The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1904-03-07

knew the facts and I was consid-
cred at all times a Bemidji man
and called a traitor to Blackjack.
If I had put up, as almost every
one else would have done in like
circumstances, few hundred
dollars, there would certainly
have been a Blackjack county to-
day for the records show that
the proposition lost by very
few votes.
The articles published about
me seeking Office to. be in bet,
ter position to assist Blackjack
in another division fight is an in
suit to myself as well as the peo-
pie of Blackjack. When they
were defeatedin a three-cornere
fight, where the Bemidji vote had
to be cut up, they certainly ought
7
to have brains enough to know,
and do know, that for the next
ten years at least, when there
would be only one issue to fight,
Blackjack and vicinity would
stand no ghost of a show against
the united vote Of Bemidj j and it's
territory. All the talk about
county division schemes are lies
and circulated to mislead the
public who are not acquainted
| with the situation.
I came to Bemidji in 1897
when the town was 50 small we
all were neighbors and here I
builta small home and prospered
as all those who have stuck by
the town have done.
| | may not have lived long
enough, only seven years, to take
a hand in the welfare of the vii
lage. Not being a politician I am
not a good Judge as to that and
| for the unlimited gaul which ]
am accused of possessing for
1 permitting myself to be candi.
date for president of the council,
| beg the public pardon, but it
must be remembered that / was
a candidate long before any one
else was spoken Of and when the
present council absolutely re-
fused to consider another term.
This consider ought to sweeten
the gaul.
Another assertion I wish to
correct is, that I have been
county surveyor six years and
4 have been the most expensive
officer the county has ever had.
[ may be expensive, but if the
others don't get more than I do
J, and have to depend on it for a
living I pity their children.
Since June 1901 to date / received
inwarrants from Beltrami county
which directly affected all the
heavy taxpayers the large sum Of
1922. Before June 1901 / think
the total amount was less. The
major portion of my fees come
from lumber companies and
| TOWNSHIP companies
| I am also supposed to be guilty
of seeking Office so that I can use
it as a means of graft in letting a
sewer contract. / tremble in
my sleep when accused of having
designs of grating when the ac-
cusation comes from such an able
and well qualified Judge on the
subject as the News.
| [ wish to state to the public
now that I shall leave no stone
unturned to prevent this village
from putting ina sewerage sys-
TEN or any part Of a system and
paying for it out Of the general
funds and thereby permitting
the TOWNSHIP company to receive
immense benefits to its abutting.
property and not pay one cent
assessment. Until we become a
city and can force the townsite
company to pay for all improve
ments in front Of it's property in
scluding sewers, sidewalks and
street grading, I for one will
not stand with my hands in my
pockets and see such work being
done without a just distribution
of the costs among those who are
benefited.
If the old council had desired
to be thoroughly economical in it's
work they could have reduced
their sewer expert bill from 5000
to $500 by sending him to my Of