The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-09-17

SEVERAL collisions have occurred be-
tween strikers and deputy sheriffs dur
ing the great coal mining strikes in
PENNSYLVANIA. Near Hazelton last
Friday about twenty Hungarians were
shot while attempting to mob force
of deputies. While small concessions
have been made, the strikers demand
ten per cent raise. The strikers are
nearly all foreigners and are stubborn
and unreasonable.
SOME time ago the public was edifi-
ed by a cross-fre of words between the
Governor and State Treasurer Young,
during which an imputation, to say
the least, was made that there was a
sad mixture OF affairs in the treasur-
er's office. The Governor has dug up
an old statute requiring a semi-annual
examination of the trea surer's books
and money and has ordered such ex-
animation. 1t won't do much harm
for this administration to keep close
watch on each other.
The daily newspapers are still full
of Klondike news, and good deal of
matter that isn't news. However
while all reports claim the new gold
fields to be the best ever discovered,
they unite in prophesying scarcity Of
provisions, hunger and hardships for
the coming winter. 1t will be time
enough in the spring to think about
going to Alaska, as new grounds must
be opened up to afford work for the,
crowds already there. Alaska is big
country, but many thousand men will
be prospecting next year, and it will
be pretty well explored. Unless man
is especially fitted to endure the hard
ships, his place is at home.
The statement printed in today's
Olympian showing the comparative
expenses OF running the state under
Republican and Populst administra-
tons is little tough on Commission
er Bridges, of the public land depart
ment. 1t shows that this department
cost 81 ,633.1l to administer during
the first four months of the fiscal year
1898, and $2,164 during the same pc
Rod in 1895, but S2,S51. 20 during the
same period this year. And still dur
ing the campaign Brother Bridges
thought the clerks in that Office were
$50 numerous as to be in each others
way 1t is to be noticed that the
commissioners Office was recently en-
larged to make room for more clerks,
1t seems the expense has been cores
pondingly enlarged.-Olympian.
THE state board of equalization is
now in session at Olympia to compare
the work of the various county assess
ors and equalize the figures. Hereto
fore the board has raised the assess
ment for Mason County nearly every
year from the figures of the assessor.
and the county attorney has been or
dered to be present this week and en-
deavor to prevent raise this time, if
possible. The assessed valuation of
the real and personal property of Ma
son county for 1897 is $1,640,272 an
increase over the valuation of last
year, which was raised by the state
board nearly half million dollars.
This years assessment is conservative
and comes near the real valuation of
the property, and it is to be hoped
that the state board will let it alone.
HERMAN KLABER estimates that
there will be 100000 boxes OF hops
picked in Yakima county. They are
very fine IN quality. Ten cents is free
ly offered, but growers are unwilling
to sell at that figure Most of them
have protected themselves on por-
ton OF the crop by contracts. Five
thousand bales are now tied up in this
manner. The crop is worth quarter
of million dollars, of which 100000
will be paid out for picking at the rate
OF cents per pound or IA bushels to
the box, that is equivalent to ST per box
which amounts to $4,000 more that
will be paid out for picking than if
the pickers received but Is cents per
box.-Yakima Farmer.
THE Ellensburg Capital prints the
following facts furnished by George
W. Prater, of Vaughn, relative to the
establishment of an evaporated vege-
table factory: "a plant of 1000
pounds capacity costs, without house,
about $500. The building must be
two stories high, 24x5O feet. They
can be made, however, with a capacity
of from 100 pounds up. His plant,
with a capacity of 600 pounds, re-
quires two men and three women. A
batch of onions requires twenty hours
potatoes fifteen to eighteen hours.
Potatoes shrink Is per cent in the
process. onions so per cent. These