The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-31
CLUB OPENS SEASON
WITH DISCUSSION
Of new WORK
Membership Campaign Will
Be Waged by CONNER
cial Organization

Development Of the city of Grand
Forks along the best lines possible waa
the subject considered at the banquet
given by the Grand Forks Commercial
club Monday evening. The banquet
was the preliminary to q general
membership campaign that will be
waged by the club. and 1t also marks
the opening Of the seasons activities
upon the part of the Organization.
Interesting addresses were made by
several speakers, President Lewis Betz
Of the st. Paul Commercial club, Louis
D. Sampson of Town Development OF
Chicago. and Will L. Finch of the
same publication, were the special
speakers during the evening. and sew
eral others also were called upon:
While details have N been worked
out as yet the campaign for new
members will be a vigorous one and
will be made with a view to enrolling
every business nan Of the city as q
member.
Next week the club will commence
its series of bi-weekly dinners which
proved * popular last year.
Awakening of Cities.
The first speaker of the evening was
President Louis Betz Of the St. Paul
a very interesting manner on the
awakening that has been going on IN
| cities all over the country which is
finding its expression in civic I'M
provement and the development OF
cities along all lines. The need OF
civic awakening was pointed out at
the result of a condition of affairs that
years ago, said the speaker. only
per cent Of the people lived in cities.
now 40 per cent or nearly half live
in cities Of 5000 population or over.
In other words. we have become an
urban rather than a rural population
| This means that the city Is now COM
PEELED to take yer functions that were
never thought Of in cities q hundred
years e. Then the individual look
| ed after recreation, health. ETC., all OF
| which have now become thu activities
| Of the we'll governed city.
In this development, 1t Is highly
important that the commercial man
and the business man take a profound
interest. The big thing is to build for
the future. Mr.. Betz went on to cite
examples showing how cities which
had failed in the past to build for the
future were not realizing their mis-
take. The more congested cities are
finding the need for breathing space
for the 'lungs of the city," as they are
called, that much Of the work of past
decades is being torn down to provide
SuCn spaces. Inc ACTIVITY Ol d wei
organized and capable board of health,
declared the speaker, is one of the
most valuable assets of the modern
| city.
Mr.. Betz said that while he was not
acquainted to my great extent with
conditions in North Dakota, he was
certain of one thing and that was that
Grand Forks would some day be a
great city. With such immense fields
Of fertile soil. there could be drawn
nc other conclusion. These fields. he
said. will produce thir valuable prod
uct long after the mines Of Montana
are gone.
The speaker protested against the
erection of s~kyscrapers. He said that
manner ! n which Grand Forks was be-
ing built up. He complimented the
people of the city on the architecture
Of the new city hall. Calling attention
to the fact that it harmonizes well
with that Of the postoff1ce building
Mr.. Betz said in closing that he wa.
glad to bring to the Grand Forks
st. Paul Commercial organizations and
hoped that the city would make al
rapid strides in the future as it has II
the past.
Civic Patriotism Needed.
Louis d. Sampson. editor Of the
Town Development, a Chicago pub
LEGATION devoted to the upbuilding o.
cities. was next introduced and spok.
briefly. making way for a more ex'
tended address by his associate, Mr.
Finch. Mr.. Sampson said hat he fell
that the citizens Of American citie'
did have patriotism. but that the.
needed means to express It. He fell
that the Commercial club was tn,
means Of expression. Actually Gran.
Forks ia a splendid city. but potential
ly 1t is a great city. To make
greater city one OF the most effectiv,
means, according to Mr.. Sampson, Il
the development Of interest on tn,
! part Of business men and Commercial