Imperial Valley press., April 18, 1908, Image 1

About Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current

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Imperial Valley Press.
VOL. VIII *
PREPARATORY SCHOOL
AND PERHAPS A COLLEGE
Educational Progress in Imperial County Demands
Establishment of High Grade Institution. Probable
Extension of Work Begun by Dr, Shepherd at
His Ranch,
El Centro may add to its numerous
advantages as a place of residence
tho factor of a good college prepara
tory school that probably will develop
into'a collegiate institution itself. A
move is in progress to this end, and
it has the warm endorsement of many
citizens of the Imperial Valley, who
hope to keep the educational inter
ests fully abreast with development
in other lines.
Some time ago, Dr. R. P. Shepherd,
at his ranch at Gleason, began the
nucleus of what may develop into an
important institution for El Centro.
He gathered, about him a few earnest
young men, who were desirous of pre
parrtg themselves for college courses,
and during all of the past winter and
this spring regular classes and courses
of lectures have been conducted at
the Shepherd ranch.
This work has attracted the atten
tion of many valley residents, who
•see how advantageous a similar work
on wider lines might prove to ' the
young men and young women of the
entire valley. This has brought about
a discussion of the advisability .of
having such a work undertaken at
El Centro, the county seat and the
commercial center of Imperial Valley.
Within a few weeks, from the var
ious schools of this valley a large num
ber of pupils will be graduated from
the grades of the grammar schools ;
and there are many of these" whose
circumstances will not permit them
to leave the valley for the further
schooling they desire. It is necessary
that some adequate provision be made
for their future school work, and the
sensible thing to do is to make it
possible for them to enter a high
class preparatory school right here,
where they may all be near home.
El Centro, a point easy of access from
all sections of the valley, is the logical
point for such an institution.
It is possible that Dr. Shepherd
would consent to a removal of his
school activities to El Centro from
the ranch at Gleason, and there is a
possibility of enlarging the scope of
the work so as to include commercial
courses as weir as the regular college
preparatory work. . '. ■ \
Interest has been tiroused in the
general plan to such an extent that
a public meeting has been called for
all citizens of the valley to devise
some plan whereby all desiring such
training in school work may be accom
modated. This meeting will occur at
2 o'clock on the afternoon of Sat
urday, April 25, in the opera house,
El Centro.
NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
County Will Spend Sixty Thousand to
Provide Room For Next Year.
Estimates made Jjy County Super
intendent J. E. Carr during tho pres
ent week indicate that Imperial Valley
will have its school facilities increased
by the outlay of many thousands of
dollars by the opening of another
school year. It appears that there
is good prospect of at least nine now
school buildings, or commodious ad
ditions in Bonio cases to existing struc
tures, and that approximately $00,000
will be the amount spent in providing
for the great Influx of school children
during tho past fow months.
There is not a town in Imperial Val
ley but is demanding more and better
school facilities. Plans that were made
to accommodate villages have been
far outgrown; and tho same condition
/ Official Paper of Imperial County
EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1908.
is to be found in several of the country
districts. .
Imperial on Wednesday of this week
voted to make a bond issue of $7000
for the purpose of building an addi
tional school room in the city, and
also to sustain two country schools
that come under its protectorate.
Calexico is laying plans for a com
modious new school building, and this
will call for a bond issue of probably
$10,000.
Brawley has the bee in her bonnet
for a new school building to be in keep
ing with the growing importance of
the town, and it is also planning for
the formation of a high school district.
It is probable a move will be made
to erect a .combination building for
the use of grammar grades and the
prospective high school. This will
call for an outlay or from $10,000 to
$15,000.
The new school district of Verde,
located between Holtville and the Mex
ican boundary line, and which was
created from territory taßen from the
Holtville and Alamo districts, will
erect a comfortable building, to cost
in the neighborhood of $3000.
A school house to cost/$2500, and
possibly $3000, will be erected in the
Eastside district before the opening
of another school year.
Sunset Springs district will have a
brand new,. $3000 school house with
the latest equipment.
Magnolia district, which is located
south of Brawley, comes into line with
prospects of making an outlay of fully
$3000 on a model country school build
ing.
El Centro itself is planning to do
things in the school building line, and
these may be even more extensive than
was intended when the discussion was
first taken up. With Hie remarkable
growth of the city, and tile certainty
that it is but laying the foundation
of its expansion, has come the feeling
that a considerable outlay must be
made during the present year for a
new building.
It is possible that $25,000 will be
the amount of the bond issue to be
asked for the purpose of erecting a
first-class building for the grammar
and primary grades of El Centro. With
this accomplished, the present school
building could be turned over for high
school purposes, as it is certain that
a high school will be instituted here.
Imperial Valley's schoot growth, like
its expansion in all otner lines, has
run away from all calculation. TL v c
period has now arrived wherein thore
must be an extensive building move
ment, for good schools must be kept
to the fore as one of tho attractions
of this valley as a place for homes.
SCHOOL FUNDS.
Imperial County Has Trouble Getting
Money From San Diego.
This week County Superintendent
J. E. Carr has received from Super
intendent Baldwin of San Diego coun
ty a check for $722, as Imperial coun
ty's share of the unapportioned school
money from Sacramento. There
still remains a mix up, however, over
the payment of the apportioned money,
and there is now due Imperial county
from San Diego County about $9000.
It appears that Superintendent Bald
win has endeavored to carry out his
part of these proceedings in good faith,
as several weeks ago he Bent to Super
intendent Carr an order on the San
Diego county treasurer for tho amount
due. With this practical .assurance
of being able to handle its own money,
Imperial county's . treasurer .cashed
some warrants on the school fund;
but when the order of Baldwin's was
sent to San Diego for collection, it
was refused payment, on the advice
of the district attorney of that county.
It now seems that the July appor
tionment of State school funds will
have to be sent to San Diego county
officials, in like manner to the last
apportionment, because Imperial coun
ty does not appear on the books of
the State Superintendent of Public In
struction.
COUNTY SEAT CASE
AT LAST IN COURT
JUDGES ASK THAT IT BE SUBMIT-
TED ON BRIEFS.
Demurrer to Mode of Procedure Is
Argued by Counsel In District Court
of Appeals— lssues of Fact Not Yet
Before the Court.
The Tooley-street tailors of Imperial
had their day in court last Wednes
day. Their county seat contest was
taken up by the Second District Court
of Appeals in Los Angeles on •a de
murrer interposed by Attorney J. W.
McKinley, representing El Centro. H
made a brief argument to the effect
that the procedure by writ 6f man
date was not the proper method of
deciding whether Imperial or El Cen
tro was the legal county seat. The
justices made short work of the hear
ing by asking that the whole matter
be submitted on briefs.
On account of the disqualification of
Justice Shaw by reason of ownership
of land in Imperial Valley, Judge
Bordwell of the Superior Court sat
with Justices Allen and Taggart.
If the demurrer be overruled, a re
turn will be filed by the respondent,
which corresponds to the answer in
the Superior Court. In that case final
issues of fact will be tried in Imperial
county, with some outside judge on
the bench.
Attorney E. A. Meserve, for the town
of Imperial, will file authorities in be
half of his right to the alternative writ
of mandate.
D. G. Aplin, Wilber Clark, J. H,
Beck and others of Imperial filed a
petition in the Court of Appeal several
weeks ago for a writ of mandate to
compel the county officers to transfer
the seat of government from El Centro
to Imperial.
They rehashed all the campaign
roor-backs of the Imperial Daily Howl,
in which respected citizens of El Cen
tro were accused of entering into a
criminal conspiracy to bribe voters,
stuff ballot boxes and falsify returns,
and they swore to the accusations,
which were so extravagantly slander
ous as to be ridiculous.
When the contest case is settled,
the men who swore to the yarns
cooked up by blackmailing "private
detectives" probably will have another
day in court as defendants in criminal
and civil actions for libel.
IT MAY BE MURDER.
H. T. Gidden Stabbed By Clemente
Ponca In Quarrel Over Shovel.
H. T. Glddeh, a young American
about 2C years of age, is lying at the
point of death in the county hospital
In Imperial as the result of knife
wounds received in a fight with Cle
men'to Ponca, a Mexican of about the
same age, last Monday evening on the
ranch of E. G. Wright, about seven
miles west of Calexico.
Late yesterday afternoon it was re
ported that Gldden cannot live. Ponca
was arrested immediately after the as
sault and is now In the county jail
at El Centre It is said that the as
sault grew out of a quarrel over the
possession of a shovel, and Ponca
asserts that Gldden began tho fight by
striking him over the head with the
thovel. He received h wound several
inches wide, the skin being cleanly
laid back over his scalp. Ponca then
attacked Oidden with a knife, striking
him in the breast and abdomen. Gid
den was hurried to Imperial for treat
ment.
Residents of Calexico stated yester
day that Ponca has previously borne
the reputation of being a peaceable
Mexican, and that he has not been
mixed up In trouble before. Oidden
is a recent comer to the valley.
TOO LATE FOR FUNERAL.
The body of OiKi D. Southwlck, tho
unfortunate young man who died in
the hospital at Imperial alter refusing
to give any information about his
relatives, was buried Just one day be
fore a brother of the deceased arrived
from Salt Lake City. The brother
has declared his intention of assuming
tho expenses of the burial, and yes
terday Public Administrator Forr«ster
went to Imperial to straighten out
Southwick's business affairs. The
young man had an eating stand in
that town, and it now appears that
he was possessed of some property
in Salt Lake, although dependent up
on county aid here during his last
illness.
HOME SEEKERS' EXCURSIONS.
A general excursion of land viewers
and homeseekers was planned by the
Southern Pacific for the Imperial Val
ley April 16, but the fleet celebration
so overshadowed it that it was deemed
best to postpone the excursion to the
valley until a later, day, probably April
30. District Passenger Agent Martin
believes that a series of these visits
to the valley can be arranged to gen
eral advantage. No diners are to be
run on these trains and the various
towns of the valley would have to
make provisions for feeding the 200
or more people the railroad would
bring.
NEW TREE PLANTING PLAN.
Imperial's Board of Trade will soon
have worked out details of a new plan
for handling tree-planting, which it
will present to the Board of Trustees
there. The plan would provide for
levying a small tax, or an appropria
tion out of the general budget, for the
planting of trees on certain sections
of street each year, and for their care
until they are thoroughly established.
Imperial has planted almost 1000 euca
lyptus rostrata trees the past month
on its streets. Time for El Centro
townsite company and lot owners to
wake up.
HOUSE PARTY AT SHEPHERD'S.
A number of Pomona young ladies
have been enjoying a week's house
party at the ranch of Dr. R. P. Shep
herd, at Gleason. The party was com
posed of Misses Cora Perrin, Ora
Webb, Merle Zander, Effle and Milissa
Whip, Maude and Blanche Mosher.
Some of the young ladies returned
yesterday, so as to be able to visit the
fleet. All work was declared off for
the week on the ranctt, says Dr. Shep
herd, and there was a general holiday
for the students, who combine school
studies and ranching in balanced pro
portions.
APRICOTS TWICE THINNED.
E. E. Forrester was in El Centro
yesterday, telling of the wonderful S'jt
ting of apricots on his two and three
year old trees south of town. He says
that he has just gone over the treea
for the second time, thinning out the
fruit because of its heavy setting, iuvl
that there are now apricots on these
trees as large as big marbles. Ht» ex
pects to have ripe fruit from thes->
lives by the first week in May.
IN JUSTICE'S COURT.
Tomorrow the case of Neil Sven I
sen, charged with illicit liquor sellii-g,
will be heard in Justice Tout's cbiiv*.
Tents and camp furniture at W. H.
Goodrich Furniture Co.'s.
CONTEMPT OF COURT
IS LIQUOR SELLING
NEW MOVES IN THE CAMPAIGN
AGAINST BLIND PIGGERS. "" "~
Court Issues Injunction Against Illicit
Traffic In Whiskey, and Federal
Authorities Are Interested In the
Bootleg Peddlers Recently Caught
In Raid.
An action said to be entirely new
in the annals of law in California was
that in the Imperial County Superior
Court yesterday forenoon, wherein a
temporary injunction was issued by
Judge Cole, restraining Robert Hall of
Imperial from selling or in any other
way disposing of any intoxicating liq
uors upon certain premises in the city
of Imperial. The action was taken
on the ground that it is suppressing a
public nuisance.
Suit was brought for the people by
George H. P. Shaw, city attorney of
Imperial. Hall, It is alleged, has been
conducting illicit liquor selling at Im
perial for a long period. Attempts
have been made to clean out his stand
by prosecuting him under city ordin
ances, and he has been convicted and
fined under these ordinances — but it is
asserted that the illegal sales con
tinue.
At last a new tack was taken on the
matter, and Attorney Shaw decided
to ask for an injunction from the Su
perior Court, so that any future sales
of liquor by Hall would be in con
tempt of court. The Ck.se was argued
before Judge Cole yesterday forenoon,
and Attorney Shaw cited precedents
established in the States of lowa, Ne
braska and Vermont. A temporary in
junction was promptly granted by
Judge Cole, and it is probable that at
a later period a permanent injunction
covering the same grounds will issue
\ from this court.
Prosecutors of the peddlers of liquor
recently arrested throughout the coun
ty have notified the federal revenue
officers in Los Angeles, and it is prob
able that the cases of persons having
no United States liquor licenses will
be turned over to federal authorities.
Such disposition of the cases would
remove the "bootleggers" from Im
perial county and probably insure
them a good long rest in jail. With
the cooperation of the revenue officials
it will be easy to clear the county of
liquor peddlers.
SEVEN BOARDERS NOW.
Imperial county's jail now has seven
prisoners awaiting trial before the Su
perior court. Two oi ~tnese are mere
youths who are seggregated from the
other prisoners. During the absence
of Sheriff Meadows from the valley,
M. H. McAlmond, the marshal-elect of
Calexico, is assisting Under Sheriff
Buck at El Centro.
NOTIFYING DELINQUENTS.
County Tax Collector Wright today
is sending out to taxpayers notices so
that they may avoid appearing on the
delinquent tax rolls. All taxes become
delinquent on Monday, April 27, and
unless, a rushing business is done at
tho collector's ofllce within the en
suing week, the delinquency ''will be
large.
EJECTMENT SUIT.
The ejectment suit of Frederick W.-
Wales vs. John W. Wltmau, which
involved the possession of an eighty
acre ranch three miles north of Im
perial, was tried beforo Judge Cole
Wednesday, and judgment was given
for the plaintiff.
LICENSED TO WED.
License to wed has been Issued to
WiHle E. Johnson and Lillian With
ers; and to Silas W. Honaker and
Electa J. Combs.
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