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life Caldwell (Eribnite OL. XXXI. NO. 50. -X CALDWELL, IDAHO. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17. 1915. WEEKLY. $2.00 PER YEAR. u BRANCH AGAIN UNDER ill The regular monthly meeting of he Commercial Club held Tuesday vening was largely attended and was arked by a spirit of optimism dis layed by the various speakers. Many atters of importance to this section ere acted on chief of which was a horough discussion of a plan submit ted by W. R. Sebree, president of the aid well Traction company, for the lectrification of the Wilder branch, he plan as outlined by W. L. Has rouck and Mr. Sebree was heartily ndorsed by a large number of prom nent men and a committee of five •as selected to co-operate with Mr. ebree in bringing it to a successful onclusion. O. D. Center, secretary of the Ida ho State Seed growers' association, appeared before the club and explain ed the requirements for holding the nnual convention in Caldwell. The 1916 show Mr. Center declared would from present indications be the most successful ever held. Exhibits from 11 parts of the state had already been een promised and the number of de egates in attendance daily would umber approximately 200. Features of the program will be addresses by he president of the Utah Agricultur al college and the president of the 'niversity of Idaho. Other speakers f recognized ability will also be heard. The convention will held Jan ary 19, 20 and 21. Various club members spoke in vor of holding the show here and motion that the club formally ac cept the proposition as outlined by rofessor Center was enthusiastically dopted. President Lewis appointed "essrs. E. H. Plowhead, Walter -riffiths and A. E. Gipson the com ittee on finaance. Mr. Plowhead sked for subscriptions from those resent and received a ready respoi^î proximately one-half of the re uired amount being quickly subscrib The plan of J. S. Harrington, chair an of the entertainment committee, or celebrating New Year's eve was 'scussed and endorsed. A complete rogram is being prepared by the ommittee and the night promises to e epochal in the history of Cald ell. The report of the committee ap ointed to investigate the feasibility f the Weiser Credit plan was submit ed by Cleve Groome and adopted by he club. A meeting of the retail erchants willjje held in the near fu ure for the purpose of organizing a imilar association. President Lewis called on W. R. ebree who briefly outlined his plan or the electrification of the Wilder ranch. The proposal as submitted j)y Mr. Sebree follows: The Caldwell Traction company roposes to bond the line, equipment nd real estate now owned by the ompany and also its equity in the lectrified Wilder branch for $100, The bonds to be first mortgage onds and to draw six per cent in crest per annum. The present value f the property of the Caldwell Trac ion company, which will secure the onds is conservatively estimated at 3,000. The company plans on dis osing of but $25,000 of the bon^. is ue at the present time, the sum real zed from the sale to be used in elec rifying the Wilder branch. Subscrip ions to the bond issue are to be con ditional upon the sale of the entire ~ "5,000 worth. Payment for the bonds to be made as follows: 30 per cent up ~n the issuance of the bond' 30 per ~ent sixty days thereafter and the bal nee four months from the date of ssue. W. L. Hasbrouck spoke of the pos ible deevlopment of the Wilder ountry following the electrification f the road. He compared the busi ess now done on the branch, with a opulation three times as large to the usiness done by the Caldwell Trac ion company. The traction company auled last year 63,212 passengers. A omparison ever more startling could e found in the tonnage handled by the two lines Mr. Hasbrouck declared. Speaking the bond issue Mr. Has rouck stated that he talked the mat er over with a large number of con servative business men and had ound them unanimous in declaring that the issue would be amply secured nd that it appeared to be a gilt edge usiness investment. In addition to the individual benefits derived _ the financial benefit to the communities served would total hundreds of thou sands of dollars annually in the in creased value of real estate and in he added facilities for marketing "arm products quickly and ch?aply. Dr. J. W. Gue was of the opinion that the necessary »mount could be t?<sed if a strictly business invest ment. He reminded his hearers that few years ago $35,000 had been aised for a similar project in a very hort time. Walter Griffiths spoke in favor of the plan and urged the club to take definite action. He spoke of the alue of community co -operation de laring that a few "live wires" in a ity could do much in extending its trade territorv and overcoming handicaps resulting from a poor lo cation. He mentioned Kansas City nd Spokane as striking examples of hat civic spirit could accomplish. Regarding the floating of the bond sue Mr. Griffiths stated that there as no question in his opinion of Hing the required amount. The on ly question was the time. This could be materially shortened by the con centrated effort and enthusiasm of the community in assisting the plan to a successful conclusion. "In my opinion the farmer pur chasing ;t bond in the proposed issue will find that it will return him a larger dividend than a like amount in vested in a dairy herd, because it in creases the value of his land $25.00 per acre the first year," declared E. H. Plowhead, cashier of the Com mercial Bank. "The investor in this case is doing two distinct things," he continued, "he is receiving a bond amply secured and bearing a fair rate of interest which from an individual standpoint is all that he could ask. His money however, continues to work for the community. It is a help to the College of Idaho, in that it broadens its field of operation. It will assist in locating a cannery and other manufacturing enterprises be cause it is instrumental in opening a trade territory for Caldwell which now belongs to other communities. His money is working for the farmer and the business man every day in the year and therefore indirectly for himself." Enthusiastic talks were also made by C. H. Turner, Amos J. Miller, W. G. Cowden, and others. A motion by W. L. Hasbrouck that a committee of five be appointed to assume charge of the sale of bonds in Caldwell and to co-operate with Wilder and Greenleaf was unanimous ly adopted. President Lewis appoint ed W. L. Hasbrouck, W. G. Cowden, B. M. Holt, W. P. Lyon and E. H. Plowhead. Eighteen new members were ad mitted: D. J. Terry, Martin Jensen, C. J. Shorb, W. D. Patten, W. L. Wel chen, Forest Auburn, R. B. Harten bower, Frank Anderson, Lawrence Reynolds, C. W. Postlethwaite, A. H. Lauenstein, S. G. Hunstead, J. L. Magee, Fred Goette, S. J. Grimmitt, Floyd Harrington, George Davis and Dr. C. M. Kaley. BURKHOLDER'S TEAM WINS OVER PLOWHEAD'S At the Armory Tuesday evening an indoor competition shoot was held. ^ w ) teams, one chosen by Joe Burk hclder and he other by John Plow head from the Caldwell Rifle Club members, were pitted against each other. The regular Sprinfield mili tary rifle fitted with special cartridge for shoot 22 shells, were used. The targets were proportionate in size to the 300-yard targets used on the range. The distance for indoor work being 25 yards. The scores made were as follows: Burkholder's Team. 1st 2nd total Burkholder 32 43 75 Sandberg 33 33 66 Barker 32 38 70 Church 28 42 70 281 Plowhead'« Team, Runciman 32 40 72 Cupp 30 34 64 Plowhead 14 21 35 Webb 24 32 56 227 Next Tuesday evening another match will be held and all club mem bers are urged to participate. Places will be found on the teams for all members present. Come out and have a good time. It's real sport. Huston School Notes. The Christmas program, consisting of a play composed of twenty-four characters, recitations, a victrola con cert and readings by Miss Beatty will be given by the school Wednesday evening, December 22, at the Christ ian church in Huston. A charge of 15c and 10c will be made to go to ward finishing the payment on the victrola. The teachers were given a day in which to visit other schools last Wed. nesday. They spent the forenoon at Sunny Slope and the afternoon in visiting the Washington building in Caldwell. Mrs. Livingston gave a paper on play and playground apparatus at the Parent-Teachers' meeting at the Washington building Wednesday af ternoon. Miss Neta Smith visited with her uncle's family over Sunday. Kenneth Greenfield and Mary Smith have been absent on account of sickness. Don't forget to hear your young ster in "A Xmas Joke" at the Christ ian church December 22. You'll also want to hear Miss Beatty. We have received from the county superintendent's office a Tine banner showing that our school ranks in class B. Clayton Brown, Sr. Died, at Greenleaf, Tuesday, De cember 14, 1915, Clayton Brown, Sr., aged 93 years, of pneumonia. Mr. Brown is well known at this place and at Greenleaf and through out the Society of Friends to the ex tension of whose work he has been de voted much of his life. He was born in Ohio lived at Paton, Iowa, and in Wisconsin, for many years, at which places he assisted in establishing the Quaker colonies, and was also instru mental in the establishment of the Quarker settlement at Greenleaf.- He was twice married and is survived by his wife and three children. Mrs. W. F. Went of Payton, Iowa; Mrs. J. Jester, Jr.. and W. S. Brown, of this place, a niece, Mrs. I. S. Binford, and many grand children and great grand children. Mr. Brown has resided at* Greenleaf for the past eleven years, and his family have occupied import ant places in Quaker denomination, and he is able to trace his ancestry back to the time of Wm. Penn. SGHOOLSHOULD BE CEN TER OF WHOLE COM MUNITY SOCIALLY That the efficiency of the school as a social agent is greatly dependent upon the closeness of its contact with the home is undeniable. It is with this idea in mind that the Par ent-Teachers' Associations, which have been doing such excellent work in Caldwell, were organized. These organizations are yet in their infancy, and in view of their desire to pro mote more efficient service to our children, every father and mother should be eager to become a member. The teacher needs badly the stimulus and enlightenment that results from an intimate knowledge of the home life of her pupils. An insight into the hopes and desires of the parents for each child, and a knowledge of the habits and yearnings of the pupil, puts the parent and teacher upon common ground, where they may sympathetlic aly work together to secure better re suits. School Building Becoming A Social Center. The school buildings are the right ful centers for the public social acti vities of the community, and instead of allowing them to stand unused dur ing a large part of the time the peo ple are beginning to call them into service. The high school gymnasium is the center of much interesting work just at preesnt. Athletic classes among the business men are being organized, and will meet in the gym nasium two times each week. Ar rangements are also being made by several Sunday school classes to play off their basket ball schedules there and, along with the regular high school gymnatics, the "gym" will be a very popular place this winter. Last week a meetings of the Ladies' Health Class was held in Miss Scott's room at the high school building. A cordial invitation has been extended to the city teachers, by the members of this organization, to attend their meetings. Thursday evening the "Gymnastic Circus'' will be presented by the girls' gymnasium classes to their friends. It will be a very interesting program, consisting of folk dances, drills, songs etc., given in various costumes. A small admission of 20c will be charg ed, the proceeds will be devoted to better gymnasium equipment, and to start a fund for the purchase of a victrola for the high school. Grade children will be admitted for 15c. Parents Urged to Attend Christmas Program«. Friday, December 17th, appropriate Christmas exercises will be held in every school room in the city and all parents are urged to attend and help this to be a feastive occasion. The programs will consist largely of sea sonable work that has been prepared as a part of the regular school work. Christmas vacations will commence on the evening of DecemDer 17th and school will resume again on Monday morning January 3. Football Banquet Big Success. One of the most successful social events of the season was enjoyed in the high school domestic science rooms last Friday evening, when the members of the Idaho State cham pionship football team and their friends banqueted. After an elegant dinner, which was prepared by the domestic science girls, toasts were responded to by members of the team. Principal Neal, Miss Scott, Miss Reed, Dr. Cole and Mr. Gibbens also toasted the cham pions. Supetintendent Clifford presi ded as toastmaster. At the close of the program the members of the team honored Mr. Robert Nickle by elect ing him captain of the team for the season of 1916. Manual Training Department Scene of Christmas Preparation. The manual training department is busy until late each evening after school during the days of preparation for Christmas. Many of the boys are making useful gifts to be presented to their parents as gifts, and the boys are working overtime in order to get through before school closes for va cation. Among other articles which are under construction the boys are planning to build a complete new equipment for the girls of the domes tic science department. At Christmas time the boys will present that de partment with six fine white enameled screens which they have made. LOCAL CHAPTER MASONS HOLD ANNUAL ELECTION Caldwell Chapter No. 19, R. A. M. t held their annual election Monday evening. Hon. D. D. Harger was elected High Priest, F. R. Harten bower, King; F. D. Mumford, Scribe; W. P. Lyon, Treasurer; and W. C. Postlethwaite, Secretary. The ap pointive officers are Dan Banks. C. H.; T. A. Walters, P. S.; A. I. Myers, R. A C.; G. W. Froman, M. 3 V.; H. R. Cleaver. M. 2 V. : F. M. Breshears. M. 1 V.; and Lem Harding, Sentinel. Considerable enthusiasm was mani fested over the prosepcts for the en suing year, and a committee was ap pointed to arrange for a joint instal lation with the other Masonic bodies of the city. Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Walker gave a farewell dinner last evening in honor oi Mi. and Mrs. W. J. Ross who leave in a short time for Pueblo. Colorado. Mr and Mrs. R. B. ScaMerday we f e also guests in- addition to Mr. and Mrs. Ross. THE STATE LAND BOARD ACAIN PROMINENTLY IN PUBLIC EYE (Special to The Tribune.) Boise, Dec. 15.—It is an off week when the state land department does not afford food for some kind of a sensation and the past week has been no exception. This time it is the of fice of the State Land Commissioner that is in the limelight. It has been brought to the attention of the state land board that the commissioner Is exercising most extraordinary powers for an official that is not under bonds and who has not, it is alleged, taken an oath of office. These facts are, it is assumed, contained in a report made to the board by the register of the land office. The report has not yet been made public. The commissioner has exercised ex traordinary powers. He selects the lands to fill out the state's congres sional grants. He designates the lands that arc to be sold. He conducts the sales and receives the money therefrom and turns it into the state treasury as do other officials collect ing money on behalf of the state. He fixes the price when state lands are leased and collects the fees. As giving some idea of the business transacted by the commissioner, the following figures are submitted: Since the beginning of the present year Commissioner Day has sold 19,195 acres of land for $231,019.87, on which $64,159.00 was pand in cash. He sold 2128 acres of timber for $71,293. He col lected from leases the sum of $41, 924. The acreage under lease, now in force, amounts to 1,049,072, nearly all of which has been put under lease since Mr. Day has held the office of commissioner. This is a great business and places the office of the state land commis sioner as one of the most important in the state. That he should be under bond goes without saying. It is like wise probably true that the state land board has given the commissioner's office .very little supervision. The commissioner has probablv had a free hand in conducting the affairs of his office, although, as a matter of fact, every acre selected, every acre sold and every lease executed, is sup posed to have had the direct consider ation and approval of the state land board. This is a prerogative of the land board if the board cares to as sume it. Members of land boards have usually found plenty of land board business to engross their at tention without looking after the de tails assigned to subordinate officers. If they gave direct attention to the de tails of the commissioners office in order to give an intelligent sanction to each of his acts, they would have no time to devote to anything else. It would appear that various boards under whom Day has served have had confidence in him and have given him a free hand, exercising only general supervision and outlining the policy the office was to pursue. Commissioner Day was first ap pointed by Governor Gooding and has held the office of Commissioner con tinuously through the administra tions of Governor Brady, Governor Hawley, Governor Haines, and now under Governor Alexander. All con ditions existing in the office of the State Land Commissioner at the pres ent time have existed as they now are under each of the above named administrations from Gooding down to Alexander, except that the busi ness of the department has grown cn ormousy. No charges of• misconduct in the discharge of official duties are made against the commissioner but the sys tem under which the department is conducted is held to be weak, and ap parently with cause. The present land board are considering such changes as conditions seem to justify. The report bringing the alleged laxity in the Commissioner's depart ment to the attention of the board was withheld from publication and resulted as such acts always result— in senational reports as to what the report really contained. In order to clear up all false surmises, resulting from the alleged suppressipn of the report, the board at an executive ses sion held on Tuesday, gave out the following official statement: "At a meeting of the state land board, held some days prior to De cember 3, 1915, the state land board required of its register his sugges tions and report as to more econom ical and efficient methods to be em ployed in the work of the land de partment. "On December 3 a report was made by the register to the board, in ac cordance with the said directions, which the board was unable at that time to fully consider by reason of lack of time. The board, therefore, directed that the report be considered confidential until such time as the board could give it careful considera tion, it appearing to the hoard neces sary that the conclusions reached in such report should be checked over carefully and that the legal conclu sions contained therein should be pre sented to the attorney general for his consideration, and it was for this pur pose, and none other, that the board concluded to withhold the report from publication at that time. The governor of the state of Idaho was no more responsible for the suppression of the report if the action of the board could be construed as a suppression than any other member of the board. "On Sunday morning last there was published In a newspaper in this city what purported to be a portion of the report of the register above refer red to. The whole board was agreed that the report should be care fully considered and checked before publication thereof. "In the portion of the report pub lished, some conclusion was had in reference to the failure of Mr. Dav to tile a bond and take oath of office; in regard to his management of certain land business without the immediate direction of the board, and in regard to the system of records kept in Mr. Day's office. "In justice to Mr. Day, the board desires to state that if there is any laxness in the system in use in Mr. Da-'s office, the board is responsible for it and not Mr. Day, and that if Mr. Day should have given a bond and taken the oath, and has not done so, this alone is the fault of the board, and this was so stated in Mr. Hale's report. "There is no disposition on the part of the board to withhold from the public anything that is done in the state land department, and everything is done in the open white light of pub licity, and in this all members of the board are in accord." HANN S JUBILEE SINGERS AT BUNGALOW THEATRE Colored Talent Will Play Caldwell December 24th. Hann's Jubilee Singers will play at the Bungalow theatre Friday even ing, December 24. In presenting Hann's Jubilee Singers, the manage ment offers one of the finest com panies of colored talent ever organ ized. They are a well-trained, long experienced combination. What the public is demanding today is variety, and we believe Hann's Jubilee Sing ers to be the most versatile of its kind, singing music of all grades, from the old plantation jubilee to grand opera. The humorous part is of the most refined and wholesome type. Special features of Mr. Hann's company are Mme. Florence Cole Talbert, soprano, and W. P. Talbert, 'cellist. Each of the seven cultured ladies and gentlemen in this remark able organization being a person of education and fine musical training, their success is an assured fact. DIRECTORS MAY OPPOSE SALE OF RAILROAD The December meeting of the board of directors of the Payette-Boise Water Uaers' association was held Tuesday. At this meeting the matter of the sale of the Arrowrock railway came up for discussion. It was final ly decided that a vote on the proposi tion be taken at the January meetingjjn, of the board. It transpired that the" effort to sell the railroad had been made without the knowledge or con sent of the water users of the pro ject. A number of the directors are of the opinion that It is unwise to sell the railway for the small sum that can be realized at this time. To Urge Land Sale. A letter from Register Hale of the state land board was read, setting the time at which the board will confer with the water users' committee rela tive to a big sale of lands the state holds under the project at 2 o'clock on the afternoon of January 3. It was made plain that the committee will urge that the sale be held this coming spring, in order that purchas ers may go on the land and start to develop it during the season of 1916. The committee on the matter of securing free public range for set tlers of the project made a verbal re port of progress. The report indi cated that opposition to the plan will be strongly developed in certain quar ters, and the water users were urged to be ready to help fight the proposal through congress. Sympathy for Weymouth. Resolutions expressing warm sym pathy for Project Engineer Wey mouth in his critical illness, and of hopes for his speedy recovery were unanimously passed by the assembled Mrs. Remington. Died, in this city, Tuesday. Decem ber 14, 1915, of appoplexy, Mrs. Alice P. Remington, aged 74 years. Mrs. Remington has been making her home in this city for several years with her daughter, Mrs. W. P. Lyon, and her lovable kindliness has made her many friends. The funeral ser vices were held from the residence. Rev. W. J. Boone having charge. The remains were shipped to Independ ence, Kansas, where they will be in terred beside those of her husband and two sons. Mr. and Mrs. Lvons accompanied the remains. S. A. Scott ot Shoshone, i'!aho, was a Caldwell visitor t'.ic past week. He was looking after his interests in the Black Canyon project. Mr. Scott left Wednesday for Conquest, Saskache wan province. Canada. B. M. Holt, manager of the Cald well Milling & Elevator Co., of this citv is in Salt Lake Citv on business connected with his firm. He will probably remain there for ten days longer. R. S. Matthews, who was employed as stenographer at the Caldwell Mill ing & Elevator Co., has accepted : position with the Salt Lake Milling & Elevator Co. Ed. Snell has resigned his position as a director of the Gem Irrigation District. The water users of his dis trict held a meeting and selected John Redman as their choice for director and will ask that he be appointed to fill the vacancy. REVELRY WILL USHER IN A NEW ERA OF PROSPERITY The advent of Prosperity Year will be fittingly celebrated this year by the citizens of Caldwell and tribu tary territory. J. S. Harrington, chairman of the Commercial Club en tertainment committee is arranging an elaborate program to properly ob serve the demise of 1915 and the ushering in of 1916 variously describ ed as "Prosperity Year," "State Wide Prohibition Year" and "Leap Year." 1 hat the people of Caldwell and vicinity have ample grounds for look ing forward to 1916 as the "year of years'' is the opinion of Mr. Harring ton and the club members in gen eral. The present year has amply demonstrated the great future that lies before this country. Bumper crops were harvested by the farmers and Caldwell furnished a ready cash mar ket for the products. The coming year will eclipse the present in many ways. Additional acreage tributary to the city will be placed under culti vation; plans for the erection of a cannery; the electrification of the Wilder branch and other public ne cessities arc well under wa<' and will doubtless he brought to a successful conclusion during the new year. The tentative program as outlined by Mr. Harrington includes a masked Mardi Gras on the business streets; confetti battles, dancing and other features to be announced later. The streets will be brilliantly illumin ated and all business houses reouestcd to appropriately decorate their win dows. Assisting Mr. Harrington in arranging plans for the celebration are the following: Austin Westrope, W. P. Lyon, Dr W. F. Gigray, E. Vining; W. S. Max cy, H. J. Zeh, M. H. Gibbons, J. M. Lewis, E. A. Sutton, Mesdames E. L. Bryan, B. M. Holt, F. C. Boyes, Pres ley Home, R W. Oakes, Jr., E. H. Petry; and the Misses Honora Dev ers, Lela Hay and Zoe Turner. GRAND OPERA SINGERS. V'JL ' This city is to have the privilege of hearing the most exceptional opera tic company consisting of four great singers who have won their laurels in European and American grand opera. They have with them Denmark's greatest virtuoso and one of Ameri ca's finest concert pianists. They will be at the Huree theatre on Monday, ..j Skovgaard, the celebrated Danish violinist, traveling with this company is one of the world's famous vir tuosos. The violin which Skovgaard will use for this engagement is a thirteen thousand dollar Stradivarius and the same on which he has played before most of the crowned heads of Europe. He will present to Ameri can audiences a number of new Scan dinavian compositions. However, his program will be varied and will not fail to please the most critical. The soprano of the company, Florence Hawkins, late of the Chi cago Opera Co., has been known as the Maud Adams of the operatic stage; for her charming personality has com bined most favorably with her won derful voice to make her one of the prime favorites of the Metropolitan opera season. Vienna has lost one of its most remarkable contraltos in the person of Molly Byerly Wilson, now touring with the New York Metropolitan Co. When Miss Wilson heard of the tour to the Panama-Pacific exposition at San Francisco, the company being now on its way east after its tour to the fair, she seized the opportunity to join the other artists in order to see the American continent. It is said that this contralto has the deepest known female voice. She will sing her dramatic arias in the original operatic costume. Clara Freuler, the mezzo-soprano of the company, never fails to win the hearts and admiration of her au diences by her wonderful interpreta tion of the folk songs of her native country, Switzerland. These won derful interpretations combined with one of the rarest of mezzo voices and charming personality create a sensa tion wherever she appears. Francis W. Cowles, baritone, poss esses one of the most remarkable male voices on the operatic stage. His en unciation is perfect and his dramatic impersonations render him one of the most deft and facile of actors. The orchestral effects are produced for this company by Alice McClung, pianist and soloist. She has been in the habit of doing first operatic re hearsals for many years, substituting the entire orchestra, though she is perhaps better known for her ac complished interpretations of the wonderful Liszt compositions. _ The program will consist of selec tions from favorite operas, several of which will be sung in costume. The program cannot fail to please the ear of all; there will be the light and gay, the serious and sad. selections from the masters presented with that delic acy and accuracy which are the off spring of both genius and study. This remarkable musical organiza tion has been engaged for only one performance and the price of the tic kets will be 25c to $1.00. The tickets will be on sale at Greenlund's Drug Store commencing Thursday, De cember 23.—Adv. Mrs. Lola Morelock spent the lat ter part of last week and the first of this week near Vale, Oregon.