The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1916-09-21


lar packing plant that organization
will foster, and application for the
charter of the Equity Cooperative
Packing plant, already has gone for
ward to the secretary of state.
The exact site for the proposed
plant has not been definitely establish
ed yet, six different sites being under
consideration, three of these along the
Sheyenne river, west of the city limits.
The Co-operators' Herald, in an
article published today, sets forth
the committees reasons for selecting
Fargo.
In choosing Fargo the committee
stated that the reason governing it's
decision were the two questions of
logical situation and facilities for
distribution, with the possibility Of
securing financial support of sufficient
magnitude to finance the operations
of the plant. It is recognized that
large sums will be required to fin
ance the regular operations after the
plant is opened; Fargo offered the
largest possibilities in this respect
and the banks with one accord came
forward and pledged every possible
support and cooperation. This was
true too of the other localities but the
combined banking facilities of Fargo
far outmeasured the combined facil-
ties of other cities under considera.
ton.
Fargo, too, does an immense ton
mage In distribution at this time. It
is not generally known that the big
mail order houses of the east supply
the major portion of their customers
west of Fargo from that point, while
the wholesale houses at Fargo, ship
ping great quantities of goods out
daily have perfected a distributive
system that will mean a great deal
to the new plant and help nightly
in the distribution of its goods.
The local market too, was consider
ed. Fargo oorhead with nearly 3d.
600 population, consumes nearly two
million dollars worth of packing plant
products per year. This provides 10.
cal market of sufficient volume to
guarantee successful business on the
part of the plant right off the reel, a
feature that is Of tremendous import
ance because there will be no trans
portation cost connected with market
| ing the product consumed in Fargo.
| 1t was considered that the chief in
terest of the farmer, as a producer
of the raw product, lay in having a
market which will consume the larg-
est amount of his product; in a plant
established large enough to guarantee
reardy market at high prices. In this
connection it was shown that a farm
er in any part of North Dakota can
load his stock and ship to Fargo, un-
load, feed and water, offer for sale
, and if not offered a satisfactory price
can reload and reship to St. Paul or
Chicago without any loss or increase
OF rate over what would have been
the rate if billed right through from
primary point, establishing at once
competitive market with automatic
regulation of the price situation as re-
lated to the farmer. In other words,
T. if not satisfied that he is getting the
best price at the Equity plant the far
mer is not put to the expense of re-
shipping over route already cover
ed In order to reach market which
is more favorable to him, if one ex-
lists.
The members of the committee,
Messrs. C. J. Lee, Anthony Walton
and P. NJ Casey have the distinction
OF locating plant at point more or
less remote from their own personal
interests. Mr.. Lee lives at Valley
City and has several farms there
with some large holdings of Valley
City business and residence property.
In voting for Fargo he has ignored his
own personal friends and his largest
property interests in an effort to Sc
cure proper site for such an enter
prise. Mr. Walton lives at Minot and
is interested in city property, farm
lands near by and his personal affili-
atlons are very strong there, being a
candidate for the legislature from his
home city. He has ignored these con-
nections in the work he has done in
locating the plant
Mr.. Casey lives at Lisbon and while
his home city was not seeking the
plant his immediate personal interest
would have been Valley City as he is
much nearer that city than any of the
others. In voting with his fellow mem
bers his vote has been for the good
OF the whole state rather than to "a
vor any locality and will be appreciat-
ed as such.
The establishment of large and
successful packing plant under the CO.
operative plan will Immediately slim
ulate the live stock and dairying in.
dustries of North Dakota. The disas-
trous results of the 1916 wheat acre.
age and the magnificent crop Of for
age which is annually raised in the
state point to but one ending, stock
raising, diversified farming or con-
tinued struggle to succeed against
the odds of frequent loss of an entire
years effort and the result of the es-
Enlistment of such a plant means al
most unreasonable wealth to the
state as a whole.
The committee has visited every
section of North Dakota since it was
appointed last November. It has CIV
en- faithful service, careful considera-
ton to every claim presented in be-
half of the different localities: it has
worked without pay and with zeal that
should be appreciated by their breth-
rem in the Equity ranks, and has
now made decision which represents
their mature judgment as to what is