davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
RECEIVED UNSIGNED LETTER
0ae of Those Ep'stles Bears the Sig
nature vigilance Committee for
the Public Safety"

Chicago, March 2.-Defying threats to
kill him in anonymous letters, j. Ogden
Armour yesterday declared that he
would not further discuss them.
Il will make no further statement
than the one in my magazine article"
said Mr.. Armour in his La Sale street
office. Neither will | disclose the con-
tents of the letters to the public through
the newspapers. They are not available
for publication
His daughter, Lolita, and his wife
have been assured by Mr.. Armour that
they need feel no fear that the writer's
will fulfill their threats.
So defiant is Mr.. Armour's attitude
that he will hold the communications,
not wishing to turn them over to the
postal authorities.
One of the letters threatening the life
of Mr. Armour is as follows:
''We have been reading about you and
your kind of commercial tyrants in -.
We would think that you tyrants and
- ought to get tired from your con-
tinuous gorging upon the sweat and
blood of the people of the nation. Who
are you-a nd-aiming at anyway :?
What are your ultimate objects? Have
YOU not got enough of this worlds
goods already? Are you pirates seek
ing to enslave the people? Why not
commence to be met with human hearts
and try to be fair and just? We feel
that the authorities at Washington are
going to clip your cruel claws very
shortly, but we also feel that personal
punishment and little terror on the
Russian plan will in a large measure aid
in accomplishing effectively the work in
hand.
''We have, therefore, organized our
selves into a vigilance committee for the
public safety and propose to use dyna-
mite and assassination to help suppress
inc YOU commercial vultures of the ma
ton. We propose to be fair and Just
in our operation, and all accursed ty-
rants will be Justly tried before our tri-
bunal, and if found guilty and sentenced
to death. the condemned will be duly
notified of the penalty they are to have
ana which punishment cannot be es-
capped, if not today, then tomorrow.
"This is the plan which has been so
successfully in operation in the eXecu-
ton of the Russian political tyrants by
the committee of public safety there
"We beg to notify you that you have
been tried by our tribunal and your
death decreed. Prepare for the mevl-
table You may temporarily avoid the
execution of this sentence, but your
time will shortly come.
"Our officer, who is to execute this
and you may be assured that he is pre-
pared to secrifice his life in sucha worthy
cause The game is worth it.
(Signed) The Viligance Committee
for the Public Safety"
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
SEED GRAIN DAY.
Schools Will Seek for the Nice
Prizes Offered.


Corn, liking of grains" has issued an
official proclamation that every school
throughout the land shall observe seed
grain day in April-south of latitude of
st. Louis, April 4 is the day; north of
that line, April IL, or as near these
dates as possible.
All children are requested to at once
test selected seed grain. To do this take
two dinner plates and two pieces of
thick cloth or blotting paper the size
of the inner part of the plate. Wet
these thoroughly and drain off the extra
water. Put one piece of cloth on the
plate and scatter the grain over it
evenly and cover with the second cloth.
Turn the other plate over it to prevent
evaporation and set in warm place.
Examine frequently and if it grows
dry add a little water After six or
eight days remove the cloths and determ-
inc the percentage of termination. To
test kernels from several ears of corn in
the same plate, mark off the blotting
paper into squares and number each
one to correspond with the ear from
which the kernels are taken. Report re-
suits of test i'm school on seed grain day.
Also bring to school a sample ear or
100 kernels of. corn or other grain seed
to study their good and poor points. tell
which varieties are best and why, figure
difference in cost and profit of good VS..
poor yields, or carry out any other plans
for the day suggested in the proclaim
alton. which may be had free by writ
ing King Corn, l443 Marquette building,
Chicago.
A young folks grain club is to be or
ganized by the boys and girls of each
school or district, and harvest festi-
val is to be held next autumn by each
school, for which many and valuable
prizes are offered. The state of Colo
RADIO gives $500 in special prizes, Min
nesota like amount, other states are
officially promoting the idea in various
ways, and the children may also COM
pete equally with the grow-ups in the
contest to add millions to- grain growers
profits. This plan adds new fascination
to nature study and introduces agricul-
ture into schools in a most interesting
and practical way.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
SPURS on CUPID AND sToRk.
Measure introduced to Promote Mar
rage and increase Population.

Jackson, Miss, March -Represen
tative Talbert has made himself the
most popular man in the state by intro
ducing an act in the legislature ''to reg
ulate and encourage matrimonial ALI
ances and to discourage race suicide in
the state of Mississippi" Should the bill
be passed Mr.. Talbert's name will be
placed in the hall of fame in the new
capitol.
The bill sets forth that there is much
counting in the state of Mississippi
known as flirting, that does not result
in marriage; that there is much appre-
hension on the part of many who desire
to see the human race multiplied and
increased so that commerce will be ex.
banded and enlarged; that what is
known as race suicide is gaining foot
hold in some sections of the great com
mOnwealth.
at is made unlawful after the pas
sage of this act for any young man
who parts his hair in the middle to at
tempt to court any yonng woman before
he is twenty four years of age, and be-
fore making such attempt he shall in
form the parents or guardian of the
woman he proposes to court of his de-
sire and intention to do so. 1t shall be
unlawful for bald or red headed wild
overs over the age of forty years to
attempt to court any woman under the
age of eighteen years.
at shall be unlawful for any young
woman who wears spectaces because it
is stylish to permit any widowers to
court her until she shall have made aft
davit before a Justice of the peace that
she finds more pleasure in frying batter
cakes and sewing on buttons than she
does in Nursing pet cats and poodle
dogs.
"All children born to legally married
people i'm the state in excess of four
shall at the age of three years be taken
charge of by the state, to be raised and
educated at public expense. The pro-
visions of this act shall apply only to
the white race of the state"
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
ST. PETERITES ENTHUSE..,,
They Expect to Raise $40 900 and
Secure Peat Fuel Plant.
From Thursdays Daily. e d


The meeting of business men held at,
ST. Peter last evening to see how much.
stock could be taken In the Mankato
Peat Fuel company in return for the
location of the peat factory there, was
largely attended and was a very en-
thusiastic meeting. The ST. Peter pee
pie took an active interest in the pros
icct, and it looks as though they woulels
secure the factory.
The meeting was called by the St.,
Peter Commercial club of its own mo-.
ton, and was attended by a hundred
leading business men. The club is a
H. AIDE of Chicago, secretary of the
United States Peat Fuel company, and
c. n. Andrews and Chas. j. Macbeth of
the Mankato company were present and
presented the matter to the meeting
They stated that they would like to
have $4,000 of stock placed at ST. Pc
ter, in which case there was little doubt
but what the factory would be located
there. The meeting thought that the
amount would be raised, and COM
mittee was appointed to take the mat
ter up.
There has been some surprise express
ed that the company has not sought to
locate the factory on the bank of the
slough in this city and use the. peat
there, which has been pronounced of fine
quality. The trouble is that the price
of the land is too high. Land around
st. Peter, Oshawa and other points is.
not very high in price. especially slough
land, and it will be more profitable to
buy the cheap land and build the fac
tory there.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
Ship to Hendricks.

The handsome French draft stallion
"Charbonnier 6296" tl4,l74), foaled in
1902 and bred by Mons f. lie Gentil in
the Boulonnaise district of France and
imported by Burgess & Lukyn of this
city. was sold today to Peder Christen-
son of Hendricks and will be shipped
this evening.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
assessments
NOT A PAPER ROAD.
Men Wanted for the Duluth, ST. Cloud
and Mankato Road.

From ITlurSUdY 3 IJdIIV
j. A. Mcdonald received letter today
from one of the leading contractors of
the Duluth, st. Cloud. Glencoe & Man
kato railroad, saying it is no longer a
road on paper but that work will begin
as soon as the weather permits. All
men wishing to subcontract or to work
by the day or haul by the cubic yard.
will receive highest prices paid by any
road. Parties desiring to see the pro-
file, or wishing further information APP
ply at the office of II. +. Balch, rail
road contractor, 2l0 Century building.
81 South Fourth street, Minneapolis,
Minn-St. Cloud Journal Press.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
CODE CHANGES THE LAW.
Persons of Certain Faiths Can Con-
duct Business on Sunday.

st. Paul, March 2.-Religious freedom,
allowing persons of certain faiths to
work and conduct business on Sunday,
is provided by the new code, which went
into effect yesterday.
The law states that persons who. ac-
cording to their religious beliefs, OBJ
serve some day other than Sunday as
work and business on Sunday. The law
will be a great boon to many of the
Hebrew people who conduct stores and
worship ON Saturday.
The right of this particular class of
people to sell on Sunday was tested in
the state supreme court only a few
weeks ago, and the court decided that
the fact that the Hebrews observed
Saturday as their Sabbath did not give
them the right to keep their stores open
on Sunday. In other respects the new
code makes the same provisions for
Sunday selling. The cases of the North
Minneapolis cOnfectioners who were ar
rested at the instance of the Retail Gro
GERS association, are cited in the new
code notes, and the law is now clear on
the subject.
However, as the supreme court has
made one decision, the grocers' associa
ton of the state will have the right to
have the new provision tested. The
eases brought against the confectioners
last fall were disposed of two weeks
ago, and City Prosecutor A. c. Finney
was informed at that time that no more
arrests would be made. Everything has
changed now, however, and new test
ease may be made at any time.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
To Satisfy a Claim.

From THURSDAYS Daiv.
Deputy Sheriffs Osten and Atchison
spent the forenoon at Good Thunder,
where they sold some liquors belonging
to Harry Nelson that they had levied
upon to satisfy claim for $3.50, held
by brewing company in Minneapolis.
The liquor brought $50, and was bid
in by the claimant.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09

St Peter, March l.-Saloonmen OF
this city have visions of the Sid" Al
though the municipal election is not till
April, the reform forces have already
begun campaign and, it is understood.
will run w. H. Ronnseville, one of the
most substantial men of the town, for
mayor. More rigid enforcement of the,
state law is to be the issue
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
Returned the Fee.

Frank "A. Day, private secretary to the
governor, yesterday received letter
from II. E. Gates of Alma City asking
for the return of the notary fee sent in
by George Hofeld OF that city. Hofeld
was killed in railroad accident on Feb.
"a, and the letter states that his notar-
ial commission did not need renewal
until March A. The fee was returned.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
NEW LAW PREVAILS.
But Nobody Yet Knows What 1t
Provides.

From Thursdays Daily
The new code went into effect today,
and as the attorneys have not yet been
able to get any copies, litigation has
come to an end, and the lion and the
lamb are lying down together. While
peace is prevailing at present, it is mere
ly the calm before the storm, for trouble
will break loose as soon as the lawyers
can read the new code and learn its de-
fects and weak points. Numerous errors
are expected, and the courts will be
kept busy constituting the new law. The
attorneys are anticipating great re-
vival of prosperity in the profession.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
Mr.. HAYS Offered Good Position.

w. M. Hays of Minneapolis. assistant
secretary of agriculture. has been offered
the headship of the University of Penn
sylvania Agricultural college. He will
probably accept.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09
Candidates for Baptism.

Rev. B. V. Black will baptise a num-
Der of candidates in the Christian church
in this city as result of the revival
held at Garden City by c. r. Neel, state
evangelist of the Christian church.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09

FOUND-A lady's gold watch, some
DAVIS ago. on Mankato sidewalk. Own
er can get same by calling at 100 w.
Hickory street proving property and
paying for advertising
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09

Chairman Shonts of the Panama canal
commission owns up that he is holding
two jobs. He should resign one of them.
Mr. Shonts cannot very well serve two
masters.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-09

Brainerd is anxious to have the road
and is making overatures to the promot-
prs
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-28

weighs seventy-five pounds. One of it's functions is to act as ballast when It's ends drags on the ground just so much weight Is removed from the balloon It also is q sort of feeler in Q fog or at night. when without 1t you would be unable to tell in which direction you were going, or how near the earth you were. The balloon, of course, travels exactly as fast us the wind, and thus when the aeronaut cannot see the earth, he has no means ut present except the drag rope for determining his direction. The objections to 1t are that 1t destroys property, and that in passing over forest 1t catches in the branches and jerks and rocks the balloon, causing the gas to escape and the aeronauts to be- come seasicS. There is also the very considerable risk that enthusiastic spec tators will grab 1t and cause great dan ger of the aeronaut in their endeavor to save his life. Once some eager Brook lynites twisted the drag rope of my balloon around a post and dashed my wife and me down on top of a church. The force of the eoneussion threw us to our knees in the bottom of the basket. Looking up we found directly In front of us the cross on the steeple. We were then dragged on down to the ground in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-28

so many big pigeonholes. Even now there is nothing in the appearance of the stuff to prevent you from throwing it out of your way as if 1t were an old piece of paper, and you wonder afterwards wheth- CT, after all, this seeming rubbish can be the dreaded explosive a mere fifty pounds of which could send an 1S.000-ton Dread nought to the bottom. Yet the slightest sudden jar against even a pinch of this sgnifcant-appearng substance, and there would be a flash and a crash that would shake the earth for miles around, and nothing but a pail of smoke drifting skyward would remain or house or man. The slightest grain of sand underfoot to cause friction against dust invisible to the naked eye. or a mere spark knocked perhaps from the head of a carpet tack and the house and man would be annihi- lated. A spark of static electricity of tho sort with which you can light a gas jet by spark leaping from the knuckle of a finger after sliding your feet across carpet, and you would have vanished tracelessly, blown Into atoms too small to find with a microscope. Owing to this deadly sensitiveness. every precaution for safety Is taken by the man in this build Ing. The floors are covered with rubber sheets fastened by brass-headed tacks to prevent danger of sparks. Dustpans and all utensils are of brass or copper. When the panfuls of copper are transported in or out of the place, the floors are covered with sheets of canvas to be removed and shaken clear of possible dust outside the building. Twice a day the floors are scrupulously brushed. In short, every conceivable precauton Is taken to prevent catastrophe" So much and much more is told in the November Appletons S, from which we have quoted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-28
Russian Wheat.

From Bureau of Statistics Bulletin No. 42.
 Of the total wheat acreage of Europe; amounting on the average for the years 1S99-1903 to about 115670,O 900 acres. the share of European Russia, including Poland and northern Caucasia, was 49,O70,OO0 acres, CT 42.4 per cent, while of the total produe- ton of wheat in Europe, which for the same years amounted to 1,626 0OO, ,060 bushels, only 460, 000,000 bushels were sup piled by Russia, or zS.3 per cent
 To state the case in a different way: While the acreage of entire Europe out side of Russian was to that of European II Russia l36 to loo, its wheat production was to that of European Russia at 253 to loo Were the productivity of the wheat rest of Europe on the average, the total production of wheat in European Russia would have been about 85e000 GOO bushels.
 The acreage of Russia is ten times as large as that of Germany, it's immediate neighbor on the west, but the production of wheat is only three and one-half times as great With a yield equal to that of Germany, European Russia would boast of production of almost 1900 OOO 900 bushels.
 Notwithstanding the exceptional fertility of the black soil which covers nearly the whole of the Russian wheat belt. the yield of wheat in Russia is found to he invariably smaller than in any other country, with the possible exception or Argentina, which suffers from it's own peculiar difficulties.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-28
WIRELESS EXPERT BUT 13 YEARS OLO New Haven Boy Rigs Up Own
 Apparatus TALKS TO THE STEAMERS Malcolm DooIittle Is Bright Boy and Is Now Making an Attuner on
 New Prnciple-He Is
 Modest, Too.
TALKS TO THE STEAMERS

New Haven.-Malcolm Doolittle, aged B of 147 Bradley street, has, unaided, studied the science of wireless telegraphy has built wireless station in the back yard of his home and is able to pick up messages from passing steamers in the sound five miles away.
 A few months ago he read in chil- dren's paper a description of wireless outfit and explanations as to how bright boy could rig up an outfit that would send messages across the room. He told his father that night that he was going to try the trick, and his father laughingly told him to go ahead, and that he'd give him S1 for every message that he could send across the room.
 The youngster worked at the problem every spare moment out of school, and one evening surprised his father by telling him that he was ready for that first pay ment on the dollar plan, as he could send a message across the room. The father inspected the ontflt that had been rigged up and was convinced only after his son had sent him messages across the 2O-foot room
 Then young Doolttle began to plan to send messages all over the house and to interest the other boys in his neighbor- hood in the fun. Soon that part of town had various wireless stations rigged up temporarily in drawing rooms, kitchens and laundries The other boys soon tired of the experiment, but Doolittle kept on.
 Tackles Larger Problem.
 When the novelty of the house equip ment wore off young Doolittle tackled the bigger problem of transmitting and re- ceiving messages outside and wires were strung up on the outside of the house. It was many weeks before the lad could figure it all out. but finally he struck it and then began making plans for a tower in the back yard, and a real wireless outfit.
 A tower 75 feet high has now been equipped at cost of $100, and from 1t Doolittle can establish communication up to loo miles. When the young inventor got this rigged up to suit him he began trying to catch the messages that were being flashed to the De Forest tower station in the western part of the city, three or more miles away from his home.
 The operators sending and receiving messages at this station were speedy and at first the novice had difficulty in get
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-28

spite of our eXpostulations-exp expostula- tions most frantieally repeated by every horse that saw us. There was something like a riot, and it was only when the police began to use their clubs that We we were finally released. 1, meanwhile, despairing of convincing the crowd that we really did not want to be saved, climbed up into the rigging and began taking moving pictures of the scene, and I was so busly occupied grinding away that I did not notice when We were re- leased and in fact did not realize it till we had ascended high Into the air, In the nolseless manner of balloons
 "On another occasion several hundred persons grabbed the guide rope and caused us to be blown toward four large chimneys belchng forth smoke and sparks. The balloon was surrounded by the sparks, and it is a mystery how it escaped ignition. Fortunately some of our friends were following in an auto, and with the help of the police freed us.
 After so many mlshaps with the guide rope l devised a contrivance for hoistlns and lowering it quickly, both 10 keep 1t out of the reach of a crowd and to raise it when passing over a fonst. It is noth- ing more than q double pulley; but consider 1t a permanent improvement In aeronautlcs.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-28

ting them. Finally he learned the se- eret and could pick up a message when ever it came into that station.
 Next young Doolittle began to pick up messages from passing boets in Long Island Sound. After some experiment he found that this was mighty interesting. During the last month or two, since the wireless station was removed from here, all his practice on his new apparatus has been confined to talking with passing vessels.
 But he's not content with his present equipment and just now is engaged on a new attuner which, when it Is finished, will be the first of it's kind ever built and he thinks, will outclass anything that has yet been devised.
 Modest Boy.
 New Haven's young electrical wizard is modest and disinclined to talk about his invention. He's delighted with any one who is interested enough in wireless to discuss the subject interminably, but about his own inventions and his little plant he's bit reserved. When asked how he came to get interested in his present diversion, he said, hesitatingly:
 Well, you see l read ahqut a wireless apparatus and thought l might do some thing of the kind. I made one like it and then improved it. and after a time