Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, April 12, 1913, Page 1

——— - [ VOLUME 10. NUMBER 295. FLOODS SHOULD BE CONTROLLED Missouri Waterway Commission Seo- retary Says Artificial Storage Is Badly Needed. ADVISES DEEPENING RIVERS Would Then Be Able to Carry Heav- ier Traffic and Furnish Room for Surplus Water. RESERVOIRS SHOULD BE BUILT Stable Flow Will Aid in Regulating Carrying Off of Freshets—Pres- ent System Unnatural. Written by George B. Logan, sec- retary Missouri Waterway Commis- sion and Secretary Lakes-to-the-Gulf Deep Waterway association. By United Press. St. Louis, April 12.—The most ser- ious feature of the terrible disasters in Ohio & Indiana, to thinking peo- ple, aside from the loss of life, suf- fering and property damage, is the almost unerring certainty that the floods will occur again, perhaps soon and probably often. Recurrences on a smaller scale are certainties if present conditions continue. Nothing in the recent floods was unusual or unprecedented except’ the height of the water, The rain-fall was extremely heavy, but not record- breaking. The Ohio and and Indiana rains found the soil saturated and the streams were fairly full, but every winter breaks up with wet soil and full streams and all that is needed then is to add a heavy general rain and another disaster will result. Rainfall we always have but not always when needed nor even in the same months, but the annual precipi- tation does not greatly vary. Five year averages are practically the same. We cannot prevent rain and the vain must run off. It’s what hap- pens to the rain after it strikes the earth that gives us our present con- cern. Soil Now Unnatural, Formerly rain fall sought the streams of the water sheds almost entirely by soil percolation. The sur- face of the earth was absorptive and the rain entered it. The capacity to absorb water of the soft duff soil of a woodland, or the heavily grassed soil of a meadow is almost unlimited. Once in the soil the entire rain-fall sought the stream-beds slowly. A rainfall such as those in Ohio and Indiana should affect streams and rivers gradually and keep them bank full for several weeks or even a month. The Ohio floods rose in a day and abated in a week. The reason of this is that the sur- face soil i8 no longer absorptive. Cul- tivated farms, hard roads impervious to water, square miles of cities with paved streets, granitoid gutters and concrete sewers have replaced the an- cient woodlands and meadows. The natural rain we still have, but an un- natural soil receives it. The purpose of drain tiles on farms, of paved streets, of roofs and gutters on houses and concrete sew- ers is to carry water quickly to the rivers. But the rivers were planned by a competent Providence, who meant or intended that the water should tarry a little and not hurry away to the river beds. Our rivers are, therefore, just as surely out of date as horse cars. It is everyone wanting to get home at the same time that cguses traffic congestions in great cities; and more cars and more tracks and greater stations are being provided. It is because all the drops of rain get to the rivers at the same time that causes the congestion of water which we call floods. So far we have done nothing to relieve our streams of this congestion, but all our work has been aiding the rain drops in their effort to arrive simul- taneously and add to the congestion. Drainage Hurries Water. The writer has recently seen arti- cles giving the impression that the drainage of low lands and flood pre- vention go hand in hand, and that the organization which stands for drainage also stands for floor preven- tion. No two things could be more incongruous or more incompatible. Drainage is the science of hurrying water from lands into streams. It is sometimes a ‘question of turning swamps into dry land and keeping it|" #0 by artificially rapid exits of Vrnj,p- ~ (Coutinusd on Taat peEe). WILLIS L. MOORE. United States Weather Bureau _Chief, Who Will_ Soon Quit. FIRST PRACTICE SUNDAY Sunday afternoon at 1:30 the first steps toward organizing a city base ball team for Bemidji will be taken, when the first practice will be held at the fair grounds. About fifteen men have stated that they will be present and as all are good players and have had experience on college and High school teams, a fair team is assured for Bemidji. A meeting will also be held, while the candidates are togeth- er, to elect a captain and manager. Local fans have shown much in- terest in a team and little trouble is expected in supporting ome this year. Some arrangements will un- doubtedly be made, if the team proves a success, to either obtain a diamond nearer the down town dis- trict than the present location ar else grade the grounds now used. KKK KKK KRR KKK K KKK * SUNDAY IN THE CHURCHES * R HK KKK KK R KKK KK First Scandinavian Lutheran: Ther ewill be no services Sunday. Sunday school at 12. T. S. Kolste, pastor. Episcopal : i Sunday school at 9:30. Holy com- munion and sermon at 10:30. Arch- deacon Parshall, Swedish Lutheran: Sunday school at twelve o’clock. Services in the evening at 8. J. H. Randahl, pastor. Baptist: Morning address at eleven o’clock by Rev. S. W. Scott. Evening address at 7:30 by Rev. G. A. Malone, Un- ion prayer meeting Thursday evening at eight o’clock in the Methodist church. Charles Chandler, pastor. Presbyterian: Tomorrow will be anti-galoon field day in Bemidji. At tne morning hour of worship, eleven o’clock, Mr. M. Martinson will speak. - Mr. Martin- son is assistant superintendent of the league. - Sunday school at 10. Junior C. E. at 4. Young people’s meeting at 7. There will be a union service in the city hall at eight o’clock. No evening service in the church. All are cordially invited to these serv- ices. S. E. P. White, pastor. First Methodist Episcopal: Preaching at 10:45 by Rev. H. N. Hanson of the anti-saloon league. Sunday school at noon. Epworth league will meet at 7 p. m. and will be lead by Miss May Bruner. There will be no evening preaching service on account of anti-saloon league meeting in the city hall at eight o’clock. Prayer meeting at the church Monday at eight o’clock. Everybody welcome. Chas .H. Flesh- POPE. IS IN DANGER By United Press. Rome, April 12.—Special at 1:45]. p. m.—The Pope suffered a severe re- lapse thi§- afternoon. - It is feared that he may not live over Sunday. BASEBALL GAMES FRIDAY. 3 National League. All 'games postponed. , 3 S R.HE. Chicago .......co.o0veee 1.7 2 Cleveland ..............~3 6 2 Batteries—Scott, Cicotte Schalk; Greyy and Land. - St. Louis +......... ..... 814 3 Detroit ................. 6713 3 Bateries—Klawitter, -Hall .and Ron Rondeau; Hamilton, Baumgard- ner and Egnew. All other games postponed. American Association. R.H.E. Kansas OIty ...:c..v.ac- 520 2 Louisville .............. 2 8 2 Bateries—Northrop, Richter and Roth; Vaughn and 0’Connor, All other games postponed. “SHYLOCK” TONIGHT Tonight the-proceeds—recetved~at{perent and the Majestic theater .will be turned over to the junior class of the Bemidji High school to be used in paying the expenses of entertaining the seniors this year. A special program has been arranged for this date including a two-reel film from the Merchant of Venice, songs by the Boy’s Glee club and a solo by Earle Riley. The ad- mission charge will be ten and fifteen cents. . The juniors expect to give their senior banquet at the Markham-ho- tel sometime during the first week in May and are working hard to raise the necessary funds.” In former years it has been the custom to entertain the seniors at a ball but the juniors this year believe that the seniors will appreciate a banquet much more as there are many students in both classes that do not dance. PRESENT FLAG TODAY. The G. A. R. flag' which wag pur- chased recently with the proceeds of the old time dance which was given for that purpose . a short time ago will be presented to them in the I. O. O. F. hall this afternoon by E. E. McDonald. After a short talk by Mr. McDonald, Mrs. H. W. Bailey will re- spond for the circle. A short pro- gram will be given and will include a few recitations by Miss Marjorle Knappen. She will be accompanied by Miss Ruth Riley on-the piano. Sev- eral other speakers will give short talks and four will be initiated into the order. The program will com- mence at 3:30. WILL MEET THIS MONTH C. M. King, county commissioner of Itasca county, was in Bemidji this morning and stated that the State Highway commission wuold hold a meeting sometime between April 23 and 30. Mr. King is endeavoring_ to have the petitions on the Duluth-St. Vincent state highway in for this 'meeting in order that work on the 'road can be started in all of the i counties this summer. and| {Copyright.) ARE AFTER"EOE TRUST CROOKSTON IS- BUSY|VIRGINIA BONDS UP Machinery Now Taxed at Forty-five Per Cent Ordered Placed on the OVERRULED ‘Washington, D. machinery, now t Kpril 12.—Shoe . at forty-five ‘twenty-five {s “proppsed by the tarift evision bill, was ordered transferred to the free list by the Democratic caucus of the house. This is the first real break of the Democrats from the ways and means committee rates. Other developments yesterday were an agreement of the Louisiana mem- bers on the anti-free sugar program in teh caucus. = The sugar schedule will be taken up tomorrow with an all day fight in prospect. Last night Democratic Leader Un- derwood said the caucus would not go through the bill for several days, and its consideration by the house will probably not begin for another week. Hundreds of protests against the rates in the proposed tariff are reach- ing the members of the senate, where advocates of higher protection appar- ently here concluded to center their attack. The senate finance committee spent three hours yesterday in a conference over the house bill, and with the aid of the treasury experts went through the metal and earthenware schedules. Several small changes in the duties were practically agreed upon, but the committee will take no formal action on any of the features of the bill un- til after it has passed the house.: HIGH SCHOOL TO BHAVE SUITS The High school baseball team have obtained - permission ‘of the Eagles to use their baseball suits for this year.. The Eagles purchased the suits for the Bemidji city team last year but they were only used for a few games. The High school team will probably play their first game in a couple of weeks. A large num- ber of candidates appear for practice every evening and a fast team will probably be obtained. BREAK GROUND, FOR GARAGE Ground has been broken for the jnew Moberg garage which is -being built on Minnesota avenue between Fourt hand Fifth streets. er, pastor. THE CUB SCOQP gerorrer “THERE'S YOUR. CHANCE SCo0P; THAT SiGN SANS “WANTED, A . GO0D BULL FIGHTER. GO HIT'EM FoR THE JoB! The Bull Is Safe As Far As Scoop Is Concerned </ Auto Club Raising Fund of $3,000 to Be Used in Graveling All Roads Into The City. FARMERS ' ARE C0-OPERATING Crookston, April 12.—The Crook- ston Automobile chub has started the: & reductioirtoranmual canvass for guod roads money. ‘One “thousand' dollars was raised the first day and the fund will be in- creased to $3,000 for this year’s ex- penditures. The club now has a tractor engine, two reversible -road graders, split log drags, etc., and will buy several ten-ton - gravel trucks, and all the time the tractor is not busy smoothing off the roads it will be hauling gravel for the rural roads. Every main road- leading into Crookston will be graveled. Many of the townships in this secttion will also gravel from one to several miles this year. The thirty mile road to Maple Lake-is now practically all graveled, the campaign having been started last spring, and continued during the winter, farmers hauling grayvel during the dull monthse for practically cost, the Automobile club of Crookston paying the expenses and some of the intervening -townships appropriating a few hundred dollars to pay a portion of the expense. The Crookston Automobile club is now working hand in hand with all the rural communities surrounding the city, in the good roads campaign and more good roads work of a per- manent character will be done this year than in any ten - years in the | past. ¢ GUN CLUB SHOOTS TOMORROW Will Meet at the Grounds for First Practice of the Season. The Bemidji Gun club has made arrangements for the first practice shoot at thé shooting grounds tomor- row morning at eleven o’clock. The officers are anxious that all members report, as there is much work to be done in preparing the traps ready for work. z OLAF ERICKSON BURIED. Olaf Erickson, of Quiring, was bur- ied Wednesday from the home of A. J| Carlson, in Quiring, Reverend Ran dahl officiating. Erickson’ dfed ‘on|. Are Bemg Investigated by House Committee Headed By C. F. Mahnke of Moose Lake. - DID SOMEONE GET A RAKE OFF? BOND PROBE FACTS. House committee ‘on public _ac- counts” and PZ{;fidltflm .starts in- vestigation of purchase of $2,145,000 worth of Virginia bonds by the state. Transactions cover a period from January 3, 1896, to August 9, 1901. C. F. Mahnke admits information is being gathered and says startling announcements may follow. ‘Wide variance in prices said to have been paid for the securities is basis for the probe. Robert C. Dunn was state auditor and ;the late August T. Koerner was treagsurer when transactions were made. - Mr.‘Dunn charges somebody wants to sell the securities and make a big rake-off. o State Auditor Iverson says invest- ment is a good one. bt Proceeds of the securities are used in the permanent school fund. It was learned late Friday that margin between purchase price and market value of bonds was - ‘about $60,000. St. Paul, April 12.—A- searching {investigation into the purchase by the state of $2,145,000 face value of Vir- ginia state bonds, covering a period from January 3, 1896 until August 9, 1901, is being made by the public ac- counts and expenditures committee of the house. - C. F. Mahnke is in charge of this detail of the committee’s work. He acknowledged that information is be- ing gathered, both here and in the East, principally in New York and Richmond, Va.. The data sought in- cludes the market value of the bonds at the time of their purchase by the state, from whom the purchases were made and who conducted the nego- tlations, - ’ “We have considerable informa- tion; some of it startling, which we cannot give out,”” was the only com- ment Mr. Mahnke would make when asked about the investigation. The basis for the probe is said to be the wide variance in the price sald to have been paid by the state for these securities. All of them are Virginia funding Monday and was thirty years of age. (Continued on last page). | tagged by Tuesday will be “arrested” WILL BUILD ROAD AROUND THE LAKE Auto. Club Decided Last Night to to Completion. RAISE FUND OF ABOUT $600 Plan to Produce Minstrel Show, Hold Baces ot Fair Grounds, and Take Single Subscriptions - MAKE AT LEAST ONE TOUR Tentative Route of Park Rapids, De- troit, Fargo and Crookston Iaid Out—Officers Re-Eleoted. _ACTION DECIDED UPON. To raise funds for the completion of ‘the road around the lake. To endeavor to have the bridge over the outlet of the Mississippi re- Pm. “- To place more sign posts on the routes leading into Bemidji,. To make a run to Park Rapids, De- troit, Fargo and Crookston about June 10. A graded road around the head of Lake Bemidji will- be a fact if the plans formulated at the meeting of the Auto club last night are carried out successfully.. For several years there has been agitation for such a road and two years ago, one was roughly laid out but has never been fit for-travel. The Auto club proposes to raise between $600 and $700 and have the road in use by at least Juty 1. club will back a minstrel show which is being planned by several of the younger men of the city, will take private subscriptions, and will have commitees put in charge of raising the money also have several other plans in the embryo which will be re- vealed later. The minstrel show will probably be given within a month. It will be staged in the armory, use of which has been donated by C. M. Bacon. The Warfield Electric company has agreed to donate the necessary light and the Pioneer will do the advertis- ing without charge. A plan for the show has already been outlined and work will be started at once. Messrs. McCann, Brooks and Kreatz were appointed the committee in charge. Bridge in Bad Repair. C. W. Warfleld reported that he had inspected the bridge over the outlet of the Mississippl and had found it in bad.repair. He said that it would not bear automobile traffic and that it was dangerous for the farmers who use that route into the city. A careful inspection disclosed the fact that the ice had so weakened the timber that the bridge is in dan- ger of falling into the lake. A committee of George Kreatsz, Anton Erickson and Edward Jackson was appointed to meet With the street committee of the council in order that the bridge might be thor- cughly inspected and the necessary repairs made. When the bridge is repaired, some effort will be made to grade the hill and the fill to the north. ° Sign Posts Are Ready. The sign committee reported that it had new signs and posts ready to put in place as soon as the roads were so work can be commenced. About twenty posts were set in place last year. They give the direction snd mileage both to Bemidji and the first town in the opposite direction. One Tour Planned. It was decided to make a tour about June 10, the exact date to be selected later. The touring commit= tee was instructed to investigate the route and report at the May meeting. The run will probably be to Park Rapids and Detroit the first - day, Fargo and Crookston = the second, Crookston and home the third. 3 C. W. Jewett, president; E. A. Barker, vice president; and’ E. H. Marcum, secretary and treasurer, were re-elected for another year. DOGS ARE IN DANGER.. grace, According to a notice given by the chief of police, all dogs not = order to ralse the money, the - Bemidji dogs have two days of - f