Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-05
City: Now Suffering Dis
advantages That Business
Men Must Help Overcome;
Commercial Club Dinner
Well Attended.

How the success OF a communities
business and therefore its prosperity.
IL dependent in large measure upon
freight rates which give that COM
munity an equal show with compel
Ing communities, what Grand Forks
why local citizens. should support the
work of remedyinG unfavorable con-
ditions, were matters dealt. with by
j.. w. Goodman, traffic commissioner
of the Commercial club, at q men,
bership dinner last night.
Last nights meeting, the first reg
ular gathering OF the membership
well attended, Ali members mani
tested . keen interest in the matters
under discussion, giving promise OF
tho full strength of the city's bust
ness men being put into the work.
Mr.. Goodman explained that the
first attention of the traffic depart
r. snt must necessarily be given to
ironing out the traffic difficulties of
individuals. Later. however, It may
be possible for the larger individual
cases to be dealt with, although at
10 time will the Commercial club at
tend to personal litigations. 1t wa:
said.
Three Problems
The community traffic problems
were mentioned as being in line for
solution at the present time. They
ere the storage-in-transit OF wheat,
and the Fargo rate case.
The question of wheat being stored
in transit through Grand Forks Is Of
particular importance. IT, was pointed
out because Of the state mill and
elevator being located here. This plant
being In need of the work of'"storing.
cleaning and milling wheat. and the
with the needs Of this state-owned In
! stitution. all obstacles that might pre-
vent wheat from reaching the plant
are detrimental to the community.
Such an obstacle now exists, Mr..
Goodman pointed out, In the form Of
storase-in.transit rates that diserim-
mate against Grand Forks In favor
Superior.
Shippers OF wheat from points
west or north Of here to points east
OF Minnesota. who wish to have their
grain cleaied.or for any purpose stor-
ed at tho state mill and elevator,
g storage charge Of 2 Ia cents per
hundred pounds. This charge not
having to betpaid IL the grain is stor-
| ed in transit In the, eastern Mime
sofa cities mentioned. means that
Grand Forks must suffer a disadvant-
age of approximately / la cents per
bushel in competing for wheat that
stitution. Hope was Expressed that
this disadvantage can and will be
overcome. w
How the discriminatory rates on
potatoes, which; for a time were en-
joyed by far. western states, were
prevented from being extended was
explained by Mr.. Goodman, and in
timation given that further beneficial
adjustments may be. expected.
The Fate Case Y
The Fargo rate case with the Inter
now pending and in which Grand
Forks has been permitted to inter
vene, promises>to result in q number
Fof rate changes beneficial to the Red
River valley. Briefly, the case as
instituted by the Fargo Commercial
club, calls for efforts to secure for
Fargo rates from the east that are
the Twin Cities. The traffic depart
ment Of the, Grand Forks Commercial
| club to work for similar
benefits. and, in addition. to strive
.or adjustments that will remove
discrimination that exists in favor Of
Fargo.
AT the present times Mr.. Goodman
finds, Grand Forks enjoys commodity
rates on but thirteen kinds Of freight
while Fargo has more than 200. This
1t is pointed out, places this city at
a. disadvantage in competing with
Fargo, and the local club will be un-
yielding in its demand for adjustment.
During the course of the evening
the point was brought out that few
people are familiar with freight rates,
or, in fact, any Of the phases of rail
reading that are Of concern to them.
It was said, for instance. that a num-
Der. Of people are OF the opinion that
the government val time guarantee
Is still in effect. g
In dealing with the Minnesota
freight rates, by means of which
freight from the east may be shipped
to East Grand Forks considerably
cheaper than to Grand Forks. 1t was