The daily star-mirror., February 05, 1914, Image 1

About The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939

Image provided by: Idaho State Historical Society

                
THE DAILY STAR-MIRROR
VOLUME III.
MOSCOW, LATAH COUNTY, IDAHO, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1914
NUMBER 109
WILSON HELPING TRUSTS
SAYS MEXICAN MINISTER
MOHENA SAYS THE PRESIDENT PLAYED IN
THEIR HANDS WHEN LIFTING EMBARGO.
REBELS WILL TAKE TAMPICO
Less Concern Felt Over the Safety of Torreon—Let
ter From an American Tells of Scenes During
Terrific Battle.
MEXICO CITY, Feb. ».—"President
Huerta knows that certain business
concerns, what you people call trusts,
are helping the rebels with arms and
money," declared Foreign Minister Mo
hena in an interview today,
raising of the embargo on arms and
ammunition gives these trusts a still
better opportunity to render aid.
President Wilson is fighting the trusts
at home but by lifting the embargo
he has played into the hands of the
trusts."
Aside from Minister Mohena, the
Mexicans seemed today to have for
gotten, in their interest concerning
fighting at Torreon and Tampico, about
the president's order raising the em
bargo. Even in government circles
Is admitted that considerable anxiety
is felt concerning Tampico. Less un
easiness is manifested for Torreon
where the federal garrison is stronger
and will probably be able to hold out
against the rebels.
Belated News From the Front.
NEW YORK, Feb. 5.—First-hand
news from the Mexican interior gets
to the outside world by a very slow
process, and that is why letters from
foreigners in the interior states often
reach those to whom they are address
ed weeks, and in some oases months,
after they have been mailed. An of
ficial of one of the American Smelting
company's plants near Monterey said
recently that telegrams filed for trans
mission to the United States as late as
last July were not forwarded until
more than three months later, while
thousands of letters never got past
the border line.
One of these long-delayed letters
reached New York the other day.
was from a young man in Montera}' to
his mother in tills city. It had been
fit
"The
It
mailed Oct. 28, just
been captured, ranch of it destroyed,
and a large part of it looted by rebel
troops under Carranza and Villa.
"Monterey," ho wrote, "as I suppose
you have heard,
Thursday, Get. 23, by |the rebels,
came with dramatic suddenness for us
here at the plant although the evening
before we heard the shots of a small
fight about five miles away and saw
the bursting of shells,
stars, near Topa Grande Hill.
"Thursday morning I walked out to
the northern end of the plant—it was
about 6:30 o'clock—and while therel
saw four or five federal soldiers in
their drab uniforms and helmets and
with their guns coming toward me on
a slow run, with rebels following and
shooting at them, and 1 ran back to
the general office and went to the
third floor. All the time the firing was
getting brisker and also much nearer.
"Thinking that our friends, the An
dersons, did not know of the fight, 1
started toward their house to warn
them to stay indoors. I reached their i
vas attacked on
It
like bright
I
(
back porch and kitchen, where I found
Mrs. Anderson all alone, and as I
looked back I saw about ten rebels on
horseback waving their guns and rid
ing like mad after the fleeing fédérais.
We were in the line ot fire, and so
Mrs. Anderson and I rushed into one |
of the inside rooms. We were none
too soon, for immediately the firing
started again.
Shot Down Like Rabbits.
"From the window we watched what
followed. The rebels rode up on the
poor federal soldiers and shot two cf
them down, just as they would shoot
a rabbit in the grass. The poor sol
diers offered no resistance whatever.
They acted just exactly like hunted
animals and
sense.
in the grass other rebels came gallop
ing up, waving their guns and shout
ing vivas for Carranza, the rebel lead
bereft ot all
seemed
As the two fédérais Jay dying
er.
"Mr. Anderson had gone to the mess
for some milk when the shooting be
gan, and he was near a little stone
warehouse when the shooting down of
the fédérais took place. He said after
ward that he never ran so fast in all
his life as he did to get out of the
range of that murderous rebel fire. At
first he laughed about It, but then the
reaction set in and he got so mad be
of his narrow escape that it
cause
really funny.
"As most of the rebels seemed
have passed us, we sat down to break
fast, all of us more or less strung up,
when suddenly there was a crash
glass. A bullet came through, half
spent, and dropped on the window sill.
By 8:30 fighting started on the edge
of the town to the south of the plant.
It was a hot scrap while it lasted, and
the bullets bit the house with great
frequency. At about 10 o'clock
quieted down, and 1 walked down
the plant and took some photographs,
and then returned to Anderson's
"Knowing that more trouble was In
the air, we fixed up the cellar as
' . 1
sort of refuge in time of storm. We
took into the cellar rugs, carpets,
blankets, food, and got ready to make
' ' B
it our home until further notice, fori
while we were moving the federal
fortes dropped a couple of three inch
shells on the plant, and the explos
ions almost scared ns speechless. All
the afternoon it was much the same,
the fighting continuing, and the uncer
tainty of evening keeping us all in
a high state of tension.
"That night the firing continued un
til about 9:30 o'clock, and during a
subsequent lull Mr. and Mrs. Ander
son and 1 stole over to the general
office and up to the third floor, where
I live.
"The scene was one we shall never
of burning .freight
forget—strings
cars, lumber yards ablaze, and burning
oil tanks, the latter storing thousands
of gallons of oil.
then an oil tank would explode and
throw flames hundreds of feet into the
Every now and
Now and then the fight would
air.
break out anew, and machine guns
burst into action with frightful sud
denness. and then just as suddenly
stop.
"1 can assure yon that we did not
sleep much that night. Next morn
ing it all began again, the bullets
whizzing by, sometimes hitting the
wall or breaking a window, and one,
when 1 started out for a quick run to
the office, went singing by so close that
I involuntarily curled up like a snail,
and I 'vas so mad at myself afterward.
Shells Exploded in the Works.
"At noon the second day I went
down to Wilde's house to see where a
his kitchen and
shell had entered
wrecked it, and it surely had done
I then returned to
that very thing,
my third-story room, and was lying
down on the north side of the room,
about to get a much-needed nap, for
there I was safe
when all of a sudden there was the
most awful explosion, and 1 hustled
down to the first floor,
the assay office, and while I was
there four shells landed and explod
from the bullets.
I remained in
I got bo lonesome
ed in the works,
that. I could stand it no longer, and
ran through the bowling alley and
over to the Andrson's house and down j
jnto tKeir cellar , where , found them
hut jdled together !
., Qf courBe
all the ghastly sounds in 1
the world, the scream of a sheei is the
worst, especially when it is pointed in
you don't know
your direction, and
where It's going to land or where it
comes from, nor when it's going to ex
plode, and all this coupled with a
screeneh that seems
from everywhere,
seems, tears your hair out by the roots
and shrivels up your spinal cord. It
is enough to make a nervous wreck
to be coming
It almost, so It
of any one.
"We remained in the cellar
6:30 p. m., listening to the bursting of
the shells, never knowing when one
going to hit the house and ex
until
was
plodo. Mrs. Anderson was the calmest
ot ns all, and I take my hat off to her.
At 7 o'clock I ran over to the mesa to
get some food, leaving Mr. A. with
Mrs. A., as we did not care to leave
her all alone. The fighting was still
going on, and as I started some build
ing up-town was blown down, and the
noise was so crashing that it seemed
that the top of the earth was being
ripped off. I finally managed to get
back with a basket of provisions. Ev
in the cellar the light was as that of
day, so brilliant was the burning
spectacle above and all around us.
"In the evening we went up Into the
(Continued on Page 4) *
(ZERO WEATHER
STRECK MOSCOW
COLD SNAP VISITED THIS SECTION
LAST NIGHT AND TODAY—24
BELOW RECORDED.
Deports Vary as to Standing of Tem
perature—Condition Seems General
Throughout Inland Empire.
The first real cold snap of the sea
son struck Moscow and vicinity last
night when the thermometer is var
iously reported as standing at any
where between 8 and 24 below zero.
In the absence of official reports
the temperature, it
possible to secure a perfect check
day, except from the university where
the low temperature is recorded by
[indicated from various reports sent
vas almost
government instrument. The low
point as reported from that source
was eight degiees below.
That the temperature varied at dif
ferent points in and near .Moscow
this office . From tlle county farm
... . , . ,
it is reported to have recorded at
degrees below. At a point one mile
.... ■ . , ,,
■ east ot town it is said the tempera
, ,
ture reached 20 below and at a point
I „ , ,, , , , ,
.south of the city to have reached
. , , ,, . , , ,
I below. In Moscow at several points
j . ,
- on Main street the temperature hover
, , ... . , . , .. ,
ed around 10 below most ot the early
i . ,
I morning hours.
,
j
<
I
( According to reports reaching the
city from outside sources the cold
wave is general throughout the In
land Empire. At Lewiston a flurry
j snow preceded a fall of the temper
I ature last night, while along the
j Clearwater line a drop of 10 to 1» do
i grees is recorded. The Camas Pra
irie is also suffering from the cold
weather and a heavy snow and trains
are operating with difficulty.
At Bovill tlie weather is reported
mild in comparison to more sèvere
weather at Harvard and Potlatch,
while along the Potlatch canyon at
Kendrick and Juliaetta light snow and
cold weather is marked.
The recent heavy fall of snow in
Moscow and vicinity has made sleigh
ing good and teaming is reported to
be excellent. Many are taking advan
tage of the good sleighing to get their
wood out from the mountains,
damage is reported to telegraph or
telephone wires today, slight troubles
No
having been promptly adjusted. The
prospects seem good for a continuence
ot the cold weather for several days.
SPEAKS HIGHLY OF DR, BRANNON
Grand Forks Pastor Writes Rev. Wat
son of New Idaho University
Head.
Reverend Jonathan Watson of St.
Mark's church is in receipt of a letter
from the Reverend John K. Burleson,
who for many years has been connect
ed with St. Paul's church in Grand
Forks, North Dakota, and who is very
very well known throughout eclestieal
circles.
In the course of his letter, Mr.
Burleson says of Dr. Brannon, Idaho's
new university president: "He is a
man of great breadth and hitman sym
pathy. He has been of great help to
me in several matters of public wel
fare in which we have been associated,
and I regret extremely that we are to
I am
lose him from Grand Forks,
confident the dean will be glad to
help you in any good work for his stu
dents, as he has broad Christian sym
pathy for ail, and is one of God's
I congratulate you and
gentlemen,
the state on the president you have
secured."
MOSCOW GIRL WEDS
Mabel Bracht Becomes Wife of Orville
E. DeBolt of Spokane—Wedding
Quiet Affair.
A quiet wedding attended only by
relatives and intimate friends occur
red last evening at 8 o'clock in the
home ot the bride's mother, Mrs. Harry j
Belton, 811 South Jefferson street.
The contracting parties were Or
ville E. DeBolt ot Spokane and Mrs.
Mabel Bracht of Moscow, the marriage
being solemnized by Rev. Robert
Warner of the Methodist church.
The bride and groom have been ac
quainted with each other since child
hood. Their fathers were a/tso play
mates in childhood. The groom is a
commercial traveler with headquarters
Spokane. The bride has lived in
Moscow most of her life and has a
large circle of friends here. Mr. and
Mrs. DeBolt left on the evening train
Lewiston and after visiting several
places will make their home in !?po
kane.
a
.
[EXTENSION WORK
GETS FEDERAL AID
SENATOR BRADY ACTIVE IN SUP
FORT OF MEASURE ORIGINAT
ING IN THE HOUSE.
Will Aid Idaho Institutions and Be
Greatly Beneficial to the Farmer
in Idaho.
WASHINGTON, Pcb. 5.—The bouse
bill No. 7951, To provide for coopera
tive agricultural extension work be
tween 'he agricultural colleges in the
several states receiving the benefits
of an act of congress approve» July
second, eighteen hundred and sixty
two, and of acts supplementary there
to, and the United States department
of agriculture, is now before the sen
ate and wi I doubtless be enacted into
law before many days.
Senator Brady is a very ardent sup
porter of this bill, and as a member cf
tlie committee on agriculture and for
estry, to which the bill was referred,
used his influence to have the house
bill substituted for the reason that it
a
gives a larger appropriation lor the
states for agricultural purpose
,
In speaking of the matter, Senator
Brady said, "This is one of the best
bills congress can pass. Onr state is
already doing a large amount of work
along cooperative lines in eo-ordina
tion with the national government ami
this bill will enable us to have an in
stmetor in every county in the state,
This will be especially beneficial to
Idaho, for the reason that there is
such a great difference in climatic
conditions in altitude, and trie
amount of rain fall, that it is almost
I necessady to have an experiment sta
tion, or at least special investigations
j 1
and instructions in every county in
the state. Wo have legislated for the
benefit of almost everybody else, and
now it is good to know that we are go
ing to do something for the farmer.
I have worked hard and earnestly for
passage oft this bill, and I believe it
will be a great benefit to the farmers
of our state."
SMITH IS ENTHUSIASTIC
Flensed With Prospects of Federal Aid
For Idaho Reclamation Projects.
WASHINGTON, Feb. ». —Congress
man Smith is enthusiastic over tlie
probability ot the enactment of Sen
within which payments may be made
on reclamation projects to 20 years
and also the bill to make an advance
to the reclamation fund of one hundred
million dollars in order that the num
erous projects, several of which are
in Idaho may be undertaken.
Mr. Smith is advocating a five-year
period within which no payment will
be required by settlers on reclama
tion projects in order that they may
got their farms under cultivation and
thus be better prepared to meet tlie
payments as they come due.
The senators and representatives
from the northwestern states are ta
king keen interest in the proposed leg
islation, which, it is believed will have
the approval ot the secretary of the in
terior.
MOSCOW PEOPLE MAROONED
Letters Received Telling of Storm Hor
rors of .Southern California.
I
Some weeks ago Mrs. Jerome J.
Day, Mrs. M. J. Shields and Miss Mad
eleine Shields went from Los Angeles
to Santa Barbara to receive the new
Shields' auto and drive back in it to
Los Angeles. They had scarcely ar
rived at their destination when the
, , ..
terrible storm that broke upon the
, , , , , o - i
whole coast struck Santa Barbara,
j , . . ,
and up to date the party is still raa
* , ,, . . . .. .
rooned there, unable to return to their
winter home farther south.
Letters just received give some no
tion of the frightful damage done.
Bridges were washed away, paving
ruined. Lawns were covered knee
deep with mud ; one house was wash
ed in the ocean, a huge retaining
wall was carried away.
The Hotel Arlington in which the'
Moscow party was staying was flooded
with water that ruined floors and fur
!
Two persons driving in a
nitttre.
machine got out because they could ,
not , make it run, and wore drowned
during their struggles to reach a place |
safety.
Railroad Extension Opposed.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 5.—A
hearing is being given today in the ap
plication of the Atlantic Coast line to
the war department, for a permit to
span Trout creek, near its mouth, with
railroad draw bridge, in the officer,iaf
Major Wm. B. Ladue, The Jackson
ville board of trade opposes the pro
position.
SOWER SYSTEM
HOW IT WORKS
COUNTY ASSESSOR MARTINSON
TELLS OF Ills PROGRESS IN
• ASSESSING LATAH COUNTY.
Made Sectional Plats of Each District
and Proper!} Owner Helps
Fix Values.
County Assessor Theodore E. .Mart
inson in an interview today declares
that ho is meeting with great suc
cess in the operation of the Somor
system in making assessments of prop
erty in Latah county. He has made
sectional plats of each school district
and personally meets all the farmers
within the district, all participiating
in reaching a common basis of value
of property, in speaking of the work
he says;
"For the benefit of all property lield
ers 1 wish to state that the new sys
tem of assessment after
worked under it tor a v.
ve have
eek, taking
about two hundred statements of real
and personal property at a saving of
| at least one third in the cost of doing
j the work and the result being fully
1 one hundred per cent better than un
I der the old system, is proving a suc
[cess beyond my own mid the people's
! expectations.
I "This method of taking assessments
! is not an experiment of my own but
is the Somers system introduced by
i W. A. Somers who has spent a life
time in the study of assessment and
appraisal ot all classes of property,
and where it is being used in some
eastern stales is proving to be uni
formly successful.
"After studying the conditions in
our own state and particularly in this
county, I have modified this system,
making it more adaptable to condi
tions I have to meet under our present
laws governing the assessment of pro
perty.
"We have made sectional field plats
of every section in the county upon
which we classify all land by forties,
showing upon these plats the- various
classes and grades of land with the
values per acre for each class and J
locating all improvements with their
value.
"A. N. Roberts, who is well known,
and because of many years of ex
perience in doing field work has a
good general knowledge of the county,
is assisting me.
"We first notify a number of school
districts by circular letters, keeping
them notified a week in advance. The
property holders of the district meet
in their school house in the evening,
at which time we discuss the values
of the various parts of the county, the
classifications and values pf all live
stock, and parts of the revenue law
pertaining to assessment and taxes
and such other questions as may come
up. We also fix the value of the best
land which is used as
value, and all of the land in the dis
trtet is graded over or under this
standard by the concensus of opinion
of all property owners. We do the
same with improvements centrally lo
cated in the district which we have
seen and fixing the value of all other
improvements by comparisons with
this one as a unit, the people present
aiding in these comparisons. The
next morning we all meet again and
proceed with the assessment, each
man giving in his property in the pre
sence of the others.
the unit of|
"We classify and assess a district
each day. One of us does the classi
fying and plat work while the other
takes the assessment and lists tlie
personal property.
"With this system i will be able to
make tlie assessment of the entire
, , , , .
county myself and checking up the
. . , ;
standards already fixed for the lauds,
. , ,
improvements, and all livestock and
, .
personal property. 1 will be able to
, . , ,
make a more equitable assessment
than there has ever been made in this
county before. Last year as in pre- i
ceeding years there were many un
equal assessments cine to hurried
work, many fieldmen, and lack of sys
tem and proper plats. All these
things we now overcome and save at
least one third the cost of doing the
work.
"People in the districts we have as
sessed have all come out and have
shown a great interest and have been
more Pleased with
having had a voice in the equalization
ot the assessments and the grading
the results, all
and classifying of the lands.
"I wish to request that when the
notices of assessment are received
that all property owners come out
and be ready to list all property
quickly.
"We qre working hard and with the
co-operation of all property holders
get a most equitable assessment. All
property will be placed on the same
basis."
IFEDERAL PROBE URGED
ON ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK SUN PUBLISHER ASKED ATTORNEY
GENERAL TO INVESTIGATE.
ALLEGES THERE IS A MONOPOLY
Claims Morning Service is Maintained Contrary to
Provisions of the Sherman AntLTrust
Law.
RDV AN T'HRflT'TI pïl
IRIl A/»it K lllYvf A A IwUl/
ANTI= I AP R|| 1
Ai' 11 onl LIILmIi»
REACHED
AGREEMENT
WHICH ASSURES MUZZLING OF
TOD A
EXCLUSION SENTIMENT.
Claimed That Such Anti-Jap Sentiment
Would Imperil Completion of
Treat}' Negofiutlons.
WASHINGTON, Feb. ». An agree
ment by which no anti-Japanese leg
islation is to be presented to the house
for the present was reached today at
meeting attended by Secretry of
State Bryan and members of file house
immigration committee.
The conference was a secret affair
but it is known that Mr. Bryan spoke
for an hour urging that the commit
tee prevent all Asiatic exclusion ag
Ration during the present session o
congress.
It is known that Mr. Bryan told the
committee that if any action were ta
ken now on the Raker exclusion bill
it would imperil negotiations now in
progress for a new treaty with Japan.
He flatly stated, it is reported, that
amicable agreement with Japan
is certain unless congress persisted
in exhibiting anti-Japanese sentiment.
an
GET LIKE SENTENCES
Two Men Implicated in Killing of Dis
trict Attorney «I Wheatland Hop
Ranch Know Their Fate.
MARYSVILLE. Cal.. Feb. ».—Rich
and Herman Stthr, convicted
j
of second degree murder in connec
tion with the riot at the Durst hop
ranch near Wheatland last August,
were today sentenced to life imprison
ment at Folsom penitentiary. Bail was
refused pending an appeal. There was
no demonstration in tlie court room as
was expected. The men took their
sentences stoically.
The eases grew out of the death of
Other
Mansell.
■onnection with the death of
Deputy Sheriff Reardan were dismiss
ed as were those against Edward Ma
District Attorney
( . ases
louf, Alfred Nelson and Earl Cokeley.
hitherto held on a charge of killing
Mansell.
TODAY IS APPLE DAY
Moscow People Said ti
One of its Chief Industries.
he Loyal to
Today is Apple Day. designated by
proclamation by Governor Haines to
be observed as a mark of distinction
to an industry that is doing much to
upbuild commercial importance of
Idaho.
Reports today indicate that, Moscow
people observed the day with due and
proper respect. Stores of the city are
reported to have had an unprecedented
sale of apples and this is taken as an
indication that
Moscow people are
loyal.
GAVE UP THE BATTLE
Uongressniaii Breinner of New Jersey
Finally Stieetimbed to Cancer.
BALTIMORE, Feb. ». —Congressman
Brentner of New Jersey, who had been
receiving treatment for cancer here,
died today. When he entered the hos
pital the congressman was told his
case was hopeless but he insisted on
being treated and $100,000 worth of
radium was used in the treatment.
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY TODAY
Milk Wagon Driver Today Killed En
tire Family Then Committed
Suicide.
GIESN. Germany, Feb. 5.—Wilhelm
Lehian. a driver of a milk wagon, to
day cut his wife and tour children to
pieces with a hatchet and then com
mitted suicide by laying in front of
approaching train.
I WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.—Tile pros
j edition of the Associated Press under
j the terms of tin- Sherman anti-trust
I law was demanded today in a com
! I'laint filed witli the attorney general
William Relok. publisher of the
New York Sun.
An assistant attorney general was
assigned to investigate Reick's com
plaint. Beick's action is aimed at the
morning branch of the Associated
Press against which there is no strong
competition.
It is not believed that a serious at
■ il 1 be made to charge a man
opolistic feature in collection with the
afternoon service as the United Press
serves more evening papers than does
tile Associated Press.
tempt
I
i
GUGGE.NHEIMS
WERE
GRILLED
Missouri Congressman Makes Scath
j ing Denouncement of Their Opera
tions in Alaska,
WASHINGTON, Feb, ».—A scathing
denunciation of the Gttggenheims and
J. P. Morgan was voiced by Repre
sentative Borland of Missouri today
during a debate on the Alaskan rail
road bill in the house.
"The story running through
courts are a sober record," lie said,
"and included everything from corrup
tion and bribery of judges to a wanton
attack by armed bands of assassins
upon workmen engaged in rival enter
prises. Its a drama of greed and carn
age. unparalleled since the days of
Warren Hastings."
tlie
WILL BROOK NO FAVORS
President Wilson in Favor of Repeal
ing Law Giving American Coast
wise Ships Free Panama Tolls.
WASHINGTON,
Wilson made it clear today that he
favored the repeal of the law exempt
ing American coastwise ships from
Panama canal toils. He told callers
that he will endeavor to obtain con
gressional action (o tills effect during
the present session.
The president let it be known also
that he stands back of Secretary of
the Navy Daniels In the resolution for
two battleships this year.
Felt.
!i.—President
LITTLE GIRLS FORM CLUB
Moscow Children Adopt AH the Rules
of Grown-Ups and Name Organiza
tion "Forget-Me-Not'' Utah.
A number of little girls from ten
to twelve years old. who have been
in the habit for a year or more of
meeting on Saturdays to sew, have
just formed themselves into a regular
club with all the by-laws, officer^, in
itiations. and committees known fo
gtown tip organizations. Details of
the new society were perfected last
Saturday afternoon at the home of
Miss Dorothy wann on Polk street.
The name "Forget-Me-Not" was
chosen for the club, and officers were
elected and committees were appoint
ed for tlie next three months. The in
itiation fee will be five cents for each
member, and the dues will be one
cents at each fortnightly meeting.
Membership is limited to a dozen lit
tle girls. There will be a program
at each meeting, and the members
will make dresses for dollies which
will be given away next Christmas to
children not likely to get any from
Santa Clans.
The officers elected were as fol
lows: Victoria Wallace, president:
Dorothy Parsons, vice president; Dor
othy Swann, secretary; Louisa Martin,
treasurer. Mary Owings is on the
program committee.
With the money pouring into the
treasury as it is sure to do, the mem
bers think they will have more than
enough on hand to hire a sleigh and
have a really truly sleigh-ride before
the snow is too far gone.
Schmidt Jury Disagreed.
NEW YORK, Feb. 5.—The jury in the
second trial of Hans Schmidt, tried for
the murder of Anna Aumuller, at 12-3»
today reported it «'as unable to agree
on a verdict.