The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-02

run-one to the mouth Of the Wild
Rice, one to the mouth of the Elm,
and several others, one notably to
point four miles north of Moorhead,
where several people settled and which
afterward became known as Bogusville
on account of the fake tactics Of the
engineers. 1t was in 1871 that the
crossing was finally located and Fargo
and Moorhead sprang into existence.
The history of the two towns Is so
closely interviewer as to almost be one.
Naming t Two Cities. FL,
AT a meeting of the directors of the
Puget Sound Co., in New York on
Sept. %, 1871, Fargo and Moorhead
received their names, Fargo being
christened in honor of William G..
Fargo of the Wells Fargo Express Co.,
and Moorhead in honor Of William G.
Moorhead of the Northern Pacific di-
rectorate. Prior to this time, however,
postoffice had been established in
Fargo under the name of Centralia.
In December, 1871, the road was COM
pleted to the river and on, the twelfth
of that month the first engine reached
the stream. 1t was a great day in the
]
now this part of the country was in
connection with the east from whence
came the early settlers, leaving the
old ties to start lives in the great
northwest and reclaim it, But de-
spite their optimism, 1t is doubtful If
they realized what a great change
would be wrought in thirty seven years
both in the country and the railroad.
1t is still a matter of record that
this first engine was manned by Wash
ington Snyder, engineer, and Alex
/ Gamble fireman. The locomotive drew
snow pillow in charge of Capt. r. HI.
Emerson. Later the line was built
across the Red and for number of
years Fargo was the terminus Of the
line. This was owing to the panic of
1873, which threw the Jay Cooke Co.,
then promoters of the road, into bank
ruptcy. Nothing was done until 1878,
when twenty miles of line was built
from Fargo to Casselton.
1 From that time on through many
| financial and material difficulties the
road labored until 1883, when the last
spike was driven and the road was. at
last complete from the lakes to the
Pacific ocean. In Fargo the complet-
ing of the line was the occasion of a
great celebration. Henry Willard was
then president of the road and a large
arch was built across the tracks from
the Headquarters hotel, which was
then the depot and occupied the site
on which the Northern Pacific block
now stands, on the east side Of Broad
way and just north of the tracks. This
/ arch was Of beautiful design and was
called the Willard arch in honor of the
railroad president under whose admin
; istration the line was finished.
i Was Division Point.
Until the fall of 1908 Fargo was tn,
division point and the headquarters fol
the officers of the Fargo division. I
was the end of the run for the crews
Of the Minnesota division and the HON.
OF the officials, train and engine crews
and the shop and undhouse men o
the Fargo division and still continues
: to be the home of most of these de
Ispite the fact that The actual division
Is located at Dilworth, Mimi.
The moving Of this division poin
was made necessary because of tn
lack of room for the increase of tn
. Switching ydEuS dhA OlHSE HcCSSSdI.
expansion. The roundhouse and shops
when the division was located in Fargo
were situated at the west enc Of towr
Many of these buildings are still
standing The old roundhouse Is bein
used as a shop by Bowers Bros, wher
they have located their sash and doc
factory.
n The n. r. Depots in Fargo. II
When one pas the present prett
Northern Pacific passenger station
3 Especially IL that person has come |
!. Fargo since the building was com
. Ipleted, he does not stop to think {
y 1.-THE various buildings which hay