Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, December 28, 1911, Page 1

VOLUME 9. NUMBER 205 NEW MOVE NOW TO CHANGE CITY'S RULE Commercial Club May Be Asked to Conduct Investigation of Com- mission Form. EAU CLAIRE TELLS OF PROGRESS With Mayor and Two Councilmen, City Changes From Debt Ridden to Cash Working System. BEGAN WITH $45,000 HANDICAP This is Wiped Out First Year and| Officials Feel New Enterprices and Announcement that radical chang-| es for cily government, formulated | by a charter commission of 15 mem-| bers, are to be voted at the February clection here, has led to a revival of | agitation for a complete change from ! the present mode to a commission form, as has been adopfed by many! cities throughout the country and by | Mankato and St. Cloud in this state. | It has been suggested that the Be-| midji Commercial club begin®an ac-| tive investigation of the merits of | the commission plan. Alderman | Knute K. Row, who has taken an active interest in ascertaining the advantages to be derived from the commission plan, today received a copy of a daily newspaper printed at | I2au Claire, Wis,, where the commis- sion form is in use. The newspaper contains an official resume of what | has been done in that place, prepared | Ly Robert Boyd., a councilman. What Eau Claire Has Done. In part the communication say The City of IBan Claire, Wiscon came under the commission form of in April, 1910, According to the census of 1910, Eau Claire had a population of 18,-} 310 with an assessed valuation of $9,960,000. The bonded debt in 1910 was| $260,000, on which we were paying| an average of 4 1-2 per cent interest, but on all except $30,000 of these| bonds there was an offset in the form of a sinking fund. This sinking fund consisted of money on deposit in the banks which was held to pay the principal of the bonds when due and this amounted to $62,083, leaving the net amount of the bonds $197,- 017. 8 % % gZovernment What Led Up to Change. What led up to the change was mostly a feeling that we were under a clumsy and unbusinesslike system, and there was a general belief that government based so rigidly on ward lines, put a premium on unfair deal- ing and led the most influential of the aldermen to forget the general interests of the city in their zeal for their own particular wards and for their immediate followers and their friends. Both of the daily papers advocated a change in government and there was a general growth of sentiment in this direction, some prominent men in the old council were leaders in the cause while the mayor and some oth- ers opposed it. A mass meeting was held and at this time it was conclusively shown that the movement was led by the best and most progressive element, some being prominent business men; some were members of the old coun- cil, but not candidates for office, and there were many small tax payers including a fair proportion of labor- ing men. Accepted By Big Majority. The proposal to adopt the commis- sion government was accepted by a majority so great as to do away with all doubt as to the state of public sentiment. The men elected to office were as; follows: John B. Fleming, a lawyer, for the office of mayor for the term of six years, with a yearly salary of $3,500. Robert K. Boyd, a real estate deal- er, for the office of councilman, for four years, salary $3,000. John Huebsch, proprietor of a laundry, councilman for two years, salary $3,000. , These men took charge of the city on April 19, 1910, and found the fin- ances of the city under temporary embarrassment, but by no means in a hopeless condition. In other re- spects the interests of the city seem- ed to be in good hands, the fire and police departments were under the jwe ook charge. there was no lawless element to make trouble for the new officials. * * * Made Few Sweeping Changes. During the season we had to pay $12,000 for a normal school site and we built a reservoir at the source of our water supply at a cost of over $4,500. To do all this besides pay- ing the salaries of officials and office employes and many other expenses which could not be avoided, we were compelled to borrow money from the banks and trust to the next tax levy to put us out of debt. We made no sweeping changes in the matter of officials and employes, the rule being to keep all who were doing good work and who desired to stay. * * * Pay Up All Debts. With the new taxes we paid the banks in full, cleaned up all our floating debts, paid the salaries of clerks and officials, supported the fire and police departments through the winter, and in April, 1911, made up a new statement of our financial condition on exactly the same lines as the one made in April, 1910, when On April 19th, 1911, after one year of commission government, our actual cash was as shown below. We had paid up all our current debts and expenses including inter-| est’ on our bonded debt, and in addi- tion to this had made a substantial increase to the sinking fund on de- posit in the banks. Amount paid into fund On deposit subject to check. 67,762 sinking Total cash on deposit. 80,883 Deducting what we had the year before .. 11,713 Increase in cash during the YEAF . Jeenncevosvennen $69,170 The above statement is fairly made up and absolutely true, there being no facts which, if stated. would make the conclusion any dilferent. We had decreased the bonded debt $13,- 121, had no floating debts or unset- tled accounts to deplete the amount of cash on hand, and wactually had the $67,762 to commrence the sea-| son’s work on, instead of $11,713 as on the day we commenced. The debt of $45,000 which our predecessors had tried to pay by an issue of bonds, was now entirely wiped out, and the ordinance provid- ing for this bond issue was repealed and expunged from the records so that no one ever need think of this debt again. Attracts New Industries. In regard to new industries it has been our belief and is now that they will come if we do business right, and that we should not give away the peoples’ money even in a good cause. We believe this policy will make Eau Claire a good place to do business in, and a good place to live in, but in this belief we do not lay down rules for others or say what policy shall be followed in other cities. Eau | Claire is making a steady, healthy growth, and we have no right to complain although like others, we hope for still better things in the future. For the council, Robert K. Boyd. Bau Claire, Wis,, Dec,, 1911, Golden Gate Fogs. The fogs of 'the Pacific and especial- ly those on the coust of California, Oregon and Washington present some characteristic features of their own. They are low lylng. dense and of fre- quent and regular occurrence and have been the cause directly and indirectly of a large percentage of marine dis- asters in the vicinity of San Francisco. Owing to the general movement of the air from the sea toward the land and the climate of the great interior valley, fog is frequent and well marked. In summer the afternoon sea fog varies in depth from 100 to 1,700 feet, but it rarely reaches far inland. On some afternoons the veloclty of the wind at San Francisco rises witb almost clock= like regularity to about twenty-two miles an hour, and a solid wall of fog, averaging 1,500 feet in beight, comes through the Golden Gate, causing a fall in temperature to about that of the séa—namely, 55 degrees I. The upper level of the fog can be plainly seen from the hills in the vicinity. Above the fog level the air is cloud- less, and the afternoon temperature ranges from 80 degrees F. to 90 de- grees F.—Chicago News. Careless, as Usual. The great baseball player's wire haé never seen a game, but he tinally per suaded her to view one in which ke was to play. He was doing his best, of course. One strike had been called cn him. and, as usual in baseball anecdot two men were out and the bases wer full. Our hero was gatheéring his strength for the swat he was going tc give the ball. And tue b~ll came. He knew it was his ss the ball started, aud with « mighty crack he lifted it into space. Dropping his bat, he sped for first. and ere the roar of applause burst out a slight woman in the grand stand rose and called: “Will, come back here and put that bat where it belongs!"—Buffalo Ex- i laborer, in Denver, Colo., [CRCRCRRCR R R R R RCRCR R % QUTSIDE NEWS CONDENSED. LR O R RO RO AR R R 2 Mrs. Adolph O: Eberhart, wife of the governor, who was operated on in Minneapolis yesterday for appen- dicitis, passed a good night and her condition today is much improved. . Carl Morris, the Qklahoma engi- neer, ascended a rung on the “white hope’’ ladder by decisively out-point- ing Tom Kennedy, the New York heavyweight, in a ten-round bout in New York last night. * A notable celebration was held .in Baker, Ore., today to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Wilson Price Hunt’s party in the Powder valley, which event marked the first coming of the white man to eastern Oregon. * Miss Laura Bowman, a graduate of the divinity school of Lombard Col- lege, was ordained to the Universal- ist ministry "today in the town of Markesan, Wis. Dr. Effie McCollum Jones, of Waterloo, Iowa, preached the ordination sermon. » Frank Goteh, the world's wrest- ling champion, defeated Alec Munro, the English champion, in straight falls at Kansas City last night. The first fall came in 12 minutes, and the second in 8 minutes § seconds, each with a half nelson and crotch hold. * Some one.told L. L. Chadwick, a any bad habits his 6 year old son might pos- sess could be cured by rolling the youngster’s naked body in the snow. Chadwick followed the adyice and was fined $100 in the Denver muni- cipal court. * With a riq which was a Christ- mas gift, 10 year old Harry Leowall shot ang instantly killed his mother Mrs. C. Leowall, at their home near Jefferson Barracks, on the outskirts of St. Louis, Harry did not know the rifle was loaded. . A. C. Weiss, publisher of the Du- luth Herald, will be Dan W. Law- ler’s opponent for the democratic nomination for United States senator. That is the program said to be agreed upon by the leaders of the state dem- ocracy, who are opposed to Bourbon- ism, which they say Lawler repre- sents. ) * Several hundred representatives of the leading railroads of the United States, Canada and Mexico-assembled in Jacksonville, Fla., today for the opening of the annual convention of the American Association of Passen- ger Agents. Following a two-day session in this city the passenger ag- ents will make a tour of Florida and Cuba. = Delegates from 40 colleges and un- iversities, representing a three-fold increase in membership the past year, were in attendance at the third annual convention of the Intercolle- giate Socialist Society which met in New York city today. The conven- tion speakers included Congressman Victor L, Berger of Milwaukee and Mayor-elect George R. Lunn of Sche- nectady. 3 = Stockholders of the Childs Com- pany at a special meeting today in New York voted affirmatively on the proposal of the directors to increase the common stock from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000. The company, which is said to have the backing of the Standard Oil group of capitalists, controls a string of dairy lunch rooms in many of the large cities of the country. . One of the most important 'maw.ers to be considered and acted upon by the Massachusetts Legislature when it assembles in Boston next week “will be the measure known as the mini- mum wages bill, which is desigmed to insure a living wage for woman and child workers. The measure proposes the creation of a permanent state commission of three members. A fine ranging from $10 to $50 for every violation, or by imprisonment of from ten days to three monthg, is | proposed. * The discussion of live topics by men prominent in public life procais- es to attract wide .attention to the fifth annual meeting of the American Association for Labor Legislation, which'met in Washington today for a three days’ session. Charles Na gel, secretary of Commerce and Lalbor, will preside at the sessicn for the dis- cussion of employers’ liability; W/al- ter L. Fisher, Secretary of the Irter- ior, will lead in the discussion of the mining indgstry; Charles P. Neill, Commissioner of Labor, will discuss the reporting of industrial accidents, and Professor Henry R. Seeger of Columbia University: willipreside a.t the discussion of workmen’s compqii- management of faithful men and press. ’ 0 sation and insurance: = 1911.) (Copyright. STOVE BLEW UP;LOSS $200 Explosion in Broske Restaurant, Caused By Frozen Pipes, Wrecks the Kitchen. HEAVY IRON HURLED 10 FEET An explosion this morning in the large hotel range in the kitchen of M. Broske’s new restaurant at 315 Beltrami avenue, did serious damage. The cause of the explosion™ s at=| tributed to the steam in the stove’s water pipes which had frozen during the night, steam generating from the fire in the stove this morning. The explosion was keard by John Vernig, an employe, in the front room. When he reached the kitch- en the stove was a complete wreck, ihe entire top having Leen blown off, the ten inch pipe torn from its cas- ing, and the heavy iron sides of the stove badly bent. The bursting water pipes - helped to extinguish the flames, little dam- age resulting from fire, but table china and various kitchen utensils were destroyed by heavy iron pieces which were hurled ten feet by the explosion. The loss is estimated at about $200, the stove valued at $175, being ruined and in addition there was the minor loss of kitchen furnishings. Cause Loss of 10 to 20 Per Cent, Es- pecially in. Western Part of State. In his annual report made to Gov- ernor Eberhart, covering the year, F. L. Washburn, state entomologist said grasshoppers were a serious pest and caused a loss of from 10 to 20 per cent in most parts of the state, es- pecially the western section. Here there were a mumber of idle farms and these, Mr. Washburn said, were responsible. Mr. Washburn had four men at work in the infected districts showing the farmers how to get rid of the pests. ' An arsenical dissolu- tion was used with good results. Other insect pests mentioned by Mr. ‘Washburn were the saw fly, which attacked tamarack, the clover seed insect and the oak tree borer. The latter, Mr. Washburn said, did much damage throughout the state. ASK -LOW IMMIGRATION RATES Minnesota Legislators Receive Copies of Development League Resolutions. Washington, Dec. 28.—Members of the Northern. Minnesota Develop- ment association are writing to the representatives in the House from that state calling their attention to resolutions adopted by the association at its recent™convention in St. Cloud 1and urging them ‘to interest them- selves in remedial legislation. “Im- migrants are transferred from sea- ports in the Eastern states into West- ern Canada at rates less than can be obtained for like transportation in the United States,” says a letter re- ceived by Representative C. R. Davis today. ‘‘We urge you to investigate the matter and interest yourself in| ) il il N | A ANTICIPATION GRASSHOPPERS REDUCE CROPS|. ANOTHER. L PPN v e : Woodrow Wilson 55 Today. Trenton, N. J., Dec. 28— : : (Special) — Woodrow Wilson, : : governor of New Jersey and ac- : : tive candidate for the Democrat- : : ic nomination for president of : the United States, reached his : 55th birthday anniversary today and was the recipient of con- : : gratulatory messages from many : : friends and admirers throughout : : the country. Though ten years younger than Judson Harmon, who 18 re- : : garded as his chief rival for the : : presidential nomination, and sev- : en years the junior of Champ : : Clark, who also is looked upon : : as a possible Democratic stand- ard-bearer next year, Governor Wilson’s experience and activi- ties have extended over a wide @ field. : : Governor Wilson was born in : : Staunton, Va., and passed nearly : : the whole of his youth in the : South. His father was a Presby- : : terian minister“and during the : boyhood of the future governor : : occupied pulpits in Augusta, Co- : lumbia, Wilmington and other : cities in the South. The son be- : gan his academic studies at Da- : vidson College. In 1875 he went : : to Princeton and was graduated : with high honors from that in- : : stitution. : From Princeton Governor Wil- : : son went to the University of : Virginia where he studied law : for several years. Afterwards : he practiced for a time in Atlan- : ta and then went to John Hop- : kins University, where he gained : a fellowship by writing a book : : on “Congressional Government.” s In 1890 he joined the faculty : : of Princeton and twelve years : later he became president of the : university, which position he : held until his nomination for : governor of New Jersey. ¥ HILDA L. BURKMAN A BRIDE Becomes Wife of Charles Johnson at Parent’s Home in Mill Park: The wedding of Miss Hilda Louise Burkman and Charles Johnson of Mill Park took place last evening at the home of the groom’s father, C. F. Johnson at 8 o’clock, Rev. S. E. P. White of the First Presbyterian church of this city officiating. The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Ida M. Burkman, who was maid of honor, and Miss Mabel C. Johnson, as bridesmaid, the groom being at- tended by Philip M. Burkman, broth- er of the bride, acting as best man, and Gust Froyd. The wedding which was attended only by the immediate relatives and friends of the couple, was followed by a wedding supper. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson left today for a short trip to Cloquet, after which they will make their future home in this city. 200 Hear Salvationists. The musical entertainment given last evening by Capt. and Mrs. J. C. Minnes of the Salvation Army in the Congregational church at Ny- more, was largely attended, about 200 persons being present. Jim Flynn, of Pueble, knocked out Tony Caponi in the third round of a scheduled ten round fight at Salt legislation :calculated to correct the condition qomplained of.”. ;.. - Lake City last night. TEN CENTS PER WEEK p——— REALIZATION MASONS INSTALL OFFICERS Eastern Star Joins in Ceremonies, Followed By Supper Served to Sixty Guests. MISS FISK RECITES; ROOD SINGS A joint installation of officers of the Masons and the Eastern Star : |lodges took place last evening at the Masonic Hall. Miss Clara Fisk gave a~ reading entitled “A Sisterly Scheme.” ~ Andrew Rood sang two songs, “Love's Old Sweet Song,” and “Old Black Joe.” Supper was served to about 60 guests. The remainder of the evening was devoted to cards and dancing among the younger persons present, ~ Those installed as officers of the Eastern Star lodge were: Worthy Matron, Mrs. G. E. Kreatz. Worthy Patron, A. B. Palmer. Associate Matron, Mrs. A. B. Palm- er. Secretary, Mrs. H. L. Rasmussen. Treasurer, Mrs. 0. E. Jackson. Conductoress, Mrs. W. A. McDon- ald. - Associate Conductoress, Mrs. G. T. Baker. Chaplain, Mrs. Bert Getchell. Ada, Mrs. W. A. Currie. Ruth, Miss Beatrice Mills. Esther, Mrs. W, P. Dyer. Martha, Miss Eva Getchell. Electa, Mrs. J. O. Achenbach. Marshal, Mrs. W. B. Stewart. Organist, Miss Gladys Kreatz. The officers for the coming year installed by the Masons were: W. M., A. P. Ritchie. S. W., D. L. Stanton. J. W., Floyd Brown. Secretary, G. A. Walker. Treasurer, W. B. Stewart. J. D.,, Wm. Chichester. S: S, G. W. Campbell. J. 8., Dr. E. A. Shannon. Tiler, E. J. Bourgeois. The installation ceremonies were held in presence of both the Eastern Star and Masons. RED CROSS SEALS SELLING -Continue on Sale in Bemidji Until! After New Year’s. Red Cross seals will continue on sale in Bemidji until after New Year’s. Nearly 10,000 of these seals have been sold since the second week of December. The Woman’s Study club which has been supervising the sales hope to net $100. Approxi- mately, four-fifths of this number have already been sold. The prizes offered by the Woman’s Study club met with little response in the pub- lic schools, but it is hoped that next year a wider enthusiasm will great- ly increase the amount of the sales, since the reason and nature of the sales of these seals are better known. To Play at Fosston Dance. Masten’s orchestra of four pieces will play tonight at a dance ‘to be given in Fosston. The orchestra is composed of Harry Masten, Mrs. Mas- .|ten, “Happy” Anderson and Peter Peterson. A new farce from the French. is called “The Beauty and the Banker.” CITY SHOW ROOM TO Exhibition in Minneapolis of What North Can Grow Begins Next Week By Mackenzie. TO STOP THE CANADIAN RUSH Efforts on to Save Home-seekers to Fertile Lands to Be Had in S Northern Minnesota., - | . |BELTRAMI COUNTY BOOM SEEN Real Estate Dealers Tell Why Next Season Should Break Rec- ord for Sales Here, Displays of farm products are he- “ling put in place by W. R. Macken- zie in the immigration display room of the Northern Minnesota Develop- I ment association which is to be op- lened on Third street in Miuneapolis next week. . Beltrami county is (o have an ex- hibition of her products as tempting inducements for persons seeking homes and farmers who have any- thing that would go to illustrate the productiveness of Beltrami’s soil are requested to pernit its use in the dis- play room. Have You Anything to Offer? A. G. Wedge of this city, treasurer of the immigration commission of the Development association, under whose auspices the display room is being opened, will caré for any such exhibits, or they may be sent direct to Mr. Mackenzie. It is understood that the commis- sion will begin a systematic cam- paign to interest persons ilving in the older states who contemplate a change, in Northern Minnesota. When they arrive in the state they will 'be shown the products of Min- nesota soil as they are displayed in the Minneapolis exhibition parlor. To Stop Canadian Rush. A special effort will be made to stop the stream of immigrants which annually passes over the, fertile fields of Northern Minnesota to settle on the less desirable lands of Canada. It is hoped that hundreds of these in- tending deserters of Uncle Sam’s do- main can be shown where it will be to their advantage to investigate here before proceeding to the Brit- ish possession. Look to Maxfield for Aid. ‘While there still remains doubt as to whether H. J. Maxfield of Wadena will accept the offer to become im- migration commissioner, plans are under way whereby the Development home getter plans will harmonize with the state immigration depart- ment. Should Mr. Maxfield decide to take the place it is believed North- ern Minnesota would be the gainer for as a resident of this part of the state and former president of the Development association he will rea- lize the urgent needs of this section and that he will be in a position to set forth the advantages of this part of the state. Beltrami county expects to reap a full measure of the plans to start homeseekers in this direction. Dur- ing the past year large tracts of cut over land have been placed on the market by the lumber companies and these tracts include some of the rich- est and most desirable land in the state. Predict Big Year in 1912, Real estate men here predict that the coming season will see activity never before equalled in the history of the county. They base their opin- ion on the publicity ‘already given to Northern Minnesota and to the steps now being taken to attract the atten- tion of the home secker. They also declare the great crops throughout this section last year will bring many purchasers and they declare that there will be an especially heavy acreage of potatoes next year. The fact that the Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad admits that it con- templates the construction of a new line piercing Northern Minnesota to the Canadian boundary is cited as an- other reason for activity in 1912. The first: mortgage is always the best. 1t is said that® Edna Goodrich will star next spring in a musical com- edy. Katherine Grey and Grace Elliston are among the players who are wait- ing for good plays. ATTRACT SETTLERS