The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-02-02
THE TROUBLE With
N|N0T'S BUS|NESSM men
Speakers At Get-to- Gether Dinner Tell How c. n
Ditions Can Be Improved-Minot Destained
To Become Great City

\ Great City
our city. He said that Minot had ar
rived at that stage where 1t would be
either a big hustling city. or . big
overgrown village.
He showed that for years, Minot
struggled along, making little pro-
gress. Twenty-Five years ago the
country mad been settled scarcely at
all. At that time there were but 100
homestead entries in this whole
country and less than half - many
preemptions. altho there were TO-
900 homesteads to be secured in this
part Of he state. tho Land being the
very best too. People didn't realize
s. worth. WAl1o thGRo were mum
it, worth. While there were . nun
ber of rather dry years the people
didn't farm nearly a. well ~ they do
today. In 1887, considered one Of the
dryest years, there were fifteen inches
of rain. enough to produce = good
crop, had the moisture been stored
up. Last year, but nine inches OF
moisture were precipitated in this part
of North Dakota, and yet some very
fair crops were raised in certain local
tiles. In those days, Of course MI
not could not thrive. There were not
enough people in the country. The
financial panic came in 1898 and last
ed for several years. Farm products
brot scarcely anything. Mheat sold
for 40 cents a bushel, good beef stock
sold for two cents a pound. and corn
was so cheap that In the eastern
states, farmers burned 1t for fuel. The
best horses brot but $50 each and Mr..
Murphy bought two cars Of fine oate
At Cando for nine cents bushel,
which he shipped to his ranch. The
times began to improve In 1901, and
this tho Major declares WAS the rein
carnation Of Ninot. Settlers came
into this country by the hundreds and
thousands. They came prepared to
succeed. They had faith in the
country and some money. The old
timers began to make money. Con-
ditions changed. The people could
not help but maks money. Mtnot
began to grow rapidly and substanu-
ally. This condition continued until
1907, whom money loansrx found It
hard to se1l their loans. Then things
slackened up bit. Ainot has been
growing since. steadily. but business
/ IS not forced upon III now as in the
days Of the settlement Of the country.
The Major showed the necessity OF
the business men pulling together. If
one succeeds, tho other has all the
better chance. The business men
should get together and understand
each other better. There is room for
us all. Ceft5ln business men have
no use for the Commercial club, he
declared. They are the tacks and
bits Of broken g1ass TN our path OF
progress Go into any live city in
Canada and you will ind the Board
of Trade or Business Mems club, OF
which 96 per cent Of the business
mon are members.
In Minot from an actual count,
there are rs important business men
and professional men who do not be-
long to the.&lpl. There Is no good
reason why this should be. There il
no good reason Why certain business
men should stand back and reap the
reward Of the efforts put forth by a
bunch of boosters. They themselves
should contribute to the progress OF
the city BY Joining the club.
The Major spoke Of what some OF
our loan agencies have done for Nj
not in the way Of getting foreign
money into this country, which could
be used in the development Of this
section Of the state. He spoke al
length what the club had accomplish
ed in the way Of getting tho normal
school. It was the club that brot the
teachers Of the state here In con-
vention, and they went out and booss-
cd for the Normal. The club reached
out and got the convention Of thu
Federated Women's club Of the state
and they became boosters. The club
had literature printed 70 circulate
among the teachers when they met 8
year age Ut Mandan. The club haa
spent time and money for THU and
should be given the credit
| The Major spoke Of the moral SIDE
(eountilssd q laSe pass.)