The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-04-10

The citizens of Grand Forks, of the
professions. tradesmen and business
men in general, today had an oppor-
tunity of inspecting the affidavit and
complaint of Secretary Wilson, of the
Fargo State Fair Association, filed
with the supreme court. and copies
of which were served yesterday upon
officers Of the Grand Forks State Fair
Association. Many Of the statements
contained in the Wilson affidavit are
so ludicrous as to place their author.
or authors, as the case may be, in
class with Bill Nye and other joke
smiths of lesser renown.
The most laughable portion of the
affidavit which Wilson has pro-
duced, is found in the statement, of
the Fargo Fair. To begin with the
Fargo association bought swamp of
20 acres and in the financial state
ment listed this land as worth the sum
Of $S,659.75. In addition. the sum of
$1,S15 is charged for grading and
ditching; $2,277.90 for building race
course; $4,71S.02 for a plant; (pre-
sumably Wilson's "plant"); $531.24
for water and sewers; $446.40 for Gull
verts; $260.93 for well and we'll house
(water for chasers); 1862 for closet
and toilets and SO on.
On the other hand the Grand Forks
State Fair Association bought and
turned over to the state 76 acres Of
the finest land to be found in the
Red River Valley, high land and
drained both naturally and artificial
ly; built the finest race track in the
state, constructed and graded
pleted every improvement begun by
Fargo, and completed same in much
better and more lasting shape.
But the farcial portion OF the report
is simply this: Fargo in her statement
lists her real estate at $S,659.75 and
then adds to that and makes separate
items of each improvement made
thereon, while the Grand Forks asso-
citation Jumps real estate. race track,
grades, drains, ETC.. all under the total
of $10, 500-abOut a sixty per cent esti-
mate of the actual value of the proper
ty and improvements. AS an example
of the value of the land owned by the
Grand Forks State Fair Association
the association recently attempted to
purchase adjoining land and the low
est offer made was 5000 per acre.
Probably the actual value of the real
estate owned by the Grand Forks as
ISOLATION is $4,000, or double the
value of the swamp which the Fargo
association has seen fit to charge up
as worth $s,659.75.
Hon. j. H. BOsard, who will care
for the interests Of the local associ-
alton in the proceedings instituted by
Fargo, stated to an Evening Times
representative today that practically
every attorney in Grand Forks had
proffered assistance free of charge in
combating the campaign of dirt which
has :blOWn up" from the south.
Several Fargo citizens of promin-
ence. who visited in the city this week,
In reference to the fair suit instituted
at the behest of Wilson, state that the
entire proceeding is looked upon in
many quarters both in Fargo and else
where with disfavor. Citizens of Far
go realize that the scheme is very
largely Wilson dodge and thorough
ly characteristic of the man, of whom
1t was told Grand Forks member of
the board of fair directors. his reputa-
ton for honesty is such that directors
of the Fargo association deemed it
wise last summer to take the matter
of arrangements for the Fargo race
program out of his hands in order to
be assured that the events would be
ION the square,"
The Matter OF Dates.
After several weeks of vain en-
deavor to bring about an equitable
settlement of the date conflict which
has arisen over Grand Forks and
Fargo having settled upon the same