Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, August 26, 1905, Page 4

E STATE y STORM CAUSES OEATH AND RUIN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN SUF- FER HEAVILY, MANY PERSONS ARE MISSING TOTAL LOSS OF LIFE WILL NOT BE KNOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. St. Paul, Aug. 23.—Devastation, ter- rible and complete, was wrought in Southern Minnesota and Western Wis- consin by the storm of Sunday night, according to reports received here last night. Through all the region from Anoka to Fillmore counties in this state reports tell of disaster and loss of life and property. Members of families are missing, and it is believed they are buried un- der the debris which was strewn broadcast by the wind. Many in- stances of maiming are reported, and the total loss of life will not be known for some days. Crops which had been cut and were ready for threshing suffered in many places, and standing corn was dam- aged by hail and wind. Hail stones several inches in circumference worked havoc with the crops in some sections. 5 Tracks Swept Away. Large sections of railroad tracks were swept away south of here, and the mail trains on certain portions of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul road were run yesterday on impro- vised tracks, making slow time on ac- count of the insecurity of the roadbed. Washouts were numerous, both along the railroads and in the highways, the rainfall being enormous. In some of the farming localities the grain was stripped from the stalks by the furious wind and rain, and hay- stacks were completely demolished. Huge trees which have successfully withstood the storms of years were up- rooted and hurled before the wind, and barns and other outbuildings were completely demolished. The damage done to buildings and crops in the southern counties will reach. many thousands of dollars, but no accurate estimate can be formed until com- plete reports are received. Cyclonic in Nature. All sections-report that the storm was cyclonic in its nature, and from some points reports tell of a funnel- shaped cloud that descended with the most intense fury, leaving gestruction in its path. The storm was even more terrible in some of its effects than that which struck the Twin Cities just a year ago yesterday, but the territory in which its destruction was wrought was much more widespread. Cities on all sides of St. Paul felt its effects, and in some it traveled in one direction, while at other points the direction was entirely different. It broke into a variety of forms in the different localities, ap- pearing in one place as a cloudburst and in another as a. severe electrical storm, but in all cases these effects were accompanied by a terrific wind velocity which added to the destruc- tion. St. Paul in the Senter. The general effect is as if the storm parted, going on either side of St.’ Paul, or else described a complete cireuit about the city, giving this im- mediate vicinity a comparatively mild touch of its severity. No computation of the loss either of life or property can be made as yet, the total number of buildings de- stroyed being still incompletely listed, and there being still a possibility of finding some of the missing persons. Some of the more remote sections of country visited by the storm have not been heard from, as all telegraphic and telephonic communication has been cut off through the destruction of the wires, and the train service on some of the roads was so completely demoralized as to preclude all possi- bility of receiving accurate accounts of the storm’s effects through the mails. Tosten Danielson was killed at Pilot Mound in the wrecking of a church. Five men have reported the entire de- struction of their homes and the loss of members of their families to the authorities at Lanesboro, of whom they have asked assistance. SCARED BY EARTHQUAKE. Shock Is Felt in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. Cairo, Ill., Aug. 23.—An earthquake occurred at 11:06 o’clock last night. It lasted about one minute and shook the strongest buildings in Cairo. The shock was preceded by .a loud rum- bling noise. Many persons were frightened and. took refuge in the streets. Owensboro and Henderson, Ky., and Evansville, Ind., also felt the shock, “BEN HUR.* ane Most Impressive Play of the Cen» tury. The Klaw & Erlanger company have, in their. time, made many nota- able productions in St. Paul and Min- neapolis and thereby earned for them- selves an enviable reputation. The most ambitious effort of their career in this vicinity will occur in St. Paul the week of Aug. 28, at the Metropoli- tan Opera House, and in Minneapolis the week of Sept. 4, at the Metro- politan, wher they will present on a colossal scale General Lew Wal- lace’s stirring dramatic romance “Ben Hur,” -with the same scenis equip: ment used in the staging of the play in London at the Drury “Lane theater four years ago. These effects were imported for the engagements at the World’s Fair,. St. Louis, last year, and created a sensation. They are admitted to be the most brilliant and elaborate ever used in connection with this world-famous drama. In order to accommodate out of town patrons Mr. L, N. Scott will give his persona] attention to all orders for seats through the mails for St. Paul and Minneapolis, when accompanied by remittance and _ self-addressed stamped envelope for reply. OTHER ROADS CUT RATES, TOO. Northern Pacific and Soo Follow Great Northern. ‘St. Paul, Aug. 23. — The announce- ment by the Great Northern railroad of a sweeping reduction in grain rates has resulted in a similar reduction by the Northern Pacific and the Soo. The three roads yesterday filed with the railroad and warehouse commission official notice of the reduction. The rates are reduced on the three rail- roads from practically every station in Minnesota to the Twin Cities and Duluth. The reduction on each of the roads is from 1-2 to 2 cents per hun- dred. The new tariffs take effect on Sept. 1. It is expected that the other railroads that enter a part of the Great Northern territory will follow with similar reductions in that territory. Officials of the state railroad and warehouse commission estimate that Minnesota farmers will save several millions annually through the action of the Great Northern, the Northern Pacific and the Soo railroads in reduc- ing grain rates. GET JUDGMENT FOR $195,000. Big Mining Case Is Appealed on De- nial of Motion for New Trial. Helena, Mont., Aug. 23. — Judge Hunt, in the United States court yes- terday denied the motion of the de- fendant for a new trial in the case of the St. Louis Mining and Milling com- pany against the Montana Mining com- pany, and the case will go to the cir- cuit court of appeals. The St. Louis company recently secured judgment for $195,000 for the alleged extraction of ore from its mine in Marysville in one of the longest mining cases ever tfied in Montana. COLORED SOLDIER GUILTY. Admith Murder of Fellow Trooper and Is Sent to Prison, Helena, Mont., Aug. 23. — Robert Mudd, the negro trooper at Fort As- sinniboine who killed R. L. Hardaway, another soldier, in a road house near | Sib Havre three months ago, pleaded guil- ty to manslaughter at Fort Benton and was sentenced to six years in the pen- itentiary. Extenuating circumstances prompted a mild sentence. LAKE ELMO CLAIMS ANOTHER. Ellendale, N. D., Youth Drowned While Out for a Swim. Stillwater, Minn., Aug. 23.—Harold Bergendahl of Ellendale, N. D., was drowned in Lake Elmo. He visited a camp there and started out early in a rowboat for a swim. He jumped in and the boat drifted away. He was twenty-one, a student of the state uni- versity and boarded at Minneapolis. His pody has not been recovered. MARRIAGE IS POSTPONED Because Bridegroom Has Been Ar- rested at Déserter From Army. Johnson City, Il., Aug. 23.—Paul In- man, who is alleged to have deserted from the regular army at Fort Casey, Wash., in order to come here and mar- ry his sweetheart, was arrested yester- day. He was taken to Evansville, Ind., and turned over to the recruiting of- ficers. He will be returned to Fort Casey. * Fell From Launch and Drowned. Houghton, Mich., Aug. 23. — Harry Weaton, assistant treasurer of the Houghton County Electric Light and Street Railway company, was drowned in Lake superior while en route to Bet Gris in a launch. He was seated in the back of the boat and was seen to fall backward. President’s Son to Hunt. Deadwood, 8S. D., Aug. 23.—Kermit Roosevelt, second son of the president, will arrive here in a few days to visit Capt. Seth Bullock. The captain and Kermit will spend several weeks in hunting and fishing. $ Horse Frightened to Death. Webster City, Iowa, Aug. 23. — A horse driven by James Miller fell dead north of this city yesterday just as F. A. Sackett came behind in his automo- bile to pass. It was probably fright. ened to death. HAS CLOSE UPON TWO MILLIONS POPULATION OF MINNESOTA OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED AS 1,964,453. SHOWS SPLENDID INCREASE 224,059 MORE PERSONS THAN WHEN THE CENSUS WAS TAKEN IN 1900. St, Paul, Aug. 18.—The total popula tion of Minnesota is close upon 2,000, 000. Official figures, just completed, give Minnesota a total of 1,964,453 inhab- itants. To this must be added the’ state's Indian population, which the state supervisor thinks will bring the grand total to 1,975,453. The count by the federal bureau in 1900 gave Minnesota 1,751,394. In 1895 the count by the state showed 1,574,619. The increase in 1905 over 1900 is 224,059. The count in the various counties, as checked by Supt Wright and his clerical force, and noted as final, is as follows: Counties— Aitkin .. Anoka Becker Beltrami Benton Big Stone Blue Earth . Brown Carlton ee 1905. 9,537 12,113 1 4 1900. 6,743 11,313 i Clay . Clearwater’. Cook Cottonwood . Crow Wing . Dakota . Dodge . Douglas Faribault ‘illmore Freeborn Goodhue Grant .... Hennepin Houston Hubbard Isanti Itasca Jackson . Kanabec Le ‘Sueur . Lincoln . Lyon . McLeod . Marshall Martin Meker Mille Lacs Morrison Mower Murray |. Nicollet . Nobles Norman Olmsted Otter T: Pine .. Pipestone . Nk Renville Rice Rock Roseau St. Louis Scott ... Sherburne . Traverse Wabasha . W's Winona Wright Yellow Medicine. PRothld 2 cats donn ass 1,964,453 1,751,304 The bureau is now engaged in tabu- lating sex, nationalities and color, to- gether with other statistics. It is ex- pected that the entire compilation will be completed by the close of the month. ST. PAUL HAS 197,025. Population of Capital Is at Last An- nounced, St. Paul, Aug. 18.—The population of St. Paul for 1905 was yesterday of- ficially announced by Superintendent F. G. Warner to be 197,025, an in- crease of 33,960 over the federal cen- sus of 1900, or nearly 21 per cent. The population of Ramsey county is 206,330, an increase of 35,776 over the figures of 1900. Hit by Passenger Train. Luverne, Minn., Aug. 18. — Irving Smoottell, a well-to-do farmer, living north-east of this city, was probably fatally injured last night by being struck by a Rock island passenger train while driving over a crossing near Hardwick. A companion with him when the wagon was struck mi- raculously escaped uninjured. Escape From Training School. Red Wing, Minn., Aug. 18. — Eight boys escaped from the training school here last night. They secured a key in some manner and walked out. Two were captured at Frontenac. The other six are still free. SUSIE 8 BISS* SORTER = ASI Probably Fatally Injured. Pierre, S. D., Aug. 18.—Frank Can- ton, a workman on the government building, fell about thirty feet yester- day, striking a steel beam, breaking an arm and being injured imternally. His recovery is doubtful. 066] Mr. Stone says a tax WILL SELL FORFEITED LAND. Thousands of Acres Will Be Sold by the State Next Fall. It is’ probable that several hundred people in Minnesota will wake up some morning next fall and find that their real estate has been sold for non-payment of taxes. The state au- ditor has announced that at a public sale next fall he will sell in every county land that has been forfeited. This will be the first public sale of this nature in the State of Minnesota. Heretofore the land has been sold at private sale by the county auditors and county commissioners. The leg- islature of 1902, however, passed a law requiring that this property be sold at public sale after 1905. “The peculiar thing about the lists of forfeited land which. we are receiy- ing from county auditors,” said a state Official, “is that it appears that many people do not know that there are back taxes due on their property. This is evidenced from the fact that in several instances taxes are due only for a certain year. For instance we find that on one piece of property the the taxes were not paid in 1899, but have been paid promptly ever since then. “This indicates that the property owners failed to pay the taxes for that year through an oversight. Undoubt- edly he thinks that his taxes are paid up to date. Under the law the county auditors are not required to notify the property owners that taxes are delinquent, and there is no way for the property owner to find out except by examining the lists of forfeited land in the offices of the county auditors. “If these people do not want their property sold, it behooves them to ex- amine the lists in the hands of the county auditors. Otherwise they are 7! likely to wake up some morning next fall and find that their land has been sold.” Taxes are delinquent on some of the tracts since 1862, and. every county in the state will be represented at the sale which the state auditor will hold next fall. Many of the tracts are city and village lots; others are farm prop. erty. TAXES NOT A DEBT. earn State Is Not Entitled to Interest on Back Taxes, The State of Minnesota is not enti- tled to interest on delinquent taxes collected from railroads, telephone °| companies and other corporations, ac- cording to an opinion filed by Assis- tant Attorney General Royal A. Stone. Mr. Stone says that in the absence of a specific statute’ to the contrary “4 taxes do not draw interest, no matter how long they may be delinquent. is not a debt within the meaning of the law. Mr. Stone’s opinion, addressed to Public Examiner P. M. Kerst, follows: “Under date of the 10th inst. you call attention to the fact that during the past few years your department has been instrumental in collecting 7} $200,000 in back taxes from corpora- tions owing the same under various gross earnings laws of the state. You 603) further state that no interest has been collected on any portion of the amount so collected and inquire if the state is entitled to interest thereon and can enforce the payment thereof. “Complying with your request for an opinion on the question so sub- mitted, I have the honor to advise you that, in the absence of a positive stat- utory enactment providing therefor, a tax does not draw interest, no matter how long it may remain delinquent and unpaid. Our statute providing for the accrual of interest on all ‘legal indebtedness’ does not affect the ques- tion because a tax, being a mere statu- tory imposition, is not a debt or in the nature of a debt. “I note your memorandum and at- tached clipping relative to the decision of Judge Stevens of the Wisconsin dis- trict court. It appears therefrom that Judge Stevens has decided that the state is entitled to recover a ‘penalty,’ which ig undoubtedly statutory. A statuory penalty is entirely different from interest.” State Will Keep Bonds. Minnesota will not sell the $2,145,- 000 worth of Virginia state bonds, as proposed by State Treasurer Julius H. Block. By a vote of 4 to 1 the state board of investment refused to pass a resolution providing for the sale of the bonds. State Treasurer Block voted in fa- vor of the resolution, and Gov. John- son, Chief Justice Start, the state au- ditor and President J. T. Wyman of the board of regents of the state uni- versity voted no. Those who opposed the sale took the position that the bonds, running for a long term of years, are a good in- vestment, although the rate of interest is only 3 per cent, and that the perma- nent school fund and other permanent funds in the ordinary course of events will be sufficient to take care of ap- plications for loans. A statement was read to the board in an attempt to prove that the board in the coming year will have approximately $1,250,- 000 for investment in Minnesota se- curities, and that this will be sufficient to meet the demands of the board. The principal point of difference between Mr. Block and the other mem- bers of the board is a question of fact, whether without the sale cf the Vir- ginia bonds the board will have enough money to meet the demands: for loans. GERLACH LAUDS GUARD, Colonel Says State’s Troops Are Much Improved. Minnesota’s national guard is in the pink of condition, according to the of- ficial report of Former Adjutant Gen- eral E. D. Libbey presented to Gov. Johnson. In this report are made public for the first time the results of the in- spection by Lieut. Col. William Ger- lach, which was made last year and which shows that the guard is in ex- cellent condition. “The guard has improved rather than deteriorated since last year,” re- marked Col. Gerlach, commenting on his report in the document presented to the governor. “Whatever words of praise the report contains apply with greater force now than a year ago.” Commenting on the condition of the guard, Lieut. Col. Gerlach says: “The energy displayed by all in pre- paring for the competitive drill pro- gram and the intelligence displayed in its execution are decidedly encourag- ing. The performance of the troops in camp showed plainly that the younger members of the guard have derived much benefit from association with their elder comrades, who have seen much active service. All are steadily progressing and getting beyond the mere mechanical stage, and appreci- ate well the spirit of our present sys- tem of handling troops in action. This justifies the confident expectation that if called into active service the Minne- sota guard will do its duty. “The general efficiency of the guard has increased materially in the last year through the supply of new arms, rifles to infantry, revolvers to officers and mounted troops, the issue of shel- ter tents and camp cooking ranges. A complete regimental field hospital equipment and two emergency outfits for detachment use have also been added to the hospital equipment. “When forming for inspection, the troops showed great steadiness, and their deportment in ranks was always creditable; a tendency to disperse in a noisy manner, due no doubt to an exuberance of spirit in alot of bright young men, rather than want of dis- “cipline, was easily checked simply by calling attention to the unmilitary character of this habit, a 7:75 “Guard mounting was well conduct- ed in camp; slight errors noticed dur- ing the earlier part of the camp tour of regiments, were quickly corrected, and the work improved from day to day. The performance of guard duty was creditable. In this connection, I beg leave to invite attention to the need of impressing on all members of the guard, more especially sentinels on post, that if they would be thor- oughly efficient, they would not mere- ly see causually what passes in their vicinity, but rather to allow nothing to escape their notice within their sight and hearing. Reviews were wel) and correctly conducted.” amet Build New Railway. The Duluth, St. Cloud, Glencoe & Mankato railway seems assured, at least so far as the. portion of it be tween Albert Lea and Mankato is con- cerned, a distatice of fifty-four miles E. L. Tobie & Co. of New York, who some time ago were awarded the con- tract for this part of the line complete, have sublet the grading contract to Balch & Motley of Minneapolis, for the thirty-two miles between Albert Lea and Cream, in this county. Balch & Motley, in turn, have sublet most of the work to smaller contractors, and most of the latter have their equip- ment on the ground, have their camps prepared, and have started at various points along the line. The survey of the remaining eight- een miles of the line from Cream to Mankato has not been made, but the engineers are about to proceed with the work. Then contracts will be let for the grading. It is expected that the entire grad- ing, bridge and culvert work will be completed in time for the laying of rails in October. The contract calls for the completion of the line by Jan. 1, but the contractors are likely to claim two or three months more on account of delays on the part of the company. The Minneapolis & St. Louis tracks will be used for four miles out of Al- bert Lea. The contractors for the rest of the line are experiencing difficulty in getting subcontractors, and sub- contractors are unable to get all the men and teams they want, owing to the harvest time. Tobie & Co.’s contract calls for the furnishing of the engines, cars and all rolling stock, and the erection of de- pots, water tanks, fences and tele- graph lines. It is said that the rails, ties and necessary equipment already have been purchased. Tobie & Co. have put up a guaranty bond for $50,- 000 that they will fulfill the terms of the contract, THOUSANDS ARE REPEATERS. Sixty Thousand Names Stricken From ¥ Philadelphia Poll Lists. Philadelphia, Aug. 18.—According to a statement made yesterday by the director of the department of publie safety and based on a canvass made by the police, there are 60,083 names on the voting lists of this city which, under the law, have no right to be there. The assessors in all the voting divisions of the city will be asked to strike the fraudulent names from the lists. RFF APises AA Kf DAY BY DAY News of Interest. MUST ISSUE NO MORE DUE BILLS, Elevator Agents Are Notified to Give All Customers Warehouse Receipts The railroad and warehouse com- mission is preparing to make a cam- paign against alleged fraudulent prac- tices of certain proprietors of country elevators. The authority to check such practices is given the commis- sion under a law passed by the recent legislature prohibiting the issuance of “slips” or due bills instead of regular warehouse receipts. Circular letters have been prepared by the department which are being sent to the proprietor of every ele- vator in the state, as well as to the farmers and business men generally. It calls attention to the new law which makes it a misdemeanor punish- able by a fine of not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding ninety days for any per- son connected with an elevator \to neglect to issue a warehouse receipt when grain is stored in the elevator. Members of the commission declare that the neglect and refusal to issue such a receipt has caused endless liti- gation often resulting in farmers be- ing defrauded and the proprietors of the elevators being cheated by the agents. Complaints have already reached the commission that agents in charge of the elevators who have not as much grain stored as reported to their employers have encouraged farmers to store grain in the eleva- tors so as to make up the deficiency. Due bills or slips, no record of which is made on the. books of the agents, are given to the farmers, and the proprietors of the elevators are made to believe that the grain belongs to the elevator. When the matter gets into the courts the farmer has nothing to prove that he has grain in the elevator except the slip, which may not tell the kind of grain or qual- ity. The commission intends to put a stop to the issuance of these slips. FAIR WILL BREAK ALL RECORDS. Exhibitions and Pike to Be Exception- al—Great Racing Program. Never yet in the history of Minne- sota has there beep such a state re as will be be hele beginning Sept. 4, providing na nature dges her part and provides the requisite fajr weather, Never before has there been such a large number of exhibits, such an ar- ray of special and attractive features, and such interesting races. From every quarter reports come to Secretary E. W. Randall that the counties are planning on a big agri- cultural exhibit and a record baeaking showing. There are already more en- tries in the live stock lists than for years, and the animals which will be sent to the grounds-are said to be among the best in the best live stock states. The Pike, this year, according to a list of the attractions, will be a never ending source of wonderment and amusement. There will be “Little Hgie,” who climbs the high Wire; the dog-faced man; and the living skele- ton flirting with the fat lady. It is the opinion of Secretary Ran- dall and others connected with the management that with good weather during fair week there will be at least an average of 50,000 persons at the grounds each day. This would total 300,000 for the week and make the ex. position a red letter affair and a money maker. It is announced that Senator J. P. Dolliver of Iowa will make the open- ing address on Monday morning. No Birds in Wet Counties. Except in the low lands of Northern Minnesota, where damage has been done by floods, Minnesota hunters will find plenty of ducks and prairie chick- ens when the season opens Sept. 1. Reports received by Executive Agent S. F. Fullerton of the state game and fish commission, are that the crop of ducks and chickens in many counties is the largest in the history of Minnesota. In other coun- ties, where the excessive rains last spring did most damage, Mr. Fuller- ton says the hunter will travel days without seeing a bird. “Were it not for the heavy raing last spring there would be a bumper crop of chickens all over Minnesota,” said Mr. Fullerton. “There will be practically: no shooting at all this year in Clay county, which is ordinarily one of the banner duck and chicken coun- ties. Reports from Norman county, where there is considerable high land, are that the crop of chickens is finusu- ally large. According to our reports, Redwood county never before had so many chickens.” Under the law passed by the last legislature hunters will have to secure licenses from the county auditors to hunt in any except their own county. The license costs $1 and entitles the holder to ship fifty birds during the season, in two shipments of twenty- five birds each. SCHOOL BARS AN ACTRESS. Leah Russell, Yiddish Vaudeville En- tertainer, Can't Enter. Terre Haute, Ind., Aug. 23. — Leah Russell, a Yiddish vaudeville enter- tainer, was refused admission as a student at the young women’s college, St. Mary’s of the Woods. St. Mary’s is the mother house of the Sisters of | Providence. The mother superior said that it was undesirable to have an act- resg among the other students. & pi | i i | i —