The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-07-02

Were Some Dosgerics.
In the blocks occupied at present
by the Moody and deLendrencie stores
were located the better class Z Of sa-
looms on Front street. Down towards
the river were what might be called
the doggeries, or lower class Of sa-
looms. On N. r. avenue the principal
saloon was located onNthe site of the
present Metropole hotel. There were
other saloons farther down the street.
All of them did a furnishing business
and on wet days they were crowded by
farm hands who came into the city for
a holiday that the rain always brought.
Lost Much Grain.
It is stated by the old timers that
many a thousand bushels Of wheat
was lost each year from this cause.
The farmers all over the state were in
dignant and it was determined that If
possible' the drink business in the
state of North Dakota should be
stamped out Many were the rows and
fights that took place during the time
of the saloons in Fargo. This was
in the early days when the town was
really the wild and woody west" but
ceding the prohibition law the town
had quieted down and the disorderly
element was at least somewhat sub
dued.
There wasn't much of an attempt to
observe anything like Sunday laws, for
the saloon flourished just the same,
only in sine cases the window blinds
were kept closed, and the screens
were drawn little tighter, but the
back door was wide open and in some
cases the front one was never closed.
When the prohibition idea was first
sprung there was a general cry that
the town would go to the bowwows,
and that business calamity after cal
amity would follow. and intense was
the feeling that was engendered.
Discussion Caused Enmity.
yfyeasrdyt- odywintricthe4tyE
Friends became enemies as they dis
cussed the situation and the entire
city was in an uproar whenever the
discussion was brought UP and
brought up it was almost constantly
1t was the subject of discussion night
and day. The ministers discussed 1t
from the pulpits and the business men
very generally were opposed to the
prohibition movement not because
they feared 1t would be the means Of
giving the city such a crushing blow
that it would never recover.
The law was passed by the legislature
of 1890 and became a law on July
of the same year. The older readers
of The Forum will remember that at
first the law was not vigorously OBJ
nj Ia M OF mt
whatever was made to obey its pre-
cepts and commands, but time rolls
round and a new sentiment appeared
with the result that sit became fash
ionable" to observe the law and peo-
pie of all classes assisted the officers
in it's observances. Today, it is believed
that it would be impossible to buy a
drink of Intoxicating liquor in the
city OF, Fargo tsee 8,
One of those who most strenuously
fought the prohibition law was A. L.
Loomis, who was at the time a mem
Der of the state legislature and here is
what he says about it now:
LOOMS Fought It.
'T am very much In favor of the
prohibition law, and ! wouldn't &c
back to the old days for anything
I was a member of the state legisla-
ture when the bill came up for passage
and l was opposed to it--bitterly op-
posed l might say. / was in favor OF
a high license, because / with many
of my fellow citizens, believed that
the city and state as a whole would
not be prosperous without liquor.
remember we were in session for forty
n3rr1aA I1a rNa ccn cra NJ
bill and / did all in my power to kill
it, and get the high license bill through
/ see my mistake now, but I was con-
conscientious then. I want to say thai
today il looks good to me to be able
to walk down the street and see the
best places occupied by first class
business places and not by the saloor
as it used to be in the olden days
We thought that grass would grow or
the streets of Fargo, but how different
1t has all been.
Alex Stern Changed Mind.
Another of those who fought tn,
prohibition law to standstill wal
Alex Stern, one of the republican
nominees for state legislature This
morning he said: Yes, I fought tn,
prohibition idea from beginning tt
the time 1t passed and became law
] felt Just as sure as I was alive tina
the city would be a big loser in ;
financial and general way with pro
hibition. But / changed my mind yer.
soon after the prohibition law wa
passed and the more / see of its work
ings the better am / pleased. I SCI
that made mistake, and am. glat
that we have 1t. Not for anything
would go back to the old days of tn
liquor traffic"
Ex-Mayor Elliott.
ST was here during the old days
and undoubtedly the conditions ar
better with prohibition than in the day
when liquor was easy to get in thi
city. Nov we have one of the fines
and cleanest cities in the United States
and before we had prohibition w
really didn't have much to brag about
Now we haven't vacant bushes
house in the city and very few of an
of the residences are vacant, Yes, pro
hibition is much better for Fargo tina
the liquor traffic"
Councilman Harrington.
Councilman Harrington was aske
for his opinion, and he said: "Fargt
before the days of prohibition wa
what is known as a wide open towi
but ! must say that / didn't notice
great deal Of disorder in those doyi
I have lived here since 1881, and
want to say that the conditions toda