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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
September 9, 1921     Shelton Mason County Journal
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September 9, 1921
 
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VOLUME XXXV. SHELTON, MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, SEPTIMIEI 9, 192l LABOR DAY VACATIONS MASON COUNTY'S TIMBER VALUES STILL LEADING TARMING AND OTHER LINES MAKE POOR SHOWING IN AS- SESSMENT FOR TAXING PURPOSES The following figures taken from the abstract of real property valua- tions of Mason County after eqaul- ization by the board will be of inter- est especially to those who follow the county vglues to observe the 'share of taxes which fall upon heir articular interests: oral acres of land ........ 403,819.99 :Number acres timber land..143,394.65 :No. acres unimproved land.249,431.69 -No. acres improved land.. 10,993,65 Average equalized value timber lands, per acre .... $22,53 5kvervge equalized value unimproved land, per acre 3.74 Avge. equalized value im- proved land, per acre ...... 24.63 Avge. equalized value improve- ments on land, per acre.. J,2.00 Total Equalized Valuations "timber lands ............ $3,230,375 Unimproved lands ........ 932,770 Improved lands .......... 270,730 Improvements on lands .... 131,845 Total ................ $4,565,720 Town and City Lots Wown and city lots ........ $ 96,934 Improvements on lots ...... 122,945 Total ................. $219,879 Included in the number of acres improved land is"3,364.78 acres of oyster lands, the value of which, $109,880 is also ilacluded in the total for improved lands. Analysis of these figures explodes some impressions which are common- ly held about Mason County by tax- payers within as well as people out- side the county, chief of which is that logging is about ended in Ma- son County and that the timber in- terests pay very little taxes, leaving the burden to be carried by the farming interests. It will be noted that of the total assessed acreage of the county, {which does not inclu(le the reserve ]ands owned by the government), 403,819 acres, over one-third, or 143,- THE NEW STATE COPS The new state patrol is out and is making a killing of state law vio- lators along the highway, but so far have not touched Mason County. They are making an average of a hundred "arrests" a day and few escape contributing to state funds. No licenses for car or drivers, bad lenses or lights, "stepping on her tail," and lots of things autoists do when they think no one is looking are really against the law and a word to the wise is sufficient. There's no telling when the new cops will be taking a run down this way. FALL CROPS BRING STATE PROSPERITY THREE STATE DEPARTMENTS IN TOUCH WITH CONDITIONS SEE SIGNS Olympia, Aug• 28.--Washingten is approaching a fall season that is fill- ed with promise of prosperity, the three state officials whose department work brings them in touch with prac- tically all phases of business and ag- ricultural life and with every section of the state, report. "Prices have been better than were anticipated for small fruits, there has been a decided improvement in the market for blackberries and can- ned goods prices have • advanced ma- terially," said E. L. French, director of agriculture. "Pears and peaches are moving at. a splendid price, far better than the average, though not touching the peak. "Washington this year produces 30 per cent of the apples in this country, leading all other states by a wide margin. It not only is a thrilling thought that everytime three apples are eaten in this country, one of them is supplied by this state, but! it is a decidedly encouraging fact that the eastern demand will give our growers a goo'd price. "There has been a light crop of prunes but the fresh fruit has sold well and for the dried fruit not yet up there is a decided upward ten- dency in the market. "We will introduce grading, better methods of shipping and standardiz- ation to improve the cranberry mar- ket this year. "Prices already have much improv- ed for dairy products and they will go higher. Western dairymen will also benefit next winter from more favorable feeding conditions. 394 acres, m•e still classed and as- "There is an increase of more than sensed as timbered lands because lo aon a^,, ,-- -, .... • ......... they 'conam more or less umner an(t whn .a. e¢. 1OOl oA  ..... ] ate mole valuable foi loggl g p • " , .'. ..... "ing prices growers will make money poses More than nalI ne lan(ls in _, • .... " • • _ ..... 'utt, S Will snow a gooa crop. "the county, or '. z4.),4;1 acres, are l ,,r .,,. 4,n ,,mtI^,,, ,u . in the unimprove( class as logge .., :_ _,_ .. .... , " -. ' " " "  r ' u A giving more aemaon o lands, on wlncn an average value o I ...... , ...... " ' : .... n a re 's°c raining I m gla oz it or we assessmen purposes o $ 74 a c I  • : - • - " "' • -' " "I e laced,are no raining enougn SOCK, par- is placed 'me average vau "0 ........ -. - " • , • coo  ,,,hio the I icularly norses. Tracors 'canno en- on lmoer lungs lS .•, ...... . • ' im oved trely supplant the horse and we can average name per acre on p' . , ,, • • • • raise more horses pofitably 'farm ]anrds is $24.63, indicating that ...... ' " • the avelage" acle" of farm lands• pays.. awaru uhfford, director of labor a trifle more for taxes than the average acre of timber land. Timber Value High The total value of all the lands of :Mason County for taxing purposes, 'including improvements, but not town property, personal property or the cimber held in separate ownership from the land it is on, is $4,565,720, of which the timber land makes up '$3,230,375, or nearly two-thirds of the total for taxing' purposes. The more than half of the county area logged and unimnroved, only contri- butes in taxes on the total•assessed value of $932,770, or about one-fifth of the total taxes on real property. It is, or ought to be, a shack to the farmers of Mason County to ]earn that there are listed only 7,6 29 acres of improved or real farm land in the county, or around one-flftieth of the total area, and that the total assessed value, exclusive of the im- provements, is but $270,730; and the value of the improvements but $131,- 845, as set for taxing purposes. The total of farm lands and improve- ments as shown is $402,57, from which the total value of oyster lands, or $109,880, should be deducted to arri,e at the actual assessed value of all our fmTn lands and their im- provements fer the purpose of alien, and this leaves $292,69 on vhich the farming interests of Ma son County contribute to e tax f,,nds, which reduced to percentare shows that the farming interests contribute only a  trifle over seven per cent of tle total taxes collected each year to -an Mason County. Farm Taxes Small Elsewher will be found an ab- stract of the personal ropertv s- sssment of the county, in which the detailed llst shcwlmr the number nnd vahe of eac1 el.s. of such nronerty is sbow-n. It wnuld be dfficult to ck out just what vronortlon coms from the farms prover, buL it is safe to say that something less than n er cent of the taxes comes from the farmers, and about the same eentage is contHbiffed hv the of the town. Whil fully cnt of the taxes still come from the • timber and lorraine intyests of Ma- son County and the holders of unim- roved and loc,.ed lands. It may b added that the nhysiCal value of rilroad property has not been con- idered in the foregoing, beea-e th.. values have not yet been set by the tate board. For last year the value xva vlaced ,t .€156.430. The actual 6,res are sufeiet 'fntatlen of th ststement made by ,,nthln)¢in" Persons that the farmer. ,-e hearln' more th,n tholr ]srt of the tax burden nnd the bar timber ,trests are eitbox dodging their are or navn on very low vaiua- o,. and a], give assurance that ]mbermr will continue for many ,ars to be the main industry of and industries, says: "There is a very noticeable and continuous im- provements in industrial circles, with many new plants opening up. Lum-! bet conditions are improving and re- ports from our field agents indate there is every reason to anticipate further betterment during the fall. E. L. Farnswoffch, whose depart- ment of taxation and examination, in- cludes the division of banking, says there is a feeling of confidence in business circles that the fall is bring- ing prosperity and..to his division of taxation, Mr. Farnsworth adds, re- ports continue to come in that there is a" general movement among all taxing boards of ,• the state to cut their levies to the lowest practicable amount, another factor that will im- prove conditions. EIGHT FINED FOR USING NEW PAVEMENT ENTIRE DISTANCE OF NEW WORK AGAIN CLOSED BE- CAUSE AUTOISTS COULD NOT KEEP TO DETOURS Engineer in charge Mannis of the highway, this week filed corn- against eight drivers for tray- over sections of the newly highway before it was formal- for travel, and each of- has been haled before Justice Ward and fined $5 and costs. Be: cause residents along the way have taken liberty to drive over the high- way instead of keeping to their de- tours the pavement even in the sec- tions ready for use has again been closed with no assurance of early opening and those who take down barriers and force their passage will be made to pay for their offense• While it was hoped that the Mc Cleary detour might be avoided after September 15th, and shorter detours opened along the present work used in connection with the completed sec- tions, this is not certain although al efforts are being made to make such arrangement. With good weather the entire pavement will be complet- ed and open to travel early in No- vember. For the sportsmen the fish and bear season is open, but deer Will not be free to hunters except between October 10th and 30th, inclusive, and grouse and upland birds not at all this season. No public investment returns big- ger dvidends more promptly than' good roadsl particularly is this true in this day of great and increasing motor travel, i If they are given the roads they will make the| stay in Western Washington a matter of weeks In- lead of days. RETURN FROM GAS TAX EXCE00'00.S HOPE JULY RETURNS BRING $85,281.93 TO STATE TREASURY FROM FUEL SALES Completion of the first monthly re- port of receipts by the state from the liquid fuel tax, or so-called gaso- line tax, which became effective July 1, annoced by tle department of licenses, showing 8,628,192.7 gallons of liquid fuel sold (luring the month, bringing to the state a tax of $86,- 281.93, one cent for each gallon soM. The Standard Oil company sold over two-thirds of the total reported for the month, 6,030,943.7 gallons, and paid into the state treasury $60,- 309.44. Indirec Taxation. Indirect revenues of the state are exceeding expectations. Figuresfor July on gasoline tax have astonished state officials and others who were strong in its advocacy, but uncertain as Co the limit of its earnings. At the July rate, the earnings for a year.will be in excess of $1,000,000. Dr. P. H. Carlyon, sponsor of the gasoline tax bill in the legislature, estimated in discussions of the meas- ure that it would produce between $700,000 and $800,000, and many thought he was too high. The tax goes into.the road-building fund. "With this surprisingly large in- come from the gas tax, we shall be able to carry out in full, in all de- tails, the road-buildinff program adopted bv the last le-islature for this biennium," says Dr. Carlyon. "This, in spite "of the fact that our federal aid will be much less than i last year, we understand that there i will be $25,000,000 immediately for the state for the remainder of 1921 and $75,000,000 available for 1922, instead of $100,000.000 as formerly. This means we will be able to add about $,250,000 to our road fnnds from federal aid for 1921 and a little over $1,000,000 in 1922. In 1920. we received $1,440,000 in federal aid." Poll Taxes Heavy The poll tax income is also exceed- ins the estimates of most of the men who were influential in pushln" it through the legislature. It will net more than $1,700,000, according to the last figures. The counties re- talned 20 )cr cent for cost of coll- tlon, sendin only 80 per cent to the state, which means that the total nell tax receipts will exceed $2,000,- 000. SCHOOLS OPEN WITH LARGER ENROLLMENT The Labor Day holidays, which in- eluded Sunday, did not bring the us- ual quota of auto visitors and camp- • ,q ers his season through. Shelton on LOCAL SCIIOOLS OPEN qUE,_DAY account of the detour and also of WITH FULL CORPS OF the unsettled weather. However, the TEACHERS Navy Yard highway had more visit- ors than usual coining frem Seattle The Shelton schools and those of by 'ay of Bremerton, am/. a steady • . . string of cars wo'e passing given the varmus county (hstrlcts opened points at times eseciail- on Men Tuesday with the full corps of teach- (lay afternoon. But next year and ere and a cheequl lot of youths fac- thereafter, the Cans! playground will ing the long term of school duty I °e playing to capacity houses. ahead. In the city schools the start -- is made with attendance showing an IPERSONAI, PROPETV increase, and tile same is reported .................... .,,e,,=,,, many of the country schools, show- Ai[ LIST in ing at least a steady growth in the school population of Mason Count):. Following is the enrollment b) ' grades in the Shelton school, and the teachers of each grade- First=--Maria Egan, 42. Second--Josephine Nelson, 24. Third--Mrs. Berenice Potts, 35. Fourth--Eva Ames, 25. Fifth--Etna Shore, 20. Sixth--Belle Colson, 21. Seventh--Alice Faubert, 17. Eighth--Maude Shorter, 25. Total of grade pupils--209. In the high school the 9th grade has 30, 10th 47, llth 19 and 12th 15, a total of 111, and a grand total of 320 against 312 for last year. The high school instructors include Dora Fredson, Esther VanHorne, Kather- ine Wolff, Hihlur Cronquist, Emma Richm" and H. Enzo Loop. MAIL ROBBER GARDNER ESCAPES FROM MeNEIL'S NO. 39 FAiR PROGRA00 TO In a dash while the convicts were enjoying the privilege of a ball game on Labor Day three of the number made a dash for the wired enclosure and made for the timber amid a stream of bullets from the tower guards. Gardner, the mail robber, whose daring escapes from custody in the past have furnished columns for the daily papers, was the leader and gaining shelter of the woods, has not been seen since. Beating the brush of the little island and patrolling its shores has failed to locate the escape or any trace, but he may have had friends at hand and been taken to the mainland. Both of his companions,. Impigl and Bo- gart, soldiers serving a long time for assault on a Camp Lewis nurse, were shot and the former instantly killed. LIVESTOCK MAKES POOR SHOW- ING IN MASON COUNTY According to the figures recently compiled by Assessor Shelton froni the newly" completed tax rolls for 1921 on which taxes will be paid next year, the total equalized valua- tion of personal property in Mason County is $1,736985, one-half of which, less the exemptions of house- holders, being the sum on which taxes are actually paid, as the as- INCLUDE SEVERAL NOVEL FEATURES OFFICIALS COVERING COUNTY ASSURED OF MANY EXHIBITS BELIEVE FAIR WILL B] COUNTY'S BEST Now that the neight0ring fairs are over local attention will be tm- ed to the coming Mason County Fair, September 29th to October 2rid, for which preparations are well along. The officials are meeting regularly and have all advance details in order and are making good progress on the program for the several days, although it is early for definite an- nouncement. President Warren Lin, coln and County Agent Drew are I covering the county to insure a goed i showing of its best steele and general l exhibits, and are receiving much en- couragement from the armers, so feel justified in saying that the fair will be the county's best. FARM LIFE LOOKING UP A rioted writer declares that in time the lone- someness of farm life will be done away with, and that tilling the soil will become a popular vocatioH. He might have said that much of the lonesome- ness has already been banished, and that the remain- der is rapidly disappearing, says the Kent Journal. The automobile has done it. There is no need for the farmer or his family or his help to feel lonesome these days. Distance no longer exists for him. With his car he can be in town at any time with- in a few minutes. He can visit his neighbors for miles around any evening after supper while attend- ance at church on Sunday and social gatherings at other times require but little more effort than is consumed in walking around a city block. His life is .in many ways preferable to the city dweller. His health is enhanced by the sunshine and the pure country air that he breathes. His life is not menaced by the constant stream of cars driven by reckless motorists, as is the case in most cities. His children grow to maturity in the purity of con- tact with nature, instead of being surrounded by the questionable environment of more congested centers, where there is little opportunity to sift the good from the bad. He is free to go and come as he de- sires and is not hedged around with the myriads of restrictions and laws of the city man. " Tilling the soil is popular now. It will become more so as time goes on and the beauties and advantages of nature are better known and understood by those who now live by a clock and the factory whistle. The soil is the first and most important source of wealth, and the only one which will never fail humanity with intelligent use. Whatever changes may be wrought by time there will be no escape from the necessity of cultivating the soil that people may exist; hence those who pin their faith to the land may be sure their lines are anchored in permanent places for themselves and those who come after, and of reward, for the ,human family must eat. For the average man the farm holds the best promise for the future, while the city holds for most of its dwellers only the prospect of bare existence and a never-ending struggle to make both ends meet. The farm holds the satisfaction of living under one's own "vine and fig tree," ample breathing space for the family, without annoying or being annoyed by the neighbor, and the pleasure of watching Nature's wand produce a thousand-fold from the planted seed. The life struggle never ends whether in town or country, but taking the years through those of the country get the greatest real satisfaction from their labors,-- (: :en if they do envy their city cousins-- sometimes. sessments on the basis of fifty per cent of the actual values as taken by the assessor. In this connection it should be noted that $351,690 is on timber held as personal property "and separate from the land, indicating that at least one-fifth of personal property taxes is pefid by the timber owners. The value of railroad prop- erty" is not included in the above figures, as this item will be assessed later by the state board. The following list includes the main items of personal property which the assessor found in his ram- bles over Mason County, and the in- dividual reader may form his own opinion as to the share of the tax burden each is bearing: Number Valuation Horses ............... 529 $ 32,184 Mules ................ 5 238 Stock cattle ......... 1281 34,242 Milch cows .......... 1524 76,200 Bulls ................ 30 1.,620 Sheep and goats ..... 260 1,300 Hogs ................ 216 2,244 Poultry .................. . 12,490 Bicycles ............. 7 110 Autos and trucks .... 572 258,748 Sewing machines .... 620 7,574 Organs .............. 49 644 Pianos .... : ......... 213 55,832 Furniture ................ 4,814 Libraries ................ 1,280 Diamonds amt watches .... 2,494 Machinists tools ......... 1,678 Wagons and carriages. 234 4,180 Agricultural implements .. 14,374 Threshing much., tractors. 1,066 Donkey engines, etc ....... 62,540 Logging trucks and equip.. 41,670 Steamboats, lauhches . ... 22,988 Lumber ................. 5,780 Sawlogs, piling .......... 71,494 Shingles ................. 4,620 Goods, merchamlise . .. 135,764 Manufacturers tools i .KI 8,668 Capital stock batiks ...... 52,000 Hotel and restaurant furn. 5,476 Electric and tel. prop ...... 29,766 Timber heal as per. prop... 351,690 While timber and logging equip- ment represents by far the largest values in the above list. it will be seen that-automobiles and tlacks make up the next largest figure. Goods and merchandise, farm and household goods are among the minor items making up the personal property assessment. GOOD ROADS OF WASHINGTON PAY BIG DIVIDENDS ?AVED HIGHWAY CIRCLING OLYMPIC PENINSU.LA A GREAT ASSET The Pacific Highway is generally in good condition. It should be paved with concrete or brick its entire length within the next two years. Now, Westen Washington should cooperate with. Eastern.Washington in an effort to obtain in the near l future a highway from Spokane to Seattle equally as good over its en- tire length. There should be ultimately at least two fine metalled thoroughfares spanning the state from east to west. The Olympic Highway should be pushed to completion, assuring a (Continued on page 8) JUSTICE MOUNT DIES AT OLYMPIA PASSING OF OLDEST MEMBIR OF STATE SUPREME COURT Justice Wallace Mount, for twenty- two years-a member of the supreme 'court of Washington and a native sen ef the Northwest, died at his home in Olympia Sunday, following an illness of several months from heart disease. He had not been dble to fill his place since March, He was sixty-two years old and leaves a widow, two sons and two daugh- ters, as well as his aged mother thirteen: brothers and sisters, who are still living• Judge Mount ,as born near Ore- The fair this year will include many features that are a decided de- parture from former years, and the management will plan for a program every afternoon and evening of in-' terest to all. Among the numbers being worked out are the following: Reclamation Lecture Lecture on reclanmtion of loged- off land. Better Babies contest. Home Economics booth, Miss Suth- erland of the Extension service, Washington Sta College, to give demonstrations. Talk on Business Administration and the cycles of prosperity and de pr.cssion, the future outlook for mar- . kets for farm produce and the busi- ness outlook. There will be a pavilion erected and evening dances will be given after the program. Saturday evening there will ]e a vaudeville contest, open to everyone, with prizes for the best acts. Poultry lecture and demonstration by George R. Shoup of the Puyallup Experimental Station. Demonstration and talk on what to look for in dairy types of livestock. Demonstration and talk on bee dis- eases and their control measures. In addition to the above numbers there will be a baseball and a feet- ball game and a tug of war. there will be something doing ev- ery minute and there will be no ex- cuse fo; anyone spending a dull ino- ment. Watch for the completed program. Better Babies Contest Those wishing to have their baby entered in the contest at our coming Fair should secure an Entry Card proInptly. These may be had by asking for same at the L. M. office, or by writing to Box 166, Shelton. Babies between the ages of six months and three and a half years may enter. All entry cards must be in before Sept. 20th, after which date all ap- plicants will be notified at what time to bring the baby to the con- test. The examination rooms will be sanitary and attractive, and a compe- te.,.,staff will do the examining, weighing, nieasuring, etc., while health talks will be given by com- petent speakers to parents and all those interested in the welfare of our young Americans. This is not a beauty contest, but is being done throughout America to bring our babies just as near : as possible to the correct standard o£ 'childhood. The Vaudeville ConteSt The fair management has decided " to offer prizes 'f6r the best vaude- ville acts, the prizes to be $15 for the best act and $10 for tle second prize, This contest is open to any indi- vidual or team, there being n'o limit to the number of people tha may be entered in an act, and the nature of the act to be determined by the entrants themselves. GET BUSY "FOR THE FAIR. GRAYS HARBOR, FAIR HIT BY BAD WEATHER FINE STOCK AND POULTRY'EX. . HIBITS, BUT NOT MARKED OTHERWISE The rays HaTbor Fair on the new grounds near Elms played in rather hard luck on account of the rains of last week and only had one profitable day, the closin K day, Sunday, when it is said nearly ten thousand attend- ed. The races'were almost a failure, only a few good runs being made on account of the poor condition of the track. Mason County was well rep- resented on several days, particularly the last day. and our visitors were ot very enthusiastic over the show. fact, they believe that 4Vlason will be able to make a far showing of home prodcts. The stock tmd poultry exhibits were excellent and included Some of the yon City, Oregon, the son of Henry best of the state. All the side shows D. Mount, who crossed the plains in and doll racks were there and a 1851. He was aproduct of the west, tough:looking bunch they were. Most having graduated from the Univer- of these •shows will be m'msxn' ,, fr...-, sity of Oregon and studied law at the fair here and still not be missed. Eugene, Oregon. In 1886 he moved. [ The feature, of Elma's. fair Sunday.. to-Sprague and began law practice I wasfl pubhc wedding in which Carl on his own account and contlnuea I l, anoerg of Aberdeen, and Miss Em- I]practieing, or serving as judge and lma.Jones of Hoquiam, were united I[legislator until 1900, when he was / amid the plaudits of the big crowd ]elected to the supreme bench, where [ aria were me recipients of presents I he was ever held in high esteem ] 9 the value of $1V00, a pretty nifty )as a learned and fearless Judge. szar :or a young married couple.