Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1924-02-29

on the gross operating revenues o.
the motor vehicle transportation com
panies. This tax is / per cent on the
gross operating revenues OF $3,S21, 1858
Hearing of the application of mum
Der of railroad companies to increase
freight rates on apples and other
fruits shipped from Hood River and
The Dalles to Puget sound points has
been set for March l at Yakima. The
hearing will be conducted by repre-
sentative of the interstate commerce
commission.
Approximately three miles of scaly
trees are being cut down along the
Columbia river at Wenatchee, under
direction of the horticultural depart
ment. This is part of the work being
carried on throughout the district to
lessen the amount Of scale. Many
orchardists are cleaning out similar
trees near their ranches.
Twenty-four bamboo quail received
in Seattle last week from China, were
released by County Game Warden
Leichhardt in Cowlitz county, where
conditions are excellent for their pro-
pagation. The birds We're fully matur-
ed. They are somewhat similar to
Hungarian pheasants. They cost the
county game fund So apiece.
An endeavor will be made by the
Washington state highway department
to open SnoQualmie pass in the Cas-
cade mountains for travel by May /,
two weeks earlier than usual. The
snow was reported to be only 212
feet deep at present near the sum
nit, compared with normal depth for
this time of year of about six feet.
In response to demands for tax re-
duction, Yakima county will spend
$221,034 less for road work in 1924
than in 1928, according to a program
for 25 miles of gravelling and IL
miles of paving outlined by the county
engineer. The total budget is S473,S10
to be spent by the county, including
new construction, maintenance and
one new steel bridge.
The mystery of the death of Mrs.
Laura Mummey, IS, by shotgun wound
or fire; the serious wounding OF her
husband, Joshua Mummey rs, and the
burning of their home at Seattle
Heights, near Seattle, was explained
when Carl Ryberg, divorced husband
of a granddaughter of Mrs. Mummey,
was alleged by Sheriff James Nc
Culoch to have confessed to the
crime.
| A. S. Burrows, superintendent of
schools in King county outside Seattle,
announced that he would not permit
an essay contest for $1,000 scholar
ship offered by the Northern Electric
Light and Power association to pro-
coed in his jurisdiction until he has
investigated. The contest was APP
proved by Mrs. Josephine Corliss Pres
ton, Washington state superintendent
Of public instruction.
The body of Owen Hudson, Dry
couee rancher, who on January 81
slew his brother, Earl Hudson, at
their lonely cabin home and later kill
ed Glen Pugh and Ira Slayton, neigh
boring farmers, and seriously wound
ed Mrs Slayton. was found in a coulee
about 300 yards from Bluff lake, near
Coulee. He had shot himself in the
right eye, the bullet tearing off the
upper part of his skull.
Two state land office sale records
were broken by proceeds of the sale
Of Tuesday, February 5, when receipts
Of s577,2b6.45 for timber alone shat
tered all former timber sale records,
and the total receipts of $60S,361.49
established a new mark also, states
Land Commissioner Savidge. Besides
the timber, which brought slightly in
excess of appraised value, uplands
sold brought in $14,S71.55 and tide
lands S16,2S3.49.
Repairing of the Ebey island dixie,
which was washed out in recent
flood Of the Snohomish river near
Everett, will be made with state high
way funds, it was announced by state
highway authorities. Snohomish
county commissioners declared they
we're powerless to spend county funds
on the bikes, because the diking dis
trict was heavily in debt from flood
damage Of the last two years. State
aid was the only recourse, they said.
Great benefits will result to ship
pers of farm products in the Pacific
northwest when reduced express rates
10 into effect soon, e. " Kuykendall
director of the department of public
works, declares. Mr. Kuykendali
represented the fifth zone, which com
prised the Coast states in the inter,
,tota com marco commission hearings