The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1917-11-14


If the Bemidji band before the pub
tic, which the paper did yesterday,
It brought results quicker than the
most sanguine expectation, for the
city council last night voted 5000 out
Of the municipal band fund.-" which
will be turned over to the organiza-
tion to assist it in giving Bemidji q
first class band. In last years tax
levy was $500, levied for municipal
under which comes
the support Of the city band. All
Of this has not been placed in the
fund as all taxes are not in, but
there is sufficient at present to al
low the 5000. Every member of the
was in favor of assisting the
band and the vote for the appropria-
ton was unanimous.
The meeting was uneventful, but
some interesting matters came up for
discussion.
Throw Mail In Ditch.
One of these was the manner in
which the Fifth ward (still Nymore
to the postal authorities) receives
it's mail. 1t came out when Alder
man Smith broached the subject of
a light at crossing of the M. & I.
railroad, it being brought out that
it is at this crossing the mail is de-
livered from the train. The mail
sack is thrown from the mail car
while the train is in motion and
when it gets dark in the winter the
sack frequently lands in ditch or
any old place, and the man who con-
veys the mail from where 1t is
thrown to the Fifth ward office is
obliged to crawl into the ditch or
hunt it up elwhere.
Would Abolish P. o.
Alderman Lahr said he was not
opposed to the light but thought the
Nymore postoffice should be abolish
ed and free delivery for the FIFTH
ward be made from the Bemidji Of
flee.
Alderman Smith of the Fifth re.
marked that II they could get free
delivery he would be glad to cut out
having the light. He stated that
the light was badly needed when 1t
got dark early and thought the light
ought to be provided until free de-
livery was established and then take
the light down.
City Attorney Brown broached
the need of light where the rail-
road track goes into the Crookston
company's yard, asserting
that it was dark and dangerous. He
told of an auto owner getting mixed
up with a bunch of box cars while
the cars were being switched and as
a result the railroad settled with
the man.
President Clark asked how the
could make that kind
Of a mail delivery-throwing off the
mail as explained.
"Some" Delivery.
Alderman Smith stated the mail
had always been delivered in that
fashion.
"Seems strange that the mail
should be thrown into a ditch, y
calculated President Clark.
Cant see the man who goes for
the mail in the dark" explained
Smith.
Lahr-"They ought to get rid Of
that postoffice. AS it is now we have
to pay three cents to send a letter
to the Fifth ward and they have to
do the same to Bemidji. St. Cloud
has free delivery all over the city
while here they have only delivery
where there are walks"
No Walks No Delivery.
Smith--"We took it up once but
as we didn't have enough walks we
couldn't get the delivery. am GER
tain the people would favor free de-
livery. Everybody has to go to the
postoffice now: We could have a
sub-station for stamps, etc., and do
away with the postoffice."
Joanis said he favored the free
delivery for the Fifth, and also be-
lieved the two lights mentioned
should be installed. He said the
bank was too high at the point Mr..
Brown mentioned, preventing 6 auto
mobile drivers from seeing the cars.
He said he had close call once with
cars backing toward him while he
was in an automobile.
Coal for Library. -.
The subject Of coal for the public
library was also brought up. The
city always estimates the amount Of
coal needed for use of the library
and had provided for heating the
library this winter. However, with
the occupancy of the basement by
the Red Cross and the change in the
hours of opening and closing the
coal supply has already sustained a
big dent. It is estimated that along
in January more coal will have to
be purchased and the question was
whether it was up to the city to buy
coal for the Red Cross or not, that
is, whether the city could spend
money for something that was not
connected with municipal affairs.
President H. M. Clark gave it that
a delay be taken until the coal sup
ply is lower and then see how best
to solve the problem. Everyone
aao,aod anxin1ls to assist the Red