mm
LAKEVIICW, LAKE COUNTY, Oil KG ON, THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1900.
NO. 20.
9
VOL. XXVII.
CONDITION OF THE
L MARKET.
Prices are Higher Than
for Many Years--Thc
Dlngley tariff.
JUSTICE BATEMAN CO. REPORT.
Belle! that Prices Have Reached
The Limit the Demand
Will Justify.
TONKOK TllK MAKKKT
Wool It dull, hut prices are steady
at tho recent decline. Tim coiisump
tlon of wool for lh liiHt twelve
mouth has undoubtedly exceeded all
previous records, yet owing to the
heavy imports which are keeping close
up to those of the unit period last
year, there U no acute scarcity. Man
ufacturers till find an ample assort
ruent at a time when the new dome,
tlo clip la beglnnnlg to arrive In
market, and hope of the rising pi -predicted
by aotne as a result of -huustlou
of supplies, have now fudoii
out of sight.
Leading grades of domestic wool
reached record price In the summer
of 1905, and a decline haa prevailed
lnco tbeu. BeHovlng that wool had
reached the ton manufacturer had no
motive for buying ahead of their
wants and they have been either hold
ing out of tho market, or supplying
themselves with foreittu, which even
with the high iJlutfley dutl-e added,
haa proved to l relatively cheaper
than dotncntle.
Confirmation of tbU in thown in
the largo Import of v ail in the cal
endar year lOUl, which,
vvru uuniiH
the free wool perold, hn
never in
1 I
exceeded but once, lite impoi l last
year were .'W r cent greater than the
uvurage of the previous three years,
home manufacturer who are very
large consumers, and who heretofore
have used domestic wools now import
not having a single lleeco of domestic
wool in their mills. This is because
of the very high cost of domestic in
places of production in HKfi, where,
us to-day, prices were relatively high
er tliati the duty puid cost of foreign.
When prices were rising previous to
midsummer of laxt year, and it look
od as though they might Ih still high
or, manufacturers bought freely and
in many caHes ahead of their wants.
llien lliey fell liack upon lliolr sup
plies, and stayed out of the market
altogether until they ran low ou
aome grades, when they took ouly the
least quantity they culd get along
with.
Under those circumstances sellers
pressed their wool for side upon un
willing buyers, and the greater the
pressure the more timid buyers be
came. Even when in pressing need
of supplies, detecting tho weakness in
the market uud fearing a further fall,
manufacturers resorted to all sorts of
shifts to postpone purchases, uiyulng
'often und with good reason, that if
they did not gain anything iu prlco
reduction by delay, they at least sav
ed in insurauco and in interest,
which, owing to deurer money and
high wool prices, was a greater item
than ever before, for it takes much
moro money to handle the same quan
tity of wool than it did two yours ago.
Theso (Uid other condition prevail
ing slnco August, 1905, caused falling
prices, und the cost of carrying wool,
itddod to tho shrinkage in price, cuus
ed most dealer to lose money on the
wool bought during tho ecxitemeut
prevailing in all wool growing sections
at the close of last season.
Owing to theso losses and to tho
inability of manufacturers to advance
the prices of their textiles sutllciently
to cover tho Increased cost of raw
material, conservative views now pro
vuil, which seem likely to result iu
muny owners hulng to curry their
wool themselves, until it is uctuully
nooded for consumption.
Instead of buying up tho whole dip
us soou ns shorn the Fust may tuke
only moderato quantities this year,
leuvnig the bulk of it to bo held In the
Interior, or consigned to seuboard
markets by the owners to be held
there by them until needed for con
sumption. Tho fulluro of tho Hocks to iucreuse
Booms to huvo been cuused by tho fuct
WOO
that too many grower sell their
young ewes to butchers, whereas they
should le retained for purpose of in
crease. In sections Kast of the Mississippi
the dairy Industry and- tiie plough
have illMphiced many flocks in places
that in H.r2 were among the greatest
wool growing sections. Khcep have
disappeared so rapidly before more
profitable forms of agriculture, espec
ially iu the sections Kast of the Miss
issippi Itlvor, that now 4.1 per cent of
all our sheep am located in a group
of ouly five, so-called territorial
stal es.
It will not do fur wool growers to
Ignore this growing dissatisfaction of
manufacturer with the wool tariff,
for it is leading to a demand for tariff
revision In favor of free raw material.
Kesoltitlons should le passed by
wool growing Associations and sent
to . their Congressmen, protesting
ugaliiHt the disturbance to business by
the agitation of this subject of tariff
revision.
( rowers are only 'now getting the
full benefit or the Ilugley tariff, for
owing to tho groat surplus of foreign
wool imported during tho free wool
period, tho price for domestic wool
waa depressed for year lsdow tho im
porting point. It has ouly !een with
in a year that the full price lifting
""i't of the present tariff upon wool
l-een enjoyed by our growers.
. umifueturers think that the in
crease in wool induction iu Aus
tralia and New Zealand may bring
prices down. This increase is shown
In the greater offerings in London up
to September 31st, 1905, which was
over 27 per cent greater, although the
actual sales for tho year ending De
cember 31st, 1905, were ouly 24,' .per
cent greater than in the previous J ar.
This indicates that a surplus I be
ing accumulated, which is not favor
able to permanently higher prices.
London circulars show that the In
crease yield of clean scoured wool in
the production of Buenos Ay res and
be British Colonies, during the year
euriiu.7 lima, Is so great ft. .t the ,ro
t the
.I,., i r 1 : .... , n,,i
and more thau cotdd then be ronsum
ed, is now again nearly equaled.
Taking these matters into consideru
tion, we can see no reason to justify
expectations of increased prices over
current Eastern rates for tho 1906 clip,
which is being prepared for market in
many sections
Up to the time of the appalling
calamity in Han Francisco, general
business conditions in the United
States were most promising. Accord
ing to liradstreet's figures Railroad
earnings (an uufaillug barometer of
business conditions) for February
show a gain of 27 per cent over the
earnings of February, 1905, an uu
precedou ted showiug, but tho great
catastrophe iu Han Francisco will
cause disturbance in the money mar
ket which must affect wool prices.
llio sudden drurt ou the resources
of Fire Insurauco companies, both
foreign and domestic, occurring con
temporaueously with tho heavy bor
rowing of Russia, will bo sure to
create world financial disturbances
and possibly stringency, which may
curtail the ability of dealers to con
veniently handle the usual amount of
wool.
Tho general condition of trade and
industry is now on a footing too solid
and secure, for there to be any reason
able apprelieuslon of a panic, but iu
order to prevent insurance companies
from throwing their securities upon
tho market to raiso millions of dollars
to liquidate their iudeptednoj, iu
San l'rancisco, the banks are offering
to advance money on, and to curry
theso securities until such times as
they can be marketed without uoed-
less sacrifice.
This broud and liberal policy of tho
bunks will of course employ many mil
lions of dollars that otherwisle would
havo boeu available for investment iu
wool, and at a time when the high
price of wool requires moro capital to
handle it thau ever before, so that
tho determination of wool dealers and
munufaturers to act conservutlvely
uud to buy wool only as it is required,
uud at prices which will show a mar
gin ou current rules in the Kant, is a
inousuro of necessity us well us of ex-
lediency.
It is quite probablo that Kusteru
dealers will be inclined to touch tho
coming clip lightly at llrst, and the
service of commission houses may
uguiu come to be us groat und us nec
essary fuctors to tho western wool
growers us in former years.
During tho pust two scusous buyers
were often found standing iu crowds
ut the shearing cump to buy the wool
STOCKMEN'S PROTEC
TIVE ASSOCIATION.
Three Counties Join Together to Put Stop to
Wholesale Stealing
The leading citizens of Crook, liar -
noy and Lake County, in Oregon and
Modoc county in California, have or -
gani.od a Live Stock Protective Asso-
elation, w ithheadquatersatLakeview,
for the purpose of preventing the kill -
ing of cattle aud tho stealing of hors-
es, cattle and mule.
It has Is-eu ascertained that there is
a well organized Imnd of horse and
cattle thieves oppcrating In Lake,
Crook aud Harney county, iu Oregon, i that this gang of lawbreakers bo put
and Modoc county , in California, out of business, but for the sake of
who have been stealing stock In whole- law and order and civic righteousness
sale numbers during the last year, it every one of those engaged in this ne
ts known that these thieves have par-! farious business should be landed in
ties stationed in California and Neva-1 the penitentiary.
as soon as it was shorn, or even con
tracting for it on tho sheep's I jack be
fore shearing.
Under these conditions the services
of a commission house were not need
ed, but changed conditions in this re
spect appear to be imminent, owing
to this unfortunate calamity in San
Francisco, which comes at a time
when growers of domestic wool expect
ed to get for it at least the closing
prices of lust summer. Now. however,
these price are so far above the par
ity of foreign wool with duty added,
and also above the parity of present
Kusteru prices, that, until they under
stand tho situation, growers are sure
to feel disappointment.
Under these circumstances, wool
growers may find the services of
c.ommlssiou houses very acceptable,
.ot only to make liberal cah advn
I cis, out to carry their wool until a
more satisfactorily range of prices is
established.
These wool growers who contracted
their wool on the sheep's buck early
in the season last yeur felt chagrined
that they should havo received so
much less than was obtained by the
growers w ho sold their wool in tho ex
citement of the summer. Iu a broad
way it may le stated as a fuct, that
with very few exceptions the profits
of the Eastern operators ou wool
bought early in the season, were
swept away by the losses sustained on
the high p-iood wools bought lute.
.Notwithstanding tne nearly 7 per
cent decline that has taken place in
domestic merino wool since last Aug
ust, this grade is still more than
per cent higher than the highest point
reached during the boom of 1900.
In strong contrast to this, foreign fine
wool is 10 per cent below the highest
price of 1000.
Tho boom of 1900 and its subsequent
collapse, which caused a loss of more
than one-half tho capital of many of
the lending wool operators throughout
the world, in some iustauces sweeping
away iu one year the accumulations of
a life timo, constituted an experience
which is ever present iu the memories
of tho wool trade, who view with much
dread and apprehension, eveu the ap
proach of prices to tho 1900 level.
It is true that the relations of sup
ply and demand have changed some
what since then. The expansion iu
population has been greater thuu the
increase in wool production throng
out tho world, and uo one uow be
lie vs that the low price reached iu
the reaction from thut boom, indicate
tiie real uud true value of wool to-day,
but all agree that present rates on flue
wool ure ou a perilously high level,
aud thut further advunce is much loss
likely thuu a decline.
Medium wool and blood) al
though 3 per cent below the price of
lust August is. still 13 per cent ubove
tho highest pnoo reached iu tho dis
astrous boom of 1900.
Improvements iu wool working ma
chinery havo enubled manufacturers
to make goods of medium wool, which
when finished have tho appearance of
goods made of fluer wool, und owing
to its grcster cheapness medium wool
is being largely used us a substitute
for lino.
While owiug to its lighter shrinkage
the grease price of medium wool Is
higher thuu flue it yields
wool ut a much lower cost,
illustration, Michiguu i
scoured
As uu
und
wool, ut 32 cents iu the grouse, shrink
From the Ranges
; da to receive and dispose of the stock
stofcn from the Oregon ranges. So
1 incensed are the stock owner of these
j counties that every one la willing to
I not ouly become a member of the Live
1 Stock Protective Association, but
have indicated their willingness to do
everything possible to enforce the law
against these robbers.
It is to be hoped that in the inter
et of not only tho livestock Industry
age 47 per cent yields scoured wool
costing 00 cents per pound while choice
fine Montana delaine at 23 cents in
the grease, shrinkage 70 per cent
yields scoured wool costing 17 cents
er pound lower cost for scoured med
iuin than fine scoured, although the
grease price of fine Is 9 centi lower
than that of the medium.
The Oregon ian prints the following
on the 10th, which shows the wool
market to be at a standstill at the
present time. Shearing in the north
ern counties is in progress, machines
are being used with success.
"Woolbuyers in this state show no
disposition to meet the high prices
asked by growers. They declare that
general conditions in the wool market
do not justify the extreme values that
,ave been placed on wool by aheet-
I men. . The latter on the other hnn-t.
seem determined to hold out for the
prices they have named, and continu
ance of the deadlock is the result.
A few sales were made during the
week, but they were very small and
have no bearing on the general mar
ket. Some of the dealers look for a
better movement in the coming week,
but others doubt if there is any ac
tive trading before the regular sules
days, which begin on May 22. Tnese
auctions will show deflnately the atti
tude of buyers and sellers.
Twenty-five cents seems to be the
price fixed by most of the Eastern
Oregon woolmcn for tho best clips,
while the buyers say they will not pay
w ithin several cents of this figure.
Iu the vulley 2o cents is the general
nric. and tli denlerx nro rfTrinir 00.
to 23 cents.
Woolbuying is practically at a stand
still In all parts of the West. In
Washington and Idaho, the same con
ditions prevail as in this state. A few
stray transactions are being made in
Nevada at 19 to 20 cents. The larger
part ot tho Utah clip was sold early. "
Lake county sheepmeu seem to be
more Arm in demanding the udvauced
price than they were last spring, they
their experience last year seeming to
huve given' them courage to hold onto
their wool. What the result of their
stand will be only remains to be seen.
Lnst year many of them sold early
arouud lGla ceuts, and tho few who
held received as high as 20 and 21.
This spring 20 cents has been offered
them, but the waiting policy prevails
aud few clips huve been contracted.
Buyers are determined, aud many or
ders for fabrics have been cancelled
because of the high price of raw ma
terial, which may have a tendency to
cause a decline or slump iu wol prices
iu the West.
Development League Work.
The development League is taking
steps to bring about a meeting of the
busiuess men of Luke and Modoo
counties aud the mauagors of the N-C-O.
railroad, for the purpose of com
ing to a deflnate understanding con
cerning tho exteusiou of thut road
through these, two comities. Tho pro
posed meeting pluco is at Lukeview,
in order thut the ruilroad pooplo ruuy
see w ith their own eyes the vust op
protunities lying ahead of them, and
study tho conditions from personal
observations. It will also be a fea
ture of the meeting to ascertain from
tho ruilroud people just what support
they usk for extending the roud, and
to demonstrate to thorn thut tho short
extensions do not meet our wants.
The N-C-O. people have complained
that their progress has been materially
hampered by the reception they have
received at the hands of the people
of that portion of the country
thus far traversed. They have said,
in substance, that it appeared that the
rople wero opposed to the extension
of a road through the country and,
took every opportunity to place ob
stacles in the way, having been ready
at all times to prosecute damage suits,
and view lightly their adversities.
Now what the League proposes, is to
prove to these railroad men, if it Is
possible to get them in proving dis
tance, that whatever discouragement
they have met with, they have passed,
as tbe people of this county are
friendly with the road and want it to
extend. That they will place no ob
stacles in the way of the road, but
will offer them every encouragement
possible.
The time for the meeting has not
been sot. The convenience of the peo
ple of on r neighbor county" and the
railroad people will decide that detail.
It is to be hoped that every business
man in Lake county will lend his as
sistance to the League in this movement.
The Grand Jury.
A grand jury was called at the con
vening of the present session of cir
cuit court to Inquire into the various
charges against parties who have been
detained in the county jail and any
other matter that might be brought
oeforo the body.
The person nell of tho jury is as fol
lows: W. A. MassingiS, foreman;
A. Storkman, D. C. Sctminck, C. S.
Dixon, E. B. Brewer, Ed. Wood,
liobt. Nelson.
The first day's work resulted in an
indictment against E. E. Wert, charg
ed with the larceny of a suit of
clothes, and most of the evidence was
taken in the Lee case.
An indictment was returned against
Bert Lee on Tuesday. Lee's trial is
set for today. The case against Wert
came up for trial Wednesday, L. F.
Conn appearing for defendant. As we
go press jury finds verdict of guilty.
Indictments were returned against
Wm. Vinyard and John Doe for horse
stealing.
R. B. HalCon Dead.
Reuben B. Ilatton, the first clerk
of Lake county, died at Klamath
Falls, Monday, May 7th.
Ii. B. Ilatton was born in South
Carolina, Feb. 22, 1842. He came to
Oregon in eaily day, locating at
Ashland. When Lake county was
struck off from Jackson county Mr,
Ilatton claimed his residence in the
new county and was elected its first
clerk in 1876. He was reelected to the
office twice. When Klamath county
was formed Mr. Ilatton became a resi
dent of that county, where he has re
sided ever since. Mr. Ilatton has the
distinction of having resided iu three
different counties without ever having
cnaugud nis place of residence.
Many old residents of Lake county
knew Mr. Ilatton and held him in
high esteem. Oue by one the old
laud murks of pioneer days iu South
eastern Oregou are passing away, but
their memory long lives.
Creffield Killed.
Creffleld, the Iloly Roller leader was
shot and killed in Seattle on the 8th
of the month by George Mitchell.
Two of Mitchell's sisters had been led
estray by Creffleld and to avenge his
wrongs young Mitchell followed the
self-styled prophet to Seattle and shot
him down in the street and then gave
himself up to the officers.
As soon as the deed was accomplish
ed, Mitchell wired to Hurt, Creflield's
futher-iu-law, in Corvailis, that
"I have got my man, and am in jail
heie. " Mr. Hurt started for Seattle
at once to look after his daughter,
Mrs. Creffleld, who was known to be
destitute and in rags, without a home,
and Mr. Hurt also announced his pur
pose of arranging for Mitchell's de
fense. He said thut within 10 min
utes after the word reached Corvullis
that Mitchell hud killed Cieffleld a
movement was started to ruiso f uuds
for his defense aud to raiso money for
a gold medal as a reward for Mitchell's
good work. The uews was hailed with
delight wherever Creffleld hud prac
tised his infamous influence and
broken up happy homes. The most
prominent men in Corvailis audAlbuuy
were llrst to auuounce their purpose
to go to the extent of their resources
to prevent Mitchell from being pun
ished.
Regardless of recommendations fioin
prominent persons aud district attor
neys from Portland, Corvailis aud
other Oregou cities, the Washington
authorities say they will endeavor to
prosecute Mitchell.
STEAMBOAT FOR
GOOSE LAKE.
Operator Burke Planning
- to Establish Steam-
er Service.
REDUCTION IN FREIGHT RATES.
Big Territory Would be Accommo- '
dated Give Outlet to the
West Side.
E. Burke, for several years telergaph
operator here, has resigned the p oei
tion and is engaged in Interesting
local capital in a steamboat for Goose
Lake. Mr. Burke has been figuring
on the proposition for a year or two,
and recently has made investigations
of the possibilities of such a scheme
with the result that he will endeavor
to interest sufficient capital to go
with what money he has on hand of
his own, to establish a line and pat
on a boat to operate between here'and
the lower end of the lake, a distance
of about 10 or 50 miles.
He believes that a small boat, say of
15 to 20 tons capacity, could be sac--cessfaly
operated on the lake. He
has investigated different landings at
this end and will make a survey of the
lake shortly to see how far a boat
could run and bow many good land
ings can be found. He figures that a
trip to the lower end of the lake and
back can be made in time to allow a
four-horse team to make a trip from
there to Alturas and back in one day,
which will reduce the time and ex
pense of hauling freight by team
more than half ,
A Jboatj. the size be proroscs th put
on will be able to ran in about 20 in
ches of water and make landings at
most any place along the lake on
either side, for loading on wood, lum
ber, grain or other farm produce and '
stock of all kinds. Such convenient
service would make it possible for the
farmers on both sides of the lake to
ship their produce to a point so near
the railroad that with slight expense
shipments could be made to market.
Prohibitory shipping expenses has
been the only obstacle to vast exports
of grain, hay, hogs and various other
products of tho farm being shipped
from this valley to market. Mr.
Burke's proposition solves a problem,
for successful farming in this valley,
and if carried out as he contemplates,
Goose Lake will soon be a source of
supplies not to be disregarded by the
big markets of the world.
Mr. Burke does not fear the advent
of a railroad, as his proposed system
of steamboating will make it possible
for him to carry on a shipping busi
ness independent of rail traffio suffi
cient to ensure good returns from the
money invested. In fact the building
of a railroad into Lake view from the
north or south, or even a through line
would only stimulate traffio to such
an extent that his busiuess would pro
fit by it rather thau be retarded.
The scheme from Mr Burke's ob
servation is an entirely feasible one,
and bis ability to operate and manage
a steamboat line is not questioned.
There is lots of good timber on the
West side of the lake that is so far ,
from a road of any kind and the dis
tance around the lake either way to a
market is so great that the timber is
likely to stay there for Borne time to
come. Yi ltn a boat on tne lake, mills
could make lumber and ship to mar
ket at a profit. These possibilities,
besides various other sources of reven
ue presents Mr. Burke's steamboating
proposition in a most favorable light.
A boat drawing 20 inches of water ,
could be used as a tug boat for ' haul
ing barges, which he figures would be
the only practical means of hauling
the more bulky freight.
The boat being made to curry 15 or
20 tons is designed to ruu 12 to IZ
miles per hour, when carrying her
own burden or tonnage, which would
injure fast service for that class of
freight when spued and timo is consid
ered. . .
This is absolute! a feasible plan
aud it would lower freigoi. lute to all
this northern country aud we tbiuk .
the people of this couutry will aid in
briugiug this to a reul issue.