Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 30, 1908, Page 5

CHILDREN IN WILD PANIC Fire at Christmas Feast Causes Stam: pede—Youngsters Trampled On and Cut. Echo, Minn., Dec. 27.—The peril ot panic ushered in the celebration of Yuletide here, and it is nothing short of a miracle that somber tragedy did not result when the gas generator con- nected with the lighting plant in the Methodist Episcopal church took fire and caused a wild stampede of a hun- dred or more frightened women and children, all of whom luckily managed to get out alive, though some were se- verely cut by glass. The work of dressing the tree had just received its finishing touches when the generator burst into flames almost directly in the path of the tree and its flimsy, inflammable decora- tions, Immediately there was a_ wild stampede for the doors, and as the crowd became jammed in it the more badly frightened of the women and children began jumping through the windows. Some of these were badly cut, and those who were unfortunate enough to fall were trampled on by the frenzied crowd. The blaze which caused the panic was put out without much difficulty, and before any damage had been done to the church itself. WORK AGENCIES FOR FREE FARE. Telephone Called in To Carry on New Swindling Game. St. Paul, Dec. 26. — Widespread swindling operations in which labor agencies are the victims have been uncovered through the efforts of the police the past few days and arrests are expected hourly in Chicago and Duluth. The operators work with the tele- phone, telling the desk men at the agencies that they are prominent em- ploying representatives, and asking that transportation be given men who would call later. In this way numbers, not yet able to have been determined, have been shipped out of the city. lt is probable that the swindling operations will reach a large figure. ALLEGED FORGER IS JAILED. Accused of Passing Bogus Checks on Day Before Election. Waseca, Minn., Dec, 27. — On the day before election Jesse Richter, it is charged, passed seven checks for $10 each and on the day before Christmas he was placed in jail here on a charge of forgery. Richter had been employed here by a building con- tractor and, it is believed, succeeded in passing seven spurious checks on his employer’s account to saloonkeep- ers of this city. He has been at large since his flight, and was taken into custody at Virginia, Minn. STEALS $10,000 IN JEWELS. Robber Snatches Tray in Helena Store and Makes Escape. Helena, Mont., Dec. 25.—Almost at the very instant that the clerk placed it upon the show counter, a tray of diamonds valued, it is said, at $10,000, atched up by a thief in Jacque- jewelry store here last night and carried away. Before an alarm could be raised the robber, who, with a companion, had come into the city in a-rig, had untied his horse a driven quickly toward the outskirts. OWNS TO BRIBERY. Former Alderman of Milwaukee Pays a Fine of $600. Milwaukee, Dec. 25.—Former Alder- man Charles Jungman, in the munici- pal court, pleaded guilty to an indict- ment charging him with bribery in nection with a special ordinance in He was fined $600 or an alter- of eighteen months’ imprison- The fine was paid. ment. Cracks Safe With Cleaver. Mankato, Minn., Dec, 27.—Fred W. Lobdell’s meat market was robbed of $150 in h and checks last night by some unknown person, who used a meat cleaver to break the compart- ments of the safe. lll From Canned Meat. Fargo, N. D., Dec. 25.—State Insur- ance Commissioner E. C. Copper is seriously ill here as a result, it is said, of eating canned meats on the Great Northern diner. $20,000 for a Quarter Section. Yankton, S. D., Dec. 25. — M. H. Ohiman yesterday sold a quarter sec- tion of land near Mitchell for $20,000 cash to D. A. Mezner and Robert Lit- tle of Mitchell. Insists Fire Was Incendiary. Grand Forks, N. D., Dec. 25.—John £. Wurth, owner of a hotel and restau- rant at Conway, which was burned re- cently, insists it was set on fire by an enemy. An investigation is in prog- yess and arrests are expected. Tot Falls Into Scalding Water. Eau Claire, Wis., Dec. 25.—The four year-old son of I. E. Brack of Meridt- an fell backwards into a wash boiler ‘of hot water. He lived a few hours, put died last night of his terrible ‘sealds, ae EARTH TREMBLES IN MONTAN Seismic Disturbances in Vicinity of Vir- ginia City Cause Great Alarm. Virginia City, Mont., Dec. 29. — At 4:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon this section was shaken by the severest of a series of seismic disturbances that have been going on for more than a week. The electric power and light plant was put out of commission. This plant is located ten miles dis- tant from Virginia City, and as tele- phonic communication with it has been interrupted, it is impossible at this time to ascertain the extent of the damage done. Virginia City was in darkness last night and much alarm existed. Dur- ing the past week Virginia City has experienced more than thirty earth- quakes, in which the earth movement was very pronounced. Last Monday two shocks within ten minutes of each other drove the people into the streets panic-stricken, caused cracks in several buildings and dislodged considerable plaster. Yesterday afternoon’s tremor fur ther cracked buildings, threw down plaster and scattered dishes from the shelves and tables. PLAINTIFFS NUMBER 600. Water Rights Case Involves Not Less Than $1,500,000. Helena, Mont., Dec, 29. — Judge Cheadle early next month will hear at Bozeman the largest water rights case ever tried in the United States. The rights in dispute are along the West Gallatin river and include near- ly all the famous Gallatin valley. Water rights probably worth not less than $1,500,000 will be affected by the decision. About 600 farmerd and companies who claim water rights along the river have filed their complaints. $14,000 GIFT FOR SQUAW. Aged Indian Is Found to Be Heir to Farm Lands. Black River Falls, Wis., Dec. 29.— A gift of $14,000 in land was the Christmas present that A. P. Jones, former agent for the Winnebago In- dians, has made to a squaw more than eighty years old. Mr. Jones cleared up twenty-five heirship cases while on his visit to Nebraska to pay money due the Winnebagoes in that state. The aged squaw gets clear title to an improved eighty-acre farm and a half interest in 360 acres. TRIES TO KILL SON-IN-LAW. Calls Him From His Home and Fires Four Shots, Three Taking Effect. Waterloo, Iowa, Dec, 29.—Asserting she hal discovered the murderer of Patrolman Fred Widmann, who was shot by a burglar last October, Mrs. Will Kelly of Waterloo attempted to kill her son-in-law, Fred Cordell, also of Waterloo, She called him from his home and fired four shots, three of which struck him, but produced only flesh wounds. Mrs. Kelly is under ar- rest. GASOLINE TANK EXPLODES. Marshalltown (lowa) Blacksmith and His Family Severely Burned. Marshalltown, Iowa, Dec. 29.—The explosion of the gasoline tank of a brazier’s furnace at Union wrecked and almost totally destroyed by fire the home of Matthew Cox, blacksmith, and injured Cox, his wife and five children. Cox’s burns are very serious and may prove fatal, are slight. CAPTURE BANK SUSPECTS. Sioux Falls (S. D.) Prisoners Identi- fied as Danube (Minn.) Robbers. Sioux Falls, S. D., Dee. 29.—Three eracksmen who were arrested by the local police two or three weeks ago have been identified as the men who on the night of Oct. 6 last had a hand in robbing the State Bank of Danube, Minn., and Sheriff John A. Vick .of Renville county, Minnesota, has taken them back to that county for trial. SEEKS HORSE RUSTLERS. Pierre (S. D.) Sheriff Makes Two Ar- rests in Stanley County. Pierre, S. D., Dec. 29.—Sheriff Hus- ton is rounding up horse rustlers whol have been at work in Stanley county, and has arrested Elmer Ziegler and Tom Barnes, claiming the horses were found in the possession of Barnes, who, in turn, claims to have pur- chased them. Modify Quarantine. Buffalo, N. Y., Dec. 29.—No case of foot and mouth disease has been found in New York state in the last nineteen days, and as a result orders have been issued modifying the quar- antine regulations. $30,000 Blaze at Waseca. Waseca, Minn., Dec. 29.—A $30,000 fire which burned out Preston & Stucky, druggists, threatened a prin- cipal business block, including the postoffice and the Farmers’ National CY ORR ere Bete Re cesar <TR MNS yg. The others’ burns URGES STATE RELIEF SOARD. Recommendation Made in Annual Re- port of State Treasurer. The establishment of an emergency relief fund by the state for the care of unfortunates in such catastrophes’ as the Clinton cyclone and the Chisholm fire is recommended by Clarence C. Dinehart, state treasurer, in his annual report. He suggests that the legisla- ture make available for such purposes a sum not to exceed an amount repre- sented by five-hundredths of a mill tax which at the present valuation of the state would produce $55,000, and cost but 5 cents to each owner of $1,000 worth of assessed property. This fund would be under the juris- diction of the governor, secretray ‘of state, attorney general, treasurer and auditor, to be expended by them as they think best when occasion arises. The treasurer concurs in the recom- mendation of the public examiner in tis report that the railroads make their payment of taxes semi-annually in- stead of every year, in order to avoid the depleted condition of the state treasury at this time of the year. He does not agree with the public exam- iner, however, as-to the sale of war- | rants for running expenses constituting a debt within the meaning of the con- stitution, which debt is prohibited. In regard to the bonds of state de- positories, which the public examiner recommends should be corporate sure- ty bonds, the state treasurer suggests that if any change is made in the law which permits personal surety, it should be made possible to deposit as such bonds of any state or county or | municipal bonds in an amount 10 per cent in excess of the amount of state money on deposit at any one time. KILLS FEWER; LESS DIVIDENDS. Railroad Reports for Year Summarized by State Commission. A decrease in the number of killed and wounded, an increase in the capi- tal, an increase of operating income and an increase of dividends during the past years as features of the sum- mary of the reports of railways of the state issued by the state railway and | warehouse commission. The total number killed for the year ending June 30, 1908, was 202, with 2,815 injured. The year before the number was 294 killed and 3,127 in- jured. There was an increase of $13,706, 534 in the operating revenues of the roads of the state, the total receipts being $102,380,000. The amount which was apportioned this state for the past year was $78,700,000, nearly dou- ble what the roads earned in Minne- sota for the preceding year. There was an increase of $141,193,- 115 in the capital and funded debt. Only eleven of the thirty-four roads paid dividends, although two iron roads distributed a large amount of accumu- lated surplus. The dividends paid by the roads operating in ‘this state amounted to $54,692,892. EGGS AND BROILERS ARE BEING PRODUCED AT SCHOOL’S OWN RANCH | CHICKEN RANCH AT FEEBLE-MINDED SCHOOL. The development of a large chicken ranch and egg farm at the Minnesota school for the feeble minded at Fari- bault, which it is expected will even- tually supply eggs and broilers for the entire school, numbering about 1,200 inmates, is being steadily push- ed forward. A seven-acre tract, with a good south exposure to the sun, has been selected for the poultry houses and yards. A good start has been made, and there are at present about 500 chickens. More attention is being paid to the development of a good jaying strain than to the production of eggs. E There are five poultry houses in use, and sixteen more are being erect- ed. They will extend 300 feet in length. These houses will be modern buildings for the raising of poultry, with south fronts and lights. Particu- lar attention is paid to arrangement of the houses by installing labor-sav- ing fixtures. The buildings now be- ing erected will be on the continuous house plan, containing several pens, each with a capacity of twenty-five to thirty-five layers to each pen. Incubators are used to a great ex- tent, few chickens being hatched un- der hens. The brooder building con- tains about fifteen incubators, which are located on the north side of the house, the south front. being used for the brooders, where the young chicks are. placed just after being hatched and kept until old and strong enough to care for themselves. This building is heated by steam. The section con- taining the fifteen or twenty brooders is well lighted by a long row of win- dows facing the south. The farm is in charge of an experi- enced poultry woman, She has the assistance of numerous of the bright- er boy inmates, who delight in the work and make excellent helpers. Don’t accuse the old hen of working the shell game because the egg is bad. oo $$ -- © o- | MODEL PRISON IS NEARING COMPLETION -—-- Sn - © ¢—___——— — ~~ NEW STATE PRISON AT Buildings Which Now Are Being The buildigg at the left is three stories high. The first floor will be for the branch twine factory. The sec- ond floor is for the dining room and kitchen. On the third will be a dor- DULUTH TO FIGHT TUBERCULOSIS White Plague Exhibit Stirs Up North- ern-Part of State. The visit of the educational exhibit of the State Anti-Tuberculosis society at Duluth, recently, will probably re- sult in the formation of an associated charities and other benevolent insti- tutions in that city. About 6,000 people visited the ex- hibit, nearly as great a number as at- tended in the Twin Cities, in other years, The attendance in Two Har- STILLWATER, MINN. Equipped With Machinery and Where Convicts Already Are at Work. mitory for one hundred convicts. The building at the right is a warehouse for use in storing fiber and finished binder twine. In the background is the uncompleted water tower, part of a big system for furnishing water for bors was even larger. On Jan. 9 a civic meeting will be held at Duluth under-the auspices of the council of women, at which child labor and charity problems will be dis- cussed. It is probable that an attempt will be made to unify all efforts toward charitable relief, as is done in all the larger cities of the country. The tuberculosis exhibit will be seen in Virginia, Eveleth and Cloquet after the holidays. An anti-tuberculosis so- ciety has been formed in all the towns where the exhibit has shown. domestic purposes and for individua) toilets. A portion of the stockade— a fence of plank sixteen feet high— is shown. There are guard houses in course of construction at, intervals. Must Maintain Butter Standard. Creamery men who put too much water in their butter are warned to stop the practice, in a letter issued by Edward K. Slater, dairy and food com- missioner, calling attention to a recent fine of $900 paid by a creamery in Stearns county for a like offense. Ac- cording to the law butter may contain 16 per cent water and no more. A woman sits down and waits for temptation to come along, but a man usually meets it half way. i 400 FAMILIES GIVEN RELIEF. Distribution of Supplies Soon to Be Discontinued at Chisholm. The Chisholm relief committee is sending out notifications to fire suf- ferers thatthe distribution of furni- ture and household utensils is to be discontinued in about ten days. No family of the nearly 400 made destitute has been denied aid in one form or another. Chairs, tables, stoves, dressers, commodes, beds, bed springs, mattresses, pillows, blan- kets, comforters, besides a fair kit- chen outfit, have gone into hundreds of homes. Others have been helped with gro- ceries and provisions. Thousands of articles of clothing have been given out. Between 90 and 100 shacks have been built by money furnished by the committee. Tradesmen whose tools were burned were given money with which to pur- chase new kits. Lumber grants were made to those whose houses were partly burned. In all, it is estimated that nearly 1,200 persons were aided to a more or less extent. The relief committee’s warehouse, which has been in a shed built for the purpose near the Great Northern tracks, is now in one of the large rooms of the old school building. There is, perhaps, half a earload of bedding, furniture and household uten- sils and other goods on hand. EAE SES $30,000 FOR CARE OF TREES. Gen. Andrews Prepares Bill Providing for Protection of Forests. In a bill worked out by Gen. C. C. Andrews, state forestry commissioner, he has figured that the cost of pro- tecting adequately the forests of the state can be made $30,000 a year. At a very conservatice estimate he thinks the forests of the state, which are on state and school lands alone, increase 2 per cent, or produce an increase of $300,000 a year, in the value of the state’s timber, to say nothing of that belonging to priv parties, which would also be protec under the law, as drawn. Gen. Andrews s “I am having a bill prepared, which I think very much strengthens our system of preventing and suppressing forest and prairie fires. Among other things it requires the piling and burn- ing of slashings when cut, and employ experienced woodsmen as rangers in a dry and dangerous season, as is done in the United States forest service in Ontario and the State of Washington. It increases the pay of local wardens to 25 cents an hour and expenses, and those who fight fire to 20 cents an hour when actually employed. The bill calls for an annual appropriation of $30,000 to prevent and suppress fires, in dry and dangerous seasons.” WANT PRACTICE Board of Regents Asks State to Pro- vide Work for Students. The benefit the state would receive from a corps of trained foresters, and the necessity of practical experience in the woods to train efficient forest- ers is outlined in resolutions adopted by the boerd of regents of the Uni- versity of Minnesota at its last meet- ing. The board of regents of the Univer- sity of Minnesota is impressed with the following facts, to-wit: (1) That the forest wealth of th IN FORESTRY. state needs the service of trained men.. (2) That the university has a strong forestry course which needs but the opportunity of field practice for its students in order to become most useful to the state. Therefore, Be it resolved by the board of regents in meeting assem- bled that the forthcoming legislature be and hereby is asked to provide the means and opportunity for forest la- ‘bor by students of the forestry course fin the state university, Resolved further, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to his excellency, Hon. John A. Johnson, to Hon. A. O. Eberhart, and to the speak- er of the house of representatives. URGE PENNSYLVANIA PLAN. on will recommend that the popular election of count iperintendents of schools be abolished. He is much im- pressed with the Pen iia pla In that state the superintendents elected without reference to poli at meetings attended by all the local school boards of the county. From what he saw recently in that stat while lecturing before five teachers institutes, the governor is convinced that a better grade of men are secur- ed for the office and a better accord between the superintendents and the schools under his supervision is ob- tained. Such a change would not require a constitutional amendment and would tend to accomplish the same purpose as the constitutional amendment which came so near passing Nov. 3. The amendment was designed to make it possible to fix an educational standard for county superintendents. Gov. Johnson believes that election by school officers would in itself raise the educational standard of such offi cials. Governor Johns to the legislature Lieut. Conrado Heck has been ap- pointed naval attache to the Brazilian embassy in Washington, Judging by Appearance. Passenger (with sunburned nose)— “Where are the life preservers kept, my man?” Deck hand (with a wink)—“Down on the lower deck for’yard you'll find the bar.”