Grand Rapids herald-review. [volume], September 13, 1916, Image 1

About Grand Rapids herald-review. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Itasca County, Minn) 1896-current

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
VOL. XXVI NO. 9
LOCAL PAPER MILL SOLD
TO ST. PAUL INTERESTS
Title Passed to Pioneer Press and Dispatch This Morning
and New Owners Have Assumed Control.
Will Operate as Separate Company
MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO INCREASE OUTPUT
Plant to Operate at Full Capacity, 10,000 Tons a Year.—C.
K. Blandin, President of Newly Formed Company,
Discusses Plans—Local Officers of Old
Company Will be Retained
The deal for the purchase of the<
Itasca Paper company by the Dispatch
Printing company, publishers of the
St. Paul Dispatch and the St. Paul
Pioneer Press, was closed this morn
ing when official transfer of title was
made to the new owners. Final ne
gotiations for the turning over of the
plant occupied nearly the whole of
Monday and Tuesday and were not
finally concluded until this morning.
The officers of the new company
I . are C. K. Blandin, president; J. M.
Riegel, vice president; S. J. Robert
son, secretary; S. A. Young, treasurer.
S. J. Robertson, auditor of the Dis
patch Printing company, arrived in
Grand Rapids last Saturday and began
work on his company’s end of the
transaction. Local officials of the
plant have been working on the
proposition for over a week getting
things in shape for the final arange
ments. On Monday C. K. Blandin,
manager of the Dispatch Printing
—... company, and J. M. Riegel, circulation
manager, reached Grand Rapids, hav
ing driven from St. Paul by automo
bile. The St. Paul men were accom
pauied by their attorney, W. N. Op
penheimer of the firm of Durment,
Moore, Oppenheimer & Haupt. The
same day Frank F. Beckei’T’president
of the Itasca Paper company, and L.
Lindauer, vice president, both of Kau
kauna, Wisconsin, arrived and these
gentlemen, together with H. G. Becker,
secretary, and A. C. Bossard, treasur
er and manager, immediately went into
I ■ •♦ z conference.
gr The transactions were practically
completed yesterday morning and all
that was necessary to close was the
receipt of important papers which
were on their way from Kaukauna.
These papers arrived this morning and
the deal was finally closed. Mr. Op
penheimer returned to St. Paul yes
terdav but Mr. Riegel, and Mr.
Blandin will remain in Grand Rapids
until Friday or Saturday of this week.
The new owners contemplate no
(Continued on Page Four)
COUNCIL ORDERS
PAVING EXTENSION
Bids to be Opened Monday So
That Work Can be Com
pleted This Fall
An extension of the paved area of.
Grand Rapids streets was authorized j
at a meeting of the village council held i
Monday night. Bids for the new job i
will be opened next Monday and the
work will be rushed to completion this
season.
The new district to be paved includes
the whole of Second street between Le
land and Kindred avenues and the in
tersections of Kindred and Leland
avenues and Second street and fifty
feet south of the intersection on both
Leland and Kindred to include the
sections of streets in front of Mo
haupt’s store on Kindred and the
Grand Theatre on Leland. When the
block on Leland between Second and
Third streets is paved, one whole
• block of the business section will be
surrounded with paving.'
As in all other cases where paving
has bene ordered by the council the
new work was authorized in response
to petitions made by the owners of
abutting property. The job will be
financed according to the same plan
that is now in effect on other streets.
Bonds will be sold by the village and
the money will be returned to the vil
' lage in the form of added taxes levied
• on abutting property. The paving
| taxes, however, will be spread out over
3 a period of years so that the burden
। will not be great in any one year.
, Another important action of the
council was with reference to the re
-1 port of the committee that was ap
-1 pointed some time ago to recommend
C a site for the village slaughter house.
C The committee reported favorably on
e a site on the south side of the river
about half a mile below the Wheaton
residence embracing about an acre of
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GRAND RAPIDS, ITASCA COUNTY, MINNESOTA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 13, 1916
ground. The council accepted the re
commendation of the committee and
authorized the purchase provided
terms and title can be agreed upon
with the present owners.
Another important action was the
adoption of the policy of having all
water and sewer connections in the
street done under the direction of the
council instead of leaving this work
to be done by individual property own
es. This action was taken lagely
because of the satisfactory way in
which the water and sewer connec
tions were made recently on Kindred
avenue between Second and Third
streets.
IS JUSTICE DEAD?
WHO CAN ANSWER?
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Pro-
mised to But She Failed to
Make Connections
The momentous question: “Is Jus
tice Dead?” remains unanswered for
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn didn’t come?
The town hall was all lighted up.
There was bunting over the stage.
A crowd of expectant people filled the
room. In fact everything necessary
for an evening’s entertainment was
provided—except Gurley.
An I. W. W. man came to Grand
Rapids last Saturday and made ar
rangements for the meeting, paying
the five dollars fee to the proper vil
lage official and receiving permission
from the president of the village
council to go ahead. Yesterday after
noon hand bills were circulated
throughout the village urging our
peaceful citizens to come to the hall
last night and find an answer to the
question, “Is Justice Dead?”
It was a nasty night. The rain
drizzled dismally and gathered in
sloppy pools in the hollows on Leland
(Continued on Page Four)
President Blandin Outlines Plans and Policies of New Owners of Local Mill
THE purchase of the Itasca Paper company’s plant by
the Dispatch Printing company will have the inevi
table result of bringing this influential St. Paul interest into
close relationship with this great northern empire and
particularly with the village of Grand Rapids. We are look
ing toward with pleasure to this association as we have
been decidedly impressed with the wonderful natural ad
vantages and possibilities of this section.
We realize that one of the important elements in the
success of your principle local industry has been the splen
did good will and spirit of cooperation shown by the people
of Grand Rapids and those of other sections of the north
with whom the company has come in contact. We hope
that we will merit the continuance of this good will to our
mutual advantage. We will keep in close touch with our
plant and with conditions in this community so that we may
do our share as good citizens in all worthy enterprises.
As for our policy with regard to the mill, it will be
largely that of our predecessors for whom you all entertain
such high and well-desired respect. The present managers
will remain in the positions they now occupy and we are
Cut used by courtesy of St. Paul Pion eer Press and Dispatch.
Plant of Itasca Paper Company Sold Today to the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch
A
HELLO, PEOPLE. WE’RE GLAD TO SEE YOU!
GRAND Rapids is having company today. More is
coming tomorrow and still more day after tomorrow’
—neighbors from Cohasset, Bovey and Coleraine; folks
from Deer River, Bear River, Prairie River, Trout Lake
Deer Lake, Dora Lake, Rosy, Pughole and Popple—all
the great Itasca county family.
We’re mighty glad to see you and we’ll have a fine
visit together. We hope none of you will feel like
“guests”—we’re all members of the same family, you
know, so you’re “company.” That’s lots more comfor
table, isn’t it?
Just unhitch your horses and put them in the barn.
Come right in and take off your things and make your
selves at home! We’ll go out and see the Fair after
we’ve had a bite to eat.
COUNTY DISPLAY
GETS HIGH RANK
Itasca’s Exhibit Places Fourth
Among Northern Counties..
At The State Fair
Itasca county made a splendid show
ing this year in its exhibit at the
state fair. Taken as a whole it was
the best the county has ever had. Out
of a possible total of twelve hundred
points the exhibit received a grade of
986, ranking fourth in the northern
group of counties, an advance from
seventh place last year. The exhibit
ranked within one point of the high
est score on potatoes and also within
one point of the highest score on
beauty of exhibit.
The exhibit was collected and ar
ranged by A. M. Sisler, secretary of
the Itasca County Agricultural asso
ciation, who was commissioned for
this work by the board of county
commissioners. Mr. Sisler was as
sisted by George Becker, Sr., presi
dent of the association, and by T. H.
Shoaff who had charge of the special
car in which the products were carried
from Grand Rapids to the fair grounds.
It is significant that the counties
receiving uke highest scores were all
from the Northern Minnesota section.
Cass county received first place, Kitt
son second and Beltrami third. Itasca
county was fourth in the section but
twc other counties had higher scores,
giving Itasca county sixth place for
the whole state.
The score by points for the Itasca
exhibit is as follows:
Perfect Actual
Grains in sheaf 100 84
Grains threshed 100 81
Grasses, tame 100 83
Grasses, native 50 33
Forage 100 83
Stock vegetables 150 133
Potatoes 200 184
Culinary vegetables 100 80
Corn 100 73
Fruits, fresh 50 35
Fruits, in glass 50 43
Miscellaneous
Beauty
REPORT CHARGES
GRAFT IN HIBBING
Total Reaches $60,660 Accord
ing to Figures of Deputy
Public Examiner
Startling disclosures of graft in the
official activities of the village of
Hibbing are shown in the report of
Deputy State Examiner J. O. Davis
which was made public last Saturday.
The investigation upon which Mr.
Davis has just reported had its in
ception in the difficulties which fol
lowed the refusal of several of the
mining companies to pay the tax levy
which had been assessed by a village
vote. The mining companies charged
that the levy was excessive and that
the money was being wasted in use
less and extravagant expenditures.
At this time the village of Hibbing
attracted nation wide notoriety as
“The Richest Village on Earth.” As a
result of the complaint of the mining
companies a deputy public examiner,
working under the authority of the
state government, began an investiga
tion of the Hibbing accounts. Mr.
Davis, in the report just made public,
presents evidence of a wholesale
stealing of village funds. His charges
include city officials, newspapers,
contractors and other business firms.
The total amount of the graft accord
ing to Mr. Davis’ report, is $60,660.33.
Of this big “melon,” C. M. Atkin
son, owner of the Mesaba Ore, is
charged with obtaining the juiciest
slice. Mr. Atkinson, who picturesque
ly styles himself “The Old Man Here
of,’ is accused of charging the village
of Hibbing $23,276.01 for printing that
should have been billed for $9,791.57
under the laws. The difference be
tween the charge made and the legal
rate is $13,484.44.
Another slice, almost as big and
almost as juicy, was cut by Butler-
Coons and E. W. Coons Contracting
company who are charged with posses
sion of $13,481.75 of illegal funds. The
complete score is as follows:
Dennis Haley, ex-village
treasurer $ 4,838 43
Mesaba Ore, C. M. Atkin-
1200 986
confident that the industry will continue to operate as
smoothly and satisfactorily as it has in the past. We will,
however, take immediate steps to increase the output to
its full capacity, 10,000 tons a year.
Personally, I am looking forward with much pleasure
to the opportunity that is now afforded me of visiting Grand
Rapids often.
ITASCA’S GREATEST FAIR
Exhibits of Products From all Sections of the County Are
Coming in For the Big Annual Exposition and
Each Department is Well Stocked
DISPLAYS ARE SURE TO SET NEW RECORUS
More Entries Being Made Than Ever Before and Quality
is Exceptionally High —Amusement Features Are
Provided—Splendid Attendance Assured
if Weather Continues Favorable
son, owner 13,484 44
Hibbing Daily Tribune, R.
W. Hitchcock, owner 11,218 77
Hughes Printing Company 704 65
Butler-Coons and E. W.
Coons Contracting Com
pany 13,481 75
First National Bank of Hib
bing 1,223 51
Merchants’ & Miners’ State
Bank of Hibbing 421 11
Joseph Wennberg 108 50
E. W. Coons Contracting
Company 3,910 72
(Continued on Page Four)
TEACHERS COURSE
IS WELL ATTENDED
Enrollment Reaches Total of
106—University Professors
Give Addresses
The teachers institute which is be
ing held this week for the benefit of
rural instructors in District No. One,
is working out in a very satisfactory
manner. The attendance is particularly
gratifying there being one hundred
and six enrolled.
The course was opened on Monday
with an address by Prof. M. E. Hag
gerty of the department of education
of the state university who is in
general charge of the work.
Professor Maria L. Sanford of the
University of Minnesota arrived yes
terday and spoke to the teachers at
the session yesterday afternoon. She
is also on the program for today.
Miss Sanford’s addresses have been es
pecially well received.
The morning sessions of the in
stitute are attended only by the rural
teachers but in the afternoon the
village teachers join in attendance at
the lectures, the schools being con
ducted on half time this week to make
that arrangement possible.
(Signed) C. K. BLANDIN, President Itasca Paper
Co., and Business Manager Dispatch
Printing Co.
OPENS TO PUBLIC TODAY
MINNESOTA
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR
The biggest fair in the history of
Itasca county is on. Fat cattle, sleek
horses, woolly sheep, grunting pigs,
squawking and quacking fouls, pump
sins, squaw corn, hives of bees, ruta
lagas, alfalfa, apple pies, fancy work,
sig potatoes, hand painted china, tur
key gobblers, watermelon pickles,
lome-made cheese—these and scores
if other products of field and home
ire pouring into the fair grounds this
morning in a steady stream. These are
jeing classified and arranged by the
experts in charge to form the greatest
iisplay the county has ever seen.
There is no doubt that exhibits this
pear will set a new high record. Mem
jers of the fair association who have
jeen in various parts of the county
n order to get a line on the fair
jrospects, are enthusiastic over the
exhibition that begins today. The
naterials that have arrived at the
;ime the Herald-Review goes to press
:uly justify this enthusiasm. We have
lever seen a finer lot of products on
iisplay at any fair than the samples
low being officially entered on the
grounds.
Not only is the quality of exhibits
inusually high this year; they also
surpass in number those of previous
exhibitions. This fact is particularly
gratifying to the fair managers for
t shows that an increasing number
>f residents of the county are taking
in active interest in the fair and are
•ringing in their products to com
iete for the premiums and prizes
vith others gathered from all sections.
Che increased quality of the products
s also most encouraging because it
hows that the farmers are learning
nore each year of the principles of
heir business and are making the
ich soil of Itasca countv nroduce in
(Continued on Page Ten)
DISTRICT COURT
SESSION NOW ON
Peremptory Call to be Issued
Tomorrow—Unusually Light
Calendar Will Be Tried
District court for Itasca county in
the fifteenth Judicial District opened
yesterday morning when the prelimi
nary call was issued by Judge W. S.
McClenahan. (
Yesterday’s session was occupied
with the organization of the grand
jury and the argument of a few minor
motions for continuance of cases.
Few except local attorneys were in
attendance.
The grand jury went into session
yesterday and reported on some cases
last night. Two indictments were
returned but in accordance with the
usual custom they will not be made
public until the cases are actually
brought to trial. The grand jury
reported no bill against Joe Mazar
who was accused of burglary and Mr.
Mazar was discharged from custody.
The work of the court today is
being taken up entirely with naturali
zation proceedings there being forty
aplicants for citizenship. Twenty-six
of these applications are new while
the others were continued from the
last term of court on account of the
failure of the applicants to qualify.
The examination is being conducted
by R. K. Doe, United States Natur
alization officer with headquarters in
Duluth.
The prospective .citizens are. given
a thorough drilling to determine their
knowledge of the gdveHhm^nt. "they
are asked to explain ouipgp-jernmental
system, give the nameJr of*important
national and c state qfficials and, Jo
demonstrate a reasonable...knowledge
of our customs and institutions.
At the conclusion oT* the examina
tion the judge decides whether or not
the applicant is entitled to citizen
ship. If the answers have been satis
factory, the new man takes the oath
of allegiance which is administered
by the clerk of court.