The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-01-26
The Way They Do 1t up North"

growth of the numerous towns in what
is termed as the great wheat belt coun-
trv of the Northwest, and il has been
pointed out as one of the seven wonders
how they make such magnitic ent cities
in so short time. A little light has
been thrown upon this matter by the
Duluth Tribune, and that the people of
this section may post themselves rs to
how thew get such wonderful! growth,
We give some pointers:
The Tribune says that figures can be
made to lie like political campaign doc.
uments. rs an investigation Of those
given On the growth of Fargo In last
Sundays "boom" edition of the Argus
will clearly demonstrate. That paper
contained thirty six pages, or ZIG col.
umns, Of what it was pleased to call
facts and figures" showing last years
growth of the little town out near Moor
head. Whether the Argus, like the
school boy, "iorgot" to give totals, or
WAS ashamed to, or afraid to, or whether
the little journalistic conscience it has
would not allow it, we cant say. 1t
simply said, in headlines, "a few more
structures erected the past season would
have made the total amount expended
on buildings $a,OOG,0OO;" and then it
remarked, in an introduction to de.
tailed list of new buildings and improve
ments: MANY of the blocks mentioned
contain several stores and large mum.
Der owing to the size of the metropolis
must necessarily have been overlooked
among the thousand or twelve hundred
new structures, but the number men,
toned below make grand showing"
The 7ribune being naturally curious to
know how near the number Of new
buildings came to 81, 900 or 1900" and
how near the cost Of them came to "$2,.
900, 000," took the trousle to carefully
foot up all the .irgus' figures, with this
result: The whole number Of build.
ings erected, on the argus authority
was 20S; and the total amount expend-
ed on them and on all other improve
ments WAS $l,O44,9O0. "A few more"
would have made the amount $1,000
800 would they! Almost rs many more
rs you have given would. And the
1000 to 1900 new structures" Of your
exaggerated introduction is reduced in
fact to 20S.
After scoring and showing up the
Argus in an unenviable light for send
ing broadcast over tho country docu-
ment so loaded down with falsehoods
over the growth of Fargo, the Tribune
proceeds to apply the lash for the wan.
ton manner in which the Fargo editor
lies about the cost OF residences. The
Argus claims that sixteen structures
cost from $4,000 to 5000, which can
safely be put down as containing just
about as much truth as the 81. 200 to
1,2OO building" - about one-fOurth
truth and three-fourths falsehood. But
this sort of persistent lying about the
growth of towns and developments OF
country is what has induced many a
poor man to sacrifice largely ON his
property for the sake of catching the
wealth that floats about in the air" up
that country, and probably will con-
tinue to do so until the truth shall be
thoroughly spread among the people.
Those who have homes in Southern
Minnesota should feel doubly thankful
and those who are seeking locations
should come here and prospect before
going into country that has so little
to commend it and so much to con-
denim 1t. Here the truth answers to
convince anyone of the great natural
advantages offered for building a de-
lightful home and making u compe.
tcncy, while in the Northern Pacific
country all kinds OF exaggerations are
resorted to 10 induce people to settle
there. But that section Of country can
truthfully be likened to powder with a
lighted match applied,-a flash in the
pan. From the numerous and heavy
failures reported in several towns, it is
evident that the "flash" has come, and
something worse may be expected to
follow.