The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-23

LARGO is the county seat of Cass
county, North Dakota. The city
was named for William c. Fargo,
a Northern Pacific stockholder and
one of the founders Of the Wells-Fargo
Express company. The county was Or
ganzied in 1874 and named for zen.
Lewis Cass. The county is the largest
in area of any in the Red river Vahey
of North Dakota, and has an assessed
valuation of nearly $15,OO0,Ooo. Inc
county has a population of 2S,625, by
the census of 1900, a gain during the
decade Of 9,012. Every county IN the
state. however, showed a gain during
the same period whereas South Dako-
ia had a decrease in twelve counties.
Prior to 1871 the site of the present
thrifty citv was a grove along the
banks of the Red river, with trees
slightly encroaching upon the limitless
prairie In anticipation of the coming
of the railway the town Of Moorhead
had been established, on the Minnesota
side, and the first structures by white
men in the present metropolis or the
state on the west side of the river were
built ~ the construction crews of the
Northern Pacific railway. The growth
in the first years was slow, but IN ten
years Fargo had attained to the dignity
of possessing a street railway system,
a horse car line running from the Man
itoba depot down Broadway and along
Front street, and out on Ninth. The
car in the picture shown elsewhere
occupying the site of the present
Northern Pacific depot. A new trolley
system has been given franchise, and
the work of construction will soon be
under way.
Tributary to Fargo is region OF
Edenic fertility. Wheat is still the
great crop, the yield this year in Cass
county ranging from fifteen to thirty
bushels, despite adverse conditions,
due to excessive rainfall When 1T Is
known that the county has 259 miles
of main and branch lines Of four differ
ent railway systems, exclusive OF sixty
seven miles of side track. 1t is needless
to say more than that the county has
excellent and convenient shipping ia
cilities. Fargo, however, has back of
it more than Cass county; 1t is the rec
ognized financial and commercial CEN
ter of the state.
In the transition of frontier region
into a live and progressive common
wealth, Fargo has been a shining eX-
ample of the right use Of brains and
energy. The production of bread, but
ter and meat, the staple food products
of the world, the most solid and relia-
W
Fargo depends upon for its prosperity.
The city has not yet entered upon
career of manufacturing, but as dis
tTibuting point for machinery and
other commodities, it takes leadership
in the Northwest; indeed, 1t ranks as
the third place in the country in ham
ding of farm implements, nearly ev-
cry important concern in the land haV-
ing branch offices and warehouses here.
oY0 a a h
wholesale stores with business this
year estimated at more than $1,000,000
for each 1000 inhabitants There are
six banking institutions with deposits
close to 100000, while the clearing
house will show transaction this year
of $50, 100000, a record no other city of
the same population in the United
States can equal. The principal mer-
camille houses would do credit to the
larger cities, most Of the concerns hav-
ing developed from small beginnings.
During the years to come there will be
room for similar growth in scores of
other cases here, while throughout the
country tributary to Fargo will call for
} new business establishments to keep
: pace with rural growth. To the cap
italist the whole region is most at
tractive. To provide homes and bust
L ness places in Fargo there opens up an
a viewpoint for the whole state. There
is a government land Office here, and
companies owning or having for sale
lands in all parts of the state have Of
fees here. All parts of the state can
be reached quickly by rail, twenty-six
passenger trains coming and going ev-
cry day.
Municipality, the city is strongly or
gained and well governed. The city
has twelve miles of paved streets, fifty
six miles of sidewalks, sixteen miles
of water MAINS owns the water works
and operates them at profit, has four
teen miles Of sewers and the streets are
lighted by gas and electricity. 1t is
not claimed that Fargo is a sanity
city, but morally 1t is far ahead Of
other Western places of equal size.
The prohibitory law is observed, which
cannot be said of some other places
in the state, but then Moorhead with
open saloons is easily reached So
called flag wagons" running between
the two. Gambling is, perhaps, more
public in Fargo than in the Twin Cities,
but law and order prevail. The public
schools rank in efficiency of instructors
and character of work done with any
in the land. There are six ward build
ings and a high school, employing fifty
teachers and caring for over 1000 pu-
pills. The Fargo college is Congrega-
tional school well endowed, which, with
the Academy Of the Sacred Heart,
a Catholic institution, enjoys large at
tendance. The State Agricultural col
: lege is also q Fargo institution, with an
attendance this year of nearly 800 stu
dents This college, together with the
State Experiment station, is one Of the
foremost in the land, President Worst