The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-01
DID FORKS WORK
DOUBLE CROSS?
1T IS CLAIMED SOME SMOOTH
STUNTS HAVE BEEN PULLED
OFF BY THE PEOPLE IN CITY
DOWN THE RED-BIsMARck
TRIBUNE ARISES TO REMARK.

Some time ago Commissioners Of
Agriculture Gilbreath Issued a circu-
lar letter to the commercial organiza-
tons of the different cities of the
state suggesting an industrial show
for the state in the town that made the
best bid.
1t was understood that Grand Forks
and Fargo were not enthusiastic over
the proposition on the theory that It
would injure the state fairs held in
those towns.
According to a letter received by
The Forum from a man who is on the
inside, Grand Forks is working the
double cross on Fargo. The paragraph
referring to this is as follows:
THE Forum has the wrong end of
the string when 1t publishes that
Grand Forks is against the proposed
industrial show. Those fellows are
slipping one over on Fargo in good
shape and are going after the show
with all their might and money. The
Forkers have deceived the Fargo bunch
beautifully and are trying to continue
1t till they land the show. They finally
induced "Gil" (meaning the commits
sioner) to hold the bids open till Mon
day next, so as to give them further
time. Mr.. Lander of Grand Forks
claims he never told the Fargo Com
mercial club that the Forks was
against the show, and such state
ment was originated and circulated by
the Fargoans without his consent"
The Bismarck Tribune seems to
have a similar idea and in Wednes-
days issue had the following editorial:
And now 1t appears that when
Grand Forks was not successful in
smothering the greatest advertising
proposition that North Dakota ever
attempted, they had made up their
minds there is but one place to hold
the agricultural exposition and land
show and that is in Grand Forks. Fine
spirit. In the first place 1t is no good
and we do not want it, then when
other towns see the value of it Grand
Forks wants it. Rather a dog in the
manger sort of an idea. There is,
however, no good reason why the
show should go to Grand Forks or any
Red river valley town. There are
many reasons why it should not. In
the first place it would be impossible
w SSA representative eAHlDlL as
some portions OF the state are too far
from the Forks and the expense of
shipping there would be too great.
The same fact concerns the attend
ance. Bismarck is ideally located so
far as railroad connections are con-
cerned. 1t can be reached very handi-
ly from every part of the state and
as cheaply from the west as from the
east II the show were to be held in
the eastern part of the state it would
mean that the exhibits from the Cold
en- valley would have to pay many
times the amount to get their stuff
before the people than would the ex-
hibitors from Cass county. There is
also the proposition of getting the
people who come here from outside Of
the state to see what the country
really is to be considered. If the fair
were held in the eastern part of the
state only a narrow strip OF country
well settled and where land COM
mands high price would be seen,
while If the fair is held in the central
or western part of the state the Wis
itors would travel over hundreds OF