The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-05-22
Stump Blowing Demonstration Held at
w. R. Mackenzie's Farm Yesterday
Was Successful Affair.
DUPONT POWDER COMPANY HAD
EXPERT DEMONSTRATOR THERE
Dynamite Did Coed Work.--Expert:
ExempIify Safe Method Of Hand
ling the Explosive.

That dynamite is one of the most
essential necessities for the farmer
living on the cut-over timber lands
of northern Minnesota to aid him in
preparing the productive soil of
this community for the pillow was
shown convincingly yesterday, when
a demonstration of stump-blowing
with dynamite was given at the
farm of w. R. Mackenzie, in Sec.
29-14S-34, showing that the toughest
and largest stumps can be demolished
and uprooted with little expense,
by judicious use of the explosive.
Mr.. Mackenzie had arranged with
the Dupont Powder company to
give the demonstration, and that
company sent C. E. Clarke of Chi
cago, general representative of the
dynamite department of the COM
pany, and R. E. Caskey of William
ington, Delaware, who is an expert
direct from the Dupont factory, to
Mr.. Mackenzie's place to preside
over the blowing of the stumps
and to explain the method of
handling dynamite in a safe and
sane manner.
A representative of the Pioneer
accompanied the experts to the
Mackenzie farm, where Mr.. Mac"
had arranged to entertain crowd
of his fellow farmers from Liberty
and Buzzle townships.
fhe work of blowing stumps
was commenced shortly before noon,
when some seventy people GALL
farmers who are working their land
had gathered to witness the demon
stration.
Several large stumps near the
house were loaded with charges of
dynamite of different. quantities
and the explosive set off, the results
being very satisfactory, although
the condition of the ground was
such as to interfere somewhat with
the cleanness of the explosions.
A battery was used in firing the
charge under one stump, the ex-
perts explaining to the assembled
farmers the ease with which the
stumps could be removed with the
operator of the battery some 200
yards away.
The stumps were for the most
part green and tough. the most diff
cult to handle. The explosive used
is of a new make, being the red
cross low-freezing dynamite, the re-
suits obtained on the Mackenzie
farm being very good. The experts
did fine work and were liberal in
giving information relative to the
method of using the dynamite.
Among those who were present
besides Mr.. Mackenzie, the experts
and the Pioneer representative, were
the following:
Robert Stat, secretary of the Maple
Ridge Farmers Cooperative asso-
citation; A. G.. Gilbertson, president
of the Viking Farmers Cooperative
club of Buzzle township; Lars O.
Mvhre, town clerk of the Town of
Maple Ridge; Louis Tegner, secre-
tary of the West. Buzzle Farmers
Cooperative association; Andrew
Blom, a member of the town board
of Maple Ridge; Harmon Fladham-
mer, Chris Sande, Halvor Huldahl,
Lawrence Soland, Carl Rygg, John
Stah], Nick Mccartney, Olaf Was
bottan, Emil Deseth, Ole Frodahl
and Andrew Soland of Wilton and
several others.
During the day the forthcoming
county fair was discussed and all
present agreed to do all he could to
furnish exhibits for the fair. Mr..
Mackenzie, is secretary and Lars
Myhre and A. G. Gilbertson are
directors of the fair association.
Mr.. Mackenzie's farm consists oil
225 acres, one hundred sixty acres