Imperial Valley press., March 06, 1909, Image 1

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

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Imperial Valley Press.
VOL. VIII.
MAN WHO FORGOT
PART OF HIS LIFE
A Remarkable Case of Partial
Obliteration of the
Memory.
D. B. Wyandt, of El Centro, Was Mer
chant of Stockton— Recognizes His
Wife Only as a Girl He Knew Years
Ago — Reunited by Chance Recogni
tion of Acquaintances.
A remarkable case of amnesia or
lapse of memory, presumably induced
by a blow on tho head, is that of D.
R. Wyandt, business man of El Centro
for the past nine months, who-pre
vious to coming to El Centro was a
dry goods merchant at Stockton, and
who declares he has no recollection
of that period of his life.
Wyandt has a wife and three-year
old daughter, but did not know it
until Mrs. Wyandt arrived In El Cen
tra Thursday forenoon. Wyandt was
taken to see his wife, and remembered
her as a girl he had known several
years ago, but could recall nothing
of their marriage. Incidents of his
life in Stockton suggested to him bring
no responding recollection. A complete
lapse of memory concerning that per
iod of his life is aparently the. condi
tion in which Wyandt finds himself.
Wyandt came to El Centro early
last June, took quarters at the princi
pal hotel and by his affable manner
and attractive personality at once
made friends here. His evident capa
bility as a business man opened tho
way for him, and for several months
he was connected with the man-ige
ment of the El Centro creamery. Re
cently he engaged In the creamery
business on his own account, under
the firm name of tin* Crescent Ortaru
Com pa v.'.
For iii». nil years j^rior to h ; \ ap
pearance in El Ce.i-.o Wyaudi. \v;i«
engagc-1 •«., the dry {" ods bus'ne«V;rln
Stockton. He went to San Francisco
the latter part of last May to pur
chase goods, and suddenly dropped
out of sight. His wife endeavored to
locate him but obtained no trace of
her husband.
Early this week, Mr. and Mrs. E. P.
Llewelyn, former neighbors of the Wy
andts in Stockton, came to El Centro,
and they immediately recognized the
creamery man as the missing Wyandt,
but on questioning him found he had
no recollection of either themselves
or his family. They at once sent for
Mrs. Wyandt to come and make their
Identification certain.
Wyandt's story is to the effect that
he can clearly remember past events
of several years ago, but that his
mind is a blank as regards his mar
riage or family, or his life in Stock
ton during the time mentioned by the
Llewelyns and' Mrs. Wyandt.
He says he found himself on the
Southern Pacific train between Los
Angeles and Imperial Junction, with a
ticket in his pocket for Benson, Ari
zona. He knew of no reason why he
should be going to Benson, of which
town he knew nothing, and as every
one was talking of Imperial Valley
and El Centro, he concluded to come
where the crowd was going, and thus
accounts for his presence here.
"I guesa they have the man they
are looking for," said Wyandt tliis
morning. "I recognize the lady they
aay Is my wife as a girl I used to know
several years ago, but that is as far
as I can go. I hope my recollection
will como of the events said to have
taken place. If I have assumed obli
gations at Stocktjon I want to meet
them. If I have business complica
tions there, I shall go there and settlo
them; but I shall make El Centro my
homo. I like this place and like its
business opportunities.
"After coming to myßelf on the
train I was puzzled at first as to my
Identity, but finally It came to me that
my name was Wyandt. My main
trouble has been in regard to political
matters. Peoplo havo talked to me
.about acts of Roosevelt, the Ruef trial,
etc., and I was puzzled that I could
not remember about these matters. I
•even got hold of old newspaper flies
and magazines to read up on euch
subjects."
Wyandt can account for his condi
tion In no other way tKau that he
must have received a blow on h!a
head, presumably by thieves, while in
Han Francisco. When he arrived In
•Xl Centra hi* head was bruised and
Official Paper* of Imperial Cotinty and City of 131 Centro.
he was clearly Buffering from an In
jury euch as might have been made
by a fall or a blow from a sand bag.
Mrs. Wyandt has not the least
doubt that she has found her husband.
She will romain In El Centro several
days, and will then return to Stock
ton. Later tho family may remove
here.
BCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT
An interesting event, an account of
which was inadvertently omitted from
last week's issue of Tho Press was
tho public school entertainment given
on the night of Washington's Birth
day, In tho Holt Opera House. The
cantata represented Columbia listen
ing to tho claims of people from all
nations to a part in the life of this
Republic. The school children were
costumed to reprosent the various na
tionalities, and acquitted themselves
In a highly creditable manner. About
$30 was netted for the Grammar
School library fund.
PERKISS RANCH SOLD.
Through the agency of C. E. Sprousu,
the 160-acre ranch of E. A. Perkiss,
located one mile north of El Centro,
was sold last week, for $24,000, to
D. L. Epler of Gleudora, S. F. Epler,
of Albion, Illinois, J. W. Epler, of
Denver, Colorado, and Charles Ham
mond, of liOng Beach. Mr. Perkiss
will move to El Centro and the land
has been leased to Charles Hammond
at a cash rental of $25 per acre. He
will remove to it from Long Beach
as soon as possession can be secured.
COLONIAL SAXAPHONE QUARTET
The third event of the Midland Ly
ceum Bureau Course, given under the
auspices of the Imperial Valley Minis
terial Union, will be the appearance
of the Colonial Saxaphone Quartet at
the Holt Opera House on the night
of Tuesday, March 9. ,
FILES ON HARPER'B WELL
Mrs. W. S. Smallwood has filed a
claim on the land surrounding Har
per's Well, northwest of Brawley, and
has made preparations for the open
ing of a temporary hotel there to ac
commodate the numerous land view
ers who are > inspecting that portion
of the Imperial Valley.
FINAL CERTIFICATE ISSUED.
The United State Land Office at Los
Angeles has issued to George P. Cort
ner a final certificate for the desert
entry on the east half of the north
east quarter of section 6, township
17 south, range 14 east.
EPISCOPAL FOUNDATION
Definite Start Made Towards Estab
lishing Parishes In Imperial Valley
— Lots Secured for Mission.
It is expected that within a month
a resident clergyman of the Episcopal
church will be stationed in Imperial
Valley. Archdeacon Octavins Parker,
who has been spending the past three
weeks in this valley, investigating the
field and holding services in each of
the valley towns, will return to Los
Angeles Monday, and <will make a re
port to Bishop J. H. Johnson, of thid
diocese, recommending the immediate
stationing of a clergyman in this field.
Pledges have been secured for the
support of a minister in all of the
valley towns, and with the aid of mis
sionary money from the funds of the
diocese the work will be started this
spring.
Threo lots have been purchased by
Archdeacon Parker on H street, in Im
perial, as,a site for the first mission
to be established. It is proposed to
lay a good foundation and floor there
and a large army tent will bo sent
for temporary use. A permanent build,
ing may be erected there in the fall.
At the other cities, halls will be used
for tho regular services.
A schedule of services has been ar
ranged so as to give Imperial three
services a month; El Centro, two;
llrawley, two, and Holtvllle, one.
Archdeacon \ Morgan holds services
in the Presbyterian church at Braw
ley tomorrow morning, and at Imperial
tomorrow evening.
EMPLOYMENT AGENCY BTARTED.
Valley & Franklin have opened an
umployment agency In 121 Ceutro, hav-J
Ing engaged space lv the front harif
of the building occupied by tbo \uf
Hall. Ml ■ v 1
EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1909.
EL CENTRO IS RAILROAD JUNCTION
San Diego & Eastern Final Location Makes County Seat the
Eastern Terminus of Une v and Important Station on thej
Transcontinental Route— Surveyors Working Toward City'
From Coyote Wells and Setting .Stakes for Construction.
Surveyors making final location of
the San Diego & Eastern railroad line
from Coyote Well 3 eastward are now
In camp on the main West Side canal
in Section 18, township 1C S., range
12 east, seven miles west by north
of Sllsbee. The twenty-five men in
the party aro setting location stakes,
making profiles and estimates of cuts
and fills, and when their work is com
pleted the line will be ready to turn
over to a contractor for grade con
struction. Construction work probably
will be under way early in tho fall.
The final location line crosses New
River In- section 14, and then bends
slightly to the north of a due east
course directly to El Centro, "which
will be the point of junction with the
Southern Pacific's system and the
eastern terminus of the San Diego &
Eastern railway for the present and
probably for several years. When the
rails are joined at El Ceutro, con
nection of the San Diego road with
the east is accomplished and the line
becomes a transcontinental route. The
VERDICT OF GUILTY
After Two Weeks of Strenuous Pro
cedure, Case of E. S. Heil, Charged
With Illicit Liquor Selling,
is Decided.
The case of the people vs. E. S.
Hell, druggist for the El Centro Drug
Store, charged with violation of the
city ordinance No. 6, which prohibits
the sale of liquors except on physi
cian's prescriptions, reached the jury,
in Recorder J. F. Tout's court, Satur
day evening.
The final arguments of the attorneys
were made in the court room of the
county Court House, and the attend
ance was so large that even the hall
way was blockaded. The case was
submitted to tho jury about 9 o'clock
and within two hours a verdict of
guilty was reached.
Attorney McNamara secured from
the Imperial County Superior Court
a writ of prohibition, and on Wednes
day forenoon Attorneys McNamara
and D. V. Noland, for the defense, and
M. W. Conkling, for the people, ar
gued before Judge Franklin J. Cole
the question as to whether the trial
in the Recorder's court had been a
fair and impartial one, and as to the
legality of the procedure of drawing
jurymen outside of the municipal lim
its of the city of El Centro.
The matter was taken under ad
visement by Jud£e Cole, who is to
give his decision this forenoon.
The other liquor cases are held in
abeyance until the action of the Su
perior Court on the Heil case Is an
nounced. Attorney Baker, who prose
cuted the case in the Recorder's court,
has returned to his home in Los An
geles.
WILL HANDLE MELONS.
. The Mutual Distributing Company,
Is tho name of the new commission
concern, of which Alex Strachan, of
Riverside, is the representative. The
concern is backed by what is said to
bo a strong circle of eastern and west.
era fruit jobbers. Mr. Strachan 6tates
that he will have the handling of ap
proximately 300 cars of melons from
Imperial Valley this season. The new
company has signed up from 125 to
ICO curs of melons from the Moapa
Valley, Nevada, and from 150 to
200 earn from the Kerman district
near Fresno, both of these districts
coming into the market between the
Imperial Valley and Rocky Ford can
taloupe crops.
DOWEN-DUNN.
The marriage of Samuel P. Howen
ami Mian Goorgiaua Dunn took place
it the Oarren Hotel, on Tuesday even-
JAig, iii the presence of a small party
of frleuds. Judge Franklin J. Cole
performed the ceremony. Mr. aud
Mrs. ilowt'n will make their home in
El Centra
shorter route for trains will be over
the Inter-California through Calexico
to Yuma, but it will be feasible, if
deemed desirable, to keep them wholly
on the American side by running to
Old Beach and thence eastward.
It Is now settled beyond quostion
that El Centro Is the point of junction
and will be an Important station on
tho southern transcontinental line to
San Diego. * ,
The Inter-California Huh to Yuma
will be completed this spring, and
when heavy steel replaces the rails
on the section from Old Beach to Cal
exico, trains between El Paso and Los
Angeles will be run this way, A
branch line through l^ower California
to deep water at the head of the gulf
is under consideration and undoubted
ly will be built in time to take ad
vantage of the opening of the Pana
ma Canal. General Manager Calvin,
of the Southern Pacific, went over the
route in ah automobile last week, ex
tending his tour of observation to the
Gulf of California.
NASHVILLE STUDENTS COMING
Will Appear at Holt Opera House-
Next Monday Night With Old
Time Songs of the Sunny
South.
Lovers of the old time melodies will
be well entertained next Monday
night, March 8, at the El Centro Op
era House with the delightful tunes
of the old Southern ballads of the
times "befo' de War."
The Nashville Students have at
tained a high reputation as entertain
ers, and the members of - this body
have always been selected by the man
agement for their abilities in some
particular musical line. It has long
been conceded that no one can get
the harmony and music out of those
old songs like the real darkey.
Added to this entertainment is also
plenty of good, clean comedy, and
some of the latest and most popular
ballads of the present time. The show
is especially for ladies and children.
From the time the curtain goes up
until the close of the performance,
there is always something doing, and
you will want to see every bit of it.
If you can afford only one show, this
season, be sure to attend the enter
tainment given by the Nashville Stu
dents.
THE ELLEFORDS.
The best theatrical entertainment
of the season was given this week
at the Holt Opera House by the Elle
ford stock company. On Monday
night the company presented "Pals;"
on Tuesday night tho farce "All Due
to Diana," a modern version of the
old farce "Too Much Mother-in-Law ; "
bii Wednesday afternoon "Cinderella"
for the little folks, and on Wednes
day night "A Woman's Secret." The
company is composed of competent
people and it gives thoroughly satis
factory performance of the plays in
its repertoire.
EMIL ENGELCKE MARRIES.
Emll Kngelcke, former immigration
inspector for the district including San
Diego and Imperial Counties, has been
married to Miss Emma Chrlsmore,
daughter of tho lato Dr. George Chris
more of San Francisco, and they are
now visiting friends in San Diego. Af
ter losing his place In tho Immigra
tion service, Eiigelcke commenced tho
practice of law in San Francisco,
which is now his home.
EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS.
A remarkable change lv taking place
in the ranch. lands In the vicinity of
Sllsbee and to the weßt of that place.
Many rancors are bringing under culti
vation thei ■ entire holdings this spring
and are nittlng their old laud in
better coi dltlon than ever before.
Over in Water District No. 9 the. land
ovrnera aro constructing a ditch paral
lollng the West Side canal ,and this
will bo ready to carry water within
a .short time. Much land In that dis
trict is being cleared up and broken.
While the water will reach this laud
too lato for a barley crop, the own
era are planning to plant millet or
some forage crop, and several of them
will put in com In the summer. The
men engaged In building the new ditch
aro allowed a rate of ten cents a
cubic yard for the oarth removed, the
amount to apply on their purchase of
water stock.
FINE DIBPLAY OF DATES.
A display of ripe dates from the ex
perimental station at Mecca has been
sent to tho Chamber of Commerce
at Riverside. The varieties shown are
the Karoon, Deglet Noor, Tennessin,
Timjoorert, Rabet-Regai, Tazizaoot,
Hent Kaballa, Kcsba and Teddalla, all
of which were grown on trees im
ported, from Africa in 1904. This sea
son many home-grown trees will come
into Dearing.
FUNERAL OF FRANKLIN.
The funeral of George G. Franklin,
the young man who died at Imperial
last week as the result of being struck
on the temple by a pitched ball, took
place at San Diego Friday afternoon
of last week, the services being con
ducted by Rev. D. M. Stewart, pastor
of the Presbyterian Church of Na
tional City. The interment was in the
San Diego cemetery.
ENTERPRISING DESERT TOWNS.
The city trustees at Imperial have
accepted lots for the $10,000 Carnegie
library the city expects to have, and
El Centro is working to secure $15,000
instead of $10,000 from the iron mon
ger. Those desert towns are certain
ly enterprising when It comes to go-
Ing after desirable improvements —
Riverside Press..
ST. PATRICK'S DAY.
On the night of March 17, T. M.
McNamara Esq., will deliver a lecture
on. the life of Ireland's patron saint.
The lecture will be preliminary to a
varied entertainment and dance in
niacklnton Hall, to which all are in-
ACTIVITY AT MINES.
Renewed activity at the Picacho
Mines is noted during the past month,
the force having been increased, and
new work having been undertaken.
D. W. Carson is the new superin
tendent. Mrs. Carson joined her hus
band at the mines last week.
NEW SCHOOL BUILDING
El Centro to Have Two-Story Structure
With Deep Arcade Surround
ing Thpe Sides.
The Board of Directors of the El
Centro school district have adopted
the plans of Architect Zlmmer for the
new I Grammar School, to be built on
the site purchased last week. Bids
for construction will be advertised
next week.
The building will be of a modified
mission style particularly adaptable to
the valley's climatic conditions. It
wll have a striking appearance, and
Its Bite will such as to make it
prominent before travelers through
tho valley.
The ground dimensions of the build
ing are to be 70x80 feet. Eight class
rooms, each 20x32 feet, are provided
for, and there to be a principal's office,
teachers' room, ample closets and
wardrobes for the pupils.
The walls of the first story are to
be of brick, 18 Inches in thickness,
and partition walls are to be of brick.
The secoud story is to be of frame,
with double walls. The basement will
be aranged for the Installation of a
water heater.
An arcade, eight feet in depth, Is
to surround the* front and sides of
the first story, and the root of this
arcade forms a porch for tho second
story. Four-foot projecting eaves will
give shade to the second story. The
roof is to have large ventilating spaces
aud each room is to have ample open-
Ings for light and ventilation.
GIVEN A DECREE.
Alice D. Medhurst, who wan mar*
rled to Fred D. Medhurut in 1899,
wan given, a decree of divoroe to the
Los Angeles Superior Court, this
week. \ •
No. 48.
COTTON PLANTERS
PREPARING LAND
Two Thousand Acres Are Al
ready In Sitp For
This Year,
American Nile Company Will Dis
tribute Seed and Put Up Machinery
to Handle The Cropf— Managers Con-" — r
fident ,of Success of New Industry V.
In the Valley.
The American Nile Cotton Company "
proposes to create a distinctive flame,
for tho Imperial Valley cotton on: the
markets next fall and winter. .- It ,!•/
the purpose of this company to 'gjveffi
particular care to the grading and
handling of the valley's product. and 5;
to use every possible means to create
for it the reputation of high .cla ss V;
material.
It has been decided that the stand*
ard bale will be adhered to, making
a bale of about 500 pounds, which
will be. compressed direct from the
gin.
A carload of the selected Mebane
Triumph seed, secured in the vicinity,
of Lockhart, Texas, Is now on tie
way to El Centro, to be distributed
by the American Nile Cotton Com
pany to Imperial Valley growers. This
car will contain fifteen tons of seed,
sufficient for the planting of 2000 acres
of land.
Seed for another 1000 acres will
be secured, by this company ' front
other points, and this will include
several selected varieties of the short
staple cottons.
These varieties will;, inculde i . th« >
Simms Improved, Cook'^lmproved^
Cleveland Big 8011, Tone's 'parly 1 aMs-
Russell Big i^oll cott«fa. , : V
On the Melolaftti- ranch of Joseph U.
Loftus 175 acres will be seeded to the: .
Mebane Triumph cotton, and especial'
care will be taken in the scientific
preparation of the land and method* '
of cultivation throughout the growing
period.
The American Nile Cotton Compnay
expects to open a permanent office I a
El Centro during the ensuing week,
and Charles Stevens will be in charge
of this office. Mr. Loftus will; spend
much of his time in the field, look
ing after details of the distribution
of seed and arranging for the erection
of the cotton ginning plant, etc.
Among those in the immediate vi
cinity of El Centro who will ■ plant
cotton this spring, in tracts ranging
from five acres to two hundred \ acres
are the following:
F. N. Burger, J. P. Buttram, Hand
& Pellet, R. H. Portiss, Joseph R. Lof
tus, I. N. Stevens, A. J. Snee, J. L.
Adkins, L. Poston, F. S. Webster,
Chris Beck, Harold Bell Wright, Paul
Boman, Earl Hartzeler, R. L. Greer,
L. E. Srack, B. E. Forrester, • W. B.
Wllsie, Fred Lynch, Will Brown, U.
S. Handley, C. E. Jones, S. F. Wiels,
J| A.. McCassie, McClure & Davis,
George A. Carter, True Vencill, Ira
Aten, George Nichols, I. A. Morgan,
D. R. Crawford, F. G. Havens, H. R.
balcom, F. W. Waite and W. R. Wai
drup, Prof. G. A. Ragan, E. H. Me-
Douald, E. Bennett, A. F. Andrade,; H.
D. Wilson, Mr. Edmonds, J. Stanley
Brown.
Mr. Loftus comes from a tour of
the Southern cotton states more 'con
fident of the success of cotton-grow
ing in Imperial Valley than when he
left. He took with him a' number of
samples of the cotton raised in the
valley, which created a great deal of
comment among the southern cotton
growers as it is very much superior
to anything they can raise in that
part of the country. They had never
raised anything in the South of such
quality, with such long staple and
with such texture and gloss.
Another point in favor of the valley
cotton Is that it is not rain-beaten and
discolored as much of the Bouthera
cotton, the rainfall being so light in
that part of the valley it is not neces
sary to pick the cotton immediately
after ripening as la the case in the
South. , There id also no need to ba
afraid of the boll weevil, or any of th«
other pests which have devastated th«
southern fields. As there la no rain
fall at all in the summer lv the valley/
i and only an average of two and on*
half inches In the entire year, it wIH
be possible xo give the cotton jast
the right amount of water at tho right
(Continued on page 8)
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