Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 23, 1908, Page 1

Vor, XVI.—No. 2 Granpb Rapres, Itasca County, MINN., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, tgoS. Two Dollars a Year. CLOVER GROWING AND THE POTATO Two Crops That Yield Sure and Profitable to Northeastern Minnesota Farmers. PROF. 0. 6. GREGG'S OPINIONS A Student, Instructor and Practical Man Discusses Clover, Corn and Potatoes as North Minne- sota Product. The following article written by O. C. Gregg for the Northwestern Agri- culturist ought to be of iaterest to our farmers as itis ove of the pria- ciple crops of this section of the state: ‘‘We not only read the best of agri- cuitural papers but we also carefully watch our farm. I have felt very | seriously the confinement to the house during the past three months by reasun of my broken arm. This has led me to read more widely than I otherwise would and there is no topic that arrests my eye quicker than that of clover. I stop at once and read with care anything that is covered by that head—while clover is not the whole of the improvement in our agriculture it comprises a good part of it. OUR CLOVER EXPERIENCE, “We have had clover growing at Coteau farm for about thirty years. At first we grew a small area, then gradually increased the amount as our courage grew with the experience gained. Our prairie land that does not contain too much clay will not heave. This is one great reason why our clover does not winter kill. We are very careful to not allow the spring seeding to be pastured in the fall which follows ‘This is another important item. We topdress the young clover when we can do so with reasonable convenience, “Very frequently I read of the il} effects of turning under the second growth of clover. I have now and then heard the same fear expressed in agricultural conventions but dur- ing the years of work on our place we have not experienced such ill effects as that which is expressed by the | word “making the land acid.’’ Probably this condition may arise when a rank growth of clover is turned unger during the heated pe- riod of the Summer—but practically as farms are handled in the great Mississippi valley, we have no induce- ment to treat clover in that way. TIME FOR CLOVER HAYING. ‘When in New England as a boy upon the farm, we were taught that immediately after July 4th we should start cutting clover and timothy We find in Minnesota that it is well to begin the cutting of that cropeven before that date. As a rule, our hay is too *‘wooly’’—it is left to stand. too long. Every farmer knows that the haying crowds the harvest. We have bet little time to plow the land be- tween these two important harvests. Then would be the time when the great crop of clover would be in the state to make a possible acid condi- tion in the soi], but instead of this, the clover fleld is left tu gruw its sec- ond crop and to mature its seed. | this there is the absence of heat that j next crop of grain. | surviving system, by the frosts and freezing of winter. It is a good thing to havea piece of land to plow in the late fall. By that much we are let out of the crowding of the fall months that every good farmer knows he must avoid. CLOVER SEED TURMED UNDER. “The clover stems that in the green statemight make trouble are | quite dry late in the fall, and the leaves are not as sappy and added to is the active agent in turning good clover into a medium for making an acidity in the soil. “This clover now will in due time | muke “humus.” Here is an agent | for the betterment of our soil. Next to clover growing, I regard the ad- iding of decaying vegetable matter to our soil, as of importance so here we get a decided good. And last of all, the clover seed, be it much or little, that has matured in this second growth in the soil, where it will re- main uainjured until it is again; turned up to the sunandair, Ithink so much of this part, which results from turning under a second growth of clover when well matured. How great the difference when we haye the upspringing of clover from buried seed in place of the common growth of sup- erabundance and pigeon grass! Clover is gain, but the weed is certain ‘loss. CLOVER PLOWED DURING A DRY SEASON. “There is one danger in plowing under clover as we have outlined. When we have dry seasons if a heavy growth of second clover is plowed down to the bottom of the furrow and a crop of smal! grain should be sown on that field, it would probably suf- ter from drouth. I have known of flelds being made worthless for the succeeding year in this way. The clover stems and leaves make a separ- ation between the subsoil and the furrow slice in which the smail grain was sown Insucha case the yourg growing crog is shut off from subsoil water. The water which is contain- ed in a good clay subsoil is the only reliance a crop has when the rains fail in furnishing their supply. CORN TO FOLLOW. CLOVER. “The reader will observe that we plant corn after such a plowing under of clover. This is good for two reasons. First, corn, of all crops loves to feed upon the decay of vegetation. It is the crop of all crops for that purpose. ‘Next we have the continued pack- ing of that land by the planting, dragging and subsequent cultivating of corn. We do not like to count the times that we cultivate corn. When our fields have been directly under our immediate control we had aclean cornfield which meant many weeds destroyed and a good seed bed for the Meanwhile we have made it easy for subsoil water 4to come to the aid of the growing corn in case the season was dry. When one man can gain three points by one method, we count that method to be a good one. We think that corn to follow clover will when our agricultural methods have become more firmly settled, be a part of the The laws of the “nature of thing” will settle that part for us. POTATOES AS A CROP. “A portion of Minnesota has al- ready made potatoes a leading cash crop. The market for this crop is a large one. Some may not be aware that the southern states that raise the very early potatoes for our north- ern market must use northern grown seed. Added to this, those states use many potatoes that are northera grown during certain portions of the year. The reason forall this is that the climate of the south 1s unfavor- able for the keeping of one variety of potato. The sweet potato of the south withstands the unfavorable CLOVER AS WE HAVE It. “Now after haryest we have our second work with the clover field. First of all, when the crop has ma- tured seed we want that crop of clover seed. Krequeptly it is a great cash crop. This is particularly true in new sections where insect peste have not developed. The older clover sections have had to cease trying to grow clover seed on account of its enemies. Next in order will be the cutting of that second crop for toothsome hay for calves and special feeding. Itis fine. Cut and cure well, with as little sun burning conditions as noted and meets the de- mand of the south for that class of potatoes. Our variety of potato is very much like our apple; both can be a part of daily diet without becoming offensive and uninyiting. There are but few foods that can claim this rare quality. We write of the Amer- ican table where variety has been ever a custom. There are nations that subsist almost entirely upon one staple food. Such a repetition of food is abhorrent to an American. QUALITY IN THE POTATO. “There is no one crop that we raise that will show the presence or ab- sence of excellent goodness that we call quality like the potato. This quality is largely determined by the | soil upon which it is grown. Minne- sota In many parts posseses a ‘“‘pota- as possible and we have a hay that 1s as “nuts and candy”—for the young stock of the farm. Lastly, in case the farmer has but little stock, or in case of a renter with a short period of possession, it is best to plow that clover late ia the fall, thus prepar- ing it for a successful corn crop. We lay particular emphasis upon the late plowing cf thisseed. The insect pests that have made winter quarters in that sod will be destroyed and the cut worms in particular will be killed to soil’ to a high degree. I never appreciated that fact until a wide tour through our states made the matter very manifest. The high auality potato can be grown upon the high quality ‘“‘potato soil.” This principle will apply to a greater or less degree to other crops. Theolder and some of our newer states have already applied this law of soils as affecting erops and are making spe- cial crops to the rule for special places. Such a method in agricul- ture is ‘‘spreading the sails to the favoring gale.” BOARD ADJOURNS FIGHT FOR OFFICE FOR THEYEAR 1903 BEGAN TUEGDAY County Commissioners Wind Up the | Yesr’s Business at Meeting | Held Last Saturday. | { Contest for the Office of Sheritf of Itasca County Developes Surprises. NEW BOARD WILL MEET JAN. ATH SIND LAKE WITNESSES TESTIFY Ditch Bonds Are Sold at 5 Per Cent | and a Premium of $472.50— Connty Officers’ Bonds Con- sidered and Accepted. The final meeting of the old board of county commissioners was held last Saturday and an adjournment taken without date. The laburs of the board have passed into-local his- tory, and it will make a chapter of which the members as a whole need not be ashamed, and the citizens have reason to feel that they have been well and faithfully served. The posi- tion of commissioner in Itascacounty is by no means an envigble job. De- mands for road improvement,etc., are continually before the board by’petit- ion and otherwise and each particular community feels that its demands and needs are imparative and more pressing than any other. If all are not given according to specifications set forth the board is forthwith con- demed as incompetent or partial in the expenditure of public funds. But with a limited fund with which to satisfy a multitude of pressing ueeds they are forced to curtai! expendi- tures and hence invite criticism. In the course of time, however, they become sonfewhat impervious -to the upbraidings of their critics and by doing the very best they can under the circumstances, let it go at that. The re-election of three of the old | commissioners is pretty good evidence that a majority of the taxpayers are satisfied with the work done by the board that terminated its official ex- istance on the 19th inst. The new board will meet at the court house oa Tuesday, January 4, to organize for another year’s official business. The fiveodistriets will be represented as follows: District No. 1, Cyrus M. King, of Deer River; No. 2, Morris O’Brien of Cohasset; No. 3, Jno. P. Trebilcock of Coleraine; No. 4, Neil Mullins, of Laprairie; No. 5, Archie McWilliams of Nashwauk. Messrs Trebilcock and McWilliams are the new members. While this will be their initial experience in county legislation, they are both gentlemen of business knowledge and sound judgment. They are both men whose occupations while resi- dents of this county peculiarly fit. them for the official positions they are about to assume. Mr. Trebilcock has been identified with the mining oper- ations of this vicinity since the open- ing of the Western Mesaba range. He knows the necessity of good roods and may be depended upon to secure for his important district all that it is entitled to. Archie McWilliams is one of the old timers of Itasca eounty | He was engaged in the livery busi- ness at Grand Rapids sixteen years ago when the editor of the Herald- Review arrived to make this town his home. Fora number of years past Mr. McWilliams has resided at Nash- wauk, where he has been recognized as one of the most prominent and pro- gressive citizens of that section. He has personally superintended the building of many of the public high- ways in the Nashwauk district, and it may safely be said that no man in the county better understands the importance of good rcads than does the new member from the Fifth dis- trict. Messrs Mullin, O’Brien and King have ;proved their competency, the first two named by four years’ service on the board, and the latter by two years, through appointment by Gov- ernor Johnson. Mr. Sundloff, who was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resig- nation of Aad A. Tone, has made a very good commissioner during the few months that he served. He was not a canidate for re-election and his term willexpire January 4th. James Three Days Devoted to Taking of Testimony of Three Witnesses Before Judge Cant of Duluth — Adjourned to Jan. Fourth. Judge W. A. Cant of the St. Louis county district court, arrived in Grand Rapids Thursday noon, and at 1:30 o’clock opened court for the hear- ing of testimony in the contest case of George Riddell against T. T. Riley in which the office of sheriff of Itas- ca county for the next two years is involved. Judge Cant was accom- panied by his official stenographer, Mr. C, Hewitt. Judge C. W. Stanton oft this district had invited Judge Cant to hear the case, as the former had heen a candidate at the late election and felt that possibly great- er satisfaction on both sides would prevail if the case were heard and de- termined by a judge not a resident of this district. From what he had been advised by the attorneys for the contestant he was led to believe that the hearing would not require more than about three days. Acting upon this advise Judge Cant adjourn- ed an important case before his court last Wednesday and came up to Grand Rapids, thinking that he would be through with the contest in time to resume his dutics at Du- luth by Tuesday of this week. He held court Friday evening until 1 «¥clock and on Saturday until mide’ night. When court was adjourned at noon Monday, to Tuesday January 4, the three witnesses called by the contestant had by no means been dis- posed of, and it looks as though the election at the new celebrated Sand Lake precinct had only been slightly probed, and it is predicted that at least three weeks’ time may be con- sumed in the introduction of evidence by both sides. Frank L. Price and George Spear are the attorneys for contestant Riddell, and Thwing & Rossman, C. C.*McCarthy of Grand Rapids and Martin Hughes of Hib- bing, are representing the interests of the contestee, T. T. Riley. The first witness cailed was Charles Stark, who is clerk of the town of Sand Lake and who also acted as one of the clerks of the famous election. Stark produced some remarkable testimony. He admitted to having taken much interest in the securing of names to place upon the poll lists of the precinct; that he was instru- mental in changing the voting place on the morning of the election; that he placed ballots in the box under fictitious names and used the names of men not present at the voting place—among others the name of his father-in-law. He testified that he had voted for George Riddell for the office of sheriff. He also testified that others had voted illegally and that he knew at the time they were voting illegally. .Hecbjected to At- torney Price’s examination in some instances, claiming that Mr. Price had promised him that certain mat- ters would not be brought out in court. Stark’s evident aim and that of the attorneys for the contestant was to focus the blame for all the irregularities on the infiuence exerted by non-residents of the town- ship. Stark plainly created the iin- pression that he was giving testi- mony that would protect himself agaimt prosecution for violating the election laws of the state and at the same tjme serve the purpose for which’he was called as a witness. His cross examination was very brief, and itis probable that the attorneys for thé contestee will again place him upon the stand. He was arrested yesterday by a United States mar- shal bn a charge of perjury and fraudulently filing on a homestead. lt is alleged that he filed on two separate tracts of land without hav- Passard of Grand Rapids is the other retiring member. He was a canidate for re-election but suffered defeat at the hands of Neil Mullins. Mr. Pas- {Continued on Page Four) ing relinquished his right to the first. Ed Guderian, a homesteader of Sand Lake township, was also one of the clerks of election. His;testimony in part corroborated that of Stark and in part flatly contradicted him. LL.M. Hooper, chairman of the town board and judge of election, was the third witness examined. His testimony was not completed at the hour of adjournment Monday noon. Hestat- ed that he had talked with members of the election board re- garding the proposed contest and they had agreed upon certain lines of evidence. His son, who isa minor, voted at Saud Lake. This was done against his wishes and protest. It was while he was absent from the yoting place that the boy voted, Mr. Hooper stated. He agreed and dis- agreed with the evidence given by the other two witnesses. The case has not sufficiently progressed to jus- tify any conclusion as to the final outcome, If the evidence already brought out remains uncontradicted in the main there will be little room to doubt that the election at Sand Lake wasa decidedly rotten affair and those responsible for it should be punished. However, itis a diffi- cult matter to predict what may yet be shown in contradiction of that al- ready developed and the ultimate outcome may be far-reaching in its results on the future of some who now consider themselves well forti- fied and secure. The public should await the completion of the hearing before reaching conclusions fon the merits or demerits of either side of the controversy. There have been many ugly rumors and some testimony that should not be accept- ed as facts until the full case has been presented to the court. The Herald-Review refrains from publish- ing anything in connection with the ease that has not been established beyond the hear-say and one-sided | viewpoint. It is evident that neither Mr. Rid- dell or Mr. Riley had any knowledge whatever of the manner in which the election atSand Lake is alliged to have been conducted. ENTERTAINMENT AT AUDITORIUM Grand Rapids High School Pupils Ably Present “The Captain ‘of Plymouth.” The high school entertainment of last Thursday evening was one of the bestever given by the school. A comic opera, ‘‘The Captain of Plym- outh” was rendered unusually well considering that it was the first at- tempt of the students in that line of entertainment. The scene of the opera is laid in the village of Plym- outh and the basis of the story is the beautiful poem “The Courtstip of Miles Standish” by Longfellow. The opera represents the days of the Puri- tans in terms of the present, and its adaption of present day songs and jokes to the situations of the story of Miles Standish, John Alden and Priscilia kept the house in a roar of laughter from the opening lines. Much credit is due all those who tuok part in the production but es- pecially ought we to mention the names of Lucy McCormick, who as Priscilla charmed the audience with her delightful singing: Margaret. Mc- Alpine, who as the Indian Princess was very creditable and Irene McGee as Mercy the Puritan maid was indeed clever. Of the male characters that distinguished themselves special mention should be made of Jerome Meyers as Miles Standish, Herbert Grove as the wag Erasmus, Harold Luther as John Alden, and Raymond Sisler as the Elder Brewster. The Indian chorus lead by Earnest Tuel as Chief Wattawamut created much amusement and the braves showed themselves well adapted to the savage characters assumed by them. The Indian maidens were very graceful in their lullaby and sang very sweetly. Much credit for the success of the entertainment is due Miss Whiting who directed the choruses and Miss Roe who was responsible for staging the production. In appreciation of their work, {Harold ;Luther at the close of the last chorus presented other | TELEPHONE RATES ARE DISGUISED Manager Mauseau Addresses the Mesaba Telephone Co.’s Pat- rons in Grand Rapids. SAYS PROPOSED RAISE NECESSARY When the Local Exchange Was Acquired by Present Owners It Was Understood That Rates Would Be Increased. To Our Patrons: The attention of the manage- ment of the Mesaba Telephone com- pany thas been called to a petition which has been circulated and signed by a portion of the subscribers to the Grand Rapids exchange, protesting against the proposed increase in rates on January first. In order that all our subscribers may understand our position in this matter, the following facts are stated for their information. The Grand Rapids Exchange was formerly owned by the Iron Range Electric Telephone company, and was completely isolated from the rest of the telephone system ou the Mesaba Iron Range, having no toll lines con- vected with same. During the year 1904 overtures were made to the man agement:of the Mesaba Telephone Company by prominent citizens of Grand Rapids,{to extend their tolh lines from Hibbing to Grand Rapids and to also purchase the local ex change, as the patrons were not satis- tied with the service given at that time. The writer took the matter up with the other officers of the company and it was decided, in case the vil- lage of Grand Ra woud grant a franchise without a rate restriction, that the company would attempt to purchase the plant from the Iron Range Electric Telephone company, extend its long distance toll lines to Grand Rapids, and place the plant at that point in condition to giye satis- factory service to the subscribers, after which the rates were to be raised, and this point was explicitly stated at the time. The toll lines of the Company were extended to Grand Rapids and long distance has been furnished that town the past three rs. The work of rebuilding the Grand Rapids ex- change has been completed, and the promises of the {company have all been fulfilled. The maiotenance and operation of atelepboneplant on the Mesaba Range is much more expensive than in the majority of other sections of the state, and it is a yenerally conceded fact that the company cannot oper- ate an exchange of the size of Grand Rapids at the rates which were formerly in effect. Previous to the reconstruction work done in Grand Rapids during the present year, a majority_of the businessmen were interviewed, and at that time a considerable number of the sub- scribers expressed the willingness to pay the increased rate, provided {the improvements were made. The company feels, that it has treated its subscribers fairly in this matter, and is making this public statement at this time, as it is an impossibility to personally interview and make this same explanation to each subscriber previous to the first of the year. Yours truly, C, M. MAUSEAU, General Mgr, December 16, 190! A Correction. The Heaald- Review inadvertantly published a notice last week signed by Miss Roe on behalf of the members| John Anderson in which the public of the chorus with a beautiful bunch of carnations and Donald Fraser on!and Charles Anderson. was warned not to trust his sons Ed The notice behalf of the senior class, for whom| was sent to the Herald-Review over the opera was given, presented Miss|the phone and the editor was lead to Whiting with a beautiful souvenir) believe that it was authorative. It spoon. The proceeds of the enter-| now appears that a great injustice was tainment will be used towards pub-|done the young men. They are of lishing the high school annual, ‘‘Pine| good habits; industrious and reliable- Needles.” Will Pay $2.75. During the week Clerk of Court Rassmussen issued marriage licenses At the meeting of the village coun-|to Krank Wege and Clara Nichols of cil held Monday evening it was de-| Big Fork; to Peter Olson and Chris- cided to pay $2:75 per cord for soft pody wood. This will give the farmers a chance to have a sure cash market for any wood they may have to offer. tine Anderson of Grand Rapids; to Gust Johnson and Nettie Fray of Keewatin; to Henry Gagnon and Alice Chase of Big Fork.