The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-04-09
splendid
FEELING WAS
INEVIDENCE
President Gray Big Whole -SouI"
ed Genial Man
Vice-Presidents Kenney and
Grubcr in Party
Large Number Of FargsanS
Turned Out to Greet Them

Fargo citizens enjoyed a delightful
visit last evening with Pres. Carl r.
Gray, of the Great Northern, Vice
Presidents Gruber and Kenney and a
number Of other officials of Jim"
Hills line. II was the first time Far
go has had the pleasure Of an extend
ed visit from President Gray, and tho
many Fargo business men who attend
ed the Informal smoker at the COM
mercial club found him very pleas
ant, genial gentleman. -.
Mr.. Gray is a big man, physically
and mentally. He is splendid story
teller and enjoys a hearty laugh, but
in all his conversation. shows the alert
active mind that has brought him up
from the ranks to the head Of one oE
the greatest railroad systems Of the
nation.
In Major Steel, who recently resigned
from the United States army to make
his home in Fargo, taking charge Of
the Folsom estate. President Gray met
a. congenial companion, as both had
put in a long service in the south
west" President Gray got the greater
part Of his extensive railroad expert
ence in Oklahoma, Texas and other
southwestern states and Major Steel
: served with the United States army In
that section for many years. They
| found they had mutual aCquaintances
and enjoyed a very pleasant hour in
"reminiscences of pioneer days.
A State Commission.
In a conversation during the even
| ing President Gray made the statement
that he could not see why commits
sion form of government for state
as has been proposed for Kansas,
might not be a good thing.
IF twelve men were selected from
the state from geological districts and
were to take charge Of the business Of
the state as a business proposition, de-
voting their time to the work the year
around I should think they could get
much better results than under the
present Methods said Mr.. Gray. AL
though" he hastily added, the very
idea OF a legislature sitting the year
round gives q railroad man the creeps.
You know the latest bill that has
been introduced in Nebraska, ] sup
pose? A man has actually introduced
bill which provides that when two
trains must come to full stop and
then the bill reads, neither shall pro-
ceed until the other has passed
But, speaking seriously. this state
commission proposition has certain
appeal to me. A state Is a big busi
ness institution. Why should II not
have a business administration, the
same dS n IdllEOdu Ut any OLuSE BlS
business proposition" ....
Are On Way West.
There was probably very little sig
nificance in this visit to Fargo The
party is on it's way west to Washing
ton to inspect the proposed 10000.
600 power plant to be installed on the
Chelan river for the purpose of pro-
viding power for electrifying their
western lines. The project is consid-
cred one of the biggest engineering
feats of the century and il completed
will furnish power not only for the
coast trains, but for all the lines west
Of the Cascades.
Included in the list of officials were,
Carl r Gray, president; NJ. c. Byers,
assistant to president; w. p. Kenney,
vice president; J. NJ. Gruber, vice pres
ident; George II. Emerson, general
manager: R Bud, chief engineer; II.
r. Hamilton, resident engineer: F. Bell,
general superintendent G. T.. Nc
Laughlin, division superintendent:
James Robinson, division freight
agent; J. H. Grtffen, division freight
agent.