davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-04-06
Sky Pilot Of Woods Tells of Perils
Experienced and Victories He
Has Won.
PLANS ON TRIP TO EUROPE
Explains How He First Began Cru
SADIE Which Has Now Become
Life Work.

Rev. Frank Higgins, the unique
preacher to the men who inhabi,
the camps in the northern timber
regions, and who is known as the
"Lumberjack Sky Pilot" has made a
report of his work and to a friend
in Bemidji writes as follows:
Having just closed my fifteenth
successive winter of missionary work
in the lumber woods of northern Min
nesota. l feel it is but right to the
work and to those who have so kind
ly helped me as we'll as myself to
make the following statement:
Il commenced work while in
charge of a small missionary field
in Barnum, Mimi, in the spring OF
1895, having gone with some friends
to see the Kettle river drive (men
floating logs down the stream that
had been cut the winter before. J
Much to my surprise, after the eve
ming meal. as we sat around the fire
on the bank Of the river, several of
the men asked me to preach to them.
AS | looked at that crew of men, |
would have said: That is the last
crew of men on the face of the earth
that would ask preacher to preach.
Notice they did not say, we want
you to talk or tell Us a2astory but
they used the term preach, indica-
ting to me by that word that they
wanted to hear the gospel.
After some hesitancy, | decided
to do the best | could to accommo-
date them l took large log for a
platform: the men gathered near;
we sang songs, offered prayers, read
u.
gave the men a gospel talk.
81 will never forget that first meet
ing on the bank of Kettle river
that beautiful spring evening" 1t
seemed that all nature had Joined in
the service as | talked of those men
of home, Of mother, and of better
days. Many of them took me by
the hand and thanked me for the
service, and made me promise that l
would come and visit them again.
Many Of them told me how they had
been up in the woods all winter
long, year after year, and hows some
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-04-06
ANOTHER BLIND p|GGER"
Martin Rosen, Former Saloon Keep
er, Arrested Yesterday.

S Yesterday afternoon Martin Rosen
was arrested on a charge of selling
intoxicating liquors without a IL
cense.
When arraigned before Judge Pen
dergast in municipal court late yes
terday afternoon on the above
charge, the defendant pleaded not
guilty. +.
However, after a short hearing it
was decided by the judge thate he
was guilty and sentence of so days
or fine of $50 was ordered.
Upon being asked as to which of
the two he would, take, Rosen said
that the so days looked the best to
him.
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-04-06

the mercy of the saloon, the brothel
and gambling hell. And the sad part
is, conditions have been growing
worse instead of better.
There are many more men in the
woods, during the past fifteen years.
than there were formerly. The old
time lumberjack is fast passing
away, and in his place we have an
army of mere boys, from our farms,
who come to the woods for few
months to earn winters stake,
little realizing the many tempta-
tions that are put in their way. The
old timer went for away up the river,
where he remained all winter, away
from civilization, and, thank God,
away from the temptations of civil
ization. But these days the timber
is controlled by large companies that
build logging railroads that they
may get out the timber they cut in
one season. No sooner are these
roads surveyed through the forest
than small towns, often composed of
only tar papered shacks or log build
ings, saloons, gambling halls and
other places of sin, spring up, until
today you can, in many cases stand
at the camp door and see the saloon.
Many OF the men are too easily
tempted; and otter years of neglect,
on the part of the christian people,
have given up in discoura cement,
and are now tramps and buns. l
have known almost a hundred sa-
looms, besides many gambling places
and brothels, in the short distance of
twenty-five miles along one of these
MISSING ioous, dill IuuulHS Wlue open,
night and day. Sunday, in the ma
jority of these places, is the biggest
day of all. l have counted over
twenty quarts of whiskey, besides
several jugs full, in a car, as the
men were going to camp, and have
stood for hours trying to prevent the
men fighting, helped to unload them,
in their drunken condition, at the
various camps.
The saloon has been and is yet,
in the majority of places, the most
inviting place for the lam herjack.5
II he wants to eat he goes into a
saloon; if he wants to sleep he goes
to saloon; if he wants a shave or
a haircut he goes to a saloon. And
I know, from experience, that sa-
loon when the weather is twenty
degrees below zero is better than
snow drift. Some will ask, DO the
lumber companies take an interest
in their menu Yes, they care we'll
for them while the men are in camp,
but a few of the companies find it
practical to do much for the men
while they are in town. Many of
the companies are so out of patience
because Of the way the men tramp
from camp to camp and from town
to town, which is the result of the
wide open policy, and they feel that
little if anything can be done for
the men,.
SIN the beginning of my work, I
Continual nm Last P4ge)
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-04-06


period from the time the winter
camp broke until the drive had
commenced, and how they had then
been on the drive about thirty days
and how it would be about that same
length of time before they would
reach civilization.
They declared it would do much
good if l would come out again and
hold another meeting. So that
spring, during the week, would go
/ over the trail to that part of the
river to where the men were work
ing. always found them ready to
give me a kind welcome, and each
meeting was more interesting than
the one before. = So.
THAT summer, when the men came
to Barnum, where many of them
made their headquarters, l was much
pleased to find that they would at
tend church. My congregation was
doubled in attendance, proving that
my visits on the drive were not a
failure.
THE following fall, when the men
commenced going to the winter
camps to work, l received my invi-
tations to go and preach to them.
1t was a great pleasure for me to
go to the logging camps, for while
I had been brought up in the woods,
l had never seen logging done on
such large scale as it is done in the
west. l found the logging camps
a better place to hold gospel meetings
than even on the drives
AT the close of my first winters
work, the men remembered me with
liberal collection; and as l visited
one Of their number that spring. in
the hospital, in the closing hours of
his life, begged me to continue my
work among his companions. Fol-
lowing this, as l made study of our
men in the forest, l was amazed to
find that there were thousands of
men, every winter, not only in Min
nesota, but also in northern Wiscon-
sin and northern Michigan, with even
larger numbers in the west.
II IS a conservative estimate to
say that there are over 10000 men
working in Minnesota and living in
logging camps. There are not less
tan 10000 in northern Wisconsin
and as many if not more in northern
Michigan; in western Montana,
Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Cali
fornla, there are not less than 90
900 and in most of these states even
0,O0O men, living in the woods; and
in all my travels, I have not found
a missionary or a religious society
doing regular organized missionary
work among this great army of men.
In fact, ! do not know of any other
class of men who have been so neg
lected as these sturdy sons of the
forest. For forty years these men
have been going up the rivers to
spend the winter, and while they
have seldom seen the face or heard
the voice of the missionaries, they
they have all these years been left to
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-04-06
SolWaY Merchant Dead.

Word was received in Bemidji late
yesterday afternoon to the effect that
Ray Dickinson, the Solway merchant
died in the hospital at Gully early
yesterday morning.
The funeral will be held Saturday
afternoon at o'clock in solway.
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-04-06
Elks TO MEET TONIGHT
Bemidji Lodge Of Antlered Order to
Install Officers.

This evening the Bemidji lodge of
Elks will hold their annual install
alton of officers.
While no special program has been
arranged, a smoker will be held after
the installation.
Al. H. Jester, is the new Exalted
Ruler and c. H. Woodward, secre-
tary
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-04-06

Continuation Last Page.)
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-04-06
Man Who Wants to See Bemidji 25,-
No' Believes That Department
Should be Established Here.
WILL MEAN MUCH IN FUTURE
says, 1t Would Tend to Awaken an
Interest in a Very Important
Study.

This morning the following letter
was received at the Office of the
Pioneer and is, without doubt, the
opinion of many Bemidji citizens:
I'm your issue of March 2Sth un-
der the heading Agricultural School
for Bemidji. All that is needed to OBJ
tain department is united effort
upon the part of citizens Certain
ly that sounds good, and it is en-
couraging to note also how prompt
~ the commercial club has taken
hold of the proposition. Let there
be no let up. We want and must
have a school. There is nothing so
vital and important for the welfare
of Bemidji as an earnest interest in
agriculture.
Higher education, the study of
languages and ect never hurt any
one, but why not fit the school boy
and girl for the things they are 60
ing to knock up against in every
day life
Our heritage is rapidly disap-
pearing and our fortune dwindling, 10
we must turn attention and efforts
to securing a more lasting and sure
income, forgetting the woodlands
Ak and with,.the dairy cow. tho hen
and the plow 80 TO work. Bankers,
doctors, merchants, lawyers, black
smiths, churches, schools and all de-
pend upon the man in the country,
that man may be cutting the tim
Der, working the mine, or cultivat-
ing the land. Our trees are all
counted, and at the present rate of
cutting will not last long. Our
mines support comparatively few
and this leaves us to fall back on
the man who cultivates the soil and
our future depends upon him.
"The great advantage the farmer
has is that his mine is never ex-
hausted, every year, if he will take
care of it, he can renew his land and
repeat the crop of the year before
That is what is going to build up
our city and we cannot build our city
Easter than We have country TO
support it.
"An agricultural department
would be a step in the right d.
rection, it would tend to awaken an
interest in very important study.
With a small farm near the city
properly cultivated, raising a var
iety of crops best adapted to our
soil and climate it would be of much
value to our farmers and our citizens
and of much interest to strangers
visiting our city.
st would draw capital and people
to us and the establishment of such
a school would in a few years work
wonders in the development of our
county and the building up of our
city. Stop for one moment and
watch the results obtained by the
by displaying agricultural products
in cars which have this winter been
travelling through southern and east
ern states.
ssThe products exhibited simply
amazed the people.
"They knew nothing about the
! northwest and as result more home
seekers are passing through the Twin
| City gate way to the northwest at
| present than to any other section of
the United States or Canada. Can
not we afford an agricultural de-
partment as starter?
| zone who want to see Bemidji
$4,000" -.
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-04-06

Plan now to hear the Swiss Bell
Ringers. Wednesday the 10Th.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-30
SOUTH GARDINER.

Mrs. Dana Yates and two children.
who nave been passing some weeks at
the home of Mrs. Yates parents. Mr..
and Mrs. Van r. Beedle. returned
Saturday to her home in Canton.
Mrs. NJ. j. Moore. matron OF Erskine
hail. Hallowcil. was the guest last
week of Mr.. and Mrs. w. d. Haley.
The Mite Circle of Kings Daughters
is planning 10 enjoy a picnic Thurs
day Of next week at the camp of Mr..
and Mrs. Fred Wiley at Pleasant
pond. All members are invited to par
ticipate. On the Tuesday following,
Sept. y. they will hold in the church
vestry the Dollar social, at which all
members are urged TO be present and
To relate the manner in which thir dol
dollar was earned. Refreshments will
be served, and it is expected that
very pleasant afternoon will be passed.
Mrs. Alma Holmes of Newtonville
Mass, who has been the guest of Mr..
and Mrs. Alonze Milroy for three
weeks, returned home Monday.
George Hockaday and Walter Hanna
of Nattapan, Mass, who have been
the guests for two weeks of Mr.. and
Mrs. w a. Milroy. returned home
Monday.
Mrs p. l.. Hall visited friends at
Etna Sunday.
Mrs. Charles Mcnamara returned
Saturday from a visit of TWO weeks in
Boston.
Mrs. Josephine Williams returned
last week from n visit at Boston ana
other places.
Miss Grace MacMaster has gone TO
Chautauqua for two months
Mr.. and Mrs W. w. Brewer left
Sunday night for New York for
week
Mr.. and Mrs. WIN Knight and chill
dren returned Friday to their home IN
Bridgeport. CT.
Miss Lucille Iothrop, who has been
the guest for a week of Mr.. and Mrs
". d. Haley, left Tuesday for Leeds
Mrs r. NJ Beedle returned Sunday
from Richmond campground, where
she mas been for 10 days. Her daush-
ter, Miss Winifred Beedle of Boston,
who has been passing her vacation OF
two weeks with Mrs. Beedle, returned
Saturday to Boston.
Alonzo Annis and son Blake OF
Blaine came Friday for a visit at the
home of Mr.. and Mrs. Page Mute,
Miss Frances Tozier, Miss Hattie
Toulouse and f. o. Tozier of Water
vile and Leland Sigers of South Ores
den were guests Sunday at the home
of Mr.. and Mrs. George Spencer.
Mrs. Harvey Blanchard and two
children of Readfield, Mass, are visit
ing Mr.. and Mrs. sydney Balantyne.
The South Gardiner Red Six beat
the Gardiner Juniors 10 to 4 Tuesday
on the home field
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-30
SAGADAHOC.
RICHMOND.

Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis Wilson of Ches-
ter. Pa. are spending a two weeks va
cation at the home of Mr.. Wilson'S
parents, Mr. and Mrs. w f. Wilson.
The ladies Of the Congregational
Society viii hold a supper "Wednesday
evening al the church vestry.
Frank Kennedy, who is employed for
the American Express at Portland, is
spending "a weeks vacation nj his
home In town.
Henry Kidder of Lewiston passed
Sunday at the home of his parents.
Mr.. and Mrs. Albert Kiddef.
Miss Elna Waldron of Portland was
the guest Sunday Of her friend. Mrs.
Frank f. Preble.
A Prohibition rally will be held
Thursday evening in the Opera house
with j. r. Libby of Portland as speak
err Music for the evening will be fur
nished by the Richmond Band.
The Y. p. s. c. l.. of the Free VIII
Baptist church held a Lawn party at
the church lawn. which was well At
tended.
Noble Maxwell is in Boston this
week on business.
coroner j. tidfh tds5 '4lil =" "
jury consisting of Chas. ID. Newell
w. r. Fairclough. f. f. Preble, Henry
Littlefeld, @. p. Galusha and Chas.
Smith for an inquest on the death of
Mrs. Margaret Jack. who was killed
Sunday evening by passenger train
on High street crossing. The inquest
was held at Flagg's undertaking rooms
Tuesday morning The jury found
that Mrs. Jacks death was accident!Y
caused nv being struck by the pilot On
the engine of Train No. 736 Sunday
evening. Aug. q, on HlSh street cross
ing and the jury further iouha sila'
the M. e. r. r. and its employees Were
not To blame.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-30
!. Preparing for Quadrup|e
Funeral Of the BENEFITS.
Cable from Mans Father, IgnaT-
ant Of The Tragedy.
Learned That All Three Of Children
Were ChIorofoFmed.

South Thomaston, Me. Aug. %.-
Neighbors of Edward Bennett, the
Enghshman and graduate Of oxford
University, who yesterday killed his
three small children and then ended
his own life because of grief over the
= dest In of his wife. began arrangements
today for the burial of the little fam.
lily rs there are no relatives n this
country.
Mr. Bennett left about 5000 to pay
!. the funeral expenses and in lot
ter To Rev, Russell Woodman, pastor
of he Episcopal church at Rockland
. which the Bennett family attended
made arrangement for paving the cost
Of his wife's illness and other small
debts.
The quadruple funeral will be hello
"Wednesday. Rev. MIR. Woodman is
away on his vacation, but ii is OK
pected that his assistant, Rev. Mr..
Moody, win carry out his work in com
plefing arrangements and also oficiate
at the services.
Residents and neighhors do not be-
lieve that Mr., Bennett was insane,
: but that rather grief over the loss Of
his wife was so great that he felt
he could not live without her and that
by the death Of the entire family they
: would all be Joined in the hereafter.
That this was his foremost thought is
indicated by his remarkable letter.
Mrs. Bennett died three weeks ago
in a hospital and since her funeral
the husband had been daily observed
lying PROSTATE on her grave in great
grief.
Upon further investigation today
Medical Examiner f. W. Gould reach
cd the conclusion that death in each
instance in the case of the children
was caused by chloroform and not
~ cganile Of potassium. 1t was stated
in his letter that he had given the
cyanide poison to one of the children.
Indications were that he undertook to
mix cyanide with chocolate candy but
did not succeed and gave chloroform
in The end. There We're traces of
chocolate on the lips of Barbara, the
older girl.
A pathetic incident was the receipt
today of a cablegram from Benefits
father in birmingham, Eng. 1t was
merely signed Lad ana the 1ather
name is not known here. in fact no
one know that his father was living.
The eableg.4m, which was dated yes
-terday and written without the knowl-
edge that his son and three grand
children already were dead. read
Gable assurance of welfare. Grief
enough already. Writing. I"
II develops that Bennett was a
graduate of Cambridge and not Of
Oxford University as at first stated
also that he failed in the iron bust
ness in England and came TO this
country to obtain a new start in life.
The funeral win be held tomorrow.
C. NJ. Walker. a public administrators,
has taken charge of the estate, which
is small.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-30
PLAYOUT AT BRUNSWICK.
Tubs of That Town and Topshan Pre-
pairing for Augusta Muster.

brunswick, Me, Aug. 29.-(Speciap
"A friendly contest was held Tues
day evening between the Androseog-
gin hand tub of Topsham and Kenne-
bee and Niagara hand tubs of Bruins
wick. it was one of the try outs in
anticipation Of the muster on Labor
day at Augusta
The Niagara won by throwing a
stream of 212 feet. The kennebec
was second with 200 feet, and the An
drosccggin was some feet behind the
others. The Fife and Drum Corps OF
Brunswick played selections between
the try outs Another try out is plan
ned before Labor day.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-30
Sl,523,OOO Contract
For Bath Iron Wks.

Wa shington. Aug. 29.-Gontracts for
the construction of eight torpedoboa t
destroyers were awarded by Acting
Secretary of the Navy Winthrop to-
day
The William Cramp & Sons Co OF
Philadelphia will build four Of the
vessels At S756. 900 each, the Bath
Iron Works, Bath. Me. two at SOL. 800
eacn; the New York Shipbuilding
Co, Cam den. y. J.. one AT s777,5 500; and
the Fore River Shipbuilding Co,
Quincy. Mass. one at S77a.450.
Each al the destroyers will be 1910
tons displacement and must be able
to make pa. knots an hour. They will
be finished ard delivered within tso
years. The new vessels will be pro
PEELED ~ con: bination turbines and
rreeiprocatinR engines.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-30
Portland Montreal Express
Dumped into Ditch.
Passengers and Train Grew
Have Very Narrow Escapes.
Wreck Caused by Dirt Washed by
Rain Upon the Track.

St Johnsbury. VT. Aug. 29.--Dirt
washed upon the tracks ut the rail
road crossing in East St. JohnsburS
by last nights storm caused the
wreck Tuesday of the right express
from Portland, Me, TO Montreal on
the st. Johnsbury & Lake Chanplain
Railroad. The Is passengers and train
crew were badly shaken up. Engineer
f. A. Humphrey and Fireman II. w.
Jackman were injured. The engine and
tender ploWed along the track for q
distance of 200 feet and then fell over
a 90 foot embankment. The front
trucks on the baggage ear were torn
| Off and that car was deralled. me
first sleeping ear left the irons but
| the other cars, two day coaches and
tyo sIeeDers. remained on the tracks.
The train was speeding through the
village when the engine struck the dirt
and left the rails. For 200 feet the iron
monster bounded over the ties and then
toppled over the 90-foot embankment. The
tender was carried with the engine but
the coupling between the tender and the
baggage car broke, and this Is believed
10 have saved a loss Of life Although
relieved of its front trucks. the baggage
car swept along for 100 feet and then
toppled over on the side of the banking.
After leaving the tracks the first sleeper
partly turned over on its side. The pas
sengers in this car were hurled from their
herths. but except for few cuts and
bruises were not injured. The rear cars
remained on the irons but the passengers
were thrown to the floors by the sudden
stop.
Engineer Humphrey was caught De-
meath the engine when it fell down the
embankment, and for a time it was fear
ed that he had suffered fatal injuries.
His cries for help We're heard by the
train crew and passengers, who rushed
TO his assistance. Digging away the dirt
from beneath, the engine where Humph-
reg was imprisoned. the rescuers were
soon able TO reach the man. An exami-
nation showed that his injuries were not
serious
Fireman Jaclxman was thrown out Of
the engine cab when it left the rails, but
was not seriously hurt.
\ special train arrived at the scene OF
the wreck during the forenoon and, tax
ing the passengers on board. proceeded
TO Montreal.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-30
The Joker PAYS the Bill.

An interesting young gentleman of
this city. who sometimes sits at the
helm in the auto and sionally
takes the place of the scribe for the
Journal, is fond of a joke on the other
fellow Recently, during the vacation
some of his young friends We're en-
joying he used the mails and other
means TO get off some jokes on them.
but The iol<er,s joke reacted upon the
joker and in order 10 square things
and live at peace with his brethren
he had to "set up" sodas and ice
cream for about 20, which made mig
hole in his weeks wages.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-30
Priests Advice Led to Her Recovery

Those who take colds easily" and suf-
ferers of Bronchitis and Asthma should
keep Eckman's Alternative in the house
Cures of even tuberculosis persons are
often accomplished. Lacon. Ill
Gentlemen; II was troubled with Asth-
ma and Bronchitis for seventeen years
Eckman's Alternative is for Bronchitis,
by our Parish Priest. j took Ii and am
now feeling fine"
(Sgned AhiD ANNA NJ McENTFE
Eckman's Alternative is for Bronchitis,
Asthma, Hay Fever: Throat and Lung
Affections For sale by G. Il. Murphy
and other leading druggists. ASK for
booklet of cured cases, and write 10 Ec'l-
man Laboratory Philadelphia, Pa, for
additional evidence.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-30
Getting Ready for the Muster.

The Hallowell Firemen's Associa-
ton is active in practice for the mus
ter to be held Labor day in Augusta.
All who viii take part in the run with
the hose reel are requested 10 meet az
the engine house at $50 this Wednes-
day evening. The men of the Tiger
handful will meet for practice at I
O'Clock. Following that will be an adj
journed meeting of the association.