Imperial Valley press., July 11, 1925, Image 1

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

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
JULY 8, 192f>
River at Yuma
21.35 Feet
River Plww at Yuma
32,700 See. Feet
.TWENTY FIFTH YEAR
COOLIDGE BUSY WITH CHINA QUESTION
President Confers
With Kellogg On
Oriental Muddle
By DALE VAN EVERY
(United Press Staff Correspondent)
HWAMPSCOTT, Mass., July U.
America’s course toward Chinp and
its troublesome problems is expected
to be framed over tin* week-end in
conferences between President Cool
idge, Secretary of Htnte'J\ellogg and
T'nder Secretary of State drew.
Upon these important consulta
tions may hinge much of the immed
iate future of China and its rela
tions to the other world powers.
While the conferences are describ
ed n«S consultations on several for
eign problems, China is their center
and, while there is apparently some
disposition to make the conference
coming appear more or less routine,
it is known that world capitals are
following the outcome with more
than extraordinary interest.
The President’s week-end talk
with Kellogg marks the first major
problem of state with which the
President has grappled since coming
to this seaside retreat. The confer
ence, it is expected, will determine
definitely the stand America will
take toward the cpiestion of foreign
extra-territoriality privileges.
The President is known to want
to start on this highly important
question, which according to the
Chinese, is the crux of the entire
Chinese problem. The state depart
ment has been represented as desir
ing to see stabilitv in China, with
gradual abolition of extra territori
ality.
Dispatches from abroad today pic
tured other powers interested in
China as more hesitant than Presi
dent Coolblge on the problem. They
would have a customs conference, a
warning to China to right her own
housekeeping, and then would even-!
tually come to an extra-territorial!
conference.
SAN DIEGO BAR
' HAS BAD FIRE
Fire, believed to have been rims
ed by defective wiring between tin*,
ceiling and the roof, caused damage
estimated between $5,000 and $8,0(10
at the San Diego Cafe. Mexicali,)
early this morning.
According to Manager Ochoa, of
the Lower California Commercial
Company, proprietors of the cafe, j
the greater amount of damage was 1
mused by water, the location of
the fire making it a. difficult one
to fight.
The cafe expected to resume bus
iness this afternoon, aftcj the ile
l .is caused hv the fire and water
had been cleared away.
Police Asked to
Search For Aged
Business Man
By I'nlteri Wire
KAN PEDRO, Calif., duly 11.—
Police throughout Southern Califnr
nia were asked by local authorities
tAndav to aid in the search for Char
les E. Burham, 53, retired business
man, who disappeared Thursday un
der mysterious circumstance*.
According to a report filed with
the officers by Nanette It. Puck, a
niece, Burham vanished suddenly
with $2.-1,000 in his pockets, lie had
drawn the money from his bark to
make n real estate investment, she
said. Foul play was feared.
BANK BANDITS
SPEED THROUGH
SACRAMENTO
By liilleil Press l.caseil Win*
SACRAMENTO, July 11. Two
bard its who robbed the Wheatland
branch of the Bank of Italy late
yesterday afternoon of $1,300, sped
through the streets of this city early
this morning, according to woriyre
ceived by police. A large tnjfr'mg
car, of similar make to tin/ the
bandits used in their escape/ from
Wheatland authorities, /passed)
through here headed towar/ Stock
Id), the police informant, mkl.
ALFALFA OROwks/O MEET
There will he a mooting of the Al
falfa. Seed Growers Association nt
the city hull in Bruwley next Mon
jlav evening, July KVth at 8 o’clock.
R It is to the advantage of all seed
growers to attend this mcetrng and
Bte trust that you wiill be ou baud.
Imperial Valley Press
HALL’S FATE IS
STILL IN HANDS
OF THE JURY
B> t nllisl i’n-NN l.cnseil Wire
SACRAMENTO. Jnly 11.—
Floyd Hall. San Quentin convict
slayer, was lonnd guilty of the
murder of Joe Litzberg, local
merchant, by a jury here today
which deliberated 22 hours.
The jury was unable to agree
on the punishment, but under
the terms of the law Hall must
hang, according to Judge Char*
les O. Bttsick, who tried the
cast.
SACRAMENTO, July 11.— The
fate of I’hivd Mull, accused slayer
of Joe Litzberg, local merchant,
still is iu the hands of the jnrv.
The nine women and three men
who hold Hall’s life in their hands
were locked up shortly before mid
night when it appeared certain they
were hopelessly deajllocked.
More than a hundred men and wo
men waited in the corridors and in
the court boom from the time the
case went to the jury shortly- after
noon yesterday until a court attache
announced they had been locked up
for the night.
Sidelights From
Evolution Trial
V 4 . -
By I illicit I're si l.i-usnl Wire
PAYTON, Term., duly 11. All
i.’glit Jong, sides of beef sizzled over
a trench full of glowing coals in the
court house lawn. A real old style
barbecue was in order. The odor
of cooking beef pervaded the court
room.
Clarence Dnrrow. leading defense
co.ii sel, received as big a welcome*
on his arrival from Chicago last
night as Bryan did. A crowd of
■ •on was at the station.
Barrow climbed into ithe back
‘oat of a ear with Scopes, Sr., and
Judge Neal. Scopes, the defendant,
and Dr. William A. Goldsmith,
Kansas, scientific witness, rode in
(he front seat. Harrow would make
no statement. j
Harrow is taking no chances on !
Dayton cooking. Mi**. Harrow and j
a cook are' arriving soon. When
tle*v do Dnrrow will move from the
“Mansion" ito a private house.
federal prohibition agents made
•ifir first “piinclt’’ of the trial
last night when they arrested a
traveler oil the edge of town charg
'd with possessing a quantity of
igoonshine. Including countv and
st'-'c officers. 12 dr,\ agents are on
hand for the case.
Water has been piped throughout
the court house grounds, which oom
l'lise 2 I 2 acre: with drinking
fountains every 50 feet around the
square. Arc lights also have been
strung beneath the maple and sweet
gum trees for the benefit of atfti
evolution and Hilda meetings at
right
Expense of the improvements on
countv grounds as well as the re
finnishnicnt of the court house and
repair of the tower clock which
until yesterday ran ennsistenly 35
minutes slow, have been met by the
county through renting concessions
r.n the grounds. About SIOOO is
said to have been realized by this
met hod.
Tint dog and soft drink concess
ionaries have been charged $3 - a
front foot for their stands on city
property.
Allotment of press scats was made
in the courtroom last night. More
Hum 100 news writers were assign -
fd. National convention rules were
followed. Press associations were
given preference, then local or Ten
nessee papers and' in order, after
noon papers,morning papers and fea
ture writers.
SALESMAN SOUGHT
II)- I illicit Press I.raaeil Wire
OAKLAND, July 11.---llnrry \V.
f-trungnell, former stock salesman
for the Durant corporation, was
sought today on a warrant issued
here charging him with embezzle
ment. He was thought to be in Los
Angeles.
Irrigation Directors Oust Imperial Superintendent
(Guatemala’s Prize Beauty
Guatemala has been claiming It Is the land of beautiful girls, and to sup-,
port this claim it submits the p’eture of Senorlta Chita Ahrens. The
senorita has been awarded prizes in the Guatemalan capital for her clear
cut features and her popularity. .
Davis Advocates Elimination of
Canal Project In Effort to
Obtain Harmony for Valley
Editor’s noto- —Several days
ago, the Imperial Valley Press
received the communication
printed below, from George H.
Davis, former assemblyman from
this district, with" the request
that it be printed. Due to the
fact that the columns of this
publication have been unusually
crowded during the past few
days, coupled with a shortage in
the editorial staff, it has been
impossible to print Mr. Davis’
article until today.
We submit the article as it
was written by Mr. Davis for
the information of our readers:
Inspired bv an editorial in The
I .Tune 12th issue of 1 lu* Imperial Vnl
j ley Press referring to the recall
j movement the editorial reads in part
las follows: “The Press regards the
: launchiiijr uf the recall movement at
this particular time as ill advised,
I to say the least, for we were never
nearer the attainment of our goal
than we are now, provided some
semblance of unity in the valley
ranks can be maintained.’’ Further
the editorial states: “Right now
when the legislation has a rosier
chance than ever before we choose
to become torn with such strife as
the valley has never witnessed be
fore in all its score of strifing years.
Just wlmt effect this is all going
to have ou our congressional visitors
j who are due in the valley in the
near future to look over the situa
tion first hand is problematical.”
This is indeed a sound warning
and we should calmly visualize this
deplorable situation and govern our
selves accordingly. It is an indis
putable fact that the real bone of
contention which is the cause of this
fever of strife is centered on one
word, the word is—canal—for or
against.
Valley people are divided into two
groups, a large majority of electors
favor the canal, a great number of
whom are nid property owners.
Nearly one half of tin* property is
represented as opposed to the canal,
I The administration nt Washington is
positively not amenable to the canal
legislation, combining llic oppo
ing forces the chances for favorable
AH American canaJ legislation is
i hopeless, for the near future at least.
Now then suppose the opposition
to the cana} .join whole heartedly in
support of the Swmg-Johnson bill,
I we then have the administration to
| win pver placing us just where we
nave been for nearly four years
! maintaining an expensive lobby in
Washington in support, of the mens
-1 ure and without any opposition from
Imperial Valley.
Covers the Valley Like the Sunshine
EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY, JULY 11, 1925
i Drop Oanal
More water and a stabilized flow
is our pressing need, the canal does
not increase the water one droit, it
is therefore a secondary matter and
can wait. It is undoubtedly a'fact
that when the canal is needed, and
the lands benefited bear the burden
of costs no one will object.
One thing at a time is the govern
ments way of doing. Secretary
Hoover represents the government.
He told us in El Centro nearly three
years ago that if we were willing to
take one thing at a time the govern
ment was ready to serve us. The ad
vice went over our heads and we
have been trying to force the gov
ernment’s hand ever siuee but of
no avail.
Our present canal is fln all gravity
flow, free from sand blow, or slide
menace, or any excess of seepage,
it has cost ys six millions of dollars,
why abandon it and build another
through questionable sand hills at. a
cost of from forty to sixty millions
of dollars. We have no difficulty
in getting the water out of the pre
sent canal, the problem of getting it
in is difficult and expensive.
It is not another canal we need,
it is more water. The dam is the
only way more water can be ob
tained.
We are assured by all engineers
that the Colorado river will supply
far more water than we can all use,
Mexico included. That being true
why worry about Chandler and Mex
ico.
Build the dam first, then bond for
ten million dollars, build the so-call
ed first leg of the canal connecting
with Laguna dam and extending a
distance of about 12 miles to Pilot
Knob, drop down $u th{* present
canal, develop two''and one half
million dollars worth of electric en-.
cry annually, save a million dol
lars each year now paid for flood
protection and silt menace, all own
ed and controlled by our oxlfii sys
tem. . , t
Sell Mexico all the water she
wants, we need the money. Our ir
rigation district records show that
wc are receiving annually from
Mexican interests some six hundred
thousand dollars, Without this rev
enue our present treasury deficit
would.be far more staggering. This
is not idle gossip, or a hallucination
of the writer, they are reputable
engineers findings. Build the dam
first. Give me a free hand, and the
ten million dollars and I will water
every acre in Imperial Valley with
out a dime’s expense to the'owner,
then what is the laud worth per
acre, think it over.
Cooperation and good business
(.Continued on Pago 6)
HERE IS JURY
SELECTED FOR
SCOPES CASE
By I nlleil I'rrs* I.i-hscil Wire
DAYTON, Tonn., July 11.—The 12
men who will decide the fate of
John Thomas Scopes went about
their business as usual today. They
tire not confined or kept in a body;
their only instructions from Judge
Raulston are not to talk to anybody
about the case.. Jf anybody annoys
them they have Judge Raulston’s
authority to call law officers to pro
tect them.
Most of the jurors today were
back at work on the farms on which
they dropped their tools in response
to tiie sheriff’s summons yester
day.
The jurors are:
VV. F, Robertson, farmer, Rhea
Springs, aged JO and the youngest
man on the jury.
J. W. Dagley, farmer, Dayton.
Jim Riley, farmer, Dayton, who
cannot read.
W. G. Taylor, farmer, Dayton.
R. L. Gentry, farmer and teach
er, Dayton.
J. R. Thompson, ex-United States
marshal for the eastern district of
Tennessee and now a fruit grower
near Spring City.
W. D. Smith, farmer, Spring City.
Jess Goodrich, shipping clerk,
Dayton.
J. H. Bowman, farmer and cab
inet maker, Gravesville.
Bill Day, farmer, Dayton.
R. L. West, Farmer Rhea county.
E. S. Wright, farmer, Dayton.
Thompson, who bears the title of
captain, is the most distinguished
looking man oil the jury, and to
judge him only by his conduct under
Clarence Harrow \s questioning, ap
pears the best educated.
R. L. Gentry, farmer ami teach
er, also seemed particularly grati
fying to the defense. He was the
only juror who confesesd to wide
reading on evolution, saying he had
read about it for 30 years.
W. F. Robertson, Rhea Springs
farmer, the “baby” of the jury,
also is the only man who belongs to
no church.
TWO. IMPORTANT
TAX DECISIONS i
RECEIVED TODAY!
Two important decisions of Unit
ed States courts were received from
Washington yesterday by Collector
of internal Revenue'Rex B. C.ood
l cell.
In bankruptcy eases a decision
holds that the government has a
lien without formal demand after
assessment where the taxpayer vol
untarily agrees upon the amount of
proposed additional income taxes
; and the sum to be paid in compro
mise thereof, the latter sum is tend
| ered and rejected before assessment
under previous arrangement with
the department.
I nseoured creditors who, at a
taxpayer’s request, pay taxes for
which the government has a lieu,
under agreement with taxpayer to
lie subrogated to lien rights of the
government, are entitled to prefer
ence in distribution of assets of the
taxpayer in bankruptcy.
Regarding suits of taxpayers to
restrain the collection of taxes the I
federal court decision holds that
iii-dcr the provisions ot Section ;
3224 Revised Statutes an injunction '
will not lie against a collector of
internal revenue to restrain the col-,
lection of a tax legally assessed.
Grain Prices
| Jump, Chicago
Board of Trade
CHICAGO. July 11.—Grain prices
soared sharply on the Chicago hoard
of ti-iute today. July wheat jumped
nine cewts; distant futures 0 3-4
cents. Coarse grains were sharply
higher, principal!} jn sympathy
with wheat.
Tin i> - were many contributing
factors to the drastic upturn in
wheat, the most important of which
wf s the heat wave that blankets
•the country from the Ohio river
through Montana to the Canadian
northwest.
Crop damage complaints came
from :he territory in the grip of the
beat. wave. Cables said foreigners,
who had overstayed the market in
lintieipation of tower prices have
been fbrood to come into the pit
by extremely low supplies.
MANY SHOCKED
BY DEATH OF
POPULAR MAN
Funeral of R. I. Martin
To Be Held
Monday
Many residents of El Centro were
shocked and grieved this morning
to learn of the death of R. I. Mar
tin, one of the city’s most popular
younger business men, who died at
his home 6411 Hamilton avenue last
night, after a short illness.
Mr. Martin, who was known to
hundreds of residents of the valley
as “Ray,” although his name was’
Russell, was taken sick about two
weeks ago, with tonsilitis. His con
dition proved more serious than was
at first believed, and following an
operation, his heart became affect
ed, and the failure of that organ
to withstand the shock, resulted in
his death. Only yesterday his con
dition was reported to th Press as
much improved, but a turn for the
worse came early last night.
The deceased was employed as an
automobile salesman by the W.
McCabe company, and ranked high
est in the company’s estimation. Re
cently he told the writer that he
was certain to rank highest in a
sales competition which the com
pany conducted, and was anticipat
ing a'trip to the worlds series next
fall as a reward for his good work.
He was prominent in fraternal
and social organizations of the city,
being a member of the American
Legion, escpiire of the Elks lodge,
and a leading member of the El
Centro Golf club which he helped
organize.
Of a genial and sunny disposition,
he endeared himself to all who were
fortunate enough to call him friend,
and these were T<y no means limited
to El Centro, but were from all parts
of the valley. To meet Ray Martin
was dike coming into the sunshine
after a storm.
Funeral services will be held Mon
day afternoon at 2:30 from the
Elks lodge, under the auspices of El
Centro Lodge of Elks. All Elks are
urged to make a special effort to be
in attendance at the services.
Burial will be in the American
Legion plot at Evergreen cemetery,
under the auspices of Boyce Aten
Post, American Legion. Members
of the post are instructed by the
commander to attend the funeral of
Comrade Martin.
MEN DYNAMITE
PASADENA CAR
PASADENA, OaL, July 11.
[ .Several street car passengers had
■ narrow escapes here when three mys
terious men placed dynamite on itlio
j rails and attempted to wreck the
1 car.
The dynamite exploded ns the car
j ran over it. lifting the coach two
| feet in the air. It landed upright
|and was stopped by the motorman,
J. E. Gray, before any damage re
salted.
Passengers for a while were panic
stricken.
Three men were seen to flee from
the scene in an automobile.
It was the second attempt to dyn
amite Gray’s street car.
SENTENCE PONZI
I TODAY, BOSTON
I
By Vnlteil I*rc»M I.cased Wire
! BOSTON, July 11.—Charles Ponzi
: famous bushel basket millionaire,
i was sentenced today to seven to nine
! years in state prison on four counts
! of larcenv by Judge James A. Sisk
j of Suffolk countv superior court.
The larceny indictments grew out
|of Ponzi’s financial operations here
several years ago when he dealt on
huge scale on an international reply
coupons, JO per cent prof
its in nintey days.
Pending an appeal to the supreme
court, stay of sentence was granted
until Monday, when Ponzi will he
required to renew a bail of SIO,OOO
under which he is now at liberty.
! DENVER MINISTER
PRAISES BRVAN
DENVER. Colo., July 11.— De
'daring William Jennings Bryan has
done more to popularize the*eause
of evolution than those who openly
advocate it, Frank H. Rice, bishop
of Denver Liberal Church, Die., to
day repeated his offer to make
Bryan an honorary member of his
church.
These Officers
Have Odd
Find
By* l ulled T’re.ss (.ensed Wire
LOS ANGELES. July 11.—In
tercepted on the San Diego high
way with three long boxes in
his automobile, Prof. W. A. Bart
lett, of the University of Califor
nia here, was detained by pro
hibition officers today.
‘ ‘ Guess we have the goods on
yo uthis time. ’ ’ remarked the dry
sleuths. “Let’s see what’s in
them boxes.”
Tearing off the lids on the
wooden containers, the officers
found three human skeletons.
“I teach anthropology and
use these bones in my classes,”
said the professor.
“We’ll excuse you this time,”
the officers finally agreed. “But
don’t try to fool us again.”
City Marshall Is
Busiest Man
In Town
By United I'ren* Len.<ted Wire
CRESCENT CITY, Cal., July
L Armed with a 12-inch ruler
and an alarm clock City Marshal
A. R. O'Leary is the busiest
man in town these days.
His activity is occasioned by
far-sighted legislation by the
fawn trustees, who have estab
lished a parking ordinance re
quiring automobiles ito be with
in one foot of the curbstone,
and limiting parking to one
hour, day or night, on the
town s one main thoroughfare.
O Leary so far has found his
alarm clock sufficient to judge
the parking limit, since thune
has not ye# been an over abund
ance of traffic. When the mo
torist parks his car O’Leary ap
pears and measures its proxim
ity to the curb and puts the
clock down beside the car.
Then lie goes away and at
tends to his other duties which
consist of being head of the po
lice. hunting for dry law of
fenders, and city tax collector.
When the alarm goes off
O’Leary does a dash to the
scene. Tf the same automobile
is still there, out comes a
summons and the offender is
cited into court.
One day he heard a whole se
ries of alarms. He knew some
thing was wrong and proceeded
with great haste to the scene
only to find that he had left*
the clock lever on “intermit
tent.”
GLOBE TROTTER
IS ARRESTED IN
LOS ANGELES
Hy United I‘roxN I.on m«‘<l Wire
T OS ANGELES, July 11. Pur
sued across three continents hv a
"ife who claims he has been un
fa i" hful. and a. son who sides with
his mother, Joh* L. MeSwiggen,
Sr„ author and globe trotter, was
finally run down here and placed
under arrest by federal officers. He
was given a preliminary hearing
on complaint of his wife, .Mrs. Eliza
beth McSwiggea. of Pittsburgh,
and released on SI,OOO bail. Trial
was set for Monday.
Arrest came about when the son.
John T.. MeSwiggen, Jr., 24. located
bis father here after a world wide
hunt which started shortly nf*er tho
world war.
■‘That’s the man who wronged
mv mother—arrest him,” the youth
told officers when they accosted tho
elder McSwiiggeit in his offices.
Mrs. MeSwiggen claims in her
complaint that her husband deserted
her seven years ago to live with
another woman. She said she had
trailed him to a dozen cities, always
arriving a few days after he had
moved on.
Federal officials have been ask
ed. to draft a white slave charge
against MeSwiggen.
BRTJSSARD APPOINTED
TO TARIFF BOARD
Uy 1 nltrit Pres* I.eimeil Wire
SVAMPSCOTT. Mass., July 10
—President Oooliidge to.lay appoint
ed Edgar Bernard Brussard of
I'tah as member of tho United
States tariff commission to succeed
V imam Culbertson, recently ap
pointed minister 40 ltoumania.
Bank Clearings
?ne, 80250.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
MILLER NAMED
AS SUCCESSOR
TO PAE JONES
Directors State Latter
Not in Harmony
With Plans <
H. G. Miller, assistant, superin
tendent of the Imperial division,
was named in a resolution adopted
by the board of directors of the
Imperial Irrigation district yester
day to succeed Janl S. Jones as sup
erintendent of the division.
The resolution ns adopted gnvp
no reason for the change in the
superintendent's position. Members
of the board of directors, however,
stated following the action that the
reason lay in the fact that .Super
intendent Jones is not in sympathy
with the program of economy re
organization mapped out and being
pursued by the directors.
In Miller the district has a man
thoroughly experienced in opera
tion of the irrigating works, and a
man who lias been loug in the em
ploy of the district, according to
high officials.
He came to the valley more than
a decade ago where he intended to
ranch. Shortly after his arrival he
took a position as zanjero, which
place he held for a year and was
then made hydrographer at Rositas
dam. He held that position for four
years and was then made w T ater
master of the Imperial Water Co.
No. 1. He columned as water master
when the mutual companies were
absbrbesl by tile district.
Among other matters taken up
be the directors at the session yes
terday was Hie employment of for
mer Director of Reclamation Service
A. P. Davis, to represent the district
in the conference of the Tri-Stato
( oiorado Raver Joint Commission
that is to meet in August at. Phoe
nix for the purpose of allocating
waters of the lower basin. Mr. Da
ws will represent other municipal
ities and the organizations in
Southern California. He was the
co-author of the Fall-Davis report
in which the problems of the lower
Colorado river were sot out and
recommendations that the Boulder
Dam All-American canal project be
taken into the hands of the govern
ment to afford flood protection and
water storage and power develop
mi lit to the fullest extent.
In a resolution adopted by a vote
of four to one the attorney for the
district was instructed to take an
appeal of the decision in the Mc-
Kim case. The caso was decided
hy Judge Burnell of Los Angeles
for the plaintiffs and if allowed to
st.iiid as it is at present would
make the re-divisioning order bv
which Director Blair holds his seat
on the hoard, void. The directors
arc confident that the appeal will
result in a reversal .of Judge Bur
nell's decision, they say.
President Pound was authorized
by the board to get in comiuunicu
t'on with the Principal Pictures
Coipartition to assure them of the
Jtsire on the part of the district to
give whatever courtesies and assist
ance jHissiblc in the filming of the
“Winning of Barbara Worth,”
Harold Bell Wright’s romance of
the Imperial Valley. The picture is
to be made in the near future and
will he filmed in the valley.
Banker Dies at
Home of Father
KANSAS Cl TV, Mo., July 11.—
Joseph R. Gant, defaulting presi
dent of the Metropolis bank, died at
his father’s home here early today,
taking with him the secret »f what
happened to $630,000 of the bank’s
funds.
Gant had been ill since lust Nov
ember when the bank closed mid
he- was .arrested. The hanker was
charged with embezzlement and for
gery and was released under SIO,OOO
bond, lie was never brought to
trial because of his illuess.
*— ——»
OAMES TODAY
National
Chicago at New York, clear. *
Pittsburgh at Brooklyn, clear.
Cincinnati at Boston, clear,
two games.
St. liOuis at Philadelphia, clear.
American
New York at Chicago, < tear.
Boston at Cleveland, clear.
Philadelphia at Detroit, clear. I
Washington at St. Louis, cigar, j