SEMI-WEEKLY ABERDEEN HERALD · who arrived here a few days ago, an-aounced yesterday that they...
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n*WENTY-EIGHTH YEAR IDE SWISS LIKE S THIS COUNTRY jfanguard of Swiss Settlers tfjupect Big Tract of Land ?I h Thurston County fLEASED WITH OUTLOOK With Colonists Says The Soil Excels for Dairy Purposes V \u25a0 ©LYMPIA, March 23.?Expressing tlw opinion that they were more than with Thurston county as an Iflaal section for dairying, many of - (kt members of the advance guard -it Swiss colonists from Minnesota, who arrived here a few days ago, an- aounced yesterday that they would locate on the Hugh T. Halbert tract, \u25a0mut Olympia. The first inspection Of the proposed dairying and cheese- Baking community by the colonists fit unusual in many respects. Saturday the party was landed on the ground at Bordeaux, on the Mil- waukee car in which they made the trip from Minneapolis. Saturday night they built a large camp fire. A majority announced that they would make Thurston county their fnture home, and plans for clearing the land and putting in crops were ; discussed. Witt Co-operate in Clearing Land. It was decided to co-operate in clearing the land. It was also de- tided to carry on diversified farming. After the land is cleared there will be on the ground an expert on grasses, an expert on dairying and an expert on poultry to help the settlers place their land on a paying basis. Sunday night religious services \u25a0were conducted at the camp fire by Prof. Charles M. Andrist, of the de- partment of languages of the Uni- versity of Minnesota. Grass Expert Pleases. Martin Heinzelman, recognized as one of the greatest experts on grasses in Minnesota, and former superintend- ent of Itasca park, at Arago, Minn., who, with Mrs. Heinzelman, was a member of the party as a sightseer, announced yesterday that he had changed his former plans and would locate in this state as a member of the new community within two weeks. "The soil excells anything in the East and is as good as any in the Mid- dle West," he said. "It should pro- duce wonderful crops. From a dairy standpoint it is ideal. I have never examined heartier grasses and the climate is mild, permitting out-door grazing all the year-round. One thing that attracted my attention was the fact that the medium red grass grows as large as the mamouth in the Middle West. Tlipre is also an abun- dance of water on all the land. Newcomers Looking for Stock. Many of the members of the new colony spent yesterday looking for cat- tle with which to stock their sections. Today they will visit various tracts that are being cleared under modern methods for the purpose of getting in- formation. "We hope to make this new colony one of the best dairying communities In the Northwest," said Mr. Halbert yesterday. "The people Interested are all workers and are well pleased with the land. Until the Panama canal is opened it will be possible to have colonists come right through from New York, without change of cars, which will prove a great induce- ment during the period of developing this land. railroad man to speak TO ABERDEEN'S MEN'S CLUB C. P. Bissett, right of way and tax ?gent of the Oregon-Washington Rail- Way & Navigation company, has ac- cepted the invitation of the Men's club of this city to deliver an address the evening of April 10 at the First Presbyterian church. Mr. Bissett stated his topic will be \u25a0either "Abraham Lincoln" or "Fidel- ity.'' His Lincoln address has won the railroad man fame, but, it is his "Fidelity" is just as excel- lent, and it is stated the latter subject will be selected. Mr. Bissett is per- haps as forcible speaker as ever ap- peared in this section and he com- bines eloquence and scholarly attain- ments. militia instructor here Lieut. H. Adrian McClure, United States navy, in charge of the hydro- . Craphic survey for this district, was the Harbor last night. He came town on matters in connection with naval militia for which he is in- \u25a0fructor and inspector. AM the new-H all the time In the Herald. SIX PAGES THE COUNCIL AND THE FIRE LIMITS Removal of Building Within Limits Creates Needless Discussion MOVE MAKES FOR SAFETY Earth for Fill District not in River. Street Improve- ments Protested The city council was unduly exer- cised Wednesday night over the re- moval of the Fred Matthews frame building from one point in the firs limits to another, still within those limits. Nothing appears to be oppos- ed to such a removal in the fire limit ordinance, nor did it appear that the fire hazzard in the district was in- creased by the removal of those buildings. As a matter of fact, the Matthews building was taken from an extra hazardous location to one of comparative isolation and is now a very slight menace to its neighbor- hood compared with what It was on G street. Its removal will mean the erection of a concrete building on G street which will create a fire break in one of the most hazardous fire points in the city. An attempt to "abate the nuisance," as was talked of is liable to involve the city in ueedless litigation. The city attorney reported that the bonding company, which will com- plete the work in Fill District No. 2, had a representative in the city pre- paring to take up the work, and that he reported there was not sufficient earth available in the Wishkah river to finish the fill, and that they may have to sluice earth from Terrace Heights. A protest against the proposed im- provement of Newell street provok- ed a sharp discussion, the property owners claiming they were unable to stand the expense at this time. The council will visit the street in a body Sunday morning to examine the situ- ation. The Barber Asphalt Co. receded from their former position, and agreed to accept six per cent warrants, In- stead of eight per cent bonds de- manded. The removal of earth from Oak street was discussed, and the matter laid over until the next meeting, to permit E. C. Finch to be heard on the subject. A petition for a 20-foot concrete roadway on Thornton street between Sixth and Fifth streets, and a pro- test, were referred. Liquor licenses were granted to W. H. Pierre, the O'Hare Liquor com- pany and the Aberdeen Brewing company, the two latter being whole- sale licenses, and the first issued since the new ordinance was adopted. An ordinrnce was passed fixing Tuesday. April 7, as municipal elec- tion day, the voting hours between 8 a. m. and 8 p. m. and appointing election officers. Precincts having less than 100 voters will not be en- titled to clerks, the judges filling these offices. Councilman Myles announced that the street committee would look over the South Side road Sunday and re- port next .Wednesday night. An ordinance was introduced and passed to third reading, licensing moving picture operators and creat- ing a board of examiners. The an- nual license is fixed at $5 and $2.50 for renewals. The contract for the planking of Henry street was awarded to John A. Nordgren at $1.47 for the 16-foot elevated roadway. FATAL ACCIDENT. Earle E. Sprague, a Logger, Meets Death From Falling Tree Near Elma Tuesday Afternoon. Earle E. Sprague, a logger 54 years of age, was crushed to death Tuesday afternoon at one of the camps of the Mack Logging Co., near Elma. Spra- gue, who was a sawyer, walked be- hind a stump to escape a falling tree, when the tree struck the stump, the top struck him, killing him in- stantly. Sprague, who was well and favor- ably known on Grays Harbor had made his home in Aberdeen for sev- eral years, and was an active member of the Aberdeen Lodge of Odd Fel- lows. The body is at Elma, pending instructions from his sisters, one of who lives at Plalnwell, Mich., and the other at San Antonio, Texas, who have been wired by W. H. Pearson, secretary of the lodge. SEMI-WEEKLY ABERDEEN, WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1914. OH IS FOUND IN TENINO WELL Pumping Well is Struck at Depth of 775 Feet, in Well Near Tenino. WILL SINK WELL DEEPER After Drilling Six Weeks, Grand Mound Oil Field is Practically Proved OL.YMPIA, March 26.?"There is no longer any doubt about our well be- ing in a real oil field. We are not going to stop now, but experienced oil men who are on the ground say that if we did stop now and prepare the present well for pumping, we would have a well producing from 25 to 100 barrels of oil a day." This is part of a statement made last night by long distance telephone by Emery C. Williamson, secretary- treasurer of the Crescent Oil com- pany, who spent yesterday at the well near Tenino. "The drill has struck and gone! through a second stratum of oil sand.! This was at the 775-foot level, and the sand stratum is 30 feet through. 1 though the first one was only six feet in depth. It seems to those of us who ' took samples of the snml and floating ] oil that this sand contains 25 times i as much oil as did the first stratum, i "We have a real commercial well just as soon as we want to put in a charge of nitro-glycerine to tear out a cave in this sand stratum so that the oil can collect, but we believe that farther down there is oil in larg- er quantities, and we will be surpris- ed if a gusher is not struck. We will continue to drill, and if we exhaust our resources before we strike any- thing further we can come back at anytime and make a 'pumper' out of the well to take the oil from the sand that we have just passed through." Secretary Williamson said that af- ter passing through the second sand bed, four feet of lime stone was drill- ed through, and that the drill had continued about 10 feet into shale foundation again at about 9 o'clock last night. Mr. Williamson felt that there was no basis on which to specu- late as to the formation next to be struck. The Crescent OH company has been at work since February 12. Lincoln's birthday. On that date the machin- ery was in shape and the first drilling done. Up to the present time the company has had exceptional luck. Only three or four times has the drill got out of true and on each occasion it was due ot striking of fissures in the sand stone. FOOD INSPECTION NO REST FOR THE WEARY. J. J. Higgins. state food commis- sioner; W. H\ Abrams, food inspect- or, and Miss A. B. Wimple, bakery inspector, spent several days in the city this week, inspecting the various places where food is sold, and com- pleted the work yesterday afternoon. Mr. Higgins was a former resident of Elma, and was editor of the Chron- icle in 1897 and 1898. The Hentltf to the most widely read paper In Cfceh&lls County. Wise ad- vertiser* know It 'till the twtM-a-w««k HersM te year iMtlrla* enster* friends. ?Bartholomew in Mtnnoapolie Journal. Taxpayers' Meeting The Aberdeen Taxpayers will hold an adjourned Mass Meeting next Monday night, at 8 o'clock, in the city hall, to hear the report of the committee on permanent organization. Every taxpayer in Aberdeen who can possibly do so, is urged to attend this meet- ting. Ladies are especially invited. SAW MILLS FILE NEW TAX SUITS Nine Mill Companies Ask Re- duction of Taxes, Alleg- ing Over Valuation MONTESANO, March 26.?Nine mills companies on Grays Harbor have filed new suits in the superior court, involving about $16,000 in taxes, alleged to be overcharged by reason of excessive valuation. The suits were brought by Bridges & Bruener and llogan & Graham of Ab- erdeen. Along with the complaints, in each case, is a motion asking that a re- straining order be issued stopping the treasurer from turning the accounts over to the sheriff for collection and asking that the treasurer be ordered to accept a tender of the amount of taxes the mill companies concede to be due during the pending of this trial. These motions are to be heard Saturday. The concerns suing the county are assessed on the books a total of $37,- 972.36 in taxes, and their combined tender is $22,002.77. Names of the various plaintiffs and the amount each concedes to be due the county as taxes on the levy in force, are: National Lumber & Manufacturing company, $5337; Grays Harbor Com- mercial company, $5047; Federal Mill company, $1282; Donovan Lumber company, $1347; S. E. Slade Lumber company, $2772; Aberdeen Lumber & Shingle company, $1447; Western Lumber company, $602; Bay City Lumber company, $2094. JEFFERSON DAY Chehalis County Democrats Will Cele- brate Anniversary of Patron Saint on Gray* Harbor The executive committee of the Democratic party of Chehalis Coun- ty, and the members of the demo- cratic county central committee from Aberdeen and Hoquiam, will meet next Tuesday night, March 31, at Ho- tel Washington to plan for the cele- bration of JefTerson Day, which oc- curs next month. The annual meet- ing of the party organization will be held and a banquet spread, either at Aberdeen or Hoquiam, as may be decided at the meeting Tuesday night. The by-laws call for the annual meet- ing at Montesano, but the democrats of the county seat thought a larger attendance would be secured on the harbor, and waived their right In the Interest of a big time. HOQUIAM SEEKS WATER SUPPLY City Commissioner Ogden Receives Imformation as to Method of Proceedure HOQUIAM, March 24. ?City Com- missioner Ogden, who is working in the direction of securing a water and power supply for this city, has re- ceived a letter from Forest Super- visor F'romme of Olympia. The supervisor states that the district supervisor at Portland will send on the necessary blanks and instructions for making a formal application. Fromme says that, as the plan involves the building of dams and reservoirs as well as the location of a power site and the construction of a transmission line, it will be neces- sary for the city to do a sufficient amount of engineering work to acquaint the government with the scope of the project. Hoquiam and Aberdeen will join in sending a corps of engineers to the headwaters of the Wynooche and the Huniptulips to make the necessary surveys. So far as water rights are concerned, that Is a matter withing the province of the state. Commissioner Ogden figures that the work can be done?dams and reservoirs built, a pipe line and transmission line 30 miles long be constructed and the water and power brought to the Harbor cities?for a million dollars. Of this sum, Ho- quiam will furnish $400,000 and Ab- erdeen $600,00. One requirement of the government is that the muni- cipalities shall use water, light and power at actual cost and not attempt to make a profit thereon. It is esti- mated that the rates for these pub- lic necessities will be largely re- duced if the work is completed. FISHING FOR TROUT IS SET BACK A MONTH The open season for trout fishing will not commence this year until May 1, instead of April 1, as former- ly, and Game Warden Esses announc- es that he and his deputies will see that the law of close season in April is rigidly enforced. POWER LIFE BOAT N. P. Bryan, secretary of the Cham- ber of Commerce, was notified yes- terday that the national life saving bureau had Bhlpped a power life boat to the station at Weatport. The boat is the result of a request made by the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce. ABERDEEN HERALD COST OF LIVING COMING DOWN Comparison of Cost of Staple Food Articles Shows Re- duction in Six Months TO REFOREST LANDS State Forester Would Refor- est Cut Lands that are Un- fit for Cultivation OLYMPIA, March 22. ?Encourag- ing indications that the cost of liv- ing, which for the past decade has been constantly soaring skyward, has started to come down, are found by the state board of control, which for the past week has been making semi- annual purchases of supplies for the 11 state institutions. As the state secures competitive bids on all supplies and buys by wholesale, lowest possible prices are obtainable. The board of control finds that the price of practically all food supplies has decreased from the last semi-annual purchases, made Septem- ber 15, 1913. In some articles, like butter, the decreased price is attri- butable to. the coming of the summer months, but in most cases the de- crease is taken as attributable to oth- er causes than the weather. Comparison is made of the prices at which the state bought eight staple articles of food six months ago and this month, the prices, in each case, being for delivery at the western Washington hospital for the insane: Sept., 1913. March, 1914 Bacon $0.1880 $0.1625 Beans .0580 .0500 Butter 3300 .2675 Flour 3.9000 3.8600 Ham ... .1800 .1700 Rolled oats . .0275 .0266 Rice 0415 .0405 Sugar 0475 .0428 That this general decrease in prices is not confined to Western Washing- ton is shown by a comparison of the prices paid for the same articles de- livered at the Eastern Washington hospital for the insane; Sept., 1913. March. 1914 Bacon $0.1900 $0.1785 Beans .0550 .0550 Butter 3550 .2650 Flour 3.7500 3.6300 Ham 1800 .1650 Rolled oats . .0275 .0325 Rice 0466 .0400 Sugar 0525 .0475 Reforest Logged Lands Some of the largest owners of log- ged-off lands in this state have re- ceived letters from State Forester E. \V. Ferris, inviting them to deed to the state such portions of their hold- ings as will be unfit for cultivation. Mr. Ferris' object is to reforest these lands. Private owners cannot afford to hold them 50 or 60 years and pay taxes on it, while waiting for a second crop of timber, but as the state pays no taxes, it can afford to carry- out a reforestation plan that will in- sure the presence of the lumber in- dustry 50 years hence. Promises of some donations to the state already have been received. No land that is suitable for cultivation is sought. In his letter Forester Ferris says, in part: "It may seem to some that we arc exercising a good deal of nerve in put- ting this proposition before you, but we have the nerve to do anything that we believe is for the best interest of the state, and it will take nerve, and! lots of it, to get back upon this logged off worthless land a second crop of timber to take the place of that which has been taken therefrom. This state should never be without a goodly sup- ply of timber, and we are asking the loyal citizens who are the owners of tracts which are suitable only for re- forestation to give to the state at least a portion of such tract, and start the reforestation ball rolling, which will accumulate as it travels along, and when it arrives at its final resting place, it will have attained such mag- nitude as will make the donors proud of the fact that they had a part in its making. Let us carefully harvest our present crop of timber and when that is gone may we have seen to it that another is ready for the axe and saw." NEW CLUB FORMED A new social club te be called the Eureka, was organized at A. O. U. W hall Wednesday evening with the foi lowing officers: E. M. Smith, presi- dent; William A. Clark, vice-presi- dent; Carl Springer, secretary-treasur- er. The real launching of the club Is to be celebrated at a banquet to be given some evening next week not yet selected. NUMBER 60 HIGH COST OF GOVERNMENT Forms Topic of Discussiou by Chamber of Commerce Last Evening INCREASE UNREASONABLE Great Interest Shown in State y County, City and School Expenditures The meeting of the Aberdeen Chanbr ber of Commerce at Hotel Washlar ton last night was one of the best in several years. About 80 repre- sentative citizens were present, all enjoyed the famous cusine of the ' Washington and were interested in the informal discussions that follow- ed. A male quartette rendered several songs, one of them a skit on County Assessor R. A. Wiley and other officials that brought down the house. Tax Rate Was the Topic The tax rate, the absorbing topic in Chehalis county to-day, was thor- oughly discussed from almost every angle, and is certain to have accom- plished a good purpose. Secretary Bryan called attention to the state- ments of dues he had mailed, and requested prompt remittance. The dues are payable annually in advance and are but $6.00 a year for indi- viduals and $12.00 for corporations. President Mumaw appointed the fol- lowing committee to rustle new mem- bers; Phillip A. Bertrand, John W. Huff, Russell Mack, N. A. Burcombe and R. C. Vandervort. Assessor Wiley explained clearly and at some length the various Iteoß of expenditures, state, county, road and school, that totaled about $400,000 for Aberdeen, out of a total of $1.51&.- 115.95 for the entire county. He in- vited questions concerning any of the tax matters with which his office has to do and replied to quite a number that shed considerable light on the subject, concluding with showing where in his opinion the levy should, and may be, reduced about $300,000 next year. The matter of schools expense was taken up by J. C. Smith, a member of the board of education, who ex- plained the increased cost of educa- tion of late years. Being questioned as to the increase of over 50 per cent in the past six years, he cited the modern methods installed in that period all of which cost money. School expenditures were discussed by Dr. Hopkinson, R. A. Wiley, J. W. Young and J. J. Carney. President Mumaw quoted tax fig- ures from a number of cities in Ohio, which clearly proved that excessive i public expenditures were by no means confined to the Pacific Coast. In Ohio, he stated, the assessed valua- tions were on a 100 per cent basis, and the limit of the tax levy was IS miles. This it will be remembered ts under a new constitution but recent- ly adopted, and some municipalities were experiencing rough sledding in getting along on this levy, but they have to do it. J. J. Carney took up the matter of increased public expenditures, state, county, municipal and school, during, the past six years, showing that Chehalis county was paying $188,480.- 09 more state taxes this year than we did in 1908; that the sum required this year for roads and bridges had increased 243 per cent in the past six years, and that during that period this county had raised by taxation, for roads and bridges the enormous sum of $1,352,746.00. That municipal, taxes had grown in that period from $129,711 to $320,284, and that the total taxes had increased 158 per cent. Mr. Carney consluded by calling at- tention to the mass meeting held last week for the purpose of organising a Taxpayer's League, and invited all present to attend the meeting next Monday night, in the city hall, to ef- fect a permanent organization. A. C. Girard talked on tax levies, and told the meeting how Chehalis county was being made the goat by the state board of equalization, through the failure of the citizens of this county to attend the meetings of this board and to back up the county officials in their efforts for a square deal. John O'Hare suggested that steps be taken to have the laws so changed as to permit the cities to use a por- tion of the road and bridge taxes paid by them within city limits. The suggestion was made after As- sessor Wiley had quoted the mun paid Into that fund this year by Aberdeen, as about $35,000. U A. Naudeau, of Seattle, ? 4tr- COMtlnoed on pa*# «?
Transcript of SEMI-WEEKLY ABERDEEN HERALD · who arrived here a few days ago, an-aounced yesterday that they...
n*WENTY-EIGHTH YEAR
IDE SWISS LIKES THIS COUNTRYjfanguard of Swiss Settlers
tfjupect Big Tract of Land?I h Thurston County
fLEASED WITH OUTLOOK
With Colonists SaysThe Soil Excels for
Dairy PurposesV \u25a0
©LYMPIA, March 23.?Expressingtlw opinion that they were more than
with Thurston county as anIflaal section for dairying, many of
- (kt members of the advance guard-it Swiss colonists from Minnesota,who arrived here a few days ago, an-aounced yesterday that they wouldlocate on the Hugh T. Halbert tract,\u25a0mut Olympia. The first inspectionOf the proposed dairying and cheese-Baking community by the colonistsfit unusual in many respects.
Saturday the party was landed onthe ground at Bordeaux, on the Mil-waukee car in which they made thetrip from Minneapolis. Saturdaynight they built a large camp fire.A majority announced that theywould make Thurston county theirfnture home, and plans for clearingthe land and putting in crops were
; discussed.Witt Co-operate in Clearing Land.It was decided to co-operate in
clearing the land. It was also de-tided to carry on diversified farming.After the land is cleared there will beon the ground an expert on grasses,an expert on dairying and an experton poultry to help the settlers placetheir land on a paying basis.
Sunday night religious services\u25a0were conducted at the camp fire byProf. Charles M. Andrist, of the de-partment of languages of the Uni-versity of Minnesota.
Grass Expert Pleases.Martin Heinzelman, recognized as
one of the greatest experts on grassesin Minnesota, and former superintend-ent of Itasca park, at Arago, Minn.,who, with Mrs. Heinzelman, was amember of the party as a sightseer,announced yesterday that he hadchanged his former plans and wouldlocate in this state as a member ofthe new community within two weeks.
"The soil excells anything in theEast and is as good as any in the Mid-dle West," he said. "It should pro-duce wonderful crops. From a dairystandpoint it is ideal. I have neverexamined heartier grasses and theclimate is mild, permitting out-doorgrazing all the year-round. One thingthat attracted my attention wasthe fact that the medium red grass
grows as large as the mamouth in theMiddle West. Tlipre is also an abun-dance of water on all the land.
Newcomers Looking for Stock.Many of the members of the new
colony spent yesterday looking for cat-
tle with which to stock their sections.Today they will visit various tracts
that are being cleared under modernmethods for the purpose of getting in-formation.
"We hope to make this new colony
one of the best dairying communitiesIn the Northwest," said Mr. Halbertyesterday. "The people Interestedare all workers and are well pleasedwith the land. Until the Panamacanal is opened it will be possible to
have colonists come right through
from New York, without change ofcars, which will prove a great induce-
ment during the period of developingthis land.
railroad man to speak
TO ABERDEEN'S MEN'S CLUB
C. P. Bissett, right of way and tax?gent of the Oregon-Washington Rail-Way & Navigation company, has ac-cepted the invitation of the Men'sclub of this city to deliver an addressthe evening of April 10 at the FirstPresbyterian church.
Mr. Bissett stated his topic will be\u25a0either "Abraham Lincoln" or "Fidel-ity.'' His Lincoln address has wonthe railroad man fame, but, it is
his "Fidelity" is just as excel-lent, and it is stated the latter subjectwill be selected. Mr. Bissett is per-haps as forcible speaker as ever ap-peared in this section and he com-bines eloquence and scholarly attain-ments.
militia instructor here
Lieut. H. Adrian McClure, UnitedStates navy, in charge of the hydro-
. Craphic survey for this district, wasthe Harbor last night. He came
town on matters in connection withnaval militia for which he is in-
\u25a0fructor and inspector.
AM the new-H all the time In the Herald.
SIX PAGES
THE COUNCIL ANDTHE FIRE LIMITS
Removal of Building WithinLimits Creates Needless
Discussion
MOVE MAKES FOR SAFETY
Earth for Fill District not inRiver. Street Improve-
ments Protested
The city council was unduly exer-cised Wednesday night over the re-moval of the Fred Matthews framebuilding from one point in the firslimits to another, still within thoselimits. Nothing appears to be oppos-ed to such a removal in the fire limitordinance, nor did it appear that thefire hazzard in the district was in-creased by the removal of thosebuildings. As a matter of fact, theMatthews building was taken from anextra hazardous location to one ofcomparative isolation and is now avery slight menace to its neighbor-hood compared with what It was onG street. Its removal will mean theerection of a concrete building on Gstreet which will create a fire breakin one of the most hazardous firepoints in the city. An attempt to
"abate the nuisance," as was talkedof is liable to involve the city inueedless litigation.
The city attorney reported that thebonding company, which will com-plete the work in Fill District No. 2,had a representative in the city pre-paring to take up the work, and thathe reported there was not sufficientearth available in the Wishkah riverto finish the fill, and that they may
have to sluice earth from TerraceHeights.
A protest against the proposed im-provement of Newell street provok-
ed a sharp discussion, the property
owners claiming they were unable tostand the expense at this time. Thecouncil will visit the street in a bodySunday morning to examine the situ-ation.
The Barber Asphalt Co. recededfrom their former position, and agreed
to accept six per cent warrants, In-stead of eight per cent bonds de-manded.
The removal of earth from Oakstreet was discussed, and the matterlaid over until the next meeting, topermit E. C. Finch to be heard on
the subject.
A petition for a 20-foot concreteroadway on Thornton street betweenSixth and Fifth streets, and a pro-test, were referred.
Liquor licenses were granted to W.H. Pierre, the O'Hare Liquor com-pany and the Aberdeen Brewingcompany, the two latter being whole-sale licenses, and the first issued sincethe new ordinance was adopted.
An ordinrnce was passed fixingTuesday. April 7, as municipal elec-tion day, the voting hours between8 a. m. and 8 p. m. and appointingelection officers. Precincts having
less than 100 voters will not be en-titled to clerks, the judges fillingthese offices.
Councilman Myles announced thatthe street committee would look overthe South Side road Sunday and re-port next .Wednesday night.
An ordinance was introduced andpassed to third reading, licensing
moving picture operators and creat-ing a board of examiners. The an-nual license is fixed at $5 and $2.50for renewals.
The contract for the planking ofHenry street was awarded to John
A. Nordgren at $1.47 for the 16-footelevated roadway.
FATAL ACCIDENT.
Earle E. Sprague, a Logger, MeetsDeath From Falling Tree Near
Elma Tuesday Afternoon.
Earle E. Sprague, a logger 54 years
of age, was crushed to death Tuesday
afternoon at one of the camps of the
Mack Logging Co., near Elma. Spra-
gue, who was a sawyer, walked be-
hind a stump to escape a falling tree,
when the tree struck the stump, the
top struck him, killing him in-
stantly.
Sprague, who was well and favor-
ably known on Grays Harbor had
made his home in Aberdeen for sev-eral years, and was an active member
of the Aberdeen Lodge of Odd Fel-
lows. The body is at Elma, pending
instructions from his sisters, one of
who lives at Plalnwell, Mich., and the
other at San Antonio, Texas, who
have been wired by W. H. Pearson,
secretary of the lodge.
SEMI-WEEKLY
ABERDEEN, WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1914.
OH IS FOUNDIN TENINO WELL
Pumping Well is Struck atDepth of 775 Feet, in
Well Near Tenino.
WILL SINK WELL DEEPER
After Drilling Six Weeks,Grand Mound Oil Field is
Practically Proved
OL.YMPIA, March 26.?"There is nolonger any doubt about our well be-ing in a real oil field. We are not
going to stop now, but experienced oilmen who are on the ground say thatif we did stop now and prepare thepresent well for pumping, we wouldhave a well producing from 25 to 100barrels of oil a day."
This is part of a statement madelast night by long distance telephoneby Emery C. Williamson, secretary-
treasurer of the Crescent Oil com-pany, who spent yesterday at the wellnear Tenino.
"The drill has struck and gone!through a second stratum of oil sand.!This was at the 775-foot level, andthe sand stratum is 30 feet through. 1though the first one was only six feetin depth. It seems to those of us who 'took samples of the snml and floating ]oil that this sand contains 25 times ias much oil as did the first stratum, i
"We have a real commercial welljust as soon as we want to put in acharge of nitro-glycerine to tear out
a cave in this sand stratum so thatthe oil can collect, but we believethat farther down there is oil in larg-
er quantities, and we will be surpris-
ed if a gusher is not struck. We willcontinue to drill, and if we exhaustour resources before we strike any-
thing further we can come back atanytime and make a 'pumper' out ofthe well to take the oil from the sandthat we have just passed through."
Secretary Williamson said that af-ter passing through the second sandbed, four feet of lime stone was drill-ed through, and that the drill had
continued about 10 feet into shale
foundation again at about 9 o'clocklast night. Mr. Williamson felt that
there was no basis on which to specu-
late as to the formation next to bestruck.
The Crescent OH company has been
at work since February 12. Lincoln's
birthday. On that date the machin-ery was in shape and the first drilling
done. Up to the present time thecompany has had exceptional luck.
Only three or four times has the drill
got out of true and on each occasion
it was due ot striking of fissures in
the sand stone.
FOOD INSPECTION
NO REST FOR THE WEARY.
J. J. Higgins. state food commis-
sioner; W. H\ Abrams, food inspect-
or, and Miss A. B. Wimple, bakery
inspector, spent several days in the
city this week, inspecting the various
places where food is sold, and com-pleted the work yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Higgins was a former resident
of Elma, and was editor of the Chron-
icle in 1897 and 1898.The Hentltf to the most widely read
paper In Cfceh&lls County. Wise ad-vertiser* know It
'till the twtM-a-w««k HersM te year
iMtlrla* enster* friends.
?Bartholomew in Mtnnoapolie Journal.
Taxpayers' MeetingThe Aberdeen Taxpayers will hold an
adjourned Mass Meeting next Mondaynight, at 8 o'clock, in the city hall, to hearthe report of the committee on permanentorganization.
Every taxpayer in Aberdeen who canpossibly do so, is urged to attend this meet-ting. Ladies are especially invited.
SAW MILLS FILENEW TAX SUITS
Nine MillCompanies Ask Re-duction of Taxes, Alleg-
ing Over Valuation
MONTESANO, March 26.?Ninemills companies on Grays Harborhave filed new suits in the superiorcourt, involving about $16,000 intaxes, alleged to be overcharged byreason of excessive valuation. Thesuits were brought by Bridges &
Bruener and llogan & Graham of Ab-erdeen.
Along with the complaints, in eachcase, is a motion asking that a re-straining order be issued stopping thetreasurer from turning the accountsover to the sheriff for collection andasking that the treasurer be orderedto accept a tender of the amount oftaxes the mill companies concede tobe due during the pending of thistrial. These motions are to be heardSaturday.
The concerns suing the county areassessed on the books a total of $37,-972.36 in taxes, and their combinedtender is $22,002.77. Names of thevarious plaintiffs and the amounteach concedes to be due the county
as taxes on the levy in force, are:National Lumber & Manufacturing
company, $5337; Grays Harbor Com-mercial company, $5047; Federal Millcompany, $1282; Donovan Lumbercompany, $1347; S. E. Slade Lumbercompany, $2772; Aberdeen Lumber &
Shingle company, $1447; WesternLumber company, $602; Bay CityLumber company, $2094.
JEFFERSON DAY
Chehalis County Democrats Will Cele-brate Anniversary of Patron
Saint on Gray* Harbor
The executive committee of the
Democratic party of Chehalis Coun-
ty, and the members of the demo-
cratic county central committee from
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, will meet
next Tuesday night, March 31, at Ho-
tel Washington to plan for the cele-bration of JefTerson Day, which oc-curs next month. The annual meet-
ing of the party organization willbe held and a banquet spread, either
at Aberdeen or Hoquiam, as may bedecided at the meeting Tuesday night.
The by-laws call for the annual meet-ing at Montesano, but the democrats
of the county seat thought a larger
attendance would be secured on theharbor, and waived their right In theInterest of a big time.
HOQUIAM SEEKSWATER SUPPLY
City Commissioner OgdenReceives Imformation as to
Method of Proceedure
HOQUIAM, March 24.?City Com-missioner Ogden, who is working inthe direction of securing a water andpower supply for this city, has re-ceived a letter from Forest Super-visor F'romme of Olympia. Thesupervisor states that the districtsupervisor at Portland will send onthe necessary blanks and instructionsfor making a formal application.
Fromme says that, as the planinvolves the building of dams andreservoirs as well as the location ofa power site and the construction ofa transmission line, it will be neces-sary for the city to do a sufficientamount of engineering work toacquaint the government with thescope of the project. Hoquiam andAberdeen will join in sending a corps
of engineers to the headwaters ofthe Wynooche and the Huniptulipsto make the necessary surveys. Sofar as water rights are concerned,that Is a matter withing the provinceof the state.
Commissioner Ogden figures thatthe work can be done?dams andreservoirs built, a pipe line andtransmission line 30 miles long beconstructed and the water and powerbrought to the Harbor cities?for amillion dollars. Of this sum, Ho-quiam will furnish $400,000 and Ab-erdeen $600,00. One requirementof the government is that the muni-cipalities shall use water, light andpower at actual cost and not attemptto make a profit thereon. It is esti-mated that the rates for these pub-lic necessities will be largely re-duced if the work is completed.
FISHING FOR TROUTIS SET BACK A MONTH
The open season for trout fishingwill not commence this year untilMay 1, instead of April 1, as former-ly, and Game Warden Esses announc-es that he and his deputies will seethat the law of close season in Aprilis rigidly enforced.
POWER LIFE BOAT
N. P. Bryan, secretary of the Cham-ber of Commerce, was notified yes-terday that the national life savingbureau had Bhlpped a power life boatto the station at Weatport. The boatis the result of a request made bythe Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce.
ABERDEEN HERALDCOST OF LIVING
COMING DOWNComparison of Cost of Staple
Food Articles Shows Re-duction in Six Months
TO REFOREST LANDS
State Forester Would Refor-est Cut Lands that are Un-
fit for Cultivation
OLYMPIA, March 22. ?Encourag-
ing indications that the cost of liv-ing, which for the past decade hasbeen constantly soaring skyward, hasstarted to come down, are found by
the state board of control, which forthe past week has been making semi-annual purchases of supplies for the11 state institutions.
As the state secures competitivebids on all supplies and buys bywholesale, lowest possible prices areobtainable. The board of control findsthat the price of practically all foodsupplies has decreased from the lastsemi-annual purchases, made Septem-
ber 15, 1913. In some articles, likebutter, the decreased price is attri-butable to. the coming of the summermonths, but in most cases the de-crease is taken as attributable to oth-er causes than the weather.
Comparison is made of the prices
at which the state bought eight staple
articles of food six months ago andthis month, the prices, in each case,
being for delivery at the western
Washington hospital for the insane:
Sept., 1913. March, 1914Bacon $0.1880 $0.1625
Beans .0580 .0500
Butter 3300 .2675Flour 3.9000 3.8600Ham ... .1800 .1700Rolled oats . .0275 .0266
Rice 0415 .0405Sugar 0475 .0428
That this general decrease in prices
is not confined to Western Washing-
ton is shown by a comparison of the
prices paid for the same articles de-livered at the Eastern Washingtonhospital for the insane;
Sept., 1913. March. 1914Bacon $0.1900 $0.1785Beans .0550 .0550Butter 3550 .2650Flour 3.7500 3.6300Ham 1800 .1650Rolled oats . .0275 .0325Rice 0466 .0400Sugar 0525 .0475
Reforest Logged Lands
Some of the largest owners of log-
ged-off lands in this state have re-ceived letters from State Forester E.\V. Ferris, inviting them to deed to
the state such portions of their hold-ings as will be unfit for cultivation.
Mr. Ferris' object is to reforestthese lands. Private owners cannot
afford to hold them 50 or 60 years andpay taxes on it, while waiting for a
second crop of timber, but as the statepays no taxes, it can afford to carry-
out a reforestation plan that will in-sure the presence of the lumber in-dustry 50 years hence.
Promises of some donations to the
state already have been received. Noland that is suitable for cultivationis sought.
In his letter Forester Ferris says,
in part:"It may seem to some that we arc
exercising a good deal of nerve in put-ting this proposition before you, but
we have the nerve to do anything thatwe believe is for the best interest ofthe state, and it will take nerve, and!lots of it, to get back upon this logged
off worthless land a second crop oftimber to take the place of that whichhas been taken therefrom. This stateshould never be without a goodly sup-
ply of timber, and we are asking theloyal citizens who are the owners oftracts which are suitable only for re-forestation to give to the state at least
a portion of such tract, and start thereforestation ball rolling, which willaccumulate as it travels along, andwhen it arrives at its final resting
place, it will have attained such mag-
nitude as will make the donors proud
of the fact that they had a part in itsmaking. Let us carefully harvest ourpresent crop of timber and when thatis gone may we have seen to it thatanother is ready for the axe and saw."
NEW CLUB FORMED
A new social club te be called theEureka, was organized at A. O. U. Whall Wednesday evening with the foilowing officers: E. M. Smith, presi-dent; William A. Clark, vice-presi-
dent; Carl Springer, secretary-treasur-er. The real launching of the clubIs to be celebrated at a banquet tobe given some evening next week notyet selected.
NUMBER 60
HIGH COST OFGOVERNMENT
Forms Topic of Discussiouby Chamber of Commerce
Last Evening
INCREASE UNREASONABLE
Great Interest Shown in State y
County, City and SchoolExpenditures
The meeting of the Aberdeen Chanbrber of Commerce at Hotel Washlarton last night was one of the bestin several years. About 80 repre-sentative citizens were present, allenjoyed the famous cusine of the '
Washington and were interested inthe informal discussions that follow-ed. A male quartette renderedseveral songs, one of them a skit onCounty Assessor R. A. Wiley andother officials that brought down thehouse.
Tax Rate Was the Topic
The tax rate, the absorbing topicin Chehalis county to-day, was thor-oughly discussed from almost everyangle, and is certain to have accom-plished a good purpose. SecretaryBryan called attention to the state-ments of dues he had mailed, andrequested prompt remittance. Thedues are payable annually in advanceand are but $6.00 a year for indi-viduals and $12.00 for corporations.
President Mumaw appointed the fol-lowing committee to rustle new mem-bers; Phillip A. Bertrand, John W.Huff, Russell Mack, N. A. Burcombeand R. C. Vandervort.
Assessor Wiley explained clearlyand at some length the various Iteoßof expenditures, state, county, roadand school, that totaled about $400,000
for Aberdeen, out of a total of $1.51&.-115.95 for the entire county. He in-vited questions concerning any of thetax matters with which his office hasto do and replied to quite a numberthat shed considerable light on thesubject, concluding with showing
where in his opinion the levy should,
and may be, reduced about $300,000
next year.
The matter of schools expense wastaken up by J. C. Smith, a memberof the board of education, who ex-plained the increased cost of educa-tion of late years. Being questionedas to the increase of over 50 per centin the past six years, he cited themodern methods installed in thatperiod all of which cost money.School expenditures were discussedby Dr. Hopkinson, R. A. Wiley, J. W.Young and J. J. Carney.
President Mumaw quoted tax fig-ures from a number of cities in Ohio,which clearly proved that excessive
i public expenditures were by no meansconfined to the Pacific Coast. InOhio, he stated, the assessed valua-tions were on a 100 per cent basis,and the limit of the tax levy was ISmiles. This it will be remembered tsunder a new constitution but recent-ly adopted, and some municipalities
were experiencing rough sledding ingetting along on this levy, but theyhave to do it.
J. J. Carney took up the matter ofincreased public expenditures, state,county, municipal and school, during,the past six years, showing thatChehalis county was paying $188,480.-09 more state taxes this year than wedid in 1908; that the sum requiredthis year for roads and bridges hadincreased 243 per cent in the pastsix years, and that during that periodthis county had raised by taxation,for roads and bridges the enormoussum of $1,352,746.00. That municipal,taxes had grown in that period from$129,711 to $320,284, and that thetotal taxes had increased 158 percent.
Mr. Carney consluded by calling at-tention to the mass meeting held lastweek for the purpose of organisinga Taxpayer's League, and invited allpresent to attend the meeting nextMonday night, in the city hall, to ef-fect a permanent organization.
A. C. Girard talked on tax levies,and told the meeting how Chehaliscounty was being made the goat bythe state board of equalization,through the failure of the citizens ofthis county to attend the meetings ofthis board and to back up the countyofficials in their efforts for a squaredeal.
John O'Hare suggested that stepsbe taken to have the laws so changedas to permit the cities to use a por-tion of the road and bridge taxespaid by them within city limits.The suggestion was made after As-sessor Wiley had quoted the munpaid Into that fund this year byAberdeen, as about $35,000.
U A. Naudeau, of Seattle, ? 4tr-
COMtlnoed on pa*# «?
