The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-06-23

however, they can boast Of hav-
ing had a Gravel Pit Foreman
who got So a dav most Of one
whole summer for standing by
the pit. when not busy in his
own field, seeing that the gravel
was not stolen, tampered with or
permitted to roll away into He'll
wick creek.
Up around Floodwood, gravel
prospecting may be considered
an aristocratic and profitable
pursuit but, up in Northland
township, Foreman Of Brudel
Gravel Pit, with no work at
tached to the position except use
of a sleepy and kindly eye, once
was considered the very height
of a private snap at public ex-
pense.
This Gravel Pit Foreman in
his day was favorite Of Col.
Kauppi and Konge Odin. On
one occasion he was given a
contract to construct stretch OF
about 300 feet on the Miller
trunk road. He employed two
of hiss sons at top wages. lie
worked team or two at $5 a
day. Two road workers were
boarded at his rural abode at a
profitable figure. When that lit
tie stretch of road was finished,
competent authority declares
that it cost $500, just about
$1.O0 per running. foot.
In still another case that rural
Napoleon of Finance was given
job at gravelling the roadbed.
At one point, he put on big rocks
instead Of gravel. The road en-.
gineer compelled the removal of
| the rocks but the removal was
done at the expense Of kindly
old St.. Louis county, net at the
expense of the man who knew
better than to put the rocks
there in the first place.
In still another place, the
roadbed was ballasted with clay
instead of gravel and when the
road grader came along 1T
scraped off all the clay. Whether
or not that effective grader was
one of the big batch purchased
by commissioner Penttila, the
Rip-saw has not been definitely
informed.
Reports are coming down from
New independence and North
land townships that county COM
missioner Becks occasionally dis
t,lrbs a human landmark up
there and establishes a new one.
John Fierem. a scholarly pion-
eer, recently was tumbled out Of
his job as road foreman and B.
E. Berkland put in his place.
Mr.. Fjerem held the position
of road foreman in New Inde-.
pendence four years. He was a
firm friend Of former commits
sioner Kauppi, his scholarly at
tainments fitting in nicely with
Col. Kauppi's fine personality"
Mr.. Fjerem also was a faithful
and effective scatterer Of cam
paign cards for his royal high
ness, Konge Odin.
It is understood that Mr.. Fjer-
EN- now will devote all his time
and energy to the pulpwood
business, in which he also has
had special experience.
The Rip-saw once told the
story about the time Konge Odin
and Col. Kauppi went up into
Northland township in the deer.
hunting season and were enter
tanned at the home of good far
mer Harris and how farmer Har-
ris shot a deer for his guests.
They, in turn, gave him con-
tract to pull stumps to the am
ount of $125. Farmer Harris
made oath a few days later that
the work was completed and
drew his pay from kindly old st.
Louis county. Then he pulled
the stumps the next spring, after
he had rested up all winter and
when he was strong and vigor-
GUS. >...
It is stated that farmer Harris
had bought a horse and from
one Goldberg, a Duluth horse
merchant, and was without
money to meet his payment. The
stump contract met his needs
very nicely.