The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-05-24
A THRIVING CITY,

The editor of the Free Press took a
trip TO Fargo, North Dakota, last week
in company with several other Mime
sofa editors, and found one of the
most thriving, metropolitan-like cities
to be found anywhere in this country.
The great fire of 90 which swept the
business portion away, while great
disaster at the time, has proved a
blessing in disguise. The city has
been rebuilt in thoroughly substan-
tial way, and it now possesses brick
blocks that would do credit to city
of %, 600 people.
Fargo has a population of 10000 in
round figures-about the size of Man
kato. Situated as it is on the open
prairie. the enterprise of its citizens
in planting shade trees and building
attractive homes, has transformed it
into beautiful residence spot with
culture and thrift apparent on every
hand. The business and residence
streets are all paved with cedar blocks,
the lawns are kept in s. tidy way, the
sidewalks are good. aud everything
about the city is so clean and thor
oughIy metropolitan as to impress a
stranger most favorably. The bust
ness men are progressive and generous
to a fault. They seem to have but one
end in view, and that is the improve
ment and identifying of the city and
the advancement in every legitimate
way of the material and commercial
interests of the Municipality. 1t is,
withal, well governed city, and this
fact is so apparent to the stranger as
to cause generous commentator.
While Fargo has many advantages
for commercial growth, its prosperous
condition has not been wrought
through idIeness or neglect on the part
of its citizen. They pull together in
all matters affecting its good. There
is nothing, apparently, too great for
it to undertake. One instance, as a
verifcation of this fact, is the erec-
ton of Masonic Temple, to cost up
wards of hundred thousand dollars,
most elaborate and perfect in every de-
tail. 1t is said to be second to no
other structure of its kind in America,
and when completed it will be free
from debt. It was great undertak-
ing for a city the size of Fargo, and it
is not saying too much to assert that
only Fargo would ever have under
taken such task. 1t is a monument
that will stand for years as glowing
tribute to the wonderful push and in
domitable energy Of the people of that
pretty metropolis.
But that which strikes the visitor
to Fargo most forcibly is the ten or
fifteen miles of street paving-a most
exceptional thing to find in city of
ten thousand The Free Press has re-
peatedly called attention to the great
Importance of paved and clearly kept
streets-something sadly wanting in
Mankato. We have a city second to
no other in the northwest in point of
natural advantages, and nothing, to
our mind, would add so much to it's
future as paved streets. 1t would
seem that Mankato had outgrown
muddy streets and untidy highways.
The time has arrived when our citi
zens must realize this fact if we are
not to be outstripped by other and less
important municipalities.
A trip to Fargo would open the eyes
of some of our people, and impress
them with ideas of how to make a
city by the exhibition of little genu-
inc public spirit. A municipality
without paved streets cannon rise
above the dignity of country town.
If we are content to plod along, and
continue to turn deaf ear to street
improvement, we may as well come to
the conclusion that we can never be-
come a city of Importance and attrac-
tiveness 1t matters not however we'll
dressed man may be otherwise, if he
wears pair of dirty, muddy shoes he
is put down as sloven. Our other
wise beautiful city is marred greatly
by the want of attractive streets.