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This Usue 12 Pages Vol. 20 No. 2 "The old board of city commission en with President Shaw and Commis sioner Householder absent, held their last meeting Tuesday morning and approved of the minutes of the meet ing the day before, whereupon the new board went into session. On motion t£ Commissioner Brats berg, seconded by Com. Gross, the new board Nvas organized as follows: Fire and Police—F. Otto Gross. Finance—D. W. Bowker. Streets and Public Improvements— G. D. Shaft. Watersworks and Sewer Sksel Bratsberg. Com. Bratsberg was named vicej president of the commission. The: commission decided to make no ap pointments until the meeting next Monday at 4 p. m. as they want time to select the employes. A letter from B. E. Stewart was read in which he recommended that Geo. Wartchow be reappointed as sup erintendent of waterworks, stating that a saving of from $4,000 to $7,000 a year can be made by such contract. "I do not believe, that an immediate change, without investigation, will be to the best interests of the city, or the welfare of the department," Mr. Stewart states in his letter. President Smart's message follows: As. the new city commission is about to take the management of city affairs, It might be proper for me as president of the commission to outline to you some of the policies that I believe that we should pursue, and offer these recom mendations not in a dictatorial spirit but in «a spirit of co-operation, realiz ing that to get the best results for Minot all measures of importance af- 1 feoting this city should be decided upon by the commission as a whole and not by the president alone. I believe that the people of Minot are supremely interested in itwo questions: One of these is the question of economy and efficiency in the management of city affairs. The other is the maintenance, of order and the enforcement of the law. Economy A preliminary survey convinces me as I believe it does all of you gentlemen that considerable sums can be saved in each department without decreasing ef ficiency. These reductions in expendi tures are variously estimated at from $200 to $M0 pot department per month. To this saving may be added large amounts that may be saved through the iftirchase ST A .( ii i! supplies. If the heads of all departments will co-operate in this undertaking, I believe that large sums can be saved in running expenses. I do not believe that we should pur sue a niggardely policy in the matter of expenditufes, but see no reason why the city of Minot should pay higher salaries for the same kind of work done than the business and financial institu tions of the ciity pay nor should we pay more for what we buy than the average large consumer. I believe that the city funds should be guarded with as much care as the funds of any Minot busi ness institution. Furthermore, every employe of the city from the lowest to the highest should give the city the same service both as to time and energy as he would give any private employer. Only necessary help should be employ ed, buit .the employes should be treated fairly and squarely and should not be asked to work for less than the cus tomary pay given that particular class of work on the basis of the present cost of living. Law Enforcement No city official who has any regard for his oath of office can object to a strict enforcement of city ordinances and state and federal laws against all offenders, whether high or low, rich or •poor. If the people do not want the laws enforced they should repeal them, Stany teachers have arrived today for- the annual convention of the Northwestern N. D. Education Asso ciation, to be held here this evening, Friday and Saturday* It is estimat ed that 700 teachers will attned, tho the attendance will be cut down some by the rainy weather. The Associa tion of Commerce rooms are being us ed as headquarters and the visitors are being placed in various homes about the city, to relieve the conges tion of the hotels. Minot Boy Scouts are' on the job to assist in directing the visitors. The opening session was held this evening in the high school auditor ium. The high school orchestra un der the direction of Prof. John How ard gave a fine entertainment of half an hour. Prof. Simley of Rugby, president of the association, deliver ed his address, which was followed by an address by Prof. M. V. O'Shea of the University of Wisconsin. A reception for the visitors was held later by the instructors from the Mi not schools and the Minot Normal. The sessions Friday morning and afternoon will be held at the Minot Normal. State Supt. Minnie J. Niel son speaks Friday afternoon. Dr. Jos. Kennedy of the N. D. State Uni versity and Prof. O'Shea will deliver addresses at the H. S. Auditorium Friday evening. Surrey Man Raised 300 Bushels Po tatoes on 3/4 Acre David Mower of Surrey informs the Independent that he raised 300 bushels of fine Early Ohio potatoes on three-fourths of an acre of ground last year. He brot samples of them to this office Saturday and they are as solid as rocks. He kept them in his cellar during the winter, taking care that the temperature should re main at from 85 to 88 degrees. Mr. Mower keeps his soil free from weeds. PRES. SMART MAKES PLEA FOR CITY APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE ECONOMY AT FIRST MEETING! LARRY BRYNE CHIEF OF POLICE but as long as they .'ire on ihe statute books they should bo enforced. The theory of the commission form of government is that the work of the city management is divided into the several departments, at tho head of each of which is placed a commissioner. This commissioner is held responsible for the work of this department. If we are to hold each commissioner responsible for hiS department wo must give him authority to select competent employes who aro in sympathy with the program outlined. The commission ns a whole having decided on tho policies that it will pursue will hold the several com missioners to a strict accountability and will interfere with tho management of. the several departments only when the commissioner dovoati'S from the policies laid down, or, in other words, fails to get results. On the question of public improve ments. believe our policy should be this: Under present conditions we should not force permanent improve ments on the public nnd we should be very careful not to go ahead with large expenditures except where they are ab solutely necessary and in the case of special assessments no work should be (lone except in extreme cases of neces sity and emergency, unless the property owners against whom the charges will Ijr made petition for such improvement in writing. When financial and crop conditions are improved it may be well to adopt a more liberal policy In this regard. Ex-Service Men •Minot has many ex-service men, many of whom crossed the seas and fought on Flanders field. These men have won our admiration, and respect, and we owe to them a debt that we can never re pay I sincerely hope that .as you commissioners select your employes for the several departments, you will con sider carefully applications from the sol diers. Realizing that first of all you must insist on efficiency, I believe that you should give the service men a square deal and that their service to our country should carry weight with you in the selection of employes. Boys and Girls I have intentionally left the most im portant matter to tho last. This is the program that I believe we should carry out for our boys and girls. In the hum drum of every day existence, we often think of economics and finance as the matters of'greatest importance but this is not right. The greatest asset that Minot has is not Its brick blocks, its residences, its paved streets, its waterworks system or its financial Institutions. Our greatest treasure is our l)oys and girls. They hold the destiny of our city, nnd the future wel fare of Minot depends on how good care we take of the boys nnd girls. If we can save considerable sums in various city expenditures, would it not be well to invest a part of this In some con structive measures for .the welfare of the young. AVe conimsisioners have not had time to think through these various plans for boy and girl welfare, but from the talk I have had with all of you gentlemen, I am satisfied that we can cooperate along this line to a splen did degree. A municipal playground with a playground Instructor or some city assistance for a paid Boy Scout instructor as well as a plan for super vision of dance halls and places of amusement are merely some sugges tions that we may well consider at some future time. Tjet us ever remember that Minot is the best city in the world and that the interests of this city and its people should be paramount at all times. Our tasks are many and difficult but if we undertake them in a spirit of faith, courage and enthusiasm, we cannot fail. The endurance record at Granville was broken last week when the E. P. Meydr family was released after being under quarantine for nine weeks fpr smallpox and scarlet fever. The postoffice at Pleasant, Renville county, has been discontinued, the mail now being handled at Tolley. TEACHERS MEET OPENED IN AUDITOR IUM THIS EVE.-PROGRAM. RECEPTION allows no bugs on the potatoes and keeps the ground well loosened in the patch. He has used his own pota toes for seed for five years and has never had scabby or diseased potatoes. Potatoes he declares make an ideal food for a horse. Feed the potatoes to them raw, cut up and with a little salt. The horses relish them, and soon become as sleek as a mole. They make hogs fat and are good for cows, though too many will make the milk bitter. And then some people like them. "What one kind of food is more relished by man, cows, hogs and horses than the lowly potato?" he asks. Abe Gordon Leases John Ehr's Build ing—To Open Fine Store Abe Gordon, proprietor of the. Gor don Clothing Co., leased the John ERr building on South Main street Satur day,-which for many years was oc cupied by the Boyer Clothing Co. Mr. Boyer decided not to re-lease the building but has not made public his plans for the future. The building is being remodeled and a brand new modern front is being put in. The building will be much better than before the recent fire. Mr. Gor don states that he will place an entire new stock of clothing in the store, with new fixtures and expects to have one of the very best clothing stores in the west. He will probably con tinue to operate his present store as Well. Town Criers Chorna in Charge of Sunday Music Hour The Town Criers Chorus will have charge of the music hour at the high School auditorium at three o'clock next Sunday. Major E. S. Person, director of the chorus has been work ing hard with his artists during the past winter, and the public is looking ahead to the program with pleasure. THE WARD COUNTY INDEPENDENT OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF WARD COUNTY AND THE CITY OF MiNOi The city commission met at 7:30 o'clock this evening and made the various appointments of city employes as follows: City Attorney—John J. Coyle. City Auditor—Mrs. Kara A. Dickin son. Chief of Police—Capt. Larry Byrne. Supt. of Waterworks—W. W. Peter son. Waterworks Auditor Robert Gil lespie. City Engineer—Wm, F. Gettleman. City Treasurer—Mrs. Scofield. Most of the appointments went ac cording to schedule, but in the case of city auditor, the appointment was a complete surprise to practically all of the citizens of Minot as Mrs. Dickin son's name had not been considered by the commissioners until this morning. Mrs. Dickinson's name was presented by Com. Gross and seconded by Com. Shaft. President Smart voted with the above. Com. Bratsberg had pre sented the name of Clair Tompkins and Com. Bowker had presented the name of A. D. Hagenstein, for re-ap pointment, but these were voted down. Mrs. Dickinson, is one of Minot's most prominent women, and we might »ay one of our most popular citizens. She has taken a very active part in club, church and political work in the city, is an able speaker and ought to make a very good capable city auditor. She intends to begin upon her duties May 1. vHer salary will be $175.00 per month. Atty. John J. Coyle, the newly ap pointed city attorney, is one of the pioneer lawyers of Minot. He's cap able and will unduobtedly fill the posi tion in a very creditable manner. His salary is $125.00 per month. He re ceived the unanimous vote of the com mission. Capt. Larsy Byrne, the new chief of police, was presented by Commis The Community Style Show, given at the high school auditorium, Wed-1 nesday evening under the direction of the Y. W. C. A. was attended by a' very large crowd and a good sized sum raised which will be used in fur nishing a playgrounds instructor for the kiddies of Minot two months' this' summer. A large number of little uoy.s and girls, older girls, young women and, Minot matrons appeared on the stage in the very latest spring and summer fashions, the garments being furnish ed by the New York store, Fair Store,! Wilser & Co., J. C. Penney Store and, Lei and Department store. The writ er doesn't know very much about, styles, but we claim that Minot has a finer looking lot of young girls (and older girls as well) than any other I city for its size in the country and they appeared to excellent advantage in the smart spring suits, gowns,' coats and hats, which they wore Wed nesday night. Miss Eulalie Church, of the exten-' sion department of the A. C., describ-! ed the styles and fabrics explained the benefit of wearing the low shoes so many sensible women are wearing today. One of the interesting exhi bits was a group of dresses worn by four Minot hifch school girls, gingham creations, made on simple dress lines by the sewing class of the Minot high school. Quite a large number of men accompanied their wives to the show, and while apparently enjoying it very much, appeared uneasy at times, fear ful no doubt that they would be "touched" for the price of anew gown or two on the morrow. A number of ancient gowns owned by Minot people were shown. The antique creations added much to the Evangelical Lutheran Pastors Give Fine Concert The pastors of the Evangeliscal Lutheran churches from this district held a conference at Flaxton April 12 14, which was one of the most success ful in the history of the organization. Among those from this section at tending were Rev. F. E. Brauer of Minot Rev. A. H. Grumm, Garrison Rev. A. Schroeder, of Kongsberg, and Rev. A. Pera of Stanley. & One of the pleasing features of the conference was the concert given by the ministers, twelve singing in the chorus. Rev. R. G. Messerli of Flax ton, a violinist of much ability, and Rev. Schroeder of Kongsberg, one of the most capable organists in the west, contributed much. to the con cert. Plans are being made to hold a concert in Minot next winter. Rev. Mr. Schroeder has toured the United States as an organist wheTe he has won considerable fame. Rev. A. Pera, of Stanley, who was born in Persia, and whose father has been a missionary in that country, gave an address, telling many inter esting things about the conditions of that part of the earth. His father and family had to flee for their lives recently, and sought refuge in the land of Georgia. V117' INDEPENDENT HAS THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY WEEKLY IN THE STATE This Issue 12 Pages Minot, Ward County, North Dakota, Thursday, April 21, 1921 Subscription $2.00 Per Annum sioner of Police Gross. President Smart and Com. Shaft voted with Gross. Com. Bratsberg presented the name of the old chief, Geo. McDonald, and Com. Bowker voted with him. The chief of police receives a salary of $2,500.00 per year. Capt. Byrne is an old time court reporter. He was associated with Judge Leighton for years before going to war and of late had been court reporter with head quarters at Napoleon, N. D. Capt. Byrne has a host of friends here who predict that he wil make good. Commissioner of Waterworks Bratsberg presented the name of W. W. Peterson for superintendent of Waterworks, and Mr. Peterson was chosen by the board. His salary is $200.00 a month. Mr. Peterson has been assistant city engineer. He is an electrical and civil engineer, a grad uate of the University of Minnesota and an ex-service man. Commissioner Bratsberg states that if he is given a free hand, he will save the city five or six thousand dol lars a year in his department. Robert Gillespie has been named waterworks auditor to take the place of Soren Hagcn. Com. Bratsberg ad vised against selecting a waterworks auditor, as he had planned on having this work done by the man who takes the trouble calls, and hoped to save the city $125.00 a month here. Somewhat of a surprise was sprung when Wm. F. Gettleman, assistant city engineer, was named city engineer, taking the place of Evan Thomas, who has held this position for many years. Mr. Gettleman is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, a very cap able man, well liked and an ex-service man, having seen service in France. His selection was unanimous on the part of the board. His salary is $2500.00 a year. Mrs. Ray Scofield was re-appointed city treasure» without opposition. STYLE SHOW GREAT SUCCESS AN INSTRUCTOR IS ASSURED show. Mrs. S. J. Rasmussen was in charge of this section and did herself proud. It is hard to give all of the people proper credit for the success of the entertainment as this was strictly a community affair and scores of people worked hard and effectively for its success. Mrs. Rasmussen has eight gowns in her own possession on display, and three shawls, several be ing considered unusually rare. One of the gowns was made by a famous Paris Modiste. One gown was dis played which is more than 150 years old. It is owned by Mrs. J. B. Bro kaw and was worn by her great, great, great grand-mother as a girl, back in Geo. Washington's time. It is of cross-bar sprigged muslin material trimmed in net lace and has the little hard black enamel buttons found on gowns only of that period. It has the first leg of mutton sleeves. A miniature locket, a present from her grandmother to her grandmohter 80 years ago, was worn with the gown. A white shawl from Mrs. Rasmus sen's collection, has a story with quite a romance. A young man was en gaged to a young women who died. Before she died she gave the beautiful crepe shawl to a sisiter of her fiance, Mrs. Rasmussen's mother. This was 80 years ago. A Persian shawl from Mrs. Rasmussen's collection, was bot in Europe by her uncle, about the time of the Civil war. Musical numbers were contributed by the Boys' and Girls' Glee Clubs, directed by Miss Grace Kramer, with Grace Boyer at the piano a violin ,solo by Miss Emily Martin with Mrs. J. E. Howard at the piano a piano solo by Maurice Johnson, a high school student, who displays rare ability. Miss Crocker, Y. W. C. A. secre tary, reports $203.00 net receipts. Guernsey Calf Club to Meet at Per son's Stock Farm April 23 It has been decided that a meeting of the Ward County Boys and Girls Guernsey Calf club will be held at Major Person's farm, two miles west of Minot on the Burlington road, Sat urday, April 23rd at T:00 P. M. The purpose of the meeting is to hold a dairy stock judging contest with the aim of forming a judging team which shall consist of three members, to represent the local club. There will be several rings of cattle judged and the members will be chos en on their placings with oral rea sons. The team will have their expenses paid to the State Fair at Fargo where they will compete with other teams. PrizeB will be awarded by the Fair as sociation and the American Guernsey Cattle club will send the winning team to the National Dairy show. It is important that all members be present and make an earnest effort to become a member of the team. A prarie fire starting in the hills southeast of Minot at noon Monday called out the fire department. The fire gained such headway before it was extinguished that a nubmer of homes along Hiawatha street were endangered. 0. R. ROELLIG, EXALTED RULER MINOT ELKS, DIED AT LA CROSSE President of City Commission is Cap able Musician W. M. Smart, president of the Minot City commission, is an accomplished pianist, tho he seldom "works at it" in public. Pres. Smart is one of Minot's busiest men. In addition to managing the Northwestern Sup ply Co., dealers in paints, auto tires, etc., Mr. Smart looks after twenty or thirty residences which he rents in this city, besides the Virginia Flats, the three-story Smart block, the Flat iron building and the old Smart block on West Central avenue. When he runs out of work, he hikes out into the country where he owns numerous farms. He moves around so lively, that the Independent predicts that if anyone wants to confer with him relative to the city affairs, he'll have to get hini on the wing. Mr. Smart finds time to attend all of the Rotary luncheons, the Town Criers meetings and the Association of Commerce af fairs and is never too busy to go out with committees and sell tickets or circulate subscription lists for some worthy cause. He no doubt found time dragging on his hands when he decided to make the race for presi dent of the city commission. He at tends church regularly and spends his evenings at home, mostly, with his wife and six splendid children. He finds time to do a good deal of read ing, after most folks go to bed and the neighbors say he can be heard play ing Wagner and Mozart productions most any mornjng around two o'clock. He's up with the chickens and at his office at 8:00. Mr. Smart is an old time newspaper man and perhaps there is where he learned to love hard work. -The Independent suggests that should any friction occur at any of the meetings of the commission, the president might install a piano and sooth the other city fathers with a lullaby or two. Sewage Disposal Plant May Not be Completed This Year Geo. W. Kemper, who is in charge of the building of Minot's $285,000.00 sewage disposal plant, will be unable to proceed with the work this season unless the additional $135,000.00 bonds are sold. The state University de partment bargained for the bonds and has already advanced $150,000.00, but at present seems unable to furnish the additional money. Mr. Kemper could easily have the plant Avorking by fall could he keep on with the work. He has advanced considerable of his own money already, but naturally there is a limit. In the meantime, the fanners down the river can continue to hold their noses at certain seasons of the ve u\ Sunday Baseball Game Stopped in Riverside Park Following rules laid down by the Park Board, Supt. W. O. Doolittle stopped a baseball game in the park Sunday afternoon. The players have appealed to the board, claiming that they have as Rood right to play Sun day baseball in the park as tho tennis players have to use the park on that day. Supt. Doolittle was merely fol lowing the instructions of the board. Mr. and Mrs. M. O. Hall Return Minot Mr. and Mrs. M. O. Hall have re turned from \^shington, D. C., where Mr. Hall interested himself in securing the $2,000,000 loan for the needy far mers of North Dakota, Montana, Ida ho and Washington, with which to, buy seed. Mrs.' Hall has been of' much benefit to her husband in his! business successes. She is a steno grapher of ability and frequently! spends sixteen hours a day at the typewriter. Mr. and Mrs. Hall are to be found at Room 167 of the Leland Hotel and Mr. Hall states that they! are apt to remain in Minot and vicin ity all summer. Their home has! been in California for a number of years. Mr. Hall was one of the pio-' neers of Renville county, establishing the townsite of Mohall where for sev-: eral years he pubilshed the Mohall News and conducted a real estate and loan business. He has always work ed most energetically for the success of Northwestern North Dakota. Printers Mav Strike for 44-Hour I Week There is apt to be a big strike among the printers of the United States on May 1, unless the employ ers accede to their demands for a 44 hour week, permitting them to have Saturday afternoons off. The strike will not affect Minot, the employers having already signed the 44-hour a week scale. It is Understood that the Grand Forks and Fargo printers are to walk out. The 44-hour week does not effect daily newspapers, but only job printing plants, weekly newspa pers and magazine publishers. The Missouri river at Sanish is open for navigation, Capt. Seneschal making regular trips with his ferry. The river did not go over its banks this year. O. li. Roellig^ Exalted Ruler of Minot Lodge No. 1089, B. P. O. Elks, passed away at 2 o'clock this morn ing, April 21, at the home of his moth er at La Crosse, Wis., after a long ill ness from heart trouble and dropsy. Bro. Roellig left Minot shortly after the first of the year to receive treat ment in a St. Paul hospital under a specialist and while everything that human hands could do for him was done, he failed steadily until the end. During all of his sickness, his faithful wife was at his bedside and he was un der the care of two nurses. His many Minot friends awaited anxiously for weeks word of some hope to come but must now gain comfort in the thot that he was called by the Grand Ex alted Ruler of the Universe, to that Home not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Every member of Minot Lodge No. 1089 will join with the hun dreds of other friends of Bro. Roellig in extending their sincerest sympathy to the bereaved wife and other mem bers of the family, in their irrepar able loss. O. R. Roellig was born at La Crosse, Wis., and was about thirty-five years of age at the time of his death. When but a youth he came to Grand Forks' and was employed in the offices of a large wholesale house. From there he went to Williston where he was employed as bookkeeper for the Bruegger Mercantile Co., remaining there two years. While living in Williston he met Miss Mabel Hall of Mondak, Mont., whom he married. Twelve years ago, he came to Minot. and for six years was employed in the offices of the J. B. Reed Transfer Co., since which time he was employed as general sales manager of the Minot Auto Co., in which concern he became interested financially. He was an energetic, capable young businessman and the city of Minot loses one of its very best citizens. He was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge, the Knights of Pythias Lodge and the Minot Lodge No. 1089, B. P. O. E. of this city. He had filled the stations in these three lodges being elected Exalted Ruler of the Minot Lodge of Elks at the last election. He has taken great interest in the work of the Elks lodge and had done as much for ad vancing the interests of Elkdom as any other man in the lodge. He is survived by his mother, four brothers and four sisters, who reside at La Crosse, Wis. He was taken from the St. Paul hospital to La Cross» Wis., that he might spend the few days left on this earth with his dear old mother. The funeral will be held at La Crosse Saturday, April 23rd, where the remains will be interred. Secretary O'Rourke of the Elks, ha notified the Elks lodge at La Crosse, of the death of Bro. Roellig and it is expected that the La Crosse brothers will be in charge of the last sad rites. Mr. O'Rourke, representing the Mi not Elks and A. M. Compton, Chancel lor Commander of the Minot K. P. lodge, left this afternoon for La Crosse to attend the funeral. J. Norman Ellison of the Fair store, left for the east the first of the week to buy merchandise. SYDNEY FERO, PROMINENT GT. NOR THERN OFFICIAL, DIED AT SIOUX CITY Eighteen (Jreat Northern railway men from Minot and many from other points in the state attended the fun eral of Sydney Fero, Master Mechanic of the Sioux City division, which was held at Grand Forks Thursday. Mr. Fero passed away at Sioux City from pneumonia. He was severely injur ed two or three years ago and had never fully recovered. The funeral was held from the Masonic Temple in Grand Forks and a very large num ber of friends of this popular old time Great Northern official attended. Tht remains were itnerred in Grand Forks where Mr. Fero and family had made their home for several years. Among those who attended the funeral were several prominent officials of the Great Northern from St. Paul, includ ing M. J. Flannigan, General Mas ter Mechanic. Mr. Fero was 47 years of age and is survived by his wife, and two chil dren. Chas. Fero of Minot, a Great Northern engineer, is a brother of the deceased. Mr. Fero resided in Minot for a number of years and until five years ago was .traveling engineer out of Minot. He was one of "the Great Northern's most valuable employes. Among those from Minot attending the funeral Were Fred Almy, Wm. Himes, Herman Mechler, J. Green halgh, Ed English and Geo. Else. Chas. Schumacher and Bud Bruegger of Williston represented that city at the funeral. Cream Goes as Baggage As a result of a new ruling going into effect the first of April, cream shipments on the Soo Line are now handled as baggage instead of ex press. The rates remain the same. The village of Sanish has adopted a dog license ordinance. I I 'M.