BISMARCK, N. D., Aug. 28.—
(P)—Gov. A. G. Sorlie of North
Dakota, died here this morning.

Death was caused by heart dis-
ease from which the governor has
been critically ill for the past three
days.

Arthur Gustave Sorlie was born
April 26, 1874, near Aiberta Lea,
Minn. His parents were Iver and
Mary Sorlie, natives of Norway.
When he was 19 years old he came
to North Dakota where he worked
in a bank, operated a_ general
store and later became a traveling
salesman.

In 1907 he entered the fuel,
seed and feed busines at Grand
Forks. The enterprise was suc-
cessful and the basis for a con-
siderable fortune which he later
accumulated in other business en-
deavors.,

Despite his extensive interests,
the non-partisan league selected
'him as its standard bearer in 1924
land he won the’ gubernatorial
| election after a hot fight. he was
re-elected in 1926, but did not
seek renomination this year, say-
ling that he desired to retire to
private life at the end of his
term.

The first important act of office
came to Gov. Sorlie when in his
first term he appointed Gerald P.
Nye to the United States senate to
succeed Senator E. F. Ladd who
died in office.

Gov. Sorlie’s death brings to the
executive’s chair Walter Maddock,
the lieutenant governor, who is a
real dirt farmer. He was edu-
eated in the common schools and
business college. Later he studied
law and civil engineering by cor-
‘| respondence.

Since 1906 he has operated a
farm near Plaza and has been
jactive in forming several farmer
cooperative associations. He was
elected lieutenant governor after
serving in the legislature. He was
chairman of the North Dakota del-
egation to the last republican na-
tional convention. Haddock is mar-
ried, and has four sons and a
daughter.
 
WASHINGTON (UPI) — The federal
government says it has spent nearly $2
million improving President Nixon's
homes in Florida and California, all of it
relating to “security.” The expenses
ranged from fire sprinklers to golf carts
for the Secret Service.

The White House also disclosed that
businessman Robert H. Abplanalp, who
helped the President buy his San Clemen-
te, Calif., retreat, has been getting some
money back in the form of rent associated
with Nixon's Key Biscayne, Fla., place.

A month ago the White House had listed
$39,000 in federal funds for improving the
Western White House at San Clemente
since Nixon bought it in 1969.

Last week, after a further search of
record, it raised this figure to $460,302.

On Thursday, General Services
Administration (GSA), the government's
housekeeping agency, said a still more
extensive audit put the total federal ex-
penditure at San Clemente at $703.367 over
four fiscal years beginning July 1, 1969.
This included only the residence there, not
the White House office space.

GSA listed for the first time the federal
expenditure for improvements, equip-
ment, operation and maintenance at the
White House complex at Key Biscayne,
including both residence and office
space-— $1,180,522. -pread over five fiscal
years beginning July ', 1968

Included in the Key Biscayne figure
was $161,463 for renting two heuses in the
complex for the Secret Service and White
House communications staff.

The White House said one of these
houses is owned by Abplanalp and the
other is owned in the name of Edwin H.
Underwood, trustee for the Indiana
National Bank, Indianapolis.

The White House said all of the tax-
payers’ money spent in San Clemente and
Key Biscayne was for security-related
improvements and that all work was done
at the request of the Secret Service, not the
President.
 