The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-01-26
ONE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS
cities In the UnIted states Has N'ith"r u
saloon Nor Gambling House.

NlAiFH III Aub ihiAfh 'a- ~ iAh''
saloon Nor Gambling House.
Comparative statistics show that
Fargo, North Dakota, is one of the most
prosperous cities i'm the United States
IL had, in 1898, "A wholesale trade OF
over S9,0000O0. On the last day OF that
year the banks of Fargo had Sl,659,1l
80 subject TO check. The clearing
house had handled Sl4,GU, Si9.OS. The
post-oflice Melted the department. over
all expenses 52},5O1U9, and the Western
Union Telegraph Office hanll'd liIlSJ
commercial messages.
Farg1's growth has been rapid Thirty
years .., Inc and on which Fargo now
stands ", q Indian reservation. Sit
ting Bun, ... famous Indian chief, was
in command 30 the reservation. The
United States ,.,. not prize the terri
tory as a valuable ,-ssession. An Oil
cial report published at that tim, stated
that it was an "dlkali desert, unfit for
the habitation of men, scarcely tit for
the wild buffalo and still wilder In
dian" But this "dlkaIi desert has
proven the finest wheat growing region
of the world The delta of the Nile is
not more productive than the valley OF
lllt ItNl lNlNtI VI blC ANOl VIZ
The "akal desert of thirty years
ago contains one-slXteenth OF the wheat
acreage and p 0 luces one-t%elfth OF al
the wheat of the United States. The
city of Fargo has reaped the richest
fruits of the country in It's development.
1t is the third city IN Importance IN the
world as a wholesale center for farm I'M
plements. Three of the greatest rail.
way systems of the United States give
direct service and enable the city to
handle 800 tons of freight every day IN
the year.
Natural developments, however, dc
not alone account for Fargo's great
prosperity. There are other towns IN
in that section just as well situated
with Just as many natural advantages
and commercial opportunities that are
tagging far behind Fargo. When North
Dakota became an independent state,
constitutional revision was made de
claring that no liquor should be sole
within its boundaries. Some places en-
forced the law while others did not
Fargo had saloons until four years ago
when its mayor Mr.. j. A. johnson, un
dertooll to enforce the law. He me
with the bitter opposition that all re
formers do, but he was determined t.
run the city without any revenue iron
the liquor traffic" and a reference tt
statistics is all that is necessary tC
show how well he has succeeded. Whel
the saloons were drivei. out of Farg
it was predicted that the town wouIt
die: that business would be Frustrated
that rents would go down, the building
remain vacant, etc. There was More
head, Minnesota, just across the rive
from Fargo with 40 saloons, each pawn
license of $500. IL contained equa
advantages with Fargo in the way {
transportation facilities, location an
other resources. But with the fou
years trial of absolute enforced prohibl
ton, Fargo has acquired its presen
wonderful prosperity. 1t has increase
in population within that time NOR
than six times as fast as Morehead.
More than $1,000, 900 has been eXpenc
ed in buildings in Fargo within the pas
three years, and there is not vacar
house or store in the city that Is at a
desirable. The tax rate for the runnln
expenses of Fargo has been reduced
per cent within the last four years, no
withstandmg the many munlclnal III
provements that have taken place, sue
as the building of new streets, pave
ments, sewerage, etc.
Statistics show the per capita tax
Fargo to be smaller than that of almos
any city in the United States. III
bonded Indebtedness of the city beln
only $3.50 as against $50 So for Toled
Ohio, and S95.73 for Boston, Mass
chusetts During saloon times it did NJ
have a single block of paved street
now there are more than fifteen miles
we'll paved streets, with a complete sy
tenn of sewera e to all parts of the eli
There is not saloon or gambling dc
in the city. People know that it is sa
to invest money there. Ladies al
children may safely appear on the stree
at any hour of the day or night, the
being none to modest them in a tow
run independent of saloon support.