Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, January 4, 1910, Page 1

THE BEMIDJI DAILY PIONEE Historical Societys VOLUME 7. NUMBER 219. BEMIDJI, MINNESOTA, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 4, 1910. TEN CENTS PER WEEK. CITY ENGINEER SUBMITS SOME RECOMMENDATIONS Tells Council of Improvements Made During Past Year; Furnishes Interesting Statistics, and Discusses Pav- ing and Possible Future Improvements. The most important feature of last night’s meeting of the city council was the report of M. D. Stoner, city engineer, who gave some very valuable information as to the public improvements made by the city during the past year, and who also made recommendations as to future improvements that should be made, and some that might possibly be made, including statistics as to paving. The report was accepted and filed; and is herewith given in full: ““As this is the last meeting in the year, 1909, I therefore desire to submit my annual report as follows: “During the year 1909 the city has spent on street grading, sewers and roads the total sum of} $1,943.57 out of the permanent im- provement fund and received in said fund the total sum of $7,382.49; total amount of the tax levy for said fund was $7,830.12. As there wasa deficit of $5,397.14, including the $3,500 borrowed from the sinking fund in 1908, there is remaining in said improvement fund the sum of $41.78. “Total amount taxes $447.63. “The total sum spent from the revolving fund was $1,798.46, which was used for sewer construction only; balance in fund, $1,316.97. “Total length of sewer construc- tion was 1570 feet, being 1230 feet on America avenue and 340 feet on Beltrami avenue. This gives the city a sanitary sewer system of 12,065 feet, or 2.29 miles in length, at a total cost of $16,183.12, *“Total length of cement sidewalks built by private parties during the season was 975 feet, at an estimated cost of $725. The total length of cement sidewalks now constructel in the city is 31,682 feet, or six miles. “Total water works improvement was as follows: 10 inch artesian well, $2692; pumping machinery and pip- ing, $6244; new building, $1112.60. “Distributing system as follows: 127 feet of 12-inch pipe, 5388 feet of 10-inch pipe, 5006 feet of 8-inch pipe, 8305 feet of 6-inch pipe, and 3068 feet of 4-inch pipe, making a total of 21894 feet of pipe laid, 40 6-inch fire hydrants and 8 4-inch hydrants, 7 10-inch valves, 5 8-inch valves, 15 6-inch valves and 18 4-inch valves, making a total of 45 new valves; 29120 lbs of specials were used. Total amount of con- tract was $31580.08. “New tower and tank, $6,558.83, (including extra allowed for enlarged foundations); cost of moving old pump, $115.00. “Cost of 1500 feet of fire hose and fire department supplies $1561.- 05; cost of new hose wagon, $164.89; cost of city engineer’s plans and specifications and supervision, $§989; cost of inspecting work, $478.50; total cost of engineering and inspec- tion on waterworks improvements, $1467.50; total cost of water works improvement, $51,495.95.. Percent- age of total cost paid for engineering and superintendence 2.84 per cent; percentage charged for similar work by consulting engineers, 5 to 10 per cent. “The new improvements to the city water works gives the city a system having a direct pressure of from 85 to 105 lbs. in case of fire and a tank pressure of 5Q to 70 Ibs., depending on the location, for ordi- nary use. & “The total length of entire system is now 35425 feet, or 6.71 miles with 54 controlling valves and 82 hydrants in service. The total number of taps is 192, and the total average water consumption per 24 hours is 145,000 gallons, and the total amount of supply is 650,000 gallons. “In looking up the matter of delinquent taxes caused by local assessments county has never paid - the city its in delinquent assessment of $195 for the conm- struction of a sewer along the west side of its property; also the Sister’s hospital did not pay its sewer as- sessment of $290.50; also the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches did not pay their assessment of $32.55 each for sewer. “Also, the First M. E. church did not pay its sidewalk assessment of $77.22. “These items amount to $627.22, and isa total loss to the revolving fund, as none of them were placed on the assessment books by the county auditor, being exempt from ordinary taxation. “I make mention of this matter on account of the seemingly large shrinkage in the Revolving fund. ““Total amount paid city engineer for sewer construction and all other work not heretofore mentioned was $93; total sum paid tor sewer inspec- tion, $78; making a grand total paid city engineer and his assistants of $1638.50. Total amount of all improvements for the year $55,962.- 98; percentage of total cost paid for engineering, 2.93 per cent. “As the year of 1910 will no doubt be a very busy one for the city, with the coming of the Soo railway and the fact that nothing of conse- quence was done this year in side- walk construction and street grading, and for the-reason that there is more or less talk by the business men about street paving, I therefore wish to ~call -your ~attention **to ' some important matters which ‘should be considered at an early date: “In the matter of street improve- ment, I wish to call your attention to the fact that before anything can be done in regard to improving the condition of the surface of our streets, a storm sewer system must be constructed. *“The present sewer system is strictly a sanitary system, designed to take care of the sewage only. By putting in two Systems instead of one combined system, the city saved at least $10,000 in the first contract, to say nothing about the amount saved in subsequent contracts. ““An outlet for a combined system large enough to take care of all the storm water which would collect on the entire sewer district which has an area of one square mile, would have necessitated the con- struction of a large brick sewer with large pipe sewers as latterals, none being less than 12 inches in diameter and most of them being 18 to 24 inches, and the additional cost of maintaining a septic tank which would * collect tons of sediment from the storm water, and the cost of two or more catch basins at all street crossings would have far exeeded the combined cost of laying a sanitary system with small pipes to the necessary depth af 10 to 14 feet having one outlet and a separate storm sewer having several outlets so that pipes larger than 24 inches need not be used and they may be ‘layed in trenches 4 to 6 feet deep and no catch basins need be used, but instead the water can be taken from the opening in the -gutter directly into the sewer as there will be no sewer gas to trap, and the considerable expense of cleaning out the catch basins would be obviated, also the frequent cleaning of a future septic tank. “‘As there has been some criticism on the advisibility of the two systems, I therefore wish to state that while a member of -the State Board of Health was looking over the city several years ago, he re- marked that Bemidji was one of the few cities in the state which had started right in regard tothe taking care of her sewage. “A great many cities in the east are spending thousauds of dollars to separate the storm water from the I find that Beltranmdtthernewagé “!6 that they may be able to treat the sewage at a reason- able cost. That is the all-important feature of the .two systems, as we must soon take steps to at least partially purify our sewage, not only to comply with the state require- ments but for our own good. “I have made an estimate of a complete storm sewer system with openings at all street corners where needed, from 2nd street to 10th street and America avenue to the lake shore and find that the entire system can be put in for $7500, of which $4500 would be assessable to the property and $3000 would have to be paid out of the permanent im- provement fund for street crossings and iron gratings, etc. The assess- ment per 25-foot lot in said _distrsct would not exceed $6.50. *“The work should be done at least three months prior to any paving and preferably a year, hénce my urging the consideration of this question at this time. “In regard to improvements on our streets I wish to state that I have carefully considered for some| ' time the question of street paving. “In looking over our resources for paving material and the cost of each, I find that we have no cheap rock which we can crush and if we had I would hesitate to recommend it as the whole United ‘States within the past few years is realizing to its sorrow that macadam roads without some form of tar or oil binderis a total failure in withstanding the wear of automobile traffic together with the other travel. The fine particles of stone and dust which are so essential in the composition of a good macadam road are rapidly sucked up and blown away by the action of the automobiles stone rapidly work loose it/ ic pavement begins to ravel, called. : “A great many cities|@a menting with various ;) Lined and unlined’N': and Cape Gloves, r¢ $2.00 $1.35 isjverft 25-foot lot asphaltic oil and tar to overcome the rapid deterioration of their roads and streets and have more or - less success with it. «In this connection I ‘will state that two years ago last summer I purchased several = barrels of asphaltic oil from the oil fields of California and Kentuckey and put it on the street in front of my residence. - I used two gallons to the square yard and worked it up with about four inches of the top soil, The result was good. This vear I went to a considerable addi- tional expense to experiment with tar and sand with a view of cheapening the preparation. 1 found that where I had placed-the oil two years before, the earth was so hard that I had to cut it with an ax to work it up, but as the two barrels of oil ] had used covered such a small area the sand had been carried on top of it by the wagon wheels, to a depth of several inches, “I believe that if an entire block had ‘been treated that.way, but with three gallons to the yard instead of two, and an_ additional application put on the second year of about one- half gallon that the results would have been highly satisfactory. This class of paving has proven very successful in California and is quite cheap out there. “My experiments with tar lead me to believe that it is a failure with sand. : “The cost of asphalt, creosoted’ blocks, brick, sand stone or any of the patented pavements are pro- hibitory for the tax payers of this small city as the average cost of the ove class of pavement would be jut $2.50 per square yard or $180 in the business trict. ¢In carefully observing -what eer cities are doing in regard to paving and after investigating where ordinary cement pavement is used, and what satisfaction it is giving, I am thoroughly convinced that it is the only pavement for us to use. “We -can get the very best quality of gravel suitable for con- crete by barges from up the Missis- sippi river at a very reasonable cost, being less than half what it is costing to get it with teams, and with this material I am sure we can construct a pavement that will be highly satisfactory and the most sanitary of all, and at 3 cost of not over one-half of what other high grade pavement costs. That is to say, a good cement pave- ment can be constructed for g1.25 jper square yard or $go per lot in the business district or $50 per 25-foot lot in the residence dis- trict where the driveways can be narrowed up as all cities are now doing. “Those who have used it claim it is not as slippery as asphalt or brick and wears very satisfactorily. “Garry, ‘Ind., the most modern city in the country is most entirely paved with cement pavement. Tor- onto has many blocks of it and Fon- duLac, Wis., laid over four miles of it last year using specifications practically the same as I uséd in this city for our alley crossings, and they liked it so well that they will lay as much more this coming seagon. In | that city it costs less than half as much as asphalt. This cost spread over a period of five rears would amount to about $18 per year in the business district and $10 per year in the residence district. “I do not urge any street paving at this time but merely make men- tion of the matter so that the citi- zens may better understand -what [Continued on Last Page.] MR. MERCHANT, DOSEN'T IT PAY TO USE PRINTER’S INK Live Dis‘cfission of Advertising and Publicity Propo'sitions. —The World Belongs to the Man Who Wants It and Who Hustles. [By & u 0.] Sometimes I smile when I hear a man-say that his trade is “established” and does not need to advertise any. more. Did you ever hear of a man whose appetite was so thoroughly “estabished” that he did not need to eat any more? When the plum pudding and turkey which you ate last Christmas will suffice to satisfy your hunger this Christmas, then last year’s advertising will be sufficient for this year’s business. In the meantime—well! In the meantime, if you would do business you will find it necessary to "ask for it. There are a lot of real nice people in this country who say ‘that “If a thing is pot worth asking for its not worth having.” And these people make it the rule of their lives to give their business only to those who ask for it.. Very sensible people they are, too. A short time ago, in my travels, I ran across one of those men who think last year’s bird’s nests will do to hatch this year’s egs in, The conversation turned "on the subject of advertising. This is a matter I --do not often mention outside the family. I have been told that I talk ad- vertising in my sleep (that’s no dream, either). i Women's and Children’s BEMI»DJI J. CRANE & CO. Ready-to-Wear Garments MINNESOTA WALF PR amen Geies S We have gone through our stocks, re-grouping and re- pricing many of the Coats, Suits and Dresses, that were under the quarter off lots last week, have now been trans- ferred, and many things that belonged last week to the Third off lots now ]01[1 the HALF PRICE RANKS, so that now we really begin a new sale on new PRICES as well as to take up last week’s sale where we left off. Street and Evening Dresses, Coats and Suits Belt Pins, Hat Pins, Combs . and Belts, worth $1.50 and up 65¢c ONE HALF PRICE This includes everything from the practical utility coat or severe tail- ored dress to the most elaborate imported wrapper or costume. KIMONAS AND DRESSING SAGQUES Fancy silk full length Kimonas, $15 values: $14.00 values.. $1200 « .. $7.50 Pressed Flannel, regular $4 and $4.50 values...$3.00 $2.50 Kimonas.............. .1.50 Furs : Sable Squirrel, regular $40 Set. $28 00 Isable Fox, regular $33 Set $20.00 Scarfs...............c.. $15.00 $1000 “ .21.00 35c¢ and 40c, now selling at $2.25 and $2.50° “ $1.00 and $1.50 * = ¢ Single Garments worth 35¢ and 40c.. ~ Hosiery PIam and hand finished silk Hose $4 and $4.50 for........... $2'25 Dago, regular $3.00 values... 250 pairs cashmere and fleeced Hose worth ...$1.35 19¢ FLANNEL NIGHT DRESSES AND UNDERWEAR $3.50 and $4,00 Union Suits.........................$2.85 76¢ v 200 For quick selling ‘we offer $5.00 Silk Petticoats at $3.45‘,: ‘black and colors $l.50 Heatherbloom and Sateens for 95¢ All Children’s Coats worth up to $9 00 at $3 85‘ Said the gentleman in question, “I am so well advertised I do not need to do any more of it. Every- body knows about me.” Now, I am naturally of a very serious turn of mind, so I did .not laugh when he made this remark. I only looked solemn and turned the conversation into political channels. Suddenly I asked him to give me the name of the man who was Mr. Bryan’s running mate in 1896 and for the life of him he could not do it. Still maintaining that- seriousness which has oft'n caused people to mistake me for a superintendent of a morgue, I said,"He was one of the best advertised men in the country but a few years ago and yet you can- not even recall his name.” For a moment he looked at me with a sad, sweet smile and then asked how much it would cost for a column space on a five-year contract, all cash in advance. He is still ad- vertising. The business which abides is the business that constantly makes itself known and felt. You can put it down as an established fact that as soon as you begin to let the public alone, it will promptly let you alone, as faras buying your goods is con- cerned. But now I hear someone say, “It is not in keeping with some talks I I have heard which claimed adver- tising was cumulative in xts effect.” Just so. “Advertising is cumulative. So are bricks. When, however, you stop putting bricks in the wall they cease to accumulate. Same way with ads. The dear public concerns itself about us just in proportion as we compel it to. Trying to build up a business which will ‘abide and keep on abid- ing without advertising is very much like a married man trying to have his own way—just a sheer waste of energy. _ The man who builds up the business which abides will find it necessary not only to advertise all the time but to advertise right. Fooling away good money in’ ad- vertising is a easy as “falling in love.” What catches many a man is the so-called low rates of some papers which have absolutely nothing else to offer as an induéement—no prestige, no circulation, no nothing —just low rates. If the advertiser has paid his low rate and got nothing, he finds that he’s been “Stung” and that his low rate was high. In fact he paid about 100 per cent more than the advertisiug was worth. Itwould seem that the sensible thing to do would be to give these questionable publications the go-by. The wisest thing to do is to perman-~ ently identify yourself with the pub- lication, whose ability to get busi- ness can be easily ascertained by making inquiries of advertisers who use their columns. Right here I want to say a few things in reference to this paper. I make this statement now so you can skip itif you feel disposed. Nothing I could ever say about its ability to get business for the adver- tiser would be half so eloguent as the advertisements placed therein. They may not "speak volumns;”’ they - speak “columns” and any ordinary business sense knows that if this paper was not a business getter it would not" get the large: amount of advertising it does. If you 'want to be strictly in it, beloved, why not go alodg with the paper that gets there? Now just a word about resolu- tions. 5 It is said, you know, that the [Continued on Page 3.]