Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, April 28, 1909, Page 1

' TEN PAGES VoL, XVI.—No. 45. MUCH BUSINESS BY COUNTY BOARD Commissioners Held Meeting Last Saturday and Disposed of Large Amonnt of Public Business CALUMET WILL VOTE TO ORGANIZE Claim of County Against Miller Bond- ing Company Settled—Board Ap- points Officers For Sand Lake Township-—Other Matters The board of county commissioners held a meeting in the auditor’s office last Saturday and in a comparatively short period of time transacted an un- usually large amount of public busi- ness. There were present the full board, viz: Chairman Mullins, Commissioners Trebilcock, McWilhams, O’Brien and King, Attorney V. L. Powers, ot Hibbing, one of the owners of the townsite of Calumet, was present with a petition from residents of that town asking for its organization as a village. The territory included in the proposed or- ganization covers some valuable iron properties, andthe new village will have ample revenues with which to transact pubhe business. The pet. tion was granted and Tuesday, May 18, fixed asthe date on which the election to organize will be held. No objection was made to the granting of the petition. The matter of the claim of the county againt the American Bonding company of Baltimore, which con- cern had written the surety for C. C. Miller, ex-county treasur, was brought before the board for consideration by Attorney C. C. McCarthy, represent- ing the bonding company. Mr. Mc- Carthy stated ata prior meeting of the board that the bonding company had given thorough investigation of the alleged shortage and was sat- ised that Mr. Miller was not guilty of the charges as preferred against him, and that they did not desire, and would not prosecute him cnmunally. However, the company is engaged in the business of writing sureties, and an unsettled claim of this nature hada tendency to injure their standing. The company would settle on a basis of five thousand doilars. County Attorney Price also appeared before the board and stated that in his opin- ion it would be to the best interests of the county to accept the proposition made by the bonding company. A resolution to settle the claim on this basis was unanimously adopted. A resolution prepared by Auditor Spang in which all county roads are designated by number, and describ- ing fully each legally laid out high- way in the county, was adopted. The number of these roads is now 59. The plan greatly simplifies and jacilitates the designation of county roacs, and will make a splendid rec- ord in this respect. Three hundred dollars was. appro- priated to the town of Carpenter for road and bridge purposes, Justice of the Peace Trescott of Bovey submitted a report to the board, as required by law. It appears that Justice ‘Trescott, not understand- ing the law, has been turning over the money collected on fines imposed by him tothe treasurer of the town, instead of to the county treasurer. The town treasurer will turn over the funds to the county. A committee representing the Grand Rapids Commercial club ap- peared before the board in relation to the construction of a bridge over the Mississippi river at some point be- tween the mouth of Vermilion brook and the mouth of Leech river, for the accommodation of settlers living in Cass county. A resolution was adopted by the board in which the offer is made on behalf of Itasca county that this county would bear one-half the cost of constructing the proposed bridge. Auditor Spang was instruct— ed to notify the Cass county board of the action taken. Thebridge in ques— tion would give a large number of settlers an opportunity to do their trading at Ballclub, Deer River or Grand Rapids. A plat of the townsite of Orth was presented for approvd, but owing to uregularities it was referred to the county surveyor for correction. Toll rates across the ferry on Pokegama lake on the Hill City road were fixed the same as last year. County Attorney Price was in- Granp Rapips, Irasca County, MINN., Wepnzspay, APRIL 28, 1909. { structed to take action in the -matter of requiring the Great Northern Rail- way company to put in a crussing at | Wawina. The highway known as the West road in 54-25 anda road in Jesse Lake township running from the M, & R. R. railway to Sand Lake town- ship were ordered establisned. Favor- able action was taken on a petition for a bridge to be constructed jointly by Balsam township and the county across Praine river near the mouth of Sucker brook in 57.24. The esti- | mated cost of ths bridge is $39,000. | It will open a road leading from the old Hasty ranch south to the village of Taconite and will accommodgte a large travel. Another petition from the town of Balsam for a bndge across Clearwater creek was laid over. The county surveyor was instructed to survey a road through section 3— 55-2, north of Cohasset, also a road from Swan Riverto Feeley, and to draw plans and specifications for the isame. W.E. Martin of Deer River was authorized to draw plans and specifications for one and a half miles on the state road in 147 and 148-25. Petitions for county highways in Rig Fork township, and south of Swan River in town 53-22 and 144- 25, were favorably acted upon. These roads will be known as Nos. 60,61, and 62. The board acted on a petition from Sand Lake in which it was requested to appoint officers for that township. Under section 650, revised laws ot 1905, county boards are authorized to appoint officers tor an organized town- ship when for any reason an election is not held as prescribed by _ law. The following gentlemen were named to act: L. A. Gamble and Seth Pear- son, supervisors; H. S. Brennan, clerk; Wm, Schultz, treasurer; Mike Stevens, constable; Tom Walters, justice of the peace; Malcom Campbell, assessor. An Austin-Western road grader was bought at a coast of $350-to be used in Ardenhurst and adjacent townships. The next meeting of the board will be held May 8. WILL ADJOURN TO MAY TWELFTH Judge Wright Will Adjourn’ District Court Which Will be Resumed by Judge McClenaban. This will probably be the last day Judge Wright will hold court in Itasca county this term. He is of the opinion that it would be ad- visable to adjourn until May 12 when Judge McClenahan will re- sume the work. On the 18th Judge Wright will open the regular term at Aikin. He has now been here six weeks, during which time a great deal of business has been dis- posed of, but still there remains a great many cases on the calendar. Arguments were presented yes- terday by Attorney A. L. Thwing on behalf of the relator, Edward Laughlin of the town of Nore, who will contest the constitutionality of the law which restricts saloons to one for each five hundred inhabi- tants. Assistant Attorney General Weeks appeared for the state. The matter will be submitted to Judge Wright on briefs. The jury in the case of the state vs. Axel Pearson brought in a_ver- dict of not guilty. The case of the state vs. Mike Demich was submitted tothe jury this morning, which brought ina verdict of guilty of assult in the second degree. Demich is the man who gotinto a, dispute with his boarding boss and after being put out he pulled a revolver and discharged two shots into the room. No one was hurt. Library Additions. Seventy new volumes have been added to the Public Library this last week by the parties named below. This was dope by allowing the Library board to take their subscrip- tion renewals to the Minneapolis Journal. While each party paid the regular price which they would have paid anyhow, yet by making the pay- ment through the local Library board, they received a commission sufficient to buy seventy volumes at a cost of seventy dollars. Mody Winsor * T. R. Pravitz W. C. Gilbert E. A. Kremer A. L. Thwing W. A. Rossman Frank Mundigel C. L. Frye E. C. Kiley E. J, Farrell E. J. McGowan Dr. Costello Jos, Stevens C.H. Marr C.E, Aiken A, W. Sitz | A, A. Garis John Hepfel | H.G@. Becker L. M. Bolter Vernon W. Knapp Niles & Aiton J. M. Davies A. J. McGuire F, E. Reusswig Dr. 0. M. Storch ~ w.J.&H,D, Powers John Beckfelt H. R. Kin; { A. A. Kremer George F. Kremer Miss Edmunds E. 8 Murphy Miss Hessian . A. Freeman L. A. Whitemore Herman Bolin Dr. T. Russell R. Bell james rand Mapids Herald-eview. ASSESSOR WILL MEET TOMORROW County Auditor M. A. Spang Will Give Instructions and Supplies to County Assessors. THIRTY-THREE MEN WILL DO WORK State Law Specifies that County As- sessors Meet With Co. Auditor Last Thurday of April Each Year for Instructions. The thirty-three assessors of Itasca county will meet with Auditor Spang tomorrow at his office in Grand Rapids to receive instructions as to their offi- cial duties and to be provided with the necessary supplies, blanks, etc., with which to make their reports. This annual meeting of the assessors with the county auditor 1s directed by law. Some time ago Auditor Spang sent out notices to the assessors apprising them of the date on which they were required to report at his office. Last year members of the tax commission met with the assessors in every county of the state and gave instructions. Copies of the laws relating to assess- ments of property are furnished by the state and other information given that is calculated to aid those who are elected or appointed to assess property for tax purposes. M. A. Spang, audi- tor of Itasca county, is as well equipped as any county auditor in the state with | information on this important subject, and if the assessors will be guided by the advices: he will giye them their re- ports will give general satisfaction to the taxpayers, the county and state authorities. Following is a complete list of the thirty-three assessors, the townships which they represent an their postoffice addresses: Aivwood--Emil Johnson, Alvwood, Minn. Ardenhurst—J E Guptill, Northome, Minn. Arbo—Wm Neumann, Grand Rapids, Minn. Bearville—Miles A Nelson, Togo, Minn. Bigfork—C A Swanson, Bigfork, Minn. Bass Lake—Edwin Kerr, Cohasset, Minn. Bass Brook—I E Gary, Cohasset, Minn. Balsam—G W Martin, Wabana, Minn. Carpenter—Joseph Schwartz, Togo, Minn. Deer River—John Hedquist, Deer River, Minn. Feeley--Wm M Pogue, Feeley, Minn. Grand Rapids—Percey Warner. Grand Ra- pias, Minn, Goodland—Henry Thielen. Goodland, Minn. Grattan—Chas Cross, Northome. Minn. Greenway—H C Staacke, Marble Minn. Good Hope—Martin Nesseth, Alvwood, Minn. Jron Range—H L Koontz, Coleraine, Minn. Lake Jessie—Irvin J Sombs, Deer River, Minn. Moose Park—Clair Craig, Blackduck, Minw. Marcell—L J Thydean, Marcell, Minn. Nore--Elert G Berg, Orth, Minn. Nashwauk—W A Gordon. Nashwauk, Minn. Poppie—Henry Robinson, Orchid, Minn. Sago--J L Henry, Swan River, Minn. Sand Lake—Malcom Campbell, Bowstring, Minn. Trout Lake--Swan Rydberg, Bovey, Minn. Third River--P O Bohn, Rosy, Minn, Wirt—A G Councilman, Wirt, Minn. Unorganized, No, 1--Tim Mahon, Grand Rapids, Minn, Unorganized, No.2—James Murchie, Deer River, Minn. Unorgonized, No, 3--James Duffy, Grand Rapids, Minn. Unorganized, No. 4—Leyi Cochrane, Effie Minn. Unorganized, No. 5—A J Morissett, Deer River, Minn. Bemidji Should be Barred. Now that the base ball season is about to open it would be the proper thing for the amateur clubs of this section to pass resolutions barring Bemidji from recognition until. such time as that town shows some disposi- tion to play fair and treat visitors as they should be treated. The Bemidji “sports” “have heretofore proven themselves to be a Jot of dishonest rowdies who should have no place in honorable sporting circles. Postals Won’t Do. Fraternal societies and every socie- ty that levies assessments must, ac- cording to the recent ruling of the postoffice at Washington, levy these assessments on other than postal cards. For years postals have been used by various societies to notify their members of dues and their pay- ment. The department has ruled that this 1s nothing more nor less than adun, anda violation of that postal law which will not permit any line of business to mail a statement of account to a patron inan unsealed letter. The same rule 1s held to ap- ply to the fraternal assessment. Herald-Review special rate—$1.00 Two Dollars a Year. WILLASK FOR BIDS ON STREET PAVING Village Council Decides to Order Plans and Specifications for Grading 3d and Kindred. afford to make a proposition to Cass county to bear one-half the expense of,constructing a bridge. There are several rich townships effected, and if Cass county persits in its refusal to grant the just demands of these set- tlers two years hence an effort will be made todetach the territory from Cass and attach it to Itasca by legis- Township Matters Discussed at aj tive enactment. Meeting of the Commercial Club Friday Evening Last A Serious Experience. Last Wednesday afternoon Mrs. R. H. Bailey had a rather serious experi- ence while alone at her home. She was doing her housework and while FLOATING DEBT MAY BE BONDED A. L. THWING VILLAGE ATTORNEY Some Expressions Not Favorable to Raising More Money Than is Necessary to TakeUp the Outstanding Indebtedness If the town board acts on the sug- gestion offered by the Commercial club of Grand Rapids at its regular Meeting last Friday evening the $12,500 now outstanding against the township in orders will be taken up by a bond issue to cover the amount. The accumulated interest is about One thousand dollars in addition to the $12.500. Ata meeting held by the board on the 13th inst., which was attended by the Public Affairs committee of the Commercia] club, a resolution was passed which proposed to issue bonds in the sum of $20,000. This would be about $6,500 in addition to the amount required to redeem the outstanding orders. The extra sum was specifiedin the resolution to be used for necessary road improve- ments. The propositidn was quite freely discussed, and finally a motion pre- vailed to recommend the issuance of bonds in asum sufficient’ to recover the orders now out. Senator D. M. Gr@n was present and stated that the state appropriation for this .by the legislature was $6,400, $700 available this year and the same amount next year. This money will be expended under the direction of the board of county commissioners. The resolution for bonding by the town board specified that three thousand dollars should be expended on the Grand Rapids-Cohasset road. Senator Gunn said he was fully aware that the road between Grand Rapids and Cohasset. especially the county seat end of it, is about the most abominable in this section of the coucty, and certainly sbould be im- proved. He hadin mind an appeal to the county board to use at least a portion of the state appropriation for this purpose. If this should be done, according to Mr. Guna, ard others, it would not be necessary to raise any additioa) money this year. The regular tax levy for road and bridge purposes will bring into the township between $3,000 and $4,000. Public highways in village, town- ship and county, have not been con- structed according to the most econ- omical methods, was the opinion ex- pressed by several speakers. _ Supt. McGuire, of the Experiment Farm, said he was satisfied that different methods must be employed before we can get the best results. The plan of putting men to work on roads witb shovels at two dollars per day in- stead of using teams and scrapers must be abondoned. At least two dollars is being expended where one should do the same work. That roads shall also be built by contract accord- ing to plansand specifications submit- ted by a competent engineer was also advocated by seyeral gentlemen pre- sent, Mr. O.J. Niles offered a re- solution embodying this idea, asa recommendation to the village coun- cils, town boards and the board of county commissioners, which was adopted unanimously. President Finnegan brought up the subject of a much needed bridge across the Mississippi river an the vicinity of Ballciub between Tunech and Cass counties. On the Cass ‘at the kitchen dnor stooped over to pick up something from the floor when she suddenly fell torward in a semi-faint. up but could not, being apparently paralyzed in both her lower limbs and arms. By a heroic effort she dragged herself through the house to the front room and tried to attract attention by knocking on the window. She re- mained in this condition without as- sistance for about three hours, when her daughter-in-law, Mrs, Irve Mar- tin, happened to call. Dr. Russell was called, who pronounced the afflic- tion not to be a case of paralysis, but said the case was an unusual one. Mrs. Bailey is now reported to be getting along very comfortably. SENATOR 0. M. GUNN MADE GOOD RECORD State Senator From Grand Rapids Ably Discharged His Obligation to Con- Stituents of the District SOME OF THE LAWS HE MADE Local Measures of Much Importance That Have Been Placed Upon the Statute Books of the State—Good Work by McGarry and Fergusson No man in either branch of the state legislature will return to his con- stituents with a better accounting of his stewardship, witha more loyal record to the best interests of every section of Northern Minnesota, with more to his credit for accomplishment in ‘securing legislation ‘that was urged by the citizens of the several counties in -this district, than Hon. D. M. Gunn of Grand Rapids. His several yeais experience in both houses of the state legislature has given him a wide acquaintanceship in all sections of Minnesota. Where he has made acquaintances he has made friends. He has held aloof from favorable participation in “woodchuck” bills, has made and maintained a clean re- cord, and has identified himself with meritorious measures no matter from what source they came. These qualities form the basis of his success and have made it possible for him to secure the passage of many bills that his con- stituents urgently asked for. Gunn’s colleagues had faith in his integrity and honesty of purpose. Some of his measures of a local character were opposed bya very few citizens of Grand Rapids, lead by G. Spear, whose aim was to give himself promi- nence and apparent influence with the hope of future political preferment, but his efforts were unavailing. When he went to St. Paul and appeard be- fore certain committees, he found himself up against a stone wall that only echoed back the sound of his own voice. His lobbying was in vain and the particular measures that he labored so strenuously to defeat were unanimously passed under suspension of the rules and are today state laws. Among the bills introduced and passed by Senator Gunn that have a local bearing were four seperate measures that relate to shcool districts containing more than ten townships. These bills effect school district No. 1 county side there are a large number | jn Itasca county and one district in of settlers locatted on lands that are | Cass County. For some time past as rich as any to be found in Northern | the legal standing of district No, 1, as Minnesota. They have been there|}to the manner of electing school for years, hoping against hope that| officers and compensation for their Cass county would eyentually give|service has been a matter of uncer- them an outlet to market. They |tainty. The bills introduced by Gunn have presistently appealed to thejand which are now laws entirely Cass county officials, but theirappeals| straighten out these entanglements have gone unheeded. Their trading|and ratifies all acts by the board and points are naturally in Itasca county, | actions taken by the voters at school at Ballclub, Veer River and Grand | meetings in years past. Rapids. It is probably because of Another act of which Mr. Gunn this fact that the Cass county author-| Was the author relates to the com- ities have refused to give them any |Pensation of county commissioners, aid. Mr. Finnegan was of the opin- Under its provisions members of the ion that this county might well|board of commissioners in Itasca ey She tried to raise herself Day Current of Electricity Will Be Turned on May Ist to Accommo- date Those Who Desire to Use Electric Power. The village council held a meeting Wednesday evening, and while little actual business was transacted, sev- eral matters of more or less public importance were discussed at some length. The petitions presented some time ago to pave eight blocks of Third street and one block on Kindred ave- enue between Second and Third streets is a perplexing proposition and one that will receive very serious consideration by the council before final action is taken. The cost of the proposed improvement, to put down tar Macadam, will be approximately $25,000. The Great Northern Railway abuts Third street on the north side nearly the entire distance, and, according to an opinion submitted by Attorney A. L. Thwing, the gross earnings tax on railroad property in Minnesota will relieve the Great Northern from payment of any part of municipal improvement tax, The law specifies that the earnings tax shall be in lieu of all other taxes. This?feature of the dilemma is what causes the council to hesitate. On the other hand it is conceded that Third street should be paved and at once. It is more in need of substan- tial improvement than any other street in Grand Rapids. It will al- ways be a conspicuous business thor- oughfare, no matter how great may be the increase in population in future years. It cap be made intoa most beautiful thoroughfare by the building of a parkway on the north side of the street the entire distance. Once sodded and planted to ornamen- tal trees, strangers entering Grand Rapids on a train would be favorably impressed with the beauty of the scene, the enterprise and evident prosperity of the community. In the Continued to page seven, county will hereafter receive $800 per year as salary for their services. The compensation is fixed according to the assessed valuation of counties. This bill onginated apparently among the business men of Itasca county, as it was discussed and recommended by the commercial clubs of Grand Rapids, Bovey, Coleraine, Nashwauk, Cohasset and Deer River. An act providing for the appoint- ment of assessors and road overseers in unorganized districts of counties; an act relating to redemption by creditors from foreclosure sale of land under mortgage; an act relat- ing to bonding floating indebtedness of counties, for the relief of Beltrami and Koochiching counties; an act to accept Cooper Island in Cass Lake from the government and providing to maintain the same as a_ public park; an act to permit townships to acquire public hbraries; an act pro— viding for payment of debts con— tracted by organized townships; an act empower villages to acquire water, light and heating plants, and providing means for purchasing and maintaining same, These measure were alloflocal im— portance, in effect special legislation. Such measures are difficult to place upon the statute books unless the member fathering them has the full confidence of his colleagues. Aside from the tonnage tax bill the Cass Lake normal school measure was the most stubbornly fought of any introduced during the session just closed. Senator Gunn carried it through the senate and Representative McGarry passed it in the house. The fact that Governor Johnson vetoed it makes the victory none the less cred— itable to the strength of the delega— tion from this district. It should be said that Messrs. Fergusson and Mc- Garry and Mr, Gunn worked in en- tire harmony throughout the session and what they were able to accom— plish was largely due to this harmony and unity of action, meme mnie +] SS aN aA CRUE ARETE