The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-08-07
FLOUR MILL AT DRAKE TO BE
PURCHASED BY THE STATE
Cathr0's Salary Fixed at $4,000 -
Will Receive Twice as Much Salary
as Superior Officer in State Bank.

Bismarck, N. D., Aug. 5.--F. w.
Cathro as director general Of the
Bank of North Dakota will receive q
salary of $4,000 per year.
Action to that effect was taken to-
day by the industrial commission
which also authorized j. A. McGovern
| of Fargo as manager Of the North
Dakota Mill and Elevator association
to make contract for purchase Of a
| l50-barrel per day flour mill at Drake
| N. D., for $4,000
| Mr.. McGovern also was instructed
to proceed with the preliminary work
of engaging engineers, ETC., to deter
mine upon the most feasible plan for
the establishment of the states big
| terminal flour mill and elevator, con-
struction of which is contemplated.
Today's action by the commission
| bears out the preliminary outline of
plans announced by Secretary A. w.
Leuchre of the terminal elevator as
ISOLATION in an interview with press
representatives several days ago. In
fixing Catho's salary at $4,000 per
year the Industrial commission
made no further change in j. R. Wat
| ers' salary, which remains at $4,000.
The bank then is in the position Of
paying only half as much salary to the
record head of the institution that it
pays to the second man in the bank
for that is the relative position of
Waters and Cathro. Cathro's $4,000
salary dates from the time he COM
menced work in Bismarck, several
months ago, according to the commits
sion's action today. The plan to name
five department heads in the bank,
originally outlined, has been dismiss
ed for the time being.
Secretary Oliver Morris said today
that Director General Cathro had rec
commended postponement of this step
as it was inadvisable to incur too great
an overhead expense before the bank
gets fully into operation. Five de-
partment heads suggested in the orig
lnally adopted program of the orpan-
lzation will be paid salaries Of about
$4,000 dollars each according to the
present estimate of the industrial
commission official
Another step taken today in connec-
ton with working out the bank poll
cies was the purchase by the bank
from its deposits. Of S2,000,000 in state
bonds. The transaction by which this
was accomplished was by drawing Of
two checks by Director General CATH
no, one for $1,5O0,O0O, and one for
100000 in favor of the industrial
commission. The bonds were then de-
livered to the bank and the two checks
were Endorsed by Oliver S. Morris, sec
rotary of the industrial commission,
and redeposited in the bank. The bank.
says Mr.. Morris, has received sub
scriptions for about 100000 of bonds
which will be delivered to subscribers
Immediately. The purchase of the
Drake mill was done at Mr.. Meow
ern's recommendation. It will be re-
called, probably, that prior to the last
referendum election, Drake was assur-
ed that the state would purchase the
flour mill there. Toltz, King & Day.
Of Minneapolis, made valuation of the
| Drake Milling Co., fixing it's replace
ment value new at $4O,895.5O and it's
present deprecated value at s32,
928.94, on basis Of present machinery
values. Tom Sanderson. head miller
at the agricultural college experiment
station, fixed the Drake mill value at
$4,000. People of Drake have pledg
! ed to finance the purchase by subscrib
ing for mill and elevator bonds. When
Mr.. McGovern makes the contract for
the purchase of the mill he will sub
NIT it to the industrial commission for
| final approval.
1T is the plan Of the industrial
commission to use the Drake mill as
the basis for our state organization. !"
said Mr.: Morris today. "The organic
alton of our staff will be perfected.
and we will be able to train millers
! for state work and make experiments
4 in the meantime with organization
4 work incident to the establishment Of
the main terminal mill and elevator,
! we Will have an opportunity Of study
ing marketing and other conditions"
Mr.. Morris said it was also planned
TO put the state brand of -four on the
market Immediately the Drake eleva.
tor passes to state ownership.
Experts also reported on valuations
Of flour mills at Paramount, Cakes and
Minot, but the board took no action
on these propositions.