Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-02-28
NEIGHB0RH0OD NEWS



1881, while he was wintering in New
Windsor, N. j.
b. III. Hodskin, a great grandfath-
err of DIR. Gale, had the paper about
seventy years ago, and DR.. Gale got
it from him some years ago. The
document is in fair state of preser-
walton, written with quill, of course,
and on a fine quality of linen paper.
DIR. Gale has refused an offer Of $3.50
for the paper. 1t may be seen at
Emmons' jewelry store. The paper
reads as follows, except that we have
changed the early English spelling to
conform to modern usage:
To Jabez Hadrdington, Esq, sheriff OF
The County Windham Court,
Sir: At the urgent solicitation OF
several of the selectmen and respect
able inhabitants of the town OF
Bridgeport, / hereby authorize you to
discharge from custody, James Bar
ron, now a prisoner and confined by
military warrant in the Gaol of said
county G. Washington.
Flames Destroy Water Tank
st. Johns.-Residents of the county
farm were frightened Thursday after
noon by the destruction of the water
tank by fire. The flames started in
the wooden casing which protects the
pipe leading to the tank. An oil
stove had been placed at the base of
the pipe to keep it from freezing. The
fire ran up the casing to the top of
the forty-foot steel tower, upon
which the tank was placed, and 1T
came crashing to the ground, within
two feet of an outbuilding. The yard
was flooded by the volume Of water.
Fortunately no one was injured, and
all the other buildings escaped dam
age.
Large Load of "Spuds"
Stanton.-A few weeks ago Merton
d. Gates, the potato king" Of Ever
green township, drew the largest load
of potatoes ever marketed in Stanton.
One day recently he broke his own re-
cord by marketing a load consisting of
ISL 2-3 bushels. The net weight was
9,100 pounds and was hauled dis
lance of four miles by one team. The
load was sold to one of our local buy
ers, George f. Miller, who paid Mr..
Gates $2.47 per bushel or 1914 for
them.
This shows there is no speculation
on the part of the buyer. The reason
the farmer is receiving this high
price for potatoes is due to the very
short crop. Mr.. Miller says table
stocks are getting scarce and that
seed stock will be high in price this
year at planting time.
Game Warden Gets Hunters
Hastings.-Those hunters who steal
out into the woods after rabbits with
ferret are taking a great many
chances. Deputy Game Warden Mil
lenbacher has been arresting many of
this kind of illegal hunters this sea-
son and as a result ferrets are be-
coming scarcer. The latest victims
to fall into the officers hands were
Emmett /. Covell, of Battle Greek and
Myron Langston of Anger. Both
men hunted rabbits in Bellevue town.
ship with ferret. which was owned
by the Battle Creek man. They
pleaded guilty, and were heavily fined.
Big Dredge in Deepest Cut
Hastings.-The progress Of the big
dredge with which the Little Thorn
apple drain is being dug is watched
with interest by many persons in
spite of the unfavorable weather. 1t
is expected that the machine will ar
rive at Carlton Center early next
week. For some time the crew have
been engaged in digging the deepest
cut Of the entire route. The river
valley is so low in some places that
the current is almost imperceptible.
1t has been. therefore, necessary for
considerable distance south of Carl
ton Center to dig from eight to IL
feet below the ground stakes in order
to obtain fall. During the digging
last week. the shovel worked in
gravel, red clay and in a strata of
sand as white and fine as that found
on the lake shore.
Ollie Shoup Had Close Call
Hastings.-Ollie Shoup came near
having a bad accident last week at
the county farm crossing when his
horses became frightened short dis
lance from the crossing, first by an
automobile then by the whistle of an
approaching train.
Mr.. Shoup being unable to control
them they crossed the track Just
ahead of the train which struck the
rear end of the hayrack, demolishing
the sleighs and rack.
Shoup jumped Just in time to es-