The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1920-12-16
ShOVELING bee
A BIG SUCCESS
ANSWER CALL OF MAYOR IN
GRAM FOR VOLUNTEERS TO
FILL ARMORY GROUNDS
WORKERS ARE VERY WELL FED
PROFESSIONAL MEN, BUSINESS
MEN, BANKERS AND CLERKS
ALL SHOVEL

Standing shoulder to shoulder, be-
grimed with dirt and cinders and
CARRIED in everything from overalls
to jack-boots, more than hundred
citizens of Sank Centre, doctors
lawyers, mechants, clerks, laborers,
and just ordinary newspaper men,
answered the call of Mayor Ingram
for volunteers last Friday to aid in
filling in of the grounds around the
new armory building to help beauti-
fly the premises of Sank Centres lat
est public edifice.
And there was no "black- shaking"
on the job at any stage Of the game.
The various crews assigned to tie
several "jobs'' tackled their trick
at the shovel with equal vim and en-
ergy sticking until the shadows of
night put stop to the work.
Over on the armory grounds, UNI
loading wagons and filling in the
"chinks" was crew composed OF
city officials and business men work.
ing under the supervision of Street
Commissioner George Rice.
Out in the "pit" back of the old
foundry, was a motley crew engaged
in the process of loading" the wa
CONS with old foundry sand. This
aggregation was composed of repre-
sentatives from about every business
house in town with an occasional
medical man present to attend to the
ailments of the "softer" of the sex.
1t was in the pit" that the larg-
est crew was necessary and wagon
load after wagon load Of sand was
sent out during the day without a
hitch in the proceedings, each wa
gon crew endeavoring to put over
the largest load in the least possible
time.
@That crew is worth hundreds of
dollars" one old timer informed the
bunch, judging his estimation by the
unprofessional manner in which the
boys swang the shovel. Lame backs
and sore arms there were in all of
the workmen, but the spirit of civic
pride prevailed and there was no
"welching" from any source.
During the morning hours the var
ious crews made canvass of the
town and gathered up all of the
ashes available to make foundation
for the Cling Each ash owner
was soaked dollar a load, and in
the course of the morning the sum
of $29 was collected and turned in to
the shot dog" stand at the armory
where hot lunch was available to
the men at all times.
In the afternoon the time was en-
tirely given over to hauling sand
for the filling and this was covered
with black dirt, resurrected from
another source by third crew.
The whole idea of tackling this
Improvement work originated last
Tuesday evening at meeting OF
the San Souci Club. The matter was
Immediately communicated to the
Commercial Club and through them
to the mayor who made his request
for help in last weeks issue OF the
Herald.
In the mess room at the armory,
a squad detailed for the work by
Captain Sparkes of the Machine Gun
Company, saw to the lunch end OF
the game. Here sandwiches, cakes
and hot coffee were served through
out the day, the hot coffee acting as
a ''bracer' to many lame back.
The owners of teams and trucks
were ulusually active on the occa-
sion, and at no time was their a
shortage of hauling facilities: Team
sters were plentiful, some experienc-
ed and some inexperienced, but the
work went on without halt,
About the time. the days work
was finished. one over enthusiastic
member of the city forse suggested
that the mayor use the same plan
of action WIN it comes to fill in and
grade the city streets" Everybody
agreed that the plan was great, but
the applause received by the speak
err was not SO enthusiastic.