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About Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 1913)
FAGS rHIRTEEX MMMmMMHMMMOMHmtHMHMMMMMMMHMMMMM Off aid. DAILY CAPITAL JOURNAL, SALEM, OREGON, 8ATTJEDAT, DECEMBER 20, 1913. State State ktitatici)ffl T THE OREGON IS AMONG THE BEST The Oregon State Prison, measured by those of some of the other states, is a small affair. However, the state has no especial pride in having a Targe pris on, in fact is proud of the fact that its prison is a small one. It doea take prido, though, in being able to say that it has one of the best and most hu manely conducted prisons in the world. It is beautifully located, a fine view of the valley and the grand sweep of the Cascades being one of its "attrac tions." It was located here by act of the legislature in 1871, and has been the scene of some of the most spectac- ir :'?': . ' -.'",''. 1 " , l.j I . .V,:.'V. e';'V:;.:, . , . v ..;' :'( s Oregon State Tuberculosis Hospital. ular events in prison history, among these being tho famous Tracy escape and subsequent pursuit. Tho prison grounds comprise about 150 acres and the buildings are substan tial and well arranged. About one year ago, on December 1st, to bo exact, the present warden and superintendent, Col. B. K. Lawson, as sumed charge and, though he had no previous experience in prison work, soon got in touch with the work and has proven to be an ideal man for the place. Ho is a fine disciplinarian, but is big hearted, kind and humane, understands men and has the respect and confidence not only of all those employed with him, but of the prisoners, who know that they will receive only the kindest treat ment pos siblo under the conditions. They know that he has tho duty of keeping them safe, and that so long as they obey the prison rules they will be treat ed humanely and kindly. Colonel Lawson came from Cottage Grove. The others of the prison force are: J. .1. Bergen, deputy warden, who is from Portland, and who has been at tho prison in some enpacity since 1003. Ho began as a guard and for six years has held his present position. His long service tells the story of his competen cy and fitness for the place. Frank II. Snodgrnss, captain of the guards, is also from Cottngo Grove, and has held his present position since De cember 1, 1912. His work has been emi nently satisfactory, nnd he has main tained a high state of efficiency among the 26 guards under him. Tom R. Wilson, whom everybody knows, and likes, was appointed from Portland April 1, 1903, as chief clerk, and has therefore "done ten years' time." He knows everything about the prison from gate to kitchen, and from tho number of prisoners at a given date to the number of chickens and the time their mothors, tho incubators, turned them loose on the world orphans. Be sides keeping the books and accounts of Oregon State the prison, he has found time to inaug- made during tho year was the placing urate a complete system of identifies- of all telephone and lighting wiies no tion by both the Dertillon and finger- dorgroiind and tho painting of the foun print methods. He is an encyclopedia dry building inside, of useful and general information about There are 353 inmates, and of these all the prison affairs and the shop could hardly get along without him. Gcorgo Laboreo, of Snlem, Is chief en- gincer and has held tho position five wars, and Levi Palmer is commissnry, both capable and competent men. Pr. B. D. Hvrd is the prison physi- -u- it.j., ii.,.i.n-.n rnntrnn. CHIN, .u i i"i mn ii ii 1 i ta-liiln T H. Murray in the official sten-1 ogrnphcr. The latter has held this po- sition for nesrlv three yeors. Revs. V. (1. MacLar - en are the chaplains. There are 26 guards, and these are PRISON paid from $50 to $70 board. month and The state appropriated for salaries and general expenses of the prison, it is a model most of the other states $137,000 for two years, which gives the wouia do well to pattern after, and this running expenses at $78,500 a year, or ;g due to first, generous provision by throe-fifths as much as it takes to look the state, but most to the tactful man aftor the game of the state. In addition ner of those whom the state has placed to this there was appropriated $56,300 ;n charee of the human derelicts, those for improvements, among them being barracks for the trusties, to cost $28,- 500, but these have not been built and the money may be turned back into the treasury. An ice plant has been in- stalled and with it a cold storage sys-i tern, and new central heating plant in which oil is used as fuel. A notable improvement made during the year is tho repainting of the build ings, making them a light gray in color, instead of the dingy red that gave them a gloomy and prison-like look. Besides the 150 acres belonging to the stato, there is leased land, making in all about 500 acres. On this farm, which is cultivated by the prisoners, all tho vegetables used at the prison are grown. There is also a fine dairy, and a herd of fine cows, about 30 in all, and among these 11 head of Holsteins purchased this year in Washington county. While many of these are just now dry, the dairy is producing 300 pounds of butter a month, besides sup plying tho prison with milk. Colonel Lawson 's especial pride, howover, is a drove of about 200 hogs, now on the farm and which ho says will be in creased to 300 next jear. All the ber ries used are put up by the inmates, and 200 gallons of tomatoes were canned by them. Tho poultry yard is one of the finest in the state and it is also one of the largest. Among other improvements School for the Deaf. there are now 27 working on the roads I0f Marion county and 16 in Folk conn- ty. During tho summer there was at one time about 90 doing road work and an average of 73 nil summer. Of thoce j inside, some were engaged in nuking Oi.-k, of which 1,300,000 were made, n.l all for use in stato institutions, ," the n"H- whi, h Bru ".Tupulousiy clean ana neat. 1 Thero were five executions at the prison during the year, and it is hoped ( they may be tho last. They were George and- Charles Humphreys, executed March 22 for the murder of Eliza Grif fith, in Benton county; Mike Spanos and Frank Seymour, executed October 31, for the murder of George Dedaska lous at Mcdford, and Oswald C. Hansel, executed November 14, for the murder of Frank J. Taylor at Astoria. As we stated at the start of this arti cle, Oregon's prison is not great in size, but in management and the humane care of its criminal class, it stands the peer of the very best under the flag. wh0 are perhaps naturally criminal, and ' those whom untoward circumstances and jihaps resistless temptation or at least "imagined" provocation have mado amenable to the law. , i , Gov. Oswald West Oregon has the reputation of setting the pace for the balance of the United States in almost everything, and she is entitled to hold this record in the way of governors. When Oswald West was elected to this high position in 1910, ho was but 37 years of age, one of tho youngest men ever elected to the position of governor by any state in tho Union. Todny he is barely 40, and yet no givernor from Maine to Cnlifor-1 nia, or Oregon to Florida, is so well known as is Governor West. He is a man of strong convictions, and his strong, square jow indicates, and rightly bo, that ho will not hesitate in putting those convictions in force. He has a way,too, of brushing tho cob webs of technicality aside, and where they get in his way, if they cannot bo brushed aside, ho goes around them and gets to tho point ho started for, in , somo way, even if he has to make that . way. This trait, while cementing his friends tho moro closely to him, has necessarily mado him enemies, and ho has the supervision of all tho work be has somo and some bitter ones. This longing to the office and this in itself fact does not disturb him, for he is old- is enough for any ono man, even though ?.H fnshionedly conscientious, aud if he thinks a thing or measure is right, ho supiort it with all the force of his vi rile mind. For instance, ho is opposed to tho salo of spirituous liquors, and he docs not quibble about it. Both the friends and enemies of the movement know exactly where he Btnnds and that is DRY. Dry, did we sayt Well he is more than that, he is "dusty," aud if it was in his power, Oregon would not have a saloon in it for one minute. He is also a firm believer in the reclaiming and bringing under cultivation every bit of land in tho state, and his backing has mado possible the big irrigation schemes that will mako the arid section of Eastern Oregon blossom and bear abundant crops. llo is "wet" so far as dry binds are concerned, but not thnt way about men. He believes above all things in the strict enforcement of the laws, and nil of them, and so believing has wnged an inccssiint war on vice of all liiiuls ami nt all times and in nil places. Astoria is a cleaner city, due Inrgely to his ef forts, nnd while Portland is still fur from being clrnn, it is imni'-asurnbly better fur the vice rnmpnign he hns as sisted in waging there. If its mayor, Albee, wiih a ninn of West's energy nnd rharacter, Oregon's metropolis would bo a model city so fur as vice is con cerned. He plays no favorites, docs his duty as he sees it and as It is presented to him, regardless of whom it may jolt or what it may result in to others, or what those others may think or Bay of him for so doing. He believes In "ritl.enship with all its right and privileges for women, and so believing, selected a bright young woman, Miss Fern llobbn, as his pri- vnte secretary, flhe being tho first wo- man to hold so Important a political pos.tion in the i mid males, me man- ner in which she attends to the duties of the position show, the governor was wise in his selection. Ho is a busy man, too, for the legisla- ture has wished some work on him that should be left In other hands, and that Is the Interminable board work that By courtesy of Bullock's Studio, these cuts were made from photographs t. taken by them. leaves him far too little timo to look 1 after tho affairs of his office. He is ex-officio a member of the State Board ' of Control, which has charge practical- ly of all the state institutions, aud which is enough for one set of men to attend to. On top of this he is a mem-1 ber of the Board of Regents of both J the TJ. of O. and O. A. C, and of the Monmouth normal school. He is also a nlenlDer of the State Highway Com mission, the State Banking Board, the printing board, the land board, the Des ert Land Board, the Board of Educa tion, tho emergency board, the Board of Forestry, is chairman of the state library trustees, besides some moro we cannot just now remember, and he is also commandor-in-chief of the O. N. G. and the naval militia, and is a member of the militia and naval boards. Tie gets away with all those numerous jobs besides doing the governing stunt, and he does it by long and arduous hours of the hardest kind of work. He will leave his namo high on the roll of Ore gon's governors, and it will be a rec ord his children, and theirs, can look back at with honest and worthy prido. LLL-XkkXXkkLLLLkkkkkkkAk. Sec'y Ben Olcott I Muny not familiar with the work in tho stato house have an idea that a state office is a sinocure, that the work is light and confined principally to "rawing the salary. There never was a greater mistake. As a matter of fact, there are few business men of the stato that do tho work laid on tho shoulders of state officers, or some of them. A glance at the work done by Secre tary of State Olcott illustrates this. Ho - rj Oregon Stato Penitentiary. ho is a glutton for work, lln is the auditor and recorder for tho state. )Vith him practically all state papers are filed, and ho liiiint take care of them. All tho money paid out by tho stato is paid out only on wnrrantB drawn by him, and this runs up in the millions yearly. His office also has charge of tho collection of all auto licenses, some 15,000 in number, and all these, with their addresses, must bo kept track of. This is a pretty large-sized contract in itself, but It is only ono of a great many drops In a big bucket. Thero Is a vnst correspondence to be attended to, and on top of the multifa rious things that are part of the daily grind ho is from hia office a member of tho following bonrds: Tho Board of Control, which has charge of all state institutions; tho Hoard of Regents of tho V. of O.i the Hoard of Regent of O. A. C, and that of thn State Normal Heboid nt. Monmouth. Ho is a member of the State Highway Commission, of the State linnliing Hoard, the State Printing Hoard, the State Tiix Cnmiuis siiiii, t bo State Lund Hoard, the Iccr' Uind Hoard, the Honrd of Kdttcntion, the I'mergency Heard, and is a trustee of the A. R, Hurliimk trust fund for orphans. Tho Honrd of Control iilune is enough for Its members to attend to and do It properly, for It hnB charge of tho penitentiary, the Asylum for the Insane, tho brnnch asylum at Pendleton and in fact a large portion of the stnte business. He Is also tho head of what miirht bn called thn clerical ilennrtment of th A f fVMy kini1 Br fiw wh him ,,, , ,,, hn()U M, tonnin Rrn kppt 1)V him, ,)() mnft know (,)0 oon,1ition f cvpry fll, . .i,.f t. ... .,,,ir n n,,,' keep track of every office, and o,,,,,!,,, , tliat h onn ,,, ,.! u.l(i., .11 ..ovriill. nn,l bill. ...1. ,,,, , n , (h,m ,,,,, olllv the bookkeeper and clerk of the state, but he Is also forced to be a sort of detective, and eternally vigilant to see that no fraudulent claims of any kind are paid by the state. The legis- lature, however, at evory session cre ates some now board and just from habit, the secretary of stato is picked out as one of its members and has still more work added to his already heavy load. The state of Oregon has grown . ..II.. i i ! i :i rru worK or tne secretary or siaie s on ice tins been increased hianv times in the ast four years, and the legislature should at its next session provide Borne means by which tho secretary can be rcii0ved from all duties on boards, and everything else outside of tho regular duties of the office. Mr. Olcott was fit appointed to tho office on the ueath of Secretary Benson, and was elected at the general election of 1912 for the term of four years, his term ex- piring in 1917. lie is a most excellent official, and has made a wide circle of friends among those having buBinoss with his office. The business affairs of the state could not bo in better hands, Slafe Treas. Kay Ij kkkkALkAkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk Taking care of the state's money is no smnll job, but on3 requiring eternal vicilance and much closo and confining work. Of course, as Oregon grows in population and wealth, this task yearly becomes larger and moro arduous. A few years ago a million or two would run tho state a year, but it will do so no longer. It requires now above four millions yearly, and probably after the next legislature meets it will bo a 5 in stead of a 4 tho head of thoso ciphers. Tho present state treasurer.' Thomas I). Kay, took office January first, 1911, and his term will expire on tho first day of 1915, or in about a year. On taking charge of tho office, he placed Thomas H. Hymn in the position of chief clerk, but mado no other changes In tho office force. Mr. Ryan's excellent work nnd thorough mastery of tho duties of the position show his selection was a first class ono. The duties of tho treanurer's office nro manifold, for not only must au ac- another oiio and bo they got it. They i making of abstracts is a profession re cuinte account of tho oxpending of nro "board" to death now, nnd have a' quiring skill and training as much as moro than $4,000,000 yearly bo kept, 'K " ' " -" " but the sources of income must nil bo kept truck of, and fur somo of this In- come tho treasurer is made tho collec tor. Tho inheritance tax is ono of these, and this amounted last year to more than HO,0(l0. In tho collection of this sum a strict attention to the statementB filed by appraisers of es tates, caused supplemental appraise ments to bo filod which increased tho receipts of tho stato more tlwn 10,000, adding that much to thn tax on valua tions which otherwise would have boon lost to tho state. This saving alone would pay tho treasurer's salary for moro thnn two years, and It was a mat ter such as Ik generally overlooked, as officials are given to taking such valua tions ns correct. This jacking up of easy going appraisers not only brought the state in good money, but It served notice on appraisers generally that they would have to do their duty, and thnt the state would nut stand for either crooked or careless work in this line. The stnte's money Ih kept in 72 ile- i-1 1 n l iiH scattered all over Hie still" in ns ninny different hunks, ami draws 2 per cent yearly, the low rnto being cnu-ed by the fact tho money Is bmniil "on cull," tlint is must be paid on de mand. llesides the handling both In Inn I out of the still o 's money, paying its bills null keeping ncount of them, tho state treasurer hns hod tho charge of the state's school fund, amounting to some thing more than D,000,000. This mon ey is kept, loaned out on Interest and there is much work In keeping it nt work, getting It in from borrowers aud loaning it again to others. This d pnrtmeiit is Indeed an immense formoi ' bank, loaning money to farmers nt a low rate of Interest, and doing husiniKs of!0" "I'""1 of "ix million ',"ll"r,, is different, too, from most banks, fui there i no reserve fund, the whole clip- otital being kept at work. This is a fund that Is steadily growing. ! A few years ago, due to Mr. Kay's work before he became treasurer, the system of paying tho state treasurer was changed, and Treasurer Stoele, who preceded him in office, worked part of his term under the new system. Under the old law the state treasurer, received a small salary, but this was pieced out by making him membor of many boturds, and paying him a salary for the duties of each of them. The constitution fixed the salary and this was just a plan for paying the treasurer a reasonable amount for his work. Un- der this system with pay for work on boards, the salary of the office amount-1 cd to about $4200 a year. On top of this, howover, there was no provision for loaning the state's money which was supposed to be kept in the vaults at the state house, or at least in the j city. This was a pleasant supposition, , but that was all, for the monoy was ! loaned out by the treasurers, and, well j the state did not get any interest on its idle millions, and it is presumed the state treasurers did not loan it for nothing. This perquisite, due to Mr. Kay's work, was cut out and the interest on r. x ;,.r ;.- ,.; .,.,.... --Nj ' : View of Portion of Buildings, Cottage the stato 's money now goes to the stato and tho state treasurer's salary is now $1500 a year straight. The stato treasurer, like tho governor and secretary of state, has a job lot of boards wished on him in addition to hi 3 other duties. Evory time tho legida- ture createst a new board, it assume? that these three officers can stand for1 lot of work that should be taken oil' " -- i their shoulders. The board of control, "f whMl ""W llr(' I'10 component pints, luis the management or nil stato ins ... to the plant, more safeguards, and an tiitions aud is is work enough, if proper- j pven higher degree of training and pro ly Line, to require the attention of thru fi,.ency than a docado or two ago. The persons all tho time. J fcnlem Abstract company has kept pace The governor, secretary of state nnd wjtli tho best advance in its line, and its stnto treasurer have all tho work they j,iant today is better than many plants sboi.ld have without any board worl.. in larger cities than Salem and older and yet they aro given yearly more nnd and more populous counties than Mar more, ion. Stato Treasurer Kay has proven n Thirty four years in tho title business w nr.! n' Now nocolving Ward, s It iiillii officer bringing a well triilue-l n lri to bear on the systoiuntizitiir c? li.n work of tho office, and applying f It tl.t Mime liceti business metlioils that hiive irilde his uinuageiueiit of his intiii-nlu-t-.ii tg industries bo Buccessful. IT HATH A SONOROUS BOUND. According to tho reports, Colonel Roosevelt, whilo nt Buenos Aires, re marked in his usual earnest milliner: "Wo winh to use so much of collec tivism as will form tho best basis for an altruistic individualism.". Well, we aro fur It. What's tho answer I A brunette may be fairer than blondo in somo ways. Salem Abstract Co. I Reliability should be one of the first requirements made of an abstrace of title company by those who deal with it and purchase real property or make loans upon the faith of an abstract purporting to show the title to the land involved. To be dependable, a company must have, of course, what is known amona title men as a "complote plant." A complete abstract plant is more accurate than the original indexes at the court house, because the title company has skilled and carefully trained employes and because it is equipped with splendid indoxes such as public offices do not af- ford. In public records all deeds, mort gages, court decrees, etc., are Indexed under the names of the parties thereto, but in the private records of a reliable ' , .- Farm, Oregon State Hospital, Salem. company with a plant of its own every entry is indexed against the land itself, and the "tract index" thus becomes a dragnet with no deed, mortgnge, tax salo or other matter affecting the titlo can escape. But mors than reliability should be required. There should be required financial and moral responsibility. The any other profession. It is cheaper and safer to go to the best abstracters and got tho best aid. A company with a complete plant behind it is financially responsible because it has a large sum j of money invested in that plant, and I its reputation is at stake. Because it hns that largo sum involved thero is an nssurance of permanency which is lack ing in tho work of one who has no plnnt, one who has no financial stand ing to mnintnin. Tho quest ion of moral responsibility is moro personal, Who aro tho men who own this complete plant and what is their standing as men and in their profession? Have they hnd experience in title work, nnd a thorough training! Tho Siilem Abstract company was or gnnized in 1SH0, 34 years ago. It has grown with Marion county and with ftaleiii. As years pass records nccessai y increaso and titles become longer ' , morH intricate, requiring additions 1 'A im r I'i 'l.:'!i 'I, ' -i I Oregon State Hospital, Salem. requiring an advanced technical skill nnd accuracy, and never a suit brought against it for damages for error, of any kind, is a recc.nl of which the Salem Abstract company is justly proud, anil which it expects to maintain. Andrew A. Iee, the president, has been asso ciated with the company for over 24 years, and his long experience and train ing have placed him high nmong title men In tho stnte. Oeorge J. Watson, tho secretary, is a lowyer who has prac tised in New York and In Oregon, aud has mado a specialty of titles. For all these nnsons, the certificate of the Salem Abstract company gives assur ance now as for many years past that there Is back of It reliability and flu anciul and moral responsibility aa we.ll.