Blackfoot Optimist Karl P. Brown. Publisher. •LACK FOOT " - • IDAHO IDAHO STATE NEWS The saloon men of Salmon are hav in* trouble In securing their licenses, the city and county authorities having disagreed In the matter. Livestock growers of the upper Lemhi met in Leadore on February 9 for the purpose of conferring with representatives of the forest service to discuss matters of range apportion ment. The treasurer of Latah county is busy preparing to call for every war rant' outstanding against this county. Latah county is thought to be the only county in the northwest that will be absolutely out of debt. A new $30^000 hotel is being built at Downey as fast as possible with the hopes that it will be occupied by the first of April. This will be one of the handsomest buildings between fiait. Lake and Boise. There remained 33 cases of small pox in Boise at the close of the month of January. At the beginning of the month there were In quarantine 35 cases, and -though 50 new cases were reported, 52 were discharged. The church building at Nampa which was vacated by -the Catholics when they moved into their new edi fice bas been purchased by the Lat ter-day Saints and will be moved to a lot owned by -the organization. The third annual exhibit of the Idaho State Poultry association at Boise was a highly successful one. Although there were birds from three different states shown in competition, the Idaho birds won -the two silver jnups. Idaho's laws on weights and meas ures are ineffective and inadequate, and will have to be remedied if the Btate sealer is to do any really im portant work in that department, ac cording to James H. Wallis, the state inspector. A reward has been offered for the reoovery of the body of -the mail car rler who los-t his life in a snow slide between Atlanta and Rocky Bar sev eral weeks ago. Nineteen men dug for several days in search of the body without result. C. O. Carlson, a fireman, fell from bis engine near Mountain Rome and sustained injuries which may prove fatal. Carlson was standing on the platform between the engine and the tender and lost bis balance when the train lurched. Caught by a revolving shaft, J. H. Adkins was whirled to his death in the Morning mill at Mulian. He made four complete revolutions with the machinery and when his clothing finally gave way, his chest and arms had been crushed. Almost every report of wardens and prison superintendents ip the eastern etates shows that Idaho is far in ad vance of these places in the matter of prison reform. Things for which the eastern experts are working. Idaho has had for years. The news comes from Mountain Home that ex-Oovernor James H Brady has paid to the receiver for the Great Western Beet Sugar company, the sum of 314,125, the same being the stipulated 25 per cent of the price at which the property of that defunct coimpany was bid in. The passenger station at Wendell which will be entirely completed by the 1st of March, is not surpassed in th|s part of the stale. The building is 128 feet,long. It has large separate waiting rooms for men and women, agents' office, baggage room and a freight room 30x47 feet. iDeer hunters in the northern part oft the state are learning that it is a costly diversion to kill deer during the closed season. Two hunters, one at Sandpoint and the other at Lew iston, have been fined $50 and costs each, through efforts of the deputies in the state game department. The constitutionality of the insur apce law 'passed at the Eleventh ses sion of the legislature was determined and established in a decision handed down last week by the supreme court in: the case of the Continental Life In siirance and Investment company against J. C- Hattatoaugh, insurance commissioner of Idaho. Bonnie star, who took chloral with suicidal intent at Butte, is de«*.. Star was despondent because she could not pay £top board of her baby, which she left recently in Spokane. Her husband is said to live In St. Marie, Idaho and She herself had lived there. -J During the present year a vigorous campaign against blight, codling moth and scale will be waged by the B^ate inspector and the deputies in the va rious districts, this work to com mence Immediately, according -to the decision of the state horticultural board. Manuel Silva must serve a jail sen tence of five months and pay a fine of $500 .and costs for selling intoxi cating liquor in prohibition territory, according to a decision rendered by the supreme court. The case origi nated at ßhoshone. "The first step toward getting new Industries is to support those we al ready have," is the legend on a card which the Boise Commercial club Is distributing. It is the first movement that the club has started toward the capture of more factories the coming ..... - MORGAN TO RETIRE CZAR OF AMERICAN FINANCE HAS NO INTENTION OF DYING IN THE HARNESS. Man Whose Fortune Is Estimated at Three Hundred Millions Has Decided to Act Hereafter Only in an Ad visory Capacity in Affaira of Firm. New York.—J. Pierpont Morgan, czar of American finances, has retired from active business life. The business interests of J. P. Mor gan & Co. are now in the hands of his younger partners. Mr. Morgan himself is no longer at the helm, nor does he intend to resume that post when he returns from Egypt. He has definitely laid aside the bur dens and cares which he has borne for fifty years, and has decided to act hereafter only in an "advisory capac ity" in the affairs of his firm. Not until Sunday did it become known that Mr. Morgan, just prior to his departure for Egypt, on December 29, called a conference of his partners and acquainted them with his intention to retire from active business affaira. The partners had kept the secret with care. Mr. Morgan on that occasion made the dramatic assertion that his entire personal fortune was at the service of the firm and would remain so in bis lifetime. No one outside of Mr. Mor J. PIERPONT MORGAN. gan and a few of his most intimate associates knows how great that for tune is. It Is estimated to be at least $300,000,000. The great financier expressed to his partners that he felt compelled to re tire because of his age. He is now in his seventy-fifth year and has stood the wear and tear of financial leader ship for half a century. Preparing to Play War Game. Washington.—In anticipation of an allowance by congress of the war de partment's estimate of $1,350,000 for the joint maneuvers next summer of the regular army and the organized militia, Brigadier General Evans, chief af the division of militia affairs, has lust communicated with the adjutants general of Callforna, Oregon, Wash ington, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah definitely to ascertain the number and the kind of troops each state 1 will be able to furnish. Lodger Shoots Seattle Woman. Seattle, Wash.—J. Grossmltz, tailor, returning borne Saturday night, found the bodyôj his 24-year-old wife lying on the dining room floor with a hüllet hole in-.the left temple. Up stairs he found Philip Bromberg, 30 years, a - de'aler in second-hand cloth ing, lying on the bed with a bullet hole in the right side of his head. It is supposed Bromberg shot the wo man and then himself. Leper Will be Fenced In. Tacomp.—Shunted about from place to place as the result of the long gov ernment Investigation to determine whether he was a leper or not, John R. Early, formerly of Washington, D C., has been found at Summit, near here, and will he fenced in on an acre of land. Early's wife and three small children are with him. Rioting in Paris. Paris.—Thousands of Socialists, rev olutienaries and anarchists attended the incineration on Sunday of the Syndicalist Aernolt, who was promt nent in the labor troubles here severs years ago and who died while serving in a disciplinary battalion in Africa Following the ceremony they began rioting, a large number being injured in encounters with police. Co-Worker of Moody Dead Chicago.—John M. Hitchcock, for many years a co-worker of Dwight L. Moody, the evangelist, died of apo plexy Sunday. Mr. Hitchcock was 79 years old and had been a leader in the Moody* church for forty years. Murderers Granted Reprieve. Washington.—President Taft hos re prieved for ninety-one days Mattie Lo max, a negro woman under sentence of death here for murder of her bus band, pending a decision of a case in the District of Columbia courts. Stove Overturned on Train. Emporia, Kan.—Mrs. S. H. Scher merhorn, wife of a Chicago broker, was -seriously burned when an alcohol stove overturned in a compartment of a car on the Santa Fe California Lim ited train near here Sunday. T8 60 U MISSION OF AMITY 8 * 0 rotary of State Knox to Visit Spanloh-Amerlcan Republics le En* dsavor to Solve Problems. Washington.—For the purpose of solving diplomatic problems and ac quiring more accurate information as to conditions in Central and South America, Secretary of State Knox, by direction of President Taft, will make five week's trip to the Spanish American republics bordering on the Caribbean sea and the Gulf of Mexico, As now planned, Mr. Knox will not visit Mexico, but that country may be included in the program before he returns the first week of April. Although the official announcement of the trip, made public at the White House late Saturday, gave no details, was made known that Havana would be Mr. Knox's first stop,'and it was reported that in Cuba he might attempt to "solve the problem" that brought about hints of American in tervention there a few weeks ago. Aside from a possible peace-making expedition to Cuba, the purpose of the trip was announced to be the pro motion of friendly relations in Cen tral America. In many respeotB It will he similar to that taken around South America several years ago by former Secretary of State Root. Five Workmen Killed When Cable Broke and Car With Ita Human Freight Fell 168 Feet. Casper, Wyo.—The snapping of an aerial cable across the Platte river at the government Pathfinder dam Saturday night hurled a gang of work men in a tram car 168 feet to the rocks. Five are dead and several others seriously injured. The scene of the accident is fifty miles southeast of Casper. A courier, after an all-night ride through a wild and rugged country, reached Casper with the first word of the accident and an appeal for medical assistance. From his meager knowledge of the disaster it was learned that the men were crossing the Platte siver in the aerial tram, as had been their custom for months, when the cable broke and the car with its human freight was hurled upon the rocks. TRAM CAR DROPS ON ROCKS. nsane Woman Jumps From Window. Colfax, Wash.—Mrs. Pearl Henke, aged 25, wife of Professor Henry Henke of the Washington State col lege of Pullman, while temporarily Insane, jumped from the second-story window of a hospital at Pullman, breaking her neck. She was dead when a nurse reached her. Mrs. Henke gave birth to a baby bey two weeks ago. The baby died, and Mrs. Henke became insane from grief. Serious Floods in Portugal. Lisbon.—Floods continue in every part of Portugal, but the southern dis tricts *are most seriously affected, and the distress among the population is acute. At Oporto a large number of barges on the river Douro have been swept away, and several small coast ing vessels have been driven eut to Bea and lost. Philippine Democrats Divided. Manila.—The Démocratie territorial convention for the election of dele gates to the national eenvention at Baltimore was in continuous session for twelve hours Saturday and was marked by quarrels between two fac tions, which resulted in a divided con vention. Each faction elected six dele gates to the national conventioa. City Must Pay for Mob's Work. Springfield, 111.—Harry Loper, own sr"of a cafe which was destroyed by \ mob in a race riot here three years ago, v^s awarded judgment for $7, 750 against the city in the circuit court. Loper's place was destroyed because, it wa3 alleged, he aided the sheriff in spiriting away negro pris Dners. 8 urvey Will Soon be Completed. Seattle—The Aiaska-Canadian boun dary survey will be completed this year, according to the present plans of those in charge of the work. A party of twenty-five men will leave Seattle for the north soon, and will cover the last stretch to the Arctic ocean. Progross of Canal. Washington.—Work on the Panama canal progressed steadily in January, according to. «able reports received by the Isthmian canal commission. With one working day less, the canal diggers excavated 2,641,441 cubic yards in January, as against-2,439,^ 16 the preceding month. Peace Conference in September. Brussels.—The interparliamentary peace union has called the next in terparliamentary conference for Sep tember 17 next. The place of meeting probably will be in Geneva. Women Ejected From Court Room. Fort Worth.—Women who persisted In remaining in the court room where J. B. Sneed is on trial for killing Cap tain A. G. Boyce were ejected. The court held that the testimony was un fit for the women's ears. Tunneled Towards Vault. Oakland, Cal.—Discovery of a tunnel headed toward the vaults of the Oak-1 j ,and Bank of Commerce became known | | Saturday. The tunnel was fifty feet I lon s and had seventy feet to go before J reaching the bank vaults. Washington Statue'in Boston Public Gardens □ O More About the English Home of the Washingtons D= □ PROPOSITION seri ously engaging the at tention of the English people and press 1 b that Sulgrave manor, in Northamptonshire, the home of George Washington's an cestors, shall be purchased by public subscription in both countries as a visible monument to the cordial rela tions existing between the two great branches of the English-speaking race. Sulgrave is the place In England moBt closely associated with the name of Washington. It Is true that George himself attached little Importance to this fact. In the early days of the American republic, ancestry was de spised much more than Is now the case. In 1788 he refused to accept the dedication of a book on heraldry because a portion of the community were "clamorously endeavoring to propagate an Idea that those whom they wished invidiously to designate toy the name of 'well-born' were medi tating In the first Instance to distin guish themselves from their compat riots and to wrest the dearest privil eges from the bulk of the people." An cestry today is much more regarded In America than it was a hundred years ago. Washington knew very little about his own forefathers. When he was asked about them by. the garter klngat-arms, he said the first of his family In Virginia had come from one of the northern counties In England Yorkshire or Lancashire, or even one ■till further north. Later there was much disputation about his family tree, tont It was finally agreed that the Washingtons of Sulgrave and Brlngton did actually spring from the Washing tons of Warton In Lancashire, a place on the Westmoreland border. Several -♦J«» Graves Of Washington's Ancestors, Sulgrave, England. generations of Washingtons of War ton are recorded, end one of these waa the father of Laurence Washington, mayor of Northampton in 1532 and 1645. This Laurence Washington had for moth«* the daughter of Robert Kytaon of Warton, and a sis ter of Sir Thomas Kytsoh of Hen grave In Suffolk, This proved a mat ter of very considerable Importance in their history, because it brought them into connection with the Spencers of Althorp and Wormlelghton, through the marriage of Sir Thomas Kytson's daughter, Catherine, to Sir John Spen cer of Wormlelghton, whose grand son, Sir Robert Spencer, was created Baron Spencer of Wormlelghton in 1603. In process of time the Wash ingtons of Sulgrave appear to have got Into financial difficulties. Lau-, rence Washington entered the wool trade, perhaps Induced to do so by the fact that Lord Spencer was one of the great flock-masters of his day. This Laurence acquired great riches in the wool trade. In 1539 he became pos sessed of the manor of Sulgrave for the sum of £321 14a. 10d., and sub sequently be purchased additional | property' He had many t om , ot I whom the oldest waa Robert, the an J eestor ot George Washington. He auo ceeded his father In 1585, when he was of the age of forty. He does not seem to have been so prosperous as his father, and yet seems to have been able to send both his sons, Christo pher and William, to Oriel college, Ox ford, where they were In 1688, the year of the Great Armada. Robert's eldest son was named Laurence, prob ably after the mayor of Northampton, and in 1610 he. In agreement with hla son, agreed to sell Sulgrave to their cousin, Laurence Makepeace. The second Laurence Washington then re moved to Brlngton, near Northampton, his father, perhaps, going with him, though the latter was buried In the family vault at Sulgrave. Laurence Washington had seventeen children, two of whom rose to high positions and were knighted—Sir William Wash ington of Packlngton In 1622, and Sir John Washington of Thrapston in 1623. But the younger members of the fam ily were becoming Impecunious. This, then, was the connection of the fam ily of Washington with Sulgrave man or. It is a very Interesting one. The manor could not be properly described as one of the stately homeB of Eng land. It was built at a good time, but It is not a very fine example of the period. Nevertheless, a single glance at the pictures of the really grand old place will show how essen tially English are the architecture and Its surroundings. It would have been a very befitting action had It fallen to the lot of the celebrants in Great Brit tain to think first of Sulgrave and to have offered It as a free gift to the United States. The inhabitants of the latter could have made: good use of 1L It has long been the object of many a pilgrimage on the part of Americans In Europe, and it might have been a rallying ground and a center where objects of Interest to them could be collected. Something of the kind may yet be done; but perhaps It is better that all of those who are Interested In keeping the centenary of the sig nature of peace should take a share In the acquisition of this memorial of Washington. I Volunteer Fireman True Public Spirit of the First President Is Shown in Signi ficant Action Recorded One of the facta In the history of George Washington which most his torians fall to mention la that he waa a volunteer fireman. About 1750 he enrolled hlmaelf ta the volunteer fire company at Alexandria, Va. It la related that on more than one occasion when Washington learned that there was a fire In the vicinity of Alexandia which had caUed out the firemen he mounted hla horse and rode thither from Mount Vernon. The records of the place show that when the volunteer fire department was or ganized each member agreed "out of mutual friendship" to carry to every fire "two leathern buckets and one great bag of oznaburg or vider linen," which was the primitive means of ex tinguishing a fire. The Friendship Fire company ot Alexandria was organised in 1774, at which time Washington waa a dele gate to the Continental,congress In Philadelphia. The members of the company, remembering Washington's former services as à fireman, elected him an honorary member at their first meeting, and forwarded him a copy of the minutes. To show Ma appreciation of the compliment, he at once made, a thor ough inspection of the different kinds of fire engines In use in Philadelphia, and upon hia second return there in 1776, , he bought from one Gibbs small fourth-class engine for 80 pounds and ten shillings, and Just be fore be set out for Boston to become commander-in-chief of the Continen tal army sent this little engine as a present to the Friendship company. Washington did not lose his inter est In fire matters through hla eleva tion to position and power. Upon hia retirement to Mount Vernon, after hla second term aa president, and when bis fame spread around the world, he continued to take active Interest in the volunteer fire department, and aided it in many ways. Gats a Relia of Washington. Tho notea from which Washington delivered hla farewell address are be queathed to Mias Llxxie C. Faxon of Dedham, Maas., by the will of her grandmother. Misa Faxon la a de scendant of Thomas Jefferson and has a valuable collection of Joffamon loo ters and papers. The Tory of Valley Forge By GILBERT PATTEN BROWN f from the CHRISTIAN HERALD Û I T WAS a cold day ta February In the year of grace i778, and the patriot army lay in winter quar ters at Valley Forge. The bleak winds that swept across Cedar Hol low were tearing through the huts of t,he freezing soldiers. Down near the Potts mansion is seen an old man slowly making his way toward the out post of Washington's guard. 'Who comes here?" asked the picket "Peter Davis," was the reply, "and I want to see Mr. George Washington, the rebel chief," continued the aged peasant. If you, reader, will now approach the scene, I will Introduce to you a Tory, an Englishman by birth, a strong defender of the king, and a spy for Lord Howe's army while they are en joying the festivities of gay Philadel phia. Hla two sons are soldiers in the Continental army, and the old man has come to ask permission of Wash ington to visit them as they are now freezing at Valley Forge. Soon a tall man comes upon the scene. The Tory trembles. It Is Gen eral Washington, who has come to greet the old man and to hear his pitiful story. "What Is your mission, my dear man?" asked the patriot chief, as he looked with love Into the face of the stranger. "Well, Mr. Washington, you see It is like this; you're a rebel and I am a Tory; but I want to see my two boys." "Come In and get warm, sir, and I will try to find them," replied the dis tinguished Virginian. Soon General Washington summons to his headquarters the adjutant gen eral of the Continental army. "General," said he, "this man la Mr. Davis, a farmer and a Tory; but even the rights of a Tory must be respected by the army of the Thirteen Colonies. You will find among the enrolled men James and John Davis; 4 4L « m General Washington. and If they are well, dispatch them' to my headquarters." At this Juncture, the countersign le given at the door, and there enter* the spaolous room Rev. Israel Evans, chaplain of the New York brigade. "Good morning, chaplain,'' said Washington. "Good morning, general," was his, reply. "On this, your forty-sixth birth day, I bring to you the greetings of Chancellor Livingston, and hére'a r a' box of dainties with the complimenta of Mrs. Livingston." ' • •!' "May heaven bless them!" replied the glad recipient. . "So, general, tMa la your birthday-; forty-six years?' I am nearly twice your age," slowly remarkéd the Tory; "and I fear God has forgotten me long ago." -The care-worn features of the gen-' eral and the peaceful face ot the chap-' lain seemed deeply to affect the aged man. A moment of silence prevails, when the old man bursts Into te«rp "Let us pray," said the army chap-, lain. "Will you not kneel with the general and myself. Mr. Davis?" aBked the reverend gentleman. The stranger fell to his knees, and' a prayer went forth that Peter Davis should no longer remain à Tory or an enemy to human justice. Peter Davis went home a changed man that afternoon. He no longer act ed as a spy for Lord Howe's army. The Davis farmhouse -was at the serv ice of the Continentals during the re mainder of their stay at Valley Forge. He lived to see the independence of the Colonies, and many times during (he evening of his life, he thanked hla Maker that to hla heart there came courage to vtait Général Washington among the hnta of the Continental •rmy daring- the darkest days of war •aged against British daapotism. • •