter ested in the biiiliinig of a road a'ui.i' the Columbia. With Mr. Convert t.i represent him he iccentlv made the oiler of flO.IK'ui to he applied tuwiud its costructio.i. Mr. Convert began an investigation of the matter, lie found, as he stated Tuesday evening, that Multnomah com.tv had built 0 road lo within one mile of Multnomah fulis. Thirteen mole miles remained to he constructed to tip; Hood River county line. However, he continued, the county of Multnomah is willing to complete its portion of the roadway. and the money Mr. Renson is now available for the purpose of beginning operations on the dillieull Shell Rock portion of the highway, tf Hood River county will give an assurance of build ing a connecting Imk in this county. through the levy of special road taxes in the (wo districts through which the road must pass, the sum of approximately SflT.,000 has been made available, mid by the expenditure of this money mid what may be done on (he Shell Rock by the funds of Mr. Renson, it is thought the roadway may he made passable in a short time. tiovernor West addressed the audi ence, stating his present prison policy. that of phicing the convicts on parole and making them work on the roads. It was shown that by proper manage ment roads could be constructed for an amazing cheapness. For the sum of $10,000, judging from past expenses, it was declared that 20 men could he kept at work on the Shell Rock construction for a year and a half, the $10,000 cov ering all of their expenses. Hecause of the fact that County .Judge Culbertson at his home in Port land rested under the impression that the meeting of fruit growers to con sider the report of the recently ap pointed investigating committee would be held T uesday night Instead of Tues day afleriioon, the hi Id 1 esses of Gover nor West and Mr. Cooveit came veiy near being deferred. Judge Culbeil son bad communicated to the governor US.l because of the meeting, it would he impossible to get a hearing Tuesday night. The governor's sicretary t Salem communicated this fact to Pres ident Chas. IN. Clarke, of the Commer cial rl'il, who in 0 1 dately reach d uovornor VWsl over the wires aid informed him correctly as to the mei t ing, enabling him and Mr Cooveit to catch the afternoon local. Addieises were made by W. I Clark, a member of the ('ommertiiil club committee on roads; J. P. l.ucas. postmaster; and C. T. Early, supelin tondent of the Mt, Hood Railroad. Mr. Convert met yesterday morning with the county commissioners and talked over the propi scd plans, going over a map and data secured by County Surveyor Murray Kay. HUT FEW APPLES HELD IN STORAGE Apple stocks are being cut down rapidly. A eonsei val ive estimate of the supply left in all hands in the Northwest is 20 cars and the actual iimnunt may fall under this. Thise holdings represent only about nie month's requirements. Stocks in the city are very small and most of the country points ure entirely cleaned up. Five cms remain at Cove and a little is left lit Cashmere and Chelan. There are no apples at We natchee except what are owned by Seattle and Tacoma dealers. The largest supply on the Const is in storage at San Fruneiseo, but the stock there is not topheavy, as is shown by the firmness of the San Francisco market. California Newtowns are in light supply and very firm. Firmer triple markets are reported from nearly' all points in the East, and Middle West, particulaily Cleveland, St. Louis and Chicago. Oregunian. Roosevelt Fa vs "Ye." Theodore Roosevelt, in a letter to the eight Republican governors, who urgul him to become a candidate for the piendency, Monday announced thai he would again enter the political field. Mr. Roosevelt says that he has no per sonal preferences in the matter but that the rule of the people must pre vail. In the closing paragraph of his letter he says : "One of the chief principles for which I have stood and tor which I now stand and which I have always ende vond and always shall endeavor lo reduce to action, is the genuine ride of the people ; and, therefore, I hope that so tar as pos- inie me pmpie may he given the chance, through direct primaries, to express their preterei.e hs to who shall lie the nominee of the Republican presidential convention. Fruit, and liusiness Men to Co-operate. The directors of The Dalles Fruit. Growers' association have arranged f 1 r the holding of a number of educational meetings dining the cming few months with the object, of bricgiiig inio closer touch not only the lru;t growers but also the busine.-s nu n ot The Dalles and the fruit groirs. In the past, it is said, there have been misunderstandings and it is hoped nt these meetings to bring the various organizations that have for their ohje t betterment of te country surrounding the city as well as The Dalles itself, into closer understanding.-;T he Dalles Chronicle. Mrs. ThomBS Avery has had as her guest Mrs. F. F.figert. of Portiend.