Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, April 27, 1907, Page 1

R | THE BEMIDJI DAILY PION VOLUME 4. NUMBER 312 RIRNESGTh HISTORICAL SOCIETY. R. BEMIDJ1, MINNESOTA, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 27, 1907. TEN CENTS PER WEEK THE ISSUANGE OF SCHOOL BONDS UNDER DISCUSSION P. ). Russell and G. M. Torrance Give Opposite Views of the Issuing of School Bonds at This Time, Bemidji, April 25, 1907, Editor Beltrami County News: Anent the proposition to issue bonds in the sum of $35,000 to erect a high school building, a vote on which is to be had April 30th, the publicity which a prop- osition of so much importance to the ‘axpayers of this city re- quires seems to be almost wholly lacking While it is probably true that the required number of notices of election have been posted, and published in the smallest pro- curable type in an out of the way part of the daily paper, a matter of such vital importance should be fully and freely discussed and advertised, in mass meeting and through the columus of the local press. It is not a matter on which snap judgment should be taken, and a few votes decide the proposition. Should this propositien carry it means an additional indebted- ness of at least $40,000, as in ad- dition to the proposed cost of the building the site and furnish- ings will cost at least $5,000. The bonded indebtedness of the district is now $42,000, a large part of which will be due within the next five years, and the school tax for this year is nearly two cents, or to be accur- ate,eighteen and four-tenth mills, and with a double indebtedness it means double that rate or nearly four per cent. Taxpayers, what do you think of a tax of that size ir addition to your other taxes? What will it mean to those who in addition to school and general taxes must pay for sewers and sidewalks, and paving in the near future? When the Catholic church pro- perty was acquired we were told it was the intention to add addi- tional rooms to it as the neces- sity arose, The same thing was said when the site for the An- drews building was acquired and the school built. An add.tion to either of these buildings . at a moderate cost would relieve the congestion at the central school. The people want more infor- mation on this subject. They are entitled toit, and the clerk of the school board is the proper person to furnish the same. A high school building will be needed in time, but the writer does not believe that the neces- sity is pressing enough to war- rant its erection at this time, 1 viewof the enormoustax which must follow. —P. J. Russell. Editor Bemidji Daily Pioneer: In reply to the article pub- ished in the Beltrami County News under date of April 25th, signed by P. J. Russell, I have to say that while the article was unquestionably written in the utmost good faith, it is mislead- ing. The erection of a high school building and the issuance of $85,000 of bonds therefor will not increase the present tax levy for school purposes more than 2% mills on the taxable property of the district. Mr. Russell argues that by doubling the bonded debt of the district we necessarily double our taxes, That would be true only in case we had no teachers, no school houses, and no ex- penses except payment of inter- esh on bonds and for retiring onds. The only increase of taxes occasioned- by additional bonding arises from the neces- sity of raising money to pay the annual interest and to -provide for the payment of bonds as they mature. The tax levy necessary to pro- vide for the payment of interest on $35,000 of bonds at 5 percent. ($1,750) is 1 64-100 mills, and to provide a sinking fund of $1,000 per year to retire these bonds nine-tenths of a mill. This would retire $15,000 of these bonds at their maturity, and the balance could be rebonded and retired in such manner as to impose no un- necessary burden on the present taxpayers. About a year ago the Board issued $5,000 of btonds for the purpose of procuring the two ward schools, included the tax levy interest on such additional bonds, and notwithstanding that fact, made the tax levy of that year $3,100 less than for the previous year. In my opinion it would be as foolish to argue that by doubling our bonded debt, our taxes would be “‘doubled,” as to argue that, becausewhen theboardincreased the bonded debt by $5000, it - re- duced the tax levy $3,100, there- fore by 1increasing the bonded debt $35,000,0ur scheol tax would be entirely wiped out, and we would have “free education’ in every sense of the term, The board cannot hold out to the people of Bemidji that by building a high school they will get something for nothing, but it is a fact and the following figures will show, that instead of doub- ling our taxes, the erection of a high school will increase them only as above stated. It is true that $12,000 of bonds of the district will becorme due in 1912, but the sinking fund,which was started in 1904, will retire $7,000 of them and the $5,000 re- maining can be rebonded with- out difficulty, The balance of the bonds mature in 1913, 1914 and 1915. In case a high school is not erected it will be necessary to procure additional and urdesir- able buildings in which to take care of our pupils, and the addi- tional expense will so nearly equal the expense of a high school that from an economic stand- point the saving would be a small one. Additions to the ward schools would give shelter to our pupils, but those who advocate that solution of the difficulty would be loud in denouncing the management of the schools if “their children” were compelled to walkk long distances to one of the ward schools, when the main building was near at hand. Those who share Mr. Russell’s fear of still additional taxation for ‘“‘sewers, ’etc.,should remem- ber that such improvements are made upon petition of the prop- erty owners desiring the im- provements, and are paid out of the “property benefited.” Yours truly Graham M. Torrance, Clerk of Indepeadent School District of Bemidji. Table, showing taxable value of property of the district (exemptions having been deducted) and mcreased rate by bondirg for high school. Taxable value of property of district. .. Int. on $35,000 of bonds,5 per cent. Tax levy to meet same Tax levy for sinking fund to retire bonds ($1,000) Total additional tax le; . 1,065,702 1,750 1.64 mills .90 mills VY st s s R i) 2. 54mills _— Standard Oil Representative Here. C. W. Brown of Chicago, gen- eral representative of the Stand- ard Oil company, is in the city today consulting with the local representative, Wes Wright, as to needed improvements on their property at this place. Mr. Brown states that owing to the fast increase in business at this place they will enlarge their plant here. The improvements, which consist in enlarging the plant, will be made at once;~ Government Seeds. Anton Erickson has received a large consignment of government seeds which he will be pleased to distribute with the compliments of Congressman Steenerson. County Board Meet Tuesday. The board of county commis- sioners hold an adjourned ses- sion Tuesday, commencirg at 10 o’clock. A number of important measures will be taken up by the bosrd at that tlma Meeting Tonight. All those who are interested for or against the propo- sition of bonding the school district for the purpose of providing additional school roem are requested to meet at the Crookston Lumber Co.’s reading room this evening between 8 and 9 o'clock. Meeting will commence promptly at 8. A good representation is desired. R M. RICHARDS J. J. H. FRENCH A. P RITCHIE G. M. TORRENCE PINE RIVER ASSESSOR WALKS IN HIS SLEEP While Walking in Sleep Jumps From Second Story of Hotel, Breaking a Leg and Several Ribs. Walker, Minn,, April 26.— (Special to the Pioneer.)—John Leef, a resident of Pine River, this county, jumped trom a sec- ond story window of the Lake Shore hotel here, while in a somnambulistic state, to the cement walk below, suffering a compound fracture of his right leg, breaking several ribs and receiving other internal injuries, Leef is the assessor of Pine River township, and had come to Walker to get the assessor’s books. He was never known to walk in his sleep before and had Copyright 1907 b Hart Schaffner &' Marx The “GIMBEL" Hat will give you the right impres- sion. no knowledge of this accident until he found himself on the pavement suffering great agony. The accident occurred at 3 o’clock 1n the morning, and Leef laid on the sidewalk for several! minutes before his groans at- tracted attention.- ; He ‘is nota drinking man. Markham Sunday Dinner. Remember that'you can take your family to the Markham hotel and partake of a fine Sun- day dinner which will be served at 6 o'clock tomorrow. Don’t bother with home cooking, when you can be served so nicely. F i zsted in Mining. Je; Sy ls who left Be- mid; = ago to locate in the * 7 lus from Spo- kane interested in min’ = i’he is secretary of a company which has large interests in Mexico. You can’t get a. correct Idea of Clothes by reading about them. attractive sounding prices, but the clothes are the real attraction here. There are plenty of low prices in town, but values like these are rare. We can Your Seeing All we can hope to do in print is to interest you enough to lead you to come in and see. in our line is desired. 00D FELLOWS GELEBRATE HART SCHAFFNER & MARX Spring Suits at $20 Fancy weaves in stripes and club checks, brown, blue and gray, any of them worth more than the price, from $22.00---$25.00 You won’t know the facts until you see them. THEIR 88TH ANNIVERSARY —_— Pleasant Gathering at Their Hall Last Evening Participated in By a Large Number. The 88th anniversary of the I. 0.0. F. lodge was celebrated at their hall last evening with ap- propriate exercises. iter a short session ¢f the regular meeting-they adjourned and were joined by the member- ship of the Rebekah lodge and the evening enjoyed with - appro- priate exercises. % After the exercises dancing wag indulged in for two or three hours, after which the ladies served an excellent lunch. L ceal news on last page give you some For instance: Burke Goes to Baudette. A. Burke, proprietor of the Star Theatre, returned yester- day from Baudette, where he spent last week looking over the town, and was so favorably im- pressed with the business pros- pects, that he bought two lots, and will commence work at once on the erection of a building to be used for a vaudeville house. Mr. Burke will still conduct the Star Theatre here, which will close for the season a week from today, to be opened in Septem- ber. It is his intention to con- duct the Baudette enterprise during the summer months, Beaudette Leaves Quietly. N. C. Beaudette, who has been conducting a barber shop in Kel- liher for the past e ght months, quietly left last Wednesday morning, ostensibly for Brainerd to engage another barber for his shop, but subsequent events show that he left for Superior, and with no intentions of return- ing. He left his barber outfit here, but it appears there isa mortgage against the property held by the First National Bank of Bemidji. It is said h e left several of our confiding citizens considerably to the bad.—Kelliher Journal, HERMANN IS NOT GUILTY LAND FRAUD CASE GLOSED Former Commissioner Hermann of General Land Office Found Not Cuilty of Destroying Records. Washington, D. C., April 27.— (Special to the Pioneer.)—The jury in the case of Binger Her- mann, formerly commissioner of the general land office, who has been on trial for the past twelve weeks on the charge of destroy- ing public records, in connection with western timber land fraud cases, shortly after noon today brought in a verdict of not guilty. The case went to the jury yesterday afternoon after a sen- sational close. The attorneys for the defense and prosecution engaged in a heated argument, which brought forth a rebuke from the bench for both lawyers. Local news on the last page. DOINGS IN THE VARIOUS GCHURGHES OF THE GITY Hours of Worship and Subjects of Ser- mons to Be Delivered in the City Tomorrow. Episcopal—Episcopal services will be held at the I. O. O. F., hall tomorrow evening at 8 o’clock. Rev. Parshall of Cass Lake will conduct the services. A cordial invitation is extended to all to attend. Baptist—There will be no preaching services in the Baptist church tomorrow morning or evening on account of the pastor being at Mizpah. Sunday school will be held at 12 m., and B. Y. P. U. meeting at 7. Methodist—Public worship at 11. Subject of the morning ser- mon “What Some Men Saw on the Top of a Mountain.” Sun- day school 12:15: Junior League at 3; Epworth League at 7:15, There will be no service in the evening, owing to the special meeting at the opera house. St. Phillip’s Catholic church— Early mass, 8:30 a. m;; high mass and sermon, 10:30. Sunday school at 2 p. m. Rev. Father O’Dwyer. Norwegian Lutheran—Services will be held in the Norwegian Lutheran church tomorrow morning at 10:30 and in the even- ing at 8 o’clock. Rev. Jenson of Northome will preach at both services. A cordial invitation is extended to all to be present. 1. 0. 0. F. Anniversary Services. The membersofTenstrikelodge 1. 0.0. F. -will hold appropriate exercises at that place tomorzow. A general invitation has been ex- tended by that lodge to the members of the Bemidji lodge to attend. Motor Boat Men. We carry in stock atall times marine motors and launches, batteries and spark coils, spark plugs and vibrators, carburetors and life preservers, rubber b oat blankets, gasoline, gas engine oil. We are gas engine experts. Jerrard Plb. Co. EVANGELISTIC Your inspection of these goods and anything SERVICES AT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH PROF, JOHN BURSK. Service in the morning at 11, Evangelist Hamilton will preach and Prof. Bursk will sing. Sun- day school and Bible class at 12:15;Jr. C.E. 8 p. m.; Sr. C. E 7 p. m. Inthe evening the ser- vices will be held in the city hall, Service will begin at 8, with praise services by chorus choir and by the “Sunbeam choir.” The scng service ox this oceasion will be equal to a concert, while Rev. Hamilton is too well and fa vorably known to need any com ment. There is a great treat in store for all who attend these services tomorrow. Services all next week in hhe L. GOLDBERG. Al city hall. The public 18 cordially invited to all thege services.