The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1915-11-17
n. N. D. A. TO
DISCUSS COUNTY
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SOIL SURVEY ]
Bemidji Commercial Club Decides to
Back Idea; Will Present Reso-~ :
luton if Necessary. :.
TO BE ASSESSED AGAINST zsf5..ss :s2ss
PROPERTY BENEFITED
Much Business Transacted at Club
Meeting; Federal Building Z
Petitions to Be Sent. I -

The Northern Minnesota Develop
ment association, which will meet in
Bemidji December and 10, will con-
slider the advisability: of presenting a
bill to the state legislature to estab-
lish soil surveys In Minnesota.
: Favored by Club. -
At meeting of the Commercial
club Tuesday evening, the club went
on record as favoring such a survey
and motion was passed that the
club if necessary, offer resolution
at the development meeting. - +
The matter of soil survey has
been discussed at length throughout
the state: -
At recent meeting of local men
the survey of each county was favor
ed with the costs of the survey to be
assessed against the property bene-
fitted. Under state survey the en-
tire state would have to pay for the
project. Inasmuch as all sections
will not be benefited, it is believed
by local men that the county plan
would be more feasible. A bill will.
probably be placed before the legis-
lature, making the survey optional
on the part of the county, either at
the will of the county commissioners
or at a referendum vote.
" The Federal Petition.
Petitions with nearly 1000 sign
ers, who are patrons of the Bemidjf
postofice, were presented at the Com.
mercial club meeting Tuesday. The
petitions will be turned over to "A.
P. Ritchie, postmaster, with instruc-
tions to forward to the proper auth
critics and asking that action by the
treasury department. be taken as soon
as possible with regard to selecting
site for the Federal building.
Receives One Cent Per Name.
Harold Hurlocker secured the larg-
est number of signers on the petit
tion. He will receive one cent for
each name from the club, and an ad-
ditional one cent for each name was
paid by J. J. Opsahl. Mr.. Opsahl
made this offer when the suggestion
of circulating the petitions was made
at the last meeting.
The following is the standing of
the boys and the number of names Sc
cured: Harold Hurlocker 80, Dan
ial Gainey 225, Haven Hanscom,
203, Norman Kittleson 169, Earl
Thurber 1852 and Leo Opsahl rs.
Letters Are Discussed.
Communications sent by J. J. OPP
sahl to Senator Knute Nelson, Be-
midi Townsite company, E. L. Cali
han and Congressman c. A. Lind
bergh, and answers, were read and
freely discussed. The letters referred
to the location of the Federal build
ing. The club instructed President
Schumacher to write the parties to
whom the letters were sent, stating
that the communications sent by J..
J. Opsahl were not authorized by the
club. Mr.. Opsahl favored the club
taking this action. -
w. 2. Robinson, F. S. Lycan and
A. P. Ritchie were appointed as a
committee to take up the matter of
better train service over the Mime
sofa & International and Northern
Pacific roads to the Twin Cities from
Bemidji. They were instructed to
submit the facts of the service to the
Civic and Commerce Association of
the Twin Cities, with a view of show
ing this body that much business
from this city is now going to Du-
luth, owing to the poor train service
to the Twin Cities.