The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-06-22
N. D. ENTHUSIASTS FOR
GOOD ROADS GATHER
FOR THREE DAY SESSION

Continued From Page One.
of cars. Abraham Lincoln wrote and
| signed his famous emancipation procla-
/ nation by the light of kerosene lamp,
and James A. Garfield never talked
through a telephone. We thought the
| highest limit had been reached In the
way of achievements in the twentieth
/ century, but in the few years of the
present century many great inventions
I nave been made. For instance, the air
has now been conquered. You can
go back 1000 years and the road build
/ ing OF those years far surpassed any
of this period"
| President Hunters Response.
! In introducing President Hunter, who
! delivered the response to Mayor Low
ellis welcome. President Worst said
that two years ago the Good Roads
| association was formed at Larinore
and that one Of its greatest enthusiasts
was A. l. Hunter of Grand Forks, who
had been its first and second president,
and he spoke in words of praise of
Mr.. Hunters work.
| President Hunter said: 1T assure
! you l am not to blame for being on
your programme this morning; your
estimable President Worst is respon-
sible, and / trust you will punish him
accordingly But / do feel grateful to
him for the selection of my subject. 1t
seems such an easy one, for am sure
we all feel like responding to the
magnamimous welcome extended to us
| by your honored mayor, and on be-
half of the visitors assembled here to-
| day, | want to assure your honored
mayor that his welcome has been ac-
| cepted in the same generous spirit as
given and we trust our meeting in
Fargo will be a pleasant and profit
able one for us all.
| Our coming together has been for
the purpose of discussing a very live
and vital question,-that of good roads
and with your permission, l will give
you brief history of our organiza-
ton, and in doing so I may reflect on
the progressiveness of the Fargo and
Grand Forks commercial clubs. for it
was the Commercial club of Larimore
"a little town of less than 1900 peo-
| pie upin Grand Forks county-that
| first realized the Importance and con-
/
good roads convention in North Dako-
ia, and on June 3, 1908, they called to-
| gether, financed, and entertained that
convention. Anthony Stenehouse,
president of their commercial club, act
ing as chairman, at this meeting, an
organization was affected and named
the North Dakota Good Roads asso-
citation, committee appointed, officers
elected and so forth,-myself named as
president, and Ed Litton of Larimore,
secretary.
June 16 and II, 1909, a second
meeting of this association was held
in the same place, promoted and man.
aged by this same Commercial club,
but greatly assisted this time by our
present secretary. The city of Lari-
more expended at this meeting for
programmes, demonstrative work, etc.
about $1,000. This meeting was large
ly attended and on account of the in
teresting subject and some of the elo-
quent addresses, namely, those of our
governor and President Worst, great
interest was manifested and the meet
ing pronounced decided success,
Many resolutions were passed and /
think much good came from that
meeting
1.-THE same officers were elected for
another year, guaranteed the same
moral support; but unfortunately no
provision was made for any financial
support. For this reason the good peo-
pie of Larimore noted for their gem
erosity, concluded that such a good
thing should be passed around, so early
last spring the secretary began look
ing for place to hold this convention.
Having had two meetings in Grand
Forks county we did not want to hold
the third in Grand Forks after naming
ourselves North Dakota's Good Roads
association so naturally our attention
was turned to Fargo and to them we
appealed for a helping hand and the
measure of our success and the wis
dom of our choice is attested by the
attendance here today.
such. in brief is the history of our
organization; and while we have done
some things, there are still many un-
done, and I trust before this meeting
adjourns, we will do some of these
many things.
This is indeed a great work. the
subject of good roads, a very live is
sue, and the state of North Dakota al
most, If not quite, in the rear of the
procession of this great movement
Even the south, generally the last to
be aroused, has accepted this as a
great work, and every state in the
south has appropriated from 500 to
one and a half millions of dollars, an
nually, in addition to their 4,4O0 con-
victs which are compelled to do road
work"
Mr.. Hunter then told of what other
state are doing and in conclusion said:
And now. my friends, let US. hope
and trust that the two days we expect
to spend among you may be of mutual
benefit, and our presence a source
of pleasure and profit We desire
to thank your mayor and all those
associated with him in the upbuilding
of this community the greatest meas
ure OF success, and we wish your city
the greatest degree of prosperity in
the future. And now again, Mr..
Mayor. on behalf of this Good Roads
association. allow me TO thank you
most heartily for your kind address
of welcome"
President Worst Talks.
President Worst said he thought the
material of North Dakota was inst