Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, February 20, 1917, Page 1

“VOLUME XV. NO. 47. The grand jury made its report late yesterday afternoon, .in the course of which they took recogniz- .ance of the ditch proposition such as it exists in Beltrami county and rec- -ommends that no more bonds be is- sued until the value of the present ditches be proven. It also believes the state could more properly care for ditch work than is in vogue at present. The report in detail follows: Grand Jury Report. We, the Grand Jury of the County of Beltrami, respectfully report to the court: We have examined into the- con- dition of the county jail and find it to be well kept, in a neat and sani- tary condition, and in good repair. We have examined the court house and find the same to be in good con- dition and repair, except that we recommend that the heating plant be lowered so that the jail may be heat- ed from the steam plant in the court . house, also that a new floor be placed *-in the janitor’s quarters in the base- ment. The reason for the lowering of the boiler is for the purpose of economy. It is our belief that the saving in fuel for three years would pay the necessary expense. Auditor Needs Room. We also recommend that more vault room be provided for the use of the auditor’s office. We further recommend that the rental for room now used as an ab- stract office be fixed at not less than $50 per month. Y We have examined into the cause \/of all persons confined in the county jail, and find none therein who have been bound over to await our action whose cause has not been considered and disposed of by us. Ditches Thredten County. And further, we wish to express our views on the ditch proposition as follows: As the bonded indebtedness of Beltrami county for ditches is now approximately $2,000,000, with about $300,000 yet to be provided for and that there is no limit to the amount of bonds that may be issued for ditch purposes. It is our belief that under adverse conditions the fu- ture credit and advancement of Bel- trami county would be seriously threatened. We feel that for the Dest interests of Beltrami county no more bonds should be issued for ditch purposes until the value of present ditches has been proven. ‘We also believe that with the vast amount of lands to be hereafter drained, the work could be better taken care of through state aid. D Torrance is Thanked. Be it further resolved, that for the untiring labors, the honest and cour- teous treatment, the firm, yet ex- tremely kind method us in handling 'WOULD DIG UP HUGE PARK FORTRUCK GARDEN (By United Press) New York, Feb. 20.—~“Mobilize -young Americans for work on the farms this summer, and if necessary to combat the rising cost of food dig up Central park and make it a huge truck garden,” are suggestions of Mrs. Julian Heath, president of the National Housewives league, today. SHe wil mlake an appeal to colleges for co-operation. WOULD GIVE PRESIDENT POWER FOR PROTECTION Washington, Feb. 20.—Secretary nsing and Attorney General Mec- fregor today asked the Senate judic- jary to pass a bill giving the presi- dent power to handle the present German crisis without recourse to war, and empower the president to enforce compliance to prevent viola- tions of obligations of the United States under the laws of nationms. Up-to-the-Minute Dis THE BEMIDJ1 DAILY P1G: MINNESOT, BRIC i I | l l - Death Arrives A GRAND JURY RAPS DITCH GAME;URGES | - BOND ISSUES WAIT | TO PROVE WORTH | 3 the witnesses brought before the grand jury, the tireiess effort put forth, to hasten the labors of the grand jury and above all this, the firm determination that each and ev- ery case should have the honest and unbiased opinion of each grand juror in session; That for this and more, the committee on resolutions ask of this grand jury to extend to the pres- ent county attorney, Graham M. Tor- rance, the unanimous vote of thanks and entire confidence of the present grand jury. Avpreciate Judge. Resolved further, that this grand jury extend to the Honorable B. F. Wright for the courteous and kind treatment extended to the grand jur- ors during the February term of 1917 the unanimous vote of thanks. Yours very respectfully, —Jas. H. Carter, —Richard Olson, —@G. D. Backus, Committee. The above resolution was duly adopted by the grand jury. —A. J. Hilden, Foreman. —C. F. Schroeder, SIX DIE IN FIRE WHEN STOVE SETS HOUSE IN FLAMES (By United Press) BEMIDJI. MINNESOTA, TUESDAY EVENING. FEBRUARY 20, 1917. VATERLAND, WORLD’S BIGGEST SHIP B3 MAJOR GENERAL FUNSTON DR s Mexican Campaign Ends HEAD OF ALLFORCES Ever since the start of the war the Viné_hmd. the German liner, has size. been docked at Hoboken, N. J. Arrow point‘f to man. Note comparative We Want Nation?s-Editor;sfl; Committee Coming Here; Let’emKnow We AreAlive It is being demonstrated more and more every day that Bemidji can have things if she is willing to do her share toward securing them, and Taber, Alberta, Feb. 20.—Six mem- | in this connection it is up to the peo- bers of the family of Fred Doseq were| 1o of Bemidji to show the commit- burned to death this morning when - Editori i a stove in their home became over-|t€€ of the National Editorial associa- heated and set the house on fire. Gas|tion that Bemidji wants the editors from the stove overcame the family.|and publishers of the nation to make Doseq was a wealthy German and|a stop here on their annual trip this the victims of the fire are himself, | summer. wife, daughters, age and one and six years, Minnie Tankrotz, age 19, and|association is one of the most her son, age two years. GERMANY DEFIES THE WORLD IN SECOND BARRED ZONE EDICT (By United Press) Berlin, Feb. 20.—The German offi- cial press bureau today issued the following: “It must be repeated again that whoever dares to enter the barred zone must perish.” FIRE IN HOME KILLS THREE; FUMES DEADLY (By United Press) Wausau, Wis., Feb. 20.—William Fitch, his son, Joseph, and Miss Pearl Swain, 18 years, housekeeper, are dead in a fire which destroyed the Fitch home. . William Fitch, 70 years old and an invalid, was carried from the house and died soon after from an at- tack of heart disease caused by the shock. Joseph and the girl fought the fire with extinguishers but the fumes caused their death. The girl died 'Sunday and the boy died yesterday. UNITED STATES WILL ASK SAFETY FOR 1,000 (By United Press) Washington, Feb. 20.—This gov- ernment will shortly ask Turkey to obtain safe conduct from Austria and Germany for passage on the United States naval collier Ceasar and the gunboat Des Moines to Beirut, where fully 1,000 Americans are waiting transportation home. The trip of the nation’s editorial im- portant affairs in the United States as it includes the courtesies of all important centers and interests and is one of the greatest advertising me- diums in existence for any commu- nity. Bemidii Gets Busy. The association travels in its pri- vate trains and this year the route is to be through the northwest and up into Canada, the itinery including the northern boundary of Minnesota. At all important points the editors and newspaper men and large manu- facturers, who have to do with the newspaper business, stop and are en- tertained in some manner. The route is all prepared for this year and as the party was to be in the northern part of Beltrami county, the Commercial club got busy and H. E. Reynolds went to St. Paul in an endeavor to secure a change of the route and have the party spend a day in Bemidji and vicinity. That he was successful is contingent up- on what Bemidji will do. Coming to See City. It was decided to send a commit- itee to Bemidji to look the city over and ascertain what there was to offer in the way of entertainment and sightseeing for a day and this com- mittee is expected to be here the lat- ter part of this week, enroute down from International Falls, and will stop in Bemidji to see what the peo- NATIONAL GUARD TO LEAVE THE BORDER (By United Press) San Antonio, Feb. 20.—The entire national guard in the field has been divided into two divisions for depart- ure from the border and the first con- tingent will move immediately. CLEAR THIRTY DOLLARS Thirty dollars were—cleared at the card party held in the basement of the Catholic church last evening, by the young ladies of St. Philip’s church. ple want to do to warrant a change of the already completed route. The committee is expected to arrive late at night and stop for an hour and if Bemidji can demonstrate that it is a live wire city and the people want the 600 or more newspaper men to visit Bemidji and vicinity next July the huge delegation will make Bemidji one of its stops, to- gether with cities and places of in- terest notable in the United States. Rousing Welcome. All that will be necessary*is to turn out and give the committee a noisy welcome and this can be done. It is proposed to have the band out, red fire going, Carnival association out enmasse, drum corps and escort the committee to the Commercial club rooms for a few minutes rest and pack the place to the doors, no mat- ter what time of night, and tell 'em Bemidji wants the National Editorial association to come to Bemidji and (Continued vn Page 4) SWEDISH PROTEST IS ORDERED ON SINKING OF STEAMER VARIG (By United Press) Copenhagen, Feb. 20.—The Swed- ish minister at Berlin has been in- structed to issue a formal protest to Germany with a demand for compen- sation for loss by torpedoing the Swedish steamer Varing. This an- nouncement was authorized today. FIFTEEN JOIN S. A. Fifteen new members joined the Salvation Army at the meetings held Saturday and Sunday in the Bemid. and Fifth ward halls, and all mee ings were well attended. The mem- bers of the army expect to start a campaign in the spring to raise funds for a new hall, as the present one is too small to accommodate the crowds attending the meetings. CLOSE OF CAMPAIGN DEFERS COUNCIL MEETING Politics claimed the attention of the majority of the members of the city council last evening and there was no quorum, hence no session of the council was held. Several mem- bers of the council are up for re-elec- tion and took the last occasion to do a little work in their own behalf. - - . ¥ patches by the United Press---Greatest Afternoon Paper. Service . ER 45 CENTS PER MONTH MEXICANCAMPAIGN; - FUNSTON'S BODY TO SAN FRANCISCO TONIGHT; PERSHING SUCCESSOR (By United Press) San Antonio, Feb. 20.—General Funston’s body will be sent to San Francisco where the funeral with full military honors will be held Sat- urday. = Pershing to Succeed. Washington, Feb. 20.—Major Gen- eral John Pershing, the latest man in the army of the United States to attain that high rank, is believed to be the successor of the late Major Genera] Funston, as commander of the Southern department. Pershing automatically took temporary com- mand when Funston dropped dead last night. IWE WANT BREAD, CRY OF STARVING MOTHERS INN. Y., (By United Press) New York, Feb. 20.—Crying “We want bread, we are starving,” 300 bareheaded scantily clad and hungry women with pinched faced babies stormed the steps of the city hall to- day demanding relief from Mayor Mitchel from the high cost of food. It was declared the families are starving by Mrs. Ida Harris, presi- dent of the Mothers’ Vigilance League, who headed the women. The women came from Rutgers’ square, a tenement district, where push cart peddlers have steadily raised prices until many of the fam- ilies are unable to buy enough to keep themselves and children from starving. New York, Feb. 20.—When the po- lice arrested Marie Ganz, leader of the women demanding food, a serious outbreak occurred and it required trickery to get her from the crowd. MAYOR GIVES WHOOP ON RECEIPT{OF P. 0. NEWS Upon receipt of the telegram late yesterday afternoon announcing the fact that in the civil sundry bill re- ported by the committee at Wash- ington, was the item of $65,000 for the new postoffice at Bemidji, the news was telephoned to Mayor Van- dersluis and the gladsome yell emit- ted by the mayor must have been a good one as it nearly broke the re- ceiver of the Pioneer representative who imparted the information to the mayor. CUBAN REVOLT NEAR COLLAPSE, IS BELIEF (By United Press) Havana, Cuba, Feb. 20.—The col- lapse of the Cuban revolt is predicted on account of the tightening of the war grasp on General Gomez and his forces in Santa Clara. INDIANASLOWER HOUSE FAVORS SUFFRAGE (By United Press) Indianapolis, Feb. 20.—The lower house of the state legislature, with one dissenting vote, today approved the Maston woman’s suffrage bill for passage. PHILIPPINE BANDIT o s (By United Press) San Antonio, Feb. 20.—Flags are at half mast at Fort Sam Houston and throughout the city today as tribute to Major General Frederick Funston, commander of the Southern Depart- ment, United States army, since Feb- ruary, 1915, who died suddenly at a hotel here last night a few minutes after he had finished his dinner. He collapsed white seated in the lobby of the hotel talking with friends, and was playing with little Inez Sil- verberg of Des Moines, Ia., a guest with her parents at the hotel, when he fell unconscious. Death was al- most instantaneous. General Funston was 51 years of age. Ever since March, 1916, when he was placed in command of all United States forces on the Mexican border, General Funston had worked at an unusual pace. At critical times in border developments he frequently remained on duty 24 hours of the 24. The handling of regulars disposed of at various stations on the border, the Pershing expedition and of late re- arrangement of regular troops, while providing for the return of national guardsmen, have entailed an enor- mous amount of detail work, prob- ably exceeding that which fell to any commanding general of the United States army since the Civil war. Campleted Plans. Only yesterday General Funston completed orders for the return of the last of the guardsmen. Because of the amount of work which has fallen to him, General Funston's only rec- reation or relaxation for nearly a year has been occasional dinner party with friends. Two weeks ago General Funston suffered an attack of indigestion. To use his own expression, “I fought it out alone.” Later he placed himself under the care of Lieut. Col. M. W. Ireland of the medical corps, South- ern department, and regained normal health, seemingly. Many Services. The picturesque and dashing cap- ture of Aguinaldo, the Filipino rebel chief, was the achievement which brought Funston prominently to the attention of the American people, but he performed many services for his country besides that which were probably more difficult. His admin- istration of affairs in Vera Cruz, where he carried out the president’s orders with a firm hand, simply hold- ing the city when every influence centered about him was centered up- on forcing-the American army into actual fighting with the Mexicans, probably was the most notable ser- vice of his career. The -.merican troops had been in possession of Vera Cruz only a few days when one of the Mexican gen- ierals sent in a message saying in the most polite terms that he was unable to longer restrain his troops and that they were about to advance and drive jthe Americans into the sea. { *“If you can’t hold your troops back, !'T can,”” was the laconic message Fun- ston sent back. Not until 1896, when the Cuban | insurrection was at its height, did | Frederick Funston become known T " (Continued on Page Four) FROM BUV'NG TRIP Mrs. A. P. Henrionnet returned last evening from St. Paul, Minneap- olis and Chicago where she has spent the past three weeks buying spring stock for her millinery parlors and studying the new styles. Shortly be- lfnre leaving for the cities, Mrs. Hen- rionnet repurchased her millinery store from Mrs. J. J. McDowell. ELECTION DAY QUIET; VOTERS TAKING PART Election day dawned clear and cold and the voters took their whirl at the campaign as who they desired to represent them. The voting was slow throughout the forenoon but is expected to become more animated as the day draws to a close and the time for the closing of the polis.