Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-05-05
A Visit to the Metropolitan Cities of
the Northwest,
ST. PAUL

Two weeks ago Monday we left fol
ST. Paul and Minneapolis, via the
Wis. Valley R. R. and the Chicago
Minneapolis and Manatoba road ar.
irving all safe at 7:30 A. NJ. Tuesday
moring in st. Paul The Manatoba
route from Elroy to St Paul is one o.
the best equipped roads in the State
Their rolling stock is always kept il
fyst- class order, and they make it {
point to keep only temperate men as
employees, making it one Of the most
reliable and safest roads in this western
country for travellers. While at the
depot in St. Paul we took a stroll on
Third st. and found the business part
Of the city, lively, enterprising and
prosperous. We noticed IN particular
the narrowness OF the streets and a
gradual grade of about IS degrees on
third street. st. Paul is irregularly laid
out and it's buildings are mostly old
style in Architecture, and badly dilapi-
dated, giving stranger poor impress
sion Of che city The inhabitants are
mainly American with good spriLk-
ling of Canadian French, German and
Irish. Very few scandinavians are
found for SO large city. Among the
leading hotels are the Merchants
and Metropolitan. Among the large
business houses, wholesale and retail,
are found p. Ell. Kelley; Aurbach,
Finch and Yanslyck; Manfort & Co !;
Schliek & Co. Among the leading
journals are the Pioneer Press and
Dispatch, with large number of
other first class business houses in all
lines.
MINNEAPOLIS.
Leaving st. Paul at $50 o'clock A.
NJ we arrived in Minneapolis at 9 A. NJ.
being half an hours ride between the
two cites. The G. M. & st. Paul Co
have very fine depot, the best this
side of Chicago, adding greatly to
the appearance Of the city.
Minneapolis is laid ouS with most
of its streets and avenues at right
angles with each other, ranging from
go to 100 feet in width. It produces
on strangers much better impression
than st. Paul, on account of its site
being very level. They have
first-class street car accommodation to
any part of the city. The business
blocks are ali large, three to six stories
high, built with stone and brick and
have all modern Improvements. The
first thing that attracts tie stranoers
attention is the airy streets and beauti.
iul business places and residences.
Amo'a the leading wholesale and re-
tail houses, are Goodfellow & East
man; Geo. w. Hale & Co.. Lillibridge
& Co.; q. W. Stevens, and many
others. The popular hotels are Nieo-
let, Clark and ST. James, all first class
houses ana doing a splendid business
These three hotels are well known
through this western country. The
daily Tribune and Journal are the two
leading papers in Minneapolis ane
are well edited.
Geo. W. Hale & Co. a dry good,
firm on Nicolet avenue is large retail
establishment employing some X
clerks We have dealt a good dea
with this firm and are pretty wei
acquainted with many in this establish
ment. Mr.. Hale is noted for his gen
ial and pleasant manner, and his homes
transactions in business. He ha
gained wide reputation, and large
trade, which is justly due. His clerk
are all very pleasant and conduct thei
several departments with neatness anC
dispatch. While there we were il
need of pair of kid gloves and founC
Mrs Alice Vrooman had full charg
of that department., and fitted us witt
about as nice pair of gloves as W
ever wore. Mrs. Vrooman, Mr. Gold
Fred White and John Peterson, ar
the popular clerks of this large estab
lishment. While there, we lsarne
that Mr.. Webster, now of Pittsville
used to be bUokkeeper for this firm
but on account of poor health had t
resign it. He was spoken Of in tn
highest terms.
Minneapolis boasts OF its water pow
er and Touring mills, and well sh
may, while they turn out 5000
barrels of -four every day, C.
Washburn owns the largest mil
with capacity of 100 run of stone
known as the Washburn 'A' mil
The Pillsbury Bros. have a mill wit
the capacity Of so run of stone. Their