Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 9, 1908, Page 1

Grand Uapids VoL, XVI.—No, 25. » J a, Granp Rapins, Irasca County, MINN., Wepnespay, DECEMBER 9, 1908. : HISTO! SOCIETY. Li Nee Two Dollars a Year. THAT WOOD DEAL SETTLED AT LAST A Jury of Itasca County Taxpayers | Decide That Four Dollars Per Cord is Not Too Much. O'BRIEN GETS THE FULL AMOUNT Cord Wood Purchased For County From John O’Brien at $4 Per Cord Is Held by Jury to Be a Fair Price. The lndependent’s campaign ma- terial against Commissioners O’Brien, Mullins and King was spoiled in dis- trict court last week by a jury of twelve good men and true. It pro- bably served its purpose during the campaign for all it was worth—which must have been very little, jaccord- | ing to the verdict of the people at the polls and the jury in district court. 'The-story has been told and retold so often in the local press that it is only necessary to here briefly state the facts. Last spring a committee was appointed by the board of county commissioners to purchase a quantity of green wood for fuel at the court house and jail to be delivered at that time for use during the fall and present winter. The required amount was contracted for with John G. Fraser and others. The sleighing disappeared earlier than was looked for and the parties would not make the delivery at the price agreed upon —#4 per cord—as it would be neces- sary to haul it on wagons, which ma- terially increases the cost of produc- tion. Jobn O’Brien had a quantity of four-foot jack piney which he of- fered to deliver at $4 per cord, ‘his was accepted by the committee, and about seventy cords was delivered. Nothing was said at the time against the contract, but when the local cam- ‘Ypaign opened up Commissioner Pas- sard thought he saw“a chance to make himself solid with the voters by protesting. The Independent foresaw a chance to also make some political capital out of the incident and proceeded to how) itself hoarse over the outrageous squandering of the people’s money by the three com- missioners that the lodependent felt would not be favorable to itsinterests in the matter of county printing. Finally nine taxpayers were secured who signed a protest against pay- ment of the bill as allowed Mr. O’Brien. Among the signers was A. L. Lafreniere, publisher of the Inde- pendent. The case was tried in dis- trict court last week before the fol- lowing twelve citizens who served as jurymen: Joho Pennett, Charles Warner, Lee Cochran, Charles John- ston, Charles Mealey, Nelson Philips, Louis Vogal, Ed. Inksted, Wm. Walker, Wm. Ashton, Frank Wall and C A. Nelson. Nearly threedays’ time was spent in the trial of the case and it took the jury about fifteen minutes to find a verdict in favor of O’Brien for the full amount of his claim with interest at the rate of 6 per cent since last June. It is esti- mated that the total costs uf the case will bring the price of the wood up to nearly six dollars per cord. This is a case of campaigning with a vengeance at the expence of the tax- payers.- The charge of fraud was made in the first iastance wholly for political purposes, and with no idea that the couoty had been charged an exorbitant price under the circum- stances. If the signers of the pro- test against the bill could be made to pay the coste of the case it would serve asa valuable lesson to cheap politicians who cry “stop thief” while endeavoring to dip into the public pocket. Ferestere Elect Officers. ‘The United Order of Foresters held a meeting at K. P. ball last evening and elected the following officers for the ensuing year: Chief ranger, Mrs. Kearney; past chief ranger, Mrs. Mc- Donald; vice ranger, Mrs. Brooks, treasurer, Mrs. Gunn; secretary, Mrs. Finnegan; chief archer, Mrs. Langh- furt; chaplain, Mrs, Lent; inuer wood- ward, Mrs. Vipond; outer woodward, Mrs. Tulley. Mrs. Duf, deputy state organizer, and Mrs. Bai- ley of Duluth were present, and aided to make the evening a very pleasant one. A luncheon was served. rs. Duff will organize a local lodge at Coleraine. : TWO RAILROADS -TOGRAND RAPIDS The Great Northern Railway Now Building From Nrshwauk to This Point. DULUTH, MESABA & NORTHERN ALSO Contract Let For Extension of Great Northern to Grand Rapids and Construction Work Begun— D.,M. &N. Will Follow Suit. That which the people of Grand Rapids have long looked and hoped for in the matter of increased rail- road facilities will be realized early’ in the spring of 1909. The Great Northern and the Duluth, Mesaba & Northern are both headed this way and it will be a race to see which will be first to run trains into this town from the Western Mesaba range. The Great Northern will very likely enter Grand Rapids on the east side of town, while the D., M. & N. will come in on the west side. The fol- lowing railroad news was sent out from Hibbing on Monday: ‘ing of last week, and submitted the THE GRAND JURY [NOT SATSFED HAS SHORT TEAM! WITH KEW RATE Transacts Business Brought Before| Many Business Men Attend Council it in Four Days and Makes Re- Meeting Monday Evening port to Judge Stanton. To Register Kick. SEVERAL INDICTMENTS RETURNED |ON PROPOSED TELEPHONE CHARGES Malfeasance in Office and Forgery | Village Attorney Instructed to Frame Charged Against Andrew H. and | Ordinance Prohibiting the En- Hannes E. Randahl, Officers forcement of New Rate Fixed of Arbo Township. by Mesaba Telephone Co. The grand jury concluded its in-}$ The regular monthly meeting of the vestigation of matters brought up! Village council was held at the council for its consideration on Friday even- toom Monday evening. ‘There were € present quite asnumber of prominent final report to Judge Stanton. 5Six-/ business men whose purpose at the teen indictments were returned. jieeting was to register a protest Andrew H. Randahl, supervisor of |against the proposed increase of rates the town of Arbo, was indicted on!by the Mesaba Telephone company. three charges, for auditing, allowing | It is and paying unlawful claims against|increase many private residences are the township. Giscontining the use of ‘phones and Hannes E, Randahl, clerk of Arbo|hence the system is becoming less township, also drew three indict-}yaluable to business houses. A ments on similar charges. number of the business men present Andrew Peterson of Bovey was in-|expressed the opinion that at least dicted fur assault in the second de-|one-third of the patrons would order The contract for-the extension of the Great Northern from Nashwauk to Grand Rapids has been let to Riley & Guthrie, and work upon the extension will begin in about two weeks, Mr. Riley is now in Hibbing making preparations for the work, and states that dirt will begin to fly on the Nashwauk end of the exten- sion just as soos as he can assemble the necessary machinery. ‘The line will be built clear through to Grand Rapids during the winter and will be in operation early in the summer and possibly late in the spring of next year. The contractors are the same who built tbe Great Northern cut-off a year ago from Kelley Lake to Fer- moy, and they are well equipped to push the construction of the line rapidly. The Great Northern now has a line from Hibbing to Nashwauk, a dis- tance of 14 miles, so that the work to be done this winter will give Hib- bing a direct line 34 miles tong to Grand Rapids and will make com- munication with the western part of the state much quicker and easier. The extension will run directly through the most valuable of the Hill ore lands, which were recently leased to the steel corporation. The D. M. & N. has had engineers at work going over the ground from Coleraine, the present terminus of the road, to the mineral lands south and west of Pokegama lake. Camps have been established at several points, the men remaining several days, and it is considered probable that the D., M. & N. road will also build through toGrand Rapids. The road at the present time is built as far as Buckeye lake, two miles this side of Coleraine, the track on this side being used as storage for extra rolling stock. This would leave only six miles of track to build into Grand Rapids, Will Adjourn Tomorrow. Judge Stanton will adjourn the December term of court tomorrow. He has not decided whether it will be until the regular March term or to some earlier date. Matters in chambers that must be attended to at thie time require his presence io Bemidji. There is enough business now awaiting consideration by the court in this county to keep the wheels of justice revolving steadily for at least six months. A sumber of criminal cases acted upon by. the late grand jury cannot be disposed of at this time and hence a number of alleged offenders will be retained io jail at the county’s expense for some months. Frank Roach, charged with grand larceny in the firet degree, pleaded guilty. Thecourt has not-yet im- posed sentence. Frank Ryan, who was arrested in company with Hoach and charged by the grand jury with the same crime, bad a jury trial and was acquitted. The case of Lunt and Jcbnson, for- gery and larceny, Nashwauk, is now being tried before a jury. giee. He was charged with having} out their ‘phones on the first of the used a Knife on a Bovey bartender on | year when the new rate is to go into November 16. effect. It was argued that under the Rady Korditza of Bovey is held for] original franchise, which is stil in ef- trial on a charge of assault in the/fect, that the company has no right first degree. He used a revolver on|to arbitrarily raise the rate without two of his countrymen ina boarding|the consent of the village council. house at Bovey. It was also suggested that the people R. H. Philligs for assaulting Wil-|are in a position to demand fair liam Davis on October 5, was in-|treatment at the hands of the com- dicted for assault inthe second de-|pany should the latter insist on gree. The offense was committed |exacting a higher rate for rentals west of Cohasset on a wanagan. than was originally agreed upon. Nelson Lunt and Gust Johnson}The council may, at its option, re- were indicted for the alleged forgery #2 the removal of all telepnore of an order for $41.62, issued on the] poles from the streets and alleys and township of Nashwauk by Archie] reqnire that they be put underground. McWilliams. They were also held |The general sentiment to discontinue on a charge of grand larceny. the service is alsy a leverage on the Louis Bechlich of Iron Range town-|company that will no doubt prove ship was indicted for selling liquor| effectual against the proposed raise. without a license. State Senator D M. Gunn was Nikola Jolicich was charged with |present and expressed the opinion grand larceny in the second degree. | that the local service would not be It is alleged that he confiscated about} worth anything to Grand Rapids $200 collected for beer sold for|subscribers if any considerable another party. number of patrons should order their Frank Roach, Frank Ryan and|’phones taken out. He was not pre- John Doe were charged with burglary |pared to say tbat the proposed in- and robpery «f the saloon of John |creaseof charges would be exorbitant, Specht at Bovey on the night of| but he was satisfied that the public November 27. True bills were re-| was entitled to a mure efficient ser- turned against the three. vice than is now furnished. Dr. Rus- ae sell, T. A. McHugh, B. C. Finnegan REPORT OF GRAND JURY and others also addressed the council We, the grand jury of said Itasca|#4 there appeared ww be a unanimous county, assembled at the general |?pposition and criticism to the in- December, 1908, term of the district | crease of rates and to the present court above named, do respectively | Service. report to the court: 1. We yisited the county jail in a|¥9@nimous in expressing their wil- aimed that as a result of the} BORD’ RE Some Interesting Figures Given Out That Are Easily Understood and Highly Attractive. SHOULD BE WIDELY CIRCULATED Minnesota Offers Twenty Million Acres of Good Farming Land at Five to Twenty-Five Dollars Per Acre. The average citizen of the North Star state realizes more or less vivid- jly that he lives ina splendid come | monwealth, with large opportunities | for profitable industry and distin- | gished public service, with rich re- sources and a splendid rate of devel- }opment. It ishelpful and encour- ging, however, to take an occa- | sional glimpse at tangible figures and facts which paint in rosy but ! natural colors the advantages and | possibilities$ of the state, says the Duleth Herald. The Minnesvta board of immigra- tion was formed, in part, to com- pile such facts and to spread them abrodd. This is mainly with the idea that people who are “missing it” by living elsewhere should be taught that the proper place for them to dwell is in Minnesota; but no harm and much good can be done if the people of this state get the figures in their own minds. They will know how, then, to give convincing expression to their state pride, and they will be able to found that state pride upon a substantial edifice of unquestioned statistics. Here are some of the facts that the commissioner of immigration is pub- lishing to the world: Minnesota offers 20,000,000 acres of good farming land at %5 to $25 an acre; not half the land in the state has been awakened to productive- ness by the kiss of the plow. Minaesota has 3,000,000 acres of school land, certain tracts of which are sold at auction every year in tracts of 40 to 320 acres. Land is ap- praised at $5 to $7 per acre and sold at 15 percent in cash and the bal- ancein forty years with 4 per cent interest. Minnesota has six navigable rivers, hundreds of minor streams, thous- ands of beautiful Jakes, and at Duluth it has access to the greatest inland waterway in the world. Minnesota has eighty-five counties and 8,000 miles of railroad. Minnesota is destined to stand first among all the states in livestock pro- The members of the council were | duction. Minnesota never fails to make bedy and found the same clean, well|lingnéss to take such action as the | record-breaking displays of butter kept and in good condition; it is our| People desired. A motion toinstruct | and it turns out yearly a million opinion, however, that the same is|the village attorney to draw an or- | pounds of the finest creamery butter not large enough to accomodate ali|@iaance which will restrict the in- | 1p the world. the prisionere who are sometimes con- | °Pease Of charges was carried without Minnesota’s state fair, made pos- fined therein; there are accomoda-|°Ppesition. Attorney Pratt will have | sible by the richness of the state’s tions such as are required, for but six-| thé ordinance ready for consideration | resources and accomplishments, is teen prisoners in said jail, and we are| 9b 8 meeti ng to be held next Monday | the largest and best in the couatry. informed that there are sometimes as | Cvening. many as thirty prisioners in the jail; Deetitut we recommed that the board of county Tipostate ond 5 commissioners enlarge the jail for| om Johnson, aged fifty years, his present and future needs; we aleo| Wife, Minsesota ranks fourth among the forty-six states in agricultural pro- ducts. Minoesota ranks first in the pro- aged twenty-one, and five | duction of the finest hard spring recommend that the padded cell be re-| Children ranging in age from seven| Wheat in the world; first in the paired, it being useless in its present | Years to nineteen months, condition, were | growth and manufacture of flaxseed, brought down from Houpt on the | linseed oi) and oil cake; first in iron 2. We call the attention of the{4t inst.,and taken before Judge of | ore and flour production, and finest board of county commissioners to the Probate Huson. Complainthad been |!p charm of natural scenery and condition of the south wall of the | made by neighbors that the children | Summer resorts. court house, and we recommend that| Were Neglected and that the parents | Minnesota has a state university, @ retaining wall be built at the foot} Were unfit persons to have charge of | 4 state agricultural college and state of the embankment below that well |*hem. The evidence produced indi- | experiment stations that rank among to prevent the earth from being| ated that the parents are buth ba- | the best in the country. washed away by rain etc., and that Ditval drunkards and that the family Minnesota is a state in the heart they take such steps as to them seem lived in a hovel unfit for brutes to in- | of civilization and the vanguard of necessary to prevent further damage habit. The children were sent to | progress, and with an abuodance of to the building; we also call the at-| the state schoo) for dependent and ; opportunity of all kinds. tention of the board to the seats pro- neglected children at Owatonna and “Minnesota,” concludes the immi- vided in the court room for the petit |*he man and woman were sent to the gration board’s catalogue of advan- jnry; this matter has been reported |POOr house forthe present. The | tages, “is a state for health and on before by former grand juries, and | father Is sick and physically unable | wealtb; both are yours in Minnesota. forhimself and he will re- ve temporary care at the county spital. The mother is enciente | will also be cared for at the county hospital. we ask that measures be taken by the |. board at their next meeting to pro- vide comfortable seats for the jury- men so that they be ‘no longer tor- tured. 3. The poor farm has been visited by us in a body and we cannot give a favorable report upon the condition in which the same has been maio- tained; we specify the chairs pro-l the second number lecture by Rev. Ji ws The Catholic Fair a Success. The Catholic fair closed on Satur- day evening. The ladies who had charge of the event feel very well “Amenica Facing the Far East,” | satisfied with the patronage given the Merritte Driver, | fair and we venture to say that those at High School auditorum, Monday | who attended feel well repaid for the December 14. This will be | time and money spent. The suppers of the Lyceum | were well patronized each evening. vided for the inmates, the same being course. Get tickets reserved at the |The total receipts were about five [Continued on Page Four) Mercantile store. hundred dollars. THE IMMIGRATION [TUESDAY FOR THE AGRICULTURISTS Every Farmer Within Reach of Grand Rapids Should Be Here to Attend the Big Institute. ABLE INSTRUCTORS WILL SPEAK The Business Men of Grand Rapids Will Serve a Free Dinner For All in Attendance—Every- body Cordially Invited. The farmers should remember Tuesday next, December 15, and come to Grand Rapids to attend the Farmers Institute. The weather man bas promised to provide a good day for this important event. Of course, the weather man cannot al- ways be depended upon, but itis to be hoped that he will make good on this occasion. The business men of Grand Rapids haye promised a big free dinner tu the visitors, and the business meu of Grand Rapids al- ways make good. Everybody and their families are iuvited to be pres- ent. A special invitation is extended to the ladies. There is a great dea) to learn at the institute that is of interest to the women folks as well as the men folks, Lt will be a busy day, an interesting and profitable day. Itshould be made the most valuable day of the year to the farm- ers. The first session will begin at 10 o’clock in the forenvon and the second session wil! begin at 1:30. Mr McGuire will be in charge of the pro- gram. He will be assisted by F. B. McLearn of Wrenshall and C. E. Brown of Elk River. Farmers institutes have heen held almost daily during the past six weeks in uortheastern Minnesota counties The Herald-Review has noted by its exchanges that a greater interest than ever before has been taken in these meetings. The farm- ers are beginning to realize the im- portance and necessity of adopting scientific methods iu the operation and tilling of their !ands, and they are also realizing the necessity of ap- plying modern methods in the selec- tion and care of their stock. It is to be hoped that the institute to be held next Tuesday at Grand Rapids will prove no exception to the rule that appears to be now prevalent throughout this section. HAVE RECOUNTED THE PRECINCTS Inspectors Appointed by the Court to Canvass Votes on Shrivalty Contest Complete Labors. W. E. Crangle of Nashwauk, A. E. Wilder and C. E. Aiken of Grand Rapids, the inspectors appointed by Judge Stanton to recount the votes of certain precincts in connection with the contest instituted hy George Rid- dell against T, T. Riley ior the office of sheriff, completed their labors on Monday and prepared their report to the court. The precincts recounted and the votes of each were ‘as fol- lows: Sand Lake, 91; Iron Range No. 1, 232; trop Rapge No. 2, 137; Iron Range No. 3, 215;.Greenway, 16); Nashwauk No. 1, 230; Nashwavk No. 2, 137; Crooked Lake, 32; Grand Rap- ids No. 1, 352; Grand Rapids No. 2, 186; Grand Rapids No. 3, 32; Splithand, 32; Blackberry, 16; Fraser, 10; McCor- mick, 22. ‘The total number counted was 1,885. Of that number 36 were marked as disputed and will be passed on by the court. Ae-a-reault of the count Mr. Riley gained one vote. Judge Stanton expressed himeelf as feeling a sence of dilicacy to hear the case and requested Judge Cant of Duluth to take the matter up: The latter has advised Judge Stanton that either ‘himself or Judge Dibbell will be here tomorrow to take the testimony and bear arguments of the attorneys. The weekly bible study at St. Joseph's Catholic church this evening will be held at 7:30 o'clock. There has been considerable interest shown in these meetings and it is hoped that -the attendance will continue to increase, aA