Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, January 25, 1908, Page 1

VoL, XV.—No, 31. ‘Hp LONG 22 sou DISASTROUS FIRE Itasca Cedar Company Has Practi- cal Demonstration of Its Workings, “The long and the short haul clause,” of which so much was said|Six Business Houses Burned to the and written afew years ago when 2| Ground Last Thursday Morning. bill was before congress for the regu- 4 lation of interstate transportation by railway, is not yet satisfactorily adjusted—at least not by state legis- lation in Minnesota. This conclu- sicn is reached through an incident that recently transpired on this line of the Great Northern. The Itasca Cedar company, of. which W. C. Gilbert is manager, has been ship- LOSS ESTIMATED ABOUT $75,000 Fire Starts Between Floor and Ceil- ing in Baker’s General Store ping ties, posts, ete., over the Great and Quickly Wipes Out Ev- Northern from Deer River to Cohas- | ing Within Reach ' set, a distance of eight miles, for erything Within Reach. which a freight charge of 34 cents per hundred was made. After paying! the bills for some time Mr. Gilbert discovered that a 2-cent .rate was| given by the railway company, for the same class of freight, from Deer River to Floodwood, a distance of fifty-two miles. Mr. Gilbert immedi- ately entered a protest on behalf of his company, and made demand for the return of $750,00, the amount over paid according to the fixed rate. Correspondence with the freight de- partment brought about no satis- ESTIMATED LOSSES AND INSURANCE. Nalue Ins. M, J. Baker, stock $38,000 $25,000 Baker, add. toBld. 1,200 None Itasca Clothing Co. stock Cc. H, Marr, bldg oc- cupied by Baker and Itasca Cloth- 13,000 9,000 factory adjustment of the ‘matter, jay hes Spatok Os Se the railway company claiming that fice aud printing the 2-cent rate only applied to the OCS ks es 2,000 None haul between Deer River and Flood-'] Phifer, building... 2,500 2,000 wood—that if Mr. Gilbert had been |} Stock of millinery shipping from the former to the in PBet ppleene latter point, he, too, would have been Levi Laisell; buila- granted the 2cent rate. According ing and stock of to this line of argument the railway liquor and fix.... 3,500 2,500 company should pay a premium on a|/} A.D. & P.R. Brooks tive hundred mile shipment. Some building, stock of folks, not educated in the fine art of Tigharand neler 6,000 4,000 railway transportaLion woud call the Itasca Cedar company deal a clear case of attempted highway robbery. The company says it could not, even if so ¢nclined, return the $750.00, as 1t is prohibited from so doing under the rebatelaw. Attorney C.C. McCarthy, on behalf of the Cedar company, | went to St. Paul this week to lay the matter before the state railway. com- mission. When the Great Northern is forced to do so, the $750.00 will be refunded. C. Fullwood, dam- age to building, stock and fixtures 1,000 1,000 For the second time Deer River has suffered a disastrous flrein the | business portion of the village. Some years ago the principal business street was wiped entirely out, and again on Thursday morning of this week six business places were burned to the ground, with comparatively s little salvage. It was about eight o’clock in the morning that the fire TRIED TO END THE was discovered on the second fioor of the M. J. Baker general store. As BATTLE OF LIFE} ..3: as can be ascertained the fire ee aT 3 originated between the ceiling and floor from a defective chimney. Little damage had been done when the volunteer fire department re- sponded and had it not been for an inexcusable blunder the fire would haye been cuntined to the Baker building with comparatively small loss to the building and stock. Three men attempted to turn on the water froma hydrant at the Baker corner, but tried to force the cap the wrong way, breaking the wrench. Before another wrench could be secured the blaze had gained such headway that nothing could be done except tu save adjoining buildings. In all six buildings were destroped together with most of the contents. The figures given above is a rough estimate of the total loss and the insurance carried. In round ‘num- bers the loss will aggregate nearly seventy-five thousand dollars, with about forty-seven thousand dollars insurance. The fire spread rapidly from the Baker building west to the saloon building of Brooks & Son and north to the Itasca Clothing com- pany’s store, thence to the postoffice and Itasca News printing office, Piano Salesman, Well Known in Grand Rapids, Tries to Suicide. The following news item appeared inthe Duluth Herald on the 15th. The would-be suicide 1s well known to many people in Grand Rapids, as he has visited this town ‘periodically for a number of years as a piano sales man: “M. E. Clark, a former piano sales- mao, attempted to end his life by taking morphine last night, at the new Christopher hotel on First street. “Shortly after 1 o’clock the prorrie- tor of the hotel heard somebody fall in Mr. Clark’s room, and he broke open the door to find Clark lying on the floor. A physician was hastily summoned, and for three hours the doctor and the hotel man~worked over the unconscious form. They finally succeeded in bringing him from his stupor, and this morning he was pronounced out of danger. He will be sent to the hospital, however, to recover from the effects of the drug. Mr. Clark was an unmarried j1908, will be held at Village hall in thence to the Phifer building occu- pied with a stock of millinery goods. man and was formerly employed by the Porter Music company as a piano salesman. He lost his position, how-| From the Baker building the flames ever, and his despondeacy is believed | were carried across the street to the to have been partly caused by that.” + Loisell saloon building which was Opportunity Knocks Once at Every Man’s Door Many a man has been unable to take advantage of his opportunity for the lack of a little ready money. Open an account NOW and save your dollars and be ready for your opportunity when it comes.~ We issue savings bank book drawing 3 per cent interest. First State Bank of Grand Rapids, Minn. A. C. BOSSARD, President L. M. BOLTER, Cashier VERNON W. KNAPP, Assistant Cashier ee } | also destroyed. The buildings occu- pied by M. J. Baker and the Itasca lothing company were owned by .H. Marrof Grand Rapids. They were valued at $6,000 with $3,000 in- surance. Of the $38,000stock carried by Mr. Baker, some goods were stored in warehouses, soit is not likely that he will ‘be able to recover the full $25,000 insurance. Nothing was’ saved from the store. Of the Brooks and Loisell stocks there was some salvage in barrel and bottled goods. The Itasca company saved consider- able clothing and the millinery stock owned by Phifer was almost entirely saved.” M. J. Taylor, postmaster and editor of the Itasca News, carried no insur- ance. There was enough of the print- ing plant saved to enable Mr. Taylor to get out his paper without inter- ruption. M. J. Baker had erected an addition to the Marr building occu- pied by him ata cost of $1,200 on which there was no insurance. Chas. Fullwood, whose saloo) building ad-. joined the Loisell building on the east, is sided with steel sheeting and it was this that saved the spread of the fire through the entire block. Mr. Full- wood’s loss to stock and fixtures is estimated at $1,000 which is fully covered by insurance. It is said that the buildings destroyed will all be immediately rebuilt and those tem- porarily out of business will soon be re-established, AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION Will Hold Anuual Meeting February 15th, to Elect Officers, Etc. fone) The annual meeting of the Itasca County Agricultural association, for Grand Rapids on February 15. At this meeting officers for the eusuing year will be elected, the dates fixed for the bolding of this year’s fair, and such other business as may properly come before the meeting. All per- sons interested are urged to be pres— ent, especially the farmers. The selection of competent officers 1s nec: essary to insure the success of the fair. It these annual meetings are left toa very few, mostly business men of Grand Rapids. Men from the sur- rounding country and villages should show their interest in the welfare of the county by responding to these calls and taking an active interest in the deliberations of the meetings. The Itasca county fair is growing rapidly in importance, a steady in- crease in the amount of premiums paid showing from year to year. The amount paid outin premiums for 1907, according to Secretary Gole, was over $800. This year he predicts it will amount to over a thousand dollars. Now that grounds have been secured and suitable buildings being erected: the attendance and exhibits should multiply at a rate that would satisfy the most sanguine advocate of the county’s agriculturaland stock-raising interests. The Herald-Review hopes to see a largely increased representa- tivn at the meeting to be held Febru- ary 15, over that of former years. President F. W. Fulton of the associ- ation has issued the official call,which is published in another column of this paper. SHERMAN YOST IN BANKRUPTCY Grand Rapids Business Man Files Petition of Voluntary Bankruptcy. — On Monday last Sherman Yost. filed a petition of voluntary bank- ruptcy with the clerk of the United States district court in Duluth, through his attorney,C. L. Pratt. Mr. Yost is the proprietor of the ‘5, 10,15 cent store” on Second street, and also conducts the saloon on Leland avenue formerly run by O'Leary & Fraser. According to the petition the indebtedness amounts to $1,404.28, and the total assets are stated to’be $7,210, of which amount $5,420 is claimed to he exempt. Mr. Yost says that slow collections is the cause of his being unable to meet his ebligations at this time, and as his creditors are pushing him for settle- ment, he saw no other way out of the difficulty. 3efore coming to] Grand Rapids he conducted a store at Blackberry and did considerable credit business, a large percentage of which is still outstanding. ‘The Catholic Ladies will meet at the home of Mrs. K. E, Doran Thurs- day afternoon Jan. 3oth. Lunch will be served at 4:30, All invited, ' * | | |to repay in cash for any trouble Granp Rapips, Itasca County, MINN., SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1908. ADMITTED HAVING THEMAN'S MONEY Hector Bray, Bartender, Is Bound Over to the Grand Jury. TELLS SOME CONFLICTING STORIES T Martin Knapp, a.Woodsman, Loses Sixty Dollars and When Arrest- ed on Suspicion Bray Admits He Has the Money. It doesn’t pay to be engaged in the business of robbery in Grand Rapids. he police force of’ this municipahty have a wonderful faculty of ferriting out anyone who may be guilty of violating this branch of the criminal law and bringing him to justice. It is true that few robberies take placé in our good town, but when a case is report- ed, it’s a wise thief that makes his escape. Martin Knapp, a woodsman. aged about fifty years, came in from Sutton & Mackey’s camp on Friday of last week and stopped at the Northern hotel. -He has a wife and four children in Minneapolis and it was his intention to proceed to that city on Saturday last. He-had sixty dollars rolled up in a purse, the wages earned in the lumber camp. While making a purchase at the Northern he laid the purse on the bar for a moment while his attention was drawn to the opposite side of the room. Short- ly after he discovered that his sixty- dollars were missing. He reported the loss to Landlord Leroux, who made every effort to locate _ the lost treasure. He was convinced that Knapp was telling the truth about his loss, and when he was unabie to find It reported the matter to the police. Marshals Harry and Seamans went to rk oh thé ~Sase. “After a littie- in- they suspected Hector vestigation is a deplcrable fact that [pa ie bartender at the Northern, }. They watched his actions and soon found that he was paying up some old accounts about town and _ spend- ing money quite liberally. Mr, Leroux also aided the officers in every way possible, and by Monday noon sufficient evidence had been secured to justify the issuance of a warrant for Bray’s arrest. At first he stoutly maintained his innocense and was very indignant at the presumption of the officers. After being taken to jail, howeyer, he wilted and admitted that he had the money. He claimed to Marshal Harry that he found the money in the lavatory of the hotel; to Marshal Seamans he found it in another . location and to the county attorney he told still another story as to how it came into his possession, He was brought before Justice Bailey Tuesday, and waived +xamination, and was bound over to the grand jury in the sum of $1000. Bray appealed to Mr. Leroux for bail, but the councilman from Third street felt that his former employe was not entitled to any sympathy under the circum. stances, and declined to bail him out of jail. When arrested Bray had $43.25 of the stolen money on his person. Robbed His Bedfellow. Fred Van Vandern, 18 years old, is held im jail in default of $300 bail, to await the action of the next grand jury on a charge of robbery. The young man had been in the employ of Dave Chambers for some time as assis- tant cook at the Palace restaurant, and roomed just accross the street at the Leland house, conducted by Thomas Trainor. His room mate, George Van Dyke, is another employe at the Palace. Thursday morning when Van Vonderen arose he declared to his companion that he had been robbed of thirteen dollars. Thereupon Van Dyke made an investigation of his purse pocket. and found he was minus about eight dollars that was in his possession when he retired the night before. The robbery was re- ported to Marshal Harry,who,through some mysterious occult agency. at once suspected Van Vonderen. In the afternoon of Thursday he placed the suspect under arrest, and after giving the young man some fatherly advice, and saying other things that gained his confidence, the boy confessed his guilt, and was ready to fix the matter, not only with his room mate, but also the officer had been to. He! suggested that the marshal should at Teast have five dollars tor his successful efforts in apprehending the guilty man, ie Die tei as a <cmce ——— er } —_ jand this amount he was pertectly | informed the young man that he would > Two Dollars a Year. WILL SOON HAVE ELECTRIC LIGHTS willing to dig up. The marshal, how- ever, did not feel that he had done anything to entitle him to more than his regular salary, and replied that the accused would have to settle with Coun- ty Attorney Thwing. When the latter dignitary was reached the same propo- | sition was made to him. Mr, Thwing felt in the matter as Mr. Harry didjand} An ordinance published in the. Herald- Review, granting a franchise to the Cohasset Hardwood Manu- facturing company, provides that the company shall have an electric light plant in running order in that village by June 1, 1908. The provisions made in the ordinance appear to be very liberal, the rates being iower than in many towns much larger than Cohasset. The franchise is to run for a period of twenty years, and the agreement entered into between the municipality and the manufac- turing company appears to have beep drawn with a view to the ample pro+ tection of the village in every detail. Cohasset is one of the most pros- berous towns in the county and is constantly growing in commercial and manufacturiug importance. Like Grand Rapids, Cohasset bas never been boomed and _ property there has never been boosted to inflated values, The growth it has enjoyed came naturally and as condi- tions demanded. The Herald-Review and the people generally of this town are pleased to note the material advancement of our thriving western neighbor, and hope to see it grow to metropolitan proportions. BIONDICH IS HELD TO GRAND JURY The Progressive Village of Cohas- set To Have Modern Illumination. have to settle with the court. When taken before Justice Bailey Van Von- deren waived examination and was held to the grand jury in the sum of $300. After being committed by the court and while Officer Harry was taking the prisoner in the direction of the county. bastile, the latter looked up at the tall marshal and earnestly enquired: “You'r not going to take me to jail, are you?” Upon being informed in the affirmative, Van Vonderen pro- tested, saying that he couldn’t go to jail as he had to work in the restaur- ant and assist “Dave” with the cook- ing. Harry is always kind to his prisoners, and assured. him that if necessary he would have the restau- rant brought over to the jail. GETTING BUSY ON THE RANGE Contracts Let for the Removal of 12,000,000 Yards of Overburden. Only a few weeks ago there was not a yard of new mine stripping work in sight for the year 1908. In that brief space there has been a wonderfulimprévement. From noth- ing in the way of new contracts in sight five weeks ago there is now con- siderable work. It is not known just how much new work has been assigned to stripping contractors, but it is known that contracts calling for the removal of about 12,000,000 yards have been made. This is all Mesaba range work, all new, to be begun or1n some instances finished this year. One of the contracts which has been given out is of special interest for it calls for the removal of 3,000,- 000 yards of overburden at the Grant mine, controlled by Jones & Langh- lin, at Biwabik. The interest which attaches is that the awarding of the contract appears to be an ss10n of the failure of the grab system that was installed at large expense by the mining company for Stripping and minning. It has been known, however, for some time that the system was not working to the satisfaction of the, mining company. The management of the La Rue mine at Nashwauk has awarded a contract for the removal of 1,700,000 Austrian Charged With Arson— Openly Advocated Incendiarism. After listening to some sensational evidence against Matt Biondich of Nashwauk, who 1s alleged to have conspired to burn several boarding houses and homes ip the range town that were occupied by non-unionists, Justice of the Peace Robert H. Bailey last Saturday decided to hola Biondichto the grand jury on the charge of arson in the first degree. In default of $1, baii the ae~ cused man is held ina cell at the county jail. The accused is a member of the Western Federation of Miners, and it is alleged that he admitted to wit- nesses, who testified, that he set fire to the boarding house of George Tomaz Sept. 1,and that he urged men to apply the brand to other places where nov-union men lived. cubic yards of material. M. A. He is alleged to have bvastingly Hanna &Cv., who have control of |"emarked. “If there were eight or the Silver property at Virginia have ten men like myself, we’d burn the whole town.” . awarded a contract for the removal of 600,000 yards. This isa new pro- perty that has experienced extensive litigation. The Oliver Iron Mining company has awarded contracts for the remoyal of 850,000 yards from the Morris mine at Hibbing, 3,000,000 yards from the Monroe-Tener at Chisholm and 1,200,000 yards from the Burt-Pool at Hibbing. It is stated that other contracts that will bring the newly awarded work up to a total of fully 12,000,000 yards have been awarded. OLD SETTLERS’ DANCE FEB. 12TH A roommate of Biondich testified that the night of the Tomaz fire the accused left the room with a can of kerosene wrapped in paper. Tne Tomaz house was ‘not destroyed, the fire being discovered and extinguished before it made much headWay, Biondich, in explanation of his action in leaving his room with a can of kerosene, claimed he had borrowed some oil from Tomaz and desired to return iti COLERAINE SKI TOURNEY FEB. 9 Big Preparations In Progress For- The Pioneers of Itasca County Will the Great Winter Sporting Event Meet, Dance and Eat on That Date: \ ‘ The third annual It will be on February 12th—not the 2nd, as stated: herein last week— that the Old Settlers’ association will hold their annual dancefest and eat- fest at Village hall in Grand Rapids. In some manuer the list of member- ship has been lost, and President George F. Meyers has been looking the matter up and getting a new list. Should he overlook anyone who is entitled to the honors and immolu- ments that go with a membership to this organization of antiques a report thergof shuuld be made to Mr. Meyers orto H. E. Graffam, the secretary. This annual social event is one that tournament of the Itasca Ski clxb of Coleraine wil} be held Feb. 9. Several of America’s best ski runners who will attend the national tournament at Duluth a fey days later, will visit Coleraine and, participate in the tourney. The Coleraine tournament will be held on the club’s new hiil and it is expected that the local record of 96 feet will be broken. This mark was. established on the old hill, which is. in many, ways inferior to the new one. There are many good ski runners in Coleraine, including Olaf Jonnum, who won the national cha npionship 1s much enjoyed by all who attend, |?" Ashland last year, and Ole Mang- and those who are entitled to partici- |S¢tb, who until recently was one of pate should avail themselves of the| Red Wing’s star performers. The en- privilege. try list for the coming tournament is E. A. Kremer returned Monday |®°% complete yet, but itis expected last from International Falls, where he| that, there will be a much larger spent several days looking over the Mee ete or of the two town and making acquaintances. He eee says there isno doubt of the future supremacy of the border town over all rivals from Winnipeg east for a thousand mules. Just at present busi- ness is not booming, but everybody seems to be getting along and all are hopeful of the coming greatness. Poli- tics, Mr. Kremer says, are already picking up-and there is promise of a lively scrap next fall. ' by J..M, Dempsey, of the logging firm ot Dempsey & Daugbeny tas m town Monday. He has the same report to make that all other loggers relate—ideal weather tor work in the woods, but snow—they all want show, or the “stuff will be off’ for getting the logs out, Dempsey & Daugherty ,are putting in logs on the M, & R, R. oes DEFECTIVE PAGE | }