Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, July 25, 1911, Page 1

O ELWELL SEES PERIL IN EXTRA SESSION Good Roads Champion Here to Make Public Talk—Doubts Value of Reconvening Legislature. TELLS HOW HIGHWAYS BENEFIT Under Law Which Bears His Name Funds Ready for New Era of Development. PUBLIC GATHERING TONIGHT Addresses to Be Made at the Court House, to Which All Are Invited. “In my estimation it would be un- wise to assemble the legislature in extraordinary session at this time and if it were reconvened I should still further question the wisdom of attempting retalitory legislation | against the railroad companies as ai result of the restoration of three cent | fare.” | This from Senator James T. El-| well, who arrived in Bemidji this morning to address the Good melsI meeting to be held at 8 o’clock to-| night in the court house. “I voted for the two cent bill and by their own figures that rate is not a losing proposition for the rail- roads. But to attempt to force rail- road legislation through the legisla- ture at this time, with rate adjust-| ments still an unsettled thing in the courts, doesn’t look just right to me.| Anyhow, an extra session has too great a tendency to disrupt business | throughout the state to make it ad- visable, except .in rare instances. Blames Twin City Press. “There were some things that I wanted to see go through last win- ter. Reapportionfient was one, and 1 believe if the Twin City press had taken a little different tack, it would have passed. The vigorous demands of the press for reapportionment made the country members fearful that it was the three big cities, and not Northern Minnesota, who really wanted more representation. At least the way it turned out, gave them an excuse. “I don’t know how the other mem- bers feel about an extra session for 1 haven't talked with them about it, but my impression is that no session will be held.” The one thing dear to the heart of Senator Elwell is good roads. It was the result of his efforts that the El- well bill, which has made possible a good roads fund of $20,000,000, be- came a law. Briefly the Elwell law provides that highways may be constructed with state aid. The state pays one- half the cost of a road; the county one-fourth and the benefited prop- erty owners one-fourth, payments extending over a period of ten years. The cost of the road is financed by the county. “After careful study,” said the senator today, “we have come to the conclusion that roads can be built in this forest district of the north at an average cost of about $2,000 a mil der the Elwell law long stretches of road can be constructed; different sections of the state can be linked and lateral roads built. Mean Forest Safety. “The construction of good roads would, I believe, remove danger from forest fires, because long distances could be patrolled by automobiles or other vehicles, and incipient fire quickly quenched. Your excellent farming communities could be con- nected and consolidated rural schools effected. “These long roads can be built at probably one-half the former cost, because the contracts can be let to railroad contractors, equipped with modern machinery. With the aid of electric lights, the road work could go on day and night. Heavy rollers would place the roadway in perfect condition for immediate use. “And 1 want to say right here, that any road that is worth building is worth taking care of, and that is a provision we now have. Counties will be compelled to see to it that roads are properly repaired. Inves- tigators find that where Germany, which nation has the best roads on earth, triumphs over the United States is not in building the roads, Visit Schroeder Farm. VOLUME 9. NUMBER 74. went in automobiles to the Schroe- der farm. E, M. Stanton of Thief River Falls; county attorney of Pennington eoun- ty; F. J. McPartlin of International Falls, county attorney of Koochich- ing county; A. M. Eckstrom, county attorney of Marshall county; Wil- liam Durham of Northome, county commissioner of Koochiching county; Representative D. P. O’Neill of Thief River Falls; F. A. Green of Stephen, member of the Good Roads commit- tee of the Northern Minnesota De- velopment Association; - Senator James T. Elwell of Minneapolis; M. A. Ulnhdal of International Falls; Joseph Tyson of Redwood Falls; J. E. Dade, E. P. Rice and Charles Hay- den of Blackduck; Roy Bliler of Be- midji, county surveyor of Beltrami county; W. R. MacKenzie of Bemid- ji, secretary of the Northern Min- nesota Development Association; W. G. Schroeder, to whose model dairy farm the trip was made and C. W. Jewett, P. J. O'Leary, W. N. Bowser, Fred Brinkman, Matt Phibbs and R. H. Schumaker all of Bemidji. Charles Carter of Hines, Cyrus King of Deer River, chairman of the Good Roads committee; John Pardee lof Duluth and A. Kaiser of Bagley are others here for the meeting. At 4 p. m. today the Good Roads committee holds a business session. WILD DAY IN NEBRASKA Warring Republicans are Expected to Make State Convention Howl in Lincoln- DEMOCRATS MEET; BRYAN OUT ance with the State primary law which requires that all of the politi- cal parties shall hold their conven- j tions on the same day, the Republi- cans assembled in State convention here today while the Democrats and the Populists met at Fremont. All {candidates are selected in primaries, so that all that is left for the conven-. tions 1o do is't6 build platforms and select the State campaign officers. The conventions, nevertheless, are attracting the attention of politi- cians the country over. They are the first State conventions of the year to be held anywhere in the north or west. Furthermore, they are held in a State which has furnished some of the most conspicuous leaders of the “insurgent” movement in the Repub- lican party and at the same time still interests the Democrats as the home State of William J. Bryan. Republicans Badly Split. Unless all signs go astray the Re- publican convention in this city will furnish more interesting develop- ments than the gathering at Fre- mont. The Republicans are badly split. The “regulars” and “insur- gents” fought, and the “Nebraska Progressive Republican League” was the outgrowth. Then the latter par- ty split and the “Reformed Nebraska Progressive Republican League’ re- sulted, the latter being those insur- gents who have returned to the sup- port of President Taft, while the “Mid-Road Progressives” are still fighting the Administration. La Follette emissaries have been busily at work in Nebraska for some time and they have succeeded in working up considerable sentiment favoring the Wisconsin senator for the presidential nomination. If the La Follette supporters succeed in preventing the convention from in- dorsing President Taft they will be satisfied. If the president is in- dorsed they probably will lose little jtime_ in organizing a LaFollette league and beginning the fight in earnest. Editor Rosewater Busy. Victor Rosewater, the Omaha edi- tor, is leading the fight for Taft, while Governor Aldrich is an avowed supporter of LaFollette. A successor to United States Senator Norris Brown is to be chosen before long and this tends to still further com- plicate the situation in the Republi- can party. Congressman Norris, one of the foremost “insurgent” leaders in Congress, i§ an aspirant for the senatorship and his friends will not stand for any action on the part of the convention that might militate | against his interests. As Governor Aldrich has been ap- proached by Victor Rosewater with a view to bringing out the governor as a candidate for senator, the Al- drich and Rosewater interests are to some extent in sympathy. At the same time, however, Rosewater is an ardent supporter of Taft, while Al- drich leans toward LaFollette. Sen- opposing Aldrich, whose support he would like in-the senatorial fight. At 2 p. m. the following Good Roads visitors and Bemidji persons (Continyed vn last page- | Lincoln, Neb., July 25.—In accord- ‘Lover theen / ator Brown, no longer beloved of Rosewater, is supporting Taft, thus SCHROEDER'S FARM BREAKS INTO PRINT “The Farmer” Tells Story of How Model Dairy Place Has Been Quickly Made. SHOWS RECEIPTS $780 A MONTH Has One Cow Which Has Yielded 317 Pounds Butterfat During Period of 166 Days. HAD TO REMOVE JACK PINE This Accomplished Land Was Made Tillable and Now Fine Crops Are Flourishing. As its leading article, the current issue of “The Farmer,” the oldest farm publication in Minnesota, de- scribes the famous dairy farm of Wellington Schroeder, four miles west of Bemidji. The article is il- lustrated with photographs. Not on- ly does the story teem with facts about Northern Minnesota but is en- trancing because the commercial vie- tory it unfolds. This is the farm which was today visited by visitors here to attend the Good Roads meeting tonight. The Farmer’s interesting article says in part: “In the undeveloped regions of Northern Minnesota. there is much that is promising for a future agri- cultural prosperity; but probably nothing augurs so well-for the rapid and profitable -development of the country as the splendid farms-which jare-qpening up here and there all a year or two'ago nothing was to be derbrush. Of course, settlement has progressed with the acquisition of a multitude of homesteads and small farms which are gradually andsurely being cleared and transformed into prosperous, happy homes, and these are truly the foundation stones on which all future development must stand; but the actual possibilities of Northern Minnesota are at present best shown on some of the larger farms where a little ready money has hastened development and made immediately apparent the boundless wealth of the soil. Not alone are these better farms valuable in them- selves, but they serve a larger and broader purpose in demonstrating to smaller neighboring land owners what may be done with cut-over land, and in this way they stimulate and encourage the rapid development of the whole country. As to “Leading Farmers-” “In covering the partially -settled districts of the northern part of the state, and stopping at different points, very often there is onme man to be found who is pointed out as the “leading farmer” and is lauded as the agricultural promoter of his community. In southern Minnesota and Wisconsin or in Jowa, such a dis- tinction would not occasion great in- terest, as in these localities good farmers are to be found everywhere; but in Northern Minnesota it means something and is is worthy of com- ment, because there “leading farm- ers” are as yet few and far between. And so, when one visits Bemidji and evinces any curiosity regarding the status of farms and farmers in the surrounding country, he is immedi- ately told of W. G. Schroeder’s dairy farm and is sent hastening out to view it. Whether he be a “scientific agriculturist’” or a plain, practical farmer, or just a disinterested travel- er with an eye for the farm, he soon becomes convinced on arrival that the visit was well worth the time, for W. G. Schroeder is, indeed, the “lead- ing farmer” of the Bemidji district and, what is more, his farm gives evidence of the fact. Where Schroeder Shines. “There are more elaborate, bigger Schroeder’s in Minnesota, but' there are few which show as much pro- gress in as short a time or on which better farming is conducted = in pro- portion to natural facilities Mr. Schroeder’s farm is situated. in the woods and, with twenty acres clear- a year ago; but.today he has 110 acres cleared and in crop, with pre- more this fall; fine large dairy barn, While the Republicans are thus |* dairy herd of _fifty [able condition, seen but stumps and masses of un-| and more profitable farms than Mr. | {2 gallon for milk, 90 cents a gallon parations . made to clear 25 acres silo and milkhouse with- comfortable _{houses for workers; profitable sows with a hundred iiftle pigs;. six horses to do the farm wdrk; chickens, vegetables and small frdits to supply the family table—all year on northern stumpi land. The farm consists of 240 acres, for which ithis in one PAVING WORK T0 he-paid $2,950—$2,260 for 160 acres with partial improvemeénts (consist- ing of 20 acres of cleared land, small house and outbuildings) ard $750 for 80 acres of unimproved land. The expense of clearing and breaking the land, together . with the original price, brings the cost of the land up to about $25 and acre.. At that, it is a cheap farm, and this low cost of improved land in Northern Minne- sota is one of the features that should be noted. 3 % “Rapid Improvement.” “Mr. Schroeder’s farm was origin- ally covered with a heavy growth of Jack pine and was cut over eight years ago. On purchasing the farm in April, 1910, the first considera- tion-was t3"clear up the land. . The soil being very light and sandy, as is customary with Jack pine land, and particularly in the neighborhood of Bemidji, the work of clearing it up was not as difficult as in some other sections of Northern Minnesota. It was accomplished by first going over the land with an ax and seythe to cut the underbrush, which was piled up and burned, the cost of this opera- tion, where needed, .~ amounting to about $4 per acre. Contracts were then let to stump and break the land, at a cost of $12 per acre. The stumping was performed with a stump puller, employing two men and one horse and 200 feet of cable. This was followed with dynamite for the anchor stumps and any others that the puller could not handle. A little grubbing was also necessary on occasions. - After the stumps were burned, a three-horse, 14-inch bredk- ing plow brought the land into avail- The total cost for clearing and breaking averaged from $10 to $16 per acre. Mr. Schroeder states that there are two periods in which stumps can be meost easily re-| moved; one is between two and three years after cutting thé timber, at which time the bark of the roots tends to slip and a great deal of re- sistance is thereby eiiminated; the other is three or fou the roots"! by | decnyA ‘When removed at the ear- lier period, there is a saving in the cost of cutting the second growth, which on his farm, as stated, amount- ed to about $4 per acre.” “At the present time the land in crop consists of 35 acres of oats seed- ed to clover, 25 acres of fodder corn, 10 acres of field corn, six acres of po- tatoes, five acres of winter wheat, two acres of alfalfa, two acres of tim- othy and clover, two acres of garden vegetables and small fruits, and about 25 acres of native meadow. “A contract has been let to brush, grub, stump and break 25 acres of new land at $13 per acre. The con- tractor is now at it with two stump. pullers, one brush breaker and five teams. He expects to complete the work before the end of July. This land will be sown to winter wheat and rye the last of August. It will receive the same treatment as was given to the oatfield. . “The Dairy Herd. “The dairy herd on Mr. Schroeder’s farm is composed of common grade cows with a pure-bred Holstein bull of excellent breeding at the head. These cows, of which he now has 44, were purchased in the neighborhood at an average cost of less than $50 each. By careful selection, at the beginning, of good producers and by breeding up the quality of the herd with the use of a good sire, it is Mr. Schroeder’s belief that he will net more in the end than if he had ship- ped in pure-bred stock at high prices. From December until June, the av- erage daily production of 41 cows was 27 pounds of milk, or 1 1-4 pounds of butterfat. One cow in the herd, Bessie, in a period of 166 days, from December 25 to June 8, pro- duced 317 pounds of butterfat, ac- cording to the tests made and records kept at the farm. In summer the cows are on pasture in the brush, and in addition receive about three or four pounds of shorts or grounds oats per day. In winter, they are fed two pounds of grain for each five pounds of milk produced, about 30 pounds of ensilage and all the hay they will eat. The barn is roomy, light and comfortable, and it is kept clean and well ventilated; so-thaf, if comfort and gocd care have anything to do with the milk flow, these cows have every reasonable inducement to do ‘their best The returns from the product, sold in Bemidji, are 20 cents or 33 ee!zts a quart for cream, 25 cents a pound for butter and 15 cents a gallon for buttermilk. The prices received in Bemidji. are sofiewhat ed, was purchased only a little over higher, but a deduction i/l qmg‘ for the cost of marketing and the above figures are the returns credited to the farm. Mr. Schroeder stated that the total receipts to the farm from Council Award Contract to Grand Forks Firm Out of Field of 14 Bidders. 80 -CENTS FOR SQUARE ' YARD This Makes Cost to Property Owners $69 Per Lot, With Five Years in Which to Pay- LIST OF THOSE AFTER WORK Only Two Bemidji Firms Contesting and Both Were Underbid by the Outsiders. Actual work of laying pawement on 11 of the downtown business streets of Bemidji will begin in ten days’ time. b e Fourteen bids for laying the pave- ment, which Is to be cement, were opened at the city council meeting last night and the Northern Con- struction and Engineering company of Grand Forks was awarded the bld on a “one to three and a half” finish at the rate of 90 cents per square yard, the other bidders ranging up to as high as $1.29. There were but two Bemldji firms in the list of bids: John Goodman at $1.20 and Nels Loitved at 99 cents. ‘W. H. Robinson, present at the council meeting as a representative of the Northern Construction and | Engineering company, a Grand Forks concern, said work of putting down the pavement would begin just as so0n ag the necessary materials could be brought to Bemidji., - % 4 “There Wwill be no delay,” said Mr. Robinson, who expects to have per- sonal charge of the work, “for it will require all the good weathér remain- ing before freezing time to complete the work. We, of course, can not put the pavement down until the wa- ter mains and storm sewers are out of the way, but that work, too, will be rushed.” Nearly Lost By Check. ‘The Grand Forks firm’s financial standing is said to be good. In fact, its standing was really what saved it the contract last night. ing to the.city charter a certified check on a Bemidji bank should hgve gone in with the bids. The Grand Forks firm handed in a check on a Grand Forks bank. After its bid had been selected as the lowest the point was raised that the bid was irregu- lar. Mayor Parker explained that Mr. Robinson had inquired about that very point and had been in- formed that a check on an outside bank would be acceptable. A. P. ‘White, president of the Bemidji Northern National bank was in the council chamber and offered to cer- tify the check which he did. “That means just $69.50 as the cost of paving for a 25 foot lot,” said Mayor Parker, who has been a champion of paving for Bemidji, af- ter the contract had been awarded 1ast evening. “That means that for this sum you get 56 feet of pave- ment, and you have five years in which to pay for it—that is $13 a year. At that bid it ‘would cost but $50 a lot on the residential streets which are narrower.” The council chamber was filled with contractors when City -Clerk George Stein began tearing open the bids at the regular meeting of the council last night, -presided over by President L. F. Johnson. The fol- lowing aldermen were present: Roe, Bailey, Klein, Bisiar, Brown, Crip- pen and Smart. There were three propositions on the paving, all for cement but with varying grades and finishes. Num- ber 2, the one accepted provided for a pavement similar to the one put down on Third street last-fall, but somewhat less cement. These Submitted Bld.l The paving bids resulted as: fol- [lows: E. A. Dahl: No: 1 . +...$1.35 sq. yard No. 2 - .. .95 sq. yard No. 3 . . 1.50 sq. yard Removing surplus earth GOc cu. yd. Thomas Johnson: .-$1.16 sq. yard . 1.12 sq. yard BEGIN IN 10 DAYS Accord- |- and $.44. C. B. Rowley, Bralnerd: No. 1 see.:.....$1.10 sq. yard .99 1-2 8q. yd. No.3 ...... - Removing surplus earth 40c cu. yd Hellner & Strandal: No.1 ..........$1.38 sq. yard No. 2 .. 1.17 sq. yard No. 3 ... Removing mrplus earth 25¢ cu. yd. Tanner Bros.,, Webster, S. D. No.1 ..........$1.18 sq. yard No. 2 .. . .99 sq. yard No. 8 . Removing surplul earth 30c cu. yd. Northern Construction and Engineer- ing: No. ..$1.20 8q. yard .90 sq. ylrd Removing surplus earth 50c cu. yd Nels Toitved & Co.: No.1..... -$1.26 sq. yard No. 1 ..... . .99 sq. yard .. No.8 .......... Removing surplus earth 40c cu, yd. Americle Concrete Co.: No.1..... $1.29 1-2 sq. yd.|’ No. 2 . 114 1-2 sq. yd. No. 3 .. Removing s\lrplus um 30c cu. yd. Everett & Hitch: No. 1 . 5 ..$1.15 squeyard Neo.2 ..... "96-sq. yard No. 3 Removing !urplus earth 40c cu. yd. Writari Bros.: No.1 . ...$1.45 sq. yard No. 2 . 1.15 8q. yard No. 3 .. 7 Removing surplus earth 4 «e....$1.19 8q. yard 1.05 sq. yard Removing surplus earth 20c cu. yd. S. Birch & Son: , No.1..........$1.27 sq. yard NER ..o ... 1.10 sq. yard No. 3 ..... £ Removing surplus earth 40c cu. yd. Grant Forks Concrete Co.: No.1..........$1.49 sq. yard No. 2 . 1.29 sq. yard 1.90 sq. yard Removing surplus earth 35¢ cu. yd. The bids for the laying of the wa- ter mains were as follows: E. A. Dahl of Duluth, 8 inch foot Dpipe, per foot, $1.60; 4 inch pipe, per Ml« $1.25. fiinhem Gensiruetion and Engi- néering-Gompany - of Grand Forks; $1.45 and $1.10. Hugh Bosworth of Bemidji, $1.70 and $1.40. % Frazier and Danforth of Red Wing, $1.55 and $.95. L. W. Schruth of Fargo, $1.51 and $1.20. Grand Forks Concrete Company, no bid. For the sanitary sewers: L. W.'Schruth, $1.50 and $.49. .Frazier & D’-nrorth, $.90 and $.40. Hugh Bosworth, $1.32 and $.48. E. A. Dah};. $.85 and $.48. Northern Construction and Engi- neering Company, $.65 and $.40. For the storm sewers the bids were as follows: A Grand Forks Concrete Company, 20 inch pipe $1.35, 15 inch pipe $.90, 12 inch pipe $.65, 10 inch pipe $60. Catch basin $15. Northern Construction and Engi- neering Company, $1.12, $.68, $.50 Catch basin $14. E. A. Dahl, $1.72, $1.35, $1.10 and $1. Catch basin, $38. Bosworth, $1.72, $1.22, $.83 and $.77. Catch basin $24.20. Frazie & Danforth, $1.75, $1.20, $.90 and $.70. Catch basin $18. L. W. Schruth, $1.50, $1.10, $.85 and $.75. - Catch basin $22. Consideration of these bids went over to a special meeting of the council at 10 a. m. today. INVESTIGATE POOR FARM At Morning Session Aldermen De- cide Present Situation Should Be Looked Into. ' STORM SEWER CONTRACT LET With & motion made and seconded that the work on the laying of the| pavément. should Btart in ten days, the special session of the city coun- cil which had been called for this morning, for the purpose of grant- ing contracts for the construction of storm and sanitary sewers and water mains, adjourned shortly before noon. ‘The Northern Construction and Engineering - Company of Grand Forks, which was successful in its bid for the.laying of-the pavement also’ received the contract for the building of the storm amd’ sanitary sewers and the laying of the addi-| tional water main, the ‘actual cost will amount to-about $4,300. Rémoving mrplnl elrth 30¢ cu. yd. December 1st to June 1st had aver-| “An amusing feature of the morn- ing session occurred when Alderman Brown, who is'a member of the poor commiitee, Tequested Clty Physician aged $250 per month. In May - thirteen 8 present at the mget~ u yd. | { HILSCHER T0 GIVE FREE TALK FRIDAY Chautauqua Speaker Consents to De- liver His Lecture on “Metaphy- sical Quackery.” 1 TOBEHELDETHEGXTYM Speaker One of the Most Prominent Pr_eu:hen in Kansas; Worked CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CRITICIZED Speaker at Bible Conference Today Says it is “Happy” But Not Complete Life. An unexpected attraction is to fea- ture the Bible conference now being held in this city, aYrangements to- day having been made to have Dr. S. 8. Hilscher, :a prominent chatauqua lecturer deliver his “Metaphysical Quickeryi’ lecture in the City Hall on Friday evening of this week. Although Dr. Hilscher is a speak- er who commands not less than $100 a night, the lecture on Friday even- ing ‘will be free to the public. A col- lectior will be taken, but there will be no admittance fee charged. Makes No Attack. This lecture deals in a popular way with .the modern metaphysical move- ment. It attacks no organized sys- tem of religious belief, but indicates the possibility and danger of a “met- aphysician quack’ as the successor of the “physician quack.” Dr. S. S. Hilscher is the pastor of one of the largest and most import- aat churches in the state of Kansas, located at Iola. He received a thor- ough training for his work in the Lincoln college of Millikin Univer- sity and in the McCormick Theologi- cal Seminary, being graduated from both of these institutions. He taught for six years, for four years being su- perintendent of city schools in Min- nesota. For three years he was a post-graduate student of Lake For- est University in the department of Sociology. He was trained for the law and is a member of the bar of the state of Minnesota. He under- stands the subjects on which he pre- sumes to speak- One has said that “There is never a dull moment when Dr. Hilscher is the attraction. His lectures never fail to electrify his audiences.” Takes Fling at Christian Science. Christian Science was hit by Dr. S. S. Hilscher in his address on Man, His Individual and Race History, be- fore the Bible Conference this morn- ing. Dr. Hilscher said that the Christian Science deals only with the soul of man and not the spirit, that the study leads ome to have a sweet disposition, and make life seem more easy, but that by not teaching of the spirit it does not bring its student nearer to Jesus Christ. The doctor explained how at the beginning man had three parts, soul, spirit and body, and how at the present time man, as a whole, had lots much of that first blesisng. The meeting this morning was largely attended, a marked increase in interest being shown. Dr. Gaeberlein spoke this after- noon, continuing his address on Ro- mans and tonight another of the big features of the conference will take place when Dr. Luccock will tell of the World Conference at Edinburgh. He will talk in the Presbyterian church, where all the meetings are ‘being held. Tomorrow the regular prlnted pro- ;pm will be carried out. Consecrated as Bishop. St. John’s, N. F., July 25.—With all the splendor of the Roman cath- olie-ritual, Rev. Michael Power was eonmnted bishop of Bay St. George, ‘West Newfoundland, in the cathedral here today. He is said to be the youngest bishop in{the world and his induction into office was one of the most impressive ceremonies ever wit- nessed hereabouts. - Mgr! Stagni, the Papal delegate, was present. Arch- bishop Howley of St. John’s was the consecrator and Archbishop McCar- thy of Halifax preached the sermon. So_great has been the recent in- crease in the membership of the San Francisco, Cal., Typographical” Un- fion that the organization now has the maximum répresentation of all unions in the San Francisco Labor ‘Council. %