The Washington times., 1928-07-18
NEW CAR To Be
NAMED FOR
FARGO

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AIG RAA pgesSs ~
extend its activities into the COM
mercial vehicle. field with q de-
luxe line. to be known as Fargo
Express, il made by one OF the
leading motor car producers. The
identity OF this company and de-
tails Of the product will be made
known later. For the present. 1t
is stated that the new Fargo Elk
press Is IN production and will be
ready FOR delivery in from SO to
90 days.
Selection OF Fargo Express as the
name OF this PORTION bf the com.
pany's products is In honor Of
William 6. Fargo, generally cred
tied with founding the express
system as it is known today. He
was born May 20, 1873, in Pom.
pey, OnandagA county, N. X. One
of 12 children OF William g. and
Tacy Strong Fargo. The familys
circumstances necessitated that he
60 to work in boyhood.
At ID he was carrying mail on
horseback over d 40-Inile route--a
sidelinA of which was to trans
port packages, do errands and
execute small buying commissions.
This ID thought to have given him
his first conception OF the posi-
bilities De the express business.
Secs Railway Future
Finding unsuccessful venture
int the grocery field ct Weeds
port, N. r., with younger
BROTHER, he became freight agent
for the Auburn 3 Syracuse railroad,
where the tremendous ftIture ahead
Of the railroads was brought to
his attention. Al year later he be-
came express messenger for Pbme-
roy & CO.. 4 pioneer firm, travelling
by the various stages Of rail, water
and horseback between Albany and
Buffalo. In 1843 he became the
eOn1pany's agent at Buffalo, moving
TO that city.
ana Daniel Dunhing, he organized
an express line from Buffalo 10
cleveland and Detroit. The fact
that no railroad went West Of Cleve.
land toward the prairies did not
deter them, IS the Detroit trip was
made via Lake Erie in summer ana
ny wagon and sleigh in winter.
This lines almost immediate sue
cess caused 1t to be extended TO
Chicago, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, ST.
Louis and Galena, Ills. on the east
hank of the Mississippi.
In 1850 most OF the leading ex.
press lines, including k'afgO's, were
consolidated into the American Elk.
press Company. Fargo was elected
president and held that position Until
his death.
FOII0vss Gold Rush
IN 1851 he also set about organ.
lxing express lines to care for the.
needs of the h0rdes OF miners and
settlers who had fl0cked to Cali.
fornia and Nevada following the dis
coveries Of gold IN the Far West,
in the Days Of as. With Henry
Wells he formed the Wells Fargo
Express Company, establishing q
sea route from New York and other
North Atlantic points to the,
Isthmus of Panama, thence across
it and up the West coast to Cali
Gornia
Interior lines were also estab-
iIshed and the Pony Rider Ex-
press" famous in picture, song and
story, inaugurated across the plains
and Rockies by the intrepid Fargo.
This Pony Rider service could carry
Il package from the Missouri River
TO California in 4 weeks time, dur.
ing even the earlier Covered Wagon
days. despite the harassmef1t Of In
dams, the Rockies and Sierra Ne
vadas.
One Of Fargo'a first acts follow
ing the systems establishment WAS
lowering the charges from New
York to San Francisco from so to
20 cents 4 pound, and forcing his
competitions mot so fortunate in
estab lishment OF loW.eUst trafIspor-
tation--t0 do.
History records that Wells Fargo
played an important part in the
of the Far West. Scores
of millions in gold bullion and dust
were sent over It's route to New
York banking houses, enabling the
infant business of the Pacific region
rapidly to establish credit in New
York. Express riders were the con-
meeting links between East and
West. and were looked upon by the
settlers of Covered Wagon fame as
their mail carriers, messengers and
general utility men.
Business Pr0speFs
Fargo naturally pfospeEed. His
own personal integrity aud the flu
ancial responsibility OF the Variotis
companies with which he permitted
his name to be associated rapidly
made him the outstanding figure In
the express business. This same
responsibility and personal integrity
caused the people of Buffalo to pre-
vail upon him to run for mayor, a
position In which ne served from
1851 to 1855. He died August 3,
1881, after having seen the express
business reach throughout the
world.
ct IL considered particularly
appropriate to name az distinctive
line of commercial vehicles la
honor OF this distinguished pioneer
Of the delivery business" concludes
the announcement.
When yOH reach Paris call at
II