The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-07
PASS UP OPPORTUNITY
Fargo Business Men Are Going After
the Small Things, Says Moor
head News.

Moorhead News, Oct. S.: The run
ming OF the new fast mail on the Great
Northern by way of Breckenridge and
Casselton, cutting out this point and
Grand Forks. has raised a storm of
protest at Fargo and Grand Forks, and
the commercial clubs are up in arms
against the present order OF things.
The disturbing element in the
coast situation today is the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st. Paul railway, which
is openly advertising the fact that
their new line is 200 miles shorter 30
the coast than the other northern
roads. They will not be in shape for
fast running over their new line until
a year from the the present time.
Meanwhile the Great Northern has
realized the danger to It's prestige and
is hustling. They have got to make
the time in order to hold the valuable
u. 8. mail contracts. In order to do
this the @. N. must shorten its line.
One OF the first moves in this direc-
ton is the new line which is to be built
from Ayr, a little north OF Casselton
to Minot. This new cut-oIf will save
from forty to fifty miles and it's con-
struction win mean that all of the fast
trains, both passenger and freight. and
all the heavy traffic, will so by that
route, which will carry 1t through Cas-
SETON and Breckenridge.
Now, IL the commercial club Of Far
go, instead of going after one train,
would unite it's energies and go after
a line from Fargo or HARDWOOD to Ayr,
1t would mean that Fargo would re-
main on a great transcontinental
route, for the line by way OF Fargo
and Fergus Falls is ten miles shorter
to st. Paul than the Casselton line,
and the short line needed between Far
go and Ayr would give a straight shoot
to Minot Not only this, but this short
link would bring an empire to Fargo's
door, for there are vast developments
going on in northern North Dakota and
in the Canadian northwest. Under
conditions as they exist today the trade
OF that vast empire, as we'll as the
coast trade is going around Fargo eth
err by the Casselton branch and the
500 road to the west or by the North
ern Pacific Winnipeg line and the 500
to the east.
Now, why does not the @. N. build
this cut-off from Fargo to Ayr since
it would mean a saving Of ten miles
and would take in two good cities? In
the first place, though. this line Is
shorter. the grade is heavier than by
the Breckenridge line, and trains can
make Just as fast time via Brecken-
ridge as via Fergus Falls. m the Sec
ond place, the wholesale interests Of
st. Paul and Minneapolis are dead
against 1t. because it would be the one
vital thing needed to establish Fargo
as big center Of trade. The twin cit
les are exploiting the northwest for
their benefit-they do not care to see
! big wholesaling point spring up In
this locality.
Grand Forks Is bound to be cut out
N the coming big strife for coast trade,
It Is too far north Bur Fargo has d
chance provided she does not let it
slip by. The line 10 Ayr to connect
with the proposed cut-off to Minot is
he solution.
Moorhead has no big wholesale in |
.erests to be affected, but she is bound
10 suffer with Fargo Ii this chance Of
staying on the big trans continental
route il not taken advantage OF
A fast mail train is nothing cornpar-
ID with the possibilities In sight from
he Fargo to Ayr proposition.