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The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, July 21, 1910, Image 1

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GOOD ROADS SPEECH
'Hon. Win. Sulzer Makes an Eloquent
Plea in Congress for Better
Public Highways.
The Good Roads Movement Is Not
Confined to Any State--
It is Nation Wide.
When the postal savings bill was
under discussion in the national
house of representatives on June 9,
Hon. Wm, Sulzer of New York em
braced the opportunity of delivering
an eloquent speech on the subject of
bettering the public highways and the
manifold advantages to be derived
thererfom. Annexed hereto is the text
of Mr. Sulzer's speech:
"For years, Mr. Speaker I have
been an earnest advocate of postal
savings, parcels post, and good road
building. They are sure to come, and
I shall briefly discuss some of their
advantages. Good roads mean pro
gress and prosperity, a benefit to the
people who live in the cities, and ad
vantage to the people who live in the
country, and it will help every section
of our vast domain. Good roads,
like good streets, make habitation
along them most desirable they en
hance the value of farm lands, facili
tate transportation, and add untold
wealth to the producers and con
sumers of the country: they are the
milestones marking the advance of
civilization they economize time, give
labor a lift, and make millions in
money they save wear and tear and
worry and waste they beautify the
countrybring it in touch with, the
city they aid the social and the reli
gious and the educational and the in
dustrial progress of the people they
make better homes and happier
hearthsides they are the avenues of
trade, the highways of commerce, the
mail routes of information, and the
agencies of soeedy communication
they mean the economical transporta
tion of marketable productsthe
maximum burden at the minimum
cost they are the ligaments that bind
the country together in thrift and in
dustry and intelligence and patrio
tism they promote social intercourse,
prevent Intellectual stagnation, and
increase the happiness and the pros
perity of our producing masses they
contribute to the glory of the country,
,give employment to our idle workmen,
distribute the necessaries of lifethe
.products of the fields and the forests
and the factoriesencourage energy
and husbandry, inculcate love for our
-scenic wonders, and make mankind
better and broader and greater and
.grander.
"The plain people of the land are
familiar with the truths of history.
They know the past. They realize
that often the difference between good
roads and bad roads is the difference
between profit and loss. Good roads
have a money value far beyond our
ordinary conception. Bad roads con
stitute our greatest drawback to in
ternal development and material pro
gress. Good roads mean prosperous
farmers bad roads mean abandoned
farms, sparsely settled country dis
tricts, and congested populated cities,
where the poor are destined to become
poorer. Good roads mean more cul
tivated farms and cheaper food pro
ducts for the toilers in the towns bad
roads mean poor transportation, lack
of communication, high prices for the
necessaries of life, the loss of untold
millions of wealth, and idle workmen
seeking empolyment. Good roads
will help those who cultivate the soil
and feed the multitude, and whatever
aids the producers and the farmers of
our country will increase our wealth
and our greatness and benefit all the
people. We can not destroy our
farms without final decay. They are
today the heart of our national life
and the chief source of our material
greatness. Tear down every edifice
in our cities and labor will rebuild
them, but abandon the farms and our
cities will disappear forever.
"One of the crying needs in this
country, especially in the south and
west, is good roads. The establish
ment of good roads would in a great
measure solve the question of the high
price of food and the increasing cost
of living. By reducing the cost of
transportation it would enable the
farmer to market his produce at a
lower price and at a larger profit at
the same time. It would bring com
munities closer together and in touch
with the centers of population, there
by facilitating the commerce of ideas
as well as of material products.
"When the argicultural production
alone of the United States for the
past eleven years totals $700,000,000,-
000, a sum to stagger the imagination,
and it cost more to take this product
f'w *A*ki5sfeS mi am
from the farm to the railway station
than from such station to the Ameri
can and European markets, and when
the saving in cost of moving this pro
duct of agriculture over good high
ways instead of bad would have built
a million miles of good roads, the in
calcuable waste of bad roads in this
country is shown to be of such enor
mous proportions as to demand im
mediate reformation and the wisest
and best stateesmanship but great as
is the loss to transportation, mercan
tile, industrial, and farming interests,
incomparably greater is the material
loss to the women and children and
the social life, a matter as important
as civilization itself. The truth of
the declaration of Charles Sumner
fifty years ago, that 'the two greatest
forces for the advancement of civiliz
ation are the schoolmasters and good
roads,' is emphasized by the experi
ence of the intervening years and
points to the wisdom of a union of
the educational, commercial, trans
portation and industrial interests of
our country in aggressive action for
permanent good roads."
'Doubling Her Capacity!
"I want a nurse girl who is capable
of taking care of twins," said a woman
to the manager of an employment
agency.
A dozen maids ranged against the
wall were questioned as to their fa
miliarity with twins. Finally one girl
produced documentary evidence that
for the last five years most of her
waking moments had been spent in
the company of twins. She got the
job. When she reported for work in
the afternoon she was introduced to
but one infant.
"Where is the other one?" she asked.
"Oh, there are no twins about this
house," said her mistress. "I just
said twins so I would be sure to get a
competent nurse. Any girl who is
capable of handling two children can
give extra good care to one. That is
a little ruse I always employ when I
hire a nurse."New York Times.
The Wolves and the Meat.
"I had thought that it was peculiar
to human nature to regard that which
one has as of less value than that
which one has not, but I had reason
to change my opinion the other day,"
said a visitor to the zoo.
"A keeper tossed four pieces ft meat
into the den of two gray wolves. One
piece landed on the roof of the shelter
house, and a wolf with a lame ^dre leg
passed over the pieces on the ground,
and, standing on his hind legs, tried
and tried to get that on the roof, which
was just out of reach. The other hun
gry wolf gave his attention to the
pieces on the ground and disposed of
all three. Going over to the house, he
sniffed for a moment and then sprang
upon the roof, ate the fourth piece and
stretched out for repose."New York
Sun.
Charley Always True Blue.
There is one man on the state cen
tral committee for the republicans who
will inspire confidence in a square
deal as far as he is able to see it
given, and that is C. S. Mitchell of
Duluth. He has also had the experi
ence in work of that kind and will
prove a valuable member. Some
other names on the committee also
will serve to inspire confidence. We
wish we could say the same for the
entire membership. Breckenridge
Telegram.
A Strong Home Endorsement.
The Cambridge Independent-Press
has this to say of Godfrey G. Good
win, the gentleman who wishes to re
present in part the 45th district in the
house branch of the state legislature:
A lawyer of pronounced ability, a
forceful and convincing speaker,
popular with all classes, he -has a
host of friends and admirers in all
parts of the district that will make his
campaign a comparatively easy
one."
Bent on County's New Auditor.
C. F. Callahan of Foley has been
appointed to fill the unexpired term of
A. E. Kasner. Mr. Kasner's death,
which occured last week, is deeply
regretted. He had been auditor of
Benton county since 1896 and was a
competent official and general favorite
throughout the county. Mr Kasner's
son, J. E., will act as Mr. Callahan's
deputy and will receive the major
share of the salary.
Well Satisfied.
"Old Grabber ought to he satisfied
with the money he has."
"He is satisfiedso much so that he
wants a lot more of exactly the same
kind."London Tit-Bits.
Not Always, v.
Teacher (of night school)What do
you understand by the term "life sen
tence?" Give an example of one.
Shaggy Haired Pupil-^1 pronounce
you husband and wife."Chicago
Tribune.
We can do nothing well without joy
and a good conscience, which Is the
ground of joy.Dibbes.
R. C. DUNN, Publisher. Terms $1.00 Per Tear. PRINCETON, MILLE IACS COUNTY, MINNESOTA, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1910.
THESCHOOLMEETIM
Sil
Much Interest Manifested in Indepen-
dent District No. i--Board Is
Emphatically Endorsed.
Finances in Excellent Condition--Cash
Balance of $11,543.24 on Hand
at Close of Fiscal Year.
Great interest was manifested in the
annual school meeting in and for In
dependent District No. 1 last Satur
day. Nearly 300 votes were polled,
40 per cent of which were cast by
ladies. Automobiles were flying
around the village at a lively pace
between the hours of seven and eight
conveying voters to and from the
school house. There had been some
criticism of the management of the
school for the past year and the im
pression prevailed that an attempt
would be made to elect three new
directors who would voice the senti
ments of the opposition. The result
indicates that the people are well
satisfied with the present school
officers and the manner in which the
schools are being conducted.
There were two tickets in the field.
The one that was supposed to repre
sent the present administration bore
the names of Dr. F. L. Small, J. J.
Skahen and Fred J. Newton the op
position ticket contained the names of
C. A. Dickey, Otto Radeke and Val
Sausser. The vote was as follows:
F. L. Small 249, J. J. Skahen 243,
Fred J. Newton 246, C. A. Dickey 35,
Otto Radeke 40, Val Sausser 39.
The financial statement of the dis
trict for the past year was read by
Clerk Skahen, and the figures indi
cate that the district is in a healthy
financial condition.
RECEIPTS.
Cash on hand at beginning of year $ 8,635.31
Received from apportionment 2,716.39
Special tax collected 11,763.81
State aid 1,900.00
Local one-mill tax collected 661.36
Tuition, interest, miscellaneous 452.95
Total receipts $26,139.82
DISBURSEMENTS.
Paid for teachers' wages $10,657.50
Paid for fuel and supplies 1,461.44
Paid for repairs 52.89
Paidfor library books 514.61
Paid for apparatus *-7
5
Faidior janitors........ i i9Sr.oo
Paid for miscellaneous. 717.15
Cash on hand at end of year.. 11.543.24
Total 836.129.82
The people seem to be pretty well
satisfied with their public schools and
the manner in which they are being
conducted. As a matter of fact there
is no just cause for the criticism and
knocking that has been.indulged in by
a few. But that school officer or
school teacher has not yet been born
who could please everybody. The
Princeton schools will compare
favorably with those of more preten
tious places. We doubt if there is a
village of its dimensions in the state
that can boast of better schools than
Princeton. Our people are justly
proud of their schools.
Paddle Close to the Shore.
There is no use of attempting to
disguise the fact that a serious con
dition confronts the people of this
vicinity. Tame and wild hay and
small grains will not average more
than 25 per cent potatoes will not be
worth digging unless rain falls within
the next few days, and at best there
will not be a 50 per cent yield even
corn is beginning to show the effects
of the long continued drouth and
blistering weather. During1"
a resi-
dence of 35 years in Minnesota we
have never known of a less propitious
season. We are not an alarmist, but
it behooves people to keep close to
the shore these times. The partial
failure of crops means corresponding
business stagnation.
Special Program at St. E. Church.
A special and interesting program
will be rendered at the M. E. church
on next Sunday evening. The
gram is as follows:
Prelude Mrs: Ewing
Hymn Congregation
Prayer r, .'Sev.Goodell
Anthem .Choir
Scripture Beading
Quartette Ewing, Kopp, Jones, Radeke
Announcements
Offertory Piano Solo .Miss Lundquist
Anthem........ Choir
Solo Mrs. C. A. Caley
Sermon Rev. Goodell
Mrs. Ewing and Miss Lundquist....
Accompanists
Herbert Anderson...-...- Violinist
Mrs. Claire Caley. Choir Director
pro-
Business Lively In Foreston.
This from the Independent indicates
that business is not -on the wane in
Foreston: The Foreston State bank,
under the able management of C. E.
Gilbert, is doing a rushing business.
In last week's bank statement they
show an increasee of ten thousand
dollars deposits over the preceding
one. A fine showing for a* new insti
tution to make."
IE II THE BIG BOG
Scores of Farmers Have Been Fight-
ing Fire for Several Days-
Think Danger Is Past.
Several Sections in Town of Dalbo
Burned Over--Peat Burned to
a Depth of 12 Inches.
A terrific fire has been raging in
the Big Bog, about 12 miles north
east of Princeton, since the latter
part of last week and scores of men
and teams have been constantly en
gaged night and day in combating
the fiery demon. The bog, which is
located mainly in the town of Dalbo,
Isanti county, is of a peat formation
and was originally covered with a
heavy growth of mixed timber mostly
tamarack. The long continued
drought has rendered the peat as
inflammable as tinder and the dense
growth of rank grass and brush to
gether with the old slashings furnish
'ready fuel for the flames.
It is alleged by residents of Dalbo
that it was owing to the carelessness
of 'Milaca real estate men that the
fire was set several weeks ago. At
any rate there has been fire in the
bog for more than two weeks, but it
was not until Saturday that the
smouldering embers were fanned into
billows of flame and smoke and seri
ous results were threatened.
The bog or swamp covers several
sections and is a desolate place, but
on the east, south and west are
located the best farming lands to be
found in Mille Lacs and Isanti coun
ties. Since Sunday scores of men
have been constantly engaged in
keeping the fire from spreading and
getting it under control, but despite
their efforts the greater part of sec
tions 9, 17, 18, 19, and 30 in Dalbo
township has been burned over.
A large force of men, under the
leadership of Erick Tolin ot Dalbo,
by back-firing, digging a ditch \}i
miles in length and plowing six or
eight furrows a distance of four miles,
stayed the ravages of the flames on
the east side of the swamp. All day
Tuesday and until Wednesday morn
ing^Taen and teams from Princeton
and Bogus Brook townships on the
west, and from Wyanett township on
the south, made a hard and suc
cessful fight to check the fire. At
the present writing it is thought that
the imminent danger is past, unless
high winds prevail.
The peat in the bog in places
burned to a depth of eight and ten
inches. Nothing short of a drenching
rain will quench the fire in the peat
formation. But as long as the fire is
confined to the swamp or bog no great
damage will be done for the land is
considered almost worthless. But if
the fire should get beyond control
and extend to the prosperous farm
settlements that surround the bog
great damage would be inflicted.
Several adjoining farm houses have
had close calls already. The people
in the vicinity are earnestly hoping
and praying for rain.
It may be necessary for the people
of the village to send assistance to
help the imperilled farmers to protect
their homes, and if the demand is
made there ought to be a prompt
response.
Hon. Daniel Anderson a Candidate.
Hon. Daniel Anderson of Cambridge
has filed as a candidate for state sen
ator on the republican ticket from the
45th district. Mr. Anderson is one of
the pioneer settlers of Isanti county,
a veteran of the civil war, has held
important county offices and was a
member of the house in the legisla
tures of 1873-5-6-7-9 and 1889, and has
also served on the old state board of
equalization. Mr. Anderson is a
man who stands high in the estimation
of all who have the pleasure of his
acquaintance.
Two Popular members of Committee.
We have not paid much attention to
the make-up of the republican state
central committee, but whoever was re
sponsible for the appointment of Mr.
J. A. Stoneburg of Cambridge, and
Mr. E. F. Serline of Mora, did a good
stroke of business for Governor Eber
hart and the entire republican ticket.
Both of these men are popular in their
home and adjoining counties, and if
John Lind is the democratic candidate
for governor their services will be in
demand.
Why Not Comply With the Law?
The Onamia Lake Breeze says in a
sort of an apologetic vein it would be
a very good thing if the financial
statement of the county for this year
were published. There has been no
financial statement published for
almost four years. Yet the law ex
presssly provides that a full and ac-
curate statement of the receipts and
expenditures of the county shall be
made out annually on the first Tues
day in January, and the same shall
be duly posted and published. Out
side of one or two county officers no
one knows the exact financial condi
tion of the county at the present time.
The floating indebtedness has been in
creasing yearly, but whether that in
debtedness is twenty, thirty or fifty
thousand dollars- we cannot say. The
tax-payers have a right to know the
financial condition of the county.
THE BLACK HAND
Origin of the Name of This Group of
Daring Criminals.
According to the .United States se
cret service, the Black Hand is a title
common to innumerable groups of
criminals operating under the direction
of some secret central government.
These men are blackmailers, using
murder, arsou, kidnaping and bomb
throwing as punishments for those
who will not submit to their iniquitous
demands. Black Hand is, in short, a
handy name for a brand of crime pe-^
culiar to Italian criminals who are suc
cessful in it because of the tempera
ment of the foreign immigrants and
their inborn dread of the extortionist.
Whether the central government which
guides the Black Hand society is lo
cated in the United States or in Italy
is something which neither the Italian
nor American authorities can discover.
United States officers say the name of
the American Black Hand emanated
from Chicago about ten years ago,
when one of the first of many myste
rious murders in the Italian quarter
remained unsolved. The victim of the
murder had received a warning that
death would follow his failure to con
tribute a specified sum of money. The
letter was embellished with a crude
drawing representing a fist clutching a
dagger. The fist and dagger gave the
name Black Handlater to become un
pleasantly familiar to every citizen of
tp.e countryand the sinister sketch
was soon a source of terror to all law
abiding Italians.Wide World Maga
zine.
A SAMPAN FISHING BEE.
Trapping the Game With a Leaf Chain
Half a Mile Long.
A Samoan fishing bee is a unique
sight to witness. Cocoanut leaves are
gathered in abundance and secured,
doubled and tripled, end to end. to
form a long prickly chain, round in
appearance and about three feet in di
ameter. These leaf chains are often
woven to a length of half a mile.
When the chain is complete all the
men of that particular village turn
out en masse with their "paopaos," or
Samoan canoes.
When the tide is high the chain is
stretched across some convenient
place, supported by natives in their
paopaos or simply wading where
the shallowness will permit. The co
coanut seine is then submerged and
slowly forced shoreward, the prickly
points driving the fish before them.
When the point is reached where the
chain can rest upon the bottom and
still protrude slightly from the water
the natives after securing the ends to
the beach retire and wait for the tide
to recede, leaving the fish high and
dry.
It is often found that large fish are
driven and caught in this manner,
but since they are capable of jumping
the barrier they are dispatched with
spears at once. The catches of fish
thus made are sometimes enormous
and often number thousands.Los An
geles Times.
The Flag of Denmark.
In the year 1219 King Waldemar of
Denmark, when leading his troops to
battle against the Livonians, saw, or
thought he saw, a bright light in the
form of a cross in the sky. He held
this appearance to be a promise of
divine aid and pressed forward to vicr
tory. From this time he had the
cross placed on the flag of his country
and called it the Dannebrogthat is,
the strength of Denmark. Aside from
legend there is no doubt that this flag
with the cross was adopted by Den
mark in the thirteenth century and that
at about the same date an order,
known as the order of Dannebrog, was
Instituted, to which only soldiers and
sailors who were distinguished for
courage were allowed to belong. The
flag of Denmark, a plain red banner
bearing on it a white cross, is the old
est flag now in existence. For 300
years both Norway and Sweden were
united with Denmark under this flag.
Housekeeper.
Handel as a Child.
George Frederick Handel, the son of
a Saxon barber and valet, was only
five years old when his "fingers wooed
divine melodies" from the spinet,
which a good natured aunt had smug
gled for him into an attic, so that no
sound of it might reach the ears of his
father. At eight his playing so aston
ished the elector of Saxony that his
father was compelled to withdraw his
opposition and allow the genius of the
boy to have fair play. And before he
had reached his twelfth birthday
young Handel was known throughout
Germany as a brilliant composer and
virtuoso at the court of the emperor.
*^%&'**- fi# V-
VOLUME XXXIY* NO. 30
NORTHEAST CORNER
Country Tributary to Wahkon Fast
Settling Up and Many Im-
provements Noticeable.
Where School Houses and Good Roads
Are in Evidence is a Desira-
ble Place to Locate.
Charles Keith and Ira Stanley re
cently returned from an automobile
tour of the northern part of Mille
Lacs county and portions of Aitkin
and Kanabec counties. The weather
was favorable and the roads, as a
rule, in fair condition, consequently
the trip was most enjoyable. Mr.
Keith says that after leaving Wahkon
and proceeding northeast they noticed
that a great many new farms were
being opened up, this was especially
noticeable in the towns of East Side
and Lakeside. While many new
settlers were met,, many were found
who had been there from ten to fifteen
years.
The town of Seavey in Aitkin
county appeared to be developing
very rapidly. Numerous farms are
being opened up and various im
provements instigated. A fine, new,
modern school house was noticed in
the northeast corner of section 30 of
this township. The roads were all on
section lines and well constructed.
One piece of road is now under con
struction, a strip four rods wide and
four miles long has already been cut
and corduroyed, which will extend
through the town of Seavey to Mc
Grath, a station on the Soo line.
Teams and men are fast bringing this
road to completion.
The return trip was made from
Wahkon by way of Mora. When the
west line of Kanabec county was
reached a few miles of road were en
countered extending as far east as
Hillman, upon which "the improve
ment committee" had done consider
able work. The sod had been scraped
from the sides of the roads and thrown
into the center, making a road,
heretofore very fine, most rough and
disagreeable, to say the least.
Crops all along the way appear to
have suffered markedly from the
drought. No" more rain has fallen
there than in* this neighborhood.
Mr. Keith relates a rather amusing
incident which occurred in the wilds
of Aitkin county. While passing
along the road they overtook a young
boy, probably 12 years old, whom
they asked to ride. He soon informed
them that this was not only his first
ride in an automobile but the first
machine he had ever seen, he had
however seen a picture of one once.
He thoroughly understood the crop
and political situations but after some
moments of silence observed that,
"An automobile must cost most a
million dollars."
Motor Touring.
The motorists are doing much to
find out the beauties of lands that
have been little known to travelers.
They are becoming the pioneers, too,
in touring and the pictures that they
are bringing back from some of the
runs made through countries, hereto
fore little penetrated, spur the desire
to see further, and to hunt out new
rustic beauties. It is. wonderful how
much strength and vigor a glass of
golden grain belt beer will give a
fatigued body. Every house should
have a case in their cellar and serve
regularly. Order of your nearest
dealer or be supplied by Sjoblom
Bros.
They W1U be for UnL
Very little interest was manifested
in the democratic primaries last even
ing to elect delegates to the county
convention to be held at Milaca Sat
day evening for the purpose of choos
ing six delegates to represent the
county in the democratic state conven
tion. The state convention will be
held in Minneapolis a week from to
day. John Lind is undoubtedly the
choice of the democrats of this county
and the Mille Lacs delegation will
probably be instructed for him.
More Carl Olsons Needed.
The Mille Lacs lake region needs
many more such newcomers as this
one the Wahkon Enterprise tells of:
"Carl Olson, who moved to this town
ship last spring from Martin county,
has already cleared about twenty
acres on his farm south of town.
There is room for a good many more,
settlers of that kind in this section."
Ed. Milton's House at MUaca Barns.
Ed. Milton's residence in Milaca
was destroyed by fire early Monday
morning. Several of the occupants
had a close call. The overturning of
a lamp is supposed to have started
the fire. Loss estimated at $1,500.
-Only a small insurance.- -_--.
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