The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-10-03
A GREAT EVENT.

A GREAT EVENT.
Yesterday was suspicious In the mu-
nicipal progress of the city of Grand
Forks. It marked the determination
OF the progressive citizens to build
q street car line in the city. 1t mark
cd, moreover, the change from village
to metropolitan conditions. It Is one
OF the large steps taen which are des-
tined to make Grand Forks the metro
polls Of the state and the gateway
OF tho northwest This enthusiasm
on the part Of the Times over the sue
cesstul elimination Of the fight for
the enterprise. Is not born Of the mo-
nrent. On January %, 1906. less than
. month after the establishment Of the
paper-ft began an agitation In favor
Of the construction of street railway.
Il has kept at it pers1stently ever
since. The Times does not take any
credit to itself for the work. What
ever It has done, II anything. was no
thing more than its duty to the public
which It has sought to serve. But the
suggestion of its advocacy La merely
to indicate that what 1t says now is
not prompted by the flush OF success.
The men who deserve credit from
the people Of the city, and who will
receive their Just merit OF appreciation
in time, are the ones who have labor
ed in season and out Of season to &C.
complish the ends which means so
much to the progress of the commun-
tty. While the city was f1oundering
in the slough of dependency over the
paving question, the public spirit of
the people was much like the streets.
When the question of improvements
was suggested it brought forth a
SILVER. Even when the city council
which has done so much in the build
ing up of the city decided to have
the paving, there were yet fears of
interference and the possibility OF a
tie-up OF the improvement. But when
the danger was past, the public spirit
Of the people arose and they began to
take counsel Of themselves as to the
building of the street car line.
The time in which the matter could
be accomplished was short and If sue
cess was to be assured it meant her
ole work. The company must be or
ganized, the charter from the city
must be secured. and the money to
do the work must be raised. 1t was
. gigantic undertaking and would
have discouraged any but men endow-
ed with lofty purposes and indomit-
bale energy. That the work lies be-
fore us today an accomplished fact,
Is a higher testimonial to the men who
accomplished 1t than words can
portray. 1t is such men that make
cities and states and nations.
The Times has always believed that
the line will be a paying investment
after it is once on its feet. 1t will be
necessary OF course to extend it much
beyond the present plans, but 1t ia
understood that the present plans are
only intended to get the construction
out Of the way of the paving. Once
the line is in operation It will be
found that hundreds Of people will use
II rather than walk, while 1t will take
the place of autos and other means
of conveyance which are now necessi-
ties because of the long distances
Moreover, it will enhance the value
of the property on the outlying streets
by bringing them into communication
with the business sections, SO that
homes can be built on those streets
without all the inconvenience which
those living on the outstreets now sc
well understand
Grand Forks will take a forward
movement from this time on. Be-
fore 1t has been question of new
corners buying costly building lots In
the downtown sections or those On the
outakirts where the Inconvenience
ere far worse than they are in the
country. The street car line over
comes all these obstacles at once and
The city can grow to three times its